3 Ups & 7 Downs From AEW Dark (Nov 5)

Downs...

7. Women's Match Ravaged By Telling Cuts

Allie Mercedes Martinez
AEW

Big Swole and Mercedes Martinez vs. Allie and Sadie Gibbs was a shoddy match far below the quartet's collective talent level.

It started off with Swole and Gibbs, whom the commentators put over as hosses even though they weren't wrestling that way. It was an awkward, plodding sequence typical of the bout as a whole, with only a few flashes of excitement down the stretch saving it from outright failure. Slow, overlong, and peppered with obvious editing cuts to cover miscommunications and errors, it was at its best when Martinez was in the ring to hold things together, but never anything close to blow-away.

A shorter runtime, more action-focused layout, and increased volume of spots from the hyper-athletic Gibbs and world-class Martinez would've surely helped shake the crowd from their slumber.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.