5 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dark (Nov 8)

1. Rose Slows Things Down

Nyla Rose Leva Bates AEW Dark
AEW

There's a way to do squash match, and it isn't to have your monstrous heel slowly chug to victory - even if its over two opponents.

The story of Nyla Rose being forced to select a partner after claiming she could beat Shazza McKenzie and Shalandra Royal alone was a neat one, as was her picking the most useless member of the roster in Leva Bates to prove a point (even if it did echo the Braun Strowman/Nicholas Cone farce). Unfortunately, she didn't prove that point emphatically, putting in a performance akin to continental drift; Rose destroyed her opponents, but it took her an age.

Bantering Leva Bates off in using her as a hazard rather than a partner was a menacing heel move, but it couldn't mask the crowd gradually cooling, showing a distinct lack of heat in contrast to the opener. The result also means that, in a company where wins and losses matter, The Librarian now has a farcical notch in the 'W' column despite doing absolutely sod all in this match.

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Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.