5/31 AEW DARK TV REPORT: Mercedes Martinez defends ROH Women’s Championship, Dark Order in action, more

AEW DARK TV REPORT
MAY 31, 2022
RECORDED AT MICHELOB ULTRA ARENA IN LAS VEGAS, NV
AIRED ON YOUTUBE.COM
REPORT BY RYAN HOWARD, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

AEW Dark Announcers: Excalibur, Caprice Coleman, and Taz

Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts

-Excalibur and Taz on the call, welcoming us to the show with Caprice Coleman joining them, as Bobby Cruise intros the opening title match.

(1) MERCEDES MARTINEZ vs. VIVA VAN – ROH Women’s World Championship

Mercedes grounded Viva early, but Viva escaped into a side headlock. Mercedes got a shoulder tackle, butterfly suplex and running knee. Viva avoided a powerslam, dished out some kicks and low dropkick to bring Mercedes to her knees. Viva misses a corner splash, as Mercedes nails a Helluva Kick and corner dropkick. Mercedes slingshot Viva on the top ropes, hit the Execution Forearm and Brass City Sleeper for the submission.

WINNER: Mercedes Martinez in 2:30 to retain the ROH Women’s World Championship

(Howard’s Analysis: The ROH Women’s champ made much quicker work of her opponent tonight than last night on Elevation. Another night, another title defense for Mercedes Martinez, who is really getting her win record looking impressive. Hopefully a feud will be down the line, until then, it’s great seeing her defend the title each week.)

(2) BUTCHER & THE BLADE (w/The Bunny) vs. HUNTER GREY & PAUL TITAN

Butcher absolutely clobbered Grey with a hard lariat almost out of the gate. Blade made the tag, but took too long to capitalize and got mowed down with a double shoulder tackle. Grey & Titan made the tag by just slamming themselves into each other, which confused referee Bryce, but he allowed it. Blade blocked a corner boot by Titan, unloaded strikes and short arm clothesline. Grey made the tag and hit a running corner clothesline on Butcher, but turned his attention to get the crowd going, which was his downfall. Fireman’s carry by Butcher into a knee lift from Blade got a two. Titan made the save and while he was tossed outside, nearly blew out the audio from the ring mic in the process. Butcher & Blade dragged the lake and got the victory.

WINNERS: Butcher & The Blade in 4:00

(Howard Analysis: With the debut of Rush at Double or Nothing with Andrade, you have to wonder what that means for the rest of the A.F.O. Is Andrade done with Butcher, Blade, Private Party, Angelico & Jora Johl? He called them losers on the PPV, so I’m curious. Butcher & the Blade certainly didn’t look like losers in this one. Titan & Grey put up a good fight, but it wasn’t enough.)

(3) ANTHONY OGOGO vs. CARLIE BRAVO

Excalibur informed us these two trained at The Factory and didn’t like each other. Ogogo worked a headlock to open things until he mowed down Bravo with multiple shoulder blocks. Bravo ducked a clothesline; hit a dropkick on point and discus right hand in the corner. Bravo gave a salute, tried a knee drop, but it looked like he missed. Ogogo connected with a headbutt to the midsection and multiple bodyslams. With an arm trapped, Ogogo dished out elbows to the midsection and a pop up right hand for the walk off. He draped the UK flag over Bravo as referee Aubrey counted to 10 for the TKO.

WINNER: Anthony Ogogo in 3:30

(Howard’s Analysis: Another victim, another TKO for Ogogo, who continues racking up wins on Dark. He’s ever so slowly getting more ring time each match, so I’d like to see him pushed more as his win streak continues. The walk off TKO keeps him undefeated in 2022.)

(4) JAMIE HAYTER vs. DANIKA DELLA ROUGE

Hayter was relentless in the corner with forearms and chops. Caprice informs us Danika was trained by Rikishi and the late Buddy Wayne. She made a comeback with strikes, but ran right into a uranage backbreaker. Ripcord lariat took Danika’s head off and gave Hayter the quick win.

WINNER: Jamie Hayter in 1:30

(Howard’s Analysis: This match was so quick Excalibur couldn’t even get his plugs in for future AEW shows. This was complete destruction by Britt Baker’s right hand woman.)

(5) JOHN SILVER & EVIL UNO & 10 vs. PETER AVALON & RYAN NEMETH & SERPENTICO

Caprice has left commentary for the main event, as watching Serpentico walk out as a guest Wingman was as glorious as it sounds. Excalibur called them hunks and Taz sang Hunka Hunka Love, which was also glorious. Silver showed off his power early with a shoulder block on Avalon. Nemeth jumped in and met the same fate, so this left Serpentico to hulk up for his team. Serpentico bounced off 10 & Silver like a ball as Dark Order posed for the crowd. A delayed suplex for 10 seconds by 10, as Uno made the tag and fittingly did a 1 count for his suplex. Avalon clipped Uno with a knee and Serpentico hit a Flatliner to gain control. Double dropkick, but Uno was out at two. Uno was isolated until he caught a Serpentico boot, threw it to referee Mike Posey and hit an assisted neckbreaker. Double stunner on Nemeth & Avalon allowed 10 to make the hot tag and clean house. Serpentico tried a cazadora, but an assisted slam from 10 was the counter. The Wingmen took out 10, but Silver tackled them both to break up the cover. Uno wiped out Nemeth & Avalon outside, as 10 hit a spinebuster on Serpentico. The Pendulum Bomb spelled the end for Serpentico and gave Dark Order the win.

WINNERS: John Silver, Evil Uno & 10 in 5:30

(Howard’s Analysis: Despite getting in some offense a bit on Uno, it just wasn’t in the cards for The Wingmen and Wingmen in Training. Crowd was fully behind Dark Order in this one and it was a solid main event to cap the show.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Another quick episode of Dark, as these were the matches leftover from the other night’s Bonus Dark that happened Saturday. We should get a new set of matches taped soon, as I don’t think any are left in the can going forward. Tonight, we saw Mercedes defend her ROH title in impressive fashion again, Jamie Hayter looked dominating as well, perhaps that’s a match down the line for the ROH title? Main event is Match of the Night, as it was really the only non squash match on this show. Dark Order always gets the crowd going at live shows, this was no different.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S AEW DARK REPORT: 5/28 AEW DARK TV REPORT: Both Darby Allin and House of Black appear, Johnny Elite returns, more