AEW Dark Recap (8/18): Eight-Man Tag Main Event, Ricky Starks In Action, Shawn Spears And More

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.

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Tony Schiavone, Taz, and for the first time ever, Veda Scott, welcome us to tonight's episode of AEW Dark. They shoot it over to Justin Roberts to introduce the first competitors. Michael Nakazawa is out first. He'll be taking on Kip Sabian, who is accompanied as always by Penelope Ford.

Michael Nakazawa versus Kip Sabian

Tie-up. Sabian gains the early advantage by applying an armbar off the wristlock. He brings Nakazawa to the mat and adds pressure by placing his foot on Nakazawa's arm. Sabian lets him up, kissed Penelope at ringside, as Nakazawa resets. Now Nakazawa brings Sabian down, then begins pouring baby oil off his body. He pours some on Sabian...slipping senton for a nearfall. Sabian pops right back up and boots Nakazawa in the gut. Nakazawa to the apron...springboard enziguri sends Nakazawa to the outside. Sabian follows up with a tope con hilo. Back in the ring the two man exchange fists...huge knee from Sabian takes Nakazawa off his feet. Sabian sets up...PK connects. Nakazawa shakes it off and tries an angle slam...Sabian escapes but Nakazawa spears him, then hits the angle slam. Nakazawa calls for the thong...he sets up for the claw...Sabian turns it onto Nakazawa...huge tornado DDT. Sabian places Nakazawa on the ropes...rolling suplex off the ropes and this one is over.

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Kip Sabian wins by pinfall

Veda Scott tells us that our next bout will be tag team action. Out first...Shawn Dean and Frank Stone. This is the duo's debut as a tag team for AEW. They'll be taking on Sonny Kiss and Joey Janela.

Shawn Dean/Frank Stone versus Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss

Janela drops Stone with a running dropkick to the knee to start. Dean quickly tags in...Janela slows his momentum. Kiss in now. Tandem offense by Janela and Kiss, including a superkick/Russian leg-sweep combo. Meteora from Kiss connects. Stone pops right back in but Janela nails him with a running knee for a two count. With the referee's back turned Dean hits Janela from the apron, which allows Stone to crush him with a stinger splash to give his team the advantage. Delayed vertical suplex from Dean and Janela is in trouble. Another quick tag...Stone to the ropes...he connects with a splash. Dean and Stone go for a double-team but Janela counters by DDTing them both into the mat. Janela climbs to the ropes and rocks Stone with an axe-handle. He makes the tag to Kiss...flush dropkick by Kiss, followed by a frankensteiner. He handsprings into the corner, then slaps Dean in the face. Kiss turns a cravat into a split legged cutter. Stone and Dean regain control and hit a samoan drop/blockbuster combo. Kiss manages to kickout. Janela superkicks Stone taking him out of the match. Elbow drop and split-leg drop gets Kiss and Janela the win.

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Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss win by pinfall

Short preview for AEW ALL OUT featuring MJF taking on Jon Moxley for the world title. As soon as the ad ends we go right back to the ring. Will Hobbs is out for a singles-contest against Shawn Spears. Tully Blanchard is with Spears as always. The referee checks Spears signature black glove for any weapons...there are none and we are underway.

Will Hobbs versus Shawn Spears

Tie-up...Hobbs powers Spears to the ropes...referee forces a break and the reset. Second tie-up...Spears grabs a headlock. Hobbs bounces Spears off the ropes then nails a shoulder block that sends Spears into the corner. Blanchard whispers some advice into Spears' ear from the outside. Spears lands a huge chop off Hobbs' chest but Hobbs shakes it off and asks for more. Spears rolls to the outside to regain his composure. Back in the ring...he nails Hobbs in the leg with a dropkick, then goes back to the chest with more chops. Big forearms from Hobbs...Spears comes right back by stomping the leg. Chop block from Spears and Hobbs can barely stand. Spears comes off the ropes...Hobbs counters with a huge spinebuster. He cannot make the cover due to the damage to his leg. He tries a slam but his leg buckles...Spears takes advantage by hitting the DVD for the win.

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Shawn Spears wins by pinfall

As soon as the bell rings Spears continues his assault on Hobbs by whipping his injured leg into the ringpost. Blanchard slips Spears the metal spike, which he places in his glove and KOs Hobbs.

Backstage promo from Ricky Starks. He says that Darby Allin destroyed his back with his skateboard and thumb tacs. He declares that Allin cannot end him, but promises that he will smash his face off of the ground.

Schiavone reveals that our next matchup will be a tag team matchup between The Initiative (Brandon Cutler & Peter Avalon w/Leva Bates) and the Hybrid-2 (Angelico & Jack Evans).

