AEW Dark Elevation Episode 90- 11/21/2022 (Women's Matches)

 By Mark Rodriguez

Last Friday on Rampage, Athena faced Madison Rayne. Athena made her tap out with a submission move, but even after the match ended, she put her right back into the hold. Audrey tried to stop her but this time Athena flat out socked her out. Then Mercedes Martinez showed up to get in Athena's face. Mercedes is back in tonight's episode and we also see the unique tag team of Hikaru Shida and Willow Nightingale.

Match 1- Leva Bates and Emi Sakura vs Willow Nightingale and Hikaru Shida 

The match opens with Emi running over and attacking Willow from behind while she was doing her intro pose, and then does the same to Hikaru. Emi starts kicking Hikaru and then whips her towards the ropes. Emi and Leva get ready to trip Hikaru with their arms, but she ducks under them. Willow then runs in and knocks both Leva and Emi down with a double clothesline. Hikaru grabs Leva up against the ropes, just as Willow does to Emi and they both start doing ten punches as the crowd counts them all.

Hikaru leaps off the ropes and slams Leva face-down into the mat while Willow returns to her corner. Hikaru kicks Leva around and then gets her on her knees for her next attack. However, as Hikaru runs for the ropes, Emi hits her from behind. Leva kicks Hikaru on the side of the head, knocking her to her knees. Leva grabs Hikaru by the hair and tags Emi in. Hikaru tries to punch Leva off of her but Emi drags her claws across her former pupil's back.

Leva still works here!!

Emi starts throwing chops at Hikaru. Hikaru hits her back but Emi claps her face with a Mongolian Chop. Emi then folds her up and sits on her to enjoy some tea. Emi helps Hikaru to her feet and headbutts her, getting her up against the ropes. This is perfect for her to start her patented 'We Will Rock You' chops. Emi prepares to run at Hikaru for her flying crossbody splash but the former AEW Women's Champ runs at her and sends her flying across the ring with a hurricarana instead. Emi rolls back to her feet but Hikaru knocks her back with a strong forearm to the face. 

Hikaru tags Willow in and she runs over to Emi and hits her with a big hip attack. Willow hits Emi in the face and then sends her to the mat with a snapmare. She then lands a kick to her face and sends her to the ropes. As Emi runs back towards her, Willow hits her with a spine buster and goes for the pin. Emi kicks out. Hikaru is tagged back in and she gets Emi in an upside down back breaker. As Hikaru runs back, Emi grabs her and also picks her up for an upside down back breaker of her own. 

Emi climbs the ropes and Hikaru runs up to grab her before she can jump. Before Hikaru can do some sort of move, Emi rakes her across the eyes. The ref is distracted while Emi does this. Emi grabs Leva's book and bops Hikaru on the top of the head with it. Emi rolls off of Hikaru and gets her in a roll up pin. Hikaru kicks out.

Emi runs over and socks Willow off the apron and then tags in Leva. Emi runs over and hits Hikaru with the running crossbody splash. Leva climbs the ropes and hits Hikaru with both of her knees. Leva then holds onto Hikaru so Emi has a clear shot when she jumps off the ropes. Willow rushes in and attacks Emi before that can happen. Hikaru picks up Leva as Willow picks up Emi. Willow sends Emi down with a Death Valley Driver and Hikaru slams Leva down into a backbreaker. 

Willow runs into Leva with a cannonball and then gets her in the middle of the ring. This was the perfect place for Hikaru to hit Leva with The Katana and knock her down. Hikaru Shida pins The Librarian, winning the match for herself and Willow Nightingale.

Match 2- JC vs Mercedes Martinez 

Both women grapple and try to get each other in a waist lock. Mercedes gets JC down and goes for a choke hold. JC gets out of it and manages to shove Mercedes up against the ropes. JC kicks her in the midsection and then smacks her across the face. She goes for another kick but Mercedes catches her foot and shoves her backwards, hard enough to make her fall. As JC gets up, Mercedes knocks her back down with a running clothesline. 

Mercedes lifts JC up in a vertical position and leaves her up there for almost a full minute before slamming her down. Mercedes helps her to her feet and starts hitting her with several chops across the face and chest. She tries to pick her up again but JC slips from her grasp and hits her across the back. JC hits Mercedes with a jawbreaker. JC starts kicking her legs until Mercedes drops to her knees. JC smacks her in the face and starts talking smack to her.

JC runs off the ropes and charges towards Mercedes, but she picks her up and slams her with a spine buster. Mercedes gets her in the Brass City Sleeper and JC taps out right away. Mercedes wins the match and yells out that if Athena wants her Ring of Honor Women's title, she can come and get it.

My thoughts- 

Interesting pair of matches. Emi Sakura and Leva Bates were a random tag team. I sure hope this doesn't mean we won't be seeing Mei Suruga again. Hikaru Shida and Willow Nightingale were truly in synch for most of the match. They made a great team. The only thing that would have made this match even better is if we saw Willow launch either Leva or Emi into orbit with The Pounce.

The second match was a decent showcase of Mercedes' skills and JC even got to get a bit of offense in. With Jade properly regaining her TBS title and due to return to keep up her streak, a lot of us thought the new heel Athena might go after her. Now it looks like heel Athena is going to be in a collision course against Mercedes Martinez for the Ring of Honor Women's title, hopefully at the upcoming RoH Last Battle PPV in a few weeks.