AEW Dark Recap (7/21): Darby Allin Returns To Action, Butcher And Blade In The Main Event, Diamante

By Joseph James

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 super-sized edition of Dark. They immediately throw it down to ring announcer Justin Roberts to introduce our first machup, which will be women's division action. Rache Chanel makes her way out first, followed by her opponent, AEW women's champion Hikaru Shida.

Rache Chanel versus Hikaru Shida

Shida goes to lock up...Chanel dodges it and struts around the ring. Shida hits a kick to the gut, then goes after the arm with a hammerlock before switching to a headlock. Chanel freaks out that Shida is messing up her hair and forces the referee to separate them. Shida goes after Chanel's hair but Chanel strikes her with a chop. Running neckbreaker from Chanel. She reaches into her purse and pulls out a comb to brush Shida's hair. Shida doesn't know how to respond so Chanel drops her with a back suplex for a nearfall. Shida shakes it off and rocks Chanel with a running corner knee strike. Shida goes to the outside to hit a rising knee on a prone Chanel. Back inside the ring...Shida takes Chanel down with a delayed vertical suplex. Chanel goes for a corner attack...Shida catches her and lands a backbreaker. Shida brings the pain with a huge knee strike to the side of Chanel's head. Shida goes for a Falcon Arrow...Chanel initially blocks it but Shida powers her up and lands the maneuver. That'll do it.

Hikaru Shida wins by pinfall

We move right along with our next competitors. Corey Hollis is out first, followed by Kip Sabian, who is accompanied as always by Penelope Ford.

Kip Sabian versus Corey Hollis

Tie-up. Sabian gains the early advantage with a wristlock...he muscles Hollis to the ground. He realizes that he's still wearing his sunglasses and removes them. Hollis wins the second exchange by cranking on Sabian's wrist. Snapmare from Sabian...he takes time to kiss Ford on the outside. Huge right hand by Sabian takes Hollis off his feet. Sabian with a series of stomps. Pace picks up...Hollis nearly hits a samoan drop but Sabian counters and lands a single-leg dropkick. Running enziguri and slidling lariat by Sabian in succession. Excalibur commends Sabian on his combination of offense. Sabian sets up...running PK connects. As he plays to the crowd Hollis superkicks him in the midsection. Hollis uses the middle-ropes to land a backflip kick. Sabian responds by hitting his finisher for the easy victory.

Kip Sabian wins by pinfall

Dustin Rhodes is running drills with the Nightmare Sisters on the Jaguars football field. Dasha comes up and asks them what their new alliance means...Brandi mentions that AEW has one of the best tag team divisions in wrestling, but what does that mean for the women? They say they hope to continue improving on their 4-0 record.

Tag team action is net. Brady Pierce and former NXT star Sabby are out first. They'll be taking on the Best Friends. No Orange Cassidy with them this time.

Best Friends versus Brady Pierce/Sabby

Sabby and Trent begin. Sabby pushes Trent to the mat before taunting him to get up. Second exchange sees Sabby running through Trent with a shoulder block. Trent continues jaw-jacking...Trent nails a forearm but Sabby fires back with a boot to the gut. Trent takes the bigger man off his feet with a chop-block, then clubs Sabby across his chest. Back suplex from Trent for a nearfall. Chuck tags in now...Sabby immediately slides over to bring in Pierce. Pierce runs through Chuck with a shoulder tackle...Chuck fires back with chops and a big boot. He climbs the middle-rope...missile dropkick connects. Tandem offense by the Best Friends. Pierce whips Chuck off the ropes...Sabby knees Chuck in the back allowing Pierce to hit a huge spinebuster. Sabby tags in and continues to wear Chuck down, which includes a flush dropkick. Chuck finally makes the hot tag to Trent, who runs through Pierce and chops Sabby down with a running elbow. Tornado DDT from Trent, followed by a running knee to the back of Sabby's head. Best Friends hit back to back piscados onto Sabby and Pierce. They hug in the center of the ring, then connect with Strong Zero on Pierce for the victory.

Best Friends win by pinfall

Next up...Will Hobbs takes on Ricky Starks.

Will Hobbs versus Ricky Starks

Starks begins by nailing Hobbs with a jumping shoulder block. The big man bounces back up and levels Starks with a vertical suplex. Hobbs has the clear power advantage but Starks manages to take him down with a ground and pound. Starks bounces off the ropes...he runs right into a huge spinebuster from Hobbs. He picks Starks up and runs him into the turnbuckles and goes for an Oklahoma Stampede but Starks counters the maneuver and lands his double-arm dominator for the quick win.

Ricky Starks wins by pinfall

Coming up next...another singles-contest. Aaron Solow, who is making his AEW debut, comes out first. He'll be taking on SCU's Scorpio Sky.

