All Elite Wrestling presents Dark
Date: 11/26/2019
From: Indianapolis, IN
Matches:
1.) Trent defeated Pentagon Jr.
2.) Shana defeated Big Swole
3.) Awesome Kong defeated Leva Bates
4.) AAA Mega Champion Kenny Omega defeated Jack Evans to retain the title
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Tony Schiavone is the host this week. Dasha Gonzalez is not there, but Tony says she’ll return next week.
2.) Shawn Spears joins Excalibur on commentary for this weeks episode of AEW Dark.
3.) Trent starts off with a chop, but Pentagon nails Trent with a kick to the midsection. Pentagon counters a roll through attempt by kicking Trent in the face. Pentagon kicks Trent on the thigh and runs the ropes, but Trent elbows Pentagon. Pentagon kicks Trent from the apron and tries for a slingshot, but Trent hits a fisherman suplex for a two count. Trent stomps Pentagon and they both go to the apron. Trent kicks Pentagon off the apron. Trent delivers a running knee strike to knock Pentagon to the floor. Trent rolls Pentagon into the ring, but Pentagon bails to the floor. Pentagon avoids a crossbody and superkicks Trent on the floor. Pentagon overhand chops Trent against the apron followed by a kick to the chest. Pentagon sends Trent face first into the ring post and taunts the crowd. Pentagon rams Trent face first onto the ring steps. Pentagon fish hooks Trent in the middle of the ring, but Trent responds with strikes. Pentagon and Trent trade strikes until Trent nails Pentagon with a clothesline. Trent tries for a suicide dive, but is met with a kick. Pentagon heads to the top missing a double stomp. Trent hits a half nelson suplex and Pentagon bails to the floor. Trent takes Pentagon out with a somersault dive to the floor. Trent rolls Pentagon into the ring and delivers a running knee strike for a near fall. Trent elbows Pentagon in the corner and tries for a tornado DDT, but Pentagon counters and superkicks Trent. Pentagon delivers a sling blade for a near fall.
Pentagon pulls Trent up and tries for a Package Piledriver, but Trent counters with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Trent sits Pentagon on the top turnbuckle, but Pentagon kicks Trent off the middle rope. Pentagon double stomps Trent as Trent remained trapped over the middle rope for a near fall. Trent goes upside down into the corner and Pentagon delivers a backstabber. Pentagon springboards off the middle rope and spikes Trent with a Canadian Destroyer for a near fall! Trent struggles to get to his feet. Trent counters a pump handle with a rollup for a two count. Pentagon superkicks Trent, but Trent runs out of the corner to connect with a running knee strike. They both roll to the apron where Pentagon kicks Trent on the thigh and they trade forearm strikes. Pentagon kicks Trent and delivers the Package Piledriver on the apron! Pentagon rolls Trent into the ring and hits an arm breaker. Pentagon attempts another Package Piledriver, but Trent counters with the Crunchie (Dudebuster) to win the match! (***1/2. I’m honestly a bit surprised that the Package Piledriver on the apron didn’t end the match. One thing in modern wrestling that annoys me is the usage of big moves and then they are meaningless. You’ve got to protect something and that’s a big spot to have it ultimately mean nothing within twenty-seconds. This is a big singles win for Trent, and I enjoyed the action for the most part.)
4.) A video package promoting Shanna is shown. Shanna talks about watching WWF as a kid, but there was no wrestling Portugal. Shanna talks about her career and getting to Japan where she won championships. Shanna had doubt and thought about quitting. She got rejected by “the other company.” She recalls a time when someone in TNA said that TV adds ten pounds and she’d look too fat compared to other women. Shanna led to having an eating disorder among other issues. Shanna was going to end her career in October, but it ended up being the start of a new chapter. Shanna says that Kenny Omega called her and she didn’t believe it. Shanna has worked for what she’s earned and it can’t be taken from her. She wants to prove everyone wrong that rejected her. She’s grateful for people believing in her and giving her a chance.
5.) Alex Marvez is with Big Swole for an interview. Swole says everyone has a story and talks about her battle with Crohn’s Disease and fought death. Swole considers herself greatness and doesn’t think Shanna is ready for all this.
6.) Swole wants to do a test of strength with Shanna to start the match. Shanna accepts and they battle in the test of strength. Shanna bridges down and Swole poses for the crowd. Swole gets wrist control, but Shanna rolls through and keeps wrist control. Shanna snapmares Swole to the mat and plays to the crowd. Shanna shoulder blocks Swole, but Swole doesn’t budge. Shanna arm drags Swole and drop toe holds Swole to maintain the advantage. Swole kips up and arm drags Shanna. They trade a couple of pin attempts leading to a standoff. Swole kicks Shanna in the midsection, but Shanna head scissors Swole followed by a kick to the midsection. Shanna delivers a somersault neckbreaker for a near fall. Shanna forearms Swole a couple of times. Swole arm drags Shanna, but Shanna rolls through. Shanna tries for a rollup managing a two count. Swole drops Shanna with a pump kick for a two count. Swole hooks Shanna for a suplex, but Shanna punches free. Swole forearms Shanna into the corner. Swole presses Shanna’s face into the middle turnbuckle. Swole uppercuts Shanna and delivers a snapmare. Swole controls Shanna with a neck vice and continues with elbow strikes. Swole keeps a neck vice on Shanna, but Shanna counters quickly. Swole elbows Shanna into the ropes. Swole sends Shanna chest first into the corner and delivers a clothesline for a two count.
