Episode 6 of AEW Dark was released early in preparation for the Full Gear PPV. Coming from Charlotte, NC, it featured Hikaru Shida in singles action and Nyla Rose jerking it up as a power beast.
Here’s the lineup with ratings (watch, okay, pass) on which matches are worth your time:
- Big Swole vs Hikaru Shida (okay)
- Nyla Rose & Leva Bates vs Shalandra Royal & Shazza McKenzie (pass, although Rose was impressively powerful)
- Jack Evans, Angelico, & Kip Sabian vs Scorpio Sky, Frankie Kazarian, & Cima (pass)
Watch the show here.
Tony Schiavone and Dasha Gonzalez welcomed us from the control center. Goldenboy and Excalibur were on commentary. The guest announcer rotated with Arn Anderson for the first match and Chuck Taylor for the last two.
Big Swole vs Hikaru Shida
I guess Big Swole is dumping her name Aerial Monroe and just using the nickname now. Darn tooting that Hikaru Shida brought her sword to the big. Big Swole vs Big Sword.
Top move was from Shida with her patented running knee strike stepping up off a chair. In the end, Big Swole ate one regular running knee and one superpowered running knee as Shida got the pin to win.
Shida had a backstage promo after her victory. “Yaaaa! I won! Yeah! AAAA!” She came to AEW to show the Japanese style. She picked Emi Sakura to win the title from Riho at Full Gear. Sakura shows true power in big matches.
Nyla Rose & Leva Bates vs Shalandra Royal & Shazza McKenzie
Nyla Rose rose powerhoused her opponents. Big moves were a double suplex, double chokeslam, fallaway slam, and a release German suplex. Leva Bates had wanted to tag in, but Rose ignored her. Bates was persistent, so Rose threw one of their opponents into Bates. Bates got the message and read a book in the corner for the rest of the match.
For the finish, Rose hit a double Samoan drop and a flying senton atomico onto the two body stack. Double pin to win. Bates celebrated enthusiastically for her first win in AEW.
Rose had a backstage promo. She didn’t tag in because she didn’t have to. She’s been disrespected by AEW since day one. Is throwing out half the participants of the Casino Battle Royal reflected in her record? No. So, she’s going to start disrespecting everyone in the locker room one by one.
Jack Evans, Angelico, & Kip Sabian vs Scorpio Sky, Frankie Kazarian, & Cima
The action was on the slow side until the final few minutes. Cima got the hot tag from Scorpio Sky to clean house with dropkicks. Cima suplexed Kip Sabian on top of Angelico, tossed Evans off the top turnbuckle onto the pile, then hit a flying double knee drop to Evans’ back on top of the pile. Cima also had a sweet super German suplex.
In the end, Sabian was blasted with a springboard dropkick and superkick from Frankie Kazarian then a flying double knees into a pin by Cima. SCU and Cima were victorious.
Episode 6 is okay to pass the time, but it is not mandatory viewing before Full Gear. The matches were shorter and less hectic this week.
It was nice to see time given for promos from Hikaru Shida and Nyla Rose. Shida’s English was fine, but she’s not quick thinking yet. She often had to search for words. Not a criticism, just an observation for those that won’t be watching.
The top segment was Nyla Rose’s promo. It was effective as a bad bruiser. She came across as a big jerk worthy of heel heat. I don’t know how not counting Battle Royal eliminations in a win/loss record is considered disrespect, but whatever. It fits the delusional heel persona. Rose’s work in the ring was interesting in a bulldozing manner. She lived up to her nickname of, “The Native Beast.”
Who stood out most in the ring for episode 6 of AEW Dark? Do you think Nyla Rose did an effective job of heeling? Who would you like to see step up to Rose?