Dark
Date: August 25, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Taz, Tony Schiavone, Veda Scott

I’m not sure what to expect from this show as it might be the last show without fans, but at the same time it is a thirteen match card that lasts an hour and fifty eight minutes. Yes I mention the time and the amount of matches every week, but given how this show goes, what else am I supposed to talk about on a show made of squash matches? Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Announcers’ welcome.

Storm Thomas/Demitri Jackson vs. Best Friends

Orange Cassidy is here too. Chuck headlocks Thomas to start and drops him with a sunset flip. It’s off to Jackson, who is chopped in the corner by Trent. A Meteora drops Jackson again and a hanging northern lights suplex makes it worse. Chuck comes back in but gets kicked in the back so Jackson can take him into the corner. A knee out of the corner allows Chuck to get over for the tag to Trent and a tornado DDT drops Jackson. The spear on the floor keeps Jackson in trouble and it’s time for the Big Hug. Back to back piledrivers give Chuck the pin on Jackson at 5:57.

Rating: C-. Not too bad here and that’s as high of a bit of praise as I am usually going to give a Best Friends match. They have a thing that they do and they do it well enough, but at the same time they have done that thing over and over for months now. At least they kept it short enough here and that’s how something like this should be.

Shawn Spears vs. Jessy Sorensen

Tully Blanchard is here with Spears. A headlock takes Sorensen down to start but Jessy fights up with a drive into the corner. There’s a dropkick to put Spears on the floor, meaning it’s time for a meeting with Blanchard. Back in and they trade chops in the corner until Spears hits a dropkick in the back of the head. Spears drops him hard onto the apron but a piledriver is blocked and Sorensen grabs a cutter. The tornado DDT is blocked though and Spears hits the Death Valley Driver for the pin at 5:37.

Rating: C-. Another watchable match and another week with Spears staying on the same show despite commentary telling us how great he is. I haven’t seen him do that on a bigger stage and while that isn’t the worst thing, there are probably better places for him. Like putting people over on the main roster. Maybe that’s coming, but for now it isn’t exactly doing all that much.

Red Velvet vs. Mel

The bigger Mel backs her into the corner but Velvet ducks and slugs away with forearms. Some kicks to the leg stagger Mel but a side slam takes her down in a hurry. Velvet gets in a kick to the head and goes up, where she dives straight into a choke spinebuster to give Mel the pin at 2:35.

D3 vs. Lance Archer

Jake Roberts is here with Archer, who brings out a rather large man and kicks him in the face before the bell. D3 gets kicked in the face at the bell and there are some hard whips into the corner. Archer tells him to throw some punches and then punches D3 much harder. One heck of a chokeslam gets two so Archer rips at his face. D3’s forearm out of the corner doesn’t do much good as the Black Out into the EBD Claw is good for the pin at 2:46. They have Archer and Brodie Lee on the same show and they pick Lee to destroy Cody?

Luther/Serpentico vs. Initiative

Leva Bates is here with the Initiative. The villains (the non-librarians in this case) take Avalon into the corner to start to work on his arm but it’s quickly off to Cutler. The pace picks up with Cutler taking Serpentico down so Avalon can get two. They keep up the fast tags as Cutler comes back in, only to have Luther slam Serpentico onto him a few times for some near falls.

As Taz talks about Luther having breath that smells like a dead possum, Avalon comes in off the hot tag and gets to clean house for what must have been a good fifteen seconds before Serpentico suplexes him down. Leva isn’t happy but the distraction means that Avalon’s quick rollup only gets two on Luther. Everything breaks down and Cutler’s elbow sets up Avalon’s top rope splash for two. Leva slips Avalon the book but he hits Cutler by mistake. Luther powerbombs Avalon onto the barricade and it’s a Doomsday Meteora to finish Cutler at 8:47.

Rating: C. They’re doing a nice job with building up the Initiative to win a match, though I still wonder why they have jobs if wins and losses matter around here (which is the case for a lot of people). The match itself wasn’t half bad and they made you think that the win could finally come, even if the win wasn’t going to mean much over Luther and Serpentico. Not too bad here actually.

Nyla Rose vs. KiLynn King

Vickie Guerrero is here with Rose. King slugs away to start but gets grabbed by the throat for a toss to the floor. A forearm to the face lets Rose bend her around the post but King pulls Rose face first into the post. Back in and Rose’s spinebuster gets two and King’s something close to a Samoan drop is good for the same. Vickie shoves King off the top though and the Beast Bomb finishes at 4:01.

