The PG Era Rant for AEW Dark, Episode 112 (“The Perfect Show for When I’m Sick – It’s Short!”), October 12, 2021.
From the All Elite Zone.
Your hosts are Excalibur and Taz.
Tonight’s feature bout is Anthony Greene facing Evil Uno. Also in action are KiLynn King, Shawn Dean, and Wardlow.
Opening match: Shawn Dean (2-4) vs. Andrew Lockhart (0-1). More people need music that is ripoffs of videogame music. I can’t wait for some goth guy to come out to Bloody Tears.
Lockup, and Dean with a waistlock into a cradle for one. Hiptoss by Dean, then another to set up a dropkick. Lockhart bails to sucker Dean into a dive, then cuts him off mid-launch. Back in, Lockhart with a Russian legsweep into the corner. Snapmare and elbowdrop gets one. Lockhart mocks Dean’s salute, which just fires him up and leads to chops and the comeback from Dean. Dean with a high kick after avoiding a charge, and he gets a carry into a back body drop. The Deal (people’s elbow lite) follows, setting up the Lumbar Check out of a powerbomb position to win at 2:10. Good to see they’re using him after all the work he did during the pandemic. 1/2*
Full Gear ad.
KiLynn King (12-10) vs. Ashley D’Amboise (0-9). Speaking of hard workers during the pandemic, it’s been a joy seeing King improve. Her matches with Mizunami and Sakura showed her potential, and it’s only a matter of time before the light goes on and she makes that Big Leap like Tay Conti did.
King acknowledges the chant at the bell, and after a lockup, King gets a headlock takedown. D’Amboise with neckscissors, but King handstands into a headlock to escape. They exchange armlocks, but King with a stalling suplex out of it for two. D’Amboise with a knee to the gut to cut King off and she lands forearms in the corner. She stops to celebrate, so King attacks and tries for a whip, only for D’Amboise to cut her off again. Flip neckbreaker gets two.
King with a spinning heel kick and pump kick to the side of the head and D’Amboise is clocked. Hammer throw sets up a running uppercut and back elbows, and King follows with a soccer kick. She gets the goozle, but D’Amboise reverses out to a bulldog try, which is dumb. Why is it dumb? Because the counter for that is King’s finisher, Kingdom Falls, and indeed she lands it for the win at 3:03. The light’s not on yet, but it’s flickering. 3/4*
AEW Long Island ad.
Wardlow (7-2) vs. Darian Bengston (0-3). I don’t see this match being longer than the others, put it that way. Bengston kind of looks like Raven circa 2002. Also, regarding Wardlow… I don’t think “Mr. Mayhem” is gonna stick. Bengston’s from Waterloo, Iowa, but representing London, England.
Bengston tries calf kicks, but Wardlow no-sells and catches Bengston. Bengston escapes and kicks away, but Wardlow stops it with a knee to the gut. Bengston escapes a powerbomb and gets a back heel kick and rana… try, but Wardlow turns that into a powerbomb… which Bengston reverses to a sunset flip try, but Wardlow yanks him up and rushes him to the corner. Uppercuts and shoulder shots follow there. Bengston tries coming off the top to give Wardlow a crossbody, but he slips and comes up short. Taz: “He’s no Rey Fenix.” Wardlow with two powerbombs, then the F-10 finishes at 2:01. MURDER
AEW Elite GM App ad.
Evil Uno (w/Colt Cabana) (23-9) vs. Anthony Greene (0-2). Okay, guys, I realize this is a quick episode, but let’s see if we can make it not skippable, shall we? I do trust Uno to do this – as I’ve often said, comparing him when he arrived to now is night and day. Plus, Anthony Greene had that fantastic match against FTR that basically has him on AEW’s jobber speed dial. Actually, Colt doesn’t stick around.
Lockup, and Greene gets a headlock. They exchange shoulderblocks, then Uno gets a Manhattan Drop and big chop. Another chop against the ropes, and Uno sends him for the ride, but Greene with a step-up rana and running chop. Greene turns a Hammer Throw into a Jericho facejam for two. Greene tries a kick, but Uno does his “Here, ref, hold this” neckbreaker. Big chop in the corner, then another as we go around the world. Crowd wants one more, so Uno delivers. Hammer Throw follows with extra spice, for two.
Uno stomps the hands (hey, he’s Evil) before getting a brainbuster for two. Uno picks Greene up by the hair (Evil) and slugs him back down, then insists he has open fists. Greene’s headband comes off as Taz thinks Excalibur tossed his mask in the ring. Greene fires back with rights to corner Uno, but Uno meets a charge with a right hook. Greene comes back with a bodypress, then another off the middle rope for two. Uno tosses Greene to the apron, but Greene goes up and gets a ropewalk twist crossbody for two.
Greene keeps on Uno with punches and chops before trying a cross-corner whip. Uno blocks the first time, but not the second, but instead Uno out with a big boot and twisting neckbreaker for two. Uno calls for Something Evil, but Greene with a jack-knife cover for two. Greene with a crucifix slam for two. He knocks down Uno and goes up again, but Uno catches him and follows. Superplex try is dedicated to Brodie, but they fight on the ropes instead and Greene earclaps Uno down. Uno ducks the crossbody and spins Greene with a big boot, and Something Evil wins it at 6:21. Well, not exactly must-watch, but very nice nonetheless. **
I have to wonder if they had more matches planned but decided to spread them out, or maybe Stallion’s comments made him too radioactive to air a follow-up. Whatever the case, this show didn’t have much to talk about, although Uno/Greene wasn’t half-bad. It’s a quick bite to keep you satisfied until Rampage.
And good thing too, because the Nyquil’s kicking in.