AEW Denver gets Dark!

There’s more action in the fallout from Revolution! Who will make big moves in the AEW ranks as Blood & Guts approaches?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Jurassic Express VS Peter Avalon w/ Leva Bates & Kip Sabian w/ Penelope Ford; Jurassic Express wins.
• Jimmy Havoc VS Severino Corrente; Havoc wins.
• Hikaru Shida VS Abadon; Shida wins.
• Private Party VS Sonny Kiss & Brandon Cutler; Private Party wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Jurassic Express VS Peter Avalon w/ Leva Bates & Kip Sabian w/ Penelope Ford!

Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus take on the Librarian and Superbad to kick things off! Will Avalon and Sabian rebound together and rise up tag team ranks towards Hangman Page and Kenny Omega? Or will they go extinct as Winter thaws into Spring?

Avalon again hushes the crowd as he makes his entrance. “We are in Denver, Colorado!” But before Avalon can come up with clever put downs, Jurassic Express make their entrance! Marko Stunt leads the march down the ramp and teams sort out. Fans are fired up as Luchasaurus starts against Kip. Kip gets in Saurus’ face so Saurus clamps on a claw! Sabian slips out of the choke then ducks the boot to crane pose. Saurus BOOTS Sabian to the corner! Avalon tags in but he sees a boot and skids to a stop! Saurus roars but Avalon says “Shhh!” Saurus backs off to tag in Jungle Boy and he circles with Avalon. Fans fire up as JB waistlocks but Avalon headlocks. JB powers out but Avalon runs him over with a shoulder.

Avalon hushes everyone, then runs, but things speed up, and he gets to show off his agility! JB sweeps the legs and covers, ONE. Avalon goes to sweep but JB jumps over and hushes the Librarian! JB ducks the ax handles to CHOP! He knuckle locks and acrobatically uses the ropes to arm-drag Avalon away! JB runs to tilt-o-whirl headscissors and dropkicks! Fans fire up as JB kips up, but Superbad and company are upset. JB bring Avalon up but Sabian tags in. Avalon reverses the wrench but JB rocks him with a right. Sabian jumps in but into a mule kick! JB scoop slams Sabian down then implosion sentons! He springboard tornillo body checks Avalon out of the ring! Denver is fired up for JB but Avalon yanks Saurus off the apron and shoves Stunt down!

Sabian puts JB on the apron but JB enziguris him away! JB slingshots but Penelope trips him up! Sabian takes advantage with the draping neckbreaker! Cover, TWO! The Bad Girl is upset but Avalon tags in. Avalon claws JB’s back and Sabian kicks him down. Fans rally up and JB fights back. JB runs but into a leg lariat! Avalon sucker punches Saurus but that just angers the dino-man! Avalon runs away and puts JB in the corner. Sabian grabs JB in a sleeper while Avalon CHOPS and punches JB down. Tag to Sabian and Avalon lifts JB up. Sabian springboards, missile dropkick Hart Attack! Cover, TWO! Sabian kicks and stomps JB in frustration, all the way to the ropes.

Fans boo but Sabian gives them deuces, and Penelope chokes JB on the ropes! Sabian tags Avalon and they double suplex JB down. Cover, TWO, but Avalon is on JB with a camel clutch. Fans rally up and JB endures. JB fights up and throws elbows, to then SLAP Avalon! Avalon pulls JB’s hair to throw him down! Avalon snap suplexes JB then climbs up as fans boo. MOONSAULT FLOP! JB crawls for his corner but so does Avalon. Penelope throws a book in and the ref is busy picking it up as Sabian jumps onto JB! Sabian drags JB back and Avalon chokes him! Leva argues with Penelope about their tactics, and they start shoving! Marko walks over to settle the ladies down, but they shove him into barriers! Then Leva shoves Penelope! Penelope shoves back and fans want to see them fight!

Avalon and Sabian are too busy watching their managers argue, and JB makes the tag! Luchasaurus LARIATS and CHOPS Avalon! Sabian springboards in but Saurus dodges to CHOP and LARIAT! Question Mark Kick! Avalon puts a guard up, but Saurus brings it down to ROUNDHOUSE Avalon down! Sabian is up, ducks a clothesline, and springboards into Saurus’ arms! Pop-up DEATH VALLEY! The Fossilizer takes Sabian down, and then Saurus grabs Avalon. Avalon breaks free to CHOP! Avalon leaps but Luchasaurus HANDSPRINGS under the leg lariat! Luchasaurus hits the CHOKE SLAM! And standing moonsault! Cover but Sabian breaks it up!

