By Rich Bailin, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@RichBailin)
AEW Dark: Elevation (Episode 85)
Taped October 12, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario at Coca-Cola Coliseum
Streamed October 17, 2022 on the AEW YouTube Page
Ian Riccaboni welcomed us to this week’s Elevation as ring announcer Dasha Gonzales introduced Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford. Riccaboni was joined on commentary by Paul Wight and Matt Menard…
1. Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford vs. Jeremy Prophet and Jessika Neri. Ford and Neri started the match. Ford applied a wristlock to Neri and brought her to the corner and tagged in Sabian. Sabian climbed to the top rope and teased jumping on Neri’s arm but jumped over instead and came face to face with Prophet. After some back-and-forth Sabian caught Prophet with a single leg dropkick. Ford tagged herself in and Sabian held on to Prophet so Ford could do her handspring elbow.
Ford tagged Sabian back in but then hit Prophet with a running boot to the face. Sabian followed up with a cannonball and played to the crowd. Sabian went back to Prophet and lifted him up for the Deathly Hallows but Prophet countered and rolled up Sabian. Sabian tried to come off of the second rope but was caught by Prophet and slammed to the mat. Prophet tagged in Neri.
Neri ducked a clothesline from Ford as she entered the ring and came back with a clothesline of her own. Ford came back with a cutter that sent Neri back to her corner. Prophet tagged in but was caught with a missile dropkick from Sabian. A few moments later Sabian came off of Sabian’s shoulders with a double Codebreaker on Prophet. Sabian then hit the Anarchist and got the pinfall.
Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford defeated Jeremy Prophet and Jessika Neri by pinfall in 3:55.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Another showcase for Sabian and Ford.
A promo video aired on AEW Heels.
2. Frankie Kazarian vs. Matt Blackmon. Kazarian maintained control the majority of the match with Blackmon only able to get in a few shots. Finish came after a guillotine legdrop from Kazarian, Blackmon backed himself in the corner. Kazarian ran in with double knees to Blackmon’s back. As Blackmon came out of the corner Kazarian locked in the crossface chickenwing and Blackmon tapped out.
Frankie Kazarian defeated Matt Blackmon by submission 2:20.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A showcase win for Kazarian. Riccaboni mentioned on commentary that Kazarian was the current Impact X-Division champion, but he did not bring out the belt, which he is forfeiting for a shot at the Impact World Championship.
3. Athena vs. Jody Threat. Threat attacked Athena before the bell rang and maintained control through the early portion of the match. The fans in attendance were firmly on Threat’s side and booed Athena when she caught Threat with a forearm. Threat came back and hit Athena with a sit out slam and made the cover but only got a 1 count. Threat maintained control until she was caught with a huracanrana. Athena then got on top of Threat and started to punch her over and over.
Athena then lifted up Threat for a suplex but carried her by the ropes and dropped Threat to the floor. Athena played to the boos and followed Threat outside the ring. Athena caught Threat with a shotgun dropkick that sent Threat into the ringside barrier. Athena brought Threat back into the ring and went for a piledriver but Threat got out.
Threat ducked a kick and rolled up Athena for a near fall by holding the tights. Threat then sent Athena to the corner but Athena hopped up on the turnbuckle and came off with the O-face. Athena then hit Threat with a drive-by kick. Athena then lifted Threat onto her shoulder and then dropped Threat onto Athena’s knees. Athena made the cover and got the pinfall.
Athena defeated Jody Threat by pinfall in 4:55.
After the match Athena held up Threat’s arm and they hugged…
Bailin’s Breakdown: It wasn’t the smoothest of matches at times and yet it a very good back and forth match.
4. The Butcher and The Blade (w/The Bunny) vs. The Voros Twins. Both teams had televised entrances. It was noted on commentary that the Voros twins are Tik-Tok sensations with millions of followers. Butcher and Blade dominated the match eventually hitting Drag the Lake on one of the Voros’s and got the pinfall.
The Butcher and The Blade defeated Voros Twins by pinfall in 2:40.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A dominant win for The Butcher and The Blade.
