By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Double Or Nothing
Aired live May 26, 2024 on pay-per-view
Las Vegas, Nevada at MGM Grand Garden Arena
AEW Double Or Nothing Buy-In pre-show results: Deonna Purrazzo beat Thunder Rosa in 10:15, and Max Caster, Anthony Bowens, and Billy Gunn beat Brian Cage, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun in 11:45…
Pyro shot off on the stage. Excalibur checked in on commentary and was accompanied by Taz and Tony Schiavone. Ring announcer Justin Roberts delivered the introductions for the opening match. Will Ospreay made his entrance. Roderick Strong came out with Matt Taven and Mike Bennett…
1. Roderick Strong (w/Matt Taven, Mike Bennett) vs. Will Ospreay for the AEW International Championship. Don Callis sat in on commentary. While the heels were posing, Ospreay entered the ring and went for a Hidden Blade that Strong ducked. The referee started the match.
The match spilled over to ringside where Ospreay sent Taven and Bennett into the timekeeper’s area. Ospreay followed up with a dive onto Taven and Bennett and then went back to brawling with Strong. Ospreay catapulted Strong into the ring post.
Ospreay knocked down Strong. The referee checked on Strong and missed Taven bouncing off the ropes right next to him while Strong had Ospreay on his shoulders at ringside. Taven and Storm teamed up for a Doomsday Device. Schiavone said it looked like Ospreay broke his neck.
Strong worked over Ospreay back inside the ring. Taven and Bennett tried to distract the referee while Wardlow set up for a powerbomb, but the referee actually turned around and spotted Wardlow and stopped him from performing the move. Ospreay performed a corkscrew dive onto the heels at ringside and then the referee ejected Taven, Bennett, and Wardlow.
Ospreay went for a top rope move and landed on his feet when Strong rolled out of the way. Ospreay sold a knee injury, which Strong exploited by putting him in a half crab and then a Cloverleaf. Ospreay reached the ropes to break the hold.
Strong superplexed Ospreay and then picked him up and performed a backbreaker for a near fall. Strong ran the ropes for a move, but Ospreay transitioned into a sit-out powerbomb and got a two count.
Ospreay and Strong traded elbow strikes in the middle of the ring. Ospreay put his arms behind his back and took Strong’s elbows before rocking him with a series of his own. Ospreay eventually hit an OsCutter and came up selling his left knee before he covered Strong for a near fall.
The referee called off Ospreay and checked on Strong. Ospreay looked frustrated. Callis left the broadcast table and told Ospreay to use the Tiger Driver to finish the match. Ospreay fired up and shoved the referee aside.
Ospreay set up for the Tiger Driver and the crowd popped big. Ospreay had second thoughts. Strong broke away and hit a gut buster and a running kick for a near fall. Strong went for another backbreaker, but Ospreay landed on his feet and blasted him with a Hidden Blade. Ospreay performed the Storm Breaker and scored the pin…
Will Ospreay defeated Roderick Strong in 17:40 to win the AEW International Championship.
Powell’s POV: A good opening match aside from the needless spots involving Taven, Bennett, Wardlow, and Callis. It’s hard to be excited about Ospreay winning AEW’s least important men’s singles title. Sure, he can made the belt mean something like Orange Cassidy did, but here’s hoping the plan is for Ospreay to merge the title with either TNT or AEW Continental Championship to cut back on the belt count.
Adam Cole made his entrance once Will Ospreay returned to the back. The broadcast team pointed out that Cole was walking well on his own. Cole entered the ring and asked who was ready for story time. Cole vented about being in Vegas when he should be at home rehabbing his injured ankle.
Cole dubbed himself one of the greatest pro wrestlers of this generation. Cole pulled out The Devil mask and said we all have a little devil inside all of us. Cole set up to strike his pose.
The lights went out momentarily and then a video played with a camera walking through a hallway and then entering a room with MJF photos on the wall and other MJF memorabilia. The person working the camera pulled a torn photo of MJF and Cole.
MJF made his entrance dressed in a leather jacket with a sleeveless denim jacket over it. MJF entered the ring and looked down at the devil mask for a moment. A “holy shit” chant broke out while MJF looked at Cole, who offered a hug. The crowd chanted “you f—ed up” at Cole.
MJF hugged Cole and then kicked him in the balls. MJF looked to the crowd and smiled before picking up Cole and giving him a brainbuster. MJF picked up the microphone and tapped on it while the crowd continued to cheer for him.
MJF knelt down and called Cole a noodle arm, bobbleheaded son of a bitch. MJF called for someone to get “this shit stain” out of my ring. Trainers and a referee helped Cole walk toward the back while MJF continued to address him.
