AEW Dark Elevation recap (Oct. 31, 2022): Halloweenhausen!

Episode 87 of AEW Dark: Elevation is in the books! If you missed the live broadcast click here for the Cageside Seats stream. The announce team of Tony Schiavone, Paul Wight and “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard called this episode. Happy Halloweenhausen everyone!

Diamante vs. Madison Rayne

Diamante brought a 2022 singles record of 9-3. Rayne brought an AEW singles record of 2-2. Menard was a fan of the sparkly jacket she wore to the ring. Rayne wanted a test of strength but Diamante wanted to punch her in the face. Rayne knocked her down with a shoulder tackle and kicked her in the chin before tripping her onto her face. Diamante rolled out to the apron to regroup. Rayne went over to pull her back in, got her head snapped into the ropes, then Diamante gave her a sliding kick to send her to the floor. Diamante threw her back in and dropped elbows while Wight discussed living in Miami for eleven years, allegedly three doors down from Alex Rodriguez. Rayne hit an enzuguiri and a neckbreaker for two. Diamante got a near fall as well before Rayne countered a pin by bridging backward and keeping Diamante’s shoulders on the mat. It was so awkward AEW didn’t even show us a replay but thankfully social media has our back. They called it “crafty.”

This was followed by a promo for Samoa Joe defending the ROH TV Title against Brian Cage on this week’s edition of Dynamite.

Frankie Kazarian vs. Rhett Titus

Kazarian came out 16-1 thus far on Elevation. Titus was waiting for him with a 0-1 record. Sadly as much as I like “Addicted to Love” that’s about to be 0-2. Kazarian lit him up with chops, whipped him to the corner, and floored him with a Russian leg sweep. Titus hit a dropkick and threw Kazarian for a near fall. Forearm to the kidney. Right hook by Kaz. Spinning back suplex by Titus for a near fall. “Let’s go Frankie” chant. Kazarian hit a flying tackle and a scoop slam to set up the springboard leg drop. Titus tried to go out to the apron but Kazarian spring-boarded him back in for a diamond cutter and the pinfall. Menard: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before!”

Backstage interview with QT Marshall. “First of all Lexi let me ask you a question. Why are you dressed like this?” Lexi: “It’s Halloween.” Marshall: “The holiday where normal people like you lower their standards, wear makeup, and become freaks.” Danhausen interrupted. He reminded Marshall that he threw him over the top rope in a battle royale. Marshall said he had Hangman Adam Page’s help. Danhausen: “It was 90/10 in Danhausen’s favor.” He then told Marshall he could excuse himself from the locker room and we moved on!

Kiera Hogan vs. Skye Blue

Hogan came to the ring with a record of 9-4. Blue brought a record of 9-10. 50/50 match early until Hogan hit a running lariat and a dropkick, making the cover as the entire crowd shouted “TWOOOO” for the near fall. Hogan was not a fan of their antics and yelled “Shut up!” Blue kicked her in the face for a two count. She tried holding Hogan up in the air but Hogan countered and we had rolling hear falls. Hogan finished her off moments later with what Schiavone could only call “a great move.” On this one we actually got a replay with Menard describing it as “a sidewinder right on her head.” Here’s a closer look!

Dante Martin vs. Brandon Cutler

Cutler brought his cold spray and a record of 1-3 on Elevation to the ring. Schiavone: “Brandon Cutler broke his nose two years ago!” Frankly I hope he never stops wearing the face mask. Martin brought an Elevation record of 17-2. Menard and Wight were both impressed by the extra muscle Martin was adding to his frame. Wight: “Cutler has me thinking about cutting my beard. If that’s how I look with a bald head and a beard, the beard needs to go!” Swing and a miss by Cutler. Dropkick by Martin. He flipped over Cutler and kicked him in the head, but Cutler fell backward and knocked Martin off the ropes by accident. Wight: “Cutler would get lost in a one door outhouse.” Elbow drop dancing worked the first two times but the third missed. Martin did a springboard with a dab to the outside to take Cutler out, threw him back in, and hit the Nose Dive for the win. This was a million miles a minute and all of them fun.

Athena vs. Janai Kai

Athena brought her angel’s wings and a record of 9-2 to this match. Kai was waiting for her in the ring with a record of 0-2. Kai used her kicks to get an advantage early and Wight described it as “a muay thai thing” as Menard made fun of his pronunciation. Athena got control back and hung Kai in a tree of woe to kick her in the spine repeatedly. Kai escaped but ate a kick to the jaw and some vicious ground and pound. Menard: “Let’s get a ref stoppage. Get in there Stephon!” Kai missed with a spin kick, hit the next one, Athena rolled out to the apron and Kai gave chase to club her in the head and fight with her on the apron. Athena sent her into the ring post and slammed her on “the hardest part of the ring” then hit the Eclipse for three. Oh, that’s right. We’re calling it the “O-Face.” She kicked Kai out of the ring after the match for good measure to a mixture of cheers and boos.

