6/15 AEW DARK TV REPORT: Dark Order vs. The Acclaimed, Ethan Page vs. Danny Limelight, Tay Conti vs. Willow Nightingale, more

AEW DARK TV REPORT
JUNE 15, 2021
RECORDED DURING AEW FAN FEST AT DAILY’S PLACE, JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
AIRED ON YOUTUBE.COM
REPORT BY RYAN HOWARD, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Excalibur and Taz

Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts

-Excalibur and Taz on the call, welcoming us to the show, giving us a rundown.

(1) ETHAN PAGE vs. DANNY LIMELIGHT

Scorpio Sky joined commentary talking about the handicap match he & Page have against Darby on Dynamite this week. Limelight tried a slingshot early, but ran into a hard punch in mid air by Page. This was followed up by a butterfly draping backbreaker by Page, who mocked Limelight’s dance. Page flexed while he held Limelight up for a vertical suplex. Limelight got an enziguri and rope walk block buster for a near fall. Sky said he used to have a girlfriend who could do that move outside of the ring, which popped Taz. Limelight missed a double springboard, allowing Page to hit the Ego’s Edge for the victory.

WINNER: Ethan Page in 4:00

(Howard’s Analysis: Good, quick little opener that allowed Page to dominate, with Limelight getting a few hope spots at the end. They’re calling Sky & Page “The Men of the Year” so I assume that’s their tag name going forward.)

(2) DANTE MARTIN vs. SONNY KISS

Both Kiss & Martin traded arm drags and arm bars early before the pace picked up with Kiss hitting a hurricanrana, wheelbarrow arm drag and dropkick for two. Dante did a misdirection spot, leading to his slingshot dropkick to get two of his own. Martin tried a running cross body, but Kiss did a Matrix into a backflip knee drop. Kiss applied an abdominal stretch briefly until Dante got free and hit his double springboard moonsault for a near fall. Kiss battled back, hanging up Martin in the ropes in the corner, connecting with a somersault axe kick for two. Martin avoided a head scissors, hit the somersault stunner he connected with last week that got the victory.

WINNER: Dante Martin in 5:00

(Howard Analysis: This was a fun back and forth match and I really liked how they used the somersault stunner Martin used last week as his finisher this time. I’m happy he’s gotten back on the winning track after one of the best Dark matches ever last week against Matt Sydal. As for Sonny Kiss, this was another impressive showing, but they barely mentioned Joey Janela this week.)

(3) NYLA ROSE (w/Vickie Guerrero) vs. CHARLETTE RENEGADE

Bell sounded and Nyla immediately steamrolled Renegade, hitting a snap suplex, then her top rope knee. Nyla faked a pin, but hit a Beast Bomb for the win.

WINNER: Nyla Rose in 1:00

(Howard’s Analysis: They’re really stacking up these Nyla wins lately, so you have to assume she’s getting a title shot soon. Maybe they’re holding off on Rosa vs. Britt until their next PPV? That would certainly make sense.)

(4) EVIL UNO & STU GRAYSON vs. SHANE MERCER & KTB

John Silver joins commentary for this one as Uno hit an early hurricanrana on KTB to start. That led to Stu & Mercer tagging in soon after as Mercer tried a pop up slam, but Stu reversed into a roll up as the Dark Order took over. Taz says there’s only one member of Dark Order who is intimidating and she’s injured at the moment. KTB tagged in and took over on Uno with a cannonball headbutt for two. We then got a very nice combo of a Manhattan Drop, leg sweep and diving splash to give KTB a two count. After being isolated briefly, Uno & Mercer collided with a double clothesline for the reset. Stu made the hot tag and high cross off the top on KTB, planting the big man with an overhead belly to belly and float over DDT for two. On the floor, KTB lifted Stu up for a suplex, Mercer grabbed his legs and brought him into the ring with a Liger Bomb for two in a really cool spot. Uno got back in and took out Mercer, while Stu fought back and put away KTB with the Night Fall for the win.

