‘All Elite Wrestling: Dark’ Review (Sept 22nd 2020)
Welcome to this week’s All Elite Wrestling: Dark review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and if this so has one more squash match, then I’ll review it. If you take a poop and drop your watch in the toilet, then you’re gonna have a shitty time. On this episode of M.A.S.H, they go daaaaaaaaaaaaanciiiiiiiiiiiing!!!!!! Also, we’ve got eleven matches in ninety minutes. Tina Fey attacked Marco Polo with a blindfold and a swimming pool, but you’ve got AEW Dark.
Matches:
- Dark Order (Evil Uno and Stu Grayson) def. Fuego del Sol & Rembrandt Lewis – 2.2
- Ricky Starks def. Christopher Daniels – 3.3
- The Butcher & The Blade (w/Eddie Kingston) def. Calvin Stewart & Puf – 1
- Will Hobbs def. Serpentico (w/Luther) – 1.8
- The Lucha Brothers (w/Eddie Kingston) def. Maxx Stardom & Dontae Smiley – 2
- Dark Order (5 & 10) def. Ryzin & Xander Gold – 1.7
- Joey Janela & Sonny Kiss def. Kevin Blackwood & Daniel Garcia – 2.6
- The Gunn Club (Billy & Austin Gunn) def. Cruz & M’Badu – 1.5
- Serena Deeb def. Kilynn King – 2.6
- Ben Carter def. Lee Johnson – 3.7
- Eddie Kingston def. Brian Pillman Jr. – 3.1
Final Verdict: 2.9/5
This all felt crammed together, but also had just enough breathing room to not overwhelm either. Ben and Lee had the best match of the bunch, as it was athletic, brisk and exciting. Ricky and Christopher also had a fine bout built on solid principles. Kingston and Pillman, while not the best match of the show, made for a spirited way to end the card. I wish they’d stop booking these squash matches, as they rarely ever get anyone over, but Tony Khan only knows one way to book, sadly. These Dark episodes are no longer half as thrilling as they used to be, but at least a lot of fighters are getting on here for some exposure. I just wish that there was a bit more finesse with the booking and promotion of matches. Dark could be something very interesting, but Tony just books the whole thing to be a nearly two hour nostalgia trip to 1980s professional wrestling booking and that’s a shame. I’d rather see six matches of value on a two hour Dark then what they’re doing now, but that’s not what this show is used for anymore, I guess. Well…shit.