Rating: D+. King is someone who has shown some potential though there is only so much to be gained out of jobbing on Dark. That being said, I’m not sure how much Rose is getting out of needing Vickie to help her beat someone who has never won a match. This wasn’t quite a squash but it also wasn’t all that good either, making it perfect for this show.

Post match Vickie names their pairing the Vicious Vixens. The two of them needed a name?

Gunn Club vs. Baron Black/Frank Stone

Black and Austin start things off with the Gunn being taken down with a headlock. That’s broken up for some shots to Black’s face and Billy comes in for a double Russian legsweep into a legdrop. Stone comes in to block Austin’s armdrag and get two off a tilt-a-whirl slam. A suplex gets the same and a belly to back version gets the third two in a row. Austin kicks him away and makes the hot tag to Billy to clean house but Black is ready for the Fameasser. Everything breaks down and Austin’s hiptoss neckbreaker (the Quick Draw) finishes Black at 6:10.

Rating: D+. Is Billy Gunn really enough of a draw to warrant keeping him around for these matches? I like the Quick Draw a bit but it’s not like Austin has anything that makes him stand out whatsoever. They have been doing the same matches for weeks now and it isn’t like they’re great in the first place. This is the first thing I would cut from each Dark and that’s not a good place to be.

Heather Monroe vs. Penelope Ford

Kip Sabian is here too. They armdrag each other down a bit until Monroe walks the corner to take her down. Sabian busts out a pair of leaf blowers for a distraction though and it’s time to choke on the ropes. That lets Ford get in a quick kiss and the fisherman’s suplex is countered as a result (Maybe?). A second attempt is countered into a small package for two on Ford and Monroe grabs a Backstabber for two. Ford sends her hard into the corner for the handspring elbow and more elbows to the face have Monroe in trouble. Now the fisherman’s suplex can finish Monroe at 4:40.

Rating: D+. Another case where there is no backstory, no action that is overly memorable and nothing that they haven’t done in almost all of their previous matches. Ford is someone who has gotten better in the ring but it isn’t like she is doing anything that is changing anything around here. More of the same, as always.

Santana and Ortiz vs. Metro Brothers

The Brothers have been on NXT before and they’re greasers. Thankfully the Brothers are named (Chris and JC), though we aren’t told which is which so it doesn’t mean much. Ortiz headlocks and knees let’s say JC to start but gets headlocked down for the escape. The slugout annoys Ortiz and it’s a powerslam to take JC down.

Santana comes in for a standing senton into a backsplash. Three Amigos connect as Taz makes sure that Tony is still here. Ortiz’s DDT plants JC and he allows the tag off to Chris, who is suplexed down in a hurry. A middle rope hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb and there’s a Liger Bomb for a bonus. Santana kicks Chris in the face and Ortiz gets the pin at 5:35.

Rating: C-. Some of that was due to it being an actual squash and some if it is due to liking Santana and Ortiz. Or for making me think of Deuce N Domino, who weren’t good but they looked like Fonzie which is an improvement. Again it was nice to see a more proper squash, which doesn’t happen enough around here.

Post match the Best Friends run in to beat down Santana and Ortiz. They brawl out of the arena and into the parking lot with Chuck being suplexed onto a trashcan to get rid of him.

Ricky Starks vs. Shawn Dean

This could be good and Taz is rather excited. A shoulder drops Starks to start and Dean grabs a headlock. Back up and Dean misses a shoulder from the apron and gets kneed in the face. The standing Coffin Drop gives Starks one but a slap to the face just annoys Dean. The slugout goes to Dean and he hits a running knee in the corner. A running boot misses though and Starks hits Roshambo for the pin at 4:07.

Rating: D+. I’m getting tired of saying this but it was just a match and not a memorable one at that. Dean continues to be one of the better jobbers to the stars around here, which isn’t exactly the highest praise. Starks is probably going to face Darby Allin at All Out while Dean is 0-14. Such is life around here.

Jake Hager vs. Marko Stunt

Oh sure this needed to air. Hager lets him grab a headlock and Stunt is stupid enough to do it, earning himself a big toss to the ropes. Stunt avoids a shot and dances before ducking a big boot. Hager drives him into the corner and hits a heck of a toss before driving a knee into Stunt’s chest. Now the big boot connects and the Rock Bottom into the head and arm choke finishes Stunt at 3:35.

