‘AEW Dark: Elevation – Episode 28’ Review
Welcome to this weeks review of AEW Dark: Elevation. I’m Phil and this weeks episode features a Women’s main event match featuring Nyla Rose and Skye Blue – who’s made one hell of an impact in AEW since debuting recently. New signee maybe?
Match #1: Emi Sakura def. Queen Aminata
My Thoughts: This was a great opener. As usual with wrestlers appearing on Dark, Queen Aminata has improved leaps and bounds since her first appearance during the latter stages of pandemic era wrestling. Sakura gave Aminata some leeway here but always seemed in control… except for THAT backbreaker!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: Frankie Kazarian def. Ren Jones
My Thoughts: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Frankie Kazarian is being wasted in AEW right now. He seems to be floundering, floating around the card when not inserted in an “Elite Hunter” angle. This one was just a squash by Kaz on a green Ren Jones.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #3: Penelope Ford def. Layna Lennox
My Thoughts: Apart from a nice leg sweep by Lennox this match was all Penelope Ford… with a little help from The Bunny. I’m digging this new team of Ford and The Bunny, hopefully it continues if/when Kip Sabian gets back in the ring and she stops being in his shadow. Still, this was another squash match though!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: The Butcher and The Blade def. Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum
My Thoughts: Wow. Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum… what a fantastic pair of names. Sound like an 80s cop duo rather than wrestlers and maybe, given how much they were destroyed by The Butcher and The Blade here, they should pursue that career!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #5: Jade Cargill def. Shawna Reed
My Thoughts: I get it. AEW are building Cargill into a monster heel but feeding her enhancement talent in matches that go a minute or less is turning into a Braun Strowman situation… There’ll be no way to get her out of that persona and ACTUALLY wrestling in future. Another squash BTW.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #6: Anna Jay and Tay Conti def. Ella Shae and Jaylee
My Thoughts: Tay Conti took the lead in this one, Anna Jay obviously still playing it safe after her injury. I really like Conti and Jay as a tag team, here’s hoping they get an actual title to fight for in future. AEW definitely needs a Women’s Tag Title IMHO, they got plenty of great “teams” currently that would all be great as champs! But yes, this was another squash.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #7: Daniel Garcia def. Lee Moriarty
My Thoughts: Two of AEW’s newest recruits put on a clinic right here. These two apparently have experience working together on the indies and it showed here – this was a real highlight of the show, making up the myriad of squash matches we’d had up to this point. No wonder Moriarty got a contract based on this match!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #8: Nyla Rose def. Skye Blue
My Thoughts: A damn fine main event from Rose and Blue. Nice to see Nyla Rose give an opponent time to rally some offense rather than the usual quickfire monster-squash she’s more known for. I’ll be honest, I’d not seen anything from Skye Blue until these AEW Chicago shows and now I’m definitely a fan – she’d make a superb permanent addition to the AEW women’s roster. Sign her up Tony!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
This was an average episode of AEW Dark: Elevation… until the final two matches, both of which made up for what the rest of this show had to offer. Shows like this, filled with squash matches, sometimes have me questioning why AEW has so many shows. But then you remember at least matches, even squash matches, give the roster exposure and time in front of cameras… Much better than just being the catering crew!
