By Rich Bailin, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@RichBailin)
AEW Dark: Elevation (Episode 47)
Taped January 21, 2022 in Washington, D.C. at Entertainment and Sports Arena
Streamed January 24, 2022 on the AEW YouTube Page
Tony Schiavone, Mark Henry, and Paul Wight were on commentary and welcomed us to Elevation (from a remote location as they were not calling the matches in the arena). Ring announcer Justin Roberts introduced Leyla Hirsch to the ring for our first match…
Bailin’s Breakdown: In case anyone missed it, I was at this past week’s tapings in Washington D.C. The one thing my son noticed immediately was that no one was doing commentary for the Elevation matches. I have to give the kid credit on that one.
1. Brittany Blake vs. Leyla Hirsch. Blake was making her AEW debut. Hirsch went for her armbar early but Blake reached the ropes before it could be fully locked in. When Hirsch went to lift Blake, she was dropped throat first on the middle rope. Blake worked on Hirsch’s back and neck with a pair of kicks. Hirsch tried for a German suplex but Blake elbowed out of it and hit Hirsch with an enzuigri. Blake hit a running knee to Hirsch who was in the corner and went for a bulldog but Hirsch held on and caught Blake with the German suplex pinfall combo for a near fall. Hirsch went for a running knee but Blake ducked and caught Hirsch with a jaw breaker. Blake then tried a springboard move but was met with a knee to the face from Hirsch and pinned.
Leyla Hirsch defeated Brittany Blake by pinfall in 2:30.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A solid showcase for Hirsch and a good showing for Blake, who has been popular in the DMV for a number of years and has held a few local titles. Hirsch showed a bit of an attitude but won cleanly and did not come across as overly heelish.
2. “Private Party” Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen (w/Matt Hardy) vs. Myles Hawkins and Action Andretti. Kassidy and Andretti started the match. Quen attacked Andretti from behind while Kassidy knocked Hawkins off the apron. Kassidy then attacked Andretti. Andretti managed to fight himself out of Private Party’s corner but was caught with a reverse neckbreaker from Kassidy. Kassidy tagged in Quen who came off the top rope with a springboard splash that caught Andretti for a two count. Quen then went for the Twist of Fate but Andretti escaped and rolled to tag in Hawkins.
Hawkins came in and hit Quen with a flying forearm, then a head scissors followed by a high drop kick. Kassidy trapped Hawkins against the ropes to allow Quen to recover and tag in Kassidy. Private Party then knocked down Hawkins and hit him with their leg drop splash combo. Kassidy climbed the top rope to shout at the fans while Matt Hardy tried to get him to come down. When Kassidy went to lift Hawkins, he was caught with a chin breaker and Hawkins made the tag to Andretti. Andretti attempted a comeback but was but was overwhelmed Quen and Kassidy. Kassidy came off the middle rope with a stunner, then Quen came off the top rope with a shooting star press for the victory.
“Private Party” Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen defeated Myles Hawkins and Action Andretti by pinfall in 3.20.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A solid win for Private Party. Andretti and Hawkins got to show a little more of what they could do as well.
3. Willow Nightingale vs. Brandi Rhodes. Rhodes had control early even reversing an armdrag attempt from Nightingale. Rhodes followed it up with a couple of kicks. Rhodes then attempted to Irish whip Nightingale but Nightingale did a cartwheel then caught Rhodes with a Russian leg sweep and locked in a submission. Rhodes rolled it into a pinfall Nightingale kicked out and caught Rhodes with a superkick. Nightingale ran into Rhodes with a hip attack in the corner and tried to follow up with a splash but Rhodes moved out of the way. Rhodes with a pair of running clotheslines then a series of kicks ending with an enzuigiri. Rhodes then hit Nightingale with a pump kick and then locked Nightingale in her submission move for the victory.
Brandi Rhodes defeated Willow Nightingale by submission in 2:30.
Bailin’s Breakdown: In person, on YouTube, and watching this match three times, I can honestly say this match just did not work. There is no way for me to suspend my disbelief enough that Brandi Rhodes is just having her way and throwing around Willow Nightingale like it was nothing. Mind you, I was at ROH Final Battle and saw Rok-C vs. Willow for the ROH Women’s championship. But even if I had not and even in the AEW-verse where Willow is 0-5 (now 0-6) does this match come across as realistic in any way. I’m not saying Willow should have won. I’m not even saying Brandi looked bad. The problem is she looked too good.
4. Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky (w/Dan Lambert) vs Mike Fowler and Logan Laroux. Sky and Page worked over Laroux in the early portion of the match. Laroux was finally able to make the tag to Fowler. Fowler was able to dropkick Page then tagged back in Laroux. Laroux and Fowler attempted a double Irish Whip but Page held on to Sky. Sky kicked Laroux then back Fowler was backdropped over the top rope. Sky then lifted up Laroux for his TKO for the victory.
Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky defeated Mike Fowler and Logan Laroux by pinfall in 3:00.
After the match, Dan Lambert told Page to hit the Ego’s Edge on Fowler so he did.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A solid showcase for Men of the Year and a rebound win of sorts for Page (even though the match technically happened before his loss to Moxley on Rampage).
