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Anthony Ogogo, Excalibur, and Taz kicked off the show with the introductions before going to the evening's first match on AEW Dark.
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#1. Mike Verna vs. Ricky Starks on AEW Dark
Ricky Starks was at his charismatic best as he kicked off the match with a collar and elbow tie-up. Verna connected with a big forearm strike and an enziguri.
Starks took control with a jawbreaker and a swift kick before working on Verna in the corner. Starks continued to wear Verna down with a series of chops and clubbing blows. The action briefly moved to the outside, with Verna being sent back-first into the apron.
Starks was in the driver's seat as he executed a snap suplex in the ring. Verna attempted to mount a comeback with two clotheslines and a snap power slam for a two-count.
Starks, however, caught Verna with a spear to pick up the win.
Result: Ricky Starks def. Mike Verna on AEW Dark
Grade: C
#2. Ryzin & Fuego Del Sol vs. Jurassic Express on AEW Dark
Jungle Boy and Del Sol got the AEW Dark match underway with an acrobatic exchange. They canceled each other out, and the fans voiced their appreciation for the sequence.
Ryzin got the tag, and so did Luchasaurus on the other end. The Jurassic Express worked in tandem to deliver the assisted senton for a two-count. Jungle Boy connected with a big chop before Ryzin dropped him with a neck breaker.
Ryzin got a 1-count with the scoop slam. Jungle Boy fought out of a chin lock before getting caught in another slam. Ryzin refused to tag Fuego in.
He missed a moonsault press, which gave Jungle Boy the chance to make the hot tag to Luchasaurus. The big man went on a rampage on Del Sol and Ryzin.
Ryzin and Fuego sent Luchasaurus to the outside and isolated Jungle Boy. Del Sol got a near fall with a Poison Rana. Fuego then went for a tope, but Luchasaurus caught him and chokeslammed him onto all the other competitors on the outside.
Back in the ring, Fuego got laid out with the assisted powerbomb before Jungle Boy locked in the Snare trap for the win.
Result: Jurassic Express def. Ryzin & Fuego Del Sol on AEW Dark
Grade: B
#3. Tay Conti vs. Marti Daniels (AEW Debut) on AEW Dark
Conti began the AEW Dark match with a side step side roll. The Brazilian wrestler maintained wrist control and executed a series of hip throws.
Marti connected with a few strikes, but Conti caught her with a kneebar using the ropes. Both women exchanged stiff shots. Tay connected with a big knee strike before hooking her up for the Tay KO for the win. The finish looked sloppy, but it got the job done.
Result: Tay Conti def. Marti Daniels on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Tay Conti will head into her NWA Women's title match against Serena Deeb on the next AEW Dynamite with momentum on her side.
#4. Shawn Dean, Danny Limelight, Zack Clayton, Vary Morales, and Adam Priest vs. The Dark Order (10-Man Tag Team Match on AEW Dark)
Priest and Grayson kicked off the match with a quick exchange of roll-ups, arm drags, and chops. Grayson sent Priest to his corner with a cross chop. 5 got the tag while Clayton came in from the other corner.
5 got Clayton down to his knees with a low dropkick. Clayton, however, dropped 5 with a clubbing clothesline, and 5 responded with a shotgun dropkick.
Angels connected with a dropkick on Vary Morales before the tag was made to 10. 5 & 10 executed a Fallaway slam double team combo to maintain the Dark Order's dominance in the match. Vary Morales landed a dropkick from the middle ropes.
Vance stopped a Cazadora and executed a German release Suplex on Vary. Evil Uno now got a piece of the action with a Butterfly suplex on Morales.
Cabana finally came into the match, and he hit the swinging neck breaker. Colt loved that as he went on a victory lap. Morales finally created some separation with a step-up enziguri.
Limelight got the tag, and he came in with a big flying clothesline followed by a missile dropkick. The Dark Order, however, managed to shut Limelight down despite the initial promise.
Danny was now in the wrong corner as Dark Order made quick tags. Vance hit a big spine buster with 5 following it up with a moonsault press on Limelight.
Danny finally tipped the scales in his favor with a shoulder capture suplex. Shawn Dean got the tag, and he managed to hit every Dark Order member.
