IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Dark
Date: October 6, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Ricky Starks

It’s back to this show as they seem to have lightened up on the time a bit. This is probably four or five regular shows in a row to be around the ninety minute mark. That’s still too long, but it’s a lot better than the two hour one that they had a month and a half or so ago. Hopefully the wrestling makes it better. Let’s get to it.

Here are last results if you need a recap.

Announcers’ welcome.

Kenzie Page vs. Brandi Rhodes

Dustin Rhodes is here too. Page shoves her in the face to start and gets taken down with a headlock takeover. The armbar goes on for a bit, followed by the low superkick for two on Page. Back up and Page stomps her down in the corner as Starks mentions that Page has changed her gear color since last time. What an astute observation. Brandi fights out of the chinlock in a hurry and hits something like a Sling Blade. The bulldog gets two and there’s a Dustin uppercut. The Stunner sets up the Shot Of Brandi for the pin on Page at 3:37.

Rating: D+. This was your usual Brandi match: Brandi gets to shine, wins in the end, and doesn’t do much to prove more than she’s a more athletic Stephanie McMahon. It’s not like she can do anything special in the ring and she is far from the worst wrestler, but sweet goodness it’s one of those things that you just have to get used to because she’s always going to be around.

Post match here’s Anna Jay to jump Brandi but Red Velvet makes the save.

Ray Rosas/Eric Watts vs. Jurassic Express

Not THAT Watts. Boy headlocks Rosas to start and armdrags him into an armbar. It’s already off to Luchasaurus to throw him into the corner and hand it straight back to Boy. Rosas gets in a backbreaker for a breather and it’s Watts coming in with a splash in the corner. A fall away slam keeps Boy in trouble and Watts throws him into the corner again.

Boy is fine enough to roll over for the hot tag to Luchasaurus anyway, meaning it’s a chokeslam into the standing moonsault. Watts makes the save and kicks Luchasaurus down, setting up Rosas’ top rope elbow for two with Boy making the save. Watts pulls Luchasaurus to the floor, leaving Boy to get rolled up for two. A sitout chokeslam gives Watts two on Boy but it’s back to Luchasaurus for the Tail Whip. Boy dives onto Watts and slides back in for the Extinction Level Event and the pin on Rosas at 6:34.

Rating: C-. What in the world happened to Luchasaurus? Remember about six months ago when he was having the big hoss showdowns with Jake Hager and other associated giants? Well now he’s almost getting pinned by a jobber on Dark and it doesn’t even feel like a big deal. It’s a case of someone being dragged down instead of rising up and that’s a sad thing to see.

Chris Jericho talks about his history with Luther in Japan and Canada. He was a bit jealous of Luther being a bigger star in Japan but he had never had the chance on the big stage. That’s why he was hired for AEW and no, it wasn’t a favor for a friend. Now though, it is time for a match thirty years in the making. I don’t buy the “it wasn’t a favor” for a second, but it is nice to see Jericho getting to face an old friend in such a major spot.

Anthony Bowens/Lee Johnson vs. Chaos Project

Serpentico dives at Johnson’s knees to start but gets caught in a headlock for his efforts. A dropkick puts Serpentico down again, allowing Taz to talk about the best dropkick in the company. Johnson misses a charge though and gets caught with a basement dropkick. Luther comes in with a slam and suplexes Serpentico onto Johnson for two.

The chinlock doesn’t last long so Luther goes with a snap suplex instead. Serpentico comes back in but misses a charge, allowing the hot tag to Bowens. That means clotheslines a go-go and a dropkick to Luther, followed by something like a torture rack Samoan drop for two on Serpentico. Everything breaks down and Serpentico hits a standing Sliced Bread on Johnson. The spinebuster/top rope Meteora finishes Bowens at 6:36.

Rating: C-. The near falls were good but it’s a little hard to get into the idea of another evil team. They have quite a few of them around here already (if nothing else the multiple Dark Order lineups are enough) and Luther/Serpentico aren’t exactly thrilling. Not a bad match at all though, as Johnson continues to be one of the better jobbers around.

Will Hobbs vs. Ryzin

Will runs him over with a clothesline to start, but Ryzin gets in a ram to the buckle. That just annoys Hobbs, who is back with a delayed vertical suplex. Ryzin kicks him in the face but a clothesline hurts his own arm. Hobbs hits a jumping shoulder and plants him with a powerslam. The Last Will And Testament (spinebuster) finishes Ryzin at 2:28. Ryzin got in a bit too much but Hobbs looked dominant.

Eddie Kingston is sick of Joey Janela and Sonny Kiss acting like clowns. They aren’t doing that to the Lucha Bros tonight, because the Bros aren’t clowns.

John Silver vs. QT Marshall

They go to the mat in a hurry with Marshall grabbing a headscissors and then a headlock. Back up and a right hand puts Silver in the corner and a suplex gives Marshall two. Silver is back up with a running elbow to put Marshall outside and Evil Uno is rather pleased. Back in and Marshall tells him to kick at the chest, so Silver slaps on a Crossface instead. Marshall makes the rope and loads up a superplex, which has Taz thinking it’s going to be a superplex.

The top rope superplex puts them both down so Marshall heads up top for a back elbow to the jaw. An Evil Uno distraction means the Diamond Cutter attempt can be countered, followed by Silver hitting an enziguri. Silver’s Backstabber gets two but Marshall grabs a Lethal Combination. Evil Uno gets on the apron so Dustin Rhodes fights him to the back. The rest of the Dark Order comes in for the distraction, allowing Silver to grab the spinning torture rack slam for the pin at 8:26.

Rating: C. It feels like these teams have been fighting forever now and while Cody vs. Brodie Lee is actually going somewhere, the rest of it feels like it has been going in circles forever. Silver winning a match gives him a big more credibility, but does beating QT Marshall carry that much weight? The match was fine enough, though like most of the matches between the Rhodes Family and the Dark Order, it pretty much came and went.

Griff Garrison/Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Cezar Bononi/David Ali

Ali’s headlock doesn’t keep Pillman in trouble for very long to start so it’s already off to Garrison. A slingshot hilo into a slingshot legdrop has Ali in more trouble but he gets in a knee to the ribs. It’s off to Bononi for a hard shoulder and a blown kiss to Garrison, but he would rather face Pillman. Some kicks and chops just annoy Bononi but a few more to the leg stagger him a bit.

Bononi elbows him in the face and brings in Ali, meaning Pillman can grab a rollup for a fast two. With that not working, Bononi comes back in and drives Pillman hard into the corner. Pillman slips out though and the hot tag brings in Garrison to start cleaning house. A belly to back faceplant drops Ali and it’s a powerbomb/Air Pillman combination for the pin at 5:57.

Rating: C. And that’s what they should have been doing for MONTHS. Pillman and Garrison aren’t likely to go anywhere, but instead of having them lose every single time, they now have a win under their belt and aren’t seen as instant pushovers. This is something that needed to be changed for a long time now and it could do a lot of good for this show in the long run.

Big Swole vs. Skyler Moore

Moore drives her into the corner to start and it’s already time for the shoving. Swole gets knocked down and Moore gets in a few stomps in the corner for one. A snap suplex gets Swole out of trouble and it’s a headbutt into a springboard cutter. Dirty Dancing finishes Moore at 3:04.

Rating: D+. This is definitely in the “well that happened” category as Swole continues to do her thing and only works in small doses. I like Moore a good bit as she looks different enough to stand out and can do some decent stuff when she is given the chance. That being said, AEW seems to like Swole a lot so it is hardly a surprise that she is getting such a push towards the title.

Matt Sydal didn’t have the best debut at All Out and it’s all due to Michael Nakazawa spreading his baby oil around. Tonight, it’s about revenge.

Matt Sydal vs. Michael Nakazawa

Nakazawa puts the oil on the turnbuckle to start but Sydal sees it coming and kicks him down. Sydal grabs a towel, wipes off the turnbuckle and goes up but Nakazawa sprays more oil on the ropes to make him slip again. Nakazawa pulls out the underwear claw and finally manages to get it on, only to have Sydal pull him into a Cobra Clutch with the legs trapped for the submission at 1:47. I don’t remember the last time I saw an idea dumber than Nakazawa, but it must have been decades at this point.

Eddie Kingston vs. M’Badu

Kingston chops away to start but M’Badu is back with a Stinger Splash. A powerslam gives M’Badu two but Kingston nails a knee to the ribs and the spinning backfist. The Kimura makes M’Badu tap at 1:41. Of all the people you have available, you had to have M’BADU lose that fast???? I sat through Michael Nakazawa doing his stupid routine and M’Badu, a guy who could actually be something, loses in less than two minutes? Come on AEW. You’re smarter than this.

Post match Kingston grabs the mic and says leave the hard camera on because he only cares about getting this message to Jon Moxley. What you just saw was a Kimura and the next time he puts that on Jon Moxley, he’s going to shout I QUIT instead of tapping out because he’s going to be in so much pain. Moxley was supposed to take them to the promised land but instead he forgot about them. You’re in this business to be a World Champion so he’s going to hurt Moxley and have a really good time doing it. This was outstanding as Kingston is rocketing up the list of best talkers in wrestling.

Joey Janela and Sonny Kiss are ready to take out the Lucha Bros because they want back in those rankings.

Angelico vs. Shawn Dean

Jack Evans is here with Angelico. Dean’s wristlock doesn’t last long so he goes with a dropkick to make Angelico think about it a bit. Angelico kicks him in the leg for a knockdown and a leglock sends Dean to the rope. Dean starts getting fired up so it’s a kick to the back of the head to take him down again. Back up and Dean blasts him with a forearm into a German suplex. What looked to be a double arm DDT takes too long and Angelico kicks the leg out. An inverted Figure Four makes Dean tap at 4:35.

Rating: C. Angelico has always been a favorite of mine and Dean looks rather solid most of the time he’s in there. They’re doing a nice job of playing up Dean as someone who could imagine stealing a win, but again it would help so much to have him actually win something. What we got here was pretty nice though and I like both guys, so it was hardly the biggest surprise.

