10th Nov2021

‘AEW Dark: Elevation – Episode 36’ Review

by Phil Wheat

Welcome to this weeks review of AEW Dark: Elevation, the first of this weeks AEW shows on the road to Full Gear… Which I’m damn well excited for that’s for sure! Let’s get right to it.

Match #1: Powerhouse Hobbs def. Danny Adams

My Thoughts: Well this was awkward… Who let Tony Schiavone borrow the Delorean from Back to the Future and travel through time to wrestle Hobbs? I’m joking of course but Danny Adams aka Dan the Dad really does resemble a young Schiavone. He also got his ass kicked like Schiavone would if he did wrestle! Hobbs just messed around with Adams, playing with him like a toy before getting the decisive win.

My Score: 1.5 out of 5

Match #2: The Butcher and The Blade def. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor and Wheeler Yuta)

My Thoughts: This one was a great example of why AEW have a good tag team division – even on a second-tier (though I don’t class AEW’ YouTube shows as second-tier personally) show the tag matches are great. This one made The Butcher, who is working his way back from injury, look like a machine! Yuta played the role of the “impetulent young wrestler” well too – his so-called inexperience costing the Best Friends the match, with The Butcher and The Blade putting in some great heel work!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #3: Riho def. Tootie Lynn

My Thoughts: This was a great women’s match, with Tootie Lynn really giving it to Riho in what was, ultimately, what I will continue to call an AEW “quasi-squash” match. Nice of Excalibur to mention the fact Riho is working both in American AND Japan, really building her as the experienced veteran, even if she does look like a twelve year old to someone as old as me! Here’s hoping we see more of Tootie Lynn in AEW too – she looks, from this match, like she’d be a great addition to the AEW women’s roster.

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #4: Matt Hardy def. Dean Alexander

My Thoughts: Dean Alexander on AEW programming again? Yes! Alexander has been putting in some ridiculous performances on Sammy Guevara’s vlog and hopefully, as it did with Fuego Del Sol, it gets him over with the AEW devoted. So far it looks like that’s the case. Of course Matt Hardy won this one but Alexander out it a decent effort.

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #5: Emi Sakura and Nyla Rose def. Ryo Mizunami and Ruby Soho

My Thoughts: Ryo Mizunami and Nyla Rose facing each other in an AEW ring once again. Absolutely love to see it. These two feel like they are ideal for feuding together; both women have a hard hitting style that is perfectly matched. Plus we get Emi Sakura AND Ruby Soho, so this is a win-win all round!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #6: Dark Order (Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Jon Silver, and Alex Reynolds) def. 2point0 (Jeff Parker and Matt Lee) and The Acclaimed (Max Caster and Anthony Bowens)

My Thoughts: Good god this was a LOT of fun. All the men involved put in some stellar work and that final run, starting with Jon Silver doing his new gimmick of running around the ring demolishing everyone in his path and then the brilliant tag team combos strung together to end the match, was remarkable. I could watch THIS version of Dark Order each and every week… let the winning streak continue.

My Score: 3 out of 5

Final Verdict: 3/5

A great episode of AEW Dark: Elevation this week, with only one true squash match – otherwise this was a solid card with solid matches. The two tag matches to end out this episode where both great ways to end out the show – hopefully we get to see the women’s tag team of Nyla Rose and Emi Sakura continue on, though we need Ryo back alongside Leyla Hirsch ASAP!

Off

Comments are closed.