5. Red Velvet vs Janai Kai. During a lockup, Kai pushed Velvet into the corner then patted her on the chest. Velvet turned Kai into the corner and landed punches and kicks to Kai’s midsection. Velvet caught Kai with an ax kick then did a split kick. Velvet went to pick up Kai but got caught with a knee to the face and Kai took over with a series of kicks of her own. Kai continued her assault with a variety of different kicks. Kai then locked Velvet in a modified chinlock. Velvet escaped with a stunner then caught Kai with a drop toe hold that caused Kai to land on the middle rope. Velvet then hit a running double knee on Kai’s back. A short while later Velvet hit the Final Slice (which Schiavone called Just Desserts so maybe a name change) for the victory.
Red Velvet defeated Janai Kai by pinfall in 3:30.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A good showcase for Velvet and one of the better Elevation or Dark matches I’ve seen her in. Kai got to show more offense than she has been able to show previously.
6. Santana and Ortiz vs Goldy and Breaux Keller.Keller and Santana started the match. Santana planted Keller with a belly to back suplex then tagged in Ortiz. Keller escaped an armbar from Ortiz and then hit Ortiz with an enziguri and made the tag to Goldy. Keller did a springboard off the ropes and caught Ortiz with an X-Factor while Goldy followed up with a springboard knee to Ortiz. Ortiz recovered and tagged in Santana and they used the double team moves to take control. Ortiz then threw Goldy to Santana who hit Goldy with a knee, Ortiz then with an enzuigiri followed by a clothesline from Santana for the pinfall.
Santana and Ortiz defeated Goldy and Breaux Keller by pinfall in 3:00
Bailin’s Breakdown: A good showcase for Santana and Ortiz.
7. Thunder Rosa and Ruby Soho vs. Leva Bates and Jordan Blade. Soho and Bates started the match. Soho backed Bates into her corner and tagged in Rosa. Soho dropped down and Rosa used Soho back to dropkick Bates. Rosa tagged back in Soho and picked up Soho who landed on Bates with a double leg drop. Soho locked in a headlock but Bates pushed her to the ropes. Blade hit Soho with a knee to the back then Bates hit Soho. Bates with a bridging suplex to Soho then tagged in Blade.
Blade was met by an armdrag from Soho but Blade was able to catch Soho in a double underhook suplex before locking in an armbar of her own. Soho escaped and tagged out. Rosa with a couple of low dropkicks to Blade then lifted up Blade and hit the Fire Thunder driver. Bates broke up the pinfall attempt at two. Soho hit the No Future kick on Bates while Rosa tried to lift Blade up for the Fire Thunder driver again but was unsuccessful. Rosa instead hit Blade with a Russian leg sweep then locked in the Peruvian Calavera choke for the submission victory.
Thunder Rosa and Ruby Soho defeated Leva Bates and Jordan Blade by submission in 2:30.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A good tag team win for Rosa and Soho as they look to an eventual showdown with Mercedes Martinez and Jade Cargill.
8. Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Matt Sydal and Lee Moriarty. Both teams received televised entrances. Sydal and Starks started the match. Starks wouldn’t lock up with Sydal and instead tagged in Hobbs. Sydal with a pair of kicks to Hobbs’s hamstring followed by a kick to the head. Sydal then tagged in Moriarty who spring boarded into the ring but was caught with a cross body from Hobbs. Hobbs with a stalling vertical suplex and then tagged in Starks. Starks stomped on Moriarty then danced around the ring like Moriarty. Starks continued to work over Moriarty before tagging Hobbs back in.
Hobbs sent Moriarty into the corner then back to the other corner before locking him in a bearhug. Moriarty escaped with a chin buster and a kick and both Moriarty and Hobbs tagged in their partners. Sydal caught Starks with a series of kicks and climbed up to the top rope and came off with a Meteora and went for the cover before Hobbs broke it up. Sydal tagged in Moriarty, who hit Hobbs with a pump kick to the face that barely budged Hobbs. Sydal came back in the ring and both he and Moriarty kicked Hobbs in the leg. They both were about to come off the ropes but Hobbs ran towards them and hit them with a double clothesline. Hobbs then sent Moriarty into a spear from Starks for the pinfall.
Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs defeated Matt Sydal and Lee Moriarty by pinfall in 5:30.
After the match Hobbs handed Starks a mic. He said, “You want to talk about Lethal? Here is lethal, me with a live mic.” He said Dante Martin had a baby brother complex and he doesn’t like that. Martin has a lot of friends in the back and he doesn’t think they are really his friends, so he wants Martin to come out and say he made a mistake by turning on Team Taz. Martin came out to the ring and had the upper hand before Starks and Hobbs overwhelmed him. Moriarty and Sydal returned to the ring and chased off Hobbs and Starks.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A good main event and the best match on Elevation this week. A slightly longer episode this week as well coming in at 43 minutes and 59 seconds. My enjoyment again this week is a little skewed since I saw everything live in the building. There was also a lot of local talent as well. But even without all that, this was still a fairly enjoyable episode. That being said, of the four shows I got to see this week Elevation was the weakest of the four (one of the shows had to be).
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