How was AEW Dark this week?
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This week's AEW Dark lineup was taped last Sunday at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.
Robyn & Charlette Renegade defeated Allie Recks & Rocky Radley
**
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Robyn started off with Radley, who got the early advantage by cutting off the ring and tagging out to Recks. Robyn maneuvered her way out of the offensive onslaught and tagged Charlette, who helped her lift up Recks for a great delayed vertical suplex.
Radley came in off a hot tag and tried to slow the momentum, but she ended up being on the receiving end of a neckbreaker/spinebuster combo. Moments later, Charlette pinned Radley for the win.
Anthony Ogogo defeated Meto
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Ogogo trapped Meto in an armbar as soon as the bell rang. Despite being in complete control, Ogogo wasted more time here by attempting a few finger-based submissions which Meto fought out of with ease.
Ogogo continued to manhandle Meto from this point, throwing him over his head easily on multiple occasions. Moments later, Ogogo landed his signature knockout punch on Meto for the victory.
The Wingmen (Ryan Nemeth & Peter Avalon) defeated Adrian Alanis & Liam Gray
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Nemeth and Avalon jumped Alanis and Gray as the bell rang. This advantage didn't last for long as Alanis and Gray fought back quickly with Alanis nailing a dropkick. The mistake came when Alanis was shoved into Gray, allowing The Wingmen to hit a combination neckbreaker/frog splash, securing them the win.
Blake Christian defeated Lucky Ali
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Ali and Christian exchanged wrist control early on, but Christian took control and planted Ali with a powerslam. Moments later, Christian hit a split-legged moonsault for a very close near fall.
Christian continued to impress, hitting a middle rope stomp on the sitting duck that was Ali. After a few more dives, Christian hit a running step-up stomp for the win.
Christian cut a promo after the match about being back on track following his win.
Jora Johl defeated Vary Morales
**
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Morales tried to toss around Johl early on, but Johl practically no sold his attempts at offense. Johl was caught with a right hand and rolled to the outside to recover, which allowed Morales to hit a diving crossbody to the outside. Again, Johl shrugged off the move rather quickly as the two rolled back in the ring.
Morales attempted another high flying move moments later, but Johl caught him with a pump kick in mid-air for the win.
Max Caster defeated Justin Cotto
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Caster's pre-match rap involved lines about NFTs and President Biden's approval rating.
Caster delivered some stiff strikes early before nailing Cotto with a dropkick. After a near fall, Caster proceeded to scissor referee Aubrey Edwards.
Caster followed up his antics with a back body drop and a Mic Drop for the victory.
Dante Martin & Matt Sydal defeated The Factory (Nick Comoroto & Aaron Solo)
**
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After Sydal and Solo exchanged a few moves, Martin came in, which prompted Comoroto and Solo to cut off the ring and begin beating him down. After a couple of power moves, Solo tagged in and began working on the neck as Martin kept trying to fight off double teams.
Comoroto and Solo continued to wear down Martin, but eventually Martin flipped over Solo after hitting Comoroto with a superman forearm. Sydal came in off a hot tag and delivered a meteora to Solo before taking him to the top rope. Moments later, Sydal took Solo off the turnbuckle with a great hurricanrana.
In the closing moments, Sydal stuck Solo with a roundhouse kick and tagged out to Martin, allowing him to hit his signature Nosedive for the win.
Daniel Garcia defeated Westin Blake
**3/4
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This was the AEW debut for the former Wesley Blake of WWE and NXT.
Garcia was all over Blake from the get go, locking him in a various amount of submissions that were quickly broken up. Blake responded with pure intensity, rocking the back of Garcia's head with a great forearm strike.
Garcia eventually rose back up and began trading chops with Blake, which ultimately led to Blake getting planted on his dome with a back body drop. Garcia followed it up with a reverse suplex that turned into a dragon sleeper, which turned out to be Blake's undoing as it made him submit.
The Trustbusters (Ari Daivari, Parker Boudreaux, & Slim J w/ VSK & Sonny Kiss) defeated Ryan Howe, Omar Amir, & Cash Flo
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Slim J and Howe started off. After controlling the arm for a few moments, J tagged out to Daivari, who began doing the same thing to Howe. Cash Flo made his way into the bout a few seconds later, which prompted Boudreaux to tag in. Amir, the largest member of his team, came in and ate a clothesline from Boudreaux as the bout rolled on.
Howe came in illegally and tried to take on Boudreaux, but the former football player threw him out of the ring with ease. Cash Flo tried to do the same, but he was met with the same exact fate. Boudreaux then tagged in Slim J and they hit an assisted floatover neckbreaker on Amir for the victory.
After the bout, Daivari introduced the former VSK as the Trust Butler.
Tony Nese & Josh Woods defeated GKM & Oliver Sawyer
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Woods trapped Sawyer in a waistlock early on and worked him down before positioning him in the corner for a running double knee strike. When GKM tried to prevent any further damage, Nese pulled him out of the ring which allowed Woods to cover Sawyer for the win.
After the match, "Smart" Mark Sterling revealed that he plans to sue the Blackpool Combat Club due to problems with Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta.
Iron Savages (w/ JT Davidson) defeated Manny Lo & Sean Maluta
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The former Bear Country are now known as the Iron Savages, despite keeping the Boulder and Bronson names. They are also now managed by independent wrestling manager JT Davidson.
Maluta and Lo had zero chance here as both Boulder and Bronson destroyed them with an array of power moves. Shortly after, the Savages motioned to hit their signature assisted running cannonball for the quick victory.
After the bout, Davidson introduced himself as the "Iron Manager" before Bronson cut a passionate promo about taking his rightful spot within the company.
The WorkHorsemen defeated Rosario Grillo & Dean Alexander
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JD Drake and Grillo started out with Drake taking down Grillo with a hard shoulder tackle before following that up with a lariat. Anthony Henry came in and gave Grillo a stiff kick to the spine, which popped the crowd big. Grillo was able to reverse a stall suplex from Henry into a cradle pin for a near fall.
Alexander came in off the hot tag and hit a few moves on Henry, but Drake would illegally come in the ring and put a stop to it. This allowed Henry to hit a stomp from the top rope, which was followed up by a Drake moonsault. Moments later, Henry pinned Alexander to cement the win.
KiLynn King defeated Mafiosa
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Mafiosa wasted way too much time showboating early on, although some of her offense was effective against King. King would go on to fight back with the support of the crowd as she hit a nice roundhouse kick followed by a reverse side slam for the win.
After the bout, King was interviewed by Tony Schiavone. King talked about how it is great to be back in AEW after busting her butt on the independent scene for the past couple of months. Britt Baker eventually interrupted the promo and ran down King about her sob story.
The two eventually ending up brawling, which resulted in King standing tall at the end. This sets up their match on this Wednesday's Dynamite.
Overall: Thumbs Down
By: #GeraldRoberts
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