AEW Dark Episode #87 5/4/2021

AEW Dark Episode #87 5/4/2021

Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs vs Brick Aldridge and Aaron Frye

Hobbs runs over Brick to start then hits a big running shoulder on Frye. Hobbs then hits like a sit out emerald flowsion to win in no time.

Leyla Hirsch vs Diamante

They shove each other to start and mat wrestle. They botch a stunner from the wheelbarrow position and Dia corner dropkicks her. Leyla hits a hard release german then another. Leyla then pumping knees her and meteora's her in the corner.

Leyla pulls her up into another suplex then they slap each other. Leyla trips her and wins with an armbar in a very quick one. Was decent minus the botch.

Varsity Blonds vs Liam Gray & Adrian Alanis

Gray and AA have their names on their tights which is smart. they jump the VB's to start and try stereo suplexes, but the VB's suplex them instead. The VB's then stereo shoulder tackle them.

Griff hits a big boot on AA and holds up AA for a Pillman dropkick. Liam knees Brian when he is running the ropes and gets knocked off the apron for it. AA then sling blade's Brian into a backbreaker.

Pillman shoulder throws Liam and Liam takes a big bump on an upkick shove. Griff gets in and slams AA then hits his big splash. Pillman twisting crossbodies Liam fro mthe 2nd rope to the outside and Griff hits a big rolling forearm to AA. Pillman springboard forearms AA for the win. Not a bad showing for the VB's here and their opponents got a lot of offense in.

SCU vs Jake St. Patrick & Spencer Slade

Kaz and Jake mat wrestle to start. Kaz does a nice roll-up and armdrags Jake. Daniels holds up Jake and Kaz lariats him. Slade belly to belly's Daniels on his head then corner spears him. Daniels comes back with an STO.

Kaz hits a flying forearm on Slade then springboard legdrops him for 2. SCU hits a T-Gimmick on Slade for 2 then Jake is backflippd onto Daniels' knees. Kaz tombstones Slade and Daniels moonsault spikes him for the win. This was short and wasn't anything too special.

Big Swole vs Megan Bayne

Bayne has a really cool golden headpiece on and some neat superhero-esque gear that is quite revealing. Swole hits some shots on Bayne and tries to come in off the bottom rope but takes a knee to the gut.

Bayne bearhugs Swole and tries a tilt-a-whirl, but Swole turns it into an armdrag. Swole comes off the bottom rope with a cutter then punts Bayne hard in the chest. She then seemingly shoot shoves her after an awkward spot before taking a big boot. Swole hits a high kick and nails her with a forearm hard. Swole then cloverleafs her hard for the win.

I think Swole purposely stiffed Bayne twice here. Bayne has a good look and should be brought back.

Kilynn King vs Julia Hart

Hart is wearing cheerleader gear and throws a pom-pom at someone outside. King runs her over with a shoulder then hip tosses and armdrags her. King hits a nice slam for 2. King hits Hart with a stiff chest kick.

Hart forward handpsrings into a corner shot then jumps and splits on her. King lariats her and John Woo's her into the corner. King german suplexes her and picks her up for a backdrop but drops her chest first. Hart has a good look and a gimmick and should be brought back here. Not a bad showing for King either though I'd like to see her be more stiff.

Serpentico w/ Luther vs PAC w/ Penta El Zero M & Rey Fenix

I would be cool with never seeing Luther or Serpentico again. Serp shotgun dropkicks Pac to start then tope's him. Serp takes a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker then gets stomped. Pac snap suplexes Serp and spin kicks him hard in the gut. Pac then tombstones him and wins with a brutalizer in a very quick squash.

The Bunny vs Leila Grey

Bunny shoves her in the face and bangs her head off the mat. Bunny and Grey hit each other with shots in the corner. Bunny argues with the ref. Grey is against the bottom rope and Bunny sliding lariats her there.

Bunny chokes her on the ropes and skips around the ring. Bunny hits some hard knees to the body and running knee lifts her. Bunny then superkicks her in the face as she is down. Bunny then slices her with her elbow for the win. This was all squash with Grey getting nothing in.

