AEW Dark Elevation results: Hikaru Shida vs. Diamante

It’s Monday and you know what that means: time for a ten-match AEW Dark: Elevation card with a lot of debuts.

Jade Cargill (w/ “Smart” Mark Sterling) defeated Rache Chanel

This match saw the AEW return of Chanel for the first time since a loss to KiLynn King. This was was also the first time Cargill and Sterling officially worked as an act. This was a dominant performance for Cargill who won in a matter of seconds with Jaded. After the match, Sterling cut a promo putting himself and the undefeated Cargill (7-0) over as the best.

Santana & Ortiz defeated Liam Grey & Adrian Alanis

At the beginning of the show, The Inner Circle members cut a promo talking about their last Tag Team title match loss and how they are back on the title hunt.

This was a good match. Santana & Ortiz looked great as usual, but Alanis also got in some good offense. Santana & Ortiz won with a combo of a power bomb and a kick to Alanis’ face.

Scorpio Sky defeated Trevor Read

Sky’s partner Ethan Page was not at ringside as he was at the commentary table with Paul Wight and Tony Schiavone. This was the AEW debut for Read and was a solid one as he worked really well with Sky. Sky won yet again by submission with the heel hook.

Brian Cage & Powerhouse Hobbs (w/ Hook) defeated Trevor Aeon & Kendall Blake

Blake and Aeon made their AEW debuts tonight. Hobbs looked impressive and, at one point, hit nine bodyslams in a row on Blake. Hobbs and Cage dominated the entire way and it was awesome. The tag team division could use a team like this. Cage won with the Drill Claw.

Evil Uno (w/ -1) defeated Danny Limelight

This was prep for Uno’s TNT title challenge against Miro on Friday. Uno had a backstage segment with the rest of the Dark Order members that resembled a BTE skit. This was a very good match. Limelight once again had an outstanding performance while Uno looked ready for Friday and for the opportunity to bring the TNT title back to the Dark Order. Uno won Something Evil (ripcord flatliner). After the match, the crowd cheered for -1.

Ethan Page defeated Mike Sydal

The roles were reversed from earlier as Sky was on commentary supporting Page and talking about his current feud with Sting and Darby Allin. Sky was very good with Wight and Schiavone. Also very good was this match — one that the crowd was electric for. Page won after hitting the Ego’s Edge to remain undefeated in AEW singles competition.

The Acclaimed defeated Dark Order’s Alan “5” Angels & Alex Reynolds

Like the Dark Order, the Acclaimed are super over and once more, Max Caster had a great intro rap. Angels and Reynolds did a great job making Caster and Anthony Bowens look awesome. Angels, in particular, showed great babyface fire here. The Acclaimed won when Reynolds got distracted and hit with the boombox, leading to Bowens making the pin. The Acclaimed remains the no. 2 ranked team in the division.

Kris Statlander (w/ Best Friends & Orange Cassidy) defeated Queen Aminata

Statlander got one of the biggest pops of the show. Interesting trivia on behalf of Schiavone and Wight: Queen Aminata can speak four languages.

Aminata had her best showing to date and even got the crowd cheering for her. Statlander made a cool counter to win this match with the Big Bang Theory, running her record to 7-0 this year. Aminata is someone I could see AEW signing soon.

The Varsity Blonds (w/ Julia Hart) defeated Ryan Nemeth & JD Drake (w/ The Wingmen)

The Blonds cut a promo earlier in the show talking about their failed title challenge against The Young Bucks a few weeks ago. They are a great act.

During the match, Nemeth destroyed Hart’s sign supporting the Blonds. Nemeth worked a more aggressive style and the Blonds did a great job working as the babyfaces overcoming the odds. Once again, Griff Garrison looked like he could one day be a big star for AEW. The Blonds won after Air Pillman and remain the no. 1 team in the tag team rankings.

Hikaru Shida defeated Diamante

This was Shida’s first match since her unsuccessful title defense on Double or Nothing against Britt Baker. Diamante cut a promo talking about her match with Shida. The former AEW Women’s champion also debuted a new hairstyle for this match. This was one of Diamante’s best AEW showings. Shida worked with more intensity and fire than usual and won with the Katana. She began to regain her momentum and is coming for the title.

Final Thoughts:

This was a very fast-paced show with nothing overstaying its welcome. You could argue that a few matches could have gone longer like Uno vs. Limelight. Elevation also had good backstage promos, in particular, Santana & Ortiz, who I think will most likely be the team to eventually beat the Bucks for the titles someday.

My match of the night was Uno vs. Limelight with Shida vs. Diamante and Statlander vs. Aminata up there as well.