5/24 AEW DARK TV REPORT: Roppongi Vice vs. The Wingmen, Statlander vs. Breaux, more

AEW DARK TV REPORT
MAY 24, 2022
RECORDED AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, ORLANDO, FL.
AIRED ON YOUTUBE.COM
REPORT BY RYAN HOWARD, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

AEW Dark Announcers: Excalibur and Taz

Ring Announcer: Dasha Gonzalez

-Excalibur and Taz on the call, welcoming us as Kris Statlander’s entrance music kicks off the show.

(1) KRIS STATLANDER vs. AVERY BREAUX

Statlander used her power early by shrugging a Breaux waist lock off easily and shot a quick arm drag. Big time back body drop and Breaux landed right on her tailbone, which Taz tells us he’s had that happen before and it sucks. Breaux was on the shoulders of Statlander and just slammed down on her face, but Breaux fought out of a German. Forearms and kicks in the corner from Breaux, who followed with a vicious cannonball. Breaux was too busy counting her abs and ran into a Statlander back breaker, a few Polish hammers and standing powerslam. The Big Bang Theory is now called Night Fever, which won it for Statlander.

WINNER: Kris Statlander in 3:00

(Howard’s Analysis: No longer an alien, the much more serious Statlander is looking great ahead of her match with Ruby Soho this Friday. I wouldn’t mind Statlander pulling off the upset, but I think Ruby might take it to the Owen Hart Finals.)

(2) MATT MENARD & ANGELO PARKER vs. ELI ISOM & T.U.G. COOPER

Menard took the microphone pre-match saying Chris Jericho isn’t there tonight, so Daddy Magic gets his way and there’s no singing along to Judas. Parker puts over Isom & Cooper as solid pro wrestlers, but tonight they’ll beat them up for the AEW Galaxy. Isom took the fight to Parker early, but Menard made a quick tag and dropped Isom on his head with a German suplex. A big boot from Parker, but Isom fought free and got the tag to Cooper. Immediately Parker sent Isom into Cooper, as Menard made the tag and dropped Cooper with a double DDT with his partner for the win.

WINNERS: Matt Menard & Angelo Parker in 1:30

(Howard Analysis: It’s been way too long since we’ve gotten a squash on Dark from Daddy Magic & Cool Hand Ang. I could watch these two sports entertainers put a beating on all the professional wrestlers that are lined up. And they do it for the AEW Galaxy, which is amazing.)

(3) A.Q.A vs. BRITTANY JADE

Taz says its gimmick infringement from Jade, who has Red Rum tattooed on her stomach. Excalibur said she must be a huge Hook fan. The first few minutes of this one, the ladies traded headlocks until AQA escaped, hit a leaping corner elbow and bulldog for two. Jade fought back and hit a Natural Selection variation for a two count. AQA escaped a fireman’s carry with strikes until Jade popped her with a knee to the ribs. AQA ducked a clothesline; hit a few leaping clotheslines and sling blade. An enziguri led to a cravat neckbreaker to give AQA the three.

WINNER: A.Q.A in 4:30

(Howard’s Analysis: I actually dug this match because it gave the ladies time to work a bit and not just a quick squash from AQA. Granted almost half the match was trading headlocks, it’s nice to get ring time on AEW programming, so I’m all for it. I should point out Taz informed us in this match that referee Paul Turner won’t acknowledge him anymore after he called him Paul Shaffer a few weeks ago.)