MJF said he trusted Cole and that would never happen again. MJF said Cole didn’t take him out, he merely woke him up. MJF said now he remembers exactly who he is. MJF said he’s the greatest wrestler on God’s green earth and a generational talent. MJF delivered his catchphrase.
MJF said that unlike all the schmucks in the back, he didn’t need New Japan or a Vince McMahon to make him, because MJF made MJF. A big “MJF” chant broke out. MJF said no more haha, no friendship, no more Kangaroo Kicks, and no more bullshit.
MJF said he was back to being driven by what makes him the best and he wasn’t talking about love, he was talking about “hate, hate, hate.” He said that when he is driven by hate, nobody is safe. MJF picked up the mask and called it stupid. MJF said masks are adorned by cowards who are hiding.
MJF said he’s done hiding and apologizing for being the best. MJF said it’s not his fault that all of the fan favorites suck a big ol’ bag of donkey dicks compared to him. MJF said he wouldn’t need a mask to prove that no one is on the level of the devil.
MJF said the mask makes him think of the end of 2023 and it turns his stomach in knots. MJF removed his jackets and said the mask could go straight to hell. MJF did a Ric Flair strut and dropped an elbow on the mask before tossing it out of the ring.
MJF said he’s been betting on himself since day one. MJF said he’s all in, double or nothing. Regarding his contract status, MJF pulled up one leg of his pants and showed off a tattoo that read “Bet On Yourself” and had the AEW logo in the middle. MJF said he’s not f—ing leaving…
Powell’s POV: MJF is a sight for sore eyes. AEW really needs the type of boost that I think he can provide. It’s good to see him crap on the devil nonsense and make it clear those days are finished.
An ad aired for the daily fantasy sports sponsor. A video package set up the trios title match and then the entrances took place…
2. Jay White, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn vs. “Death Triangle” Pac, Rey Fenix, and Penta El Zero Miedo (w/Alex Abrahantes) for the Unified Trios Titles. There was a series of rapid fire spots roughly ten minutes in that left all six men down.
Pac set up for a Black Arrow on White, who rolled out of the way. Pac performed suplexes on both Gunns. The challengers took turns hitting White with moves in the corner and then Fenix performed a top rope double stomp into Penta’s Fear Factor.
Pac went up top and then Juice Robinson showed up and pushed him off while referee Rick Knox was trying to stop one of the Gunns from bringing White’s gold bat into the ring. White hit Pac with a Bladerunner and pinned him.
Jay White, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn defeated “Death Triangle” Pac, Rey Fenix, and Penta El Zero Miedo in 12:20 to retain the Unified Trios Titles.
Powell’s POV: Say what you will about the interference finish, but it was well executed with Rick Knox having a good reason to turn his focus away from the legal men. More importantly, it’s good to see Juice Robinson back following a long layoff due to a back injury. Robinson’s last match took place on November 1, 2023.
A video package set up the AEW Women’s Championship match. Nigel McGuinness replaced Taz on commentary…
3. Toni Storm (w/Luther, Mariah May) vs. Serena Deeb for the AEW Women’s Championship. Storm backed Deeb against the ropes and then smelled her neck. Deeb responded by slapping Storm. Deeb put Storm in the awful Paradise Lock and smiled while looking to the crowd. Deeb dropkicked Storm’s ass to free her from the idiotic Paradise Lock. Storm came back by knocking Deeb off the apron with a hip attack.
A short time later, Storm performed a backstabbler and a fisherman’s buster suplex for a near fall. Deeb came right back with an armbar attempt. Storm powered her up and slammed her to the mat to break the hold. Storm put Deeb in a Cloverleaf, which Deeb broke by reaching the ropes.
Deeb had a flurry of offense, which led to a “Toni” chant from the crowd. Deeb looked to the crowd and then performed a hammerlock and lariat combo to get a near fall on Storm. Storm came back with a Sky High for a two count.
Storm set up for a hip attack, but she ran slowly to sell her knee and was taken down by Deeb, who put her in a half crab. Deeb released the hold and drilled Storm with a knee to the face and then slammed her knee on the mat a few times before reapplying the hold.
May wanted to throw in the towel, but Luther stopped her. Storm reached the ropes and ducked out to ringside. Deeb followed and was knocked down by Storm, who grabbed the towel and threw it into the crowd.
Back in the ring, Deeb caught Storm in an inside cradle for a two count. Storm put Deeb down with a wicked suplex and then went for a hip attack, but she stopped when Deeb flipped her off. Storm hit Storm Zero moments later, yet only got a near fall.
Deeb rolled to the apron. Storm followed and set up for Storm Zero, but she clutched her knee. Deeb worked over Storm’s knee and then gave her a Deebtox on the apron and then in the ring before getting a good near fall.
