AEW Dark Recap (7/14): Brian Cage Defends The FTW Championship Against Pillman Jr, Jurassic Express

Welcome to Wrestling Inc's recap of AEW Dark, which airs every Tuesday at 7 PM EST on AEW's YouTube Channel. Be sure to chime in on your thoughts about tonight's show in the comments section below. Additionally, share our live coverage through social media. Make sure to click the REFRESH button to continue to get the most current up to date coverage.

Excalibur and Taz welcome us to another edition of AEW Dark. Excalibur hypes up tomorrow's epic Fight for the Fallen card, which will be headlined by Brian Cage taking on Jon Moxley for the AEW championship. Taz says that Cage will be adding another belt to his collection that already includes the newly regenerated FTW title.

Rache Chanel makes her way to the ring for our opening tag contest. Her partner Diamante is out next . They'll be taking on the Nightmare Sisters (Brandi Rhodes & Allie), who is accompanied by Dustin Rhodes.

Rache Chanel/Diamante versus The Nightmare Sisters

Diamante and Allie begin. They trade headlocks...Diamante bounces Allie off the ropes but Allie runs through her with a shoulder block. Allie mimicks Dustin Rhodes with a drop-down punch, then follows up with a running knee-lift for a nearfall. Chanel tags in. She takes her time and struts around the ring. Tie-up. Allie lands a knee to the gut. Running elbow...Brandi tags in. She hits a rolling snapmare and superkick in succession. Allie comes back in...Diamante with the distraction on the apron...this gives Chanel the opening to axe-handle Allie from behind. Tandem offense from Diamante and Chanel...they stomp Allie down in their corner. Diamante cranks away on Allie's neck...Dustin tries to rally Allie back into it...she gets to her feet and creates some separation....counter from Allie gives her the opening to tag in Brandi...Diamante jumps back up and knocks Brandi off the apron. Diamante goes for a corner dropkick...Brandi pulls Allie away at the last second. Allie finally makes the tag. Brandi hits a running lariat on Chanel. Another one. Slingblade from Brandi. Allie recovers and takes out Diamante. Brandi and Chanel left alone in the ring...Chanel with a knee-lift but Brandi kills her with a superkick and pump kick in succession. Brandi to the corner...spear. That'll do it.

The Nightmare Sisters win by pinfall

Afterwards Allie and Brandi celebrate in the ring along with Dustin. They have yet to be defeated since teaming up and will be competing on tomorrow's Fight for the Fallen.

Robert Anthony is out next for singles-competition. He takes on former NWA television champion Ricky Starks, who is out second.

Robert Anthony versus Ricky Starks

Tie-up. Nice sequence of chain wrestling ends with Anthony applying an armbar. Starks gets to his feet...Anthony keeps the pressure on the arm...pace picks up again...Anthony nails a running lariat and is looking good early on. He charges Starks, who surprises him by flapjacking him off the ropes. Starks in control now...he smashes Anthony's head off the top turnbuckle, then sends him flying with a release Northern-Lights suplex. Anthony reverses an Irish-whip but Starks shakes it off and hits a misdirection spear. Anthony falls out of a suplex from the apron...Starks stays on him and takes him down with a swinging neckbreaker. Starks goes for the Romero special...Anthony picks him up in a firemans carry and slams him in the turnbuckles. Starks rolls through and nails a pump kick to Anthony's face, then connects with a running dominator for the win.

Ricky Starks wins by pinfall

Promo from Shawn Spears. He talks about the legacy of those who wore the black glove before him, and how his new confidence and Tully Blanchard's guidance will take him to the very top of the card.

Joe Alonzo, Shawn Dean, and Will Hobbs are out for six-man tag action. They'll be taking on the Dark Order's Alan Angels, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds. Evil Uno and two other members watch from the entrance path.

Shawn Dean/Will Hobbs/Joe Alonzo versus The Dark Order

Hobbs and Angels begin. Hobbs has the clear power advantage...Angels dropkicks the knee but Hobbs rag-dolls him across the ring. Silver tags in but he has the same fate with Hobbs. Hobbs tags in Alonzo and throws him on top of Silver. Hip-toss and dropkick in succession. Silver manages to get underneath Alonzo and slams him hard on the mat. Stereo dropkicks from the Dark Order. Shawn Dean comes in...Dark Order uses their numbers to gain the heat on him. Dean sends them to the outside and connects with a tope con hilo. Fight moves back into the ring...Silver drops Dean with a stiff roundhouse to the chest. Angels nearly wins the bout for his team after a double-stomp to the back. Dean with a school-boy pin out of nowhere for a close two...Hobbs gets the hot tag and runs through the Dark Order. Huge spinebuster and snap-powerslam but Silver and Reynolds gang up on Hobbs...enziguri, discus elbow, and German suplex combination. Angels counters a charge by Dean into a Spanish-Fly. Reynolds and Silver hit a flipping destroyer DDT...Alonzo can't kick out.

Dark Order wins by pinfall

Dark Order celebrates. Michael Nakazawa and Jurassic Express's Marko Stunt are up next.

