5 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dark (Sep 29)
Dissension in The Dark Order, Tay Conti, Nyla Rose, and more.
All Elite Wrestling switched things up with this week's episode of Dark, attempting to present the nine-match card as something more than the usual run of samey squash matches by incorporating several storylines. They have done this before, of course, and the format rarely lasts, though the twist was welcome. Consuming this typically dry show on a weekly basis gets tiresome.
That isn't to say there wasn't room for a handful of textbook Dark pseudo squashes, though. Last night had several, and their effectiveness was as varied as ever, particularly in the tag division.
Ricky Starks has been a complementary presence in the commentary booth lately and earned an eight-match run last night, replacing the guesting Shawn Spears after the opening bout. He did a good job as usual, though it helps that he has built-in chemistry with Taz and is generally one of AEW's slickest talkers, easing the transition.
It was a rough night for The Dark Order, who experienced misfortune in two separate tag matches. Elsewhere, SoCal Uncensored warmed up for tonight's Tag Team Title shot, while Nyla Rose, Tay Conti, Best Friends, and more worked showcase spots. Let's light the fuse...