Saurus drags Sabian up by the choke grip, but Sabian pops up to huricanrana! JB tags in and elbows Sabian, then rocks him with a forearm! And a corner European Uppercut! JB whips, Sabian reverss, but JB comes back with a LARIAT! Fans fire up with Jungle Boy as he spins, kicks and full nelsons Avalon. Avalon standing switches, but Saurus somersaults in, JB feeds Avalon to Saurus’ SPIKE headscissors! JB runs and uses Saurus to launch for a flying headscissor! Sabian stays on the apron but the TAIL WHIP takes him down! JB brings Avalon up, feeds to Saurus’ scoop and gut wrench, swing out to a CUTTER!! Cover, Jurassic Express wins!

Winners: Jurassic Express, by pinfall

Jurassic Express is rolling down the tracks! Will they be heading for a tag team championship shot as AEW rolls forward?

Tony Schiavone and Dasha Gonzalez welcome us back to AEW Dark.

Dasha loves the Nightmare Family Pharaoh shirt. Get this and all AEW merchandise at the official AEW shop, and 20% of proceeds will go to Planned Pethood! Not only that, but these first two weeks of March, AEW will cover your adoption fees through Planned Pethood International!

Jimmy Havoc VS Severino Corrente!

Just when Havoc accepted Luther’s invitation to “play ball,” Luther bailed! Will Havoc be ready when Luther is? Or will this new recruit to AEW strike him out first?

The bell rings and Corrente is wary of Havoc. Fans sing, “Jimmy’s gonna kill~ you!” Havoc and Corrente tie up and Havoc powers Corrente to a corner. The ref calls for the ropebreak and Havoc honors it. Havoc and Corrente tie up, Havoc wrenches to a wristlock and he brings Corrente to his knees with the finger torture. Corrente gets up but Havoc wrings him back down. Havoc stands on Corrente’s face while bending the fingers. Corrente rolls up, breaks free and throws haymakers! Fans chant “We Want Staples!” while Havoc eggs Corrente on. Corrente punches more but Havoc just smiles, before hitting a rolling elbow! Havoc puts Corrente in a corner for CHOPS and forearms! He rolls Corrente to KICK in the back!

Fans rally up and Havoc fish hooks Corrente’s mouth! Then a fireman’s carry, but Corrente rakes Havoc back! Corrente clubs Havoc on the back and goes after him in the corner! Corrente throws more shoulders in then stalks Havoc to another corner. He rams into Havoc more then throws hands. The ref counts and Corrente goes corner to corner, but runs into STOMPS! Havoc drags Corrente up to snap suplex him into buckles! Havoc hops up and leaps for double stomps! Fans fire up and Havoc drags Corrente off the mat. Wristlock ripcord, but Corrente gets under to GERMAN SUPLEX Havoc into buckles!

Corrente drags Havoc out but Havoc avoids a cover. Corrente wrangles him back down for another cover, TWO! Fans rally for Havoc as Corrente fish hooks Havoc back! Havoc BITES those fingers! The ref counts, Corrente breaks free but Havoc pokes him in the eye! Havoc spins Corrente around, SIT-OUT DDT! Shotgun dropkick! Fisherman DDT!! Havoc tops it off with the fireman’s carry, ROLLING Death Valley! Then a running knee! But that’s not all, Havoc wristlock ripcords for ACID RAIN MAKER! Cover, Havoc wins!

Winner: Jimmy Havoc, by pinfall

That’s definitely a home run for Havoc! He dares Luther to show himself, but no such luck. Havoc goes up the ramp and soaks up the cheers, but NOW Luther appears to ambush him! Luther plays dirty as he stomps Havoc down to ringside! He throws Havoc into railing! Then DDT’s him on the steel! The Death Dealer gets away with the blind side, but will Havoc make him regret it?

Tony and Dasha remind us where AEW is headed next!

• 3/11/2020: The Maverik Center in Salt Lake City, Utah!
• 3/18/2020: The Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York!
• 3/25/2020: The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey!
• 4/1/2020: The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee’s Panther Arena in where else? Milwaukee Wisconsin!
• 4/8/2020: The Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri!
• 4/15/2020: The Agganis Arena in Boston, Massachusetts!
• 4/22/2020: The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!
• 4/29/2020: The Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas!
• NEW 5/6/2020: The Uno Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana!
• NEW 5/13/2020: The Santa Ana Star Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico!
• AEW Double or Nothing 2 – 5/23/2020: The MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada!
• 5/27/2020: AEW Dynamite is also in the MGM Grand Arena for DoN2 fallout!

