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This week's AEW Dark opened with a recap of CM Punk's stunning AEW debut from Rampage before Taz and Excalibur provided viewers with a quick preview of the match card.
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The latest Dark episode was filmed in front of the same hot crowd at the United Center in Chicago that delivered one of the biggest pops in pro wrestling history on Rampage a few nights ago.
Today's lineup was relatively shorter than most weeks as seven matches rounded up the card. So without any further delay, here are the results and highlights of the 104th episode of AEW Dark:
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Thunder Rosa vs. Heather Reckless on AEW Dark
Thunder Rosa has been AEW's go-to star to open Dark in recent weeks, and the former NWA Women's Champion got a solid reception from the fans in attendance.
Rosa changed levels and took her opponent down for a front-face headlock to start the match.
Reckless briefly backed the Hispanic star in the corner, but the latter replied with two perfect chops, followed by a running senton.
Thunder Rosa, however, missed her splash in the corner and ate a running forearm strike from Heather.
The AEW rookie immediately lost her momentum as Rosa put together some combination offense. She followed it with a vicious shotgun dropkick against the ropes. Rosa dropped her competitor down to the mat with a double underhook suplex.
Heather kicked out at two and reversed the Fire Thunder Driver to connect with an enziguri. She looked shocked after landing her kick and wasted time hooking her opponent's far leg.
Thunder Rosa exploited Heather's mistake by trapping her in a Peruvian Neck Tie out of nowhere.
Result: Thunder Rosa def. Heather Reckless on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Varsity Blonds (w/ Julia Hart) vs. Ren Jones & Brayden Lee (AEW Tag Team Debut) on AEW Dark
Griff Garrison kicked things off against Brayden Lee. The tall and rangy star used his reach to keep Lee at bay with a few punches.
Garrison's backdrop got a good reaction from the crowd and one from Ren Jones, who caught Griff with a blindsided attack.
Jones got the tag and executed a flatliner for a two-count. Garrison was in a rough spot for the next minute until he found an opening to break free. He decked Jones and Lee with a combination of strikes before rolling through to make the hot tag to Brian Pillman Jr.
Pillman began with a wild shoulder tackle on Jones. He then cracked Lee with a monstrous clothesline before getting back to Ren Jones with a barrage of chops.
Pillman reversed a hammer throw attempt into a diving crossbody from the top, and he used the follow-through momentum to catch Jones with a thrust kick.
He tagged out to Garrison, who knocked Brayden off the apron with a big boot. The announcers loved the impact as Griff then wobbled Jones with a rolling forearm shot. Pillman came flying in to deliver his Air Pillman finisher before Griff completed the pinfall.
Result: Varsity Blonds def. Ren Jones & Brayden Lee (AEW Tag Team Debut) on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Powerhouse Hobbs (w/ Hook) vs. "Captain" Shawn Dean on AEW Dark
Chicago's very own Shawn Dean got a hero's welcome from his hometown fans on AEW Dark, and he looked highly pumped for a massive challenge against Team Taz's Powerhouse Hobbs.
The Captain took the fight to Hobbs with a big-time dropkick and a DDT. Powerhouse Hobbs looked hurt as Shawn Dean smelled the opportunity to pull off a gigantic upset.
Dean connected with another dropkick and roared as the Chicago fans cheered him on. He turned around and unfortunately got destroyed with a spinebuster out of nowhere from Hobbs.
The Team Taz member stopped the three-count as he wished to inflict more damage on his opponent. Hobbs eventually got the job done with the Town Business finisher.
Result: Powerhouse Hobbs def. "Captain" Shawn Dean (AEW Dark)
Grade: B
As expected, Team Taz drew heat from the Chicago audience with a post-match attack on Dean. At the commentary table, Ricky Starks grabbed a microphone and put over his faction while Hook and Hobbs pummeled a helpless Shawn Dean in the ring.
Starks warned that Brian Cage was in for a similar beating. Hook choked Dean out while seated on top of the turnbuckle, forcing the Captain to tap out to end the segment in dominant fashion.
Britt Baker's segment on AEW Dark
Britt Baker was out next for an in-ring interview segment on AEW Dark with Tony Schiavone, and she expectedly made her entrance to a massive ovation. The AEW Women's Champion was flanked by Rebel and her muscle, Jamie Hayter.