Lucha Bros vs. Sonny Kiss/Joey Janela

Eddie Kingston is here with the Bros, who are taken down in a hurry by double suicide dives (from Sonny and Joey if that isn’t clear). Fenix is back up and takes his brother down by mistake but they get back in without much trouble. A double kick (may have been low) gets two on Janela but it’s off to Sonny, who is flipped into a moonsault for two on Fenix. It’s off to Pentagon, who kicks Janela down to set up the wheelbarrow splash. Pentagon starts in on the armbar but gets small packaged for two to slow things down.

Joey flips over Pentagon and the hot tag brings in Joey to clean house, including a running basement dropkick to Pentagon in the corner. A 450 connects with Fenix making the save and it’s an exchange of shots to the face for a bit knockdown. Fenix is up with a rolling cutter to take down the legal Janela and it’s back to back superkicks from Pentagon. The spike Fear Factor is enough to finish Janela at 6:00.

Rating: C-. The match was what you would expect, but there was one thing of note here that made me smile and believe it or not, it was from Sonny Kiss. I’m not a big fan of a lot of the less than serious stuff that Kiss does most of the time, but it wasn’t on display here. I kept waiting for the goofy offense to start but instead I got a running dropkick and a 450 when things were getting serious. That was a very pleasant surprise and it deserves some praise.

Overall Rating: C+. Maybe it was keeping the matches shorter, but I had a better time with this show. As much as Nakazawa’s shtick needs to be thrown into a dumpster fire, Kingston’s promo was master level stuff as you believe every word that he says. It wasn’t a great show, but it flew by and that’s not something I can often say about Dark. Good enough show here, and more Kingston please, in a big way.

Results

Brandi Rhodes b. Kenzie Paige – Shot Of Brandi

Jurassic Express b. Ray Rosas/Eric Watts – Extinction Level Event to Rosas

Chaos Project b. Lee Johnson/Anthony Bowens – Spinebuster/Top rope Meteora combination to Bowens

Will Hobbs b. Ryzin – Last Will And Testament

John Silver b. QT Marshall – Spinning torture rack slam

Brian Pillman Jr./Griff Garrison b. David Ali/Cezar Bononi – Powerbomb/Air Pillman combination to Ali

Big Swole b. Skyler Moore – Dirty Dancing

Matt Sydal b. Michael Nakazawa – Leg trap Cobra Clutch

Eddie Kingston b. M’Badu – Kimura

Angelico b. Shawn Dean – Inverted Figure Four

Lucha Bros b. Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss – Spike Fear Factor to Janela

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

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Dark
Date: September 15, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Veda Scott

We’re back to the usual hour and a half long show on Tuesday after last week’s double shot on Tuesday and Friday. This time around we even have a special featured match with Peter Avalon vs. Brandon Cutler in a match where one of them will have a winner, unless they find a way to have a draw, as they should. Let’s get to it.

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

The announcers bicker and make their jokes about each other, as they tend to do.

Red Velvet vs. Brandi Rhodes

Dustin Rhodes is here with Brandi. They fight over the wristlocks to start and Velvet seems to indicate that she is red. A shoulder taker Velvet down but she’s right back up with a leg lariat. Brandi kicks her in the face and hammers away before a low superkick gets two. The Sling Blade gets two but here is Anna Jay to stare at Brandi. The distraction lets Red hit a DDT for two but Brandi is back up with the spear. Brandi grabs Jay’s Queenslayer for the tap at 4:19.

Rating: D+. I can’t say I’m surprised that Brandi is getting a story of some kind because it has been a full two or three weeks since she had something going on. Normally I would complain about someone who isn’t exactly the most talented in-ring performer getting a spot like this but I think that has been covered extensively enough. Brandi is treated like the biggest star around but she loses so much of her aura as soon as she gets in the ring. The solution would be not to have her wrestle….and yeah that isn’t going to happen so here we are.

Daniel Garcia/Kevin Blackwood vs. Butcher and Blade

Eddie Kingston is here too. Butcher and Blade jump them to start and the brawl is on in a hurry with all four heading outside. Back in and Garcia gets beaten down in the corner as Taz goes into his New York geography discussion of the week. Blade comes in and kicks away at Garcia’s head as commentary argues about a pen. Blackwood gets the tag and a crossbody from Butcher to go with it. Everything breaks down and it’s backbreaker into Full Death to finish Garcia at 4:19.

Rating: C-. This was a little bit better than the opener, but I’m still not feeling the suplex onto the knees finisher. Butcher and Blade have come a long way since their debut, which might have something to do with them actually winning some matches for a change. And dropping the whole “we’re butchers” thing.

Dani Jordyn vs. Penelope Ford

Kip Sabian is here too so we get into a Twitch discussion. That’s switched into a battle of the Mean Girl vs. the Super Bad Girl as commentary starts laughing at each other again. Thankfully Scott actually takes her job seriously as Ford chokes on the rope and catapults her throat first into the top rope for two. A gutbuster drops Jordyn and Sabian slides in the burn book so Ford can shoves the pages down Jordyn’s throat. That brings Jordyn back to life (because wrestling is weird) but Ford bulldogs her into the corner. A missile dropkick sets up the fisherman’s suplex to finish Jordyn at 4:32.

Rating: C-. Taz and Excalibur need to be punched in the face while Scott needs a stern lecture as commentary is rapidly going off the rails. It’s more of the same with them doing and saying things to entertain themselves because they know this match means nothing and is just there to fill in time on the show. If AEW insists on the show being this long, at least get commentary to take it seriously for a few matches.

Brian Cage vs. Megabite Ronnie

Ronnie (with his glorious mustache) isn’t a computer guy, but rather a competitive eater. Ricky Starks joins commentary which has to be an upgrade. The running shoulder into a backbreaker set up the shoulders in the corner as commentary makes car references about Cage. Ronnie gets in some kicks to the ribs and a knee to the face but Cage clotheslines his head off. A sitout powerbomb plants Cage and Ronnie….goes to grab a hot dog, which he eats while hitting a People’s Elbow for two. Thankfully Cage kicks him in the face and hits a 619 into the Drill Claw for the pin at 3:09.

Rating: F. You have Cage, who has been a World Title challenger within the last month or so, staying down long enough so that a guy can get a bite of a hot dog and hit a move that takes about ten seconds to set up. All because, at least according to the official reason, AEW wants to let indy wrestlers showcase themselves? But yeah, I’m the one who misses the point.

Santana and Ortiz vs. Griff Garrison/Brian Pillman Jr.

Starks stays on commentary because a four person booth has been a great idea so many times in the past. Santana cranks on Pillman’s arm to start and gets annoyed at Pillman for trying to reverse. Garrison comes in and gets his skin chopped off in the corner, followed by a superkick to put him down. A bulldog drives Garrison down and Ortiz gets two before kicking Garrison in the ribs for good measure.

Ortiz hits another clothesline and brings Santana back in for a running kick to the head. There’s a suplex into the corner but Garrison gets in a shot to the face allowing the tag to Brian for Air Pillman. Commentary doesn’t get the reference, but Excalibur does get to call a tope suicida, which I’m sure is more important to someone other than Excalibur. Ortiz hits a sitout powerbomb into a kick to the head from Santana for the pin at 6:09.

Rating: C. This was an entertaining extended squash as Santana and Ortiz got to do all of their cool stuff. Naturally there was no doubt a tot the winner, but at least Pillman has charisma and Garrison has a little something to him that makes him fun to watch. It was the most entertaining thing on the show to watch so far, which might be more due to commentary doing their jobs for the most part.

Will Hobbs vs. Jessy Sorensen

Hobbs clotheslines him down to start and sends Sorensen to the apron. That means a kick to Hobbs’ head on the way back in but he hits a spinebuster into an Oklahoma Stampede to finish Sorensen at 1:20.

Rache Chanel/Skyler Moore vs. Diamante/Ivelisse

Ivelisse works on Moore’s arm to start but gets hiptossed down in a hurry. Diamante and Chanel come in with the latter hitting some armdrags, only to get pulled into a hard forearm to the face. Ivelisse is back in with a kick to the back to set up a dragon sleeper. That goes nowhere so Diamante comes back with a hard clothesline. A shot to the face allows the hot tag back to Moore though and house is cleaned in a hurry. Everything breaks down and it’s a Backstabber into a rolling kick to the face to finish Moore at 5:28.

Rating: D+. Commentary has thankfully settled down, which may be due to Starks, who can be the cocky guy without going too far out of the way. It wasn’t exactly a competitive match but it wasn’t quite supposed to be here. I like Moore most of the time I see her and she had a fairly fired up comeback so this could have been a lot worse.

Colt Cabana vs. QT Marshall

Allie and the Dark Order are here as well. They go with the grappling to start until Marshall is headscissored out to the floor for a lecture from Allie. Back in and Cabana looks up at the Dark Order for approval and gets dropkicked down in a hurry. Marshall gets sent hard into the corner and an elbow to the head gets two.

The neck crank doesn’t last long as Marshall fights up with a flying shoulder and a top rope elbow to the face. A Lethal Combination gets two on Cabana and he counters the Flying Apple into a belly to back suplex for two. Cue Evil Uno to talk to Cabana for a distraction, allowing Stu Grayson to hit a running knee on Marshall. Cabana’s discus lariat is good for the pin at 7:03.

Rating: C. See, now this was more like it. Not because the wrestling was better or anything, but because there was an actual story here and the slightest bit of doubt over who could win. That’s such a relief and a nice change of pace after all of the noncompetitive matches with people who aren’t all that interesting. Why not do more like this?

Brandon Cutler vs. Peter Avalon

Neither has ever won a match around here and Leva Bates is here with Avalon. They slug it out and head outside for a bit until Cutler sends him back inside for a springboard clothesline. They head outside again with Avalon spinning around the post to avoid going head first into the steel. Avalon is sent inside but comes right back with a suicide dive. Back in and a Rock Bottom gives Avalon two and we hit a quickly broken Boston crab.

Cutler is back with a reverse inverted DDT for two so Avalon comes back with a tiger driver for the same. The split legged moonsault gives Avalon another near fall but Cutler knocks him down and hits a springboard elbow for a closer two. They both head up top and slug it out to send them both to the floor. Neither can get back in thanks to some saves from the other…and it’s a double countout at 6:45.

