AEW Dark recap (Mar. 15, 2022): Young Bucks on Dark?

Episode 134 of AEW Dark is in the books! If you missed the live broadcast click here for the Cageside Seats stream from YouTube. Your commentary team this week was Excalibur and Taz. Without further adieu let’s get straight into Tuesday night’s action!

Dark Order (Alan Angels, Colt Cabana & Evil Uno) vs. The Young Bucks & Brandon Cutler

It looked like pretty much the entire Dark Order including -1 were at the top of the entrance ramp for this match. Even Excalibur called it “a rare Young Bucks appearance on Dark” as their entrance music hit and they came down to the ring. He and Taz made oblique references to “a different company” at “the studio next door” where they were known as Generation Me. Yes fellas, we ge tit. The Orlando crowd chanted “Young Bucks” repeatedly as the match got underway.

Angels started for his team before tagging in Evil Uno. He knocked Matt Jackson down, kicked him in the gut, stomped on his hands, and then Colt Cabana slapped his hands to pop the commentators and the crowd. Uno and Cabana did it to both Bucks when the match broke down and all four men were in the ring. Cutler got tagged in against his will and the Bucks left him to get killed 3-on-1. Angels tagged in and went for a pin but Cutler kicked out at two. Cabana tagged in, ripped open his shirt and did a chop. Uno tagged in to give him one as the crowd chanted “one more time.” Cutler managed to avoid Dark Order long enough to dive for a hot tag, but he landed about a foot short of the Bucks. If you like comedy this is the match for you.

Cutler finally managed to do something right by accident when he threw a kick while falling to his back, and the Bucks immediately went on offense on Angels. When they stopped to celebrate Cutler tried to join in and they shoved him away. Matt stomped a mud hole into Angels and tagged Nick. Cutler tagged in and tried to hold Angels so they could attack him and he kept wriggling free to throw kicks, so the Bucks said “you’re an idiot” and both superkicked him. Cabana took down both Bucks with a leap off the second rope and gave Cutler the flying apple. Angels tagged in and did a flying crossbody but all six men hit the ring to break it up. Cutler threw a superkick that actually worked so Cabana gave him an elbow to the forehead. The Bucks hit the BTE Trigger and dragged Cutler onto Angels’ corpse for the win. He hugged Matt and Nick like he had just won a world championship.

Ruby Soho vs. Ashley D’Amboise

Soho brought a singles record of 20-4 to the ring. D’Amboise was waiting for her in the ring with a record of 0-1. D’Amboise cuts quite a figure in the ring, and it’s hard not to notice when she’s in the ring with the diminutive Soho. She wasn’t here to show off her physique though — she was here to take the No Future kick in a short and decisive win for Soho.

They should have given Soho and D’Amboise two more minutes instead of what we got next — Luther screaming at Tony Schiavone when he tried to interview Serpentico. Ugh.

Josh Woods vs. AC Adams

Woods came out 0-1 to date in AEW but given his opponent Adams was waiting in the ring for him it’s fair to say that’s about to change. “The Goods” Woods put in his mouthpiece and offered a gentlemanly handshake to Adams, which he accepted, and for the first time I can recall they acknowledged his time in Ring of Honor directly instead of teasing his strong record on the independent scene. I guess that’s what happens when Tony Khan buys ROH. Woods held Adams like he was going to hit a piledriver then threw him backward with a suplex for the pin. Tony Schiavone hit the ring to interview him and acknowledged that he was the ROH Pure champion. The crowd chanted “R-O-H” in response. Woods: “I’m excited boy. Woo! Being able to defend the Pure Title is incredible, against the incredible talent Tony has, that’s great competition.” The segment ended with smiles all around.

Ricky Starks vs. Darian Bengston

Starks brought a 41-9 record along with his FTW belt to the ring. Bengston was waiting for him in the ring with a 0-1 record in singles competition in AEW. Starks wasted little time smashing with an elbow and stomping on him in the corner. Starks hit him with a double axe, a body slam, an elbow drop and got a two count. Starks slapped him in the back of the head and gave him a forearm. Bengston got a boot up in the corner but ate a suplex for his trouble. Starks kipped up to his feet, did an arm wringer, and hammered on the left arm repeatedly before a short arm clothesline. He went to one knee and waited for Bengston to get back up. Bengston made a brief comeback before he ate a spear and the Roshambo.

Diamante vs. Session Moth Martina

Diamante brought a record of 36-20 to Orlando for this contest. Martina was waiting for her in the ring with a record of 0-2. Taz and Excalibur made jokes about Martina “hearing the music in her own head” but Diamante was not amused. She hit the Russian leg sweep and wagged her finger like “don’t party when you’re in my ring.” She cinched up an armbar and talked some trash. A dueling “Dia-man-te” and “Mar-ti-na” chant broke out. Martina hit a neck breaker for a near fall. Diamante tried to use the ropes for leverage but was too far away and the ref actually called her on it. She hit a Code Red for the clean pin instead.

John Silver & Alex Reynolds (w/ -1) vs. Chaos Project

Chaos Project came out first with a 0-4 record. Silver and Reynolds came out 14-9. It’s a little strange to have a rematch in the middle of Dark for the main event of Elevation the night before, but it is what it is. Excalibur plugged upcoming AEW events in California while Luther tried and failed to use Serpentico as a battering ram. Reynolds did a suicide dive to wipe Luther out on the floor and then hit a big crossbody on Serpentico for two. Reynolds cracked Serpentico with a hard elbow but Luther rolled in to make the save. Silver kicked him in the back of the head and hit a German suplex. Double team Dark Destroyer and Silver pinned Serpentico. This was fine but there was no reason to do it again either.