Rating: D. So remember all those other times when Stunt has gotten squashed by a monster? This is the latest one as it added nothing to either of them, didn’t showcase anything new, and made me watch Stunt do his stupid dance, which thankfully has finally started to die off in pop culture. This was even higher than the Gunn Club on stuff that didn’t need to be here and just extended an already long show.

Post match Hager goes after him again but the rest of the Jurassic Express makes the save.

Frankie Kazarian vs. Kip Sabian

Penelope Ford is here again. Sabian takes him down by the arm and gets to pose a bit. That’s broken up so we hit the chain wrestling with Kazarian winding up on top with a headlock. Kazarian’s hammerlock is broken up as commentary talks about how obvious it is that Ford is going to interfere later on. A knee down onto the arm has Sabian in more trouble so he comes up with a poke to the eye.

We hit the headlock on Kazarian as Tony thinks Taz is extra aggressive because of how much he has been yelled at on commentary before. A trip from Ford causes Kazarian to be sent outside and it’s a series of stomps in the corner back inside. Sabian rolls him into a reverse Koji Clutch but Kazarian makes it over to the ropes. As Taz and Veda agree about hanging onto the ropes for 4.9, Kazarian fights up and gets two off a rollup.

They fight to the apron for a slugout until Kazarian head back inside. Sabian is pulled into a slingshot cutter for two with Ford pulling his feet onto the ropes like a good manager should. Kip gets in a knee to the face and a discus punch but something like a fisherman’s suplex doesn’t work. Instead Kazarian grabs a reverse DDT for the pin at 9:39.

Rating: C+. That’s the match of the night by a mile so far and that isn’t surprising. Sabian might not be the highest profile name on the show but he does his thing and looks good doing it, which is all you can ask. Kazarian is beyond a good hand as he can have a solid match with anyone but more importantly he can elevate anyone, which is a heck of a trick.

Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss vs. Hybrid 2

Kiss headscissors Evans down to start and Janela comes in with an ax handle to the arm. A knee to the ribs and a forearm to the back of Janela’s head cuts him off though as we hit the preview for Dynamite instead of talking about the match. Angelico comes in and gets forearmed in the corner as Janela screams a lot.

Janela’s clothesline gives Sonny two but Angelico pulls him face first into the middle buckle. It’s back to Evans for a quick suplex and the stomping is on in the corner. Angelico grabs the inverted Figure Four and Janela’s attempted save lets Evans stomp away. A lot of ranting from Angelico almost allows the tag to Janela but Evans makes the save and chokes a bit.

Kiss flips away from Evans and makes the hot tag to Janela for a suplex. Janela makes Angelico DDT Evans (erg) and a blind tag brings Kiss back in. A front flip double stomp hits Evans on the apron and Janela adds a Death Valley Driver. Sonny moonsaults onto Angelico on the floor but a 450 only gets two. Angelico gets in a cheap shot on Kiss though and it’s the flipping backslide to give Evans the pin at 8:47.

Rating: D+. This was what you would come to expect as the Hybrid 2 continue their build back to mediocrity. Janela and Kiss continue to be fine as a middle of the road team at best, which is about all you can expect from them. The match wasn’t the worst, but it’s exactly what you would expect from these four.

The Dynamite preview wraps us up.

Overall Rating: D+. And that’s Dark for the week with nothing out of the ordinary. There was some watchable stuff in here but when you’re practically at two hours, everything is going to be lost in the shuffle. There was probably a month’s worth of shows in here and maybe two or three of the matches had some drama.

Why not mix us some of the matches so that the jobbers face each other and you can build one of them up? They keep hyping up Dean and he’s 0-14. If he had beaten some of the jobbers and was say 5-9 instead, how much more interest would there be against a lower level guy? It might do some good, but this show seems much more interested in pumping out content, which isn’t the best way to go about things. That’s what we’re getting though, and we’re getting a lot of it.

Results

Best Friends b. Storm Thomas/Demitri Jackson – Piledriver to Jackson

Shawn Spears b. Jessy Sorensen – Death Valley Driver

Mel b. Red Velvet – Choke spinebuster

Lance Archer b. D3 – EBD Claw

Serpentico/Luther b. Initiative – Doomsday Meteora to Cutler

Nyla Rose b. KiLynn King – Beast Bomb

Gunn Club b. Frank Stone/Baron Black – Quick Draw to Black

Penelope Ford b. Heather Monroe – Fisherman’s suplex

Santana and Ortiz b. Metro Brothers – Kick to Chris’ head

Ricky Starks b. Shawn Dean – Roshambo

Jake Hager b. Marko Stunt – Head and arm choke

Frankie Kazarian b. Kip Sabian – Reverse DDT

Hybrid 2 b. Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss – Flipping backslide to Kiss

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Women’s Tag Team Tournament Episode 1
Date: August 3, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Veda Scott

This is the first of a special series of shows that are airing before Monday Night Raw for an undetermined number of weeks. The tournament will consist of eight teams and there are some wrestlers being brought in to help fill out the bracket. That begins tonight, with two names making their debut this time around. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Tony and Veda give us a quick welcome.

