By Rich Bailin, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@RichBailin)
AEW Dark: Elevation (Episode 51)
Taped February 16, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee at Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Streamed February 21, 2022 on the AEW YouTube Page
Anna Jay and Tay Conti’s music was playing as Elevation began. Ring announcer Justin Roberts introduced TayJay and Red Velvet as Excalibur spoke for the first time and irritated that TayJay and Velvet stole his, Paul Wight, and Mark Henry’s entrance. Wight said he understood it because those three women are better looking…
1. Freya States, Angelica Risk, and Arie Alexander vs. Tay Conti, Anna Jay, and Red Velvet. Conti and Alexander started the match as Excalibur officially welcomed us to this week’s episode of Elevation. He said once again he was filling in for Tony Schiavone. Excalibur noted that apparently Schiavone felt it was the perfect time to do his taxes. Conti worked over Alexander and then posed which allowed Alexander to tag in the much taller States. States patted Conti on the head.
Conti grabbed States hand but States hit Conti. Conti responded with multiple strikes. Conti went to the top rope and attempted to sunset flip States. States held on and lifted Conti by the neck but Conti with more strikes as States was backed into Conti’s corner. Conti tagged in Jay who then tagged in Velvet and Velvet was able to maintain control with kicks and a moonsault. States kicked out of the pinfall attempt and caught Velvet with a backbreaker. States tagged in Alexander who immediately tagged in Risk.
Risk hit Velvet with a backsplash and went for the pin. Velvet kicked out, then caught Risk with a chin breaker and tagged in Jay. Jay took over with kicks to Risk and went for a pin. Risk kicked out and tagged in Alexander. Jay caught Alexander with a kick and held on for the Queen Slayer while Conti and Velvet stopped States and Risk from breaking it up. Alexander quickly tapped out.
Tay Conti, Anna Jay, and Red Velvet defeated Freya States, Angelica Risk, and Arie Alexander by submission in 3:40.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A quick showcase match for TayJay and Velvet to start this week’s Elevation. No harm was done and the fans in attendance enjoyed it.
2. Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Matt Lee, Jeff Parker, and Daniel Garcia (w/ Billy Gunn) vs. Dominic Garrini, Kevin Ku, Dean Alexander, Chico Adams, and Ariel Levy. Lee and Ku started the match as the crowd shouted Ass Boys towards Austin and Colten. Lee caught Ku quickly with a release German suplex and then tagged in and out with Parker. They continued to work over Ku until Lee walked towards his corner. Austin tagged himself in and Ku tagged in Garrini.
Garrini mocked Austin but was met with a clothesline. The Gunn’s took control on Garrini then walked back to their corner to brag to Lee and Parker. Lee and Parker enter the ring with the Gunn’s. Levy tagged in and charged but got caught and was thrown into the air and dropped by the four of them. Garcia kept asking to be tagged in. He finally was and beat up everyone on the opposite team before settling on Adams to put in the Red Death for the submission victory.
Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Matt Lee, Jeff Parker, and Daniel Garcia defeated Dominic Garrini, Kevin Ku, Dean Alexander, Chico Adams and Ariel Levy.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Showcase win, nothing more. Ku and Garrini work as Violence is Forever on the independent scene.
3. The Bunny vs Kaitland Alexis. Alexis kicked The Bunny in the mid-section and then skipped around her. The Bunny then clotheslined Alexis. The Bunny then grabbed her coat and choked Alexis with it. A short while later, she took Alexis Down the Rabbit Hole and got the pinfall.
The Bunny defeated Kaitland Alexis by pinfall in 2:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A momentum building win for The Bunny going into her match with Jade Cargill for the TBS Championship this Wednesday on Dynamite.
4. Andrade El Idolo, The Butcher, The Blade, Marq Quen, and Isiah Kassidy (w/Jose) vs. Shawn Dean, Carlie Bravo, Baron Black, Jameson Ryan, and Chandler Hopkins. Both teams received televised entrances. Andrade got a favorable reaction from the fans in attendance. Andrade hyped up Kassidy and had him start the match against Black. Kassidy and Quen isolated Black and tagged in and out. Quen got caught with an atomic drop from Black and Black tagged in Hopkins.
Black held Quen and Hopkins went for a spin kick. Quen ducked and Hopkins kicked Black. Quen tagged in the Butcher who got some cheers. The Butcher and The Blade then worked over Hopkins. The match broke down and Quen made the tag to Andrade who hit Bravo with the El Idolo. Andrade pointed to Kassidy and tagged him in so Kassidy could get the pinfall.
Andrade El Idolo, The Butcher, The Blade, Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy defeated Shawn Dean, Carlie Bravo, Baron Black, Jameson Ryan and Chandler Hopkins by pinfall in 4:30.