Deeb went up top and was cut off by Storm, who performed piledriver from the middle rope. Storm hit Storm Zero and scored the pin…
Toni Storm defeated Serena Deeb in roughly 15:00 to retain the AEW Women’s Championship.
After the match, Storm left the ring and then laid down on the entrance ramp while confetti fell. May lied down on Storm, who hugged her…
Powell’s POV: A strong match. They were able to create more drama for Deeb’s late near falls than I expected. I’m still not entirely sure who they actually wanted the fans to root for. Storm had vocal fans and she seemed to be the overall fan favorite, but Deeb didn’t really go for heat.
A video package set up the next match…
Trent Beretta made his entrance. Orange Cassidy’s entrance theme played, but he did not come out. Cassidy’s old theme “Where’s My Mind” by The Pixies played and then Cassidy made his entrance. Excalibur pointed out that Cassidy was uncharacteristically wearing a black t-shirt, which may have to do with his mood…
4. Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Beretta. Don Callis was back on commentary for the match. Cassidy had “Chuck” written on his wrist tape. Schiavone wished Jim Ross well and said he was battling the flu and was unable to appear at the show.
Cassidy had a run of offense and then Beretta gouged his eyes. Beretta grabbed Cassidy’s arm from ringside and pulled his throat into the bottom turnbuckle. Moments later, Beretta performed a Saito suplex and followed up with a German suplex.
Cassidy put his hands in his pockets and then Beretta worked him over with shots in the corner. Cassidy kept his hands in his pockets while he came back with a dropkick and then hit another once Beretta was in a seated position in the corner.
Cassidy threw light and then heavy kicks at Beretta before hitting him with a running dropkick. Cassidy went up top, but Beretta rolled onto the apron to avoid him. Cassidy jumped from the second rope and was kicked by Beretta, who then performed a piledriver on the apron.
Cassidy eventually came back and set up for an Orange Punch, but Beretta stuffed it. Beretta went for a submission hold and then Cassidy countered into a pin and got the three count.
Orange Cassidy beat Trent Beretta in 13:55.
After the match, Beretta was on his knees and looked down at the mat in frustration and disbelief while Cassidy was on his back. Beretta rolled to the apron and sat there for a moment before making his exit.
Rocky Romero walked onto the stage and hopped down to meet Beretta, who was exiting via the side of the stage. Renee Paquette came out and tried to interview Beretta, who said, “I’m not doing this, I’m done.” Beretta exited through the crowd while Cassidy got back on his feet…
Powell’s POV: Good ring work. This felt like the spot to give Beretta a cheap win, but they Cassidy go over clean. I was hoping they would get to wherever the story is going with Don Callis, as I don’t think anyone believes Cassidy is going to join his family.
A video package set up the FTW Title match… Entrances for the match took place. Jericho had pyro and a graphic on the big screen noted that he had been FTW Champion for 36 days…
4. Chris Jericho vs. Hook vs. Katsuyori Shibata in a Triple Threat for the FTW Title. Hook set up a table on the floor about a minute into the match. Shibata kicked Hook and Jericho off the apron and they landed beside the table. Hook ran Shibata into the barricade and then Jericho suplexed Hook on the floor.
Jericho pulled out a black bag and then poured a bunch of dice over the canvas. Hook and Shibata suplexed Jericho onto the dice and then threw dice at him in a payback for Jericho throwing a hockey puck at Shibata in a previous match. Both challengers suplexed Jericho simultaneously and then Shibata suplexed Hook onto the dice.
Hook and Shibata went to ringside and both men pulled out kendo sticks. A table was set up inside the ring. Shibata was about to put Hook through it when Jericho broke it up. Hook placed Jericho on top of the table and went to the ropes where he was joined by Shibata.
Shibata performed a Death Valley Driver from the middle rope that overshot Jericho and the table, which then tipped over and the side caught the back of Hook’s head. Shibata put Jericho through the table in the corner and then dropkicked him before covering him for a two count.
Shibata performed a Death Valley Driver from the middle rope that overshot Jericho and the table, which then tipped over and the side caught the back of Hook’s head. Shibata put Jericho through the table in the corner and then dropkicked him before covering him for a two count. Hook recovered and suplexed Shibata. Jericho hit Hook with a Codebreaker for a two count. Hook put Jericho in Redrum.
Big Bill ran out and dropped an elbow on Hook to break up the submission hold while the broadcast team reminded viewers that the match was being fought under FTW rules. Hook suplexed Bill off the apron and put him through a table on the floor, which drew a “holy shit” chant.