Hybrid-2 versus The Initiative

Tie-up. Angelico uses his size to win the opening exchange but Avalon shows off his wrestling IQ by reversing the pressure. Pace picks up...this ends in a stalemate...both men tag out. Cutler and Evans in there now. Evans shows off his kicking ability in a taunting manner...Cutler levels him with a roundhouse. Quick series of pin attempts from both men. Evans nearly steals the match with a unique victory roll...Cutler powers up and face-plants Evans to slow the action down. Avalon tags back in...double team from the Initiative ends in a double-splash in unison. Vertical suplex from Avalon. Evans slides to the apron but Avalon follows up with a running dropkick. He goes to use Leva Bates book as a weapon but Cutler convinces him to be better than that. Meanwhile...Angelico grabs the book and smashes it off of Avalon to give Hybrid-2 the advantage. Angelico tags in...he traps Avalon in some sort of inverted submission...Cutler elbows Angelico to release the hold. A distraction by Bates gives Avalon the chance to tag in Cutler...he gets it! Cutler runs through Evans, then hip-tosses Angelico to the entrance path. Springboard forearm, followed by a swinging sidewalk slam from Cutler. He brings in Avalon for a double-team...Evans nearly escapes but Avalon knees Evans, then drives him into the mat with knees to the back. Cutler comes off the ropes with his signature springboard elbow. Angelico breaks up the pin. Hybrid-2 isolates Cutler by himself...assisted 450! Leva Bates frankensteiners Evans...Cutler and Avalon hit some tandem offense on Angelico but the Hybrid-2 manage to pick up the win after a razor's edge buckle-bomb and a 720.

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The Hybrid-2 win by pinfall

Commercial for AEW Heels narrated by Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes.

Women's division action is next. Red Velvet is out first, followed by Abadon.

The action starts quick as Velvet lands a kick that rocks Abadon. She chokes her in the corner with an extended boot. Abadon rises to her feet...she drops Velvet and connects with a running boot. Velvet fires huge chops right back but Abadon headbutts her and begins crawling. Velvet unloads a flurry of strikes, doing everything she can to keep the pressure on. Fight spills to the apron...Abadon whips Velvet hard onto the apron with an arm-ringer. Back in the ring...Abadon runs through Velvet with a lariat. She sets Velvet up...gorybomb/neckbreaker...it's over.

Abadon wins by pinfall

Six-man tag action is next. The Dark Order's Colt Cabana, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver will be taking on the trio of Faboo Andre, Ryzin, and D3.

Dark Order versus Faboo Andre/Ryzin/D3

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Cabana begins with Andre. Cabana out-wrestles him and sends him to the mat. Beautiful cradle from Cabana for an early pinfall attempt. Ryzin tags in...Cabana leap-frogs him and brings in Silver. Silver gets sent into the turnbuckle but Silver shotgun dropkicks Andre before knocking off D3 and Ryzin. Reynolds tags in...he chokes Andre with his knee on the ropes. Schiavone reminds us that Dynamite this week will be on Saturday. Reynolds nearly kills D3 with a discus forearm. Cabana back in...he delivers huge elbows to all his opponents. Alex and Reynolds hit their flipping double-DDT to pickup the win with ease.

Dark Order wins by pinfall

Coming up next will be Lee Johnson, who is still seeking his first win in AEW, taking on Ricky Starks.

Lee Johnson versus Ricky Starks

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Nice sequence of chain-wrestling to open things up. Johnson shows off his speed...he counters a firemans carry into a roll-up, then nails Starks with a dropkick. Starks resets and tries to slow the pace. Side-headlock applied. He hits a dropkick of his own and poses. Starks stomps Johnson down, even using the ropes to get some extra leverage on his kicks. Powerslam from Starks. He mimics Darby Allin by hitting a standing coffin-drop but Johnson turns it into a crucifix pin...only two. Johnson and Starks trade slaps...Johnson wins the exchange and unloads a flurry of offense ending in a lariat. Diving neckbreaker from Johnson. Starks catches Johnson and hits his running dominator for the win.

Ricky Starks wins by pinfall

After the match Wardlow comes out and tells Johnson to put on MJF's campaign button. Johnson has frequently appeared on Dynamite in MJF's corner, though it appears that he is being forced.

Tag team action is next. Tony Donati and Baron Black are out first. They'll be taking on Santana and Ortiz.