Swole stomps Shanna and charges the corner, but lands on the apron. Swole chokes Shanna over the middle rope, but it’s not legal and is forced to let go. Swole kicks Shanna from the apron and tries to hit a cutter from the apron, but is met with a kick on the chin instead by Shanna. Swole and Shanna trade overhand strikes in the middle of the ring. Swole gains the advantage with strikes, but Shanna decks Swole into the corner. Shanna avoids Swole in the corner and knee strikes Swole over the middle rope. Shanna forearms Swole. Shanna nails Swole with a running dropkick over the bottom rope and slides to the floor. Shanna hits a top rope crossbody for a near fall. Swole backs Shanna into a corner and elbows Shanna. Shanna lays Swole over the top turnbuckle and Swole is trapped upside down. Shanna nails Swole with a double stomp to the back, but Swole kicks out at two. Shanna ducks a clothesline to deliver a palm strike. Swole plants Shanna with a swinging slam for a two count. Swole nails Shanna with a knee strike for a near fall. Shanna delivers a dragon suplex after countering a clothesline and wins the match. (**. A little sloppy in moments, but it was a decent women’s match. Shanna came across well and could easily be someone that AEW focuses on in the division for a push, I think. Swole didn’t look bad, but Shanna came across better here.)
7.) Peter Avalon comes out with Leva Bates to cut a promo on the crowd. Avalon mentions the Indy 500 and says that sitting in your car isn’t a sport and he doesn’t watch NASCAR. Avalon gets cutoff quickly by Awesome Kong’s music.
8.) Bates decides it’s a good idea to try and read a book to Kong. It’s Justin Robert’s book, by the way. Bates closed the book in Kong’s eyes. Kong nails Bates with a spinning back fist. Kong delivers the Soul Collector. Avalon acts as if he’s going to get in the ring, but backs off. Kong pins Bates for the easy win. (NR. Kong is great. She doesn’t need Brandi, I’d say.) After the match, Kong cuts some of Leva’s hair off.
9.) Evans drop toe holds Omega and gets a front face lock, but Omega breaks free. Omega counters with a wrist lock, but Evans kicks Omega into the ropes and they have a standoff. Evans shoves Omega, but Omega shoves Evans to the mat. Omega chops Evans several times. Evans runs into a boot in the corner. Omega avoids Evans in the corner, but Evans kicks Omega and misses a clothesline. Omega baseball slide dropkicks Evans followed by a bulldog, but Evans breakdances to avoid the impact. Evans slaps Omega across the ring, but Omega responded with a slap. Evans spin kicks Omega, but is dumped to the apron. Evans kicks Omega and tries for a springboard, but Omega dropkicks Evans in midair for a two count. Omega chops Evans to the mat and sends Evans into the corner. Omega drives Evans down with a backbreaker for a near fall. Omega sends Evans into the corner upside down and Evans crashes to the mat. Omega has Evans over his shoulder to lock in a backbreaker. Omega puts a Gory Special on Evans, but Evans counters with a rollup for a two count. Omega decks Evans over the back with a strike. Omega backdrops Evans coming off the ropes. Omega clubs Evans over the back with a strike. Evans counters a powerbomb by delivering a facebuster and hits a standing moonsault for a near fall. Evans hip tosses Omega for a two count. Evans can’t believe Omega kicked out of a hip toss.
Omega forearms Evans and delivers a forearm to the lower back several times. Omega catches Evans on a springboard to deliver a backbreaker for a near fall. Omega kicks Evans over the back several times. Evans blocks a kick and kicks Omega several times. Omega drops Evans with a chop to the chest. Evans cartwheel kicks Omega to the floor. Evans hits a springboard moonsault to the floor onto Omega. Evans leaps off the ring steps to spin kick Omega and sends Omega into the ring post. Evans suplexs Omega on the floor. Evans hits a slingshot 450 splash from the apron for a two count. Evans kicks Omega into the corner and kicks Omega on the legs several times. Evans kicks Omega on the head and hits a standing corkscrew splash for a two count. Evans knee strikes Omega, but Omega forearms and chops Evans. Evans spits on Omega. Omega kicks Evans into the corner and hits a snap dragon suplex. Evans blocks another suplex attempt, but misses a kick. Omega delivers another snap dragon suplex. Omega tries for a German suplex off the apron, but Evans holds onto the ropes. Omega kicks Evans off the apron to the floor. Omega drops Evans with a snap dragon suplex on the floor. Omega drops Evans over his knee for a near fall. Omega buckle bombs Evans followed by a sit out spinebuster for a near fall. Evans kicks Omega and hits a springboard blockbuster from the apron for a two count. Evans heads to the top rope, but Omega got his knees up to block a 450 splash. Omega delivers a running knee strike and spikes Evans with the Tiger Driver ’98 for a near fall. Omega knee strikes Evans before hitting the One Winged Angel for the win. (***. I don’t think anyone truly thought Evans had a shot here, at all. It was a decent match, but not anything overly noteworthy. It’s a fine match, but it mostly came across as an extended showcase for Omega.)
Final Thoughts:
A good episode of Dark this week with Trent/Pentagon standing out. An easy hour program to watch.
Thanks for reading.