WINNERS: Evil Uno & Stu Grayson in 7:00

(Howard’s Analysis: This was a really solid tag match with KTB & Mercer looking really good here. Happy to see the original Dark Order duo back in tag action this week as we’ve been getting a lot of combos of these Dark Order boys in the past month or so. I wouldn’t mind seeing Uno & Stu get their tag wins up and get a title shot or compete for one down the line.)

(5) WARDLOW vs. CHANDLER HOPKINS

Wardlow’s destruction week continues after last night he demolished poor Jason Hotch. The bell sounded and Wardlow immediately shot a double leg takedown, clocking Hopkins with a big boot and round house lariat. Wardlow looks in the camera and tells Jake Hager this is for him before choking out Hopkins with a guillotine for the quick win.

WINNER: Wardlow in 1:30

(Howard’s Analysis: Absolute destruction by Wardlow for the second night in a row as he heads into the cage fight showdown with Jake Hager on Dynamite. It makes sense to get Wardlow some dominant wins heading into a high profile match. I bet Hopkins was happy he didn’t have to take the finish Hotch took last night.)

(6) CEZAR BONONI (w/The Wingmen) vs. DILLON MCQUEEN

Bell sounded and McQueen slapped the taste right out of Bononi’s mouth, which was a huge mistake as Bononi hit a Hoss Toss as a result. As Bononi took the ref, Peter Avalon & Ryan Nemeth sprayed McQueen in the face with water and gave him a quick makeover as Bononi mocked the hands in the pocket of Orange Cassidy. McQueen was spiked with a back suplex slam as Avalon oddly opted to spray himself down as a result. Bononi hits a pump handle drop for the easy victory. Post match, The Wingmen all mock the thumbs up from Orange Cassidy.

WINNER: Cezar Bononi in 2:00

(Howard’s Analysis: Just a quick and dominating win from Bononi heading into his match with Orange Cassidy this week on Dynamite. Not really much more to say than that, Peter Avalon’s antics that baffle Taz each week is pretty great.)

(7) FRANKIE KAZARIAN vs. JAKE TUCKER

We get a much more intense version of Kazarian here, which I’ll chalk up to the beard. Tucker gained the advantage relatively early though, hitting a hard corner buckle, but Kazarian turned him inside out with a lariat. Kazarian slapped on the Cross Faced Chicken Wing for the really quick submission.

WINNER: Frankie Kazarian in 3:30

(Howard’s Analysis: Kazarian’s new entrance video features him dragging a sledgehammer through the desert and it says he’s The Heavy Metal Rebel. He’s also called The Elite Hunter, so Kazarian might be without a tag partner now, but he has a plethora of nicknames.)

(8) KILYNN KING vs. VALENTINA ROSSI

Rossi tried to pose in KiLynn’s face early, but suffered a brutal shoulder breaker from King in the process for two. KiLynn worked the arm briefly before Rossi took control with shoulders in the midsection. Taz says that Rossi is tough because she lives near New Jersey, which smells all the time. Excalibur points out for people to call Taz with their complaints on his roasting of Jersey. Yes, Taz & Excalibur got in a gabagool reference. Meanwhile, KiLynn hit a shotgun dropkick in the corner and a series of clotheslines. She was able to plant Rossi with the Kingdom Falls for the win.

WINNER: KiLynn King in 4:00

(Howard’s Analysis: I really wish KiLynn didn’t get steamrolled by Jade Cargill a few weeks ago on Dynamite. She’s been consistently one of the most improved female wrestlers on Dark and I hope this is the start of getting her more singles wins leading to much more competitive matches on Dynamite.)

-Alex Marvez is backstage with Joey Janela asking him for a medical update. Janela says who cares, it’s all about Bad Boy Summer and how he went with Marvez to The Nip Factory. Sonny Kiss walked into the shot and Janela literally flopped like a NBA player. Kiss asked why he’s been doing this lately and Janela blamed his recent antics on Marvez, who he says is a bad influence. Sonny isn’t buying it and says they’re done as a team and walks off. Janela again blames Marvez, but walks off with him, wanting to go to The Nip Factory again. Whatever, I guess Kiss & Janela are officially done.

