By Briar Starr, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@briarstarrtv)
AEW Dark (Episode 135)
Taped March 11, 2022 in Orlando, Florida at Universal Studios
Streamed March 15, 2022 on the AEW YouTube Page
Excalibur and Taz were on commentary…
1. Evil Uno, Alan “5” Angels, and Colt Cabana vs. Brandon Cutler and “The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson. Angels and Nick Jackson began the match respectively for their teams, with Angels landing multiple arm drags on Nick. Uno tagged in and hit an atomic drop on Matt Jackson. Cutler was doubled teamed by Uno and Cabana with a double hip toss. Cabana threw chops at Cutler. The Dark Order continued to make cohesive tags, preventing Cutler from tagging out.
Angels dropped an elbow on the spine to Cutler and only received a two count. Nick Jackson then hit a running bulldog combination on Uno, and the Young Bucks performed a neckbreaker combination on Angels. Matt Jackson stomped on Angels, while Cutler was accidentally caught with a superkick from the Young Bucks. Shortly thereafter, Cabana came off the middle ropes with a moonsault and got the flying apple on Cutler. The Young Bucks hit a superkick party in the corner on Cabana and eventually the BTE Trigger on Angels to get the win.
The Young Bucks defeated Evil Uno, Alan “5” Angels, and Colt Cabana via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: I’m somewhat surprised that AEW chose to open with this match instead of saving it for the main event. That said, fans got a treat in seeing The Young Bucks in person at Universal Studios. There was a lot of comedy with Brandon Cutler during the match.
2. Ashley D’Amboise vs. Ruby Soho. D’Amboise planted Soho with a dropkick that sent Soho into the corner. Soho hit multiple arm drags before tripping D’Amboise, who looked for a rollup, but Soho threw a thrust kick and then the No Future finisher to D’Amboise before picking up the victory.
Ruby Soho defeated Ashley D’Amboise via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Quick and painless victory for Soho and nothing more.
Tony Schiavone interviewed Luther and Serpentinco about their match with John Silver and Alex Reynolds.
3. AC Adams vs. Josh Woods. Woods took down Adams with a body slam and followed up with the double underhook suplex. Woods threw Adams across the ring and ended his night quickly.
Josh Woods defeated AC Adams via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Dominating pinfall victory for Woods, who received ROH chants after the match was over.
4. Darian Bengston vs. Ricky Starks. Starks began stomping Bengston in the corner and flew off the middle rope for a double edge ax handle. Starks then went for the deep cover, but Bengston kicked out at two. Starks twisted the arm of Bengston and went for a short-arm clothesline. Eventually, Starks speared Bengston and won with the Roshambo.
Ricky Starks defeated Darian Bengston via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Starks was over with the Universal Studios crowd, which chanted for the Roshambo finisher. Solid stuff from Starks.
5. Session Moth Martina vs. Diamante. Diamante came through with the Russian leg sweep on Martina and got a two count. Diamante rolled up Martina with the crucifix, but Martina kicked out. Martina attempted to fire back with elbow strikes and landed the swinging neckbreaker. Shortly thereafter, Diamante hit the Code Red from the turnbuckle padding to win the match.
Diamante defeated Session Moth Martina via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: One of the better and more competitive matches of the night.
6. “Chaos Project” Luther and Serpentico vs. John Silver and Alex Reynolds. Serpentinco was thrown across the ring by Silver. Serpentinco threw a blindside kick to Silver and tagged out. Luther picked up Serpentinco and used him to sandwich Silver in the corner. Luther attempted to do the same maneuver, but Silver dodged the move and tagged out. Reynolds came in with a back elbow strike and a jumping sucidia to Luther on the outside. Reynolds hit the big crossbody off the top rope on Serpentinco. Afterward, Serpentinco escaped out of the double underhook, but was caught with an elbow strike. Silver hit the German release suplex on Luther, and Serpentinco was hit with the Dark Destroyer from Reynolds and Silver.
John Silver and Alex Reynolds defeated Chaos Project via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: If Chaos Project wasn’t such a comedy act, their matches wouldn’t feel so predictable. This match was what you would normally see from a Chaos Project match on Elevation or Dark.
7. Marina Tucker vs. “Legit” Leyla Hirsch. Hirsch suplexed Tucker with an over the top move to begin the match. Hirsch continued her domination with a double knee strike in the corner. Tucker was deliver an uppercut to Hirsch, but Hirsch swept her feet out from under her. Tucker’s night was short lived with the cross arm breaker submission.
