AEW Dark recap: Lucha Bros shine in main event

Episode 71 of AEW Dark featured a dinosaur versus a dragon, a Triplemania XXVI rematch, Santana & Ortiz out to prove they are the Inner Circle’s #1 tag team, and the Lucha Bros wrecking fools.

Here’s the Dark lineup with ratings (watch, solid, okay, pass) on which matches are worth your time toward Dynamite:

• Brandon Cutler vs. Luchasaurus (solid)
• Sammy Guevara vs. El Australiano (solid)
• Nick Comoroto vs. Scorpio Sky (okay)
• Marti Daniels vs. Shanna (okay)
• Butcher & Blade vs. Mike Verna & Baron Black (okay)
• Gunn Club vs. Ryzin, Adam Priest, & Vary Morales (okay)
• Jon Cruz & Danny Limelight vs. Santana & Ortiz (okay)
• Private Party vs. Aaron Solow & Lee Johnson (okay)
• Big Swole vs. Alex Gracia (okay)
• Zack Clayton vs. Sonny Kiss (okay)
• KC Navarro & AJ Kirsh vs. Top Flight (okay)
• Ivelisse & Diamante vs. Tesha Price & Katalina Perez (okay)
• Shawn Dean & Fuego Del Sol vs. The Acclaimed (okay)
• Lucha Brothers vs. Chaos Project (okay)

The opening two bouts were very competitive. The main event gave a chance for the Lucha Bros to shine. Everything else was business as usual.

Watch the show here.

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Excalibur teamed with Taz to call the action. Ricky Starks and Anthony Ogogo stopped by to join commentary. Justin Roberts was the ring announcer.

Luchasaurus defeated Brandon Cutler. Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt were ringside. Luchasaurus took the mic to proclaim that dragons are not real (a reference to the match build from Being the Elite). Cutler entered wearing his dragon mask. Cutler put up a good fight, but he couldn’t contend with the dinosaur’s power. Cutler’s momentum from slingshot elbows was ceased by a spinning hook kick. Luchasaurus followed with a chokeslam, but Cutler kicked out on the pin. Luchasaurus put Cutler away with a spinning kick.

Sammy Guevara defeated El Australiano. These two men have notable history together dating back to 2018 when Guevara won the AAA cruiserweight belt from Austaliano in a four-way at Triplemania XXVI. Australiano started strong with twirling flippy moves. Guevara crumbled his opponent with a kick mid flip. Australiano fought back to land a moonsault. Guevara was able to reach the ropes on the cover. Australiano went high-risk again, but Guevara caught him for a GTH knee strike. Afterward, Guevara cut a promo squawking about carrying the show and plans to win every championship in AEW.

Scorpio Sky defeated Nick Comoroto. The bruiser used brute force to focus on Sky’s back. Sky had a TKO loaded, but his back gave out before pulling the trigger. Sky rallied again to successfully execute the TKO for victory.

Shanna defeated Marti Daniels. Shanna was in trouble before ripping three running elbow strikes, a dropkick, and a bridging tiger suplex. Shanna couldn’t quite get the proper angle to pin Daniels, so she let go of the bridge to hit a second bridging tiger suplex for the win.

Butcher & Blade defeated Mike Verna & Baron Black. The meat men powered through their opponents with assistance from Bunny. She was a nuisance as ringside pest. Bunny peppered Black with punches on the floor. She also caused a distraction so Blade could rake Verna’s eyes. Butcher and Blade cleaned up with a powerbomb/neckbreaker combo.

Gunn Club defeated Ryzin, Adam Priest, & Vary Morales. Colten got the hot tag. Ryzin broke up the pin, so Billy clotheslined him out of the ring. Colten popped up Morales for a neckbreaker from Austin. Colten made the cover.

Santana & Ortiz defeated Jon Cruz & Danny Limelight. Squash. Proud and Powerful won with their powerbomb running kick combo.

Beauty walk off. Peter Avalon cut a promo in the ring. He is the most handsome man and feature attraction of Dark. Since Avalon has been on a winning streak during Pretty Peter’s Pageant Provocation, it is time for a career defining match. Avalon then challenged Lee Johnson to a walk off next week. Rules include 3 pretty judges, 1 outstanding outfit, 10 steps forward, pose, 10 steps back.

Private Party defeated Aaron Solow & Lee Johnson. Matt Hardy was ringside and took physical shortcuts, much to the chagrin of Private Party. Hardy declared on Being the Elite that they need to win by any means necessary. When Marq Quen kicked out of a roll-up, Hardy punched Solow. Private Party finished with a double enzuigiri.

Big Swole defeated Alex Gracia. Swole had green gear and green hair, while Gracia had her usual pink gear and hair. Swole took care of business with a pump kick, headbutt, and her Dirty Dancing discus forearm finisher.

Sonny Kiss defeated Zack Clayton. Kiss was more aggressive with heavy kick offense. Kiss won with the diving splits leg drop.

Top Flight defeated KC Navarro & AJ Kirsh. MLW viewers may recognize Kirsh as part of the announce team. Top Flight was too much to handle. Dante Martin hit a flying crossbody and a standing Spanish Fly to Navarro. Kirsh broke up the pin. Darius Martin took out Kirsh with a moonsault on the floor. Dante won it with a fancy roll-up of Navarro.

Ivelisse & Diamante defeated Tesha Price & Katalina Perez. Las sicarias were dominating until Price ran wild for a flurry. Perez came in to hit a swinging neckbreaker on Ivelisse. Diamante made the save. She hammered Price on the floor, while Ivelisse picked up the victory on a spinning kick to Perez.

The Acclaimed defeated Shawn Dean & Fuego Del Sol. Max Caster spit rhymes before the bout to insult his opponents. The closing sequence saw Fuego get rowdy on a hot tag, but Caster halted the tornado DDT. The Acclaimed wrapped it up with a big slam by Bowens and a flying elbow drop by Caster.

Lucha Brothers defeated Chaos Project. PAC was ringside. Lucha Bros did the work to earn the win. Fenix ran on the top rope to kick Luther in the face, then the Lucha Bros pummeled Serpentico with their flying butt stomp package piledriver.

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Santana & Ortiz and the Lucha Bros put on impressive performances. Proud and Powerful showed why they should be considered the Inner Circle’s #1 tag team. I hope this win carries over to Dynamite as momentum for victory. The Lucha Bros dismantled the unique duo of Luther and Serpentico. It has been a while since Chaos Project was served that type of destruction. If a title clash with the Young Bucks is in Lucha Bros’ future, Fenix and Pentagon look ready.

Share your thoughts on Dark. Who stood out most for episode 71? Which was your favorite match?

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