Rating: C. That’s the only way to go, but most importantly here is that it took place on Dark. This match has a story and the two of them have a history, but it is the kind of match that could only fit on this show. The action was pretty good too, so it was a

Dontae Smiley/Maxx Stardom vs. Best Friends

Chuck drives Stardom into the corner to start and hits a kick to the face to send him over for a tag. It’s off to Smiley, who gets headlocked takeoverd but a running knee takes him right back down. Trent forearms him in the corner and it’s back to Stardom, who hits a spinning bulldog out of the corner. That earns him a suplex down and everyone heads to the floor. Trent spears Stardom down and it’s Soul Food into the half and half back inside. The stuff piledriver into the piledriver gives Trent the pin at 5:36.

Rating: C-. I for one certainly needed to see the Best Friends again as being on every show is not the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. They played it a little more serious here though and that helped a bit. I’m still not a fan of the Trent’s mom’s van deal, but it’s the closest thing we can get to making it work.

Private Party/Gunn Club vs. Dark Order

Billy headlocks Reynolds to start and stares Reynolds down for daring to try a chop. It’s Reynolds being taken into the corner for some work on the arm. Austin comes in to do the same and there’s a backdrop for two. Reynolds drives him into corner though and it’s time for the villains to beat him down. That doesn’t last long either though as Austin drives him back into the corner for the tag to Marq Quen.

An atomic drop looks to set up the shooting star as everything breaks down. Quen’s leg is grabbed and it’s Grayson pulling him down for two off a crash. We hit the reverse chinlock for a bit until Quen it taken back into the corner to keep up the stomping. Uno’s brainbuster gets two with Kassidy making the save, leaving him to get out of trouble with his own with a double hurricanrana.

A roll over to the corner allows a nice hot tag to bring Billy back in. Everything breaks down but the Fameasser is broken up by Reynolds pulling Billie outside. Everything breaks down and it’s the Fameasser for Grayson but Billy gets pulled to the floor. The Fatality finishes Austin at 10:42.

Rating: C. Another not terrible match here, though I’m surprised by Gunn taking the fall. I get that Billy is the legend (work with me here) here around AEW and they don’t want to have Private Party lose, but it still felt off. The Fatality did look good though, which is usually the case for a nice ending.

The Dynamite preview takes us out.

Overall Rating: C-. There wasn’t much wrestling worth going out of your way to see here and it was another long show on top of that. Some of the matches did feel a little more important here, which helped somewhat, though it was still a show that you don’t need to see with a bunch of wrestlers who are on here almost every week. Just more of the same, which means it wasn’t very good.

Results

Brandi Rhodes b. Red Velvet – Queenslayer

Butcher and Blade b. Daniel Garcia/Kevin Blackwood – Full Death to Garcia

Penelope Ford b. Dani Jordyn – Fisherman’s suplex

Brian Cage b. Megabite Ronnie – Drill Claw

Santana and Ortiz b. Brian Pillman Jr./Griff Garrison – Kick to Pillman’s head

Will Hobbs b. Jessy Sorensen – Oklahoma Stampede

Diamante/Ivelisse b. Rache Chanel/Skyler Moore – Kick to Moore’s face

Colt Cabana b. QT Marshall – Discus lariat

Brandon Cutler vs. Peter Avalon went to a double countout

Best Friends b. Dontae Smiley/Maxx Stardom – Piledriver to Stardom

Dark Order b. Private Party/Gunn Club – Fatality to Gunn

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

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Dark
Date: August 4, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Taz

Things are getting interesting around here again as the road to All Out is getting bigger and bigger. The most important thing we seem likely to be seeing is Maxwell Jacob Friedman challenging Jon Moxley for the World Title. I’m not sure how much we will be seeing of that round here, but at least they seem to have a goal in mind about a month out. Let’s get to it.

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

Tony and Taz give the usual quick preview.

Will Hobbs vs. Scorpio Sky

Hobbs jumps him in the corner to start and hits a good spinebuster for two. Sky slips out of a powerslam though and hits a running kick to the back of the head in the corner. The TKO gives Sky the pin at 1:15. Well that worked.

Post match Sky puts a chair in the ring and calls it symbolic. Lately, people have been calling him the king of AEW Dark so this might as well be a throne. Sky does not like the idea of that being his ceiling because he is one of two people to pin Chris Jericho around here. You people have forgotten who he is so say the name and remember it. Nice promo here and I could go for more from him.

Gunn Club vs. Serpentico/Aaron Solow

Serpentico dives at Billy’s leg to start to no avail. Billy kicking him in the face works a lot better and it’s off to Austin, who runs Serpentico over for two. Serpentico gets him into the corner though and Solow comes in, only to be quickly armdragged. Solow hits a slingshot stomp but Austin kicks Serpentico away. That’s fine though as Solow is right there with a basement clothesline to keep Austin down. Austin sends them into each other though and rolls over for the hot tag to Billy. A missed charge sends Serpentico outside and Austin hits the Fameasser on Solow. The hiptoss neckbreaker finishes Serpentico at 5:26.

Rating: D+. The Gunn Club is just there at the moment as a way to get Austin on TV. He isn’t exactly making me all that interested but I’ll take him over Billy doing his old shtick again. They’re harmless as a Dark team and the match could have been worse, as we at least got a fresh jobber pairing to fed to them.

Sonny Kiss/Joey Janela vs. The Initiative

Janela’s headlock doesn’t get him very far with Cutler so he grabs a running rollup to send Cutler into the corner. It’s off to Kiss so Cutler ducks underneath him and dives onto Janela on the floor. That’s fine with Kiss, who hits his own dive to take Cutler down with a DDT. A running hurricanrana takes Avalon down but he pops back up to take Kiss into the corner. That doesn’t last long either though as Janela comes in for a Hart Attack. Part of the Motor City Machine Guns’ Dream Sequence gets two as Taz talks about being buried online.

Janela hits a running forearm to knock Avalon up the ramp but misses a charge to send himself into the set, hurting his arm in the process. Back in and Avalon works on the banged up shoulder, followed by more of the same from Cutler. Janela dives for the tag but gets driven back into the corner. As you might have guessed, the hot tag goes through a few seconds later and Kiss gets to clean house. Janela throws Avalon at Leva Bates but takes too long, allowing Cutler to escape.

Cutler gets shoved off the top and into a fireman’s carry from Avalon, allowing Kiss to hit a top rope Blockbuster to take them both down. Avalon is back up with a middle rope Russian legsweep for two on Kiss, followed by Bates hitting a Sliced Bread off the post to drop Janela. Back in and Janela is already up on the apron again, allowing Kiss to make another tag. Janela throws Avalon into an electric chair and Kiss adds the top rope splits splash for the pin at 9:38.

Rating: C. The match was entertaining but you really can see how little of a traditional structure their tag matches have. This was about pumping as many spots as they could into a single match and while that wasn’t bad, it does get a little repetitive at times. Janela and Kiss are getting better as a team, though I’m still not sure I can imagine seeing them get much higher up the card than they are now.

Abadon vs. KiLynn King

King goes straight at her to start and they head to the mat for the slugout. Abadon is sent outside where she whips King into the barricade. Back in and King is sent face first into the mat, only to come back with a middle rope dropkick. It’s Abadon getting back up first though (in a rather creepy way) but King gets two off a release German suplex. Abadon doesn’t mind though as she kicks her in the face and hits the hurricanrana driver for the pin at 4:08.

Rating: C-. This didn’t have much time here and that was possibly better for Abadon. What makes her work so well for the most part is having her out there in a quick match and let her do her creepy thing. King is someone who could go somewhere if she had a character or story of some sort but the potential is there.

Jack Evans vs. QT Marshall

Angelico and Allie are the seconds. Marshall takes him into the corner for a clean break and they trade wristlocks. Evans flips out of a hiptoss and adds a handstand kick to the face. Taz thinks Tony would be over huge if he could do that as Evans hammers away in the corner. A middle rope spinning crossbody is countered into a suplex from Marshall and they head outside for a bit. Angelico offers a distraction and Evans hits a running flip dive to take over.

Back in and Evans flips around before poking him in the eye, setting up something like an Octopus hold, with Evans hanging in the air off of Marshall’s shoulders. Marshall gets out and counters Evans’ springboard with a powerslam for the big crash. A pop up right hand gives Marshall two but Evans kicks him in the head. The standing corkscrew moonsault gives Evans two and draws Allie up to the apron. Angelico uses the distraction to get in a cheap shot though and Evans grabs a backslide with a flip over for the pin at 8:24.

Rating: C-. That might be the biggest upset ever on this show, assuming you consider it to be that big of an upset. Evans and Angelico are a nice midcard heel team and it’s nice to see them back after such a long time away. Allie and Marshall continue to be a weird combination, but I don’t think I can picture anything happening to them anytime soon.

Post match the beatdown is on until Dustin Rhodes makes the save.

FTR vs. Griff Garrison/Brian Pillman Jr.

Points for Pillman for getting as much ring time as he can. FTR seems to get some advice from Tully Blanchard before they come through the entrance. Harwood and Pillman start things off and it’s a quick standoff. A wristlock doesn’t last long for Harwood as Pillman flips around and kicks him in the head. After the Hollywood Blonds camera work, Pillman allows the tag off to Wheeler, who chops away rather hard. Pillman is back up with a high crossbody and a superkick, allowing the tag to Garrison.

Harwood pulls him down by the hair but he’s back up with a heck of a right hand to Wheeler. Pillman is back in with a running shot in the corner and an armbar. Wheeler powerslams his way to freedom though and it’s Harwood tying him in the ropes to strike away. A kick to the head almost gets Pillman out of trouble but Wheeler drags him right back to the corner. Pillman slips out of of a gordbuster and rolls over to bring in Garrison….who walks into the Goodnight Express for the pin at 6:20.

Rating: C. I liked the ending to this one as it was a nice twist on the usual story. Instead of going with Garrison cleaning house and going into the ending sequence, they just knocked Garrison silly for the pin. Pillman continues to look young but full of potential and that’s a place that he can grow from in a big way.

Post match we see Shawn Spears watching FTR.

