By Rich Bailin, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@RichBailin)
AEW Dark: Elevation (Episode 62)
Taped May 4, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena
Streamed May 9, 2022 on the AEW YouTube Page
Elevation began with the Dark Order making their entrance. Paul Wight welcomed everyone to Elevation and was joined by Mark Henry on commentary. Justin Roberts was the ring announcer…
1. Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, Alan “5”” Angels and 10 vs. Brandon Scott, Diego, Josh Fuller and Ryan Mooney. Fuller and Angels started the match. Fuller pushed Angels and Angels immediately responded with chops. After a single leg dropkick, Angels tagged in 10, who then tagged in Uno. 10 and Uno hit Fuller with a double shoulder tackle. Uno eventually tagged in Reynolds.
Reynolds chopped Fuller so hard his elbow pad went into the audience. The audience member threw the elbow pad back to Reynolds. Reynolds then sent Fuller into the ropes but Fuller reversed and Reynolds got hit with a knee to the back from Mooney. Reynolds knocked Mooney off the apron but Fuller attacked Reynolds from behind and tagged in Scott. A few moments later the match began to break down. Angels did a moonsault off the top rope to the floor onto Diego and Fuller leaving Mooney in the ring with Uno and 10. 10 put Mooney in a full nelson as Uno lifted Mooney for a powerbomb and the victory.
Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, Alan “5” Angels and “10” defeated Brandon Scott, Diego, Josh Fuller and Ryan Mooney by pinfall in 4:30.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Another dominant showcase for the Dark Order. I attended this taping in person and the finish looked like it might have been botched live, but it didn’t look as bad on TV. Mooney seemed to be hurting after the match though.
An ad for this week’s Dynamite aired…
2. Abadon vs. Emi Sakura. Sakura wanted a lock up but Abadon bit her in the arm. Abadon then pushed Sakura into the corner and hit Sakura with elbow shots. Sakura reversed and sent Abadon out of the corner by her hair. Sakura followed up with her chops in the corner followed by her body splash.
Sakura attempted her backbreaker but Abadon backdropped out of it and went back on the offensive on the outside of the ring. As Abadon re-entered the ring Sakura raked Abadon’s eyes then sat on her back before hitting the double underhook backbreaker for a near fall. Sakura went for the double underhook again but lifted Abadon onto her shoulder. Abadon slipped out and bit Sakura on the neck. A few moments later Abadon hooked her leg around Sakura’s neck and dropped down in a Cemetery Driver for the pinfall.
Abadon defeated Emi Sakura by pinfall in 4:30.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A good back and forth match that I was happily surprised by when they came out this past Wednesday. Could Abadon be slowly building herself back up for a shot at the TBS Title?
3. Sonny Kiss vs Peter Avalon (w/Ryan Nemeth). Kiss received a great reaction from the crowd. After some initial back and forth, Kiss caught Avalon with a tijeras that sent Avalon to the corner. Kiss followed up with a back handspring into an elbow. Kiss went for a reverse neckbreaker but Avalon was able to escape. Avalon had a hold of Kiss’s Arm and climbed to the top rope but Kiss fought back and then press slammed Avalon off the top rope. Kiss went for a cover after a moonsault double knee drop but Avalon kicked out.
Kiss ran the ropes but was tripped up by Nemeth. Kiss went after Nemeth outside the ring but Avalon attacked Kiss from behind with a double ax handle. Avalon sent Kiss back into the ring and after a little more back and forth Kiss went for a kick but Avalon grabbed Kiss’s leg and pulled it causing Kiss to do a split. Avalon then kicked Kiss in the head and went for the cover. Kiss kicked out and Avalon attempted a moonsault from the top rope.
Kiss moved out of the way and started to make a comeback. Nemeth tried to interfere again and Kiss got in Nemeth’s face. Avalon charged towards Kiss but Kiss ducked and hot Nemeth. Nemeth tried to hit Kiss and Kiss Matrixed into a bridge and Nemeth hit Avalon. Kiss then rolled up Avalon for the pinfall.
Sonny Kiss defeated Peter Avalon by pinfall in 4:10.
