AEW Dark Episode 102: Rise is in the books. If you missed the live stream, click here to stream Cageside Seating. Paul White and Matt Menard called the event tonight. RIP Plug 2.

The Dark Order (Evil Uno, John Silver, Alex Reynolds) vs. Vary Morales, El Dragon, and El Combarde

The Dark Order brought home a 2023 triples record of 4-0 for our opening competition tonight. Their opponents were waiting in the ring (as you’d expect) without any previous track record as a trio, though you’ve certainly seen Morales in other Dark matches before. He locked up Silver and tried to deal with the shoulder, which didn’t move him an inch. Morales did a drop-down jump and ate his shoulder, sending him flying. Silver dragged him to their corner and tagged Uno, Uno tagged Reynolds so they could triple his team, and Morales was also tagged for hits by his masked men. Paul White said he was trying to learn to roll an R like Dasha but was unable to master it. He was ridden by Reynolds and flagged Uno for a run in the wild. Cutter, Sit on Energy Bomb, Right Hand, Uno tag out, and Reynolds and Silver did their double team finish.

Matt Hardy was explaining backstage to Ethan Page why he brought in a photographer. He said he wanted to explain to both Page and the crowd that he was the reason he lost the match. “You want me to fall for this? Do you want a camera to document this?” Hardy: “I tell the world so they can see how honest and authentic I am.” Page: “I don’t care what they think of you, sir, and you ruin my business.” Hardy: “It’s my fault. Do you think I wanted that to happen? I wanted to be a hero with you. The last few months I wasn’t sure about you at first, but I was driven by you, you inspired me. I’m going to lose my ass to turn back the clock. Two days a day.” Three days. Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes. I want us to rule the world. You’ve inspired me to be a better professional wrestler and a better man. We’re not just great men, we’re great fathers. We love our kids more than anything. We love our wives. We’re faithful. You have an impeccable sense of style.” Hardy presents him with a shirt. Page: “When you put it like this Matt, I want to see where this goes.” They embrace her. Page: “When I say jump,” Hardy: “I’ll say how high. We can run this joint.” Page: “Hey, thanks for watching guys. Can they leave? We’ll get on with this on our own. Well, bye!”

Big Bill vs. Gino

Bell is making his singles debut of 2023 on Elevation. Something about that seems strange, but so be it. Gino was making his AEW debut not just for 2023, and was barely able to look above Bill’s navel standing right in front of him. This was exactly one-sided as you’d expect. White: “Everything Bill does is what we call warm.” Bill mocked Gino’s chant to the crowd and then turned it around. He stepped on Gino’s back and banged on him as he got up. Bill ate a drop kick to the chest, and then Gino was knocked off his +boot+ by Big Bill. One of them choked and Bill stood on his chest to get the pin. Wight rated this an “8 out of 10” for being beaten by one.

Jade Cargill & Layla Gray vs DD Doom & Dulce Tormenta

Speaking of one aspect, I can’t see Cargill losing any matches anytime soon, even a tag team match. She and Gray had a 3-0 tag team record coming in, and White was sure to point to Cargill winning another match on the Jericho Cruise to improve her singles records to 51-0. Tormenta and Dom were making their debut in AEW as a tag team. Tormenta had the size of a Cargill but not quite as muscular. She easily beat Tormenta and tagged in Gray, who was nearly caught on a roll up for 3. She recovered with a near-fall Rossi leg sweep. Doom is knocked off the apron and Cargill is tagged in again. Cargill gave Tormenta a pump kick to the face. I threw Dom in the head when she tried to run and help, then gave Tormenta a pin-up. The entry video immediately updated to 52-0 after the game, though Wight responded “I’m not going to argue it + but + it wasn’t a one-on-one game.” I wouldn’t argue with Paul either.

Brian Cage (with Prince Nana) vs. Justin Taylor

Cage brought in a record of 13-0 in Elevation. Spoiler alert – it’ll be 14-0 in two minutes. Taylor was waiting inside the ring to make his AEW debut, however short-lived. He wasn’t as outclassed as Gino was against Bill, but Cage still teamed with him like he was a workout machine. Kick to the head, suplex, double biceps for the crowd. Discus missed. Taylor hit a kick and signaled a big move which Cage easily blocked, and was immediately finished off with the Drill Claw. Nana hit the ring to give him the ROH Trios title and celebrate the win.