Hayter is scheduled to make her debut against Red Velvet on the upcoming episode of Dynamite, and Baker was asked about the match. The Doctor was more concerned about herself and cut a typically self-absorbed promo about her recent success.
Baker said she didn't even consider Red Velvet an enemy until she tried to ruin her moment in Pittsburgh. The women's champion hilariously termed Chicago as 'Brittago' and kicked off a chant in the process.
Hayter got a few words in before Red Velvet's music hit. Velvet rushed to the ring and engaged in a brawl with Hayter.
Jamie used her power to drop Velvet on the ring apron, and the babyface was clearly outnumbered until Kris Statlander ran out to make the save. Baker and her group retreated to end the segment.
The Dark Order's Alan "5" Angels (w/ John Silver & 10) vs. Dante Martin on AEW Dark
The Dark Order's music got one of the loudest pops of the night as Angels walked out for his match with John Silver and Preston Vance by his side. Dante Martin also got a solid reception, which was a testament to his growing stock in the company.
On paper, this was a stylistic dream match between two of the best young talents in AEW. Martin (20) and Angels (23) started with a classic hammerlock tussle and continued with technical wrestling early on.
Dante took the upper hand via a big dropkick, but Angels knocked the Top Flight member outside. Angels leaped off the middle turnbuckle to wipe Martin out with a moonsault.
Back in the ring, Angels got a two-count after spiking Dante's head with a DDT. Martin fought out of a headlock and evaded Angels' punch by springing off the bottom rope into a backflip. A loud 'wow' echoed around the arena as Angels looked stunned at his opponent's athletic feat.
Martin landed a few elbow shots, followed by some pressure in the corner. He executed his springboard moonsault for a near fall. The crowd chanted 'Dante' as Angels began his comeback with an STO onto the ring apron.
The Dark Order member executed a flatliner and transitioned to a koji clutch in the center of the ring. Martin forced Angels into a pin and broke the hold.
Dante blocked the Wingsnapper with a kick to Angels' quad, then placed the latter on top, lifted him, and delivered a straight-jacket Death Valley driver for the win on AEW Dark.
Result: Dante Martin def. Alan "5" Angels in AEW Dark
Grade: B+
The Factory's Nick Comoroto & Aaron Solo (w/ QT Marshall) vs. Lucha Brothers (w/ PAC & Alex Abrahantes) on AEW Dark
Fans inside the United Center popped hard during Death Triangle's AEW Dark entrance. Interestingly enough, the Varsity Blonds were in the crowd watching the match, possibly taking notes ahead of their AEW Dynamite showdown against the Lucha Brothers.
Fenix and Solo started with a stalemate as both men went for similar kicks. Penta asked for the tag, and Comoroto also entered from the opposing corner.
The former Lucha Underground star pandered to the crowd with the Cero Miedo chant and did it one final time right in Comoroto's face. You won't find many wrestlers who'd do that to the powerhouse of The Factory!
Penta had the crowd in the palm of his hands as he slowly took his right glove off and tossed it towards Alex Abrahantes on the outside. Alex got a chorus of boos from the AEW audience for sloppily dropping it on the ramp. Abrahantes, however, got another chance with the left glove coming his way next, and he didn't make a mistake this time around.
Comoroto was done with Penta's shenanigans as he grabbed him by the throat. Penta fought back with a few chops that did not affect Nick.
Solo and Comoroto then executed a backbreaker/single-leg dropkick combo for a two-count. Penta created some space with a superkick to Comoroto before making the tag to Fenix.
Rey went on to deliver a series of kicks to both Factory stablemates. While Solo collapsed, a shaky Comoroto was dumped to the ringside area and rocked with a dropkick.
The Lucha Brothers had a brief face-off with Varsity Blonds before Fenix got back into the ring.
Solo caught Fenix midway through a handspring move and dropped him on his neck with a bridged German suplex. The luchador kicked out at two but ate a massive corkscrew kick soon after.
Fenix, however, escaped the fireman's carry and was forced to contest an interference from Comoroto. Fenix whipped through the ropes and darted back into a superkick.
Penta came in and delivered sling blades on Solo and Comoroto. An Enziguri sent Nick out of the ring while Penta dropped Solo with a Pumphandle Half Nelson driver.
