wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s AEW Dark: Elevation Review (Ep. 3) 3.29.21
Loading...Alrighty everyone, another episode of AEW Dark: Elevation is here. I’m Robert Winfree here to review this, wait oh God, it’s 2.5 hours?! Last week was such a nice step in the right direction in terms of run time, I’m not sure why they went back to over 2. Well let’s see how things go. We’ve got some headliners announced, Scorpio Sky taking on Mike Sydal and then Jon Moxley vs. Bill Collier seem like the highest priorities. Also I’m going to have to beg a bit of an indulgence, I’m doing this not long after covering the latest WWE Raw which was. . . well pretty darn awful. So if I’m still traumatized and unfair to this show, I’m blaming Raw.
We open with Moxley mentioning he’s been jumped, beat up, and burned the last few weeks and his friend had his ankle broken so he’s not in a good mood. But how will he fix that? By doing what he loves, dropping someone on their head and choking them out, so he’s happy to be here on AEW Dark.
Video intro follows, nice that they’ve got that put together. And we’re right into our first match.
Match #1 – Tag Team Match: JD Drake and Ryan Nemeth vs. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy)
Taylor and Cassidy have new ring music. Nemeth and Taylor start us off. Nemeth with a kick and quick takedown then tags out. Taylor with arm drags to Nemeth and Drake, then Drake hits one and Taylor tags out. Cassidy hasn’t even taken off his sun glasses and just tags out after looking Drake over. Taylor with an arm drag, Drake backs him into the heel corner and Nemeth tags in. Nemeth and Taylor take turns landing chops, then Cassidy tags in but Cassidy isn’t involved in the double team. A few covers from Cassidy, and he argues that three separate one counts should be three. Taylor tags in and Cassidy half pushes Nemeth into a half Boston crab. Drake behind the refs back jumps Taylor and the heels take over. They double team Taylor for a bit, Drake with an inverted atomic drop and a clothesline. Taylor eventually fights free, plants Drake with a rock bottom and Cassidy tags in. The hands are in the pockets now, and the leg kicks follow but Drake chops him down. Cassidy with his usual hands in pockets offense, then tries a Beach Break but Drake is too big for him. Stunner out of a suplex from Cassidy then a tornado DDT and Nemeth has to save the match. Nemeth tags in and drop kicks Cassidy then hits his own DDT but Taylor saves the match. Drake in, catches eats a knee and an Orange punch. Taylor flies onto Nemeth, Cassidy hits the Beach Break and wins.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Best Friends won
Rating: 2.5 stars
Perfectly acceptable middle of the road tag match. Nemeth and Drake seemed to gel well as a team, there might be something there for them.
Miro, Kip Sabian, and Penelope Ford show up post match. They’re just here to give them a taste of Arcade Anarchy and wish them luck. Well Miro isn’t, he hopes they survive next weeks match so he can crack their skulls afterwards. Miro will see you really soon. You know, just in case you forgot their big event coming. Sabian and Miro jump Cassidy and Taylor once they reach the top of the entrance ramp. Miro beats them down with his shoe, you can’t just slap a man with a shoe.
Next match is up.
Match #2: Bill Collier vs. Jon Moxley
Moxley in control early, working the arm before driving Collier into the corner and they trade chops. Drop kick from Collier then a headlock takeover but runs into a Moxley clothesline when they hit the ropes. A lot of mat wrestling from Moxley, he’s in firm control. Strikes from Moxley but Collier seems to be firing up. Collier lands a few rights but eats a German suplex. A kick and some clotheslines from Collier then a fallaway slam. Moxley hits a clothesline, then a piledriver for a near fall but he turns the kick out into a Bulldog choke and Collier is out.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jon Moxley won
Rating: 2 stars
I know they built in the excuse about Moxley being worn down so a total newcomer could get in offense, but it still felt a little weird watching. Collier looked competent though, so we’ll probably see at least a little more of him.
We get a look back to earlier today when Cody Rhodes showed up to present a fan with a signed weight belt. Isn’t Cody just a swell guy?
Back to the ring for more action.
