AEW Dark Elevation recap (May 2, 2022): Takeshita vs. Titus!

Episode 61 of AEW Dark: Elevation is in the books! If you missed the live broadcast click here for the Cageside Seats stream. The announce team this time was Mark Henry and Paul Wight. Let’s talk about what went down (or up) on Elevation this week!

Julia Hart vs. Abby Jane

Hart brought a singles record of 3-3 to this match. Jane was waiting for her in the ring to make her AEW debut. She was dressed like “the girl next door” according to Mark Henry. He and Wight spent more time talking about the growing dark spot under her eye patch than the match itself — not that there was much to tell. Jane tried to fire up, took a strike to the throat, a cartwheel lariat, an elbow in the corner, and Hart raked her face across the ropes for good measure. A bulldog finished Jane off. Who has recipes for squash? Hart does.

Anthony Ogogo vs. Goldy

If you thought the last match was one sided, get a load of this one! “The Guv’Nor” Ogogo brought a record of 11-1 to this match (‘Ello Guv’Nor). The one named “Goldy” was waiting for him in-ring with a record of 0-1 in AEW. Ogogo applied a headlock that in Wight’s words “turned his head pink.” He picked up and threw around Ogogo with ease. Goldy tried to make a comeback with arm drags but took a knee to the gut and a running kick to the back. He paused to admire his work, beat him down some more, then unwrapped the tape on his wrist for an elevated uppercut. Aubrey Edwards called for the bell and Ogogo draped the Union Jack over the victim of his right hand.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Rhett Titus

Osaka, Japan’s own Konosuke Takeshita came out with a record of 3-1 in AEW. Wight: “What a stud this guy is!” Mr. “Addicted to Love” Rhett Titus was waiting in the ring for him to make his AEW debut. It’s weird to see the two time ROH TV champion and two time ROH tag team champ just standing there without even getting to make an entrance. Takeshita hit a DDT and Titus kicked out. Takeshita hit him with a running boot, but Titus responded with a high back body drop. Fall away slam from Titus. Titus with a spinning stretch slam that neither Henry nor Wight had a name for (to be fair neither do I). Takeshita immediately recovered to get a near fall and the two got to their feet trading forearms. Body slam near fall for Titus. Wight: “That would have been a hell of an upset!” Really? These are two long time veterans. I get that Takeshita is the guy right now though. High German suplex from Takeshita followed by an impressively vertical flying knee to get the 1-2-3. They shook hands after the match as a show of respect.

Tony Nese vs. Cheeseburger

The fans were chanting for Cheeseburger even as Tony Nese was walking out to the ramp with “Smart” Mark Sterling, so maybe they should have showed us his entrance too. Nese brought an AEW record of 13-2 to the match. Justin Roberts introduced Cheeseburger (record of 0-0 in AEW) and the crowd roared for him once again. Nese immediately threw him into the corner at the opening bell and flexed a bicep in his face. Cheeseburger climbed up his back with an arm wringer and once again Wight said “I don’t know what to call it!” He kipped up to his feet, Nese gave him a thumb to the throat, and the fans started chanting for Cheeseburger again. Nese snapped his neck off the rope and they all booed. World Famous CB avoided a charge in the corner and climbed the ropes, but Nese gave him a European uppercut that left him laying across the ropes. He picked him up for a knee to the body but Cheeseburger kicked out at two and the crowd erupted. Nese put on a body scissor and they started chanting for Cheeseburger again. CB hit a flying elbow and a punch to the face for a near fall. Nese avoided a charge to the corner, CB went for a sunset flip, Nese hit a spinning back kick and the Running Nese for the pin. Everybody booed. Quite the Ring of Honor episode of Elevation. Hopefully both Titus and CB will be back!

Willow Nightingale vs. Gia Scott

Nightingale brought a record of 0-3 to the ring, but she had her own entrance music and graphics, so she must have been signed to a full time deal (and I’m glad). Scott was waiting for her in the ring with a record of 0-1. Nightingale hit a front roll, a body press, a pair of lariats and a shoulder tackle. She pulled down the straps and hit a rolling avalanche into the corner, then pinned Scott after a power bomb, holding her shoulders to the mat by using Scott’s thighs. A sign in the crowd read “sign Willow Nightingale.” Don’t worry kid.

Max Caster vs. Zack Clayton

Jersey Shore’s own Zack Clayton made his way down the ramp with a record of 1-2 so far in All Elite Wrestling. “Yo! Listen! Listen! Yo! Yo! The Acclaimed is the best I’m just being honest. I’ll blow this bitch out the water like I’m Lia Thomas. You know my rap’s been hitting. You should have sat on the bench, like you Ben Simmons. I’m the guy that you can’t disturb. I’ma have you crapping yourself like Amber Heard. Your girl wishes you were Pauly D. She told us you have the smallest D.” Caster’s record was 52-28. Anthony Bowens: “PHILADELPHIA!! The Acclaimed have arrived.”

The rap was longer than the actual match. Caster went to the top rope and hit the Mic Drop right on Clayton’s jaw for the win. I guess Jersey Shore gets no love in Philadelphia tonight.

Anna Jay and Kris Statlander vs. Nyla Rose and Emi Sakura

66-25 and 28-22 were Rose and Sakura respectively. They were accompanied by Vickie Guerrero. Jay and Statlander brought records of 35-11 and 42-17. Statlander hit a dropkick on Rose, Statlander hit a crossbody, Jay hit an elbow and Rose kicked out. Guerrero grabbed Jay’s leg from behind and Rose promptly took advantage. The heels cut off the ring and worked Jay over while Statlander begged for the tag. Sakura did her “we will rock you” chops and crossbody. Jay escaped with a reverse thrust kick and Statlander promptly cleaned house, giving boots and uppercuts to Rose and a power slam to Sakura. Sakura kicked out at 2.9. Henry: “That’s as close as it gets.” Rose yanked Jay off the corner when Statlander went for the tag. and Rose hit a top rope senton assisted by Sakura, but Statlander broke up the pinfall. Double DDT by Jay! She gave Rose the Queen Slayer and they fell through the ropes. Statlander hit the Big Bang Theory on Sakura for the win.

Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, John Silver, Alex Reynolds, 10, and Alan Angels vs. Anthony Bennett, Mike Law, Kori Meshaw, Jaden Valo, Eli Isom, and Brett Waters

Do you like six, eight, or 10 man tags? How about twelve? Do we have a 12 man tag team division yet? Well we must because Dark Order were “making their 12 man team debut” here. The same can be said of their opponents though, who were all waiting in the ring. The poor person who does the graphics for these broadcasts could barely fit all six names in. Wight: “It’s chaos in the ring right now!” Yeah Paul, I wasn’t expecting anything else. Referee Aubrey Edwards spent more time trying to stay out of the way than trying to stay in control. Dark Order took turns hitting their signature moves on the job squad and whoever was wearing the green trunks took the pin. An absolute mess but at least it was short and fast.

What to watch/skip

As I’ve quickly become enamored with Mr. Takeshita, tonight’s “what to watch/skip” is brought to you by “Curtain Rises.” My sole advice to you for this episode of Elevation is to skip the main event. Everything else was good, Konosuke Takeshita is great, and I’m happy to see that Willow Nightingale is (officially or not) All Elite.

Cageside commentary crew! Share your feedback and thoughts in the comments section below. If the sale of the platform hasn’t made you shun it you can find me on Twitter too. See you tomorrow night for AEW Dark!