Pac is interviewed backstage. He says Death Triangle is coming for everyone and the interview ends. Okay...

The Acclaimed vs David Ali & Vary Morales

Max's rap talks about Bowens being back. He thanks the fans for the support for Bowens then asks the crowd to clap for him. Max wants his opponents to clap and Bowens tells Vary to "back his Juventud-looking @ss up".

Vary misses a dropkick to start and takes some chops from Bowens. Vary is double leg swept then dropkicked by Bowens. Vary comes off the bottom rope with a dropkick on Max and tags out.

Max backdrops Ali and Bowens throws Ali in the corner hard. Ali does a nice springboard off the 2nd rope into a twisting european uppercut out of nowhere. Bowens then hits a nice spinning clothesline on Vary. Bowens side slams Vary into a top rope Max elbow for the win. Max hen does his stupid hand kissing thing. This was a good squash for The Acclaimed.

Hughes Brothers vs. Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky

Page gets a cheapshot on one of the brothers early. Terrance is beaten up in the corner and Terell gets the hot tag. He backdrops Sky and lariats Page. He then powerslams Sky for 2.

Terrell gets a shoulder from Page and takes a kneebreaker. Sky then heel hooks Terrell for the win in a not very good squash.

Ryan Nemeth, JD Drake, & Cezar Bononi w/ Pretty Peter Avalon vs Evil Uno, Stu Grayson & Alex Reynolds w/ Dark Order

Cezar pulls in Peter on a heart shaped sled. Why does he do that and why would Cezar agree to it?

Reynolds dropkicks Ryan early then gets jumped from behind. Ryan fist drops Reynolds then JD forearms and chops Reynolds. Reynolds takes a high back body drop from Cezar. Cezar does a nice suplex on Reynolds then JD cannonballs him in the corner.

Reynolds moonsauts JD off the top and Stu gets the hot tag in. Stu springboard forearms Ryan then uranage's JD. Stu flip dives Cezar then Uno facekicks JD then swantons him. Uno then deep sixes Ryan for 2.

Uno lifts up JD then Stu springboard elbows him. Cezar lariats Uno and Stu hard at the same time. Ryan does his dance on the neckbreaker and Cezar joins him, but Alex pushes him off. Avalon gets on the ropes but jumps onto Cezar then the D-O hits the Fatality for the win. I didn't have any problems with this and this was a fine trios match.

Dante Martin vs Danny Limelight

If they hit their spots, it will be good. If they don't, it will look bad. DL shoulders Dante hard and Dante does a very nice leapfrog. DL dropkicks Dante and dances but then takes a dropkick in return.

Dante does a nice pop-up spinning headscissors then plancha's DL. Dante gets knocked onto the top rope then is running facekicked by DL. DL hits some corner lariats then a ripcord lariat for 2. DL hits a forearm flurry in the corner and Dante comes back. Dante double springboard moonsaults DL for 2.

DL pump kicks Dante and does a nasty swinging neckbreaker after 2 suplexes. DL goes for a slingshot senton but Dante gets his knees up. Dante misses a 450 and takes a hard bump, then is put in a triangle choke. Dante then does a big twisting sell for a lariat.

DL slaps around Date and Dante fights back. Dante shotgun dropkciks him hard off the bottom rope, gutbusters him then 450's him for the win. This had surprisingly a lot less high flying then I figured it would. Danny didn't get to do a lot of his spots.

Lance Archer vs Luther w/ Serpentico

Just why? Serp jumps on Lance during his entrance then is thrown into Luther. Jake on commentary says he isn't sure if Sting and Lance reached mutual respect. Serp pulls on Lance's leg and he brings him in. Luther then cheapshots Lance out.

Serp takes a shot at Lance on the outside but runs away when Lance goes for him. Lance suplexes Luther and shoulders him. Fuego del Sol pulls Serp off the apron and they fight to the back. Luther hits a knee but takes a ripcord hellacoaster for the win. Lance sold too much here and should have killed Serp.

Overall thoughts: Not too bad for what it was but there were a ton of short and pointless squashes here.