AEW Dark Elevation results: Daniel Garcia vs. Leon Ruffin ROH Pure title match

This week’s AEW Dark: Elevation was filmed last Wednesday in Boston before Dynamite. Paul Wight and “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard were amazing on commentary tonight.

Gates Of Agony (w/ Prince Nana) defeated Big Cuzo & Teddy Goodz

Cuzo got a hot tag and was able to get some offense in, but before he could really get going, Toa Liona ran him over and Bishop Kaun hit a gutbuster for the win. After the match, Liona briefly attacked Cuzo, but they quickly moved on. This was nothing but a few minutes to put over Gates of Agony.

Tay Melo defeated Paris Van Dale

Van Dale did not look ready for this one at all as the JAS member dominated with her striking. After hitting a big knee off a Gory Special position, she pinned Van Dale with a somewhat provocative pin to win the match, prompting Menard to ask Wight if they teach that in wrestling school. I love Daddy Magic.

Matt Hardy & Private Party defeated Channing Thomas, Kyle Bradley & Smiley Fairchild

I was already down on this match as I didn’t get to hear Private Party’s theme on the way out, but I guess I can make due. Private Party was all over Fairchild in the early going, but they decided not to pin him after an assisted dropkick from Hardy and Marq Quen. Thomas and Bradley had to get their moves in though. After getting rid of the other two members, Hardy locked in the Leech on Bradley for the win. The former HFO team looked great in this one.

Athena defeated Kayla Sparks

This continued the story of Athena being the lovely babyface that completely switches gears and tries to hurt people. Sparks had the upper hand early being relentless, but she got the bad end of a suplex on the outside and a knee to the head against the steel steps. Commentary was quick to point out some people booing in the crowd at this.

Sparks got back in the ring, eventually got a near fall, and got in some more offense, but Athena followed with a forearm and a superkick. She started beating down Sparks and actually pushed the ref away from her. That has to be against the rules, right? She submitted her with a guillotine shortly after for the win, adding an unnecessary O-Face afterward for good measure.

The Butcher & The Blade (w/The Bunny) defeated Waves and Curls (Jaylen Brandyn & Traevon Jordan)

Waves and Curls, from the Northeast indie scene, wanted some camera time, so the psychotic team of Butcher and Blade were quick to attack them. Blade went for an early pin and Jordyn broke it up, slapping Blade on the ass. He was quickly dispatched to the outside, opening up the win for the Butcher and Blade to hit Drag the Lake on Brandyn in a quick squash.

ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia defeated Leon Ruffin to retain

This match was contested under ROH Pure Rules. If you’re not familiar, you can’t use closed fists and each wrestler only gets three rope breaks.

Garcia made Ruffin look silly in the early going, but Ruffin got his comeback with a moonsault followed by an armdrag. Garcia took him to the corner, dumped him out, and threw him into the steel guardrails. Garcia continued to fight as dirty as possible while Ruffin kept trying for another comeback. He got a corkscrew cutter off the second rope for a near fall. Garcia had his back in the corner and actually got a warning for using a closed fist to the face. 

The only problem I had with Menard all night was him making fun of the Pure Rules which I didn’t think was a good look. Garcia locked in a rear naked choke shortly after the warning and when Ruffin almost made it to the ropes, Garcia switched to an inverted choke that put Ruffin out for the win. Garcia shook the hand of Ruffin’s lifeless body after the match.

Ten defeated Jora Johl

Johl’s first big move was an Attitude Adjustment-like move that Wight and Menard said was taking a lot from a guy from here in the Boston area (John Cena). After some back and forth, Ten hit a massive clothesline onto Johl for the quick win.

AR Fox defeated Serpentico

I loved seeing Fox making his Elevation debut and he looked great in this one. Serpentico was quickly thrown to the outside and Fox hit a moonsault off the apron. Back in the ring, Serpentico hit a superkick for the two count. Fox got his own two count after a suplex, followed by a cutter, a splash, and another cutter for a near fall. Serpentico countered a DDT into a pinning combination, but he grabbed the rope right in front of the ref. This opened it up for Fox to hit his 450 splash and get the win.

He teams with the reunited Top Flight to take on AEW Trios Champions Death Triangle on Wednesday.

Riho & Willow Nightingale defeated Emi Sakura & Mei Suruga (w/ Baliyan Akki)

I never thought Riho and Nightingale would be a tag team together, but I need more of it. Nightingale and Sakura had a pose off of sorts to start the match as they argued over who looked better in purple. Don’t let this fool you though: they immediately went to the power game. Nightingale hit a double armdrag onto Sakura and Suruga when they tried to interfere while Riho had to deal with her own interference from Akki on the outside. 

Sakura and Suruga posed for Tea Time on Riho, but Nightingale got the hot tag shortly after. She knocked Suruga halfway across the arena, but Suruga raked her eyes after and right in front of the ref. Sakura found her way back in and ate a spinebuster from Nightingale, followed by Riho hitting her high crossbody for a really good near fall. 

Sakura and Suruga got another great double team move in, but Riho countered a moonsault from Sakura to set up her double stomp. There was more interference but Nightingale hit a big double clothesline followed by a double knee by Riho for the pin. This was a great main event to close up the show.