By Rich Bailin, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@RichBailin)
AEW Dark: Elevation (Episode 34)
Taped October 23, 2021 in Orlando, Florida at Addition Financial Arena
Streamed October 25, 2021 on the AEW YouTube Page
Tony Schiavone welcomed viewers to Elevation and introduced Mark Henry and Paul Wight as his co-hosts. Schiavone sent it to ring announcer Justin Roberts to introduce the entrants of the first match.
1. Ryo Mizunami and Leyla Hirsch vs. Diamante and Xtina Kay. Both teams received televised entrances. Diamante and Mizunami started the match. Diamante locked in a headlock early but Mizunami threw her off. Diamante then ducked a clothesline attempt and grabbed Mizunami’s hair. Mizunami hit Diamante with a hard chop and Diamante tagged in Kay. Kay wanted Hirsch in the ring so Mizunami complied.
Hirsch had control early until Kay stepped on Hirsch’s foot and powered Hirsch into the corner. Diamante tagged in and hit Hirsch with a knee to the face then started to pound on Hirsch with fists. A short while later Diamante attempted her splash but Hirsch got her knees up. Hirsch then hit Diamante with a German suplex and tagged in Mizunami. Mizunami took control of the match with her repeated chops in the corner to both Diamante and Kay.
Mizunami then hit a leg drop on Diamante that resulted in a two count. Mizunami tagged in Hirsch and they used a couple of double team maneuvers on Diamante. Hirsch then climbed to the top rope but Kay took out Hirsch’s legs which caused Hirsch to fall into a Tree of Woe. Diamante then laned a dropkick on Hirsch for a two count. Kay tagged in and assisted Diamante with a Sliced Bread but Mizunami broke up the pinfall attempt. Hirsch sent Kay into a spear from Mizunami and then Hirsch hit a running knee strike for the pinfall.
Ryo Mizunami and Leyla Hirsch defeated Diamante and Xtina Kay by pinfall in 6:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: I liked seeing Hirsch and Mizunami tag again. The time away from teaming hasn’t hurt the chemistry they had been forming before Mizunami went back to Japan. What I did not like was Diamante teaming with someone different again this week. Last week, we had Diamante teaming with Emi Sakura and Nyla Rose. Couldn’t we have just had Diamante and Sakura teaming against Hirsch and Mizunami this week since both are on this week’s show? Regardless, this was a good back and forth match with Kay showing some potential and Hirsch and Mizunami picking up where they left off.
2. AAA Tag Team Champions “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler (w/Tully Blanchard) vs. Toa Liona and Mike Reed in a non-title match.Wheeler and Reed started the match with Wheeler keeping Reed grounded. Reed locked in an armbar and kept Wheeler from making a tag but Wheeler slapped Reed hard across the face, then made the tag to Harwood. Harwood continually pounded Reed and then hit Reed with a face buster suplex. Harwood tagged in Wheeler but Reed ducked under their legs and tagged in Liona.
Wheeler and Harwood immediately backed off and tried to taunt Liona. Wheeler jumped on Liona’s back and tried to lock in a sleeper hold but Liona backed into the corner then hit Wheeler with a big shoulder tackle. Harwood reached for Liona’s hair from outside the ring but Liona just turned around and lifted up Harwood with both hands around his neck and was going to slam him but Blanchard grabbed hold of Liona’s ankles. As Liona turned back around Wheeler hit Liona with a knee to the face.
A short while later, FTR attempted a double suplex. Liona tried to reverse it and suplex both members of FTR but was unable too. FTR then tried a double clothesline but Liona ran through it and hit both with a cross body block and made the tag to Reed. As Reed charged, he was picked up for the Big Rig and pinned.
“FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler defeated Toa Liona and Mike Reed in 5:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Toa Liona had a good look to him at 6’4” and 300 lbs. and showed some flashes of offense while he was in the ring. The match was really only competitive when he was in the ring. Otherwise, this was a good showcase for FTR with them having to pull out more defense than usual.
