By Rich Bailin, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@RichBailin)
AEW Dark: Elevation (Episode 77)
Taped August 17, 2022 in Charleston, West Virginia at the Charleston Coliseum
Streamed August 22, 2022 on the AEW YouTube Page
Excalibur introduced Matt Menard, who joined him on commentary. Justin Roberts was the ring announcer…
1. Anna Jay A.S. (w/Matt Menard, Angelo Parker) vs. Nikki Victory. Jay kicked Victory a few times then hit her with a back elbow in the corner. Jay then locked in the Queenslayer for the submission victory.
Anna Jay A.S. defeated Nikki Victory by submission in 1:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Quick and decisive win for Jay this week. I get it, but I don’t like Jay adding A.S. to the end of her name and her mannerisms are a little (ok a lot) over the top.
2. Queen Aminata and Mickey Midas vs. Ruby Soho and Ortiz.Soho and Aminata started the match. Aminata got the early advantage with an armbar while rubbing her butt in Soho’s face. Soho pushed Aminata off and then kicked her. Soho then hit a back heel trip on Aminata and she made the tag to Midas. Ortiz per the rules of the mixed tag entered the ring.
Midas punched Ortiz and then hit him with an enzuigiri. Ortiz quickly recovered and clotheslined Midas. Ortiz and Midas then hit a double team on Midas. Aminata then entered the ring and slapped Ortiz. Aminata tried to kick Ortiz but Ortiz caught her leg and sent it to Soho. Soho hit Aminata with a knee to the face. Midas then tried to go after Soho but Soho turned and hit the No Future kick on Midas. Ortiz then lifted Midas for a Fisherman’s buster and got the pinfall.
Ruby Soho and Ortiz defeated Queen Aminata and Mickey Midas by pinfall in 1:50.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A very quick match for Soho and Ortiz as they look to face Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo in the near future. I believe this may have been the first mixed tag match to happen on Elevation.
3. Dante Martin vs Jackson Drake. Martin went for a handshake which Drake accepted. Drake then pulled his hand away and went for a clothesline that Martin ducked. Drake went for a couple more offensive moves and missed each time. Martin then took Drake down with an armdrag.
Drake caught Martin with a jawbreaker and then kicked Martin. Drake followed up by lifting Martin from the mat and hitting a Fisherman’s buster for a near fall. Martin fought back and hit Drake with a vertical suplex. After a few moments Martin caught Drake with a top rope cross body block that busted Drake’s nose. Martin then hit a half and half suplex for the pinfall.
Dante Martin defeated Jackson Drake by pinfall in 2:40.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Quick showcase for Martin. Drake got busted open the hard way so here is hoping he sees a little bonus in his pay envelope. Drake did look good with limited offense and I felt his Fisherman’s buster was impressive.
4. Megan Myers vs Serena Deeb. Deeb controlled Myers throughout the whole match, ending it with a spinning neckbreaker followed by the Serenity Lock for the submission victory.
Serena Deeb defeated Megan Myers by submission in 3:00.
5. John Silver, Alex Reynolds, and 10 (w/Evil Uno) vs. D’mone Solavino, Alexander Apollo and RC Dupree. The Dark Order tagged in and out and controlled the match. Silver and Reynold finished off Dupree with their combination finisher followed by a clothesline from 10 to get the pinfall victory.
John Silver, Alex Reynolds, and 10 defeated D’mone Solavino, Alexander Apollo and RC Dupree by pinfall in 3:15
Bailin’s Breakdown: As I said last week, more of the same from the Dark Order, but the fans in attendance love them and this was a solid showcase for them going into their Trios tournament match against the House of Black this week on Rampage.
6. Julia Hart vs Hayley Shadows. Hart maintained control with punches and kicks throughout the match. Shadows managed to get a couple of shots in and a quick rollup but Hart quickly recovered and locked in her finisher for the submission victory.
Julia Hart defeated Hayley Shadows by submission in 2:05.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Another week and another win for Julia Hart where I’m trying not to say the same things week after week even though that is exactly what is happening. Still another dominating win for Hart.