Michael Nakazawa versus Marko Stunt

Stunt charges Nakazawa...his size can't get Nakazawa off his feet. Stunt comes back with a flurry of strikes and a running corner dropkick. Stunt with a second one...Nakazawa has to roll to the outside to recover...Stunt out of nowhere with a suicide dive elbow. Back in the ring Nakazawa regains his footing and smashes Stunt off the turnbuckle. He stomps Stunt down, then yells at the referee for getting in his face. Huge powerslam...chinlock applied. Stunt escapes but Nakazawa cuts him off with a running elbow. Nakazawa pulls out his body oil and pours it all over Stunt. Slipping senton connects. Stunt with an amazing display of athleticism...spinning kick and springboard frankensteiner. Diving attack from Stunt for a two count. Nakazawa responds with a jumping Samoan drop. Atomic drop and spear from Nakazawa...cover...Stunt just kicks out. Nakazawa calls for the thong...he goes for the claw...Stunt ducks and backslides Nakazawa...another closet two count. Stunt dropkicks the thong into Nakazawa's face, then stacks him with a school-boy for the upset victory.

Marko Stunt wins by pinfall

Tag team action is next. Brady Pierce makes his way to the ring, followed by his partner Pineapple Pete. Both men are still looking for their first victory in AEW. Serpentico is out next. He'll be teaming up with hardcore legend Luther.

Brady Pierce/Pineapple Pete versus Serpentico/Luther

Pete and Luther begin. Luther rushes Pete and traps him in his team's corner. Luther clubs the smaller man in the back, then takes him off his feet with a running shoulder block. Pete unloads a flurry of fists...Luther stops that with a pump kick. Serpentico tags in...double-stomp onto Pete's arm. The luchadore targets it but Pete sends him flying with a monkey-flip. Pierce and Luther tag in. They stare each other down...Pierce hits a punch...Luther asks for another...they bump shoulders with neither man moving. Pierce goes for another one...Luther surprises him with a running punch. Running lariat from Pierce. Pete tags in and hits a running uppercut in the corner. Luther shakes it off and takes Pete down, then once again forces him into his team's corner. Serpentico pulls Pete's boots and sends him groin first into the ringpost. Luther takes advantage with a belly to belly suplex for a nearfall. Twisting sidewalk slam from Luther. Luther slams Serpentico off of Pete. They repeat the spot. Luther pops Pete up and drives his knee into his face. Serpentico back in...huge strikes to Pete...Pete creates separation and hits a roll through facebuster. Pierce gets the tag and drops Serpentico with a series of back elbows. Pump kick and spinebuster from Pierce...Luther just breaks up the pin attempt. Luther holds Pierce up...double-stomp for the win.

Serpentico/Luther win by pinfall

Out next is Peter Avalon and Brandon Cutler, who are accompanied as always by Leva Bates. They'll be taking on The Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus & Jungle Boy). The Young Bucks are watching from ringside.

Peter Avalon/Brandon Cutler versus Jurassic Express

Jungle Boy and Avalon begin. Nice sequence of chain wrestling that Avalon wins...he brings in Cutler but Jungle Boy survives the double-team attempt. Cutler hits an enziguri from the apron and brings back in Avalon. Huge chop to Jungle Boy...he sends one right back from his knees. Running frankensteiner by Jungle Boy. He brings in Luchasaurus for the first time...tandem offense from the Jurassic Express. Big combination from Luchasaurus ends in a trouble in paradise kick. Luchasaurus bends Cutler by the back...Jungle Boy off the top with a double-stomp. Cutler fires back with a springboard-lariat. Avalon is in...vertical suplex and powerslam . Cutler back in...springboard senton and leaping legdrop in succession from Cutler. Jungle Boy counters another maneuver and decapitates Cutler with a lariat. Luchasaurus gets the tag...he runs through Cutler and Avalon with ease. Pump kick to Cutler and a roundhouse drops Avalon. He goes for a chokeslam but Cutler cradles him...close two count. Swinging tornado DDT and Luchasaurus is stunned...another tornado DDT...Cutler comes off with a springboard elbow. Jungle Boy JUST breaks up the pin. He takes out Avalon and Cutler with back to back suicide dives. Tiger suplex from Jungle Boy for a nearfall...Luchasaurus back in...they go for a double-team but Cutler shoves them out of the way...Jurassic Express eventually hit a tandem cutter for the victory.

Jurassic Express win by pinfall

Main event time. Brian Pillman Jr. is out first...The Machine Brian Cage is second. Here we go.

Brian Cage versus Brian Pillman Jr. for the FTW championship

Pillman begins by hitting a dropkick. Cage is barely affected. He sends Pillman to the corner and rocks him with lariats. Pillman comes back with a superkick and a roundhouse but Cage responds with a pump kick and an epic release German suplex. Pillman rolls to the outside...Cage chases him out...he goes for a powerbomb...Pillman uses the ropes to get to the apron...superkick and catapult dropkick and Cage is stunned! Pillman goes for another maneuver off the apron...Cage catches him and suplexes him onto the arena floor. Buckle bomb off the ringpost and Pillman looks dazed. Cage pulls Pillman up to the apron...apron superplex connects. He calls for the Drill-Claw...he hits it. This one is over quick.

Brian Cage wins by pinfall to retain the FTW championship

Post match Cage continues his attack on Pillman with multiple powerbombs and an F-5. Taz says he should probably stop him but he decides not to. He adds that Moxley's "ass" is in trouble tomorrow.

That's the show friends.

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