4 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dark (Feb 25)

Ups...

4. The Nightmare Family Prevails

QT Marshall Dustin Rhodes
AEW

Tully Blanchard constantly lining up streams of dorks for Shawn Spears to team with on his quest to find the perfect partner undermines him as a supposed pro-wrestling mastermind. We've talked about it before but it makes little sense, so here we are again.

His charge worked a perfectly solid main event alongside Peter Avalon, whose tedious SHHHHH! promo was cut off by the Nightmare Family's entrance. What unfolded was a near 12-minute that rarely broke out of second gear but was too well worked to be anything but an Up, particularly as it wasn't as shtick-heavy as one might expect from the participants. The outside parties did get involved, sure, but it wasn't total overkill and Brandi Rhodes wiping Leva Bates out at the finish was loads of fun.

Brandi's involvement allowed Dustin to hit the Shattered Dreams before him and QT Marshall nailed their double-team finisher for the 1-2-3. Nice to see Rhodes picking up a victory ahead of his Revolution clash with Jake Hager.

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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.