CIMA VS. DARBY ALLIN

I decided to bite the bullet and check out AEW Dark. I've seen protions of the Dynamite show but I must admit I'm not a regular viewer. Darby Allin is someone I'm seeing people talk about a lot since his exposure on the show and he's facing CIMA, who I remember for his Dragon Gate work over a decade ago. Tony Schiovane introduces the show, mentioning that Darby Allin took Cody to a 20 minute time limit at Fyter Fest.

Darby Allin makes his way to the ring first as Jim Ross introduces himself with Tony Schiovane and Excalibur to call the match. Darby Allin does the dark character sit in the corner as CIMA makes his entrance. He represents the OWE company over in East Asia.

DARBY ALLIN VS. CIMA

AEW Dark Episode 1 (19^th October 2019)

CIMA jumpstarts the match with a kneestrike in the corner. He tries to dump Allin out of the ring but he stops the momentum, Allin ducks and rolls as CIMA runs the ropes into a hiptoss attempt, he counters but Allin lands on the top rope and comes back with an arm drag. CIMA slides out of the ring, gets back on the apron but is hit with a dropkick to the midsection. Allin vaults over to the apron and jumps over a clothesline, back into the ring and hits three tope suicidas, he brings CIMA back into the ring and climbs to the top rope but a Coffin Drop is countered (well, more helped really) into a powerbomb by CIMA. CIMA rolls Allin through and sends him into the middle turnbuckle. JR mentions that Darby Allin's Coffin Drop has a success rate of never so far as CIMA hits a dropkick for a nearfall. CIMA transitions into a submission holding Allin's neck, arm and leg. Allin releases the necklock and fires himself up, crawling to the ropes for the break. CIMA slams Darby Allin but is crotched on the top turnbuckle and hung in the tree of woe. Allin fires at the leg with forearms. Darby Allin rapid-fires headbutts at CIMA and launches himself into the leg until CIMA drops from the corner.

Darby Allin hits a DDT to the injured knee and sends CIMA into the corner. Another running backsplash is met by CIMA's knee, but it's the one Allin has been working on. CIMA overhand chops Allin's back and hits a tornado DDT out of the corner for a nearfall. CIMA hits another overhand chop on Darby Allin, Darby fires back with a backhand chop but it has no affect on CIMA. Another overhand chop drops Allin, CIMA asks for another shot. Darby finally makes it to his feet and hits CIMA with a combination of strikes, CIMA lifts him for a powerslam but Allin counters into a stunner! Darby Allin covers and gets a nearfall. He goes back to the top rope and the Coffin Drop hits knees. CIMA hits a lungblower and perfect driver but only gets 2 ½. CIMA hits a Meteora to the back of Allin's head and still can't put him away. CIMA goes to the top rope but eats shit on the knee drop, Darby Allin hits the Yoshi driver for a close nearfall! Darby Allin hits the Coffin Drop on the third attempt and covers for the win.

WINNER: CIMA

This was a nice match to introduce new fans to both men, they had a really good sprint with no down time and Darby Allin got to win a match with a veteran by hitting his finisher for the first time in the company.– [**] match but personally 4.5/10

After the match JR reminds us that it's also Darby's first singles win in the company. He will go on to face Jimmy Havoc next week on Dynamite.