30th Nov2022

‘AEW Dark: Elevation – Episode 91’ Review

by Phil Wheat

Welcome back to another review of AEW Dark: Elevation, this week features an Eddie Kingston main event… Hell yes. Though we have to sit through nine matches before that! We’ve got Ian Riccaboni, Paul Wight and Matt Menard on commentary once again, so let’s get into the review.

Match #1: The Bunny def. Blain Onyx

My Thoughts: The Bunny took control of this one for the get-go, only “letting” Blain Onyx get a few hits in so it didn’t look like she totally folded. But otherwise this was a complete and total squash.

My Score: 1 out of 5

Match #2: Brandon Cutler def. Man Scout

My Thoughts: Another Brandon Cutler comedy match… What did you expect? Classic wrestling? He’s fighting Man Scout here folks! This was more of your typical AEW quasi-squash but the outcome was NEVER in doubt. At all. In the slightest.

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #3: Nyla Rose and Marina Shafir def. Emi Sakura and Maki Itoh

My Thoughts: Emi Sakura is Nyla Rose’s opponent for this one?! Those two have had some great matches working side by side in various tag team formations but now they’re going toe to toe in this match and… We got a decent match. Good but not outstanding. Still, great to see a competitive women’s match rather than another squash.

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #4: Konosuke Takeshita def. Ari Daivari

My Thoughts: Takeshita! Takeshita! Takeshita! Love, LOVE seeing Takeshita in action but why Daivari? WHY?!?!?! I get that Takeshita needs to build up his win/loss records but give him some decent opponents on the way Tony, please!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #5: Lee Moriarty def. Robert Anthony

My Thoughts: The crowd was clearly behind The Workhorsemen’s Robert Anthony in this match – which kind of cements how well Lee Moriarty has switched into a true heel, he’s finally got the audience to hate him! Again, another decent, solid match for Elevation.

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #6: Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh def. Joe Alonzo and GPA

My Thoughts: If you guessed this would be a squash match even before it started then you’d be right! I’m honestly getting tired of these jobber matches week in and week out. I know it all relates to building win/loss records because “they count in AEW” but it’s dull seeing matches with guessable outcomes. Though this match was duller!

My Score: 1 out of 5

Match #7: Rocky Romero and Best Friends (Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta) def. Davey Bang, Freedom Ramsey and Yabo

My Thoughts: What was I just saying about watching matches where you can guess, nay KNOW, the outcome? Case in point. Though at least the enhancement talent in this match actually looked like they were trying!

My Score: 1 out of 5

Match #8: Athena def. Laynie Luck

My Thoughts: Laynie Luck makes her fourth appearance for AEW in 2022 in yet another squash match. Though this time she gets to be a part of Athena’s growing heel persona, which is at least something of a decent footnote to this match.

My Score: out of 5

Match #9: Matt Hardy and Private Party (Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy) def. Chaos Project (Luther and Serpentico) and Isiah Moore

My Thoughts: Two teams I could care less about in a match I didn’t care about. Way to punish me before the Eddie Kingston main event! I don’t get the re-teaming of Private Party and Matt Hardy as it didn’t work as part of the HFO, so why would it work now? Poor Isiah Moore was added to this match just to take a beating…

My Score: 1 out of 5

Match #10: Eddie Kingston and Ortiz def. The Factory (Nick Comoroto and Aaron Solo)

My Thoughts: Who doesn’t like watching Eddie Kingston fight? I always love seeing Kingston main event an AEW show, no matter the show. This one even made The Factory look good, with Comoroto coming out of this strong, even in defeat! Hard to explain just how behind Kingston the crowd was in this one too. Talk about a fan favourite!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Final Verdict: 2.5/5

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