wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep.79) Review 9.05.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Alright everyone, we’re officially in the aftermath of All Out. A show I’d call a tad divisive if nothing else. Anyway tonight we’ve got Private Party, Nyla Rose and Marina Shafir, Serena Deeb, and more in the land of Elevation. Excalibur and Matt Menard are on commentary.
Match #1: Julia Hart vs. Alice Crowley
Hart stares down Crowley to start, Crowley seems a touch unnerved before they tie up. Hart forces things into a corner then we get a clean break from Hart but Crowley avoids a corner attack and lands strikes of her own but Hart slams her down by the hair then hits a standing moonsault. Crowley lands an elbow but runs into a super kick. Hart with her usual corner offense, her chops have improved a bit but there’s way too much follow through after impact still. Crowley tries a back suplex but Hart flips through and lands another super kick then a northern lariat followed by Heartless and Crowley has to tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Julia Hart won in 2:27
Rating: Jack be Little. . . SQUASH
Delicious squash. Hart’s improving a lot under the new gimmick and it’s a nice thing to see because she’s definitely got the athletic potential and her mechanics are coming along nicely.
Match #2 – Tag Team Match: Josh Woods and Tony Nese w/ Mark Sterling vs. Jordan Kross and Renny D
Kross and Nese start things off as Menard again laments the lack of outfit coordination from Nese and Woods. Nese backs Kross into a corner and hits a cheap shot then lands some kicks and a sweep to Kross. Woods tags in and Kross takes some corner offense. Nese tags back in and Kross takes more abuse then tries to fight back with punches but Nese isn’t impressed then tags in Woods. Mach Man hot shot from Nese and Kross bounces back into a bridging German suplex from Woods and Renny breaks up the pin. Nese ejects Renny then hits a dive while Woods lands a knee strike to Kross, then their Angle Slam and neckbreaker finisher connects and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Josh Woods and Tony Nese won in 2:27
Rating: Maliformis. . . SQUASH
More delicious squash, I’m kind of enjoying the team of Nese and Woods as they work well together.
Match #3: Serena Deeb vs. Nikki Victory
Excalibur sets the over/under for this match at 2:25 after Deeb’s been sub three minutes in her last couple of Elevation appearances, Menard takes the over. Deeb argues with the ref about taking her robe off, then tries a cheap shot but Nikki sees it coming and unloads with corner offense then hits a cross body off the top rope and Deeb rolls out of the ring. Baseball slide from Nikki then they head back into the ring but Nikki takes too long and Deeb hits a couple of Dragon screws through the ropes to start working the leg of Nikki. Deeb still wont take off her robe, hits a spinning neckbreaker for a 2 count. Chops from Deeb then an uppercut and the robe finally comes off. Deeb with a takeover then grabs a modified Muta lock to kill time and we’re officially into the over territory. Some pie faces from Deeb then she avoids a punch from Nikki and lands a clothesline. Serenity Lock time, but Nikki avoids it and lands strikes but then Deeb grabs a modified susnset flip, rolls through and wrenches on the old inverted Palo special (Olap perhaps?) to force the submission.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Serena Deeb won in 3:50
Rating: Pattypan. . . SQUASH
Extended squash but a squash all the same, Nikki Victory got to look pretty good in places here though and she made Deeb bust out a new move.
Match #4 – Tag Team Match: Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) vs. JDX and Brandon Gore
Kassidy and JDX start us off, Quen blind sides JDX and they start laying into him with some tandem moves. Quen is legal now and misses a meteora in the corner then both men tag out. Gore comes in with clotheslines to Kassidy, but Quen hits him with a drop kick. JDX takes out Quen with a back elbow only for Kassidy to respond with a silly string DDT. Matt Hardy heads to the entrance ramp and stands there on the stage watching the match. Quen tags in, Kassidy sets Gore on the top rope, the Gin and Juice connects and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Private Party won in 2:07
Rating: Patidou. . . SQUASH
Meh squash, I’m still not sure what we’re doing with Private Party at this point as it feels like they’ve been treading water for at least a year.
Post match Hardy gives his approval from the entrance stage and indicates he’s still watching Private Party.
Match #5: Skye Blue vs. Diamante
Diamante with a go behind, Blue counters into one of her own then grabs a crucifix pin for a 2 count then grabs an arm wringer. Diamante escapes and lands a back eblow. Blue avoids a corner charge and rolls her up for another 2 count. Some strikes from Diamante, who’s had enough of the cute stuff. Blue winds up on the apron but Diamante shoulder blocks her to a prone position then hits a baseball slide to drop her to the floor. Back in the ring now and Diamante starts targeting the lower back with knee strikes. Blue tries to fight back with strikes, Diamante is happy to strike with her then lays in some corner offense but misses a basement drop kick. They trade strikes now with Blue getting the better of things then hits a head scissors takedown. Knee strike from Blue then a drop kick for a 2 count. Blue sets up a super kick but Diamante avoids it and hits a couple of German suplexes, then has to fight for the third but hits it with a bridge and gets a 2 count. Blue lands a super kick, Diamante responds with an elbow but Blue catches a running Diamante with a twisting Flatliner to get the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Skye Blue won in 4:37
Rating: 2 stars
Decent match, Blue gets a win but that finish probably needs to be reworked as I’m not sure it’ll play against anyone bigger than Blue herself.
Match #6 – Tag Team Match: Nyla Rose and Marina Shafir w/ Vickie Guerrero vs. Madison Rayne and Queen Aminata
Rayne and Shafir start us off, Shafir with a quick trip, then a hip throw as Rayne tries a go behind. Another sweep from Shafir and she pokes at Rayne with her foot. Rayne lands an elbow and grabs a side headlock then lands a few strikes out of the corner and hits a drop kick. Vickie distracts Rayne, allowing Shafir to land a front kick to the face and tag out. Rose goes after Rayne and hits a senton leading to Aminata breaking up the pin. Rayne scoots away from Rose and tags in Aminata. Elbow by Aminata but Rose isn’t impressed and lays in strikes then hits a scoop slam and a jumping leg drop. Rose distracts the ref so Shafir can choke out Aminata for a bit, then Shafir tags in. Shafir lays in elbows then a kick to the back. Aminata avoids a uranage and hits a Flatliner to put both women down. Shafir tags out then blocks a splash from Rose and tags out. Rayne tries to strike with Rose, this doesn’t go all that well until she hits an enziguri and tries a pendulum DDT but Rose tosses her off then counters a sunset flip and clubs Rayne down with an elbow. Shafir tags in and their 3D DDT finisher hits to end things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Nyla Rose and Marina Shafir won in 4:42
Rating: 2.5 stars
Decent match but Shafir is still very much a work in progress, though she’s not nearly as stiff as she used to be. Rayne didn’t quite mesh with either Rose of Shafir in the ring though.