Tony Donati/Baron Black versus Santana & Ortiz

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Santana begins with Black. He grabs a waistlock and slams him to the mat. Black gets a wristlock but Santana breaks free and unloads a number of slaps. Black fires back with an atomic drop, then a backstabber. Santana comes off the ropes with a running kick. Ortiz in now...double-suplex. Ortiz lets Black tag in Donati...he catches him coming in with a DDT. Donati tries a running uppercut but Santana and Ortiz hit a barrage of double-team maneuvers, including a German suplex into a running knee. Cover...this one is over quick.

Santana & Ortiz win by pinfall

Coming up next is a handicap match pitting Jon Cruz and Jessie Sorensen. Sorensen comes out but there is no Cruz so Sorensen looks confused. Lance Archer is next...He comes out carrying Cruz and slams him into the ring. Jake Roberts is with Archer as always.

Lance Archer versus Jon Cruz/Jessie Sorensen

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Sorensen is eats a huge should block from Archer. Cruz tries to land some offense but Archer choke suplexes him into the turnbuckles. Archer hits a series of running elbows on both men. Sorensen and Cruz at one point take Archer off his feet...the Murderhawk Monster powers back up and decimates each man with ease. Archer chokeslams Cruz onto Sorensen. He applies the EBD claw on both men...referee counts the three.

Lance Archer wins by pinfall

Jake Roberts teases hitting his patented DDT but he drops Cruz at the last second with a smile on his face. He and Archer leave.

The Dark Order's Alan Angels (5) will be taking on Billy Gunn in our next matchup. Austin Gunn accompanies his dad to the ring.

Billy versus Alan "5" Angels

Tie-up. Billy throws Angels to the mat with ease. He does it a second time. Angels grabs a waistlock but Billy powers out with ease, then rocks Angels with a big right hand. Billy smashes Angels head off the top turnbuckle. Angles rolls to the outside to recover...Billy chases him and whips him back into the ring with ease. Jackhammer from Billy for a two count. Angels pops up and throws a series of strikes at Billy...they do little damage. Billy misses an elbow...Angels follows up with a shotgun dropkick that sends Billy into the corner. Billy stops Angels comeback with a huge tilt-a-whirl slam. He goes for the fameasser...Angles dodges and enziguris Billy. Billy catches him with a cobra-clutch slam. That'll do it.

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Billy wins by pinfall

As Billy celebrates Dark Order jumps him from behind and stomps him down. Austin Gunn grabs a chair and chases them off, perhaps setting up a future tag team match?

Main event time. Private Party teams with SCU to take on Butcher and The Blade and the Lucha Bros.

Private Party/SCU versus Butcher and The Blade/Lucha Bros

Butcher and Christopher Daniels begins. Butcher has the power advantage and whips Daniels down. Daniels nails an enziguri...he goes for an Irish-whip...Butcher reverses it with ease. Kazarian tags in...SCU hits a leg-sweep/lariat combo to take the big man off his feet. Butcher drives Kazarian into his team's corner and the Lucha Bros and Butcher and Blade level him. Kazarian fights out and hits everyone with a right hand. Blade tags in...running shoulder block from Blade. Three-hit combo from Kazarian. He sends Blade to the mat with a russian-leg sweep. Kassidy tags in. He lands a slingshot splash for a nearfall. Fenix gets the blind tag...Kassidy catches him with a frankensteiner. Running boot and Fenix brings in Pentagon. Kassidy drop toe holds Pentagon, then brings in Quen...tandem offense from Private Party connects. SCU and Private Party targets Pentagon's arm...Pentagon finally lands a punt kick and sling-blade on Kassidy. He brings back in Blade, who mounts Kassidy and unloads a series of fists. Butcher back in. Huge backbreaker and Kassidy is in trouble.

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Pentagon tags in...he silences the crowd and slaps Kassidy right on the sternum. Jumping crescent kick from Fenix nearly kills Kassidy. Modified Muta-Lock from Fenix...he eventually releases the hold. Some miscommunication from the heels leads to Fenix superkicking Blade by mistake. Quen gets the hot tag...impressive DDT from Quen. All eight-men getting involved now. Daniels hits an exploder suplex. Roundhouse from Fenix...Quen takes out Fenix and everyone is down. Daniels and Pentagon the only ones left standing. They run into each other with lariats. They trade chops. Superkick from Pentagon...Daniels uranagis him. Private Party take out Butcher and The Blade...back in the ring...Pentagon goes for a package piledriver onto Daniels...he gets it...Kazarian breaks up the pin. Butcher and Blade land their suplex lungblower to give their team the victory.

Butcher and The Blade/Lucha Bros win by pinfall

Highlights of the evening are played as commentary runs down the card for this Saturday's episode of Dynamite.

That's the show friends.

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