Dean went on a Cannonball party before spiking Angles with a DDT. Grayson hit a clean backflipping kick, aka the Pele kick. 5 and 10 connected with the ripcord clothesline on Priest. Grayson came over the top with the finisher for the win.
Result: The Dark Order def. Shawn Dean, Danny Limelight, Zack Clayton, Vary Morales, and Adam Priest on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
#5. Louie Valle vs. Powerhouse Hobbs (w/ Hook) on AEW Dark
Hobbs wasted no time as he rammed straight into Valle in the corner on AEW Dark. The Team Taz member dropped Valle with a massive clothesline. This match was destined to be a squash.
Hobbs ragdolled Valle across the ring as the wrestler from The Bronx got busted open. Powerhouse Hobbs tapped Louie in a bear hug before sending him crashing to the outside. Hook executed an Ippon Seoi Nage before rolling Valle back into the ring as Hobbs distracted the referee.
Hobbs spiked Valle into the mat for the win.
Result: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Louie Valle on AEW Dark
Grade: C+
Hobbs connected with another falling power slam after the match.
#6. Leva Bates vs. Red Velvet on AEW Dark
Bates and Velvet shook hands before engaging in the collar and elbow tie-up. Velvet rolled through for a pinning predicament as they exchanged a few quick pins.
Bates dropped Velvet with a neck breaker for a 1-count. Leva followed it up with a Northern Lights suplex with the bridge for a two-count.
Velvet got back into the match with a single-leg kick. She Irish Whipped Bates in the corner before rushing in for the splash. Velvet then pushed her boots into Bates' face.
Leva responded with a few strikes and connected with knees in the corner. Bates was on top as she landed a clean kick. Velvet got out of Bates' shoulders and connected with her finisher out of nowhere for the win.
Result: Red Velvet def. Leva Bates on AEW Dark
Grade: C
#7. Alex Reynolds & John Silver vs. KC Navarro & El Australiano (AEW Tag Team Debut) on AEW Dark
El Australiano looked like a unique character, to say the least. Australiano got the better of Reynolds in the early exchanges, but the Dark Order member outwrestled his opponent and got the last laugh with a dropkick.
Silver and Navarro were now the legal men. Johnny Hungy showed off his muscles, and they looked buff and majestic as always. Navarro taunted Silver by also claiming to be jacked.
Silver sent Navarro flying across the ring with a toss. Reynolds got the tag, and he planted Navarro's face into the mat. Silver and Reynolds made quick tags.
Navarro made the hot tag to Australiano, but Dark Order had him covered. Australiano, however, delivered a sky twister.
He came off the top rope with a moonsault. Australiano missed a moonsault in the ring, and Reynolds knocked him down with a big boot.
Navarro fired up the strikes on Silver, but Reynolds came in for the assist. Reynolds and Silver isolated Australiano and finished the match with the Leg Capture Fishermen Buster.
Result: Alex Reynolds & John Silver def. KC Navarro & El Australiano on AEW Dark
Grade: B
#8. Varsity Blondes vs. Lee Johnson & Aaron Solow on AEW Dark
Pretty Peter Avalon joined the commentary team for this match. Pillman Jr. and Lee Johnson began the AEW Dark match with a tie-up. The exchange ended in a stalemate.
Solow and Garrison got the tags, and all four men tried to outstrike each other in the ring to no avail.
Pillman was the legal man, and he trapped Solow's hand in the middle of the ring. Pillman connected with a chop before sending Solow in the corner. The Varsity Blondes tried to work together, but Solow made the tag to Johnson, who came in and took both his opponents out with a missile tope.
Johnson took Garrison down with a dropkick followed by a clothesline in the corner. Solow and Johnson delivered a double team neck breaker combo.
Pillman got the tag and connected it with a springboard clothesline. Johnson came in and walked into Garrison's boot. Johnson still connected with a kick but got caught by Pillman.
It was a chaotic sequence that ended with the Varsity Blondes delivering the powerbomb-dropkick combo on Solow for the win.