(4) LEE MORIARTY vs. ALAN ANGELS

Moriarty zoned in on the arm of Angels early, with things getting chippy, as Angels got a rope break and Moriarty took a bit to break the arm bar. After a clean break from a lock up in the ropes, Angels popped Moriarty with a stiff forearm, but Moriarty answered with an uppercut. Before Moriarty could get going, Angels hit a leg lariat, arm drag and arm bar. Moriarty blocked a suplex, got a snap mare and punted Angels in the back. Angels called Moriarty out, blocked a boot, as both traded stiff shots. Moriarty slammed Angels down by the arm, wrapped it around his leg and twisted. A knee lift to the arm led to a front chancery into a bridging suplex for two. Angels mounted his comeback, tried a sunset flip, but Moriarty put on the brakes and snapped the arm yet again. Angels realized he’s going to use his legs as a way to get himself back into this and he did just that. The kicks and speed led to a Northern Lights for a near fall. Angels set up Moriarty in the corner, but Moriarty wrenched at the injured arm. Angels hit a step up knee and huge Spanish Fly, but Angels fell on the injured shoulder as Moriarty rolled to the floor. Moriarty dodged a dive and nailed a low tope suicida of his own. Back inside, a roaring chop led to the Border City Stretch to get the submission.

WINNER: Lee Moriarty in 10:00

(Howard’s Analysis: What a match this was, job well done to both of these men for the story they told. I’m so happy this match got 10 minutes, as this was excellent stuff. I said this last night in my Elevation recap, this aggressive Lee Moriarty has been fantastic. Going back to the Bryan Danielson pitch to Jon Moxley to start the Blackpool Combat Club, he mentioned three guys, Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia and Lee Moriarty. I would love if this ends up in both Jericho’s crew and the B.C.C. vying for Moriarty’s services. That’s me just armchair quarterbacking.)

(5) SONNY KISS vs. CARLIE BRAVO

Bravo trash talked Kiss, saying this is The Bravo Show and he needs this. Bravo shoved referee Aubrey out of the way to put the boots to Kiss in the corner. As Bravo went up in the ropes, Kiss hit a step up kick and an impressive gorilla press slam. Back flip into a knee drop in the midsection got Kiss a two count. Handspring corner elbow connected, but as Kiss went for a springboard, Bravo took out the ropes and Kiss crashed hard. Bravo kept Kiss grounded until Kiss mounted a comeback with a succession of forearms. Kiss did a nice springboard strike and slingshot pescado. Back inside, Kiss hit a split legged moonsault for the victory.

WINNER: Sonny Kiss in 4:30

(Howard’s Analysis: This was an impressive win for Kiss, who survived the early onslaught of stiff shots and trash talk from Bravo.)

(6) ROBYN RENEGADE vs. VICKY DREAMBOAT

The graphic said this is Dreamboat’s debut, but she wrestled on Dark literally last week. Renegade hit a pump kick right at the bell and took Dreamboat to the outside. Vicious chops were dished out as Renegade trash talked the fans before heading back in the ring. A Camel Clutch by fish hooking the mouth of Dreamboat, who nearly surprised Renegade with a school girl for two. Renegade hit a single leg dropkick before back to the trash talk until a pump handle slam connected. Renegade took way too long and missed a moonsault, rolling to the floor. Dreamboat went after her, but referee Mike Posey wouldn’t let her. Instead, Renegade rolled back inside, countered Dreamboat into a powerslam for the win. Something is fishy here, as “Robyn” Renegade got her first victory in AEW. Post match, Tony Schiavone went to interview the winner, but he called out Robyn for actually being Charlette Renegade, as they did a little switcheroo. Both twins got in the ring and said they wouldn’t dare trick the fans, as Tony isn’t buying this malarkey.

WINNER: Robyn Renegade in 3:30

(Howard’s Analysis: Well, congratulations to Charlette for Robyn’s first AEW win? Or congratulations to Robyn on her first win? Regardless, we got a little twin magic from the Renegades to give them their first win in AEW, which is all that matters.)

(7) ANTHONY OGOGO vs. TRENTON STORM

Taz tells us he’s been in Trenton during a storm and there was a lot of flooding, which popped Excalibur. The Human Suplex Machine, master of word play. Storm tried to throw some early strikes, but was taken down at ease by Ogogo who powered Storm up into a slam. A kitchen sink knee turned Storm inside out, as Ogogo zoned in on the ribs. Storm hit a dropkick that took Ogogo off his feet momentarily, but Ogogo didn’t like that and leveled Storm with uppercuts. Trapped in the ropes, Ogogo teed off with a violent body shot that crumbled Storm to the point the referee called a stoppage. Post match, Ogogo hit a Tower of London for good measure.