Butcher and the Blade vs. Private Party

Butcher easily drives Quen into the corner to start and it’s off to Butcher vs. Kassidy. This time it’s Kassidy being brought into the corner and the beating is on in a hurry. A hiptoss into a dropkick gets Kassidy out of trouble but Blade cuts him off with a hot shot. Butcher comes back in and hits a running clothesline in the corner. The quick tag brings Quen back in though and everything breaks down. Blade is sent outside, where he helps break up Silly String so Butcher can plant Quen to take over again. Some corner clotheslines give Butcher two and it’s time to stand on Quen’s throat.

The chinlock goes on for a few seconds but Quen sends Blade into the middle buckle. The hot tag brings in Kassidy, who mostly misses a springboard Stunner to knock Blade off the apron. A springboard flipping Stunner to Butcher works a bit better and it’s already back to Quen. Butcher gets double drop toeholded onto Kassidy’s knees for a standing moonsault to the back from Quen. Blade shoves Quen off the top for a big crash to the floor, leaving Kassidy to miss his Swanton. The suplex onto Blade’s knees is enough for the pin at 8:48.

Rating: C+. It really is amazing how much better it is to have even a pair of midcard teams like this fighting each other on this show. They give us something a little more interesting and makes the stakes feel somewhat higher. On top of that, the match wasn’t too bad as it felt a lot more structured than a lot of AEW matches, even though the ending wasn’t in the most doubt.

The Dynamite preview wraps us up.

Overall Rating: C. The length was a lot better on this show and it made things easier. The biggest problem with a show being that long continues to be that it feels draining to look over and see how much longer there is. They kept this show short and to the point, with only a handful of matches and the winners getting to showcase themselves a little bit more than usual. In other words, doing what should be the point of the show.

Results

Scorpio Sky b. Will Hobbs – TKO

Gunn Club b. Serpentico/Peter Avalon – Hiptoss neckbreaker to Serpentico

Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss b. Initiative – Top rope splits splash to Avalon

Abadon b. KiLynn King – Hurricanrana driver

Jack Evans b. QT Marshall – Flipping backslide

FTR b. Brian Pillman Jr./Griff Garrison – Goodnight Express to Garrison

Butcher and The Blade b. Private Party – Suplex onto Blade’s knees to Kassidy

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: June 9, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Taz, Excalibur

Last week’s show was a nice change of pace as it was down to about forty five minutes, making things feel a lot better. This week though it’s a different world as we have World Champion Jon Moxley in action. Hopefully the show is as easy to watch as it was last week. Let’s get to it.

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

Taz and Excalibur welcome us to the show.

Fuego del Sol/Low Rider vs. SCU

Kazarian legsweeps del Sol to start and it’s quickly off to Sky for a knee to the ribs. A butterfly suplex gives del Sol two and Rider comes in with a springboard missile dropkick for the same. Rider misses a charge in the corner though and it’s a hot tag to Kazarian to clean house. The hiptoss neckbreaker hits del Sol (always looks cool) and SCU Later finishes him at 2:58.

Alan Angels joins the Dark Order and is renamed 5.

Lee Johnson vs. 5

Some more of the team is here with 5. Johnson shrugs off the beating in the corner to start and dropkicks 5 to the floor. Back up and 5 sends Johnson arm first into the post and starts working it over. A fireman’s carry slam plants Johnson but he’s right back up with some clotheslines. The leg lariat drops 5 and he gets knocked to the floor for a big running flip dive. Back in and the Blue Thunder Bomb gives Johnson two but 5 hits a hanging DDT onto the apron. Brodie Lee comes out to watch as 5 hits a modified Backstabber (boots instead of knees) for the pin at 5:20.

Rating: C. The match was pretty much skippable but what matters is they gave Angels something to do after some rather impressive performances on this show. That opens up some doors as it gives the wrestlers an added incentive to work hard around here while also boosting the company’s roster. That’s a good sign going forward and a smart thing to do.

Post match, the rest of the Dark Order, minus Lee, beats down Johnson.

Santana and Ortiz vs. Musa/Brady Pierce

Ortiz flips Musa down by the arm to start and they trade some standing switches. A rake to the back keeps Musa in trouble and a sitout powerbomb makes it worse. Pierce’s save fails as both of them are sent outside for a moonsault from Santana. Back in and Santana throws Musa into the corner for the tag to Pierce, who misses a quick moonsault attempt. Pierce and Musa are laid on top of each other in the corner for the assisted Cannonball. The Street Sweeper finishes both of them at 5:09.

Rating: C-. Santana and Ortiz are getting more and more entertaining every week, which says a lot given how good they were in the first place. They’re the kind of team who works so well together and it’s fun to see how well they gel as a unit. Give them some big matches already because they can hang with (if not beat) any team in the company.

QT Marshall tells Dustin Rhodes that their tag match is now a singles match for himself. Dustin isn’t pleased and seeing the Natural Nightmare shirts that Allie made doesn’t make it better. Brandi gets a special one and asks who the f*** this is for, as it’s about three sizes too big.

Butcher And Blade vs. Pineapple Pete/Anthony Catena

Butcher drives Pete into the corner to start and goes Arn Anderson with an eye rake across the rope. It’s off to Blade for a beating in the corner as the announcers run down the name Pete (which is an inside joke of course). A fisherman’s neckbreaker into a fisherman’s DDT plants Pete and it’s off to Catena. Blade hits a Stunner into Butcher’s hard clothesline and the running powerslam gets two. The suplex onto Blade’s knees finishes Catena at 3:59.

Rating: D+. It isn’t often that getting rid of the talented manager makes things that much better but it was the case here. Butcher and Blade were little more than heel goons to start so it is nice to see them getting to do something for a change. The match was total destruction, and that’s a nice way to rebuild a team like Butcher and Blade.

QT Marshall vs. Zack Clayton

Allie, Brandi Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes are all here with Marshall, though Allie goes over for commentary. Marshall knocks him down to start as Allie talks about all of the training she has been putting Marshall through. Clayton sends Marshall over the top so he skins the cat but Clayton dropkicks him to the ramp. That’s enough to send Allie down to ringside as Clayton hammers away even more back inside.

A knee drop gives Clayton two and the powerslam is good for the same. Clayton goes for the turnbuckle so Brandi gets on the apron, only to be knocked down onto Dustin. Marshall uses the distraction to hit a Lethal Combination as Brandi is clutching her wrist. Allie claims a broken nail so Marshall checks on her, much to Dustin’s annoyance. Allie grabs Clayton’s leg (it isn’t clear if Marshall saw it) and the Red Delicious is enough to give Marshall the pin at 5:19.

Rating: C-. The match was nothing of course but it’s rather nice to have a story going on around here. It’s not a hard story to set up with Marshall siding with Allie over the team, though it’s not like Allie has been completely evil or seems to have some other motivation. Maybe that comes later though, as you know a Rhodes story is going to get the attention.

Christopher Daniels vs. Sonny Kiss

Daniels slams him down to start and works on the arm but Sonny bounces out of a wristlock. The armbar has Daniels in trouble and it’s an armbar into another one. Let’s do that a third time until Sonny gets two off a forearm. The fourth armbar goes on and you can feel Daniels’ frustration setting in. Back up and Daniels sends him hard into the corner, setting up the STO into a Crossface.

Sonny grabs the rope and a much more aggressive than usual Daniels stomps away in the corner. Sonny fights back with a dropkick into a hurricanrana, setting up the standing hurricanrana for two. A victory roll gets the same and there’s a spinning kick to Daniels’ head to drop Daniels again. Daniels counters a quick flip though and kicks him in the ribs, setting up the Angel’s Wings for the pin at 8:25.

Rating: C. This was more interesting from Daniels as he is better as a heel than a face. It certainly wasn’t a full on face turn or anything, but it was cool to see him showing a different side of himself. Let some of that aggression out, especially when he is against someone whose style might frustrate him. If nothing else, a split from SCU could be rather interesting.

Jurassic Express vs. Peter Avalon/Brandon Cutler

Marko Stunt is wearing Luchasaurus’ shin guards, which look like chaps on him. See it’s funny because he’s small. Avalon laughs off the idea of facing Stunt so Luchasaurus comes in to chop him over to Cutler instead. Cutler tries to bail to the floor but gets grabbed by the head and pulled back inside. A superkick gives Luchasaurus two but Cutler scores with an enziguri.

That just earns him a wheelbarrow suplex and it’s off to Stunt, who is dropped down onto Cutler for two more. Avalon comes in and gets caught in a super hurricanrana but Stunt spends too much time looking at Leva Bates. That lets Avalon slam him off the top and Cutler slaps on a torture rack (Taz: “The Total Package Brandon Cutler.”). Stunt gets out of a gorilla press and tornado DDTs Avalon, allowing the hot tag to Luchasaurus.

House is cleaned in a hurry and it’s time for Cutler and Avalon to fight. Stunt dives onto both of them but gets caught and tossed onto Luchasaurus. He throws them right back for a double knockdown but Avalon kicks them both down. Avalon hits a sunset bomb into a slingshot elbow from Cutler. Luchasaurus dodges a double running knee and nips up before Stunt springboards in with an armdrag to Cutler. Stunt hits his own Tail Whip and a double chokeslam finishes Avalon at 10:38.

Rating: D+. Remember every complaint I’ve ever had with Stunt matches? It was all of the same ones here, with so many “See, he’s SMALL” deals that it gets annoying in a hurry. I can’t quite say Cutler and Avalon are above this, but egads man. How many people have to be in the ring with him and not just pummel him into a pulp?

Jon Moxley vs. Robert Anthony

Non-title and Brian Cage is standing near commentary. They wrestle to a quick standoff to start and Anthony bails to the floor to get out of a headlock. Moxley trips the leg to take Anthony down, which Taz says he saw coming because he knows this stuff. That’s where Taz can be really really valuable as he’s viewed as someone with a knowledge of this stuff and can explain it very well.

Moxley takes him down again and goes to the arm as Cage doesn’t look overly impressed. Anthony is sent outside for a suicide dive, with Moxley coming up favoring his shoulder a bit. Back in and Moxley starts in on the leg with some dragon screw legwhips and the half crab. A release suplex drops Anthony again and it’s time to wrap his back around the post. There’s a Hartbreaker around the post but Anthony grabs a quick tilt-a-whirl faceplant.

