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AEW returned with another episode of Dark that featured 11 matches and several top stars in action. We went straight to the opening contest following Exaclibur's customary message to the fans.
Dark Order's John Silver & Alex Reynolds (w/ 10) vs. Ariya Daivari & Invictus Khash on AEW Dark
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John Silver enjoyed early momentum in the match and utilized his speed to deliver a series of high-impact moves.
The heels worked in tandem, and Khash took control with a hair-pull on Reynolds. Daivari followed through with a frog splash for a two-count. Khash brought out the abdominal stretch and got his partner's assistance from the ringside area. Interestingly enough, referee Paul Turner kicked Daivari's hand away to end the illegal move. The spot got a loud pop from the fans, and so did the referee for his quick thinking.
As the match continued, Alex Reynolds finally made the hot tag to Silver after creating some space. Johnny Hungy executed a back-body drop and got a two-count with a powerbomb.
Khash and Daivari got in a few kicks before Invictus earned a near fall with a shoulder back-to-belly piledriver. Reynolds rushed in to break the count and lifted Daivari for an uppercut from Silver.
The Dark Order members then executed an epic combination of moves to end the match. The sequence started with a high commonguri, followed by an elbow strike, step-up enziguri, stunner, suplex, and the final roll-up pinfall!
Result: Dark Order's John Silver & Alex Reynolds def. Ariya Daivari & Invictus Khash
Grade: B+
Pat Brink vs. QT Marshall (w/ The Factory) on AEW Dark
While Pat Brink had his moments, The Factory members eventually got involved in the match and provided the upper hand to their leader QT Marshall.
QT dominated the bout with some classic offense, including a dropkick and a top-rope rolling elbow strike. Brink managed to take Marshall down with a shoulder block and almost pulled off an upset with a beautiful powerslam.
Marshall missed multiple shots but reversed the suplex and hit a step-up enziguri and a superkick. Pat Brink blocked the Diamond Cutter and planted him into the mat for a near fall.
QT, however, countered a powerslam with the Diamond Cutter to score a three-count.
Result: QT Marshall def. Pat Brink on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
Max Caster (w/ Anthony Bowens) vs. Cameron Stewart on AEW Dark
"Platinum" Max dissed his opponent for the evening on his way to the ring, followed by Bowens hyping up the crowd before the match.
Caster took Cameron Stewart down with a back suplex, and he kept up the pressure with elbows and multiple strikes. Stewart's attempts at a comeback were thwarted by an elevated clothesline.
Max showed incredible strength to catch Cameron in mid-air, but Stewart responded with a DDT. Cameron missed a corner strike and got laid out with a fisherman's buster. Caster went up to the top and delivered a massive 'Mic Drop' finisher for the win.
Result: Max Caster def. Cameron Stewart on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Max Caster looked good in preparation for his match against Wardlow, which will happen on the next Dynamite episode.
Tony Nese vs. Carlie Bravo on AEW Dark
Tony Nese wasted no time executing a takedown and asserting his superiority on the ground.
Bravo fought back with several punches, but Tony Nese smartly used the referee to buy some time. "The Premiere Athlete" delivered a lovely moonsault off the ropes for a two-count. He got a round of applause for the move.
Nese placed Bravo in the corner and shoved his boot into his opponent's face. Tony followed it up with a Torture Rack, but Carlie reacted with a backdrop. Bravo put together a series of strikes before getting caught with a knee shot.
Nese finished the match with a pump handle belly-to-belly piledriver.
Result: Tony Nese def. Carlie Bravo on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Fuego Del Sol cut a backstage promo ahead of his match against Anthony Bowens.
Angelica Risk vs. Emi Sakura on AEW Dark
Emi Sakura chopped her way to a dominant position in the AEW Dark match. The Joshi legend applied the Romero Special and targeted her opponent's upper back with kicks.
Angelica Risk gathered momentum with a hip attack in the corner and a swinging neckbreaker for a two-count. Sakura came back with a Queen's Gambit out of nowhere before going for a few chops.
She executed a delayed Queen's Gambit and followed it with her "Ice Driver" finisher.
Result: Emi Sakura def. Angelica Risk on AEW Dark
Grade: C
2point0 vs. Metro Brothers on AEW Dark
Jeff Parker helped get the advantage for his team with some swift wrestling over JC Metro.
Matt Lee got the tag and executed a Release German Suplex before talking trash at his opponent. 2point0 punished Chris Metro with double-team moves as they knocked JC off the apron.