WINNER: Anthony Ogogo in 3:30

(Howard’s Analysis: Total destruction from Anthony Ogogo, who was taken off his feet for 2 seconds, which only lit a fire and it spelled the doom for Trenton Storm.)

(8) LEVA BATES vs. KIAH DREAM

This is Leva’s third match since March of 2021, so it’s good to see The Librarian back in action. Dream immediately smacked the book out of Leva’s hands and took her glasses. Dream got an eye poke, low dropkick and chokes Leva in the corner. Snap mare and boot to the back, as Dream kept slapping Leva, mocking her for her books. Leva hulked up with strikes and Northern Lights for two. Leva floated over a bodyslam and rolled up Dream for the win.

WINNER: Leva Bates in 2:00

(Howard’s Analysis: Well, this was Leva’s first win since December 2020, but it was a match for Excalibur to get all his plugs in for upcoming AEW shows. Taz only got to call one move and Excalibur wasn’t even finished with his plugs by the time this ended.)

(9) ROPPONGI VICE (Trent Beretta & Rocky Romero) vs. THE WINGMEN (Ryan Nemeth & Peter Avalon w/JD Drake)

The Wingmen attacked before the match officially began, as Trent & Rocky were sent into the guardrail. Trent went up to the stage and was dropped with a hard double suplex by Avalon & Nemeth. With Rocky held, he ducked a Nemeth clothesline, who took out his own partner. Rocky nailed a running cross body off the steps and Trent hit a moonsault off the stage onto The Wingmen. The match officially begins, as Avalon was ping ponged with forearms, high knee and clothesline that turned Avalon inside out. Nemeth made the tag and immediately ate a chop that crumbled him. Trent went for a baseball slide, but Nemeth pulled the ring apron, trapped Trent as he & Avalon beat him down. Trent was isolated until Nemeth missed the Rude Awakening and Trent hit a Tornado DDT for the reset. Hot tag to Rocky, who hit a step up hurricanrana and forever clotheslines onto both Wingmen. Trent made the tag, hung up Avalon on the ropes, as Rocky hit a top rope knee and Trent with a low knee for two. Nemeth & Rocky spilled outside, as Trent was pulled off the second rope from Avalon. Nemeth made the tag and got the Pendulum DDT for a close two. Rude Awakening and Frog Splash connected, but Rocky broke up the count. Nemeth went for a Fame Asser, but ate a double knee from Trent & Rocky. Trent hit a Gobstopper knee, but Nemeth kicked out. JD Drake tripped Trent, which led to Orange Cassidy walking out to deliver his little kicks. It was distraction enough for Rocky to wipe out Drake with a dive, as Nemeth was dropped with Strong Zero to give Trent the three.

WINNERS: Roppongi Vice in 7:00

(Howard’s Analysis: I dug this main event, as Trent & Rocky looked good ahead of their title match with FTR tomorrow on Dynamite. The Wingmen got off quite a bit of offense, so credit The Hollywood Hunk and Pretty Peter for making it close. In the end, it just wasn’t enough, as Roppongi Vice is back, but I don’t know what this means for Best Friends? Will it lead to something with Chuck Taylor or will Trent just be part of two tag teams?)

FINAL THOUGHTS: This was an entertaining little episode of Dark, with the main event culminating in a tag team who will be featured on Dynamite tomorrow night, which is always a plus in terms of continuity. Match of the Night goes to Angels & Moriarty who put on a fantastic back and forth contest. I’m genuinely intrigued to see where they are going with Moriarty and hope it’s something good. This show was filled with your standard Dark squashes, but most of the opponents got off at least more offense than usual. We also got the first win, controversial or not, for Robyn Renegade. I wonder when the next set of Dark matches will be filmed, as this was the last set of matches from this taping. Perhaps they’ll film some in Vegas?

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S AEW DARK TV REPORT: 5/17 AEW DARK TV REPORT: Wheeler Yuta vs. Josh Woods for the ROH Pure Championship, more