25th May2022

‘AEW Dark: Elevation – Episode 64’ Review

by Phil Wheat

Welcome to this week’s review of AEW Dark: Elevation, we’re back to just Mark Henry and Paul Wight on commentary and this week’s show is another short card, featuring 6 matches this week. Let’s get right into the action!

Match #1: Ethan Page def. JD Griffey

My Thoughts: Griffey had a decent showing here in this quasi-squash match, but this one was Ethan Page’s to lose. It’s good to see Page actually wrestling on AEW television and not just cutting promos. Maybe now Scorpio Sky has the TNT Title spotlight that some of the spotlight will rub off on Page. Here’s Hoping!

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #2: ROH Women’s Title Match – Mercedes Martinez def. Hyan

My Thoughts: Mercedes Martinez gave Texas local Hyan a LOT of room here. It even looked like she was doing Hyan’s moves for her at one point! I get giving a wrestler who’s known to the local audience, has the support of the local audience, a shot on “TV” but not in a title match. Especially when Hyan looked so out of place, which was odd given she’s been wrestling since 2014 – don’t know what happened here but she looked green, maybe nerves got to her? Or perhaps the two different styles couldn’t gel and so we ended up with a slightly clumsy looking affair.

My Score: 1.5 out of 5

Match #3: The Butcher and The Blade def. The Varsity Blonds

My Thoughts: This was a solid tag-team match and one that, along with the Julia Hart situation, looks like the beginning of the end for the Varsity Blonds. Which, honestly, is probably for the best. The duo of Brian Pillman Jr. and Griff Garrison had some heat early in their team-up but a series of average matches, losses and generally not being on TV has left the group lame. No idea what AEW would do with either guy as singles competitors though…

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #4: Lee Moriarty def. Alex Reynolds

My Thoughts: This was a surprise. Lee Moriarty brought some aggression to his match against Alex Reynolds and the two guys delivered a fantastic, competitive, match. Easily the match of the night IMHO. We need more like this from Moriarty going forward!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #5: Emi Sakura and Nyla Rose def. Skye Blue and Yuka Sakazaki

My Thoughts: Emi Sakura and Nyla Rose finally get new opponents! Yes, the two have gone through match after match against a rotating combination of the same three/four women but here we get some fresh blood in the ring with the two powerful, hard-hitting women. And it instantly felt refreshing and wiped out any thoughts that the team of Sakura and Rose were getting stale. Yuka was a SUPERB addition to this match, working incredibly well with Sakura… and Skye Blue really sold Nyla’s winning Beast Bomb!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #6: Anthony Ogogo def. Mysterious Q

My Thoughts: Ending Elevation on a squash match? Weird choice but OK. Anthony Ogogo is still very much in the learning phase so why they’d have him main event, even moreso in a match against enhancement talent, is beyond me? I liked the look and work of Mysterious Q, more from him please AEW!

My Score: 1.5 out of 5

Final Verdict: 2.5/5

Very nearly a 3-star show, this one was let down by the main event and that clumsy ROH title match. Loved the fact Lee Moriarty put on such as show and the women’s tag match surprised too. Still some work to be done but when you’re only sitting through six matches a lot can be forgiven.

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