In the ring, Jericho put Shibata in the Walls of Jericho. Shibata escaped and put Jericho in a Figure Four. Hook returned to the ring and put Jericho in Redrum. A masked man dressed in black ran in and hit Shibata with a a trash can.
Bryan Keith removed the mask to reveal his identity. Hook battered Keith with a kendo stick and cleared him from the ring. Jericho dropped Hook with a Judas Effect elbow and then covered Shibata and got the three count.
Chris Jericho defeated Hook and Katsuyori Shibata in 12:40 in a Triple Threat to retain the FTW Championship.
After the match, Jericho went to the stage. Hook went after him. Security ran out and took suplexes from Hook while Jericho headed to the back…
Powell’s POV: Everyone worked hard and took some nasty suplexes and various bumps on the dice, which had to be ridiculously painful. Even so, the garbage style match just wasn’t for me. It was probably enjoyable for fans who enjoy the style more than I do.
A video package set up the eliminator match and then entrances took place. Konosuke Takeshita and Don Callis made a standard entrance while Jon Moxley entered through the crowd…
5. IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita (w/Don Callis) in an eliminator match. Moxley had his left arm heavily wrapped from his shoulder to his forearm. Takeshita targeted the arm and eventually tore most of the wrap off.
Moxley sat Takeshita on a chair at ringside and bit his forehead. Takeshita fought back and wrapped Moxley’s arm in the chair and then kicked the chair. Takeshita pulled Moxley’s arm behind his back and then ran his shoulder into the ring steps before tossing him back inside the ring.
Takeshita blasted Moxley with an elbow strike that dropped him to his knees. Takeshita grabbed Moxley’s bad arm and then drove it into the mat. Takeshita smiled while Moxley winced afterward. Takeshita hit the bad arm. Moxley flipped him off, but Takeshita remained in offensive control.
A “Moxley” chant broke out. Takeshita slapped Moxley and threw more rolling elbows and then Moxley fired back with strikes of his own. Moxley headbutted Takeshita and then ran into a headbutt. Moxley dropped Takeshita with a cutter. Takeshita came right back with a Fujiwara armbar.
Moxley countered into a triangle. Takeshita picked up Moxley and powerbombed him to break the hold. Takeshita at on Moxley’s back and wrenched on his bad arm until Moxley reached the ropes to break the hold.
Moxley sent Takeshita to ringside and then hit him with a suicide dive. Moxley tossed Takeshita back inside the ring and followed. Moxley put Takeshita down with a lariat. Takeshita performed a wheelbarrow suplex, but Moxley came right back with a Paradigm Shift.
Both wrestlers got to their knees and traded headbutts and slaps as they got to their feet and then threw more elbow strikes. Takeshita drilled Moxley with a running knee and covered him for a near fall.
Moxley ducked an elbow strike and then put Takeshita in a sleeper, which he transitioned into the bulldog choke. Moxley used the wrap from his arm to choke Takeshita. Referee Rick Knox counted to four. Takeshita ran Moxley through the ropes and into the post, then drilled him with a rolling elbow.
Takeshita performed Moxley’s own Death Rider finisher on him for a near fall. Takeshita went to ringside and pulled chairs out from underneath the ring and then tossed them into the ring. Knox cleared two of the chairs from the ring and then Moxley drove Takeshita’s head onto the third chair with a Stomp. Moxley hit the Death Rider and scored the pin…
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley defeated Konosuke Takeshita in 17:20 in an eliminator match.
Excalibur told the story that Callis told Takeshita to go for the chairs and ended up costing him the match.
Powell’s POV: I enjoyed the work of the wrestlers, but Superman Moxley was too much. The arm injury could have given Moxley an out for losing. Rather, it was used to convince viewers that he was vulnerable and yet he still came out on top. It worked for Moxley and did nothing for Takeshita. The excuse of Callis giving bad advice wasn’t enough to spare Takeshita, who should be one of the company’s breakout stars continues to be stuck in a mid-card role.
A Forbidden Door ad aired for the Sunday, June 30 event… Excalibur hyped the Forbidden Door Casino Gauntlet match for a shot at the AEW World Championship at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view…
The cage was lowered for the TNT Title match and then a video package recapped the feud. Justin Roberts said the only way to win was via pinfall or submission. Malakai Black made a solo entrance. Adam Copeland had red lighting and had different entrance music play while he was raised onto the stage from below. “The Brood” was listed on the big screen…
6. Adam Copeland vs. Malakai Black in a barbed wire steel cage match for the TNT Championship. There were two tables and three chairs inside the ring along with barbed wire at the top of the cage. Black bled heavily from the forehead early on. Black tripped Copeland, who landed face first on a barbed wire wrapped turnbuckle pad and then bled from the forehead.