Aaron somehow kicked out of the pinfall. He got a timely assist from an incoming Comoroto, who swatted Fenix down with a body slam.
The former NXT superstar's freakish power was on full display as he hoisted Fenix up in the air with a single-arm military press. He had Penta in a front-face lock while the other Lucha Bro was hanging in a bad spot. Incredible!
The brothers worked in tandem to counter Comoroto's threat to deliver stereo superkicks. The Lucha Brothers then punished Solo with two high-impact moves, an assisted cutter, followed by a double underhook piledriver.
Fenix took care of Comoroto with a diving splash outside while Penta secured the pinfall win over Solo on AEW Dark.
Result: Lucha Brothers def. The Factory's Nick Comoroto & Aaron Solo on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
AEW Dark Co-Main Event: Kal Herro & Isaiah Moore vs. The Dark Order's John Silver & Preston "10" Vance (w/ Alan "5" Angels)
John Silver's regular AEW tag team partner Alex Reynolds had the night off as he recently welcomed a daughter into the world with his wife.
Silver got the co-main event underway with Isaiah Moore. A 'Johny Hungy' chant rang around the arena on AEW Dark.
Vance came in and continued the match with Kal Herro, who was sent across the ring with ease via a fallaway slam. John Silver got the tag and landed a few chest kicks, followed by a powerful brainbuster.
Silver flexed his biceps and tagged back in. 10 executed a perfect spinebuster before stringing together a five-move combo with John Silver to score a comfortable victory on AEW Dark.
The sequence started with a step-up commonguri followed by a pump kick, enziguri, powerbomb, and Silver's finisher - the Rack Bomb. Even prime John Cena wouldn't have been able to kick out of a pinfall after taking that much damage!
Result: The Dark Order's John Silver & Preston "10" Vance def. Kal Herro & Isaiah Moore
Grade: B+
AEW Dark Main Event: TH2 & Matt Hardy (w/ H.F.O.) vs. Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor & Wheeler Yuta (w/ Kris Statlander)
Chicago looked like Orange Cassidy Country tonight as fans were hot for "Freshly Squeezed." He kicked off the AEW Dark main event with Angelico.
Cassidy started by outfoxing the TH2 member with an effortless attack on the arms. He delivered his classic offense before tagging out to Wheeler Yuta. Cassidy, though, stayed for a few seconds and helped his protege with a few tandem kicks.
Jack Evans got into the contest but was soon laid out with a dropkick. Chuckie T also got a piece of the action with a jackknife on Evans. Angelico and Evans distracted the referee, and Matt Hardy decked Chuckie with a clothesline.
The momentum shifted in favor of the heels as H.F.O. began wearing down Taylor. Chicago fans loved Matt Hardy, who took Chuck out with a hanging neckbreaker. He called for the Twist of Fate, but Yuta bought his partner some time.
Taylor hit the Sole Food before getting Yuta back in. Wheeler took out all the members of H.F.O. with a springboard splash. Orange Cassidy's lazy splash from the top rope had the AEW Dark commentators in splits.
TH2 came close to winning it for their team with a double stomp/backdrop combo on Cassidy, who stayed in the match with a kickout.
Hardy thought he'd won it for his team with the Side Effect, but Yuta saved Cassidy and broke the pin at the last possible moment. As expected, the referee had no control over the match as Best Friends executed a great trios brainbuster on TH2.
The match's final moments were frantic. Both teams canceled each other out with a series of moves. Cassidy and Hardy were the two men left in the ring, and Orange planted the veteran with a DDT.
Evans pulled his boss out and saved him from taking the Orange Punch. Angelico continued the match with Orange and blocked the beach break.
Cassidy, however, showed the presence of mind to sit down on Angelico's chest, grab his legs and lock him down by putting his hands in the pocket. Angelico had nowhere to go and suffered a pinfall loss on AEW Dark
Result: Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor & Wheeler Yuta def. TH2 & Matt Hardy on AEW Dark
Grade: A
Angelico tried to blindside Cassidy after the match but got an Orange Punch in response.
Today's AEW Dark wasn't the longest, but it was still loaded with some fan favorites and several action-packed moments. You can check out the complete AEW Dark episode above and don't forget to share your reviews in the comments section below.
