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

3. Cunning Stunts

Jurassic Express entrance
AEW

It's hard to approach a bout like Jimmy Havoc vs. Marko Stunt without damning it with faint praise, but their Dark clash was about as good as you could expect from this pairing. It was a solid, exciting opening sprint that exploited Marko's explosiveness and attempted to put Havoc over as a guy capable of getting it done outside the hardcore realm.

A match that began with Marko going nuts on Havoc and hitting his opponent with all kinds of propulsive offense get serious when Stunt hit a swinging DDT off a dive to the floor. Jimmy recovered, grinding Stunt down with slower, more methodical approach, before Mel and Dr. Luther appeared on the stage. There was no dopey distraction finish here, though: Jimmy and Marko just kept on wrestling, with Havoc putting the smaller man away via Acid Rainmaker.

Good stuff here, though the Luther/Mel tease was weird. The good doctor hasn't wrestled since 2017 so is Jimmy about to join him and his pal in The Nightmare Collective 2.0? Sounds terrifying.

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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.