Black unhooked a barbed wire wrapped baseball bat from the side of the cage and used it to gouge Copeland’s forehead. Copeland came back and wrapped Black to the table with barbed wire.
Copeland went to the top of the cage and then jumped off and landed on his feet while performing an elbow drop that put Black through the table. Schiavone said the “holy shit” chant from the fans had never been so apropos.
Copeland went for a spear, but Black dropped him with a spin kick and covered him for a near fall. Black pulled a spool of barbed wire from the side of the cage and tried to strike Copeland with it, but Copeland avoided it. Black got Copeland on the apron and threw kicks at him.
Black backed up and hit Copeland with a kick that sent him through the cage door. Excalibur actually claimed that the kick was so powerful that it broke the lock on the cage door. Black went to ringside and was immediately speared by Copeland.
Brody King and Buddy Matthews walked to ringside and stood next to Black. King and Matthews looked at Copeland and then at each other, and then walked over and stood at Copeland’s side. Black looked shocked. King turned and dropped Copeland with a lariat. Matthews threw punches at Copeland and then tossed him back inside the ring.
Copeland was tossed back inside the cage and then the House of Black trio followed. King and Matthews wrapped Copeland in barbed wire and gave him a barbed wire crown. The duo held him in place while Black stood around waiting for something.
Music played and then red lighting flickered. Gangrel climbed through a hole in the cage and gave King and Matthews Impaler DDTs. Black dropped Gangrel with a spin kick. Copeland speared Black.
Copeland removed his barbed wire crown and then put it on the head of Black. Copeland applied a crossface. Black faded and the referee called for the bell.
Adam Copeland defeated Malakai Black in 20:20 in a barbed wire steel cage match to retain the TNT Title.
Copeland’s “Metalingus” theme song played. Copeland took his wedding ring back. Gangrel sat in a corner of the ring and nodded approvingly at Copeland. Both men stood up and shared a hug in the middle of the ring. Gangrel helped a limping Copeland to the back…
Powell’s POV: So it was a TNA Lockdown style match with barbed wire and a WWE callback with Gangrel. Why not? The live crowd ate it up and popped especially big for Gangrel. This would have stood out even more had it not been for the needless FTW garbage match earlier in the show.
Backstage, Lexi Nair interviewed Don Callis (because he just hasn’t had enough on-air time tonight). Callis said it had been a golden night for the Callis Family. Callis said based on what he saw from Orange Cassidy’s match, he will be presenting a contract for the Don Callis Family…
Powell’s POV: Are we finally moving to the part where Trent Beretta joins the Callis Family?
Separate shots aired of Swerve Strickland and Christian Cage warming up for their match… A video package set up the TBS Title match…
The Drumbots drum line played on the stage and then showgirls came out. Mercedes Mone made her entrance. Mone looked a little emotional once she got to the ring and looked out to the crowd. Willow Nightingale made her entrance with Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander…
7. Willow Nightingale (Stokely Hathaway, Kris Statlander) vs. Mercedes Mone for the TBS Championship. Justin Roberts delivered in-ring introductions for the championship match. Mone received more boos than cheers, while Willow was heavily cheered.
Mone ducked between the ropes when Nightingale charged to start the match. Mone performed an early arm drag and then used a crucifix pin to get a two count. Willow came back and paintbrushed Mone, who was seated next to the ropes. Willow charged Mone, who moved, causing Willow to tumble to ringside.
Mone dove at Willow, who sidestepped her on the floor. Mone came right back and went for a slide kick that Willow stuffed before powerbombing Mone on the apron.
Back inside the ring, Willow performed a wicked German suplex. Mone rolled under the ropes. Willow grabbed her and pulled her up to the middle rope. Mone stuffed a powerbomb attempt and then went after Willow’s ankle while the broadcast team recalled Mone injuring her own ankle in her last match with Willow.
Mone ran the ropes and Willow put her knees up, but Mone jumped over them and hit Willow with a meteora. Mone put Willow in a leg lock and then both wrestlers traded slaps. Mone wrenched Willow’s leg and released the hold.
Willow limped when she stood up and then Mone pulled her leg out from under her and applied an ankle lock. Mone performed a Backstabber and covered Willow for a two count. Mone put Willow in an octopus hold. Willow powered out of it.
Willow put Mone in an ankle lock. Mone rolled out of the hold, which sent Willow crashing into the corner. Willow dropped Mone with a Pounce. Both wrestlers stayed down and Excalibur referred to it as a reset.
Willow targeted Mone’s surgically repaired ankle and then hit a Death Valley Driver in the corner. Mone avoided a cannonball dive and then stomped Willow’s ankle in the corner. Mone blasted Willow with a kick and then hit a middle rope meteora for a near fall that the live crowd didn’t buy into as a potential finish.
