6 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dark (Nov 10)
Streamlined card yields mixed results for AEW's web series.
Cody Rhodes' comments on AEW Dark during last week's Full Gear media conference call brought important context to a show that is now sometimes longer than Dynamite, as he pointed out, correctly, that the web series has become AEW's way of giving work to out-of-pocket indie wrestlers during a pandemic.
Opportunities for these wrestlers to get booked are few and far between at the moment. On Dark, they can score a payday, increase their exposure, and potentially get signed if their performances are at a high enough level, as we've seen with Will Hobbs and other, implied signings. While this doesn't negate valid comments on how the increased runtimes have negatively impacted the show's watchability, it should at least be considered when criticising the show. AEW is doing these wrestlers a good turn here.
This week's Dark was shorter than the last few, coming through with just nine matches compared to the usual double-figured lineup. The Lucha Brothers, Alan Angels, and Leva Bates were amongst the highlighted wrestlers, with Jurassic Express meeting Joey Janela and Sonny Kiss in a more competitive outing. Elsewhere, AEW fans got a chance to watch D-Von Dudley's sons, TNT, in action, while Top Flight returned for another go-around.
Let's light the fuse...