Match #3: Leila Grey vs. Penelope Ford w/ Kip Sabian
Ford works some wrestling early, that turns into a slap and hair pull. Grey with some stick and move, then she hits a seated shotgun drop kick. Ford back in control with strikes then a handspring back elbow in the corner. They wind up on the apron, and Ford with a springboard double knee drop on the apron. I question the necessity of that spot. Grey fires up with some clotheslines then a Thesz press but runs into a wheel kick. Ford then with the double knee gut buster to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Penelope Ford won
Rating: 1.5 stars
Not a whole lot here, Grey is alright but Ford isn’t exactly a ring general so it played as incredibly generic.
Straight into the next match.
Match #4 – Trios Tag Match: Rex Lawless and Milk Chocolate (Randy Summers and Brandon Watts) vs. The Gunn Club (Billy, Austin, and Colten Gunn)
OK, commentary talking about how Billy Gunn is made of charisma has to be a rib right? Austin and Summers start us off. Some basic hammerlock play early then Summers goes into the strikes but Austin gets the better of it and Summers tags out to Lawless and here comes Billy as well. They trade rear waist locks, the Lawless goes into the striking but gets the worst of it when Billy starts kicking. Austin tags back in and the Gunn club gets to run wild. Colten is in now, not sure if I just missed the tag or not. Austin and Colten double team Lawless, then Lawless kicks Austin down and tags Watts. The heels isolate Austin for a while but eventually he gets free and tags Colten. Colten runs wild on everyone and Lawless saves the match. Billy calls for the finish, we get the 3:10 to Yuma to end things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: The Gunn Club won
Rating: 2 stars
The Gunn Club kind of is what it is right now, Austin and Colten are getting some experience and seasoning but they move well in the ring. Lawless and Milk Chocolate didn’t look out of place to their credit.
In the back Thunder Rosa she talks about her win over Britt Baker, she mentions that was a beautiful and historic match and thanks the fans for supporting the effort. What’s next for her is a match tonight with a student she’s familiar with and is happy to represent Latina’s. Diamante walks up and objects to that, they bicker over jealousy and Diamante mentions that Rosa doesn’t even go her and warns her she’s got a target on her back. Rosa informs her that when you’re the best you’re a target everywhere. They both seem amenable to fighting at some point in the future. I could be down for those two locking up.
Back to the ring.
Match #5: Joey Janela w/ Sonny Kiss vs. Chandler Hopkins
They tie up, Hopkins out wrestles Janela early so Janela starts in with punches. Hopkins is happy to trade blows but Janela gets the better of things. A German suplex from Janela puts him in firm control. Janela works his usual offense for a while, and tosses Hopkins out of the ring. Janela wants a dive, and hits a suicide dive but he waits too long on the outside and Hopkins dives onto him. Back in the ring Hopkins up top, Janela tosses him off. A series of kicks from Hopkins and a standing Spanish fly, then he’s up top and hits a frog splash for a near fall. Hopkins heads back up top, tries a shooting star press but runs into the knees of Janela. Janela with a lariat, seated super kick, and modified Falcon Arrow but that only gets 2 on a very lax cover from Janela. Hopkins blocks a discus clothesline then hits a kick, a running forearm then gets a front suplex countered into a death valley driver. Greetings for Ashbury Park elbow finishes things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Joey Janela won
Rating: 2 stars
I don’t enjoy most of Janela’s work, but he’s the right kind of guy for this show because he hardly needs to be protected. Hopkins got to show off his stuff, which wasn’t bad but also felt like most indy guys and there didn’t seem to be a whole lot to differentiate him from the pack. That said I wouldn’t object to seeing him again.
Jack Evans gets an interview with Dasha, he says he doesn’t need to prepare just his coffee. He’s disappointed in AEW for even putting him in there with the Jurassic dorks. He mocks them a bit and then ends the interview.
