AEW Dark Episode 155 and Dark Elevation Special (Women's Matches)

 By Mark Rodriguez

This time we had 2 matches on AEW Dark, but due to Battle of the Belts airing on Saturday, we got a special episode of Dark Elevation. Let's check it out as Hikaru Shida takes on Emi Sakura.

Match 1- Willow Nightingale vs Harley Cameron 

Both women lock up and Willow gets her opponent in a rear waist lock, trying to lift her up. Harley gets out of it and grabs her arm. Willow reverses this and grabs onto Harley's arm, making her wave to the crowd with her opponent's hand. Willow armdrags her to the mat and gets her in a headlock. Still holding onto Harley's arm, Willow stands up and whips her towards the ropes, knocking her down with a shoulder tackle as she bounces back. Willow poses for the crowd and knocks her down with another shoulder tackle. At this point Harley is angry.

Harley tries to grab Willow's arm and she reverses it getting into a dancing position. Willow dances with Harley and then knocks her down with a lariat. Willow picks her up and body slams her and then hits her with a rolling senton. As Harley sits up, Willow knocks her back down with a diving crossbody, which she uses as a pin. Harley kicks out.

Harley has had enough of this and shoves Willow face first into the top turnbuckle. She then hits her with kicks and shoulder strikes. Harley hits her with a few knee strikes to the midsection and then knocks her on her back with the Russian Legsweep. Harley goes for the pin but Willow kicks out. Harley gets her in a headlock trying to make her submit.

Willow gets to her feet and hits Harley with a jawbreaker. Willow knocks her down with two clotheslines in a row. She then picks her up and slams her with a spine buster. Willow tries to go for her finisher but Harley gets out of her grasp and yanks on her arm. Willow swings her towards the ropes and as Harley bounces back she is knocked down by The Pounce. Harley stumbles up against the ropes and Willow runs over with the cannoball senton. As Harley is barely able to stand, Willow picks her up and slams her with the Doctor Bomb, pinning her and scoring the win.

Match 2- Diamanté vs Rocky Radley

The match starts with Diamante rolling under Rocky's grapple attempt and grabbing her leg, knocking her down and already going for the pin. Rocky kicks out, and Diamante tries to pin her two more times but failing to keep her down. Diamante grabs Rocky in a headlock but her opponent shoves her off. As they run towards each other. Diamante knocks her down with a shoulder tackle. Diamante goes for another pin, using her legs this time, but Rocky kicks out. Rocky grabs her for an inside cradle pin and Diamante escapes.

Diamante kicks Rocky in the midsection, doubling her over. As she grabs her arm, Rocky strikes back with a punch to the face. Rocky drops her down with a dropkick and goes for the pin. Rocky socks her in the face again, getting Diamante up against the ropes. As Rocky runs towards her, Diamante trips her, making her fall face first into the middle turnbuckle. Diamante runs at her and clocks her with a flying dropkick. 

Diamante kicks Rocky until the ref stops her. She then gets Rocky to her feet and hits her with a few chops. She rolls Rocky to the mat with a snapmare and delivers a swift kick to her spine. As Diamante grabs her, Rocky lets loose a few punches, but her opponent regains control with several hammer punches across her back. Diamante trips her with a Drop Toe Hold and then starts driving her knees into her. She then grabs her jaw, trying to make her submit. 

Diamante gets up and slams her face first into the mat. She then does an elbow drop across her back. Diamante does a second elbow drop, but when she goes for a third, Rocky rolls out of the way. Rocky takes advantage of this to sock her in the face and then kick her across the face, knocking her down. However, Rocky is too banged up from Diamante's punishment to be able to follow up on the attack. Rocky composes herself and tries to grab Diamante, but her opponent slams the brakes before she can get whipped across the ring. Instead Diamante gets her against the ropes and then slams her with a German Suplex. 

Diamante doesn't let go and slams her with a second German Suplex. She tries to go for a third but Rocky back elbows her in the face. Rocky tries to run towards her but Diamante stops her with a shoulder block. She then grabs her in a Half Straight Jacket submission move and Rocky taps out. Diamante adds another win to her belt.