Shaul Guerrero (Eddie and Vickie’s daughter) is ring announcer and brings out Madusa. She is very excited to be here for this important tournament. Can’t you hear how excited she is?

Earlier today, Brandi Rhodes and Allie wound up on the same team. What a coincidence.

Also earlier today, Penelope Ford and Mel were teamed together.

Quarterfinals: Mel/Penelope Ford vs. Nightmare Sisters

This is billed as both a first round match and a first round qualifier. Kip Sabian, Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall are all at ringside. We actually get the history of Brandi bringing Mel into AEW in a story I didn’t think we could talk about anymore. Ford grabs Allie by the hair to start but a headlock is shoved off. Allie knocks Ford down and blows Marshall a kiss before getting two.

Mel tags herself in but takes her time, allowing the Sisters to hit a Paisan elbow. A cheap shot takes Brandi down and Mel rubs her face into the mat. Brandi headlock takeovers her into the corner though and it’s off to Allie for the chops. A swinging neckbreaker gets two but Mel drags her into the corner. That means Ford can come in and rake the eyes across the top rope. Sabian and Marshall get in an argument on the floor, allowing Mel to boot Allie in the face.

Back in and Ford hits a fireman’s carry gutbuster before handing it back to Mel for the choking. Allie manages to knock Ford down but it isn’t enough for the tag. A Stunner drops Ford but she gets over to Mel, who misses a top rope legdrop. The hot tag brings in Brandi to run Mel over and a superkick puts her down again. Brandi Sling Blades Mel for two as everything breaks down. Mel gets in a chokebomb on Brandi but Allie has the referee (possibly by accident) so it’s only two. Brandi hits the spear to finish Mel at 9:03.

Rating: C-. You don’t say that Brandi gets the pin as the only actual team in AEW advances. This was a match that existed and I have a feeling that is going to be the case for most of the tournament. Mel and Ford were a random pairing and that doesn’t quite make the most thrilling opponents for the obvious winners.

We look at Nyla Rose and Ariane being chosen as partners.

Anna Jay draws Tay Conti (formerly Taynara Conti of NXT).

Quarterfinals: Ariane Andrew/Nyla Rose vs. Tay Conti/Anna Jay

The Dark Order is here with Jay and Vickie Guerrero is with Rose. Andrew does continue to have all of the attitude anyone could ever need, which is a part of why she is here. Jay and Andrew start things off with the slapping, followed by a headlock from Andrew. Jay trips her down and does Andrew’s pose but Andrew….I think stomps her in the back and lands in the splits before getting two. Rose won’t tag in and Jay’s rollup gets her own two.

Everything breaks down and Rose grabs both of them for a double chokeslam. We settle down to Conti kicking Rose in the face for two but Jay gets powerslammed for the same. A clothesline drops Jay again and it’s off to Andrew for one of her own. Rose comes back in but gets taken down with a chop block to give Jay two.

It’s back to Conti for one off a rollup before wrapping the leg around the ropes. Rose shoves her away and makes the hot tag to Andrew for a not great sitout bulldog on Conti. Everything breaks down and Rose saves Andrew from a double suplex. A double clothesline puts Jay and Conti down but Rose’s leg is bothering her. Andrew’s snap suplex hits Conti but Jay comes in with a neckbreaker to finish Andrew at 8:47.

Rating: D. This was disappointing as while it wasn’t good, it wasn’t the train wreck that you would expect from the people involved. Jay and Conti make more sense advancing, mainly because they don’t want Andrew wrestling more than once. If this is just a one off appearance then fine, but I was hoping for…well less actually.

Post match Rose (who Tony calls the Women’s Champion) lays out Andrew with a clothesline as Guerrero is rather pleased. Conti and Andrew hug for no explained (or acknowledged) reason.