Willow ended up at ringside. Mone hit her with a meteora from the apron. Statlander cheered Willow. Mone shoved Statlander to the ground and returned to the ring. Statlander went after Mone, but the referee stood in the way.
Willow performed a Dr. Bomb and had Mone pinned, but the referee was arguing with Hathaway. By the time the referee made the count, Mone kicked out at two. Willow went for another Dr. Bomb, but Mone countered into her old Bank Statement finisher. Willow eventually reached the ropes to break it.
Mone went to the ropes and was struck by Willow, who joined her on the ropes only to be shoved to the mat. Mone hoisted up Willow on her back and hit her Moneymaker finisher and got the three count.
Mercedes Mone defeated Willow Nightingale in 18:00 to win the TBS Championship.
Afterward, Mone went to the stage with her title belt. In the ring, Hathaway threw a tantrum until Statlander shoved him to the mat. Statlander helped Willow to the entrance ramp and then threw her down. Hathaway sat in the ring and laughed while Statlander hit Willow with a discus lariat…
Powell’s POV: Man, is this show over-booked. I get the idea of giving Willow a visual pinfall, but Mone’s title win felt weak because of it and was made to feel like an afterthought moments later due to the post match heel turns. Will this show run past midnight eastern? They have a title match and the anarchy match to cram in with a little over 30 minutes until the top of the hour.
Christian Cage made his entrance with Nick Wayne, Killswitch, and Shayna Wayne. A Swerve Strickland video package aired and then he made his entrance with a dancing Prince Nana.
8. Swerve Strickland vs. Christian Cage (w/Nick Wayne, Killswitch, Shayna Wayne) for the AEW World Championship. Justin Roberts delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. The action eventually spilled over to ringside where Cage blasted Swerve with a series of chops.
Back in the ring, Cage turned to the hard camera and flexed while Swerve was down. Swerve battled back, but Christian poked his eyes and then DDT’d him. Christian performed a frog splash and got a two count.
A short time later, Cage performed a sunset bomb. Cage went for a spear, but Swerve stuffed it and powerslammed him and then got a near fall. Swerve sent Cage to ringside and then performed a Fosbury Flop style dive onto him on the floor.
Back in the ring, Swerve used a top rope crossbody block to get a two count. Cage avoided the House Call kick and then put Swerve in a Sharpshooter.
At ringside, Mother Wayne grabbed the title belt. Prince Nana yanked it away from her. For some reason, referee Paul Turner ejected Nana from ringside. Cage distracted the referee while Nick and Killswitch worked over Swerve at ringside. Once Swerve was tossed back inside the ring, Cage covered him for a two count.
Cage whispered to Mother Wayne on the apron. The referee argued with Wayne while Swerve low blowed Cage and then took out Nick and Killswitch. Cage avoided a top rope double stomp and then speared Swerve and covered him for a near fall.
Nick distracted the referee while Killswitch held Swerve. The referee turned and caught what was happening and then ejected Killswitch and the Waynes from ringside. The fans sang the goodbye song to the heels.
Cage jawed at Swerve, who then hit him with a knee strike and a Flatliner, which led to a two count. Swerve gator rolled Cage to the floor and then suplexed him. Swerve pulled the ring steps out and set up for a move that Cage escaped.
Cage and Swerve met on the apron. Cage avoided another move and then slipped under Swerve and tried to powerbomb him on the steps, but Swerve blocked it and double stomped him on the apron.
Back inside the ring, Cage avoided a charging Swerve in the corner and hit him with a pendulum kick. Swerve ran the ropes and dove at Cage, who moved, causing Swerve to collide with the ring steps on the floor.
Cage pulled at the turnbuckle pad, which drew the attention of the referee. Nick Wayne returned to ringside and hit Swerve with a cutter and then rolled him back inside the ring. Cage hit the Killswitch finisher and got a near fall.
Prince Nana ran out with a pipe in his hand and chased Wayne over the barricade and through the crowd. Cage cleared the Spanish broadcast table and pulled Swerve on top of it. Cage went for the Killswitch, but Swerve counted into a standing double stomp on the table.
Cage returned to the ring and then Swerve beat the referee’s count at nine. Cage avoided another House Call attempt and then wrenched Swerve over the top rope. Cage went for a spear that Swerve stuffed with a kick. Both men ran the ropes and Swerve hit Cage with a House Call. Swerve followed up with a top rope double stomp, hit another House Call, and then scored the pin…
Swerve Strickland defeated Christian Cage in 24:50 to retain the AEW World Championship.