Hikaru Shida VS Abadon!

The Stardom Samurai is hot on the tail of the Native Beast who still holds the AEW Women’s World Championship. But will she stay on track as a new name debuts?

Shida is not sure what to make of Abadon, but neither is anyone else in Denver. The bell rings and fans chant at Abadon, “Eat Her Soul! Eat Her Soul!” Abadon shrieks and Shida is very wary as they tie up. They knuckle lock and Abadon kicks Shida low. Abadon brings a hand towards her mouth but Shida breaks free! Shida tells the ref Abadon was about to bite her, and she more than likely was. Abadon shouts and shrieks, but Shida fires herself up to get over her fears. They tie up, Shida waistlocks, headlocks but Abadon powers out. Shida runs Abadon over but Abadon sits up like a certain Dead Man. Shida’s fears return as she swings, but Abadon ducks and runs to tilt-o-whirl headscissor! Abadon dropkicks Shida down! Cover, TWO!

Abadon shouts at Shida and fans chant “Eat Her Soul!” again. Abadon drags Shida up, wrenches the arm, and goes to bite it! Shida breaks free and knees Abadon low. Shida reels Abadon in and snap suplexes! But now Abadon spider bridges like a certain Face of Fear! Shida fights off her fear and kicks low but Abadon blocks the suplex. Abadon turns it around into a DDT! Abadon drags Shida up against the ropes and bends her back. The ref counts but Abadon lets up at 4. Abadon goes through the ropes to admire Shida’s pretty face, and LICK it! Shida freaks out from disgust more than fear, but now she’s angry, too! Shida clubs Abadon but Abadon smiles! Abadon laughs as Shida keeps hitting her, so Shida lets her hair down!

Shida fires off forearm after forearm and whips, but Abadon reverses to grab Shida’s hair! Shida breaks free to grab Abadon’s hair! And she throws Abadon into buckles! Shida goes corner to corner for a BIG knee! Abadon staggers, Shida leaps and missile dropkicks! Fans fire up with Shida as she ghost pins Abadon, TWO! Abadon sits up again, to get DECKED! Cover, TWO! Shida waits for Abadon to rise, to Shining Wizard in the back! Cover, TWO!! Abadon still lives but Shida grins now. Shida drags Abadon up, suplexes, but Abadon slips out. Abadon ducks the back hand, then another, to get around Shida for the Edge o’matic! Cover, TWO!! Shida barely escapes the upset and Abadon shrieks.

Abadon runs into an enziguri! And then into a suplex! Shida won’t end it there, she drags Abadon up and runs, but Abadon’s shriek makes her pause. The two stare down, but Shida still Shining Wizards! Cover, Shida wins!

Winner: Hikaru Shida, by pinfall

The samurai slays the zombie and is ready for the beast! Will Shida conquer the AEW Women’s Division with both strength and courage?

Dasha interviews Jimmy Havoc backstage.

How is he feeling after that attack from Luther? “I hardly noticed.” He’s always sore, but he actually thanks Luther. That is what he knew and wanted Luther to do. But then Luther appears to do it again!! Luther clubs away on Havoc and throws him into a wall! Then clubs him more on a table! Security hurries to pull the Death Dealer off Havoc! Luther strikes twice, but will he get the third one on Havoc before he can strike back?

AEW hears from The Librarians.

“Hi, Book Marks! It’s that time!” Book of the Month! This month’s book: Written in the Stars! A tragic tale of- Oh wait, here’s one of the other new names to join AEW, “Boom Boom” Colt Cabana! Is Colt reading an audio book? Or no, listening. Colt would never do that. He’s listening to a podcast. Avalon is abashed! What a childish millennial, listening to something that isn’t literature! Has Colt heard of Leo Tolstoy? Has Avalon ever heard of Comedy Bang Bang? Hemingway. Never Not Funny. Mark Twain. Stop Podcasting Yourself. Tolkien. Doug Loves Movies. JK Rowling. Art of Wrestling. That is terrible media! Challenge! Challenge ACCEPTED! Avalon is flustered but Leva admits she loves Cabana’s own podcast. When and where will this battle of cultures go down?