Brandi felt like a star out there, which is what she has always known she was. Allie asks her to slow down and thinks she did well too. They know they are going to win, with Brandi bragging about her action figure and Instagram followers. They’re off to have a drink.

Conti and Jay know they are pretty and dangerous but Jay doesn’t want to talk about the Dark Order.

Tony wraps it up.

Overall Rating: D+. This was about what I was expecting: a show that doesn’t feel important, didn’t have the best action, and is something that will likely be forgotten outside of advertisements on Dynamite and Dark. It was far from terrible or even bad, but it isn’t anything I’m going to be overly excited about seeing no matter what. Odds are we have four weeks of this and if that’s all, it’s not going to be the worst time.

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Dark
Date: June 23, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Taz, Excalibur

We’re back to this show and that means it’s time to mix up the group of jobbers to have occasionally competitive matches against the mid to upper midcard stars. That can be a good thing but it can also get repetitive. They’ve tied in some slight storyline advancement though and that helps a bit. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Robert Anthony vs. Brian Cage

Anthony jumps him to start and gets powerbombed down. A superplex sets up the Drill Claw to give Cage the pin at 53 seconds.

SCU vs. David Ali/Musa

Christopher Daniels/Kazarian here. Daniels and Musa start things off with an exchange of armdrags and it’s an early standoff. Musa’s powerslam gets two and it’s off to Ali for a butterfly suplex. Musa makes the mistake of going after Kazarian though and walks into the Blue Thunder Bomb from Daniels. Now it’s Kazarian coming in for a heck of a clothesline, plus the powerbomb/neckbreaker combination on Musa. The Best Meltzer Ever finishes Musa at 3:32.

Rating: C-. SCU is always good for at least a decent performance and that’s what we got here. This wasn’t exactly competitive and it shouldn’t have been, as SCU are former champs and therefore shouldn’t have a problem against a makeshift team. That’s how this show should be going more often and it’s nice to see it take place in the first two matches.

Shawn Spears vs. Pineapple Pete

Spears shoulders him down to start and walks around a lot, allowing Pete to get up. Pete fights out of a top wristlock and sends Spears outside for a consultation from Tully Blanchard. Back in and Spears hammers away in the corner, setting up a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Tully has had it though and distracts the referee, allowing Spears to load up a foreign object in the black glove for the knockout shot at 4:59.

Rating: C-. Spears continues to not be much of note but at least he had a little something with the glove. Other than that though, he’s the same capable hand who doesn’t have much to offer other than that. Pete is fine for a cult favorite and that’s all he needs to be, especially around here.

Lance Archer vs. Griff Garrison

After Archer decks the production guy, Garrison hammers away to expected avail. The Pounce takes Garrison down but he steps up to Archer in the corner. A hard slam gives Archer two and he shouts about how AEW has no idea what is coming for them. Some running shots in the corner set up the Blackout and the EBD Claw is good for the win at 3:41.

Rating: D+. Garrison got in some offense here but it was ultimately a squash. I’ve liked the little I’ve seen from Garrison so far but it isn’t like he’s been around all that much. Then you have Archer, who did his monster thing here as he waits for his next feud, which could be a variety of people.

Post match, Archer chokeslams the production guy.

Dark Order vs. Sonny Kiss/Joey Janela

It’s Alex Reynolds/John Silver for the Order here. Reynolds uppercuts Janela to start but gets splashed and suplexed for one. Kiss comes in and gets knocked into the corner by Silver but pops back up with a hard right hand. Janela’s Russian legsweep into a backflip kick to the face from Kiss. Back up and Silver hits Janela so hard that he drops his mask, followed by a gorilla press into a cutter for two.

Reynolds grabs the chinlock but Janela fights up and ducks a shot in the corner, allowing the hot tag to Kiss. A running Downward Spiral gets two on Reynolds as everything breaks down. Janela is sent outside and Reynolds picks him up for a brainbuster, with Silver diving through the ropes to hit Janela at the same time. Janela comes back in with a double Blockbuster, plus a fireman’s carry to Reynolds. Kiss steps on Reynolds’ back and adds the splits splash to finish Silver at 7:42.

Rating: C. Match of the night so far but that might be due to the extra time. Janela and Kiss aren’t a terrible team, though they aren’t going to get beyond the midcard no matter what they do here. It’s not a great match or anything, but it’s nice to have something a little more competitive than a three minute squash.

