AEW Dark Review - February 21, 2023

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Matt Sydal def. Slim J

I honestly totally forgot that Sydal has been missing AEW programming for all this time. I figured he was hurt, but maybe AEW had nothing for him to do. Either way, I'm happy he's back as he's a big benefit to have around when it comes to working with the younger talent and giving them more experience. Slim J has been around forever as well, so I don't think this match accomplished anything other than to give Sydal a win in his return. It was a quality contest, if nothing else.

Julia Hart def. Devlyn Macabre

I'm thankful that we haven't been subjected to seeing a Julia Hart match in a while. That isn't to say they're awful, but they all blend together and offer no real variety. The sole purpose they serve at this point is to help her improve in the ring. After all, that's what Dark is for, but it doesn't make for a very exciting addition to the show. House of Black has been on ice for months, so don't expect these wins to go anywhere. If nothing else, it was kept short and sweet.

The Workhorsemen def. Oliver Sawyer and Jay Malachi

Workhorsemen need more important wins in order to be taken seriously. Otherwise, they'll always be viewed as the enhancement team. If that's their designated role, then so be it, but I feel they have the potential to be more than that. Their squashes are consistently a treat because they work a frantic pace and ensure there's never a dull moment. This was a fun sprint for the time they were allotted.

The Renegades def. Lizzy and Payton Blair

The Renegades actually just won the NWA World Women's Tag Team Championship at the Nuff Said pay-per-view a few weeks ago, only to lose them on tonight's edition of Powerrr that aired right before this. Could that mean they're AEW bound? Otherwise, why would they win and lose the belts so quickly? They're a decent duo who have shown noticeable improvement in their time in AEW, including in this outing.

Preston Vance def. Blanco Loco

I was hopeful when Vance turned heel back in November that he'd be utilized more meaningfully as a singles star than he was during his time in The Dark Order, but aside from the one Dynamite tag team match he had last week, he's largely been stuck on the Dark shows. I suppose it's better than nothing, but it's essentially the same spot he was in previously. He dominated this dude and took his mask afterward, for whatever that's worth.

Tony Deppen def. Caleb Konley

I assume Deppen is earmarked for the Ring of Honor roster and that's why we haven't much of him up to this point. He's a former ROH World Television Champion and thus it's a logical move. Hell, I wouldn't mind seeing more of Konley in ROH, either. He hasn't done much on a major stage since leaving IMPACT last year. This was a well-wrestled affair while it lasted. Expect to see more matches like this on ROH TV once it launches on March 2nd.

Iron Savages def. Chris Sandson and Terry Kid

It's odd how infrequent Iron Savages matches have become in the last six months. They were appearing on AEW TV fairly regularly at one point a few years ago, but they've since been relegated to the Dark shows beating no-namers. I've always been impressed by them, but they're long overdue for a step up in competition. This was a basic bout and didn't feature anything new from them. In other words, it was a waste of time.

Rohit Raju and Jora Johl def. Dale Springs and Bryce Cannon

Raju and Johl announced their alliance earlier in the episode during a backstage interview. Johl has been spinning his wheels since the dissolution of The Hardy Family Office and I'm shocked he's still on the roster, but this isn't the worst use of him and Raju. Johl doesn't stand out as special in any way, so Raju will have to carry this team in the charisma and in-ring departments. This was very forgettable, but time will tell as to whether this tandem sticks.

Emi Sakura def. Billie Starkz

I've been digging what I've seen seeing from Starkz in recent weeks and hope she ends up with a contract eventually. I also appreciate how her matches are becoming more and more competitive, and Sakura is the perfect person for her to be working with. This was pretty good, but it felt like they were pulling everything out of their respective arsenals to put the other away. In that case, why not make it the main event? It was especially frustrating seeing Sakura kick out of a Tombstone piledriver. I realize the move has been devalued for years, but it's still ridiculous.

Brady Booker def. Dak Draper

Booker is the former Bodhi Hayward from WWE NXT. You know, Andre Chase's main pupil in Chase U. I'm still not quite sure why he was released, but now he has a chance to redeem/prove himself on Dark. Interestingly, he wasn't brought in to do a job. Rather, he won his match, and it was against a former ROH regular (and current NWA star) Dak Draper. I was mildly impressed by Booker here, so we'll see if he's brought back for more appearances.

The Wingmen ("Pretty" Peter Avalon, Cezar Bononi and Ryan Nemeth) def. Jay Marte, Jarett Diaz and Rich Adonis

The Wingmen are one of those groups where I don't understand the point of giving them wins. The only explanation is so it means more when they lose, which is practically every match they have. They're bottom-of-the-barrel enhancement talent, so they're never going to win when it matters most and they shouldn't. On a show with 13 matches, this didn't need to happen. It was whatever.

Jeff Jarrett and Satnam Singh def. The Boys

I originally thought maybe Jarrett and Singh were facing The Boys because they were being set up for a shot at the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, but then I remembered Dalton Castle and The Boys are no longer the champs. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing that as a six-man tag team match on Dark (with Jay Lethal also involved) one of these days. This was all about giving Singh more experience, which is why he was in there for a majority of the match. There is a ton of room for improvement, let's just say that much.

Trent Beretta def. Tony Nese

I had no idea these two were once partners on the independent scene before Beretta signed with WWE almost 15 years ago. I loved the video package detailing their history that aired before this bout, which also included footage from that time period and promos from both men. It made this match feel much more meaningful in the process. This was an entertaining main event and one of Nese's best matches in AEW to date that I can remember.

Overall Show

This was another one of those needlessly long episodes with an excessive amount of matches emanating from Universal Studios. I can't imagine how the live crowd is able to withstand all this stuff; there's just so many matches and a majority of them are the exact same thing. The main event was much better than your average Dark main event and I also enjoyed Sakura vs. Starkz, but the rest can easily be skipped.

SEE MORE: Dark Reviews