6 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dark (Aug 4)

4. The Butcher and The Blade vs. Private Party

Private Party
AEW

Dark has become a must-watch show for anyone looking to keep tabs on the full breadth of AEW's tag division. The scene is so deep that highlighting everybody on Dynamite is impossible, leaving the promotion with no choice but to put middling tandems in solid, TV-level bouts on the B-show, which works to the web series' benefit.

Private Party and The Butcher and The Blade are in similar spots. The faces are 5-4 in 2020, the heels 5-5, and a win for either would mean a step closer to title contention. That's why keeping track of such things is important: it adds stakes to otherwise routine bouts.

This was a good power vs. speed battle, with Quen and Kassidy using their athleticism to craft openings early on, before the momentum swung towards the heels once Butcher started Big Man-ing all over the place. Private Party recovered and appeared to have Butch at their mercy late on. Both were on opposite top turnbuckles when Blade shoved Quen, Kassidy missed a Swanton Bomb, and villains hit Full Death for the W, meaning they could now take Party's no. 5 spot in this week's rankings.

'Big Money' Matt Hardy was conspicuous by his absence here. Perhaps that'll be followed up on next week?

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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.