‘AEW Dark: Elevation’ Review (Feb 21st 2022)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW Dark: Elevation, which features eight matches in less than an hour… now that’s how you keep folks interested, a stacked card and a fast pace! Speaking of pace, let’s get right into the review.
Match #1: Trios Match – Tay Conti, Anna Jay and Red Velvet def. Freya States, Angelica Risk, and Arie Alexander
My Thoughts: This was your typical AEW quasi-squash match only this time in a Trios format. Tay Conti looked strong on the outset until Freya States was tagged in… Speaking of whom, States looks formidable in the ring in terms of height against the other women in this match. She’d be a great addition to the women’s roster IMHO, sitting somewhere between AEW’s smaller women and the powerhouses like Nyla Rose and Abadon. I’m hoping we see more from her going forward.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: 10 Man Tag Team Match – 2point0, Daniel Garcia and Gunn Club def. Dean Alexander, Dominic Garrini, Chico Adams, Ariel Levy and Kevin Ku
My Thoughts: Well this was something… Something of a waste. But hey, at least we got to see 2point0 show off just how good a tag team they are, with their 2-man offence looking smooth as butter AND impressive at the same time! Of course, Daniel Garcia cleaned house, so there really was no need for the Ass Boys in this match at all.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: The Bunny vs. Kaitland Alexis
My Thoughts: This was just the Bunny playing with her poor opponent for two minutes whilst vamping it up to the camera. I’m here for these kinds of squash matches.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: 10 Man Tag Team Match – Andrade El Idolo, The Butcher, The Blade and Private Party def. Shawn Dean, Carlie Bravo, Baron Black, Jameson Ryan and Chandler Hopkins
My Thoughts: I’m always, ALWAYS, glad to see Shawn Dean on TV and even more so when he’s teaming with Carlie Bravo (I still these guys should be a permanent tag team in AEW), though here he also gets 3 more partners – including Baron Black, who was last seen on AEW programming dressed as a “security guard” getting thrown around by Pres10 Vance! Thankfully Dean got in some offence (and a chance to shine) before the match broke down into a brawl, as these multi-man matches tend to do.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #5: Ruby Soho def. Haley J
My Thoughts: Another day another match where Ruby Soho squashes enhancement talent. Isn’t it about time she got some wins against the rest of the actual women’s roster? Soho’s win was decisive here and would’ve been a total squash if not for Haley J racking her eye at one point!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #6: Lance Archer def. Joey O’Reily
My Thoughts: Do I really need to tell you what happens here? This is Archer being Archer, against enhancement talent. You know what happens here, Archer does it almost every week!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #7: Trios Match – Leyla Hirsch, Emi Sakura and Nyla Rose def. Skye Blue, Kiera Hogan and AQA
My Thoughts: So it’s official, Leyla Hirsch is now a heel. Hey, if it gets her on TV more then I’m happy. She joined the team of Emi Sakura and Nyla Rose (who would normally team with the likes of The Bunny) to demolish Blue, Hogan and AQA. Blue took most of Hirsch’s punishment to end this match. Loved Hirsch celebrating with Rose for a change instead of being the loser of her match.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #8: 10 Man Tag Team Match – Jay Lethal, Matt Sydal, Frankie Kazarian, Lee Johnson and Brock Anderson def. Chaos Project (Luther & Serpentico) and Wingmen (Peter Avalon, JD Drake & Cezar Bononi)
My Thoughts: The third multi-man match on this week’s Elevation and it’s the messiest of the lot. Between the heels all choosing to get in the ring to attack the faces, to the interference on the outside, to the quick tags in and out, this was a sea of bodies for the most part. Still the most exciting of the three though.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2/5
Three, THREE, 10-man tag matches and two women’s trios matches on one show? What is it, get everyone on TV week? Has to be. And on top of that most of the matches on this card were squash matches. Talk about poor booking this week. Maybe the “big announcement” Tony Khan is working on ate up all his time for actually planning out this show? If this episode of Elevation was an anime, this episode would be a “filler” show.