Match #6: Alex Gracia vs. Thunder Rosa
They tie up then trade arm wringers and escapes on the mat, Rosa getting the better of things. They start running the ropes and trade arm drags, the Rosa into a pinning position for 2. The usual indy set up of sweeps, near falls, and a double drop kick then they stare off and reset. A few running sequences later Rosa hits a drop kick to take over. Rosa starts getting into the strikes now. Gracia tries to fire back but Rosa shuts that down. Gracia botches a whip to the buckles, but is able to somewhat recover and hit a head scissor takedown. Rosa with a Russian leg sweep to get back in control. A series of corner offense from Rosa, Gracia starts fighting back after slipping out of a Beautiful Nightmare. That’s just a momentary reprieve though as Rosa hooks up the Fire Thunder Driver to get the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Thunder Rosa won
Rating: 1.5 stars
Gracia looked really green, a bit too anxious with her movements and spent a fair bit of time obviously waiting on set up pieces. Not everything has to be done at an 11, let some stuff breathe. Rosa, who is something of a ring general, helped give structure but Gracia needs a lot of work.
Match #7: Leyla Hirsch vs. Vipress
Hirsch with the early mat wrestling into several pinning situations. Vipress clearly out of her element on the mat, and I mean that as something of a compliment as she’s selling being out of her depth well. A rake of the eyes from Vipress and she starts going after the arm of Hirsch after hanging it up on the ropes. Hirsch eventually blocks a kick and lands a clothesline. Vipress misses a seated kick, and eats a series of German suplexes. Armbar from Hirsch and Vipress taps.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Layla Hirsch won
Rating: 2 stars
Short and mostly to the point, Vipress got in a bit of offense but seemed to be relying more on aesthetic to get her personality across than anything she did physically. Her offense also looked very soft, which I always consider a negative.
Match #8: Danny Limelight vs. Frankie Kazarian
Limelight with a quick arm drag to surprise Kazarian. Kazarian takes things to the mat and starts working the arm. Limelight wrestles with him but winds up on the wrong end of things, tries to flip out of a monkey flip, not quite makes it but they work through it. Hurricanrana from Limelight, Limelight flips out of a German and Kazarian decides to take him down with a series of strikes culminating with a clothesline. Kazarian in control again, working the arm of Limelight. Limelight fights back with strikes and kicks, he hits the ropes and spikes Kazarian with a hurricanrana into a pin attempt but only 2. Back suplex from Kazarian to get back on offense. Kazarian tosses Limelight around, until Limelight kicks free and walks the middle rope then springboards off and lands a clothesline. Not the cleanest execution but a cool spot. Kicks from Limelight to the kneeling Kazarian, he winds up eating a bridging electric chair from Kazarian though for a near fall. Kazarian has had enough, hits a scoop slam then a springboard leg drop. Limelight to the apron, Limelight fights back and hits a super kick back in the ring then a double stomp to the back for a near fall. Kazarian avoids a jumping DDT, locks up a crossface chickenwing and gets the tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Frankie Kazarian won
Rating: 2.5 stars
Almost a soft 3 but the botches from Limelight kept it more in the 2.5 range. Some issues of athleticism aside, and everyone has an off night, Limelight has been a solid hand for these shows. Kazarian is still Kazarian, he’s blended his athleticism into more of a grizzled veteran presentation quite nicely.
Christian Cage heads down the ramp and applauds Kazarian. Again, nice pay check if you can get it.
Match #9: Ethan Page vs. Fuego del Sol
Page instantly to the striking game, looks for an Egos Edge but Fuego fights free. Drop kick from Fuego, he works his offense and tries a tornado DDT but Page tosses him off and hits a shoulder tackle. Page hits a backbreaker and starts working the back. Fuego fights out of a rear bearhug but Page cuts him off with another backbreaker variation, goes for the pin but then pulls Fuego up. Page wants to grace us with his presence for longer. Fuego lands a slap, runs an offensive flurry and tries the tornado DDT again but Page sets him on the top rope and smacks him. Page drops the back of Fuego across the top turnbuckle, hits the Egos Edge and wins.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Ethan Page won
Rating: 2 stars
I’m hard pressed to find anything too negative to say here, Fuego is pretty great in the Barry Horowitz role and at a bare minimum Page is a solid hand. Page gets his character, how to work it in both offense and defense for these kinds of matches, and comes across like a guy who should be on a bigger stage.
