5 Ups & 6 Downs From AEW Dark (May 26)
4. Sonny Kiss & Joey Janela vs. Brady Pierce and John Skyler
On a show largely populated by smirking dollar-store heel jobbers, Brady Pierce stood out for his height and for looking like a cleaner version of Cody Garbrandt. John Skyler, meanwhile, has been a solid southern indie hand for years now. Both played their losing roles well.
Joey Janela and Sonny Kiss are loads of fun together. They've got great onscreen chemistry for a couple of guys that had only ever teamed once before and that bodes well for the future, particularly as neither looks set to bag a featured Dynamite programme.
'The Concrete Rose' entered the strongest performance, standing out through his eye-catching, flashy offense without sacrificing impact. Kiss isn't the finished product but is quietly one of AEW's most intriguing prospects. The character is great, the work grabs your attention, and all he needs now is seasoning.
A Janela elbow drop on Skyler sealed the deal.