Before the next match, Sonjay Dutt took the mic and said he needed to address the rumors about himself, Jay Lethal, and Satnam Singh not being on the same page. Dutt said that Lethal was the happiest he has ever been, then told Benito and Davis that Singh and Lethal were going to kill them.
5. Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh (w/Sonjay Dutt) vs. Junior Benito and Dylan Davis.Lethal started the match but Dutt wanted him to tag in Singh. Singh slammed Benito then grabbed onto Davis by the neck and dropped him up and down on the mat like a basketball. Singh then suplexed both Benito and Davis at the same time. Finally, Singh lifted up Davis over his head and spun him down to the mat. Singh put one foot on Davis and got the pinfall.
Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh defeated Junior Benito and Dylan Davis by pinfall in 2:30.
After the match Lethal seemed conflicted on not doing anything in the match, but he still walked out with Singh and Dutt.
Bailin’s Breakdown: Singh did all the work here and there may be some dissension between Lethal, Dutt, and Singh. Wight was especially high on the work of Singh and mentioned Singh made him want to put the boots back on.
6. Madison Rayne and Skye Blue vs. Emi Sakura and Serena Deeb.Sakura and Rayne started the match. Sakura held out her hand which Rayne accepted but Sakura kicked her. Sakura then threw Rayne across the ring by her hair. Rayne recovered with a snapmare to Sakura and followed up with a low splash. Sakura then tagged in Deeb. Deeb said she didn’t want Rayne and wanted to face Blue instead. Blue tagged in and was quickly brought down by Deeb.
Deeb stepped on Blue’s back and mocked Rayne. Blue came up behind Deeb and rolled her up but Deeb kicked out. Blue and Rayne double teamed Deeb and then caught Sakura when she entered the ring. Blue and Rayne kept the momentum until Sakura tripped up Blue from outside the ring. Deeb and Sakura isolated Blue with tags in and out.
Sakura set up Blue with a double underhook but Blue was able to slip out and hit Sakura with a superkick. Both Blue and Sakura made the tag. Rayne landed forearm shots to Deeb and then hit a cutter for a near fall. Rayne then climbed up to the top turnbuckle but was distracted long enough by Sakura for Deeb to pull Rayne down and lock in the Serenity Lock for the submission victory.
Emi Sakura and Serena Deeb defeated Madison Rayne and Skye Blue by submission in 6:00.
Bailin’s Breakdown: A good back and forth match. Blue can only benefit from being in matches like this with 3 long tenured veterans.
7. Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn vs “The Bollywood Boyz” Gurv and Harv.Both teams had televised entrances. The Gunns came out with cardboard titles and FTR t-shirts. Harv and Austin started the match. Harv worked a wristlock and tagged in Gurv who did the same. Gurv tagged in Harv again and Austin pulled away. Colten ran into the ring but was thrown over the top rope. Gurv and Harv then danced in the ring but as Austin distracted the referee Colten came in and knocked both Gurv and Harv down.
The Gunns isolated Harv and tagged in and out. Colten worked a chinlock that Harv fought out of and made the hot tag to Gurv. Gurv with inverted atomic drops to both Gunns then chopped Austin. Austin sent Gurv into the ropes and then tripped up Gurv and hit a Fameasser. Colten tagged himself in and made the cover but lifted Gurv up. The Gunns then hit the Big Rig on Gurv and got the pinfall.
Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn defeated the “Bollywood Boyz” by pinfall in 4:20.
Bailin’s Breakdown: An extended showcase for the Gunns against an experienced team. Good debut for the Bollywood Boyz as well. The Gunns mocking FTR is eventually leading to a match between the two.
Overall, a solid episode of Elevation this week. There was nothing must see but this wasn’t a throw away episode like most episodes of Elevation. I appreciate that while minor a couple of storylines were progressed or at least touched on. Match(es) of the night go to the women this week. Both matches were competitive and went for a decent amount of time. Episode 85 clocked in at 45 minutes and 59 seconds.
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