Amy Sakura and Nella Rose (with Vickie Guerrero) vs. Sky Blue and Madison Rayne

Sakura and Rose were collaborating for the first time in 2023. Their entrance music was interrupted by Vicky Guerrero, shouting “Excuse me!” He kissed the audience, who cheered “Eddie” in response. Rain and Blue were also teaming up for the first time this year. Rayne even got matching blue pants and a top for the occasion. Sakura laughed at Rin and grabbed a handful of his hair as the “Eddie” chants continued. You had to expect that in El Paso. A blue flag was tucked inside and gave Sakura a high knee. Rose is marked in blue and punched in the face. She responded with kicks to the shin and knee. She tries Blue Rana and then a Canadian destroyer, neither of which works, and Rose crushes her. Maynard: “I think Skye blew (it).” Sakura returned to her spot and physically ran through the ropes sending Blue to the ground and pulling her by her hair. Blue speared her into the barricade and Vicki Guerrero shocked the blue spear in response! The crowd roared for it. Rose tagged in, Sakura threw Blue on her knee, and Rose made the cover for two. Rayne hits the turnbuckle encouraging Blue to fight back. Rose splashed blue into the corner but missed Avalanche in the corner. Sakura was tagged in and Minare immediately said “Yass Queen”. Tilt the vortex from behind by Sakura to Rose and both women were at the bottom. Double sign. Rayne tried and failed with shoulder exercises so she attacked the knee instead. Blue ran to try to help and Sakura knocked her on the head and gave her a cross body at the barrier on the floor. Back in the ring, Rose immediately destroyed Rayne for the pin and the El Paso crowd loved it. More “Eddie” cheers and shots of fans donning his shirts.

Yuka Sakazaki vs. Vertvexen

Sakazaki brought a record of 3-0 in 2023 to the ring. Vertvixen was also making her 2023 debut though she, too, is no stranger to Dark matches. As with most of her matches, Sakazaki was letting go of her size and had to use her speed and high flight to overcome the gap. Vixen put her boots in the corner and ran over her head before sliding her forearm and making a peace sign for the camera. Sakazaki Dam Vertical Suplex And Kicking Vixen In The Gut. Vixen responded by punching her down for a near fall. Sakazaki chose Vixen to spin the plane. White: “That’s impressive! I may be small but I’m damn strong.” Magical Dream Girl Splash for Three! Someone put her AEW entrance music on YouTube please. Athena ran in to give Sakazaki a shot in the belt and the crowd booed loudly. She threw Sakazaki out of the ring, hurling her onto the steel steps, and speaking a few slaps, she picked her up and hooked her leg between the steps and the ring before slamming into her. White: “Athena should be fined for this!” She got back in the ring and showed off the ROH Women’s Title to get even more boos. Maynard: “We need to get someone out here.” Athena puts her down again with her shoe and goes backwards, laughing and mocking Sakazaki the whole way.

Josh Woods (with Ari Daivari, Tony Nese and “Smart” Mark Sterling) vs. Manscot Jake Manning

Woods was 17-8 in AEW prior to this match. White: “I look at Smart Mark Sterling and I have to ask — is that an oxymoron?” Manning was so busy reading his scouting manual that he didn’t even pay attention to the opening bell. Woods threw the book away, picked it up, and dropped it on his face. An electric bomb, a knee to the face, a German pin-up back bridge, and that was all 30 seconds at most. Sterling should have cut a promo about a law in Texas and how it applies to El Paso to extend this a bit.

Best Friends (Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor) vs. Aidan Colt & Frank Stone

Beretta and Taylor have been 1-0 so far in 2023. Colt and Stone have been waiting in the ring (say it with me now) to make their AEW tag team debut. Aubrey Edwards called the bell and we got started with Taylor and Stone. Colt tagged Stone on the colt, knocking the Beretta off the apron, but Taylor recovered a slam and was tagged into the Beretta. Colt ate a piece and some hits. Colt tried to return the favor and was put back down. Stone provided assistance from the apron so they could work on the Beretta. Low back Beretta body. Tag Taylor. Double shoulder treatment. Stone ran to throw punches and the best friends took care of him before hitting Sole Food and doing a big hug. Double pins, double pins to win. Maynard: “We might need stretchers!” Friends shook hands to celebrate as Elevation went off the air.

What to watch / skip

What to watch/skip is offered tonight De la Soul. Pro wrestling and rapping are the things I live for, so Dave’s passing on February 12th hurts me so much, but sharing this episode of Dark Elevation with all of you helps (a little). If you’ve never checked out their catalog, it will air in full on March 3 after a decades-long ownership struggle, so stay tuned. First of all let me say that I like Vertvixen more every time I see it. She has the physique, the charisma, and if she had some long matches in AEW I think we would learn how good she is. Here he hopes. Sakazaki’s match was the highlight of the episode in terms of beating the odds but from the post-match angle building her program with Athena. It would be nice to see Sakazaki dethrone the champ. That way, your opinion of this show is solely based on how you feel about squash. The only competitive match was the women’s tag team match and it was obvious who would win. For me this was a fun episode albeit not an +exciting+ one.

Cageside commentary crew! Share your thoughts in the comments section below and Find me on Twitter For more talk about wrestling. See you tomorrow night after AEW Dark!