By Briar Starr, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@briarstarrtv)
AEW Dark (Episode 116)
Taped November 5, 2021 in St. Louis, Missouri at Chaifetz Arena
Streamed November 9, 2021 on the AEW YouTube Page
1. “The Gunn Club” Austin, Colten, and Billy Gunn vs. Dark Order’s Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, and Colt Cabana. Colten and Uno went back and forth with shoulder blocks that didn’t knock each other down. Colten then threw a kick to Uno, who performed a hanging neckbreaker on Colten. Reynolds powered off the ropes with an uppercut to Austin and Austin fired back driving Reynolds’ face into the mat. Billy tagged in and wanted Cabana to come into the match, so Reynolds ended up tagging in Cabana.
Billy powered with right hands to the jaw of Cabana, however Cabana hit right hands of his own and the flip, flop and fly. Dark Order then gained control of the match with The Gunn Club rolling to the outside. As all members of the match returned to the ring, Cabana hit the flying apple to all members of The Gunn Club. Uno flattened Austin with the cross-armed flat liner, but Austin kicked out at two. Austin grabbed the tights of Uno and held onto the ropes to gain the victory.
The Gunn Club defeated Dark order’s Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, and Alex Reynolds via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Hot match to start Dark with a return of the live crowd. I honestly thought Dark Order would win as they were on a hot streak, but The Gunn Club kept their winning streak alive albeit by using the ropes to get the victory. A good match nonetheless.
2. Heidi Howitzer vs. Riho. Riho hit the tiger kick to Howitzer using the ropes early, but Howitzer hoisted up Riho and planted her on the mat. Riho won quickly with a diving foot stomps from the top rope.
Riho defeated Heidi Howitzer via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A quick match. It’s a shame Riho is not in the TBS Title tournament, as she was the first AEW Women’s Champion. However, it’s one step at a time and here’s hoping she’s back on Dynamite at some point next year.
3. Nick Comorto and Aaron Solo vs. Too Fast Too Fuego. Del Sol 2 came off the top rope with an arm drag to Solo and tagged in the original Del Sol. Both Del Sols hit a double dropkick that took him off his feet. Del Sol 1 hit a huracanrana using the top rope. Comorto gained some brief momentum with a shoulder tackle to Del Sol 1. Del Sol 2 hit a missile dropkick to Comoroto, but was caught with an inside out clothesline from Comoroto after a Solo distraction. Comoroto then planted Del Sol 2 with a delayed vertical suplex.
Solo tagged in and laid in a leaping knee drop across the jaw of Del Sol 2. Del Sol 2 hit a reverse DDT on Solo and tagged in Del Sol 1. Comorto and Solo attempted a double clothesline attempt, but Del Sol 1 hit CrossRhodes on Solo. Del Sol performed a tornado DDT whle using Del Sol 2 and then pinned Solo.
Too Fast Too Fuego defeated Nick Comoroto and Aaron Solo via pinfall
Briar’s Take: The Too Fast Too Fuego team combination is something else. I found it amusing that Del Sol 2 was going to go for the CrossRhodes, but went with the reverse DDT while the original Del Sol hit the CrossRhodes himself.
4. Koko Lane and Luke Langley vs. Sammy Guevara and Jake Hager. Lane and Langley hit double boots to the midsection of Hager while Hager was in the corner. Hager, however, got the tag to Guevara after hitting a double clothesline to both Lane and Langley. Guevara hit a diving springboard cutter on Langley and used a 630 splash to win the match.
Sammy Guevara and Jake Hager defeated Koko Lane and Luke Langley.
After the match, Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page came to the ring to get the jump and early advantage heading into Full Gear.
Briar’s Take: A good match while it lasted. Guevara and Hager looked good in the tag team outing and gained momentum going into Saturday.
5. Darian Bengston, Davey Vega, and Camaro Jackson vs. Chuck Taylor, Wheeler Yuta, and Orange Cassidy. Jackson would use a squat suplex that planted Yuta as the match began. However, Yuta regained momentum with a double dropkick to Bengston and Jackson. Taylor hit the rising knee strike that sent Jackson to the outside, while Yuta went over the top on Vega and Jackson. Meanwhile, Taylor planted Bengston with the Awful Waffle and Cassidy pinned him for the victory.
Chuck Taylor, Wheeler Yuta, and Orange Cassidy defeated Darian Bengston, Davey Vega, and Camaro Jackson via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A crowd pleasing victory for the fans in St. Louis in what a solid match from the Best Friends.
6. Dante Martin vs. Frankie Kazarian. Martin attempted to fly in with the ropes, but was caught with the cutter. Kazarian continued by turning Martin inside out with the clothesline. Lio Rush grabbed the boot of Kazarian, which allowed Martin to get the advantage and win with the springboard moonsault.
Dante Martin defeated Frankie Kazarian via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A hell of a match despite the Lio Rush interference, which caused Kazarian to be frustrated after the match. I would go out of your way to watch this one back.
7. Emi Sakura, Jamie Hayter, and Rebel vs. Thunder Rosa, Ryu Mizunami, and Kris Statlander. Sakura planted Mizunami down on the mat and fired with the crossbody into the turnbuckle. Then, Hayter and Rebel doubled up on Mizunami with a double clothesline while Rebel hit the neckbreaker. Mizunami finally broke through with a spear to Sakura and tagged in Statlander. Afterward, all women landed their finishers on each other before Rebel threw Statlander into the ropes. Rosa won with the Fire Thunder Driver on Rebel.