(9) GUNN CLUB (Billy & Colten Gunn) vs. CHAOS PROJECT (Serpentico & Luther)

Can the winning streak of Colten Gunn continue, which is currently at 18-0 in AEW, the winning streak no one talks about. Luther & Billy start things off with some comedy before Serpentico tagged in and Luther darted him into Billy, who no sold. Billy hit a nice side slam before tagging Colten, who Billy body slammed onto Serpentico. Taz says he wishes he could bodyslam Hook every once in a while. Excalibur welcomes everyone to AEW Dark: Therapy as Chaos Project isolated Colten for the next few minutes. Luther did a reverse suplex on Serpentico and as Serpentico fell back to the mat, he gave a crotch chop to Billy. Finally Billy got the hot tag; gorilla pressed Serpentico and tossed him at Luther, who avoided catching his partner. Billy hit the Fame Asser on Luther to win the match.

WINNERS: Gunn Club in 6:00

(Howard’s Analysis: Welp, the streak continues at 19-0 for Colten and I’m still confused why Billy Gunn is getting so many wins himself in AEW. Regardless, they need to address this win streak soon, either that or simply have Gunn Club lose a match.)

(10) TAY CONTI vs. WILLOW NIGHTINGALE

Fast paced back and forth starts the match with both ladies trading near falls. Conti used misdirection to connect with a release German suplex, followed up for a running PK for two. Conti applied a triangle choke, but Willow got a rope break. Tay hit a face buster, then a series of clotheslines before hitting a couple corner pump kicks. Rolling arm drag and another pump kick led to the DD-Tay for the Conti win.

WINNER: Tay Conti in 4:00

(Howard’s Analysis: That’s six wins in a row for Conti, who continues to look impressive and hang tough in the top 5 women’s rankings.)

(11) COLT CABANA & ALAN “5” ANGELS vs. THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens)

Max Caster had yet another amazing freestyle for their entrance, which was capped by telling Colt Cabana his newest podcast sucks. The Acclaimed attacked at the bell, but Dark Order took over using each other as battering rams. Bowens is isolated briefly by Cabana & Angels before Bowens got a cheap shot, Caster tagged in and Colt immediately took him down. Bowens took the ref, who missed the Dark Order tag, allowing Bowens to hit Colt in the knee with the boom box to give The Acclaimed control. Bowens & Caster really focus on that leg before Colt is able to hit a snap suplex on Bowens, allowing Angels to make the hot tag. Angels cleaned house, using his speed to connect with This Is Gonna Suck twice before he planted Bowens with a Sliced Bread for two. Angels hit a step up knee on Caster, who was climbing the ropes in the corner, but Bowens responded with a brainbuster. Bowens wiped out Colt, as Caster made the tag and hit the Mic Drop for the win.

WINNERS: The Acclaimed in 7:00

(Howard’s Analysis: Excalibur points out how it’s not going to be long until these two get another tag title shot. This was a solid main event and win for The Acclaimed, who I honestly think have beaten every possible Dark Order duo imaginable at this point. Platinum Max and his pre-match freestyles remain one of the best parts of all AEW.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: This episode of Dark went by pretty quick. I think 11 matches is the perfect amount for Dark, but wonder if we’re going to get this many matches once AEW goes on the road? Match of the night was by far Uno & Stu vs. Mercer & KTB, as I fully expected a squash match, but was pleasantly surprised at how good of a back and forth it was. I do wish Page & Limelight had more time, but it was enjoyable for how much we got. I also liked Wardlow winning via submission, but it really feels like this Hager MMA Fight is being rushed as just something to do between Pinnacle and Inner Circle.

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NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S AEW DARK REPORT: 6/8 AEW DARK TV REPORT: Dante Martin vs. Matt Sydal, Lance Archer vs. Zicky Dice, Tay Conti in action, more