3. Emi Sakura (w/Lulu Pencil) vs. Reka Tehaka. Tehaka attempted a handshake but as with everyone else Sakura slapped the hand away. They traded forearms early but then Sakura took over with some chops. Sakura attempted her hair throw but Tehaka did not budge. Tehaka sent Sakura into the corner and hit a couple of shoulder tackles but Sakura scratched Tehaka’s back. Sakura then attempted her Bow and Arrow but Tehaka powered out.
Sakura tried for her Queen’s Gambit but Tehaka backdropped out of it and hit Sakura with a side kick. Sakura and Tehaka then traded chops followed by Tehaka hitting Sakura with a couple of headbutts. Tehaka then attempted a back breaker but Sakura reversed it into a spinning neck breaker. Sakura then hit her cross-body block in the corner then climbed to the second rope and hit Tehaka with an elbow drop for the pinfall.
Emi Sakura defeated Reka Tehaka by pinfall in 4:00.
4. Preston “10” Vance (w/Alan “5” Angels, John Silver, Alex Reynolds, -1) vs QT Marshall (w/Aaron Solo, Nick Comoroto). The Dark Order members headed to the back. The Factory stayed at ringside. The fans started chanting “10” and Marshall headed outside the ring. Once in the ring Vance showed off his strength early. Vance charged the corner but Marshall backdropped him over the top rope and onto the apron. Vance then decked Marshall hard. Solo distracted Vance who was still on the apron and Marshall hit an enzuigiri that sent Vance to the floor. The referee went to check on Marshall’s eye. Marshall then pulled Vance into the ring and hit a suplex followed by a knee drop.
The camera showed Marshall’s eye which had puffed up and hindered his vision. They then showed a replay of the punch. Marshall went after Vance’s eye and tried to rip the mask off. Vance and Marshall traded blows then Vance hit Marshall with a belly to back suplex. A short while later Vance hit Marshall with a spinebuster and Marshall rolled out of the ring. Vance left the ring but was in the middle of Comoroto and Solo.
Angels, Silver and Reynolds came back out and fought with Solo and Comoroto to the back. Marshall attempted a Diamond Cutter but Vance reversed it into a backslide. Marshall then attempted a clothesline but Vance ducked and locked in the Full Nelson for the submission victory.
Preston “10” Vance defeated QT Marshall by submission in 6:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: I’m not sure why this match was not the main event. The way AEW lays out their shows in head scratching at times. That being said, this was an ok match designed to get Vance a win heading into his match with Jon Moxley on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. QT’s eye was legit blowing up after the shot from Vance. By the end of the match, it looked like QT could barely see out of it.
An ad for Jon Moxley’s new book aired.
5. Paul Wight vs. Arjun Singh, Cole Karter and Carlie Bravo in a handicap match. Wight entered the ring from the commentary desk. Wight was listed as being 400lbs. Henry said he didn’t realize Wight had his wrestling gear underneath his jacket. All 3 men charged Wight with Karter hitting a dropkick that hit Wight in the face. That was impressive even though it didn’t knock Wight down. Wight then took turns chopping Singh, Karter and Bravo in the corner. Karter and Singh tried a double Irish whip but Wight flung them over the top rope and then hit Bravo with a spear. Wight then chokeslammed Singh and hit Karter with the Knockout punch for the pinfall.
Paul Wight defeated Cole Karter, Arjun Singh and Carlie Bravo in 3:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A typical Paul Wight (it’s still hard not to type Show or Big Show) handicap match with Wight hitting all of his greatest hits. I don’t understand why this match was in the main event slot when it was the least competitive out of the five matches on the show. If it was so Wight could do commentary, then make this match the first one and have Wight walk back to the desk.
This was a better episode of Elevation than last week. Four of the five matches were at least somewhat competitive. Elevation lasted about 38 minutes, which is not bad at all. I feel like I tend to nitpick a lot of what basically is a showcase show, but I do feel match layout is something that can be improved in all of AEW’s shows.
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