Taz is losing his mind over Anthony not covering and going for a surfboard instead, which is pretty sound advice. Moxley’s Gotch style piledriver is countered into a Death Valley Driver for two. The Paradigm Shift is countered as well but Moxley slams him off the top. A double chickenwing slam plants Anthony for a surprise two so it’s the Texas Cloverleaf to make him tap at 13:10.

Rating: C-. This was an angle rather than a competitive match and commentary did a great job of making the story clear. Moxley was trying to show off in front of Cage and didn’t take Anthony seriously until the ending, when he finished Anthony pretty much with ease. That’s a good way to go, and I’m not sure how the title match is going to play out. It’s nice to have that feeling and hopefully they can keep it up. Also, big points to Taz here, who called the match perfectly given the circumstances. He stood out here, which is rare for commentary.

A quick Dynamite preview takes us out.

Overall Rating: C-. The show is watchable and it’s nice to have some bigger names and angle advancement, but it’s the same thing I ask almost every week: why does it need to be this long? You had eight matches here and two of them had any major (or even moderate) angle advancement. You couldn’t cut out two of those? Say the SCU match and Jurassic Express? Those matches don’t make the show any bigger of a deal and just extend it longer than it needs to be. Just let them have the night off instead. It’s not that important to get them in the ring every week and it makes the show feel long, which isn’t good.

Results

SCU b. Fuego del Sol/Low Rider – SCU Later to del Fuego

5 b. Lee Johnson – Backstabber

Santana and Ortiz b. Musa/Brady Pierce – Double pin after a Street Sweeper

Butcher and Blade b. Pineapple Pete/Anthony Catena – Suplex onto Blade’s knees to Catena

QT Marshall b. Zack Clayton – Red Delicious

Christopher Daniels b. Sonny Kiss – Angel’s Wings

Jurassic Express b. Peter Avalon/Brandon Cutler – Double chokeslam to Avalon

Jon Moxley b. Robert Anthony – Texas Cloverleaf

IMG Credit: AEW

Dynamite
Date: May 6, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We’re back live and that means we could be in for something a little more interesting. I’m curious to see if there are going to be any fans in the building this time. It seems that they can put about 25% of the fans inside and that could go a long way. I’m not sure what else to expect but we could be in for a fun one. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of last week’s TNT Title tournament semifinals.

Opening sequence.

The crowd is made of wrestlers plus staff, though there do seem to be some more than usual.

Cody vs. Joey Janela

Pyro is back if nothing else. They shake hands to start and we start in a hurry. Some shoulders put Janela down but he’s back up for a quick pinfall reversal sequence. Back up and Cody kicks the chop away, setting up a slap between Joey’s shoulders. Cody’s suplex keeps Janela in trouble but he’s back with a spinwheel kick. Janela sends him throat first into the middle rope and we hit the bodyscissors.

They head outside with Cody being whipped into the barricade but Janela gets sent into the ramp. Janela fights back but takes WAY too long to take a running start and Cody sends him crashing into the ropes. A moonsault off the stage takes Janela down and they head inside again. Joey hits a superkick into a top rope elbow for two as we look at a guy named Leroy who dances in the crowd.

Cody catches him on top with a reverse superplex but Janela hits a Judas Effect of all things. The powerslam plants Janela for two but he’s back up with a German suplex to drop Cody. Janela’s moonsault misses and it’s the Cody Cutter for two. They slowly slug it out with Cody getting the better of it. Cross Rhodes finishes Janela at 13:29.

Rating: C. This went on longer than it needed to and wasn’t all that entertaining. Janela still feels like someone who just does moves with no particular rhyme or reason and isn’t someone I want to see. I know he has a big following, but it isn’t something that is translating well to a big company. Cody shouldn’t have had this much trouble with him either, but that’s been a problem for AEW since its inception.

Video on the changes to the women’s division in Nyla Rose’s absence.

Nyla Rose shouts about how dominant she is.

Nyla Rose vs. Kenzie Paige

Non-title. Rose throws her around with ease to start and blocks a sunset flip with ease. A forearm just annoys Rose and it’s a top rope Swanton for two, with Rose pulling her up. Rose hits a powerbomb, followed by the Beast Bomb to complete the squash at 2:19.

MJF has been noticing a lot of people saying they’re the next big thing, even though they’re nearly thirty. That’s cool though, because he’s the real next big thing and he’s been on national TV for six months. People say he’s great but he’s no Flair, Rock or Piper. That’s called insecurity and now the 24 year old kid is a prodigy with more it in his pinkie than others have in their whole bodies. He’s not the Rock, Piper or Flair because he’s something no one has ever seen before. He is better than you and next week, he’s back on his throne.

Shawn Spears talks about Dustin Rhodes being destroyed last week and the only person who deserves the blame is Cody. Dustin’s career is over and as a brother, Spears can’t live with what Cody let happen. Cody seems fine with it though. Don’t tell me we’re doing Cody vs. Spears again.

The gambling is back on at ringside, with MJF looking at Spears and calling him brave. It takes bravery to call Cody out for everything. Spears says MJF’s comeback story is the greatest of all time. Tony is glad MJF is back, because he’s facing Jungle Boy at Double or Nothing. The spit takes wraps up the segment.

Frankie Kazarian vs. Jon Moxley

Non-title with a feeling out process to start. Moxley drops down so Moxley grabs a headlock, only to have it broken up for a chop in the corner. Kazarian goes right back to the headlock, which is broken up again. The third headlock goes on but this time Moxley reverses into a reverse chinlock with a knee in the back.

A backbreaker gives Moxley two and he’s out of the fourth headlock much faster this time. With that not working, Kazarian hits a spinwheel kick but gets sent over the top for a big crash onto the ramp. Back from a break with Moxley hitting a running knee to send him outside but the dive off the middle rope is kicked out of the air. Kazarian’s slingshot DDT gets two but Moxley is back with a release German suplex. A Backstabber cuts Moxley off and the Unprettier gets two.

They slug it out until Kazarian hits a dropkick and ties him up with….I’m not sure what to call it but Kazarian has the leg tied and is pulling on the arm. Moxley uses the free leg to kick his way out so Kazarian snaps off a German suplex. A heck of a clothesline gives Moxley two and they go to an exchange of near falls for two each. Kazarian suplexes him into the corner for a big crash but Moxley pulls him off the top. The quick Paradigm Shift finishes Kazarian at 16:29.

Rating: B-. This took some time to get going but they did a good job of setting up the idea that Moxley respected Kazarian. They set things up well here and Kazarian can hang with anyone so it was a good enough match too. It was a good use of some time and got Moxley on TV where he had to break a sweat to win, but did win in the end. Nice enough stuff.

Post match the Dark Order runs in to beat down Kazarian and Moxley, plus Scorpio Sky and Christopher Daniels for trying to make a save. Brodie Lee comes in and hits the discus lariat on Moxley. Lee talks about how there is no crowd here to give Moxley energy. The Dark Order is Lee’s energy and he is a different man than the one who fought Moxley in the past.

Now he wants the World Title, so Moxley can answer the challenge or they’ll make him do it. Lee lays the microphone next to him and Moxley says all Lee had to do was ask. A big boot to the face drops Moxley again and the beatdown is on for a second time. Lee leaves with the title.

Brandi Rhodes doesn’t like Jake Roberts and Lance Archer and knows what they’re going to do to her. It’s going to lead to a showdown in the ring with the two of them trying to intimidate her until Cody makes the save. That would make sense in 1991 but if Jake slaps her in the face like he did back then, she’ll slap him back. As her mom said, “Don’t f*** with people you don’t know.” She is Brandi Rhodes, so keep her name out of your mouth. This was your weekly “Brandi is a thing too” segment.

QT Marshall vs. Lance Archer

Brandi and Jake Roberts (in a mask) are here too. Archer runs over a wrestler at ringside as usual and then decks Marshall before the bell too. Some running shoulders in the corner have Marshall in more trouble and Archer drops him onto the apron. Back from a break with Marshall getting splashed and choked out to the floor.

After avoiding the threat of Britt Baker’s show, Marshall gets back in with a handspring enziguri. Marshall lifts him up for a suplex as Jake isn’t looking pleased. Archer pulls him off the top and hits the Blackout for two, with Archer not wanting the pin yet. Instead he claw slams Marshall a few times for the pin at 7:38.

Rating: C-. Marshall is a good hand but there is only so much you can get out of a somewhat extended squash. Marshall continues to look intimidating and has some good power stuff, but we’ve seen it a few times now and some of the shine is starting to wear off a little bit.

Post match Britt Baker jumps the barricade and DDTs Brandi onto the floor. Jake busts out the snake and lays it on the unconscious Brandi. Commentary points out how far the locker rooms are from the arena, because we’re supposed to believe that Cody wasn’t watching intently when his wife was out there with Jake and Archer.

Taz offers Darby Allin some assistance but Allin walks away.

Double Or Nothing rundown, with a #1 contenders ladder match and Lee challenging Moxley for the World Title.

Preview of next week’s show.

Le Sex Gods vs. Kenny Omega/Matt Hardy

Street fight with Jake Hager here as well. Hardy bites Guevara’s hand to start and it’s a big brawl early on. Tony: “We have found out that Jericho’s match next week will be against Pineapple Pete.” JR: “GET THE H*** OUT OF HERE!” Jericho is left laying on the floor and we get some Poetry in Motion on Sammy. Jericho gets back up and fights to the back with Matt but runs straight back in to double team Omega in the corner.

A double suplex drops Omega and we hit the pose for a bonus. Hardy, now in his regular gear instead of the Broken gear, comes in to clean house. Jericho and Hardy head outside again, leaving Sammy to kick Omega in the head. That lets Jericho come back in with the (Inner Circle branded) baseball bat for some shots from behind. Omega makes the save and knocks Jericho outside, meaning it’s time to break out the ladder and table.

A splash off the ladder sends Sammy through the table but Hager pulls the referee out at two. Omega’s slingshot dive is pulled out of the air so Hager can drop him onto the apron as we take a break. Back with Hardy and Jericho fighting backstage, with Hardy being put inside a Jacksonville Jaguars ice locker. Omega makes the save with some trashcan shots but Sammy sends him into an ATM (with Sammy even getting some money out).

