6 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dark (Oct 29)

2. Sakura's Stuttering Victory

While it was good to see Sadie Gibbs, Allie, Emi Sakura, and Penelope Ford back on AEW television and given an opportunity to show flurries of what could make each of them special, their four-way bout was a damp squib.

Ostensibly a number one contender's bout (given that Sakura is reportedly facing Women's Champion Riho at Full Gear), it was every disjointed four-way dance you've ever seen in that much of it revolved around two wrestlers going to work in the ring while the others conveniently chilled on the outside. More than that, the wrestlers struggled to break out of second gear. They were locked into a pedestrian pace with little cohesion to anything they were doing, and while it at least looked like they were working hard, this was another disappointing offering from a division that hasn't delivered thus far.

It's hard to get a read on any of these wrestlers' positioning coming out of it. Allie's babyface excellence hasn't been exploited thus far and Ford and Gibbs, while raw, are packed with potential. Sakura should have a great match with Riho and looked strong here, so let's hope AEW find enough gaps in her busy joshi schedule to make her a fixture.