7. Andrea Guercio and Logan James vs. Tony Nese and Josh Woods (w/Mark Sterling).Nese and James began the match. Nese posed and then went for a lock up but kicked James instead. Nese quickly tagged in Woods who went for a suplex attempt on James but James slipped out and made the tag to Guercio. Guercio came in and hit Woods with a pair of kicks but missed a third and Woods took over. Woods hit a gut-wrench powerbomb and went for the cover but James broke it up and Nese entered the ring and went after James. Woods and Nese then hit their tandem Angle slam/neckbreaker combo on Guercio and got the pinfall.
Tony Nese and Josh Woods defeated Andrea Guercio and Logan James by pinfall in 2:15.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Another showcase win for Nese and Woods as they build up wins.
8. “Death Triangle” Pac, Rey Fenix, and Penta Oscuro (w/Alex Abrahantes) vs. Rosario Grillo, Manscout, and Dean Alexander. Death Triangle took turns beating on the members of the opposite team. Penta finished off the match with a Fear Factor on Grillo to get the pinfall.
“Death Triangle” Pac, Rey Fenix, and Penta Oscuro defeated Rosario Grillo, Manscout, and Dean Alexander by pinfall in 2:30.
After the match Fenix brought a kid into the ring who had a sign that it was his birthday. Penta gave the kid his gloves.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A dominant showcase win for Death Triangle before they face Aussie Open and Will Ospreay this week on Dynamite in the trios tournament. On a side note, my son would absolutely lose it if Penta and Fenix ever brought him into the ring.
9. Regina Di WAVE Champion Hikaru Shida and Skye Blue vs. Emi Sakura and Maki Itoh. Sakura and Itoh had separate entrances and Itoh “sang” as she came to the ring. Shida came to the ring with the Regina DUA championship she won last week for the Wave promotion in Tokyo, Japan.
Sakura and Itoh attacked Shida and Blue from behind before the bell rang. Itoh and Shida were left in the ring and started the match proper. Itoh still had her microphone in her hand but Shida pushed it away. Shida then punched Itoh but hurt her hand on Itoh’s head. Itoh then headbutted Shida and went for the kokeshi (diving headbutt) but Shida moved. Both Shida and Itoh tagged out to Blue and Sakura. Sakura and Blue traded shots until Sakura grabbed a hold of Blue’s hair and flung her across the ring.
Sakura then hit her “Rock You” chops and corner splash and made the tag to Itoh. Itoh kept control on Blue by a chinlock until Blue fought out and hit Itoh with an enzuigiri and made the tag to Shida. Shida fought off Itoh and knocked Sakura off the apron and then hit mounted punches to Itoh in the corner before hitting Itoh with a vertical suplex. Shida then came off the ropes but was kneed in the back from Sakura. Sakura and Shida fought back and forth until Itoh came behind Shida with a headbutt to the back of Shida’s head. Itoh then hit the kokeshi and tagged Sakura back into the match.
Shida and Sakura traded shots back and forth until Shida caught Sakura with a tijares and made the tag to Blue. A few moments later the match broke down again. Blue missed a thrust kick to Sakura and hit Shida instead. Sakura then hit Blue with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker followed by the Queen’s Gambit backbreaker for the pinfall.
Emi Sakura and Maki Itoh defeated Hikaru Shida and Skye Blue by pinfall in 7:10.
After the match Sakura and Shida continued to fight and argue with each other while Sakura motioned that she wanted Shida’s title.
Bailin’s Breakdown: My apologies if I have the name of the title or promotion of Shida’s new title. I am not familiar with that promotion or championship at all. That being said, this match was a bit of an upset. Sakura hasn’t won a match with Shida on the opposite end in a long time if ever on Elevation. This was also the match of the night almost by default but it was also the longest and most competitive match of the night.
A couple more things. I am not enjoying Matt Menard’s commentary at all. Maybe that is just me and I can’t exactly pinpoint what it is about Menard I do not like. I would not complain if Mark Henry or Paul Wight came back sooner than later. I also think it may be time to switch up the format of Elevation. Nine matches in just over 47 minutes are again cramming way too much into too short of a time. I just don’t know what is being accomplished on Elevation. Personally, I think changing Elevation into a version of ROH until they get a streaming or TV deal makes sense on a lot of levels that would take too much space for this report. Episode 77 clocked in at 47 minutes and 23 seconds.
Be the first to comment