Aaron Solow versus Scorpio Sky

Solow proves to be as quick as Sky, but the former tag champion takes the early advantage with a snap-Russian leg sweep. Solow pushes Sky into the ropes, then stomps Sky down in the turnbuckles. He plays to the crowd and blows a kiss at the camera. Sky fires off a forearm but Solow gives him one right back...back and forth striking...Solow with an enziguri out of nowhere. Sky dodges a haymaker and lands his signature dropkick to slow Solow down. A series of leaping attacks from Sky, then hits a punt kick and jumping flatliner in succession. Sky sets up for the TKo...Solow has it scouted...he rolls Sky up and hits a jumping double-stomp for a nearfall. Solow with a flurry of strikes...sunset powerbomb sends Sky into the turbuckles stunning him. Cover...only two. Solow climbs for an elbow drop...Sky reverses it into a crucifix pin...Solow kicks out but walks right into a TKO. That'll do it.

Scorpio Sky wins by pinfall

More women's division action is up next. KiLynn King is first. Her opponent, Diamante, is out second. Commentary is sure to remind us that Diamante will be competing on tomorrow's Dynamite as well.

KiLynn King versus Diamante

King goes after the wrist early..Diamante reverses the pressure...nice sequence of chain wrestling from both women to begin. They trade headlocks...Diamante tries a headscissor...King is too strong and puts Diamante back on her feet, then runs through her with a shoulder block. King tries a stalling suplex but she holds Diamante up for too long and she shifts her weight to land on her feet. King goes right back to the waist and connects with a suplex this time. Diamante shakes it off and sends King into the turnbuckles with an overhead belly to belly. Running corner dropkick by Diamante. King kicks out on the pinfall attempt. Diamante keeps her grounded with repeated punches to the head. King fires off a few strikes of her own...series of quickfalls by King and Diamante...Diamante pops up and hits a code-red...King can't kick out.

Diamante wins by pinfall

Robert Anthony makes his way out for a singles-contest against Darby Allin. This will be Allin's first matchup since last May's Double or Nothing pay per view. Allin stares a hole through Taz on commentary...Taz promises that he will be making a statement on tomorrow's Dynamite. "The Machine wil take care of him," says Cage.

Robert Anthony versus Darby Allin

Anthony literally needs to slap Allin to get him to focus on the match. Allin rocks Anthony with a flurry of strikes before bringing the big man down with a Yoshi-tonic bomb. To the outside...Allin whips Anthony into the barricade, then drives his body into Anthony. Allin breaks the referee's count...this gives Anthony the opening to land a kick and a gordbuster over the gate. Anthony goes for a suplex on the outside...he gets it. Anthony sends Allin into the ringpost, then screams into the camera "Do you see me now?" Back in the ring...Anthony picks up Allin in the Romero special and sends him flying across the ring. Allin grabs Anthony's arm and yanks at his fingers before applying an armbar. Anthony gets to his feet...he lariats Allin to the outside. Allin creates separation...he climbs and lands the coffin drop onto a standing Anthony on the apron. Allin sends Anthony inside...stunner, followed by the Coffin drop again. Allin gets the win.

Darby Allin wins by pinfall

As soon as the match ends Brian Cage attacks Allin from behind. Anthony goes to help Allin but Ricky Starks comes out of nowhere and takes Anthony out. Cage hits several powerbombs on Allin, then hands him off to Starks who hits the double-armed dominator. Starks and Cage bump fists and stand over Allin.

Main event time. Peter Avalon and Brandon Cutler make their way to the ring, accompanied as always by Leva Bates. They'll be taking on The Butcher and The Blade. Here we go.

Peter Avalon/Brandon Cutler versus The Butcher and The Blade

Blade and Cutler begin. Blade stomps Cutler down but Cutler hits a springboard forearm to answer right back. Avalon and Butcher tag in. Butcher easily runs through Avalon, then catches him so he and Blade can double-team him. Running lariat from Blade...another quick tag to Butcher...Avalon dodges and pushes Butcher into Blade before landing a dropkick. Cutler and Avalon both go after Butcher...double suplex attempt...Butcher counters by suplexing them both at once. The heels work over Avalon by trapping him in the corner. Blade chokes him behind the referee's back. Leva Bates tries to get involved by jumping into Butcher but he catches her with ease...Avalon takes advantage and hits a tope suicido to bring Butcher down. Cutler tagged in...he rungs through Blade with a series of lariats. Springboard legdrop and moonsault from Cutler in succession. Avalon with a top rope splash onto Butcher for a close two count. After some miscommunication by Avalon and Cutler...Butcher and The Blade hit their finisher to pick up a win ahead of their showdown with the Young Bucks tomorrow on Dynamite.

The Butcher and The Blade win by pinfall

Butcher and Blade continue to assault Blade and Cutler, before calling out the Young Bucks.

That's the show friends.

Comments

Recommended