Former WWE NXT Stars Make Appearances On AEW Dark
On this week's episode of AEW Dark, former NXT stars Santana Garrett and Adrian Jaoude, f.k.a. Arturo Ruas, made their AEW debuts.
Garrett appeared as part of the show's cold open in a backstage interview with Alex Marvez. Garrett noted how the environment of Universal Studios in Orlando, FL.
She said that she wanted to make her father proud and show that she is "elite." Garrett was interrupted by Diamante who welcomed Garrett by challenging her to a match next week. Garrett accepted, and the two brawled before being broken up. Garrett's last match was in the Royal Rumble of this year and her last singles match was against Mercedes Martinez in July 2020.
Jaoude competed in the ring with Cezar Bononi, his real-life best friend. Jaoude and Bononi won in dominant fashion. This was Jaoude's first match since Nov. 2020 where he took on Kushida in NXT, and Jaoude was recently announced to be part of Bloodsport7 going under the name "Tiger Ruas".
Garrett and Bononi were part of the June WWE releases. Before her release, Garrett reportedly had plans to be part of SmackDown, and Jaoude confirmed on The Wrestling Inc. Daily that he was meant to be part of The Diamond Mine in NXT.
You can view their appearances below:
Two big Brazilians, @CezarBononi_ & @adrianjaoude, team up for the first time here on #AEWDark – Watch NOW: https://t.co/svQKlav0TH pic.twitter.com/fUkBlprxK4
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 28, 2021
.@CezarBononi_ & @adrianjaoude are an absolute wrecking crew in their tag team debut on #AEWDark – Watch NOW: https://t.co/svQKlav0TH pic.twitter.com/qjnaLEu6pB
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 28, 2021