Orange Cassidy & Best Friends vs. Anthony Young, Pat & Victor Andrews

Cassidy, Taylor and Beretta came out with a tag team record of 31-12 and a singles record of 70-27-2 for Cassidy, who had his All-Atlantic Title in the backpack. Young and the two Andrews were waiting in the ring to make their trios debut. The only bad thing about Cassidy doing a trios match is that we don’t get to hear “Jane.” The Friends double teamed Victor and tagged in Cassidy, who took his shades off and threw them to Remsburg, put his hands in his pocket, hit a dropkick and kipped up. Pat Andrews took exception and ran in for the attack, so everybody else hit the ring and the Friends hit Sole Food, then got tripped before they could do a hug. The heels tried to double team Cassidy and got reversed, then we got the hug with Cassidy right in the middle. Schiavone: “You’ve got to give the people what they want!” Triple team powerbomb and Cassidy made the pin as David S. Pumpkins held up a handwritten Cassidy sign. He got what he wanted too — except for a freshly squeezed hit of Jefferson Starship. Jane, Jane, Jaaaaane.

Eddie Kingston & Ortiz vs. Breaux Keller & Myles Hawkins

Kingston and Ortiz came out full of piss and vinegar with record of 9-0 and 15-0 on Elevation. Kingston got a stretch plum submission for the win and almost had it overturned again for refusing to let go. Ortiz broke it up, Kingston went for a post match beatdown on one of the jobbers, Ortiz tried to stop him again and Kingston pulled a strap down as the crowd chanted for him. Ortiz gave up and laid on the ropes watching as Kingston hit a DDT and the crowd chanted “one more time.” He obliged. Menard: “You’re friends with the idiot Ortiz!” Schiavone advised him to be careful about who he calls an idiot.

Jade Cargill vs. Trish Adora

Cargill brought a record of 39-0 along with Leila Grey. Adora was waiting for her in the ring with a record of 0-3. Commentary was sure to note that she’s the TBS Champion but she doesn’t have the belt right now, and that’s because Nyla Rose stole it weeks ago. Cargill wasted no time making mince meat out of Adora, hitting a pump kick to the face, and gave her the implant buster for good measure. Menard: “Wow!” Wight: “Rose needs to mail that title back to her with an apology.” No apology would be forthcoming. Rose and Shafir came out with signs that said “Beastie Section” banging trash can lids together, and a furious Cargill bailed out of the ring as she and Grey gave chase to get the belt back and/or revenge. Time for the main event!

QT Marshall vs. Danhausen

Marshall brought a record of 47-50 to this match. Danhausen brought a record of 6-4. Schiavone: “It’s apropos that we have Danhausen in our main event of Halloween.” That’s no accident! The crowd chanted for Danhausen and he led them like a conductor. He also led a “QT sucks” chant. They finally locked up and Marshall did an arm wringer. We got the White Stripes soccer chant for good measure. A seven nation army couldn’t hold Danhausen back from getting his own arm wringer and wrist lock. Marshall reversed into a hammer lock. Menard: “I didn’t expect these two guys to be standing here exchanging holds! I guess what I’m trying to say is I didn’t expect it out of Danhausen.”

Marshall tried to ground Danhausen to wear him down, but he got back to his feet. Marshall hit a shoulder tackle. Danhausen hit a series of chops. Schiavone: “Danhausen showing us something here guys!” Wight: “This is where he gets dangerous. QT got embarrassed.” Rana from Danhausen. Knee to the breadbasket from Marshall and a right hand. He went to ram Danhausen into the turnbuckle, got blocked, and got stomped on, then stood on until ref Paul Turned made him stop. Backbreaker and a sneer from Marshall. He kicked Danhausen repeatedly and set him in the corner for some clubbing forearms. Suplex, elbow drops, walking across the prone body. Marshall took Danhausen’s cape and pranced around the ring with it, and that fired Danhausen up. Another knee to the body from Marshall but a northern lights release suplex from Danhausen. Uppercut. Knee to the head. Marshall knocked him to the floor and Lee Johnson came out to cheer him on. Marshall came out and told him to leave and Danhausen hit him with a diamond cutter. As he was about to get back in the ring Johnson grabbed him by the trunks to beat him up and feed him in, and Marshall hit the cutter and pinned Danhausen for three. It was all great except the finish.

What to watch/skip

Tonight’s “what to watch/skip” is brought to you by a Halloween Vloghausen! Skip the Jade Cargill match — not because it was bad but because it was absolutely one-sided and you knew that going in. The same can be said of Kingston & Ortiz and their tag match, but at least the post-match antics were fun. The must see matches were the main event, Kazarian vs. Titus, and Athena vs. Kai. I’m convinced now that they’re turning Athena heel and I’m here for it. The more vicious she gets, the more I like it.

Cageside commentary crew! Share your thoughts in the comments section below and find me on Twitter for even more wrestling talk. See you for a recap of AEW Dark tomorrow after it airs at 7 PM ET, 6 CT.