KiLynn King vs. Mel

This is Mel’s (you might remember her from the Nightmare Collective) first match in several months. King applauds a bit to start but gets powered into the corner. Mel’s wristlock is countered but she blocks an armdrag with straight power. Mel tosses her down with ease and stomps away before kicking King in the head. A shot to the face gets King out of trouble though and she scores with the second armdrag attempt. King chops away against the ropes but misses the middle rope dropkick. Mel grabs a choke spinebuster for the pin at 5:28.

Rating: D+. This was little more than a squash but there is something about Mel that gets your attention. It was more of a showcase for her than anything else and that worked out well, but there is only so much you are going to get out of something like this. The division could use some more depth given the injury issues though and Mel could shore things up a bit.

Scorpio Sky vs. Lee Johnson

The go with the standing switches to start with Sky taking him to the mat into a front facelock. Back up and Sky holds onto the ropes as Johnson drops to the mat, setting up an Oklahoma roll for two. A dropkick puts Johnson down again and Sky drops some knees into the back. The backbreaker gets two but Sky misses an elbow and gets caught in the Blue Thunder Bomb (third time tonight) gets two. Johnson misses a charge into the corner though and it’s a TKO to give Sky the pin at 4:58.

Rating: C. Maybe it’s just having Sky in there but I had a good time with this one as both guys looked good. Sky is someone who can have a fine match with anyone and Johnson got some offense in here. Not bad at all and I wouldn’t have expected this from a match that only got five minutes.

Luther/Serpentico/Max Caster vs. Jurassic Express

Caster shoves Stunt down to start and dances a bit so Stunt strikes away and hits a running knee to the chest. Some YES Kicks in the corner set up a running dropkick. Boy comes in to act as Stunt’s launchpad, plus to hit a running knee for two on Caster. Serpentico gets the tag and also gets a running hurricanrana from Boy for two more. Luther and Luchasaurus come in….and Luther tags straight back to Serpentico.

A wheelbarrow suplex plants Serpentico and it’s back to Boy, who is tossed at Luther for a Downward Spiral and two more. Express hits a trio of splashes for two on Caster with Luther making the save and pulling Caster into the corner. Luther comes in for a belly to belly on Stunt before running him over with a clothesline.

Caster is willing to come back in and gets kicked in the head almost immediately. That means Luchasaurus can come in and clean house, including the Extinction to Caster. Luther slams Stunt onto the cover for the break but then bails from the threat of Luchasaurus. Stunt, with some help, chokeslams Caster and Boy grabs an STF for the tap at 8:35.

Rating: C-. For the most part, the key to any Express match is how many Stunt shenanigans we have to sit through and they kept them more limited here. I still don’t know why Luther is supposed to be a threat to Luchasaurus or why I should want to see them fight, but Luther has a nickname so he must mean something.

Orange Cassidy vs. Peter Avalon

The Best Friends don’t even bother to stick around for this one. Avalon takes Cassidy’s sunglasses to start and works on a headlock before taking him to the mat. The hands go into the pockets and Cassidy shimmies out of a waistlock. The no hands nip up lets Cassidy get the sunglasses back, but he is sent to the floor for some flirting with Leva Bates.

Avalon dropkicks him through the ropes and hits a slingshot dive, followed by some right hands inside. A leg lariat gives Avalon two and a butterfly suplex is good for the same. Cassidy is back with rams into all four buckles, causing Avalon to do a Curt Hennig bump out of the corner. The tornado DDT gets two on Avalon but he rolls through a high crossbody for two. Back up and a Superman Punch finishes Avalon at 5:45.

Rating: C-. See, now this is something I can go for a bit more from Cassidy because he did something different. It wasn’t the same shtick that we see almost every single time and, while it was just Avalon, it shows that he might be a threat to Jericho if Jericho isn’t ready. Avalon isn’t great most of the time but he was working hard here.

Quick Dynamite preview takes us out.

Overall Rating: C-. There were some decent matches in here and while you don’t need to watch the show (as is almost always the case), they did a better job with keeping it shorter. An hour and twelve minutes is still WAY longer than a show like this needs to be, but it’s also a heck of a lot better than an hour and a half plus. Not too bad here, but just stick to Dynamite.