Match #10 – Tag Team Match: Tay Conti and Hikaru Shida vs. Jazmin Allure and Tesha Price
Conti fights off both Allure and Price then tags in Shida. They beat up on Allure, Allure gets free and tags in Price. Price gets the better of Shida for a bit, Shida has had enough of that and hits a suplex. Allure cheap shots Shida, so Conti takes her out with a pump kick. Conti tags in, they double team both women, stereo triangle chokes for a bit and Conti starts abusing Price. DD-Tay from Conti finishes things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Hikaru Shida and Tay Conti won
Rating: Amphora. . . SQUASH
Exactly what it should have been.
Match #11: Jungle Boy w/ Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus and Marko Stunt) vs. Jack Evans w/ Angelico
The tie up and trade arm wringer escapes, both showing off their athleticism until Jungle Boy hits a side headlock takeover. Jungle Boy working a lot on the headlock, they go into the indy escape and double drop kick spot. Pity we’ve already seen that same sequence this episode. Angelico distracts Jungle Boy and Evans lands a tornado kick. Evans beats up Jungle Boy around the ringside area, then back into the ring. Evans in firm control now with strikes. Modified gogoplata from Evans, Jungle Boy counters with a sitout powerbomb. Jungle Boy with a flurry of offense culminating with a clothesline. Evans hits a spinning kick then a handspring back elbow and both men are out of the ring. They brawl around the ringside area, Evans with the tornado kick off the apron to the floor and both men are down. Back into the ring Evans up top but Jungle Boy cuts him off and follows him up there. Evans avoids a superplex, and hits a spider style German suplex, then misses a moonsault double stomp. Jungle Boy tosses Evans into the buckles then hits a bridging German for 2. Northern lights suplex from Evans then a sit out powerslam for a near fall. Evans goes up top, but Jungle Boy catches a flying kick into the Snare Trap and Evans has to tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jungle Boy won
Rating: 2.5 stars
A bit spotty, but that’s true of most matches featuring Jack Evans. Don’t get me wrong, as someone who saw his early stuff in ROH he’s not nearly as bad as he used to be about that but it’s still something of an issue. This match was probably exactly what you thought it would be if I told you Jungle Boy and Jack Evans wrestled each other.
Match #12 – Tag Team Match: Adam Priest and Aaron Frye vs. QT Marshall and Lee Johnson
Marshall and Frye start us off. They get to striking early, Marshall gets the advantage and tags in Johnson. They work over Frye for a bit, until Frye yanks Marshall off the second rope and starts working body blows. Running knee from Marshall and Priest tags in. Marshall eats a German suplex from Priest. Kicks from Priest but Marshall gets close enough for Johnson to tag in. Johnson runs wild, Marshall tags back in when Johnson got dropped. Johnson takes out Frye and hits the Diamond Cutter on Priest to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: QT Marshall and Lee Johnson won
Rating: Buttercup. . . SQUASH
Priest is reminiscent of Jamie Noble in more than just facial hair, and I mean that as a compliment. Ultimately a squash though.
Match #13: Kilynn King vs. Ryo Mizunami
The tie up, King hits a mat return but Mizunami fights back up and they trade some standing switches before hitting the ropes and King can’t knock Mizunami over. Doesn’t seem to matter how much speed King builds up she can’t knock Mizunami over, eventually she’s able to come out of the corner with enough to drop Mizunami. King offers the knuckle lock, then raises her hand to mock the height difference. Mizunami kicks her in the leg and we wind up with the knuckle lock and Mizunami gets the better of it. They move onto trading strikes, which Mizunami gets the better of. Kobashi style rapid corner chops follow and Mizunami is in full control. King with a knee to the body and she’s on offense now. Mizunami eggs King on to chop her, she does so, then King returns the spot asking for chops. They trade blows and Mizunami starts fishing for the arm triangle choke but King gets to the ropes. King with kicks then a German suplex and a shotgun drop kick then a spinebuster for a near fall. Exploder from Mizunami then a spear and the top rope leg drop finishes things.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Ryo Mizunami won
Rating: 2.5 stars
Mizunami has personality to spare, and King held her own throughout the match. Good stuff from both ladies. Post match they shake hands and exchange bows.
