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Royce Isaacs vs. Ren Narita (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark Elevation
Ren Narita was one of two NJPW talents making their AEW debuts tonight. The 23-year-old Japanese star faced Royce Isaacs, who has previously appeared on Dark. Royce came out to his entrance theme for the first time in AEW, and we must say it was a banger!
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The match had a tentative start as both men engaged in an old-school mat exchange. Narita was calm and composed despite being on the losing end of the mini battles early during the contest.
Ren hit a running elbow strike in the corner, followed by a rolling DDT for the first pinfall attempt of the match. Isaacs used the ring to his advantage to strike Narita in the face with the ropes.
Isaacs knew how to use his elbows as he consistently punished Narita with various shots. Narita responded with a series of stiff forearm shimmers. Isaacs reacted with a pick-up side suplex on Narita for a two-count.
Isaacs caught Narita's legs and locked in the Scorpion Death Lock. Ren, though, crawled his way to the ropes and broke the hold. Both men went on to engage in a trade-off featuring punches.
Narita came out on top and laid out Isaacs with a spin kick. Narita staggered Isaacs with forearm shimmers, but Royce hit two headbutts before scoring a takedown in retaliation.
Royce used all his power to pick Narita back up for a Jackhammer-like move. But Narita kicked out of the subsequent pinfall.
Narita fought out of the Full Nelson position, and he got in a standing chin lock before transitioning to the abdominal stretch.
Isaacs escaped, but couldn't evade a bridged overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Royce's kickout didn't go down well with Narita, who executed another overhead belly-to-belly suplex to complete the pinfall victory on AEW Dark: Elevation.
Result: Ren Narita def. Royce Isaacs on AEW Dark: Elevation
Grade: B+
AEW Dark: Elevation Main Event #4 - Rocky Romero (AEW Debut) vs. JD Drake (w/ The Wingmen) on AEW Dark: Elevation
Rocky Romero received a solid reception on his AEW debut. The 8-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion is a name known internationally, and the commentators did their best to hype his debut.
Romero changed levels and quickly took Drake's head for a lockup. JD responded with a firm shoulder block. Romero didn't back down as he got right into Drake's face.
Romero flew through with a shoulder tackle, followed by a crossface. JD Drake missed a clothesline and got taken down with a hurricanerana.
Rocky came steaming in for the running clotheslines in the corner. Drake got his elbows up to stop the incoming strike, and he then sent Romero into the ropes. Rocky wrapped himself up between them and laughed as he outsmarted JD.
A fuming Drake followed him and hit the floor hard. Romero executed a tope suicida and paid tribute to Eddie Guerrero with a classic Latino Heat swivel. Viva La Raza!
The action stayed outside as Romero kept his distance and used aerial moves to inflict damage. JD got back into the match by bouncing Romero off the ropes and dropping him down with an unforgiving right-hand shot.
Drake began to gather momentum in the contest with a loud chop. Drake rolled his opponent back into the ring and got a two-count from a swinging neckbreaker.
Romero broke out of the front chancery and yanked on Drake's elbow. Romero was sent crashing outside, and Ryan Nemeth used his trophy to attack the NJPW star.
Drake had the referee's attention while The Wingmen wreaked havoc at ringside. JD bullied Romero in the ring, but the comeback wasn't too far away.
Drake executed an STO-headbutt combo for another two-count. Romero moved out of a corner strike, but he ran in with reckless abandon and was put down by Drake with a slam.
JD missed the Vader Bomb and got hit with a clutch Tornado DDT. Romero got to his feet and hit a combination of punches and chops.
Romero then worked on Drake's left arm with kicks and shoulder thrusts. Drake couldn't suplex Romero as he felt some discomfort in the arm due to Romero's repeated attacks. Wrestling psychology 101!
Drake used his right hand to send Romero crashing to the mat inside-out with a huge lariat. Rocky got his shoulders up at two-and-a-half as the crowd chanted for his name.
Rocky went up to the top and executed a hurricanerana. He then kicked the shoulders and trapped Drake in between the ropes.
Romero came flying through for a shotgun dropkick from the middle of the turnbuckle. He hit the Asai DDT for a near fall.
Drake blocked Romero's suplex attempt by going down on one knee. Romero softened Drake up with a few kicks, but JD still managed to power through with a wild body toss.
Drake took advantage of a wobbly Romero by delivering a running knee strike for yet another near fall. JD rocked Romero with a cannonball, but he missed the Vader bomb yet again.
Romero quickly rolled Drake up into the cradle pin and kept him down for the entire three-count. Huge win for the AEW debutant!
Result: Rocky Romero def. JD Drake on AEW Dark: Elevation
Grade: A+
The Wingmen, consisting of Cezar Bononi, Peter Avalon and Ryan Nemeth, predictably attacked Romero.
Best Friends rushed to the ring to make the save as Trent reunited with Rocky Romero. Roppongi Vice got back together! For those who don't know, Romero and Trent formed a successful tag team for a couple of years between 2015 and 2017.
The duo won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship four times during their stint while also wrestling for Ring of Honor. Trent's reunion with Romero was several years in the making.
The Roppongi Vice's music played as the babyfaces celebrated to end the show. We got the Roppongi Vice High Five, and the trademark Best Friends group hug to close out a very entertaining episode of AEW Dark: Elevation.
Check out the full AEW Dark: Elevation episode above, and don't forget to visit Sportskeeda Wrestling tomorrow for the breakdown of AEW Dark!
