2/9 AEW DARK TV REPORT: Janela vs. Evans, Red Velvet vs. Diamante, and PAC vs. VSK

AEW DARK TV REPORT
FEBRUARY 9, 2021
RECORDED AT DAILY’S PLACE, JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
AIRED ON YOUTUBE.COM
REPORT BY PATRICK MOYNAHAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Excalibur and Taz

Additional guest commentators throughout the show: Anthony Ogogo and Ricky Starks.

Ring announcer: Justin Roberts

– Excalibur and Taz welcomed the audience to Dark. They were joined by Anthony Ogogo at the beginning of the show.

(1) MORALES & JERSEY MUSCLE SOCIETY (Steve Gibki & Tony Vincita) vs. DUSTIN RHODES & QT MARSHALL & NICK COMOROTO

Rhodes led with a deep arm drag on Vincita, then tagged in Marshall who hit a standing moonsault. Comoroto tagged in and showed off his power. Rhodes tagged back in and got a quick two count. Gibki tagged in and walked right into another arm drag by Rhodes. Comoroto took out both members of Jersey Muscle Society, then threw Morales into both of his partners. Rhodes tagged back in and bulldogged Morales as Comoroto held him up, then covered for the win.

WINNERS: Rhodes & Marshall & Comoroto in 4:30

Moynahan’s Take: A very nice and fast-paced 6-man match to start off this week’s show. Love seeing Comoroto officially part of the Nightmare Family and I’m very interested to see where this takes him.

– An ad for “A Little Bit of the Bubbly” aired.

(2) SCU (Frankie Kazarian & Christopher Daniels) vs. LEE JOHNSON & AARON SOLOW

Daniels and Johnson exchanged pleasantries before locking up. Johnson hit a scoop slam. Daniels hit an arm drag, hip toss, and scoop slam series, then tagged Kazarian who aided him with a few more double moves to Johnson. Johnson was able to escape and tag in Solow. Kazarian took Solow down with a float over takedown into a headlock. Solow hit a nice arm drag then a dropkick on Kazarian. Daniels tagged in and hit Solow with a leg lariat. Johnson tagged in and he and Solow hit Daniels with a double team falling neck breaker. Daniels caught Solow with a fireman’s carry, then tagged Kazarian, who spring boarded in with a leg drop. Kazarian and Solow squared off, exchanging chops then collided by going for a cross body at the same time. Johnson tagged in and hit Daniels with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two. Kazarian tagged in and took out both Solow and Johnson. Kazarian nailed Solow with a backstabber, then a German suplex for a two count. Kazarian hit Solow with a cutter but Johnson broke up the pin attempt. Johnson hit a tope-suicida on Daniels through the ropes. Inside, Solow got a near pinfall on Kazarian. All four men were in the ring. SCU nailed Johnson with a modified Total Elimination. Solow dove into the arms of Kazarian, which allowed Daniels to hit the Best Meltzer Ever for the win.

WINNERS: SCU in 11:00

Moynahan’s Take: Wow. This was a very good between two solid babyface teams. I kept waiting for the match to wrap up and end quick as most non-main event Dark matches tend to do . I’m glad they were given time because both teams shine.

– An ad for “Wrestling with the Week” aired.

(3) BRIAN CAGE (w/Hook) vs. JAKE ST. PATRICK

Cage threw St. Patrick up in the air then leveled him with a thrust kick. Cage then threw St. Patrick into the corner and nailed him with an uppercut, then a release German suplex. Cage finished things up with a series of three power bombs, then hit the Drill Claw for the win.

WINNER: Brian Cage in 1:00

Moynahan’s Take: A complete squash and every second was enjoyable.

– A backstage skit involving The Acclaimed aired. They were meeting with a psychiatrist and then cut to their own version of MJF and Jericho’s Dinner Debonair.

(4) MIRANDA ALIZE vs. NYLA ROSE (w/Vickie Guerrero)

Alize kicked Nyla but was caught attempting an arm drag, allowing Rose to slam her hard to the mat. Rose laid in a series of punches, then went for a pin but picked Alize up after a one count. Alize went for a hurricanrana but Rose caught her again. Rose threw Alize to the side then nailed her with a stiff clothesline. Rose hit the Beast Bomb for the win.