Omega sends Sammy into a metal wall and Hager is sent through some barricades. Jericho runs Omega over and puts a cone on his own head like a hat. Omega comes back with a slippery when wet sign and shatters it over his back. Matt comes out of the ice bucket and he’s back in the Broken gear. He steals a golf cart, orders the cameraman to document these events (JR: “That’s what we’re doing mat. You’re on television.”), and almost runs Jericho over.

Omega is pulled into the cart with him and they chase Sammy down, eventually running him over hard. Jericho is still down so Hardy lays him onto a table, with Omega climbing a scissor lift. That’s raised into the air (JR: “What are we watching here?”) but Hager comes in for the save. Omega moonsaults onto everyone but Santana and Ortiz run in to save Jericho from the One Winged Angel. A triple bomb puts Hardy through a table and Omega is powerbombed onto the golf cart. The Judas Effect finishes Omega at 18:29.

Rating: B. This went longer than it needed to and there was a little too much laying around, but it was a memorable and entertaining match. The Hardy transformation would have worked better if they had done it once instead of twice, but it’s a clever enough idea for later on. The Inner Circle being back to full strength is a good thing too and it was a hard hitting brawl throughout. What matters the most though is it was better than sitting around in an empty arena hitting each other with chairs. You have a lot of resources available in the venue. Use them and see what kind of fun you can have, like they did here.

The Inner Circle poses in front of the Jaguars’ stadium with INNER CIRCLE on the scoreboard to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. I liked the main event and Moxley vs. Kazarian, but I’m having a difficult time getting involved in all the Rhodes stuff. Last week’s beating to Dustin was brutal, but it’s still Dustin Rhodes. I’m very impressed with what he’s done lately, though that doesn’t change the fact that he hasn’t been some top level player for decades. It’s cool to see him in an angle, but it’s not an angle that needs to be such a focal point of the show. I get why people like it and care about Dustin. It’s just not something I’m going to get overly invested in most of the time. Good show though, with the main event shining.

Results

Cody b. Joey Janela – Cross Rhodes

Nyla Rose b. Kenzie Paige – Beast Bomb

Jon Moxley b. Frankie Kazarian – Paradigm Shift

Lance Archer b. QT Marshall – Claw slam

Le Sex Gods b. Kenny Omega/Matt Hardy – Judas Effect to Omega

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: April 7, 2020
Location: Undisclosed Location
Commentators: Cody, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Taz, Jimmy Havoc

So in a world where AEW had to do a marathon taping because they don’t know when they will be able to tape again, this show still exists. Why that is the case, instead of saving these matches for as long as they can in the case of a rainy day isn’t clear, but I’m sure I’m just missing the importance of making sure that an unnecessary supplemental show keeps running. Let’s get to it.

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

QT Marshall vs. Lee Johnson

Marshall takes him into the corner to start and they run the ropes a bit. A hiptoss takes Marshall down and we hit the quickly broken armbar. There’s a legdrop for two and it’s off to an abdominal stretch. Marshall charges into some boots in the corner but it’s a Lethal Combination to put Johnson down. The Swanton gives Marshall (who is cut underneath the eye) the pin at 4:05.

Rating: C-. What is there to say about something like this? It was just a quick squash featuring a low level guy who is only there in a tag team that doesn’t have the biggest future. That being said, Marshall is a great hand and someone who can do a fine enough match with just about anyone.

Wardlow vs. Ryan Pyles

MJF is here with Wardlow, who slowly takes off his black suit. The release F5 and a delayed cover finishes Pyles at 29 seconds.

Kip Sabian vs. Tony Donati

Penelope Ford is here too. Sabian snapmares him down to start but Tony grabs a headlock to slow things down. That earns him an armdrag takeover but a shot to the check sends Sabian into the corner. The ruse allows Ford to choke on the ropes and a penalty kick gives Sabian two. As the announcers discuss the different kinds of football, Tony grabs a hammerlock brainbuster for two. A quick edit takes us to Sabian striking away and pulling Tony down into kind of an Octopus Hold/Koji Clutch on the mat for the tap at 6:03.

Rating: C-. This was slightly more competitive than I would have expected, though it is nice to see Sabian getting in a win for a change. He rarely does anything significant but it’s better than seeing him lose over and over again. Sabian and Ford could be a rather nice midcard pairing so hopefully they get put in the right place.

Overall Rating: D. Well that happened. This was a nothing show with three matches that were either squashes or close to being one and that isn’t exactly a show that needed to exist. I really don’t see the point in having this show take place but at less than nineteen minutes, it’s rather hard to get too annoyed. Nothing to see here, and that’s just a step above being literal.

Results

QT Marshall b. Lee Johnson – Swanton

Wardlow b. Ryan Pyles – Release F5

Kip Sabian b. Tony Donati – Reverse Koji Clutch

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dynamite
Date: March 4, 2020
Location: 1^st Bank Center, Broomfield, Colorado
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone

We’re in a new stretch for AEW as Revolution has come and gone, meaning we have a new World Champion. Jon Moxley defeated Chris Jericho to win the title on Saturday, marking the first time that the title has changed hands. It should be interesting to see where we’re going next, but WarGames is looming in three weeks. Let’s get to it.

Here’s Revolution if you need a recap.

We open with a long recap of Revolution.

Here’s Moxley for his first chat as champion but he has to wait for the YOU DESERVE IT chants to die down. Moxley says AEW represents professional wrestling and this belt never belonged to Chris Jericho. It doesn’t belong to him either, because the belt belongs to the people. Every fan out there who said they wanted something different helped bring pro wrestling back. He will defend this title with his life and there isn’t a man in this industry who has what it takes to pry it away from his cold dead hands.

Moxley knows the Inner Circle is still coming for him and seeing the title on his shoulder is like acid in Jericho’s mouth. Moxley dares them to come after him so here comes Jericho, flanked by the rest of the team. The fans keep singing the song after the music stops for….I think it was a cool moment but I’m not sure. Jericho says he doesn’t need a belt to be Le Champion and yells at the fans for not chanting in unison. The fans may like the Moxley Era but Jericho thinks it sucks. Moxley’s title reign was based on a lie and the fact that Moxley can see out of both eyes is not worthy of a champion.

Therefore, Moxley is a liar and so are all of these fans. Now the Inner Circle is a hit squad and they’re coming after the entire roster. They’re going to hurt some people, starting with Moxley. After tonight’s main event (there’s a hug for Sammy), Moxley isn’t walking out of this dump on his own. Jericho is so sure of it, that if Moxley walks out on his own tonight, he’ll take a sixty day hiatus from AEW. Moxley knows he isn’t that smart but he’s so sick of hearing Jericho talk, that he’s going to beat him again tonight in Broomfield, Colorado.

Here’s a preview for the rest of the show.

SCU/Colt Cabana vs. Dark Order

Cabana and Grayson start things off with Cabana shrugging off some chops. The Order comes in to take over on Cabana and knock SCU off the apron at the same time. SCU gets back in and takes over on Silver, including a running series of elbows in the corner. Daniels gets sent outside though and Uno posts him to take over. The beatdown has Daniels down in the corner and we take a break.

Back with Daniels still in trouble but getting away from Silver and making the hot tag to Kazarian. House is cleaned and the assisted middle rope stomp puts Grayson down. A slingshot cutter gives Kazarian two and it’s off to Cabana to deal with multiple parts of the Order at the same time time. The fans are into Cabana but are also happy for Sky’s big flip dive over the top. Cabana hits the Chicago Skyline on Silver, followed by the Superman Pin at 10:27.

Rating: C+. Well at least the important members didn’t get pinned. The match was a good way to give Cabana his first win and continue the build towards the Exalted One. I’m still curious to see who it is and that’s a good feeling to have, as long as the reveal is even somewhat good.

Post match, Uno threatens SCU with the arrival of the Exalted One, because he will not be pleased.

Highlights of the Revolution Tag Team match, featuring quotes from Alvarez, Keller and Meltzer. Now granted they don’t say who those people are so anyone who aren’t hardcore fans won’t know who they are, but they did say that Justin Barrasso writes for Sports Illustrated.

Big Swole vs. Leva Bates

Britt Baker, with coffee for Tony, is on commentary. Swole shoves Bates down to start but a Peter Avalon distraction lets Bates hit her with a book. A Backstabber rocks Swole but she’s right back with Dirty Dancing for the pin at 1:28. Well that was emphatic.

Video on MJF stealing a pin over Cody.

Here’s Cody for a chat. He doesn’t know if he wants to talk about what it means to lose to MJF because it means a lot to get on a pay per view, let alone win. Cody has gone through a lot and now he wants MJF to come out here right now, look him in the eye and say he won fair and square. Instead, here’s Jake Roberts for your random cameo of the week. Jake: “I got tired of hearing you cry and b****.”

Roberts says he’s here because the Dark Side is coming to AEW and it will be like a phoenix rising from the ashes. It’s been twenty years to get clean and now he has earned it. If you think he’s going to be a nice boy who plays nice, you have another thing coming. For years, he brought a snake to the ring to get in people’s heads and now he’s still getting in heads.

His client is coming and he’ll be on the floor getting in Cody’s head again. Cody can even bring Arn Anderson if he wants because Jake is just here to take Cody’s piece of the pie. Jake says never turn your back on someone you respect or are afraid of before turning his back on Cody and walking away. They got the point across, but it took a few seconds for Jake to start making sense.

Clips of Pac vs. Orange Cassidy.

Chuck Taylor vs. Pac

Orange Cassidy and Trent are at ringside. They run the ropes to start with neither being able to make much contact. A hurricanrana puts Taylor on the floor but Pac rolls outside to stare at Cassidy. Taylor jumps over him in the corner and chops away but Pac takes it outside. That means a hard whip into the barricade and we take a break.

Back with Pac working on the arm until Taylor fights up with a dropkick to the floor. That means a dive over the top, but he still has time to hug Trent. Back in and Pac gets caught with an Awful Waffle in the corner for a rather close two. The moonsault misses though and the Brutalizer makes Chuck tap at 10:05.

