By Briar Starr, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@briarstarrtv)
AEW Dark (Episode 184)
Taped in January 28, 2023 Orlando, Florida at Universal Studios
Streamed February 21, 2023 on the AEW YouTube Page
Excalibur and Taz were on commentary.
1. Slim Jay (w/Ari Daivari, Sonny Kiss, Jeeves Kay) vs. Matt Sydal. Toward the end of the match, Kay was knocked down by a right hand from Jay. This allowed Sydal to capitalize and use a Lightning Spiral to win the match.
Matt Sydal defeated Slim Jay via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: This was a surprisingly good match. There were too many distractions from the Trustbusters on the outside. There were a lot of holding submission moves that slowed the match down as well. I’m really over the Trustbusters’ music.
2. Devilyn Macabre vs. Julia Hart. Hart almost got disqualified for grabbing the throat of Macabre. Hart delivered a back elbow to Macabre and only received one count. Hart locked in the Heartless submission hold to score the win.
Julia Hart defeated Devilyn Macabre via submission.
Briar’s Take: It was no surprise that Hart got a quick victory over Macabre. Hart continued to show some more aggression based on her character shift. Macabre made her AEW debut in this match.
3. Oliver Sawyer and Jay Malachi vs. “The Workhorsmen” Anthony Henry and JD Drake. Late in the match, Malachi performed a diving clothesline on Henry. Malachi was caught in mid-air by Drake with a release German suplex. Drake and Henry hit an enzuigiri and Flatliner combination move on Malcahi to win.
“The Workhorsmen” Anthony Henry and JD Drake defeated Oliver Sawyer and Jay Malachi via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: That was an impressive flying clothesline from Malchai.
4. Lizzy and Payton Blair vs. Charlette Renegade and Robyn Renegade The Renegades jumped Lizzy and Blair from behind shortly after the bell rang. The Renegades continued to dominate Blair in the corner by stomping her in the midsection. Blair tagged in Lizzy, who used some strikes. The Renegades eventually planted a thrust kick/spine buster combination for the victory.
Charlette Renegade and Robyn Renegade defeated Lizzy and Payton Blair via pinfall.
Lexy Nair interviewed Jora Johl and Rohit Raju about their upcoming tag team match.
5. Blanco Loco vs. Preston Vance (w/Jose the Assistant). Loco was taken off his feet with a shoulder tackle. Vance continued with powerful strikes to the midsection of Loco, who escaped and attempted a maneuver, but Vance put him down with a spinebuster. Vance followed up with a discus lariat to score the win.
Preston Vance defeated Blanco Loco via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Two back-to-back showcase mathces for Vance and the Renegades, who both had dominant wins. Loco made his AEW debut.
6. Caleb Konley vs. Tony Deppen. Konley had some late momentum with a flying shoulder tackle, but Deppen hit an elbow strike to the back of the head that ended Konley’s night.
Tony Deppen defeated Caleb Konley via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Sort of an unpredictable match in that Deppen had a run in ROH while Konley was Kaleb in Impact Wrestling. They had a nice match that is worth checking out despite being fairly brief.
7. Chris Sandson and Terry Kid vs. “Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder. In the end, Boulder splashed Kid right on top of Sandson with a running senton. Bronson tagged in and finished both men off with a diving splash.
“Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder defeated Chris Sandon and Terry Kid via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Not much of a match, as it was more comedy than anything from Kid. The crowd laughed at him toward the end and he sounded like Luther during the match. A passable match for the most part.
8. Dale Springs and Bryce Cannon vs. Jora Johl and Rohit Raju. Johl and Raju dominated the match. Eventually, Johl threw a big punt kick to Springs and wound up with the victory.
Jora Johl and Rohit Raju defeated Dale Springs and Bryce Cannon via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Just when you thought you saw everything in wrestling, Springs was dressed as a golfer during this match, which was quite unique. It was a great first outing by Johl and Raju as a team.
9. Billie Starkz vs. Emi Sakura. Late in the match, Starkz planted Sakura with a tombstone piledriver and received a two count. They fought to the outside. Eventually, Sakura was able to put away Starkz with a moonsault.
Emi Sakura defeated Billie Starkz via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: Man, this was the best match of the card thus far and is worthy going out of your way to see. The crowd even started a “this is awesome” chant. Good stuff.
10. Brady Booker vs. Dak Draper. Booker performed powerful flying shoulder tackles and splashed Draper late in the match. Draper was then forced to tap out due to a backbreaker.
Brady Booker defeated Dak Draper via submission.
Briar’s Take: Draper, who worked in ROH, got a televised entrance while Booker didn’t. It looks like they were trying to present this as an upset.
11. Jay Marte, Jarett Diaz, and Rich Adonis vs. “The Wingmen” Ryan Nemeth, Cezar Bononi, and Peter Avalon. Adonis was dominated by Bononi as he planted him with a scoop slam. Bononi also hit a pump-handle throwaway slam on Adonis. Martel was then struck by Nemeth with strikes. Diaz tagged in and was forced into a corner by The Wingmen, who manhandled him before Avalon him away.
“The Wingmen” Ryan Nemeth, Cezar Bononi, and Peter Avalon defeated Jay Marte, Jarett Diaz, and Rich Adonis via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A quick squash by The Wingment and nothing more.
12. The Boys vs. Jeff Jarrett and Satnum Singh. Jarrett hit strong kicks to one of the Boys until Singh overpowered them, The Boys came back and doubled up on Jarrett with a dropkick. Singh tagged back in and eventually planted the Boys with a double chokeslam to score the win.
Jeff Jarrett and Stanum Singh defeated The Boys via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A dominant win for Jarrett and Singh. Continued prayers and condolences to the Jarrett family due to the loss of Jerry Jarrett.
A video package was shown that highlighted the history between Tony Nese and Trent Beretta.
13. Tony Nese (w/Mark Sterling) vs. Trent Beretta. Late in the match, Nese and Beretta traded chops. Beretta performed a German suplex. Nese nearly won with a frog splash. Nese went up top again and this time missed a 450 splash. Beretta rolled him into a pin and for the win.
Trent Beretta defeated Tony Nese via pinfall.
Briar’s Take: A strong match to close out the show. I really liked that AEW showed a video package detailing the history between Nese and Beretta prior to both men arriving at AEW. It was a nice touch and it’s too bad AEW can’t do this more often.
Overall, this was another needlessly long show again this week. Many of the matches were predictable and brief. Yes, there were some good matches, but I continue to wonder why they feel the need to cram 13 matches into one show. I’m glad they have limited the entrances of the wrestlers like they used to do back in the early days of Dark, but the show continues to be too long most weeks.
The matches to check out this week are Slim Jay vs. Matt Sydal, Emi Sakura vs. Billie Starkz, and Tony Nese vs. Trent Beretta. Episode 184 clocked in at 1 hour, 37 minutes, and 13 seconds. Final Score: 7.5 out of 10.
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