Powell’s POV: A good title match. There was no reason to think Swerve would drop the title in his first pay-per-view title defense, so that worked against the match. But that’s to be expected and it’s no different than the recent first PLE title defenses for Cody Rhodes and Damian Priest in WWE. The crowd was really hot for Swerve and had a lot of fun with the match.
A video package set up the final match… Justin Roberts welcomed fans “to this shit show” and declared it was time for Anarchy in the Arena. The Young Bucks made their entrance by being elevated from underneath the stage. Roberts plugged their new shoes as part of their introduction and then Excalibur did the same.
Kazuchika Okada’s entrance followed and he joined the Bucks at the bottom of the ramp. Jack Perry’s entrance music played and he came out. FTR and Bryan Danielson attacked the heels at ringside and then Darby Allin’s entrance music played and he ran out wearing a face shield to cover his broken nose.
9. “The Elite” Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson, Kazuchika Okada, and Jack Perry vs. “Team AEW” Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin, Dax Harwood, and Cash Wheeler in an Anarchy in the Arena match. Allin’s music played while the teams fought at ringside.
Matthew took the house mic and called for “the terrible music” to stop. Matthew said they would play a banger and had the Bucks’ instrumental entrance theme play instead. Danielson got the mic and said, “Turn this shit off.” Danielson called for the greatest theme in the history of wrestling to play.
“The Final Countdown” played while the two teams brawled at ringside and into the crowd. Harwood and Matthew brawled into the arena concourse where Harwood slammed a drink. In the arena, Allin performed a dive from the balcony onto a pile of wrestlers below.
The production team split to a four box approach briefly. Matthew got a mic and demanded that the music be cut while stating that it cost him “like $200,000 every time it plays.” The production team cut the music and the teams brawled without music.
An AEW chant broke out briefly and then the crowd chanted, “We Want Music.” Funny. FTR and the Bucks fought inside the ring while the others brawled elsewhere in the building. The Bucks hit a bloody Harwood with a Shatter Machine and covered him for a near fall.
Danielson and Okada returned to the ring. Danielson ended up going for a suicide dive on Okada, who held up a chair and tapped Danielson with it. Nicholas threw a chair at Danielson.
A small bus with Scapegoat spray painted on the front was shown running into a pile of debris outside the building that the broadcast team said Allin was in. Perry was behind the wheel and acted like he was out cold while Excalibur wondered where his head hit something when the bus hit the debris.
The FTR duo hit their superplex and top rope splash combo on Matthew and had him beat, but Okada broke up the pin. Danielson was shown bleeding from the forehead at ringside.
Okada hit Harwood with a top rope elbow. Okada teased doing the Rainmaker pose and flipped off the crowd instead. Wheeler bit Okada’s middle finger. Okada dropkicked Wheeler and then gave him a piledriver. Okada set up for his finisher.
Darby Allin stumbled down the ramp and then entered the ring and hit Okada with a Code Red for a near fall. The Young Bucks grabbed Allin and performed a double powerbomb onto four chairs that were set up at ringside.
The Young Bucks dragged Allin to the stage while Danielson dropkicked a seated Okada at ringside. The Bucks placed Allin on the stage and ordered the production team to bring him down. The production team lowered the portion of the stage with Allin on it.
Matthew ran Danielson into one of the poker chips that were a part of the set next to the stage. The Bucks performed a spike piledriver on Danielson on top of a stack of the giant poker chips.
A short time later, Okada and Nicholas put the FTR duo on tables on the stage. Okada jumped from the top of one entrance tunnel and put Harwood through the table with an elbow drop, and then Nicholas performed a Swanton off the top of another entrance tunnel and put Wheeler through a table.
Backstage, Jack Perry grabbed Tony Khan. Darby Allin walked onto the stage with a flamethrower. A very wet Perry tossed Khan onto the stage and then Allin used the flamethrower on Perry, whose pants caught on fire. Jesus. The Bucks used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
In the ring, Allin was isolated by the Buck and Okada. Allin fought all three men and hit Okada with a Coffin Drop and had him pinned, but the Bucks broke it up. The heels put Allin down.
The Bucks called for a hook to be lowered from the top of the venue. They wrapped the hook cable around Allin’s legs. Harwood and Wheeler hit Nicholas with a Shatter Machine and had him pinned, but Okada made the save.
Harwood set up for a move on Okada, but Matthew slammed a chair over his head (he blocked it) and the chair exploded (or at least had a pryo flash). Okada put a sleeve of thumbtacks on his arm and then hit Wheeler with a Rainmaker clothesline.
Okada pulled a box of the new Bucks’ shoes out from underneath the ring and showed that they had thumbtacks in the soles. Okada handed them to the Bucks while saying “try these.”
