AEW Dark Elevation Chronicles #1: Before being a Viral Sensation
Match: Emi Sakura vs. Mizuki
Year: 2023
Date: April 17
Episode: 112
AEW Dark: Elevation. An extension of AEW Dark. AEW Dark was the company’s second ever weekly show. It was broadcasted onto YouTube for Free unlike CMLL with their expensive monthly membership payments. The early shows of AEW Dark was an interesting view to say the very least in 2019. It felt like a pre-show to Dynamite especially in 2019 to mid 2020. Over time, it was established as a way for many people of the large AEW roster to get reps and for independent wrestlers to get used to being in front of cameras and TV based matches. We even had some members of the AEW roster make their debuts on Dark which I will detail in the first edition of the AEW Dark Archives. Coming soon.
So on March 15, 2021, AEW Dark: Elevation debuted on YouTube. And… It started off quite well. As I’m writing, it has 1,486,620 million views and I can see why. The first show had a different feel compared to their older brother, AEW Dark. We had a brand new commentary team of Tony Schiavone and Paul Wight. Paul Wight had a straightforward approach to his commentary which was different for the time. We had a feud in the first episode. We had Riho vs Maki Itoh in the fucking main event. But it was made very clear that it was just AEW Dark… on Mondays.
The older brother, AEW Dark was broadcasted on Tuesday Nights before AEW Dynamite on Wednesday Night. Now they had a sister show in AEW Dark: Elevation. There was a difference in the later episodes that AEW Dark would take place at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. If you don’t know, Universal Studios is more well known in wrestling for being the Impact Zone for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. They would AEW Dark Tapings on multiple dates for the Tuesday Night broadcast and even had a Dark match on Dark which doesn’t make sense, but it’s real. This would also be the place where the episodes of ROH TV happened. (Fun Fact: I watch every episode of ROH TV to this day. Yes, I mean it. EVERY. SINGLE. EPISODE.) AEW Dark: Elevation was in the position that AEW Dark had in 2019. It was taped before an episode of AEW Dynamite and was released on Monday.
So why did AEW Dark and AEW Dark: Elevation end?
It was quite simple. AEW was at a high point and that would result in the 1 hour TV programme, AEW Rampage. Then in 2022, Tony Khan had bought Ring Of Honor and in March of 2023, they broadcast their TV program on WatchROH.com or HonorClub which is their own streaming service. Later that year, AEW had a brand new TV program on Saturday, Collision. Combined with Dark and Dark: Elevation, All Elite Wrestling had 6 TV/Streaming programs. So as a result, Dark and Dark: Elevation ended.
So I have decided to dive into the archives of Dark: Elevation and break down matches from this show. One of the reasons why I want to dive into this is that there are many appearances from wrestlers that unless you are AEW fan who watched all the programs, you wouldn’t know or be confused.
One of these matches is from the last broadcasted episode of Dark: Elevation. We had Mizuki vs Emi Sakura. I’m pretty sure most people will know that Emi Sakura is one of AEW’s Original players in the foundation. Mizuki is an interesting case given that she is prone to be a viral sensation without even trying.
Mizuki:
I’ll give a brief rundown on Mizuki. Mizuki was part of an idol group called Brilliant Battle Girls with fellow wrestler SAKI. She made her debut in 2012 and was a freelancer until she signed with Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling in 2017. I put an emphasis on ‘was a freelancer’ mainly because her appearances on the Japanese independent circuit is limited since she is a full time TJPW wrestler. She is a former KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Champion with Danshoku Dino, Yuki Iino, ASUKA (VENY) and Trans-Am*Hiroshi and yes, that’s a real championship from DDT. She is a former DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion which is their 24/7 title. She is the only wrestler to win the Tokyo Princess Cup back-to-back years of 2019 and 2020. She is a 2-Time Princess Tag Team Champion with AEW wrestler Yuka Sakazaki as the Magical Sugar Rabbits.
Emi Sakura vs. Mizuki
Over the course of the past few months, Mizuki has been getting some viral moments online. It has been a weird shift given that this is the same person who faced Emi Sakura in the last episode of AEW Dark: Elevation. And that is the match I’m breaking down.
So with that being said, from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. In the main event, it’s Emi Sakura vs Mizuki. Let’s roll with it.
The match kicks off with a collar and elbow tie up for a second. That is because Emi Sakura did a takedown and fired away with forearm strikes. Sakura chops her multiple times. Sakura does her trademark laugh and just chucks Mizuki by using her hair. Mizuki basically spun out like a Beyblade. Sakura locks Mizuki in the Romero Special and launches her in the air. Sakura chops her down again. Mizuki ducks an incoming chop and runs off the ropes. Mizuki does a Tierras version of the Surprise Rollup. It didn’t work, but it was really unique.
Mizuki continues with a crossbody from the middle rope. And when Sakura was leaning against the bottom rope, Mizuki hit a running dropkick right in the face. Mizuki was celebrating like a happy kid on the ramp way. When Mizuki was charging, Sakura caught her and broke her back… with a backbreaker. Sakura chopped her as Mizuki is against the steel steps. When Sakura went for her trademark crossbody, Mizuki moved out of the way and Sakura crashed into the steps. Mizuki quickly went up to the top turnbuckle and hit her trademark Double Foot Stomp to Sakura on the outside.
Back in the ring, Mizuki runs off the ropes and her trademark move, the Whirling Candy. It’s basically a running crossbody, but she does twist in midair first. I don’t know how she does it. Mizuki tried to lift up Sakura, but Sakura easily countered that. Sakura was looking for Smash Mouth, but Mizuki reversed into a Surprise Rollup. That didn’t work, but Sakura uses the La Magistral, which is a close two count.
Sakura was going for the Stratus Breaker (Underhook Backbreaker), but Mizuki reversed it into the Surprise Rollup. Sakura kicked out, used her own Surprise Rollup and got the three.
The Queen has done it. In her celebration, she made referee Rick Knox kneel and sat on his leg like a makeshift chair. Rick Knox looked like he couldn't be asked. Especially when Sakura was rubbing his bald head.
Art by Neon Ghost