2point0 hit their finisher on Chris Metro and got the three-count.
Result: 2point0 def. Metro Brothers on AEW Dark
Grade: C
Joey Sweets vs. MT Nakazawa on AEW Dark
MT Nakazawa was up to his usual shenanigans as he stalled the match and kept attending to his earpiece. Nakazawa got a two-count with a nonchalant headbutt before going for a chin lock.
Joey Sweets hit two clotheslines and a dropkick, followed by a diving splash in the corner. Sweets went to the second turnbuckle and screamed Nakazawa's name.
After the top-rope spot, Sweets experienced a rough landing as the referee also checked on him. Nakazawa cracked Sweets with the laptop behind the referee's back and hit his finisher for the win.
Result: MT Nakazawa def. Joey Sweets on AEW Dark
Grade: D
Tony Schiavone interviewed Jora Johl in a backstage segment, and the Indian star cut a promo about his plans for 2022.
Frankie Kazarian vs. Luke Sampson on AEW Dark
Kazarian and Sampson locked up to start the match, and the veteran used all his experience to get the better of his towering opponent.
Frankie looked proud of himself as Luke Sampson rolled outside to recuperate. Sampson got back into the match with a half-Nelson slam, but Kaz answered with a clothesline and a back-stabbing knee strike.
Kazarian forced his opponent to tap out to the cross-face Chicken Wing and took a jog inside the ring after his latest win.
Result: Frankie Kazarian def. Luke Sampson on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Jora Johl vs. Axel Rico on AEW Dark
Axel Rico made his AEW debut tonight, and the Puerto Rican wrestler got under Jora Johl's skin during the opening seconds of their contest. The action spilled over to the ringside area as Jora Johl slammed him back-first into the apron.
Jora hit the buckle bomb back in the ring, followed by a nasty rib-breaker. The Indian star looked focused as he methodically broke his opponent down.
Rico landed a shotgun dropkick but got rocked with a vicious pump kick out of nowhere from Jora Johl, who capitalized quickly and picked up the win.
Result: Jora Johl def. Axel Rico on AEW Dark
Grade: B
Chaos Project vs. Alan "5" Angels & 10 on AEW Dark
Serpentico flipped the finger off to Angels as the match kicked off with a few exciting moments.
The Dark Order member secured multiple pinfall attempts early on and got Serpentico down with a dropkick. Luther called out Preston Vance and started a 'ten' chant. Luther, however, rejected Serpentico's tag and urged his partner to fight the "Dark Order's Strongest Member" instead.
Vance barely moved from Serpentico's chop, and he went on to toss him across the ring twice.
Angels got the tag and delivered a dropkick-fallaway slam combo with Vance on Serpentico. Luther finally got into the ring, and he expectedly used his partner as a weapon.
All hell broke loose as Angels went crashing into the steel steps on the outside. Alan Angels proceeded to take a beating from Chaos Project as the Dark Order member struggled to tag out to 10.
Angels executed an incredible blue thunder bomb counter and crawled his way towards Vance for the hot tag. 10 went on a pump kick party before taking Luther out with a spinebuster.
Angels wiped Luther out with a spear while Vance also hit a spear on Serpentico. 10 got the win for his team with the Full Nelson submission.
Result: Alan "5" Angels & 10 def. Chaos Project
Grade: B+
Anthony Bowens cut a promo about the origins of his theme song, and the segment aired before the main event of the night.
Anthony Bowens (w/ Max Caster) vs. Fuego Del Sol on AEW Dark
Caster tried to get into Fuego Del Sol's head with a few bars before his partner's match.
Fuego Del Sol took the fight to Bowens to begin the main event. The Luchador sent Bowens outside with a dropkick, followed by a tornillo from the top rope.
Max Caster had to jump on the apron, which allowed Bowens to seize the opportunity to call the shots in the match. Anthony drove Del Sol's back into the apron and got his opponent back into the ring.
Del Sol countered with an abdominal stretch, but Bowens reversed it with an airplane spin facebuster. Fuego got back to his feet and rattled Bowens with a step-up enziguri, followed by a dropkick.
Fuego hit three heel kicks and a shooting star press for a near fall. Caster distracted Fuego, and Anthony Bowens took advantage with a brutal knee strike. The Acclaimed member picked up the win with a modified DDT off the ropes.
Result: Anthony Bowens def. Fuego Del Sol on AEW Dark
Grade: B+
You can check out the full AEW Dark episode above, and don't forget to leave your reviews in the comments section below.