Result: Varsity Blondes vs. Lee Johnson & Aaron Solow on AEW Dark on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Peter Avalon handed the Pageant Provocation invite to Johnson as the latter walked to the back.
#9. Anna Jay vs. Alex Gracia on AEW Dark
Gracia executed a nice arm drag to get the match rolling. Gracia swept Jay for a pinning combination.
Anna Jay bypassed a dropkick attempt to land in a few strikes. Jay dropped Gracia with repeated clotheslines, followed by the flipping neck breaker. She connected with the J kick, followed by another kick in the corner.
Jay forced Gracia to tap out to the Queenslayer.
Result: Anna Jay def. Alex Gracia on AEW Dark
Grade: C
#10. Serena Deeb (NWA Women's World Champion) vs. Tesha Price on AEW Dark
Price and Deeb engaged in the collar and elbow tie-up, and the champ got the advantage with a trip. Deeb locked in the front chancery and wrestled an aggressive style in the early goings of the contest.
Deeb connected with deep uppercuts before getting into a unique pinning predicament. Deeb looked for the Serenity lock, but Price dropped her with a back elbow. Tesha took mount position and connected with two significant strikes.
Deeb ducked a few shots and took Price off her feet with a clothesline. The NWA Women's Champion then executed two neck breakers, followed by a snap suplex, before completing a modified Neutralizer (the Deebtox) for the win.
Result: Serena Deeb def. Tesha Price on AEW Dark
Grade: B
#11. Co-Main Event: Baron Black & Nick Comoroto vs. Bear Country on AEW Dark on AEW Dark
Bronson and Black started things off in the AEW Dark co-main event. Bronson used his power to push Black towards the corner.
Black used the momentum against Bronson to get in a deep arm drag. Baron connected with a knee to the mid-section before locking in the abdominal stretch.
Bronson backed off and made the tag to Boulder. Comoroto came in as well, and it was time for a behemothic clash. Comoroto got the better of the battle of strength. Both men exchanged stiff forearms and knees, and it was a great sequence.
Comoroto caught Boulder mid-air, but the former NXT Superstar couldn't get the big man up on his shoulders.
Black got the tag now, and his speed was of no use as Boulder stopped him in the tracks with a big boot. Boulder took Black off his feet with a knee lift.
Bronson was the legal man, and he wore Black down with a series of unforgiving strikes. Bear Bronson had a mean streak about him as he growled after each strike. Black, however, managed to sneak past Bronson to make the hot tag to Comoroto.
Nick sent Boulder over the top before dropping Bronson with a slam. Comoroto got a near fall with a neck breaker across his knee. Bear Country showed some great teamwork to neutralize the advantage of their opponents.
Bear Country delivered a double team cannonball on both Black and Comoroto in the corner. Bronson was now up on Boulder's shoulder, and they gave the assisted splash on Black for the win.
Result: Bear Country def. Nick Comoroto & Baron Black on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Bear Country finally has its first AEW win.
#12: Main Event: Chaos Project vs. Top Flight on AEW Dark
Chaos Project didn't allow Top Flight to settle down as they ambushed the young team before the bell rang. Top Flight weathered the storm as the match took a chaotic turn. The action spilled over to the outside.
Some order was finally restored as Luther and Serpentico focussed on Darius. Chaos Project maintained their dominance as Luther continued to use Serpentico as a weapon to dish out punishment on Darius.
Darius attempted to fight back with a few strikes, but Luther sent Serpentico flying into Darius from the fallaway position.
However, Darius finally made the tag to Dante, who came in hot and delivered two clotheslines on Serpentico. The younger Top Flight member was all over Serpentico. Dante connected with a springboard uppercut, but Luther broke up the pinfall.
Dante took out both Luther and Serpentico with an incredible combination. Serpentico stopped Darius with a superkick.
Serpentico got a near fall with an inadvertent spear, which was orchestrated by Luther.
Luther took Dante out near ringside with a flipping senton. However, Dante managed to send Luther beyond the barricade. Back in the ring, Top Flight isolated Serpentico and executed their finisher for the win.
Result: Top Flight def. Chaos Project on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
We'll see you again tomorrow for AEW Dynamite's stacked New Year's Smash Night 2.
