A match that happens before or after the TV taping and doesn't air on television. Pre-show dark matches warm up the crowd. Post-show dark matches (dark main events) send the fans home happy, usually with the top babyface winning. They're also used to try out new talent or test crowd reactions without committing to anything on air. What happens at the dark match stays at the dark match — unless someone tweets about it.
"The dark match main event was a six-man tag. The crowd went home happy after the faces cleaned house."