By Rich Bailin, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@RichBailin)
AEW Dark: Elevation (Episode 83)
Taped October 5, 2022 in Washington, D.C. at Entertainment & Sports Arena
Streamed October 10, 2022 on the AEW YouTube Page
Ian Riccaboni was joined this week by Matt Menard and Paul Wight on commentary. Dasha Gonzalez was the ring announcer…
Bailin’s Breakdown: I attended the taping of this show, so some of my comments will reflect that as I go through the rewatch.
1. Regina Di WAVE Champion Hikaru Shida vs Erica Leigh in a non-title match. Shida came to the ring with the Regina Di WAVE Championship and the Ice Ribbon Tag team championship though no partner was mentioned. Leigh is a favorite in this area as a good number of fans were familiar with her and chanted her name.
After a brief feeling out period, Leigh yelled at Shida to hit her. They traded forearms until Shida landed a blow that sent Leigh to the corner. Shida climbed the turnbuckle and punched Leigh. Shida then attempted a dropkick from the middle rope but Leigh was able to sidestep it. Leigh followed up with a big boot but took too long to capitalize which got her punched by Shida. Shida then used the middle rope and hit a double knee Meteora. Shida followed up with the Katana and got the pinfall.
Hikaru Shida defeated Erica Leigh by pinfall in 2:40.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Solid match from Shida, though pretty basic. Fans were still coming in at this point, but Shida and Leigh both got favorable responses from the crowd.
A promo video aired on AEW Heels.
2. Lance Archer vs Papadon. Papadon went to attack Archer on the ramp but was immediately knocked down. Archer then entered the ring and posed on the turnbuckle as the bell rang. Archer teased throwing his shirt into the fans but chose not to.Archer turned his attention back to Papadon and charged towards him in the corner. Papadon moved and hit Archer with a series of kicks. Archer quickly recovered and went for the Blackout.
Papadon fought out and came off the middle turnbuckle with a forearm that dropped Archer to a knee. Papadon got a few more shots in before Archer hit him with a sidewalk slam. Papadon rolled out of the ring. When Archer went after him Papadon attempted a sunset flip. Archer held on and went to punch Papadon but he moved and Archer punched the mat. Papadon went after Archer but was lifted up for a chokeslam. Archer then said he was tired of playing and lifted Papadon up for the Blackout and got the pin.
Lance Archer defeated Papadon by pinfall in 3:10.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Archer had to work a little harder in this match than normal, but he seemed to have fun doing so. He was also very vocal with the crowd throughout the match.
3. Trish Adora vs. Emi Sakura. Mid match, Sakura and Adora traded chops and forearms with Sakura gaining the advantage. Sakura went for an Irish whip but Adora held onto the ropes. Sakura raked Adora’s arm so she would let go but Adora was able to reverse the attempt with a judo throw. Adora followed up with a back senton and then lifted Sakura into a Northern Lights suplex with a bridge that got her a near fall.
Adora attempted a suplex but Sakura reversed it into a spinning neckbreaker. Adora backed into the corner so Sakura did her chops and splash then went for her Queen’s Gambit backbreaker. Adora fought out briefly and had Sakura in a submission but Sakura was able to power out and hit the backbreaker. Sakura then hit Adora with another Queen’s Gambit and got the pinfall.
Emi Sakura defeated Trish Adora by pinfall in 3:10.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Adora got to show a little bit more than she has in the past, otherwise it was a standard Sakura match.
An extended video focusing on National Hispanic Month aired. Dasha Gonzalez, Vickie Guerrero, Daniel Garcia, and Eddie Garcia all spoke about their heritage.
4. Tony Nese and Josh Woods (w/Mark Sterling) vs. Myles Hawkins and Action Andretti. Andretti and Nese started the match but Nese had to pose before locking up. Andretti showed he was able to hang with Nese as he and Nese went hold for hold. After a couple of minutes Andretti caught Nese with a huracanrana. Andretti came off the ropes and ducked a clothesline and went for a backspring elbow off the ropes that Nese avoided. Andretti landed and posed as Woods clapped sarcastically outside the ring. Nese offered a hand to Andretti and caught him with a spin kick to the midsection instead. Nese tagged in Woods and held Andretti so Woods could get some shots in.
Andretti was able to avoid Woods briefly but he tried to go over Woods but was caught and landed face first on the mat. Woods tagged in Nese who tried to lift Andretti but Andretti flipped out and tagged in Hawkins. Hawkins came off the middle rope with a springboard cross body and then a leaping punch to the face. Hawkins went for a sunset flip but Nese got out and kicked Hawkins in the face. Andretti broke up the pin attempt and Woods came in and threw Andretti out of the ring. Nese and Woods then sent Hawking into the ropes for a double Irish whip but Hawkins held on to the ropes. Nese charged and went low and took out Hawkins’s leg. Woods then came in with a knee to the face. Woods and Nese followed up with their finisher and got the pinfall.
Tony Nese and Josh Woods defeated Myles Hawking and Action Andretti by pinfall in 5:55.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Well, since I was there, I’ll just go ahead and tell you this was the match of the night (Elevation wise). Andretti especially got to look here. He and Hawkins are standouts in Maryland Championship Wrestling. Obviously, the result was never in question, but it was good to see Nese and Woods in a slightly longer match.