Results

Brian Cage b. Robert Anthony – Drill Claw

SCU b. Musa/David Ali – Best Meltzer Ever to Musa

Shawn Spears b. Pineapple Pete – Loaded left hand

Lance Archer b. Griff Garrison – EBD Claw

Sonny Kiss/Joey Janela b. Dark Order – Splits splash to Silver

Mel b. KiLynn King – Choke spinebuster

Scorpio Sky b. Lee Johnson – TKO

Jurassic Express b. Luther/Max Caster/Serpentico – STF to Caster

Orange Cassidy b. Peter Avalon – Superman Punch

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Dark
Date: February 4, 2020
Location: Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Commentators: Excalibur, Tazz
Host: Tony Schiavone

This show has gone in a very different direction over the last few weeks as they have been averaging about half an hour. I’m not sure what that means for the future but it’s been rather nice just getting in and getting out. Granted the show hasn’t been around long enough to exactly have a history or lineage so it could be completely different this time. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Tony welcomes us to the show and talks about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He’s rather glad that KISS finally got in….six years ago.

Jurassic Express vs. Brandon Cutler/Sonny Kiss

Marko Stunt/Jungle Boy for the Express here. Stunt and Cutler start things off as we hear about Stunt being exactly a foot shorter than Cutler. Not something I’d point out but Stunt is unique or something and that makes it fun. Some rollups give Stunt two and it’s off to Jungle Boy, who ducks underneath a moonsault out of the corner. A multiple springboard armdrag puts Cutler down and it’s off to Kiss for the splits armdrag. Jungle Boy gets laid over the middle rope and Kiss flips forward into a kick to the ribs. This of course means dancing, which is a theme for this match.

Boy beats up both of them at once and launches Stunt onto him in a flipping splash. Cutler is right back to run Stunt over and a swinging slam gives Cutler two. A hurricanrana finally gets Stunt over to the corner though and it’s Boy coming in to clean house. Something like a Last Chancery (with Cutler on his knees instead of on his stomach) has Cutler in trouble but Kiss makes the save. That earns Kiss a trip to the floor and Boy puts Cutler in a Gory Stretch. Stunt comes off the top with a flipping Stunner for the pin at 7:28.

Rating: C-. It was a step above a squash and that’s a good thing, mainly as it didn’t go on too long. Stunt getting a pin is more acceptable in this situation, though it’s still a big stretch to believe that anything he does can do much damage. That being said, Cutler and Kiss are the lowest of low level wrestlers so it’s not like it makes a difference.

We go to therapy with Brandi Rhodes because we need to get her on the show. She knows something isn’t right and has visions of the therapist wearing her own clothes. Brandi needs to let go of the people she hates. I wouldn’t mind if we let go of this story in general but that’s just me.

Mel vs. Hikaru Shida

Back in and Mel hits an enziguri to drop Mel, followed by a snap suplex for two. Mel kicks her down and drops a leg for her own near fall. A few shots to the face are shrugged off and Shida hits a running knee to the face for two more. Luther offers a distraction so Kong can interfere, only to hit Mel with the kendo stick by mistake. Another running knee finishes Mel at 8:16.

Rating: D+. This is another match that just kind of happened, which tends to be the case with the women’s division. The Nightmare Collective is still one of the least interesting groups (out of several of them) in AEW and I don’t need to see them around all that often. Shida is one of the better women in the division, but the thing is such a mess these days that it doesn’t make much of a difference.

Post match Shida leaves so Kong yells at Mel, who fights back. She and Mel double team Kong and send her through the barricade. A legdrop off the steps leaves Kong down. I’m not sure how one of the most dominant female wrestlers ever will deal with an old hardcore “legend” and a loser like Mel.

Here’s where Dynamite is coming.

From the Jericho cruise.

Kip Sabian/Penelope Ford vs. Kenny Omega/Riho

Gotta get Riho in there. She and Omega are in matching pink and white because they’re long term partners. In Japan but that’s just something we’re supposed to know about. As a bonus, there’s no commentary here and it’s shot indy style with a handheld camera. Ford slaps Omega to start and they lock up as the fans chant for AEW while declaring this wrestling. An exchange of headlocks lets Ford take him down, only to have Omega reverse into a headscissors.

Sabian comes in and says he wants Riho, who works on her own wristlock. That earns her a forearm to the back but she hits a running dropkick and armdrag. Sabian slams her a few times but Riho slips out of a third and brings in Omega to clean house. A running powerslam gives Omega two and it’s Riho coming in for a double stomp and half crab. Back up and Sabian sends them into the corner together but Omega comes out with the jumping Fameasser for two.

It’s back to Riho for some chops in the corner but he takes her over to Ford for the standard stomping and choking package. We’re clipped to Sabian dropping Riho into a camel clutch so Omega can come in for the save. Omega stomps away on her so Ford comes back in to punch Riho in the stomach for two. Riho kicks her down and headscissors Sabian, allowing another hot tag to Omega. You Can’t Escape gets two and Riho’s high crossbody is good for the same.