Bailin’s Breakdown: More or less an extended showcase for Kiss. Avalon had a little bit of offense but nothing sustained. Kiss was very over with the crowd.
An ad for this week’s Dynamite aired followed by an ad for the Forbidden Door pay-per-view on June 26…
4. Tony Deppen vs. John Silver. Deppen was already in the ring as Silver made his entrance while being accompanied onto the stage by Anna Jay and Alex Reynolds, who ended up returning to the back. Deppen got a lot of cheers when his name was announced. Silver dropped Deppen with a shoulder tackle early and posed. Silver then repeatedly ran the ropes before hitting Deppen with a flying elbow. Silver sent Deppen to the corner and charged but Deppen moved and was able to get Silver with an ankle kick. Deppen followed up with a jumping knee drop to the back of Silver’s head for a one count.
Deppen then mounted punches and got up to tell the crowd to “shut up.” Deppen wasted too much time and allowed Silver to recover. Silver and Deppen traded punches mid ring until Silver fired up and hit Deppen with rapid punches. Silver shrugged off a high knee from Deppen and caught Deppen with a lariat. Silver then threw Deppen into the bottom turnbuckle, then followed up with a running kick. Finally, Silver lifted Deppen for the Spin Doctor and got the pinfall.
John Silver defeated Tony Deppen by pinfall in 2:30.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A good albeit short back and forth match. They fit a lot in those two minutes and 30 seconds. We were surprised to see Deppen but he received a great reaction from the crowd.
Another ad for Double or Nothing aired, followed by an extended preview of the Hey (EW) show that is hosted by RJ City. He was interviewing Arn Anderson. An ad for Dynamite aired after that…
Bailin’s Breakdown: The ads and extended show preview most likely took the place of the matches that the live crowd saw but did not tape due to a minor power outage in the arena a few minutes prior to Dynamite.
5. QT Marshall and Nick Comoroto (w/Aaron Solo) vs. Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland. Lee did the Ray Lewis shuffle as he came to the ring. Strickland and Marshall started the match but Strickland quickly tagged in Lee. Lee slowly worked over Marshall before throwing him to his corner so he could tag in Comoroto. Lee slapped Comoroto in the chest and then Solo hopped on the apron to distract Lee. Lee tried to clothesline Comoroto but he ducked. As Lee came off the ropes Comoroto and Marshall hit Lee with a double flapjack. Marshall and Comoroto isolated Lee and worked on Lee’s ribs.
Lee powered Comoroto out of the corner so he could make a tag but Marshall ran in and knocked Strickland off the apron. Marshall tried to suplex Lee but couldn’t so Lee suplexed Marshall. Both Marshall and Lee made the tag. Strickland fought off Marshall and Comoroto and then caught Comoroto in a leaping flatliner for a near fall. Strickland tagged in Lee and then was climbing to the top rope. Lee was lifting Comoroto up. Solo ran around the outside of the ring and grabbed Strickland’s leg. Comoroto pushed Lee into Strickland knocking Strickland off the apron.
Comoroto speared Lee for another near fall. Comoroto and Marshall were setting up for a double team but Strickland came off the top rope with a double stomp to Marshall. Strickland then leaped over the top rope and punched Solo. As Strickland came back in the ring he got behind Comoroto and hit him with a German suplex. Lee then lifted Comoroto and slammed him for the pinfall.
Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland defeated QT Marshall and Nick Comoroto by pinfall in 6:45.
Bailin’s Breakdown: This match was actually taped after Dynamite. I felt the match went a little longer than it needed too while seeing it live. Watching it back, it wasn’t all that long. A good back and forth match but no surprise in terms of who went over. Still, The Factory was made to look strong in defeat.
Separating the show from the live experience I would still rate this as a very strong episode. Even with all the ads this week this episode still only clocked in at 40 minutes and 40 seconds. The best match of Elevation goes to the main event, but Sakura vs. Abadon and Deppen vs. Silver are also worth watching. It was good to see the atmosphere in the arena translate well onto the screen. I was surprised as to how into Elevation the crowd was.
Wow, a review of a Dark episode without every “take” by the reviewer including, “It was good, BUT”….