 Match 3 (Dark Elevation Special Episode)- Hikaru Shida vs Emi Sakura

Emi gets right into Hikaru's face and both of them start slugging it out. Emi gets Hikaru against the ropes and starts throwing chops at her. Hikaru kicks her in the midsection and gets her in a headlock. Emi shoves her off and Hikaru bounces off the ropes hoping to knock her with a shoulder block but her former trainer does not budge. After a second attempt, Hikaru finally shoulder blocks Emi, knocking her down. 

Hikaru Shida poses by the ropes, but leaves herself open as Emi grabs her leg and yanks her out of the ring. With both women outside, Emi hits Hikaru with a hard chop across the chest. Emi whips Hikaru back and forth between the ring apron and the barricade and then rolls her back into the ring. Emi enjoys some invisible tea while Hikaru is still reeling from her brutal attacks. 

With Hikaru up against the ropes, Emi hits her with the 'We Will Rock You' chops. She then turns her around and smashed into her back with the flying crossbody. Emi goes for the pin but purposely grabs Hikaru's hair at the count of two to continue the attack. She gets her in a rear headlock but Hikaru manages to get to her feet and slam her with a vertical suplex. Hikaru runs and hits her with a flying knee attack. The former AEW Women's Champ gets Emi up against the ropes and hits her with a vertical stomp, kicking herself off her. Hikaru picks her up for a vertical suplex and slams her down. Hikaru goes for the pin but she kicks out.

Hikaru takes to the ropes for a flying stomp but Emi gets out of the way. With Hikaru on the apron, Emi grabs her and pulls her over the ropes, her feet still dangling on the ropes. Emi then turns Hikaru around and slams her onto her knee for an underhook backbreaker. 

Emi tries to pick up Hikaru but can't. Hikaru is in bad shape and Emi laughs as she kicks her in the face. Emi runs towards the ropes but as she bounces back her former pupil knocker her down with a flying knee to the face. Hikaru hits her with a running elbow and goes for the pin. Emi kicks out. Hikaru tries to pick up Emi but falls to one knee, her back still hurt from the previous attacks. Emi chops her down and picks her up for a Power Bomb Pin. Hikaru musters the strength to kicks out.

Emi picks Hikaru up for the delayed vertical suplex but when it comes time to drop her, she lands on her feet. Hikaru grabs Emi with the flying headscissors and takes her down. She leaps off the ropes and kicks Emi in the face. As Emi tries to get up, Hikaru hits her with the Tamashii kick and goes for the pin. Hikaru Shida scores a win over her former trainer. 

My Thoughts- 

Decent pair of Dark Matches. I noticed that we have been getting newer 'enhancement talent' and it seems we won't be seeing some like Tesha Price or KiLynn King anymore since they have moved on to have larger roles in NWA. Poor Harley was pretty much made a fool out of by Willow, which was funny of course, but it was good to see her get fired up and do some offense. Rocky got some offense in but mostly got out of the way whenever Diamante tried to do the same attack too many times. Of course, Willow and Diamante are always fun to watch, but I still want to see Diamante on my TV. Just start showing some Trios Matches when Nyla, Diamante and Emi or something.

Speaking of Emi, she really put Hikaru through her paces, wrecking her former pupil's back which would continue to plague her as the match went on. One thing my friends have pointed out is that they keep forgetting that Emi Sakura trained Hikaru Shida and it would be cool if the commentary would bring up the fact that this is basically a Teacher VS the Student type of match. This was another match that could have been on Rampage or something.

One last thing to mention is that during the commentary for the Emi VS Hikaru match, Madison Rayne joined Mark Henry and Tony Schiavone. The former Impact Knockouts Champion is now the official coach for the AEW Women's Division, so time will tell if now we'll start seeing more women's matches on Dynamite and maybe several storylines going on at once for them. Maybe Emi and Diamante will be on TV now?

Shortly after Hikaru won the match, Jade and Stokley Hathaway appeared to boast. Madison introduced herself as not only the new coach but also an in-ring participant. She wants a match against Jade, but Stokley says instead of that, why not see if the can defeat their Interim Baddie Leila Grey first on AEW Rampage. 

That upcoming episode of Rampage not only has Madison defeat Leila in her televised AEW debut, but also stop Kiera Hogan from interfering in the match. She now has an upcoming match against Jade for the TBS Title.