Sabian scores with an enziguri to Omega and Ford is back in for the handspring elbow. We’re clipped again to Ford hitting a Codebreaker and Sabian adding a legdrop to the back of the head to give her two. Omega finally hits a V Trigger on Sabian and the women come in again, this time with Ford hitting a Stunner for another near fall. Riho misses her top rope double stomp and it’s back to Omega for the slugout and Snapdragon on Sabian. Ford hits Omega low though, leaving Riho to Snapdragon Sabian as well. Omega Snapdragons Ford to even it up and the One Winged Angel finishes Sabian at 16:49.

Rating: C-. Ignoring the parts with Sabian and Omega selling for people half their side or the continued push for Riho, this was a lot longer than it needed to be and not something that needed to be broadcast. It’s one thing as a special feature for the live crowd but having the lack of commentary and handheld camera deal made it feel like I was watching a bad indy. The action was good enough but this didn’t need to air and would have been better left on the cruise deck.

Post match Omega talks about how wrestlers like him are told to stay in their place but this was the beauty of pro wrestling. Now they’re running international TV from a cruise ship and we get some applause for everyone involved. Goodnight and goodbye.

There is no update on Awesome Kong.

Best Friends vs. Shawn Spears/???

It’s another mystery partner and this time that would be….Colin Delaney, with Tully Blanchard thinking he looks good on paper. Is there a point to this story other than making Blanchard look stupid and out of touch? Orange Cassidy and Tully are here of course. Spears flips Cassidy off to start but gets hammerlocked by Trent for his efforts. That’s escaped but Spears cuts himself off from the TEN.

Some chops have Spears wincing and Trent knees him in the chest to send him outside. Delaney (who was the loser jobber in ECW about ten years ago) comes in and armdrags Chuck into an armbar. They flip around a bit into a standoff so Spears comes in at the same time, allowing Chuck to beat them both up. The ring is cleared but Delaney and Spears break up the big hug. Delaney wants his own hug but Spears goes to hug Tully instead.

Back in and Spears gets in an argument with the referee over a count before Delaney grabs a chinlock on Chuck. That’s broken up and it’s Trent coming back in to chop away. A hard clothesline drops Delaney and a running flip dive takes him down as well. Things settle back down and Trent slips out of a double suplex and brings Chuck back in. Soul Food into a half and half suplex gets two on Delaney but Spears crotches Trent on top.

Delaney hits a top rope Stunner into Spears’ Death Valley Driver for two with Chuck making the save. Everything breaks down again so let’s get the Cassidy vs. Blanchard showdown. All four hands go into the pockets and Cassidy does the kicks to the legs but Spears jumps him from behind to break that up. Trent sends Delaney into Spears and it’s a running knee to set up the big hug. That’s enough for Tully and Spears who walk out, leaving Delaney to take Strong Zero for the pin at 15:03.

Rating: D+. What exactly was the point of this? To continue the joke of “Spears needs a partner” which is leading….where? Spears has shown that he is little more than just a hand in the ring and Tully is there with him for the sake of they have nothing else for him. If the best you have is having him put his hands in his pockets so Orange Cassidy can do his signature deal, stop bringing Blanchard out there because he’s a lot more valuable than that.

Delaney and the other three have a group hug.

Tony says goodnight.

Overall Rating: D. So to recap, we had what should have been an extended squash, a match that focused entirely on the Nightmare Collective, that weird indy special match and the latest edition of Spears Needs A Partner/Blanchard Isn’t That Bright. We needed nearly an hour and twenty minutes to get through that? This felt like the lower level card getting their shine and showing why they’re the lower part of the card.

Omega and Riho are the only names of value here and they were in a complete throwaway match which had nothing to do with what they’re doing. It was a waste of time tonight and not a good show, which isn’t a good feeling. Stick with the short and sweet stuff or recaps, not these long, drawn out matches which don’t serve much of a purpose other than catering to people already watching your promotion.

Results

Jurassic Express b. Sonny Kiss/Brandon Cutler – Gory Stretch/Flipping Stunner combination to Cutler

Hikaru Shida b. Mel – Running knee

Kenny Omega/Riho b. Kip Sabian/Penelope Ford – One Winged Angel to Sabian

Best Friends b. Colin Delaney/Shawn Spears – Strong Zero to Delaney

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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