Match #14 – Tag Team Match: D3 and Vary Morales vs. Alan “5” Angels and 10
10 and D3 start us off, 10 easily the stronger man and tackles D3 down. Angels tags in and they hit some double team moves before Morales tags in. Angels out wrestles Morales easily until he misses a second rope moonsault then both men tag out. 10 back to running wild on D3. Spinebuster from 10, Morales tries a cheap shot but Angels takes him out on the apron. 10 with a pump kick, tags out and they hit a double team into a full nelson from 10 and that gets the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Alan “5” Angels and 10 won
Rating: Turban. . . SQUASH
Showcase for the Dark Order boys, which I don’t object to as a rule but this probably wasn’t necessary. My biggest complaint thus far on this show is that there’s no reason for it to be this long and matches like this don’t really serve a purpose. Commentary talks about how you don’t see a lot of people win with full nelsons, and I face palm considering one of WWE’s champions uses it as their primary finish.
In the back Dasha interviews Ethan Page. He says he’s racking up wins just like he said he would, and complains that AEW is ignoring some superstars like himself. Apparently no one has even treated him nicely, well with one exception. Well he wont do what AEW does in overlooking talent, he’ll be out there enjoying the rest of the show because the talent deserves it.
Video package for Bear Country, they get to tell their story about the journey to AEW.
Match #15 – Tag Team Match: Bear Country (Bear Boulder and Bear Bronson) vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) w/ Matt Hardy
Bronson and Kassidy get us going, Bronson easily overpowering Kassidy. Shoulder block from Bronson, he manhandles Kassidy until Kassidy tags out. Quen works his speed but runs into a back elbow and eats a senton. Boulder tags in and they double team Quen for a bit then Boulder takes over abusing Quen. Quen fights back with a drop kick but runs into a kick. Bronson back in and Quen gets more physical abuse. Kassidy in to try and cheap shot Bronson but Bronson swats him away. Eventually the numbers game does catch up and Quen is able to take over with a drop kick. They isolate Bronson now with Kassidy laying in stomps and a few cheap shots from Hardy thrown in for good measure. Bronson tries to fight free but Quen and Kassidy keep him isolated in the ring and double team him for a bit. Eventually Bronson fights free and tags out. Boulder is a house on fire and tosses both Quen and Kassidy around with ease. Boulder catches both Quen and Kassidy on jumps in an absurd display of strength and tosses them both around. Hardy up to distract the ref, but Marko Stunt is here to take him out of the equation, but Stunt’s presence distracts Beat Country. Bronson eats a double enziguri and then gets pinned with the tights grabbed for extra leverage.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Private Party won
Rating: 2 stars
Generic, but they worked the fundamentals of tag wrestling well enough. Sadly the outcome wasn’t ever in doubt given Private Party’s status, though Bear Country made a very good impression overall and should be in the line for bigger and better things soon. Stunt apologizes to Bear Country, Boulder is pissed and here come Jurassic Express to protect their little buddy and this turns into a brawl almost immediately. The refs come out and break things up.
Match #16: Scorpio Sky vs. Mike Sydal w/ Matt Sydal
The tie up and Mike can’t quite take Sky down. Some mat wrestling from Sky, then a shoulder block but Mike with a kick to the head. Drop kick from Mike and he takes over on offense. Sky has had enough of that and lands a kick then heads out of the ring. Enziguri back in the ring from Sky, Matt has left the ringside area. Sky with punches in the corner, and he’s on offense now. Backbreaker from Sky and he’s starting to zero in on the back of Mike. Mike hits a drop kick and starts in on a flurry of offense to take over. Super kick from Mike into a leg sweep and a standing moonsault for a near fall. Sky fights back and they trade strikes, Sky hitting a trio of German suplexes. Sky calls for the end, wants the TKO but Mike slips free and they trade strikes again. Mike runs into a chop block, heel hook from Sky and Mike taps immediately.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Scorpio Sky won
Rating: 2 stars
Not a bad showcase for Mike Sydal even in a losing effort.
Post match Scorpio wont let go of the hold and Matt Sydal runs out to save his brother. Here comes Ethan Page though, he beats down Sydal, then he and Scorpio share a meaningful look and head out together.
