AEW Dark recap (Aug. 11, 2020): Give Butcher & Blade a tag team title shot

Episode 46 of AEW Dark featured Marko Stunt shining up, Penelope Ford taking down a powerhouse, and Butcher & Blade battering SCU.

Here’s the lineup with ratings (watch, solid, okay, pass) on which matches are worth your time toward Dynamite:

• Lee Johnson vs Fenix (okay)
• Shawn Spears vs Alex Chamberlain (okay)
• M’Badu & Shawn Dean vs Billy & Austin Gunn (okay)
• Michael Stevens vs Kip Sabian (okay)
• Private Party vs Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman Jr. (okay)
• Jurassic Express vs Corey Hollis, Pineapple Pete, Aaron Solow (okay)
• The Hybrid 2 vs Natural Nightmares (solid)
• Penelope Ford vs Rachel Ellering (solid)
• SCU vs Butcher & Blade (solid)

This episode was straight action all across the board. The final three bouts were the most competitive and also the most entertaining.

Watch the show here.

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Tony Schiavone and Taz were on commentary. Justin Roberts was the ring announcer.

Lee Johnson vs Fenix

Fenix displayed a sort of sociopathic aggression. He heeled it up with polite denials and apologies to the referee then immediately went back to bending the rules. Fenix was 95% dominant and won via spinning musclebuster.

Shawn Spears vs Alex Chamberlain

Tully Blanchard was ringside and kept Spears focused on inflicting pain. Spears worked the elbow and won with a running Death Valley driver. During the match, the referee checked to see if Spears’ black glove was loaded. It was not. After the win, Tully handed Spears a piece of steel to punch Chamberlain as a parting gift.

M’Badu & Shawn Dean vs Billy & Austin Gunn

M’Badu hails from Lagos, Nigeria. Billy was slightly bigger, but M’Badu outpowered the ass man. Billy was on the end of a tag team beatdown until he got the hot tag to Austin. Austin almost won with a pumphandle slam to Dean, but M’Badu made the save. Austin kept up the pressure to pin Dean on a hip toss neckbreaker for the win.

Michael Stevens vs Kip Sabian

Penelope Ford was ringside. Stevens showed a flamboyant charisma and tried to seduce a smooch from Ford. Sabian dropkicked him off the apron.

Stevens’ offensive mojo came from the power produced by gyrating his hips. Once Sabian had enough of those antics, he finished Stevens with a catapult into the corner, a springboard rolling DDT, then a rope-hung twisting neckbreaker to win.

Private Party vs Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman Jr.

Garrison and Pillman were tagging together for the second consecutive week. They kept doing the rolling camera motion as a callback to the Hollywood Blonds. These new blonds did it a little too often to the point of overkill. For the finish, Marq Quen got the hot tag for a flying plancha over the ropes down to Pillman on the floor. Quen popped up for a springboard crossbody to Garrison in the ring. After a double back suplex by Private Party to Garrison, they launched from opposite corners for a teamwork flying splash and flying leg drop to win.

Jurassic Express vs Corey Hollis, Pineapple Pete, Aaron Solow

Marko Stunt was the star of this match. He had the hot tag moment to clean house and execute a Razor’s Edge to Pete. Stunt won with a 450 splash on Pete.

The Hybrid 2 vs Natural Nightmares

Brandi Rhodes and Allie were ringside. Brandi was carrying her Lil Bran Bran action figures in each hand. This was a competitive bout with comedic moments. QT was the man down trying to tag Dustin Rhodes. As Jack Evans was too busy shouting about his greatness, QT crawled under his legs to tag Dustin. Evans didn’t even realize it until Dustin clobbered him.

The finish came shortly after. Dustin hit a spinebuster on Angelico and a spinning suplex on Evans to win.

Penelope Ford vs Rachael Ellering

Kip Sabian was ringside and clowned around with a leaf blower during the match.

Ellering had momentum with her power and almost won with a spinebuster. Ford kicked out then rolled away from a springboard leg drop by Ellering. Penelope pounced for a handspring back elbow in the corner, a handspring cutter, then a fisherman’s suplex for victory.

SCU vs Butcher & Blade

Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels represented SCU. This bout was flashy technical prowess versus rugged power. The closing sequence saw SCU connect on a double-team sitdown powerbomb and neckbreaker combo. Blade kicked out. Kaz tried to keep Butcher at bay but ate a huge clothesline instead. Blade grabbed CD’s foot so Blade could attack with a running crossbody block. Butcher suplexed CD onto Blade’s knees. Blade pinned CD for the win.

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Impressive victory by Butcher & Blade. It seems like they have found their groove as wrestlers. The more action they get in AEW, the more I am becoming a fan. Their power style sticks out well as an alternative to so many high-flying squads. I really want to seem Butcher & Blade wrestle Hangman Page and Kenny Omega for the tag titles. That match has best-of-the-month potential.

AEW will have to get creative on how to award that title shot to Butcher & Blade. They are now 6-5 in tag action for 2020. They recently lost to the Young Bucks, but they are on a current two fight win streak over Private Party and SCU. AEW has awarded title shots without being the #1 contender, so Butcher & Blade just need to keep their positive momentum alive to be in the conversation.

Penelope Ford looked like a star. She has improved greatly throughout 2020. Even though Rachael Ellering is in the role of enhancement talent, that was no easy win. Ford had to use her instincts and wits to overcome the powerhouse. It was the kind of win that increases her credibility as a top contender.

Share your thoughts on Dark. Who stood out most for episode 46?

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