Leyla Hirsch vs. Marina Tucker

Hirsch’s record before this match was 33-13. Tucker was waiting for her in the ring with a record of 0-1, soon to be 0-2. Hirsch did the armbar submission in about two minutes and there really isn’t anything else to say.

Top Flight vs. Invictus Khash & Ariya Daivari

Top Flight had a 2022 tag team record of 1-0 coming out. Daivari and Khash had a record of 0-2, and again that was soon to be 0-3. Khash worked over Darius Martin for a while before Dante came in without a tag to clear the ring with a double dropkick. Khash and Daivari weren’t done working Darius over though so Dante kept unintentionally distracting the ref so they could double team him so more. Every time he complained they got in another cheap shot, which got the crowd to chant “Dare-eee-us” for a bit. Dante finally got the legal tag and immediately did a big springboard crossbody, jumped over Daivari, and hit a neckbreaker before Khash broke it up. Dante got yanked off the apron by Daivari and Khash hit a neckbreaker of his own. Daivari did a splash for two. Khash and Daivari had a meeting of the minds and Darius tagged in. Double chops, double kicks, assisted flying dropkick, and a dead lift German by Darius for the pin on Khash.

Tony Schiavone hit the ring to interview Top Flight and put over Darius Martin’s performance in the battle royal. Darius: “That was a homecoming one year in the making. It makes sense that we were the wild card because nobody thinks like we think, moves like we move, or plays the game the way we play it. Everybody in the back is going to find out that fighting is is like being knocked out because either way you’re seeing stars.”

Preston Vance (w/ -1) vs. Aaron Solo (w/ QT Marshall)

Solo brought a record of 15-46 to this match. Vance brought a record of 52-19. The crowd couldn’t wait to chant “Q-T sucks!” Solo tried to throw chops as Vance. Is he crazy or stupid? That didn’t work well. Vance gave him a lengthy delayed vertical suplex as the fans counted to 10 before he released. Marshall grabbed a leg for the distraction and then kicked Vance for good measure while he was down on the floor. Solo took Vance down with a dropkick — a much better idea than trying to match strength or power with “10.” Vance hit a spinebuster but Solo blocked the full nelson. Vance went for a discus lariat and Solo had his boot on the ropes, but Marshall got blamed for putting it on the ropes even though he didn’t do anything and Remsburg threw him out. Nick Comoroto ran down to hit a spear but it took Remsburg so long to get back that Vance kicked out. Vance gave Comoroto a big boot, avoided the corkscrew kick from Solo, and locked in the full nelson for the win. This would have been the perfect match to go off the air with, but we press on regardless.

Emi Sakura vs. Shalonce Royal

Sakura brought a record of 25-18 to this contest. Royal was waiting for her with a 0-1 record in singles competition and immediately started singing. Sakura responded with a chop and mocked her singing while giving her a surfboard before kicking her off with authority. “Come on! Hey!” That’s the most I’ve heard Sakura say other than Queen lyrics. Sakura continued to mock her. Royal sang and Sakura sold like her ears were bleeding. Sakura drove Royal face first into the mat and speaking of Queen it was time for the foot stomp clap and flying crossbody. Sakura hit a twisting Vader bomb for the pin and celebrated like an opera singer taking her bows for the crowd.

Lance Archer vs. Sage Scott

Archer threw Scott and his friend James St. Patrick down to the ring sporting a record of 48-10. You already know how this goes — Archer hit the Blackout after a one sided ass kicking. That’s how his matches go. St. Patrick tried to get revenge and got killed too.

2point0 & Daniel Garcia vs. Luke Sampson, Mike Reed, & Shane Stetson

2point0 came out 9-3, Garcia 19-15 respectively. Sampson, Reed and Stetson were making their debut as a trio. Garcia put Sampson in the Scorpion Deathlock for the submission and per his usual m.o. refused to immediately let go. This match was shorter than you’d expect. Parker and Lee called out Schiavone for not being there to interview them afterward.

Frankie Kazarian vs. Jora Johl

Johl brought a 2022 record of 1-1 to the main event. Fresh off his win on Elevation over Tiger Ruas, Kaz brought a record of 65-29 to the match. Johl did a delayed vertical suplex but couldn’t hold it for as long as Vance. Johl took Kaz down with a dropkick and got the ire of the crowd as they chanted “you still suck.” He put the boots to Kaz and tried to pull him out to do more damage, but Kaz landed on his feet and immediately went on offense. Excalibur dubbed Kaz’ leg drop the “Bracket Buster,” which is a reminder that Rampage will air late on Friday night. Kaz sank in the crossface chicken wing to bring this episode to a close.

What to watch/skip

Tonight’s “what to watch/skip” segment is brought to you by Superkick Party. I think I’ve finally had my fill of the Lance Archer beatings. Sure it’s fun to see him kill people but how about giving him some real competition or having someone AEW wants to sign get a “fluke” win over him instead to start a feud? Let’s try something new. Skip Sakura vs. Royal too even though Sakura’s faux opera singing made me laugh. You should absolutely watch the opener, the Josh Woods match and interview, and the tag team matches for Top Flight and Dark Order. Vance vs. Solo was fine too as was most of this show. A solid episode of Dark.

Cageside commentary crew! I welcome your feedback in the comments section below. I’m also on Twitter if you want to hit me up there. See you next Monday night for Elevation!