Private Party VS Sonny Kiss & Brandon Cutler!

Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy are ready to get back in the thick of things when it comes to the AEW World Tag Team Championships, but their opponents just want to get on the board! Will the Concrete Rose and Dungeon Master be rolling into a celebration of their own? Or will the party continue into Spring Break?

The teams sort out and Cutler starts against Kassidy. The two circle and tie up, and Cutler wrenches to a wristlock. Cutler cranks on the arm but Kassidy rolls and handsprings to dust off and wrench back. Kassidy cranks Cutler now, but Cutler gets up to hit a shoulder breaker. Cutler headlocks but Kassidy powers out. Quen tags in, Cutler wrenches Kassidy but Private Party double whip. Cutler crisscrosses Private Party but Quen helps Kassidy mule kick. Cutler blocks to spin Kassidy and shove him. Quen jumps over Kassidy but Cutler jumps over Quen and Kiss tags in. Cutler rolls off Quen’s back, Quen ducks Cutler’s kick and then Kiss’s kick.

Kiss ducks Quen’s kick while Kassidy gets in. Kassidy and Kiss kick at Cutler and Quen, but they’re both blocked. Quen and Cutler flip Kiss and Kassidy but they both land on their feet, QUADRUPLE DROPKICKS cancel out! Fans fire up as the two teams regroup and the legal partners stay in. Fans rally as Kiss pushes Quen chest to chest, then pushes with his hands. Quen pushes back, but Kiss counter punches! Kiss wrenches, goes up the ropes and acrobatically arm-drags Quen away! Kiss runs, wheelbarrows and split leg arm-drags! Fans fire up for the fabulocity as Kiss handsprings corner to corner! Quen gets clear of Kiss and Kiss crashes into buckles. Quen blocks the kicks but gets another arm-drag. Kiss back kicks then runs, to BOOT and do the splits! Cover, ONE!

Kiss still smiles as he drags Quen up. Quen headbutts low then monkey flips, but Kiss handsprings through to land on his feet! Fans duel as Quen ducks a Kiss and feeds him to Kassidy’s enziguri! Tag and Kassidy climbs. Quen turns Kiss and Kassidy blows a kiss before the DUMDUM STOMP NECKBREAKER! Kassidy hits Cutler off the apron, then does a sassy dance. Cover on Kiss, TWO! Kassidy keeps his cool as he bumps Kiss off buckles hard. Kassidy blows more kisses then CHOPS Kiss down! He brings Kiss back up for another CHOP, then bumps him off buckles in the open corner. Fans rally up as Kassidy goes corner to corner, but Kiss swings on him! Kassidy gets around to waistlock and pushes, roll up but Kiss rolls through.

Quen tags in, Kassidy kicks Kiss low, and Private Party double whip. Atomic drop and squealing enziguri! Leg sweep, camel clutch, “SAY CHEESE!” Fans fire up as Quen covers, TWO! Kiss survives that photo shoot but Quen stomps him down. Quen CHOPS Kiss of his feet and covers again, TWO! Quen drags Kiss up by his ear and over to the corner. Tag to Kassidy, they double suplex Kiss but Kiss slips out! Kiss ducks the clotheslines to tag in Cutler! Springboard DOUBLE clothesline! Cutler rallies on Private Party but Kassidy mule kicks. Private Party double whips, Cutler ducks to shove them into each other. Cutler waistlocks, Kassidy standing switches, but Cutler boots Quen and elbows free. Cutler back drops Quen at Kassidy but Kassidy catches him safely.

Quen runs at Cutler in a corner but Cutler elbows back. Cutler boots Kassidy then gives out kicks! Quen is stuck on the ropes while Cutler sticks Kassidy between them. Cutler roundhouses Quen in the head then roundhouses Kassidy in the back! Both Private Party members are holding on, Cutler GUILLOTINE LEG DROPS Quen! Then the same for Kassidy! Cutler DIVES out onto Quen and takes him out at the ramp! He keeps going, to springboard ELBOW DROP Kassidy! Cover, TWO!! Cutler was so close! Tag to Kiss and Kiss drags Kassidy up. Kassidy breaks free, waistlocks and brings Kiss to ropes, but Kiss kicks Quen back out and goes up and over Kassidy! Kiss dropsaults and sends Kassidy out!

