Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation (Ep. 82) Review 9.26.22

Hey there people, time for another episode of AEW’s Elevation brand. Tonight we’ve got a super short episode, just two matches and clocking in at less than 30 minutes of total run time. This was taken from the Grand Slam tapings, so it makes sense that there would be a bit less content than usual. We’re also getting some PSA’s from wrestlers about mental health awareness. Ian Riccaboni and Matt Menard are on the call.

Match #1 – Mixed Tag Team Match: Skye Blue and Shawn Dean vs. Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford

Dean and Sabian get us going. They tie up then hit the ropes, Dean gets sent to the apron and eats an enziguri that sends him to the floor. Sabian conducts the crowd, then fakes a dive and gives a mocking salute. Dean hits the ropes and runs over Sabian with a shoulder block then hits a drop kick. Eye poke from Sabian and he goes to strikes then grabs a rest hold. Dean fights to his feet and lays in strikes then Ford tags in and cheap shots Blue. Some attacks to Dean, I guess the ref didn’t see the tag? Either way Sabian hits a senton then tries a slingshot suplex but Dean counters with a small package then hits the Rock’s around the opponent DDT. Both men tag out and Blue goes at Ford with kicks then hits a swinging neckbreaker for a 2 count. Running knee from Blue, then she hits Sabian with a Canadian Destroyer, but Ford avoids a clothesline then hits a Cutter for a 2 count. Blue tags out and Dean starts laying into Sabian. Ian on commentary calls Sabian’s jab “Larry Holmes like” and I call all kinds of BS on that one. Sky High from Dean gets a 2 count. Dean heads up top, Ford goes to pull Sabian away but Blue cuts her off and they brawl but the delay allowed Sabian time to recover, he gets the knees up to counter a splash then hits the Anarchist Suplex to get the win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford won in 5:16

Rating: 1.5 stars

I wasn’t feeling this one, there were some editing choices that looked designed to cover up in match issues, Ford looked rustier here than her last match, and Dean had almost no chemistry with Sabian.

Our first sit down discussion of mental health comes from Powerhouse Hobbs, talking about learning to seek help after being raised in an environment that looked down on that.

Match #2: Serpentico w/ Luther vs. Ortiz

They tie up, then Ortiz grabs a side headlock then shoulder blocks Serpentico down. Clothesline from Ortiz then he chops Serpentico in the face as Serpentico was late ducking under. Serpentico is able to roll through and land a super kick. Ortiz heads to the floor where Luther kicks him then hits a suplex. Back in the ring Serpentico with some strikes, but Ortiz avoids a corner attack and hits a shotgun drop kick. Back elbow from Ortiz and he starts to fire up, then hits a powerslam for a 2 count. Serpentico fights back with a head scissors then a Flatliner. Serpentico heads up top, hits a Swanton Bomb but only gets a 2 count. Luther objects to the count. Ortiz counters a suplex with a body shot, then hits a Fisherman’s Buster to pick up the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Ortiz won in 3:22

Rating: 2.5 stars

Perfectly acceptable match.

Eddie Kingston talks now, he mentions the history of mental health issues in his family and how he was taught to hide it and that as a man your feelings don’t matter. He mentions his father realizing his son needed help and figuring out how to help Eddie with his mental health. That openness in his house after that is why Eddie’s so open talking about this, and mentions how many people in and around his life he’s lost to suicide. Now there’s no reason not to break the habits of the past, men should be able to talk about what they’re going through. He doesn’t care if you think he’s soft, because he’ll be alive and with his family and soft. He mentions going through a slightly rough patch the last couple of weeks, even with where he is in his life it’s still an every day struggle. Ultimately really hopes to get to a place where people don’t have to mourn the suicide of others, because we’re only here for a short period of time and you should want that to be good. There’s nothing wrong with medication if you need it, you’ve just got to do the right things for yourself. He reminds us that we’re never alone, there’s always 1 person who cares. He talks about an older guy who used to show up at a bar when Eddie was bouncing there, and this man committed suicide and when he and the bar tenders heard it it messed with them and they didn’t even know him that well. Now imagine everyone who did know him. He just doesn’t want people doing that anymore. Ultimately he wants everyone to remember that you’re never truly alone, and you make your own normal. I don’t have anything I can add to that one, well apart from once again telling AEW to put some gold on Eddie Kingston you cowards.

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

I was going to go lower, but Eddie Kingston's PSA bit at the end bumped this up quite a bit. This was shorter, had one pretty lackluster match and a quite short main event, but having Hobbs and Kingston talk about mental health was a good call and given how busy the last week was for AEW this being a shorter episode makes sense.