Rating: C-. This wasn’t the extended squash that it should have been, which is annoying at least Pac continues to make the fans hate him. I’m sure the feud will continue, even though Pac has dominated the entire thing and apparently has the Lucha Bros with him. Chuck wasn’t bad as usual, but the entire team feels like it’s playing over its head.

Post match Trent gets in Pac’s face but Cassidy takes his place. Cue the Lucha Bros for the beatdown, with Pac naming the trio the Death Triangle. Is there some rule that EVERYONE around here has to be in some kind of a faction??? Cassidy takes the spike Fear Factor and Pentagon bites his ear.

Tully Blanchard wants your suggestions for Shawn Spears’ partner.

QT Marshall vs. Jake Hager

Brandi Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes, Santana and Ortiz are here. Hager takes him down with straight power to start and Marshall gets dropped with a knee to the ribs. The running Vader Bomb hits raised boots and Marshall’s corkscrew Swanton gets two. Hager is right back with a heck of a clothesline, setting up the standing arm triangle choke for the win at 3:23.

Rating: D+. Just a squash here and that’s fine enough. Hager is someone who needs to pick up wins like this to show that he can be more than a heavy and they did what they should have done. This feels like they’re setting up something for the future with a six man tag, though I’m not sure how much fuel something between these people are going to have.

Post match Hager won’t let go so Dustin comes in. That draws out Cody to clean house until Santana and Ortiz take him down with a chair shot. Cue Matt Jackson for the attempted save but the numbers are too big for him. Now it’s Hangman Page, who puts the beer on the post and starts wrecking people, including the Buckshot Lariat to Hager. Matt gets in Page’s face so Page flips him off and leaves.

MJF says he’s all about pinning shoulders to mats and banging rats (MJF: “AKA women.”). He’s gone from prospect to prodigy and now it’s time for him to become #1 contender. MJF will face Jungle Jabroni or Marko Stunted growth and doesn’t care who he is. It’s hot in here though so he needs to take his jacket off, revealing an I Pinned Cody shirt. That shirt is obnoxious, regrettable and very distracting. MJF: “Kind of like a neck tattoo, don’t you think?” We’re not worthy of MJF because this was glorious.

Chris Jericho/Sammy Guevara vs. Jon Moxley/Darby Allin

Hold on though as three masked men jump Moxley during his entrance. They take him into the concourse and remove the masks to reveal Santana, Ortiz and Hager as the beatdown is on. Moxley gets covered with trash and choked out as commentary says Allin was jumped in the ring, which is why he isn’t coming out for the save. Ignore being able to see Allin standing up and watching the beatdown on the monitor.

Anyway, Allin agrees to wrestle on his own so Sammy knees him down for an early two. Jericho comes in and chokes in the corner, with Hager and company out to choke as well. A sunset flip out of the corner gives Allin two but Jericho is right back with the Walls. Allin makes the save so Jericho baseball slides him to the floor as we take a break. Back with Jericho hitting a suplex and bringing Sammy back in for a double elbow. The fans chant something censored before switching to STUPID IDIOT.

Allin fights up and knocks Jericho outside for a suicide flip dive but the numbers take him down again. Sammy kicks him in the back for two but the Lionsault hits knees. Allin tags himself in and gets all fired up, meaning the comeback is on. Jericho and Sammy are sent outside for the top rope Coffin Drop onto the entire Inner Circle. Back in and the Coffin Drop gets two on Sammy with Jericho making the save. Darby sends Jericho outside but the suicide dive gets Judas Effected out of the air. Allin is done and Sammy gets the pin at 14:08.

Rating: B. This was another show stealing performance from Allin, who needs to actually win something big at some point. It was a match where I got into Allin again and that’s something that happens almost every time he’s out there. Good stuff here and the action helped boost up a solid story.

Post match here’s Moxley to throw a chair at Hager but the numbers game gets the better of him as well. The Inner Circle takes him to the stage and powerbombs him down through some tables to end the show.

Lance Archer didn’t appear and wasn’t mentioned.

Overall Rating: B. It wasn’t quite as good as some of their previous efforts but that’s a pretty high standard to reach. There were some very good parts here along with some that were a bit odd/weak, such as Roberts’ random cameo and ANOTHER group named after death/darkness/evil. Still a good show and they’ve got a lot to look forward to, which is a great sign coming out of a pay per view.

Results

SCU/Colt Cabana b. Dark Order – Superman Pin to Silver

Big Swole b. Leva Bates – Dirty Dancing

Pac b. Chuck Taylor – Brutalizer

Jake Hager b. QT Marshall – Standing arm triangle choke

Chris Jericho/Sammy Guevara b. Darby Allin – Judas Effect

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: February 25, 2020
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Commentators: Excalibur, Tazz
Hosts: Tony Schiavone, Dasha Gonzalez

It’s another week and I still don’t know what to expect from this show. They get into a rhythm and then it goes flying out the window the next week. The shows are fine enough most of the time but there are weeks where I don’t need to see most of what they are presenting. Let’s get to it.

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

Excalibur and Tazz run down the card with Tony Schiavone nowhere in sight.

Jimmy Havoc vs. Marko Stunt

The rest of the Jurassic Express is here with Stunt. Havoc misses an early charge and gets knocked to the floor for some suicide dives. A diving tornado DDT plants Havoc again but he’s fine enough to hit a buckle bomb back inside. Cue Dr. Luther and Mel to watch on the stage as Havoc hits a brainbuster and cranks on the neck.

Stunt gets a boot up in the corner but dives into a Crossface to work on the neck a bit more. The neck is bent around the turnbuckle and a fisherman’s suplex gives Havoc two. Stunt fights up with an enziguri and dropkicks Havoc outside, but this time he just sidesteps a suicide dive. The Acid Rainmaker finishes Stunt at 7:32.

Rating: D+. Same thing I always say about Stunt: it’s a nice story once, but it’s too much to believe that anyone has any real difficulty beating him. They didn’t go too long here and Stunt’s offense was mainly fluke shots that Havoc could shrug off, but it looks and feels like Havoc is beating up a twelve year old. The long hair and tiny frame make it impossible to believe and that’s not something that is going to get better.

Tony and Dasha (hey she still exists) talk about….not much really.

Dark Order vs. Strong Hearts

Fallout from the Dark Order trying to recruit Cima to the team. Evil Uno and T-Hawk start things off with Hawk chopping away but getting stopped with a poke to the eye. Grayson comes in and gets his leg dropkicked out, allowing the Hearts to set up a basement dropkick to the face. Something like a reverse Rings of Saturn keeps Grayson in trouble but he drives Hawk into the corner to cut him off. Some right hands keep Hawk in trouble and Uno adds a big boot.

A jumping knee into a clothesline gets two but Hawk gets in a quick powerbomb. That’s enough for the hot tag off to Cima so house can be cleaned as everything breaks down. The double suicide dive takes the Order out and it’s a missile dropkick to Uno back inside. Uno is fine enough to hit a DDT/Samoan drop combination on the Hearts though and it’s a toss into a powerbomb for two on Hawk. The Fatality finishes Hawk at 8:35.

Rating: C+. That’s one of the best things I’ve seen from the Dark Order so far but what matters most is having the Exalted One show up and be impressive. I’m not sure who it is going to be but they have a few options, some of which could be rather successful. If it doesn’t work though, the team is done for all intent and purpose so they better get it right.

Come to see Dynamite!

Kip Sabian vs. Joey Janela

Falls count anywhere so Janela low blows him on the stage for two at the bell with Penelope Ford making the save. Sabian knocks Ford down by mistake and it’s time to fight by the stage. That lets Ford hit a big dive off the stage with a crossbody but Janela is fine enough to hit a superkick. Ford gets in another distraction though and Sabian hits a flip dive to put Janela down.

They get inside for the first time with Sabian pulling on something like a reverse Koji Clutch until they fall outside again. The fight goes into the crowd with Janela throwing a drink in his face and taking it back to ringside. Janela’s dive off the barricade gets chaired out of the air but Sabian dropkicks a chair by mistake. A prosthetic leg to the head has Sabian drown again and it’s time to set up a table at ringside.

Sabian is back with a half and half suplex on the apron for two, followed by the swinging neckbreaker through the table. Two more tables are set up but Ford is back up with a top rope hurricanrana to Janela. That just earns her a toss into Sabian, who knocks the table over but doesn’t break it. Janela hits a hard kendo stick shot to the head for the pin at 12:29.

Rating: C+. The match was fine enough but I haven’t cared about this feud (or anyone involved in it) since the beginning and this match, which hopefully is the finale, is no different. Janela and Sabian fighting over Ford isn’t worth caring about and they both desperately need something different. It’s a boring feud and hopefully AEW can figure that out.

QT Marshall and Dustin Rhodes are ready for their tag match.

QT Marshall/Dustin Rhodes vs. Shawn Spears/Peter Avalon

Brandi Rhodes and Leva Bates are the seconds. Marshall gets hiptossed down to start and that means an early SHH. Dustin comes in for a running knee into a standing twisting moonsault for two on Avalon as the oldest person in the match gets to pick up the pace. Spears’ headlock works a bit better and he tries the Goldust deep breath.

Dustin’s uppercut doesn’t do much good so he goes with the ten right hands in the corner instead. Everything breaks down and Dustin and Marshall get in some stereo dancing jabs. We settle down to Spears dropping Marshall back first onto the apron to take over, allowing Avalon to get two off a leg lariat. Marshall gets away for the tag without much trouble though and it’s Dustin coming in to clean house.

Spears manages a spinebuster though and Marshall gets sent off the top for a big crash to the floor. Back up and Dustin grabs the Code Red for two but Spears runs him down again. A twisting frog splash gets two, only to have Avalon tag himself in. That means a left hand from Spears, who walks out on Avalon to seal his fate. Leva grabs Dustin’s foot to break up Shattered Dreams so it’s a spear from Brandi, followed by Shattered Dreams anyway. A powerslam/sliding reverse suplex combination finishes Avalon at 11:41.

Rating: C. I liked this one well enough but this Spears Needs A Partner deal isn’t going anywhere. The fact that they are already repeating the same idea with the same people isn’t a good sign and I don’t know why I would want to see it again. Not a terrible match but it belongs on a show like this one instead of anywhere near the main show.