Fans fire up as Kiss builds speed, Kiss fakes Private Party out with the tumble to the apron! Kiss Penalty KICKS Kassidy, then mule kicks Quen! Kiss twerks and MOONSAULTS! Fans fire up as Kiss topples Quen over. Kiss puts Kassidy in and heads up top. Kassidy stands and Kiss leaps, flying huricanrana! Then a step-up leg drop! Cover, Quen breaks it in time! The ref reprimands Quen but he drags Kassidy to the corner. Quen tags in and runs at Kiss to get a mule kick. Kiss runs but his boot misses. Kiss still does the splits but gets Quen’s back flip knee drop on his back! Cover, TWO!! Kiss survives and Quen is frustrated. Quen clubs Kiss but cools off.

Quen drags Kiss up as fans rally up. He powers Kiss to the corner, tags in Kassidy, and Kassidy rolls the dice at Cutler. Looks like he got sevens and he hits Kiss with a back elbow! Kassidy rolls Quen and Quen gives Kassidy a spin as he corner clotheslines Kiss. Quen bulldogs Kiss onto Kassidy’s kicks, then Quen hits Cutler away. Kassidy keeps Kiss down with a clinch and Quen climbs on Kiss’s back, for a STANDING SHOOTING STAR! Cover, but Cutler breaks it in time! Cutler counter punches Kassidy and throws him out. Quen is there and helps Kassidy back in, SILLY STRING but no DDT! Cutler scoops Kassidy, TOTAL PARTY KILL! The TPK Gutbuster hits, but Quen springboards in! Cutler catches him, for a second TPK!! Kiss hurries in to cover Kassidy, TWO!?! If only Kiss was a second faster!

Fans rally up as Kiss climbs, but Quen is there. Kiss elbows Quen down then continues climbing. DC is thunderous and Kiss powers up. But Kassidy is up and blocks the leg! Quen tags in, he clobbers Cutler, then climbs up Kassidy to enziguri Kiss! Private Party calls for the end, GIN ‘N’ JUICE!! Cover, Private Party wins!!

Winners: Private Party, by pinfall

Private Party avoids the true #TotalPartyKill by pulling victory from the jaws of defeat! But here comes DEATH TRIANGLE!! PAC and the Lucha Brothers beat down Private Party out of nowhere! Cutler and Kiss try to help but they get beat down 3v2, too! Fenix chokes Quen on ropes then dumps him out while Pentagon stomps whoever he finds. Pac grabs a mic to shout at “Denver, Colorado! No happy ending for you tonight!” And to AEW, “if you continue to disrespect athletes of our caliber, well you’re going to get exactly what you asked for: ANARCHY!” #NoOneIsSafe!

The mugging continues on Private Party, Cutler and Kiss, but here comes Joey Janela! The Bad Boy fires off on Pac but he gets mugged 3v1! Denver cheers for Janela but he gets a basement dropkick in the corner from Fenix! Here come Best Friends! Chuck Taylor and Trent Baretta make Death Triangle bail out, and then Orange Cassidy brings up the rear. Pac, Pentagon and Fenix avoid a fight with The Sloth and his Best Friends, but are they the ones who aren’t safe making all these enemies?

My Thoughts:

This was a really good Dark, probably one of the best since AEW started this program. All the matches were really good, really fun, and there was some great story progression on many fronts. Jurassic Express gets a good win off the Librarian and Superbad, and I’m thinking we need to see Penelope VS Leva for the next Dark. I like that the new segment for the Librarians really just turned into setting up Cabana VS Avalon. That match should be on Dynamite so that AEW fans see Cabana on TV. And there was a lot of heat put on Havoc VS Luther, I need their match to be a Street Fight that ends up baseball themed just solely on Luther’s metaphor used in that promo he first gave to challenge Havoc. Put that on AEW Blood & Guts in a few weeks so that the whole night feels hardcore.

In a wrestling world where The Fiend is a thing and there’s even spooky women wrestlers on Impact, Abadon might be the freakiest thing right now. Apparently Abadon is Denver local so the fans were really pumped to see her make an AEW debut, and her character work alone helped heighten that match with Shida. Shida of course wins to keep strong towards a title opportunity, but I might have nightmares about Abadon now. Then we got a great tag match out of Private Party, Cutler and Kiss, and it makes a lot of sense for Private Party to win. I expected Cutler to lose his cool and turn on Kiss, but then Death Triangle showed up. And then everyone coming out to make the save, I am surprised Janela was involved. Maybe Janela joins up with Private Party or Cutler-Kiss for another new trio.

My Score: 8.5/10