10 AEW Dark Matches You Must See
Kenny Omega classics, Commentator Taz & wrestling pandas - the hidden gems from AEW's YouTube show.
After over a year on air (the show premiered on YouTube just under a week after AEW Dynamite's TNT debut) it's still difficult to judge what those within All Elite Wrestling actually think of Dark.
From Episode One, it offered easy and free viewing of the additional matches taped for the Wednesday live crowd. It didn't come with the guarantee of enjoyment, but of access. The company had assembled a sizeable roster following its formal launch in January 2019, and two hours on a Wednesday night wasn't enough television time to fit them all in.
It was an elegant solution to a tricky problem - ticket-purchasing punters got to see the majority of the roster, but Dynamite wouldn't need to be diluted by acts and stories that felt second strong. For a company without house shows, it offered a few extra reps, too.
That it only airs on YouTube has given the show freedom to roam, particularly during the pandemic era. Tighter turnarounds in front of live crowds have been abandoned in favour of 15-match mega-shows taped at Daily's Place designed to aid the win/loss rankings system and proffer opportunities for new talents and rising stars. Again, a certain elegance exists at its heart, even if the execution isn't always quite as effective.
Dark's reputation simply isn't must-see, and never has been. But that hasn't stopped some from trying to change that...
10. Kenny Omega Vs Jack Evans (November 26th 2019)
Like much of the 'The Best Bout Machine's back catalogue, Kenny Omega's 2019 will age so, so gracefully with the benefit of hindsight.
He played an out-of-form version when AEW launched, which is astonishing to even consider when watching one of these bouts out of context. Assembling a scintillating bout with Jack Evans over a title the Challenger never stood a chance of winning, Omega managed to escalate the drama in such a mesmerising way that he actually looked beaten before the One Winged Angel secured the win.
Omega was dominant beyond some high-flying flashes from Evans, but the AAA Mega Title champion played with own insecurities from recent losses against Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley. He uncorked a devastating Tiger Driver '98 for a blinding nearfall before going in hard with a V-Trigger that set up his match-winning finisher.
Watch and listen closely to the audience at the very beginning and end of this battle - the crowd pop louder for Aubrey Edwards than Evans, but come unglued with his final kickout. This, from both, was quietly masterful stuff.