We have eight matches set for this evening’s new episode of AEW Dark: Elevation! Daniel Garcia will wrestle his first singles match since losing the ROH Pure Championship to Wheeler Yuta; he faces a tough test in Kevin Blackwood. Zeda Zhang returns to the AEW ring as she will take on ROH Women’s World Champion Athena in a title eliminator match. Our focus, though, will be on the debut of Willie Mack as he faces one-third of the reigning ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions, Brian Cage.
Full AEW Dark Elevation Card (1/16/23)
- The Butcher and The Blade vs. Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta vs. Top Flight
- Willie Mack vs. The Embassy’s Brian Cage
- Nick Ruiz, Zack Clayton, and Trustbuster’s Ari Daivari vs. Dark Order
- Johnnie Robbie, Vipress, and Zyra, vs. Nyla Rose, Marina Shafir, and Emi Sakura
- La Faccion Ingobbernable’s “Perro Peligroso” Preston Vance and Rush vs. Misterioso and Diego Valens
- Brandon Cutler, Matt Hardy, Isaiah Kassidy, and Ethan Page vs. The Wingmen’s Peter Avalon and Nick Nemeth and S.P.A.’s Luther and Serpentico
- J.A.S.’s Daniel Garcia vs. Kevin Blackwood
- Athena vs. Zeda Zhang
#AEWDarkElevation is set for TONIGHT 7/6c on https://t.co/lBSV4sbfpB! See @briancagegmsi, @zackclayton, @AriyaDaivari, @EvilUno, @SilverNumber1, @YTAlexReynolds, @NylaRoseBeast, @MarinaShafir, @andycomplains, @BladeofBuffalo, @TopFlight612, @WheelerYuta & @ClaudioCSRO in action! pic.twitter.com/z8umZQjog0
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 16, 2023
Willie Mack vs. The Embassy’s Brian Cage
Brian Cage may be on the best run of his AEW career, but tonight he will face the underrated Willie Mack, who looks to steal his momentum. For those unfamiliar with Mack, he might be one of the most unsung wrestlers today. Mack’s championship resume includes being a former Lucha Underground Trios Champion, NWA National Heavyweight Champion, and IMPACT X-Division Champion.
Mack has frequently found himself across the ring from top-level competitors, including Jacob Fatu, Ace Austin, Josh Alexander, and his most prominent opponent to date, Cody Rhodes. All this is to say Mack could easily pull off the upset against Cage tonight on AEW Dark: Elevation.
The former X-Division Champion has long been overlooked and underrated; I expect to see his best version tonight. Cage, at the moment, just has way too much momentum to overlook. Mack will impress everyone watching, but Cage will ultimately pick up the win.
Header Photo Credit – AEW
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS and AEW Dark: Elevation (Monday nights) and AEW: Dark (Tuesday nights) at 7 PM ET on YouTube. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night.