Overall Rating: C-. This is a great illustration of the divide between the top half of the roster and everyone around here. The show was full of a bunch of wrestlers who have little reason to be anywhere near Dynamite (not the case with everyone here, but the majority of them). There is a big difference between the two pools of talent and I don’t know how necessary it is to keep showing these matches. Not a bad show, but not one you’ll ever need to see.

Results

Jimmy Havoc b. Marko Stunt – Acid Rainmaker

Dark Order b. Strong Hearts – Fatality to T-Hawk

Joey Janela b. Kip Sabian – Kendo stick to the head

Dustin Rhodes/QT Marshall b. Peter Avalon/Shawn Spears – Powerslam/sliding reverse suplex combination to Avalon

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: February 18, 2020
Location: HEB Center, Austin, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz
Host: Tony Schiavone

This show is what I want when I watch WWE’s Main Event: they rarely mess around and include some recaps when necessary, but above all else the show offers some talent a chance to get on TV. You don’t get repeat matches and it’s not a bunch of lifeless drek. That makes things so much better and Dark can be an entertaining show. Let’s get to it.

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

Tony welcomes us to the show. Dasha isn’t coming back is she?

Diamante vs. Kris Stadtlander

Stadtlander does her poke to the referee’s nose but Diamante isn’t as interested. A shot to the face sends Diamante into the corner and Stadtlander crawls after her. There’s the double arm pull before she sticks Diamante’s fingers into her (as in Diamante’s own) ears. A running knee in the corner puts Diamante on the floor so Stadtlander gorilla presses her onto the apron. Back in and a Code Red gives Diamante two but a wheelbarrow suplex (egads) drops Diamante on her head. The Big Bang Theory finishes Diamante at 4:26.

Rating: C-. This was just a squash and I still really like Stadtlander. She doesn’t need the alien deal as she’s unique enough looking on her own but it’s certainly something unique. Diamante hasn’t impressed me during most of the time I’ve seen her but there are far worse choices they could throw out there.

Hybrid 2 vs. Best Friends

And yes Orange Cassidy is here too. Chuck and Evans start things off with the former taking Evans down in a hurry. That’s reversed into a headscissors and it’s up to a standoff. Evans flips out of a northern lights suplex but the second work just fine. Chuck comes in for a double elbow drop as the fans are behind the Best Friends again. Apparently bored on the apron, Angelico drops to the floor and decks Cassidy, only to get knocked down by Chuck.

The Hybrids use the distraction to take over and Angelico Gory Specials Trent onto Chuck in a cool spot. Evans adds a moonsault to both of them and Angelico’s top rope double stomp into a belly to back suplex gets two. Trent’s tornado DDT gets him out of trouble and a helicopter bomb gets two on Evans.

A reverse Razor’s Edge into a cutter gets two more on Evans with Angelico making a save. The assisted 450 hits Trent for two but Cassidy gets on the apron to distract Evans on top. The big shot to the leg is loaded up but Cassidy steps to the side to avoid Angelico, who hits the ropes to crotch Jack. That’s one of the only times Cassidy has felt like he contributed something substantial to a match. Strong Zero finishes Evans at 8:31.

Rating: C. They worked more of a formula here and that’s a nice treat for the Hybrid 2. I still can’t bring myself to get into them and the Best Friends continue to be hit or miss. Cassidy using his shtick to outsmart some villains is a surprise as well and a lot better than having him stare down what is supposed to be some big heel stable in the Dark Order.

Post match, the winners and Cassidy have the extra big hug.

Here’s where Dynamite is coming.

Christi James vs. Big Swole

They fight over a lockup to start, with Taz talking about what you can learn from your opponent by locking up with them. I know he can be a catchphrase machine at times but Taz can throw out some insightful stuff every now and then. Swole’s headlock is reversed into one from James and we get an early standoff. A hard clothesline puts James into the corner but she puts Swole on the ropes and hits an enziguri. James pulls her by the hair so Swole strikes away, including a headbutt to the ribs. A pump kick into Dirty Dancing finishes James at 4:48.

Rating: D+. James is someone who has a catchy look with a lot of Brazilian flags but I need more than that to think much of her. Granted you’re not getting much out of a five minute match but this could have been a lot worse. Swole is someone who seemed to be little more than a person on the card but she has come around a good bit in recent weeks and that’s a good thing for the division.

Young Bucks vs. QT Marshall/Peter Avalon

Before the match, we get a lot of shushing from Avalon, with Marshall even asking the fans to let him get this out of the way so we can wrestle. Nick wristlocks Marshall to start and it’s time to flip around a bit without making much contact. A handspring into the Ricochet pose has Nick perplexed but Avalon asks what is this flippy doo stuff. Avalon: “THIS ISN’T WRESTLING!” Matt grabs the mic and asks if he and Nick should do a bad a** tag team move. Matt: “Let’s do a double hiptoss!” He doesn’t mention the double basement dropkick but does start a YOUNG BUCKS chant.

The camera can’t keep up with the Bucks but it settles down for Avalon running from a Matt superkick. Marshall gets in a few shots to Matt and Leva Bates reads to him a bit. Granted she also hits him with a book but at least it comes after some education. Nick gets knocked off the apron so there’s no one for Matt to tag, leaving him to roll some northern lights suplexes.

This time it’s eight in a row, with Taz saying he’s jealous that he never thought of it. The hot tag brings in Nick to clean house with kicks in the corner and a double bulldog out of the same. A moonsault/slingshot splash combination gets two on Avalon with Marshall making the save. Marshall won’t let Avalon use the book so it’s a right hand to take him down. The superkicks into the Meltzer Driver put Avalon away at 10:30.

Rating: C. I chuckled at the in-match commentary bits but that’s an old favorite of mine. This is the kind of match that works well for a main event on this show: a top act beating a team that isn’t going to get them any real danger but can get a few nice moments out of them. It worked well enough for a Dark main event and they weren’t trying for more than that (which is fine too).

Overall Rating: C. When this show gets it right, they have a nice little groove going. That’s what we had here with four matches over forty eight minutes and nothing going longer than it should have. That makes things so much easier while also making you understand how this show, without a lot of major stars, blows away stuff like 205 Live, which has talented wrestlers but not energy whatsoever. This was fun and an easy watch, which is always nice to have.

Results

Kris Stadtlander b. Diamante – Big Bang Theory

Best Friends b. Hybrid 2 – Strong Zero to Evans

Big Swole b. Christi James – Dirty Dancing

Young Bucks b. Peter Avalon/QT Marshall – Meltzer Driver to Avalon

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: January 28, 2020
Location: Watsco Center, Miami, Florida/Norwegian Pearl, International Waters
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone
Host: Tony Schiavone

We’re back on the boat and I’m not sure what to make of this show anymore. Last week’s edition was just under half an hour long and I’m kind of digging that. There is something nice about getting in and getting out, as you don’t want to overload the fans with too much content. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

From Miami.

Nyla Rose vs. Shanna

Tables match. Shanna goes right after her to start and the right hands fly in a hurry, only to have Nyla shove her away. The first table is pulled out early on so Shanna dives off the apron to take Rose down. That just earns her a shove into the barricade and the table is set up in the corner. A drop toehold sends Rose head first into but not through the table. Shanna hits a running dropkick in the corner and takes her up for a super hurricanrana right back down.

The table is set up in the middle this time but Shanna can’t lift her up. She can however block an AA through the table and DDT Nyla onto the side for a nasty landing. The table is set up outside so Nyla is sent to the apron. Shanna tries a dive but gets caught in a chokeslam through the table to give Rose the win at 8:04.

Rating: D. This was really bad with neither looking good and the table stipulation not being needed. JR acknowledged how bad it was with the bowling shoe analogy and I don’t know what else they were expecting. How else was something like this to go? Pretty bad miss here but at least Rose is being rebuilt.

Post match Rose goes after her again but Sadie Gibbs comes out for the save. That just earns her another chokeslam through another table.

Here’s where AEW is coming.

From the cruise.

QT Marshall vs. Kip Sabian

Penelope Ford is here with Sabian. They run the ropes to start without getting much contact until Marshall hits a handspring kick to the face. Marshall goes up but gets pulled down by Ford, allowing Sabian to hit Eat Defeat for two. Sabian works on the arm for a bit, followed by a hanging swinging neckbreaker for the same. Hold on though as Marshall needs to go outside and yell at a fan, allowing Marshall to make the comeback. A tilt-a-whirl slam gets two on Sabian and Ford has to save him from an armbar. Back in and Sabian grabs a sunset flip so Ford grabs his hands for the leverage and the pin at 6:36.

Rating: C-. Battle of two good hands here and that’s not really enough to keep my interest. The wrestling was fine enough, with Ford being fine as the cheating manager. Neither of them are going to go anywhere anytime soon, but that is the case with a lot of people featured in AEW at the moment.

From Miami again.

Dark Order vs. Sonny Kiss/Brandon Cutler

Cutler has some new gear, including a 20 sided die. Grayson runs Kiss over to start and drives him into the corner so Uno can come in for two off a big boot. It’s back to Grayson to suplex Kiss down while telling him that he can be more. Kiss is back with a legsweep and a slingshot splits legdrop. One of the Creepers grabs the leg though and it’s Nightfall into the Fatality for the pin on Kiss at 3:10. Cutler was never in the match.

Rating: D. The squash was a good idea for the team but Uno is still dragging things way down for the team. He looks like a joke and Grayson’s good look isn’t enough to overcome anything. I could go for more squashes like this though as it lets the winners showcase themselves, which isn’t the case around here often enough. Try some more of them out and see where you get.

Overall Rating: D-. I really can’t call this a waste of time as it’s only thirty two minutes long but this show has rapidly become the Main Event/Superstars show without the recaps. In other words, it doesn’t offer a ton of value and I’m curious to see how they’re going to retool this to make it work for television. No one would watch this show on regular TV and I’m not sure how much value it is going to have online either. It’s not bad, but it’s a completely nothing show.

Results

Nyla Rose b. Shanna – Chokeslam through a table

Kip Sabian b. QT Marshall – Rollup

Dark Order b. Sonny Kiss/Brandon Cutler – Fatality to Kiss

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