After the match the AHFO celebrated and The Butcher and The Blade put Kassidy on their shoulders. Matt Hardy walked off the stage and watched intently…
Bailin’s Breakdown: A formula match with everyone getting a chance to get beaten up or get their moves in. The story of the match was Andrade motivating Kassidy after some recent television losses. The fans counted along with the pinfall and cheered The Butcher and really cheered Andrade in other parts of this match. This was also The Butcher’s return after some recent injuries.
5. Haley J vs. Ruby Soho. Soho went for a handshake, but Haley pushed her away. Haley tried to push Soho again. Soho grabbed Haley’s hands then crossed them before tripping her and slamming her onto the mat. Haley managed to pull Soho into the middle turnbuckle but Soho quickly recovered. A few moments later Soho hit Haley with the No Future kick for the pinfall.
Ruby Soho defeated Haley J by pinfall in 2:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Another showcase win for Soho.
6. Joey O’Riley vs Lance Archer. Justin Roberts announced Archer as “throwing his opponent down the ramp.” Archer chokeslammed O’Riley on the ring apron and then entered the ring. Archer hit O’Riley with another chokeslam and then hit the Blackout from the top rope. Instead of going for the pin Archer kept punching O’Riley and the referee called for the bell. Archer continued punching O’Riley.
Lance Archer defeated Joey O’Riley by ref stoppage in 0:45.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A bounce back win for Archer since losing to Hangman Page a couple of weeks ago. I’m not sure why he wasn’t disqualified other than perhaps the story was that the ref was too afraid to disqualify him.
There was a video featuring Kiera Hogan and her song “Dats on Period” in the ‘Who We Are’ album…
7. Skye Blue, Kiera Hogan, and AQA vs. Nyla Rose, Emi Sakura, and Leyla Hirsch. Both teams received televised entrances. AQA and Rose started the match. AQA attempted a cross body on Rose but was swatted out of the air. Rose then stepped on AQA’s head and threw her towards Sakura and Hirsch. Rose tagged in Hirsch but got caught with a dropkick from AQA. Hogan tagged in. Hogan also caught Hirsch in the face with a drive-by kick. Hogan tagged in Blue and they flipped Hirsch with a double snap mare and followed up with double thrust kicks.
Blue went for a rollup but was pushed off and Hirsch tagged in Sakura. Blue managed to roll up Sakura as well but Sakura recovered and hit the chops and splash on Blue. Sakura tagged in Rose. Rose lifted Blue onto her shoulders but Blue slipped out and made the tag to AQA. Rose sent AQA into the corner and went for a cannonball but AQA moved and climbed to the top rope.
Vickie Guerrero grabbed onto AQA’s boot and Rose slammed her to the mat. Rose went for another splash but AQA rolled away again and tagged in Blue. Rose also tagged in Hirsch. Blue caught Hirsch with another kick to the face and went for a pinfall. Rose broke it up and chokeslammed Blue. The match broke down and left Hirsch and Blue still in the ring. Hirsch punted Blue in the face and got the pinfall victory.
Nyla Rose, Emi Sakura and Leyla Hirsch defeated Skye Blue, Kiera Hogan and AQA by pinfall in 4:40.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A good competitive back and forth match. Everyone had their opportunity to look good. There was little doubt who the victors would be.
8. Jay Lethal, Matt Sydal, Frankie Kazarian, Lee Johnson, and Brock Anderson (w/Arn Anderson) vs. Luther, Serpentico, J.D. Drake, Cezar Bononi, and Peter Avalon (w/Ryan Nemeth). Late in the match, Kazarian was in the ring with Serpentico. Ryan Nemeth tried to interfere but was speared by Kazarian and sent outside the ring. Arn Anderson pointed at Nemeth then clotheslined him. Back in the ring the match started to break down. With everyone else disposed of Kazarian kicked Serpentico then tagged in Brock who hit Serpentico with a spinebuster. Anderson tagged in Johnson. Johnson climbed the top rope and Lethal tagged in. Johnson splashed Serpentico and then Lethal hit his flying elbow drop on Serpentico for the pinfall.
Jay Lethal, Matt Sydal, Frankie Kazarian, Lee Johnson, and Brock Anderson defeated Luther, Serpentico, J.D. Drake, Cezar Bononi, and Peter Avalon by pinfall in 6:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A crowd pleasing main event to end this week’s episode of Elevation. The show was a bit of a train wreck this week in terms of all the talent that appeared during Elevation’s 49 minutes and 37 seconds. That would be 53 talents in under 50 minutes, if my count is correct. I have to ask why? The fans in attendance seemed to enjoy it so that is what’s important. My match of the night goes to Skye Blue, Kiera Hogan, and AQA vs. Nyla Rose, Emi Sakura, and Leyla Hirsch, as it was the most competitive match on the show.
Be the first to comment