Leyla Hirsch defeated Marina Tucker via submission.
8. Ariya Daivari and Invictus Khash vs. “Top Flight” Darius and Dante Martin. Darius dropkicked Daivari, who tagged out. Khash locked in a brief head submission hold. Darius rolled into a counter roll with just a two count. Khash came back with a pop up shoulder tackle to Darius, but Darius looked deep for the arm drag take down. Afterward, Dante came off the middle rope for a crossbody to Khash.
Daivari attempted to stay on top of Darius, while Khash illegally took advantage by grabbing Darius’s arm on the outside. Darius found a breakthrough and tagged out. Dante had momentum with Khash eating a boot and hitting the neckbreaker to Daivari. The Martin Brothers doubled up on Daivari as he went to the outside from a dropkick from Dante. Darius then hit the deadlift German suplex on Khash to get the victory.
Top Flight defeated Ariya Daivari and Invictus Khash via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: It should come to no surprise that Top Flight will be getting victories for the next few weeks after Darius made his recent return. It makes sense to give them wins until they enter a meaningful program.
9. Aaron Solo (w/QT Marshall) vs. Dark Order’s 10. 10 began the match with 10 strikes in the corner to Solo and then planted him with a delayed vertical suplex. However, the tides turned after Marshall provided a distraction and Solo took advantage with a dropkick to 10. Solo attempted a double underhook facebuster, but 10 powered out of the move and hit the spinebuster instead. 10 then came through with a big lariat, but Solo kicked out at two. Despite kicking out, 10 locked in the full nelson submission move and won the match.
10 defeated Aaron Solo via submission.
Briar’s Take: A competitive matchup. This match definitely could’ve been featured on Rampage.
10. Shalonce Royal vs. Emi Sakura. Royal and Sakura traded chops and strikes with each other until Sakura locked in a brief submission from behind. Royal got the running elbow strike in the corner and sang while doing so. Sakura got the counter with the “We will chop you” move on Royal. Sakura got the win a twisting Vader Bomb.
Emi Sakura defeated Shalonce Royal via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Well, that sure was something. The only amusement I get in Royal’s matches is when Taz sings in his deep voice.
11. Sage Scott (w/Jake St. Patrick) vs. Lance Archer. Archer literally ran over Scott and his tag team partner Jake St. Patrick. Archer hit multiple clotheslines before landing the full nelson slam on Scott, whose night ended fairly quickly with the Blackout from Archer.
Lance Archer defeated Sage Scott via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: More of the usual from Archer.
12. Luke Sampson, Mike Reed, and Shayne Stetson vs. Daniel Garcia and “2point0” Matt Lee and Jeff Parker. 2point0 dominated Sampson, Reed, and Stetson in the early going. Garcia slapped Reed before tagging in Lee briefly. Sampson was caught with a release German suplex by Lee. Parker and Lee hit Two For The Show on Sampson before Garcia locked in the Scorpion Deathlock for the submission victory.
Daniel Garcia and “2point0” Matt Lee and Jeff Parker defeated Luke Sampson, Mike Reed, and Shayne Stetson via submission.
Briar’s Take: Quick work from 2point0. I’m intrigued to see how the addition of Jericho and Hager will work moving forward. Should be some fun stuff ahead on Dynamite.
13. Jora Johl vs. Frankie Kazarian. Johl hit a powerslam and followed up with a delayed vertical suplex on Kazarian. Kazarian regained momentum with a scoop slam and a leg drop from the middle rope. Johl attempted for the fireman’s carry, but Kazarian slipped out of the move and made Johl tap out to the crossface chicken wing for the victory.
Frankie Kazarian defeated Jora Johl via submission.
Briar’s Take: An interesting choice for the AEW Dark main event. I figured at least they would’ve gone with The Young Bucks match or the 2point0 match. Despite losing to Kazarian, Johl is slowly but surely coming into his own and could break out later on down the road. Kazarian was also good in his own right, but I feel like he’s spinning wheels a bit.
Overall, episode 135 was a 13 match episode with some good stuff and some bad stuff. If you can get past the comedy, the Young Buck match was good for what it was. Even though the match was quick, AC Adams and Josh Woods were decent too. There are some other matches to go out of your to see such as Top Flight and the main event with Jora Johl vs. Frankie Kazarian. Episode 135 clocked in at 1 hour, 22 minutes, and 01 second. Final Score: 8.0 out of 10.
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