AEW Dark Review - December 3, 2019

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Jimmy Havoc def. Brandon Cutler

Was it just or me or did Cutler look like Konnor of The Ascension to anyone else with what he was wearing? At any rate, this was exactly what it needed to be as a short and sweet showcase for Havoc. Cutler scored some offense, but this was largely about Havoc. It was well wrestled for the time given, but I could really do without Havoc stapling stuff to his opponent's head after he wins. It screams "indie" to me, personally.

Shawn Spears def. Sonny Kiss

Between this and the opener, I would have preferred to see this match go longer. Kiss hasn't had much of a chance to show off what he can do yet, and while this was a fun little match, it was designed to be a squash for Spears. I'm glad they're in the process of building Spears back up following his losses to Cody and Jon Moxley, but it'd also be nice to see someone like Kiss get more opportunities to shine, too.

Santana and Ortiz def. Jurassic Express

I was wondering why Marko Stunt wrestled for Jurassic Express instead of Luchasaurus who has since been cleared to compete, but perhaps it was because AEW didn't want Luchasaurus to take an unnecessary loss. I'm glad Santana and Ortiz were able to bounce back here from their loss to Private Party two weeks ago, but Jurassic Express desperately need victories. I don't think they've won a single match yet in AEW. That said, this was a fun main event and easily the best thing on the entire show. They got great time and it was very well wrestled. Luchasaurus came to the aid of Stunt and Jungle Boy afterward, and once the entire Inner Circle teamed up on him, The Young Bucks eventually made the save.

Overall Show

I didn't have high hopes for this show when I saw what was on tap, and ultimately, it met my tepid expectations. The main event was the best bout of the three, and even that wasn't must-see. Spears vs. Kiss and Havoc vs. Cutler were fine but nothing overly exciting, either. I liked the recaps from last week's Dynamite and preview for Wednesday's episode, but I feel AEW Dark would work better with a 45/50-minute format like NWA Powerrr. There's no reason for this show to surpass the hour mark.