WINNER: Nyla Rose in 3:30

Moynahan’s Take: Another quick squash match by Rose, who stays strong headed into the Women’s Eliminator Tournament.

(5) PAC vs. VSK

VSK fought out of an early arm bar attempt by PAC. PAC took back control, ramming VSK into the corner, then kept him down on the mat by kicking him multiple times. VSK tried mounting a comeback by hitting a drop kick, then a neck breaker across PAC’s knee. PAC came right back with a boot to VSK’s jaw, then locked in the Brutalizer for the submission.

WINNER: PAC in 4:00

Moynahan’s Take: Make that three squash matches in a row. Nothing wrong with that from my perspective, as each person looked extremely strong in victory.

(6) KC NAVARRO VS. SONNY Kiss (w/Joey Janela)

The two traded reversals and a lot of back and forth to start. Kiss landed a dropkick to the knees of Navarro to cut off momentum. Navarro charged into Kiss but was met with a kick to the face for good measure. Kiss missed a standing moonsault after taking a bit too long to play to the crowd. Navarro hit an impressive swinging DDT but could only get a two count. Navarro charged back into Kiss but was again met with a kick. Kiss hit a split legged stunner and picked up the win.

WINNER: Sonny Kiss in 3:30

Moynahan’s Take: Another impressive showing by Sonny Kiss. Navarro has looked good two weeks in a row now as well.

(7) TAY CONTI (w/Anna Jay) vs. ALEX GRACIA

Conti locked in a front headlock in the early going of the match. Conti followed it up with a few stiff kicks to the face, then locked in a knee bar but Gracia was able to roll both women outside to the mat. Back inside, Gracia nailed Conti with a forearm. With Conti draped in the middle rope, Gracia hit a 619. Conti came right back with a nasty looking snap DDT. Gracia came right back but Conti hit her with a series of clotheslines and a hook kick. With Gracia in the corner, Conti nailed her with a knee strike, then a pump kick. Conti locked Gracia into her finisher for the tap out.

WINNER: Tay Conti in 4:00

Moynahan’s Take: Other than Conti no-selling DDT by Gracia, this was a very enjoyable, fast match. Both women worked well together and laid in some stiff shots in the process.

– An ad for “A Little Bit of the Bubbly” aired

(8) RYAN NEMETH vs. MARKO STUNT

Nemeth cut a heel promo prior to the match. As Nemeth played to the crowd, Stunt nailed him with a spin kick. Stunt knocked Nemeth to the outside, then followed up with a tope-suicida. Stunt hit a springboard elbow drop across Nemeth’s back. Stunt hit a leg lariat and got a two count. Nemeth hit a stalling back suplex. Nemeth hit a dropkick and covered for a two count. Nemeth went for a neck breaker but took too long to play to the crowd, allowing Stunt to counter. FTR’s music hit, which distracted Stunt, allowing Nemeth to hit him with the neck breaker for the win.

WINNER: Ryan Nemeth in 5:30

Moynahan’s Take: I was a bit surprised by the outcome of this one, but most of the match seemed to showcase Nemeth. I’m interested to see how they follow up the FTR/Stunt kidnapping angle on tomorrow’s Dynamite.

(9) PETER AVALON & CEZAR BONONI vs. SHAWN DEAN & CHARLIE BRAVO

This was the first match for Dean and Bravo as tag team in AEW. Bononi started things off against Bravo. Bononi had to be calmed down by Avalon, who tagged in and was immediately taken down by Bravo. Dean tagged in and nailed Avalon in the back with a kick, then hit him with a flying elbow drop. Bravo came back in, and he and Dean hit Avalon with a few shots to the face. Bononi tagged back in and laid in a few kicks to Bravo as he laid in the corner. Bononi landed a stiff chop to Bravo’s chest. Dean broke up a pin attempt. Avalon came in and hit a vertical suplex. Bononi and Avalon traded tags and kept Bravo in their corner. Dean finally tagged in and took out both Avalon and Bononi. Bravo came back in and nailed Bononi with a cannonball senton. Avalon hit Bravo with the Martin-knees with the win.

