‘AEW: Dark Special’ Review (Feb 10th 2022)
We’ve got a special Thursday night edition of AEW: Dark this week for some reason, with a swift 30+ minute run time and four solid matches. Let’s get right to it!
Match #1: Aaron Solo def. Sonny Kiss
My Thoughts: Before this episode aired on YouTube Sonny Kiss tweeted out that, essentially, this was an unmissable match. And it was. Kiss has the match under control at the outset until interference from QT Marshall turned the tide in Solo’s favour. Got to say Marshall played the heel REALLY well here and the crowd were booing the hell out of him! Solo seems to have had a good spotlight in recent weeks, appearing in a number of matches and impressing in all of them, this included. Are we seeing the start of a Solo push? Or, better still, a Kiss/Solo feud?
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Abadon def. Gia Scott
My Thoughts: Gia Scott had an impressive debut here, showing off some skills AND strength in this match but she stood no chance against Abadon – who is surely due a title shot soon? She’s essentially undefeated in AEW with a 26-3 record. A short and swift quasi-squash but with plenty of impact.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Powerhouse Hobbs def. Lee Johnson
My Thoughts: Lee Johnson started out hot out-pacing Hobbs and taking the big man off his feet with a double-foot dropkick. However, Hobbs charging Johnson into the ring post was the beginning of the end for Johnson as Hobbs used his size and strength to overpower his opponent, throwing him around the ring like a ragdoll. It looked like Johnson might get a surprise win after hitting an enzuigiri on Hobbs and then picking him up for a vertical suplex! But no, Hobbs got Johnson in the torture rack for the win. Solid, SOLID, match from both men. Johnson looked good and Hobbs actually wrestled a full match rather than his more recent squashes.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Dante Martin, Lee Moriarty & Matt Sydal def. The Blade & Private Party
My Thoughts: After Isiah Kassidy’s match with Keith Lee this week I saw people, including those on the AEW roster, saying don’t sleep on Kassidy. And this match proved that even more, his tete-a-tete with Dante Martin in this match was superb, so much so I’d like to see the two go at it in a singles match in the [near] future. Sydal was the MVP of his team, taking all the punishment from the AHFO. But hell, Dante Martin was the SUPERSTAR of the match, as he is every week – a tremendous assisted moonsault, with Sydal and Moriarty launching Martin onto the ropes was like watching a genius at work!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
This special episode of Dark was apparently filmed in Washington (according to the commentary team), which means AEW have been sat on these matches for a couple of weeks. Why? These were four fantastic matches that outshone a lot of what we’ve seen from Dark and Elevation in those intervening weeks. Give me these kinds of matches every week and I’d be like a pig in sh*t… A fantastic surprise episode and one that follows up a tremendous Dynamite perfectly. Hopefully, this week’s Rampage can continue the hot streak!