5. Nyla Rose (w/Vickie Guerrero, Marina Shafir) vs. Jordan Blade. Rose got a favorable reaction from her hometown crowd. Rose dropkicked Blade in the knee as the bell rang and followed up with a suplex and held on and dropped Blade again with a faceplant. Rose went for a back senton but Blade rolled out of the way and hit Rose with some open hand chops and a kick to the knee. Rose recovered and sent Blade into the opposite corner and charged but Blade moved out of the way.
Blade hit Rose with a series of clotheslines but Rose would not go down. Blade came off the ropes but was tripped up by Vickie Guerrero and Blade went outside the ring to confront while Rose had the referee’s attention. Marina Shafir came up behind Blade and held on so that Guerrero could slap Blade. Shafir through Blade back into the ring. Rose went for a chokeslam but Blade slipped out. Rose immediately hit Blade with a back elbow then lifted Blade up for a Samoan drop. Rose then lifted Blade and draped her on the top rope. Rose then came off the top rope and hit Blade with a knee drop and Rose got the pinfall.
Nyla Rose defeated Jordan Blade by pinfall in 2:15.
Bailin’s Breakdown: I’m not one to name drop, but I have to reiterate what fellow Dot Net writer Colin McGuire has written in his Rampage reviews and it’s also mind boggling to me this is the best they can come up with for Rose in her hometown. The last time AEW was in DC, she didn’t even appear, though at the time she may have been unable to compete. To have this as her homecoming just misses the mark big time.
6. ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Dalton Castle and “The Boys” Brett Tate and Brandon Tate vs. Brett Waters, Goldy and Logan Laroux in a non-title match.Castle and Waters started the match. Riccaboni called him Wet Brett Waters. Castle found out why when he had Waters in a go behind, Waters slid out because he was wet. Castle was disgusted and rolled outside the ring and yelled “EW” and the Boys fanned him off. Castle hulked himself up and came back into the ring and hit Waters with a back elbow.
Waters tagged in Goldy and Goldy was immediately taken down. Castle toyed with Goldy but Goldy eventually got a shot in. Goldy then caught Castle with a back elbow but then came off the ropes and was caught by Castle and thrown to the mat. Castle tagged in both. Brett and Brandon and they briefly triple teamed Goldy. Goldy briefly was able to isolate Brett and he tagged in Laroux.
Laroux got a couple of kicks in but Brett was able to tag in Brandon who came in with a high cross body. Brandon went for the cover but after the kick out Laroux caught Brandon with an enzuigiri and tagged in Waters. Waters and Laroux lifted up Brandon for a double suplex but they missed a double clothesline and Brandon made the tag to Castle. Castle cleared the ring and got a hold of Waters and hit the Bangarang for the pinfall.
ROH World Six-Man Champions Dalton Castle and “The Boys” defeated Brett Waters, Goldy and Logan Laroux by pinfall in 4:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: I enjoy Castle’s act, but this may need to become a less is more situation because his matches with The Boys are starting to get repetitive. Castle starts, eventually tags in the Boys, Boys go on defense, finally tag Castle back in, he hits the Bangarang to end the match.
7. Brandon Cutler vs. Serpentico (w/Luther). Serpentico came out first and then the sounds of “Superkick Party” filled the arena. Fans started to cheer and they continued when we saw it was only Cutler. The story of the match was that neither man could hit a move without the other reversing it. Reversal after reversal until Cutler was finally able to suplex Serpentico. Cutler then dropped a pair of elbows on Serpentico but missed a third after Cutler danced too much. Serpentico missed a senton and then Cutler hit a splash from the bottom rope. Cutler missed a cross body and rolled outside the ring.
Luther went to slam Serpentico on Cutler but Cutler moved. Back inside the ring both Cutler and Serpentico were on their knees and trading punches. Serpentico was able to Stunner Cutler but only got a 2 count. Serpentico went to the top rope but missed a stomp. Cutler lifted Serpentico for an airplane spin and both men were dizzy. Serpentico fell first and Cutler fell on top of him. Serpentico picked up the cold spray as the crowd chanted “this is awesome.” Cutler had another bottle of cold spray and sprayed both bottles into Serpentico’ s eyes. Cutler then sprayed Luther and climbed to the top rope coming down with an elbow drop and pinning Serpentico.
Brandon Cutler defeated Serpentico by pinfall in 5:45.
Bailin’s Breakdown: This was a match I truly enjoyed live more than I did on the rewatch. If the trading punches on the knees spot hadn’t jumped the shark already, it did after this match. This match should not have been the main event, though there was really nothing else on this show that could be.
Don’t get me wrong, I had a great time this past Wednesday night and the Elevation taping was a part of that. Rewatching the show was not as enjoyable. Only one match prior to the main was even semi competitive and the main was just a comedy match. It’s not that AEW can’t make Elevation more interesting, they are choosing not to. Episode 84 clocked in at 45 minutes and 44 seconds.
Be the first to comment