WINNERS: Avalon & Bononi in 8:00

Moynahan’s Take: I was so-so on this match. Nothing was offensive, but I just found myself waiting for it to end. I realize Avalon and Bononi are headed into a big match on tomorrow’s Dynamite and this match was meant to prep for that, but it would’ve been nice if we saw these two team together a bit more up until now at the very least.

(10) “10” (w/Dark Order) vs. BARON BLACK

The two traded a few reversals in the early going. Excalibur played up the fact that Black and 10 know one another from the indies. 10 hit a scoop slam and pump kick. Black went for a cross body but 10 caught him for a fall away slam. 10 had Black in the corner until Black fought out. The two traded chops. Black took 10 down with a dragon screw, then landed a few more chest chops. 10 was whipped hard into the corner and favored his lower back in the process. Black hit an atomic drop/back stabber combo but could only get a two count. 10 nailed Black with two clotheslines, then a back body drop, as he mounted a comeback. 10 followed up with a spine buster and a pickup powerbomb for the win.

WINNER: “10” in 7:00

Moynahan’s Take: Another very solid match between these two. It was hard-hitting, physical, and both competitors came out better for it. A nice win by 10 in the process as well.

– An ad for the Young Bucks book aired

(11) RED VELVET (w/Big Swole) vs. DIAMANTE (w/Ivelisse)

Velvet came out firing with a leg lariat, then landed a few body shots to Diamante in the corner. Velvet hit a single leg dropkick but missed a follow up. Diamante fought back with a German suplex. Diamante hit a running dropkick to Velvet as she laid in the corner. With Velvet still in the corner, Diamante laid in a few more shots and kicks, but missed a follow up dropkick. Velvet came back with a few clotheslines and a back elbow. Diamante ducked an elbow attempt then hit a standing sliced bread for a two count. Diamante kicked out of another pin attempt after getting hit with a bulldog. Velvet avoided the Code Red finisher, and followed up with a kick combo to Diamante, leading to the victory.

WINNER: Red Velvet in 6:00

Moynahan’s Take: Yet another solid match here tonight. Both women worked well together. I’d like to see more of Red Velvet matches on Dynamite in advance of her big match tagging with Cody next month.

(12) JOEY JANELA (w/Sonny Kiss) vs. JACK EVANS (w/Angelico)

Before the bell, Evans took Janela out on the stage and then again on the floor. The match officially started. Janela came off the top rope onto the outside, (barely) hitting Evans with a cross body. With both men back inside, Janela landed a back suplex for a two. Evans took advantage of a distracted Janela, whose foot was tripped up by Angelico from the outside. Evans hit a jumping knee strike on Janela but could only get a two count. Angelico and Evans double teamed Janela as the ref was focused on Kiss on the other side of the ring. Janela tried to fight back but was quickly cut off. Evans locked in a standing octopus-type submission on Janela. Janela fought back, hitting a DVD, then a tope-suicida on the outside. Back inside, Janela hit another DVD for a two count. Evans hit a hurricanrana on Janela, then followed up with a middle rope Phoenix splash but only got a two. Both men stood in the middle of the ring trading shots. Janela nailed Evans with a spear into the ropes, then a thrust kick shortly after. Janela hit a poison-rana then another thrust kick to Evans. Both men were out on the mat. Evans went to the top for a 450, but Janela got his knees up. Evans was able to kick out of a pin attempt. Janela hit a clothesline, then a package piledriver for a very close three count. Janela went to the top and nailed the diving elbow drop for the win.

WINNER: Joey Janela in 9:30

Moynahan’s Take: The match of the night by far and a great match all around. It kept Janela strong for his match against Darby Allin tomorrow night, but also made Evans look great in defeat.

FINAL THOUGHTS: A very enjoyable episode of Dark this week. It was fast-paced and mixed in competitive back-and-forth matches with a few squashes as well. As mentioned, match of the night honors goes to the main event between Janela and Evans.

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NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S AEW DARK REPORT: 2/2 AEW DARK TV REPORT: Conti vs. Price, Rosa vs. Jordyn, and Chaos Project vs. SCU