Thunder Rosa, Ryu Mizunami, and Kris Statlander defeated Emi Sakura, Jamie Hayter, and Rebel via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Excalibur and Taz noted some of the opponents in here could be a preview of what we see in the TBS tournament. However, this match was just kind of there and didn’t really do anything for me. I have no idea why, but why must everyone feel the need to get a spot in toward the end of the match?
8. “2point0” Jeff Parker and Matt Lee vs. Matt Sydal and Lee Moriarty. Sydal hit the standing moonsault on Lee early in the going before tagging in Moriarty. Lee hit the release northern light suplex on Moriarty. Parker then hit a snap suplex on Moriarty after being tagged in by Lee. Moriarty attempted to leap over to tag in Sydal, but Parker caught him in midair. Eventually, Moriarty tagged in Sydal and Sydal used quick kicks on Lee and a leg lariat. Sydal then striked with a double knee strike to Parker. Moriarty landed on the jumping sucidia on Lee, while Sydal won with the Lightning Spiral.
Matt Sydal and Lee Moriarty defeated 2point0 via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A fierce match between that offered a preview of what’s to come on Wednesday night with Sydal and Moriarty facing Lio Rush and Dante Martin.
A Jon Moxley book ad was shown…
9. Tootie Lynn vs. Nyla Rose. Lynn used rapid fire kicks to try and get an early advantage on Rose. However, Rose gained momentum back with the rolling senton in the corner. Rose performed a Samoan Drop and delivered a flying knee across the neck of Lynn to get the win.
Nyla Rose defeated Tootie Lynn via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Rose continues to power through her opponents.
10. Warhorse vs. Andrade El Idolo. Warhorse looked for the missile dropkick, but was caught by Andrade with a powerbomb. Shortly thereafter, Andrade flattened Warhorse with the El Idolo.
Andrade El Idolo defeated Warhorse via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A brief return for Warhorse. I didn’t time the match, but I’m guessing it went less than two minutes.
11. Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Alan “5” Angels and 10. As the match began, Vance used the 10 strike on Starks and hit the followay slam. Angles tagged in and hit the Russian leg sweep to Starks. After being dominated early, Starks made the tag to Hobbs. However, Angels continued to stumble on Hobbs, but Hobbs eventually laid him out with the clothesline. Hobbs then hit the delayed vertical suplex on Angels before tagging in Starks again.
Starks hit the back elbow to Angels and planted him with the scoop slam. Hobbs flattened Angels with another clothesline. Angels made the tag to Vance and hit the punt kick on both Starks and Hobbs in the corner. Hobbs was planted with a spinebuster by Vance, who then applied a Full Nelson. Starks broke up the submission attempt. Hobbs then flattened Angels to get the victory.
Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs defeated Alan “5” Angels and 10 via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A good tag team match between the both teams before Hobbs and Starks got the ultimate victory. Early on, Angels and Vance had the advantage, but tides quickly turned midway through the match.
12. Miranda Gordy vs. Tay Conti. Conti quickly hit multiple kicks in the corner to Gordy and won with the DD-Tay.
Tay Conti defeated Miranda Gordy via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Nothing to note here, other than Miranda Gordy is the daughter of Terry Gordy. Her night was done fairly quickly.
13. Ryan Mantell vs. Wardlow. Wardlow hit a powerbomb and followed up with the Casualty of War to win the match.
Wardlow defeated Ryan Mantell via knockout.
14. QT Marshall vs. Darby Allin. Marshall laid in strikes to Allin, who came back with a chop block to the knee. Marshall hit back with the vertical suplex. Marshall performed a diving headbutt from the top rope. After being dominated early, Allin threw a missile dropkick and then hit the jumping suicida to the outside. Allin performed a Code Red for a near fall and then won the match with a Coffin Drop.
Darby Allin defeated QT Marshall via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A great matchup. Allin gained momentum going into Saturday’s Full Gear match with MJF.
15. Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy, and Marq Quen vs. Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, and Christian Cage. Jungle Boy hit the dropkick to Kassidy which then saw him tag in Hardy. Cage looked for the killswitch on Hardy, but Hardy dodged it though was caught with the diving uppercut from Cage. The Blade tagged in and planted Cage with the running punt. Afterward, Hardy landed the elbow to Cage. Eventually, Cage was caught with the side effect from Hardy but Hardy didn’t go to the cover.
Kassidy missed the senton as Cage got the knees up. Cage then made the tag to Luchasaurus and Luchasaurus fired away on the Hardy Family Office. Hardy tried the twist of fate on Luchasaurus, but Luchasaurus countered with the tail whip. Cage got the killswitch on Hardy and then afterward, everyone landed their finishers. Jungle Boy made The Blade tap out to the snare trap submission.
Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, and Christian Cage defeated Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy, and Marq Quen via submission.
Briar’s Take: Another crowd pleasing victory with Jungle Boy, Luchasuaurus, and Christian Cage getting the win to send the crowd home happy. Overall, this was a long episode of Dark with everyone getting full entrances for 90 percent of the time and 15 matches was a little too much. However, this felt like an episode of Dynamite with so many regulars on the card. While I am certain AEW will return to the soundstage at some point, AEW Dark does much better in front of a live crowd.
There was very little storyline advancement other than a few post match angles. I wonder by having 15 matches on the card, this was a makeup with Full Gear having to leave the city due to the UFC and boxing events that were held on the same day? Either way, there’s a little something for everyone during this episode, as this episode wasn’t your typical AEW regular vs. enhancement wrestler.
The match that stood out the most was Dante Martin vs. Frankie Kazarian. I hope later down the road, we get a trilogy of matches between Kazarian and Martin. That said, I don’t feel like you would miss anything important in this episode despite the show having a quality card. Episode 116 clocked in at 1 hour, 50 minutes, and 08 seconds. Final Score: 8.5 out of 10.
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