Matthew called for Allin to finally be elebated. Allin was at fave level with the Bucks and ended up biting Nicholas until Okada stopped him. The Bucks pumped up their sneakers an then superkicked Allin’s broken nose, as he no longer had his face shield.
Danielson returned and took Matthew’s shoe away from him and hit both Bucks with it. Danielson threw kicks at both Bucks and capped it off with his grand finale kicks. Danielson grabbed Matthew’s arms and stomped him repeatedly.
Danielson grabbed a chair and placed it in front of him while performing a Busaiku Knee on Nicholas. Danielson went for the pin, but Okada broke it up. The Bucks hit Danielson with an EVP Trigger. The fans chanted for Allin.
Danielson reached up and touched the hands of Allin. Perry hit Danielson with a running knee strike and then pinned him.
“The Elite” Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson, Kazuchika Okada, and Jack Perry defeated “Team AEW” Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin, Dax Harwood, and Cash Wheeler in an Anarchy in the Arena match.
The Elite celebrated their win while Excalibur said AEW has been the home of professional wrestling for five years “and we’re not stopping any time soon.” The Bucks put Perry on their shoulders on the entrance ramp to close the show…
Powell’s POV: The big spectacle match that fans have come to expect from Anarchy in the Arena and then some. If you get set on fire, then you really should get to win the match for your team, so I guess good for Perry? Anyway, the big thing missing from the main event was any sense of actual consequences over the outcome. The Elite winning is perfectly logical at this point in their run.
Overall, this was one of my least favorite AEW pay-per-view events. The show was overbooked with too much outside interference and having three hardcore style matches was too much for taste. I will have a lot more to say when I team up with Jake Barnett and Will Pruett shortly for our Dot Net Triple Threat audio review of Double Or Nothing for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let us know what you thought of the show by voting for the best match and grading the overall show below.
That opening match was incredible…Wow! My hats off to both guys in that one.
Good call on merging the International and Continental titles.
Tony could call it the Intercontinental title!
I don’t care what they call it. New Japan has or had an Intercontinental Title (I can’t keep up) too so why not? It’s better than having so many singles titles. Merge those two, have Taz take his fake title belt home, ditch the trios titles, and AEW would instantly be better off. And don’t even get me started on whatever ROH is.
They definitely need to retire that stupid FTW belt.
As for the rest I don’t think we’ll see less in the future. If anything I think Tony will introduce more.
I’m waiting for AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles. Sigh.
If that happens you know Trios titles will be coming soon after.
Paying tribute to a late camera man?? Tsk, tsk Jason. He said, “camera man, zoom in!” and was referring to the Iron Sheik.
Thank you. I’ll correct it. My poor hearing (and shitty closed captioning) strikes again.
Gonna be a pedantic dork for a second. Sheiky baby always said “cameraman, zoom it!”
A “pedantic dork” in a pro wrestling comment section? You’ve come to the right place!
“Sure, he can made the belt mean something like Orange Cassidy did,”
Nothing Orange Cassidy has ever done has meant something. He’s absolute ratings death, having that scrawny loser booked like Roman Reigns killed any chance of casual fans watching, and if not for the loser owner being his biggest fan he would still be a lousy act on the indies where he belongs.
If you don’t think the AEW International Title meant more during Cassidy’s reign than it has when someone else has had the title then I don’t know what to tell you. Hate him all you want, but he worked his ass off and made that belt feel meaningful for once.
It means nothing. It meant nothing when he had it. It will never mean anything as long as there are 43 other belts and the company is run by the dipshit owner and the Kid-Height Express.
The ratings are the arbiter of truth and he’s one of the 3 worst ratings killers in the company. We’ve got years of quarter hour rankings showing that Pockets kills the TV audience if he’s on in anything other than than Q1.
Having the same small, dwindling audience like something doesn’t mean that it’s good. Having people turn the TV off in droves when someone is on does not mean the belt is being made more important.
You hate AEW. You hate Cassidy. If you ask ten actual AEW fans when the belt mattered most, I’d bet all ten would tell you that it was when Cassidy held it.
100 %
You are absolutely delusional.
The best thing that aew had going for it was when Cassidy was running with the belt.
He helped so much when many of the big name performers were missing time with injury
The ratings proved otherwise. He was an instant 50-75k loss in viewers in every quarter hour he was in outside of opening the show in Q1.
Yet her could outwrestle anyone in the E
Good English there buddy
1. He can’t wrestle.
2. Wrestling has never been what draws money.
Serious question – why do you always comment on AEW content?
It’s old and sad. We get it, you don’t like it. So just go away instead of acting like this bitter human.
Jericho looks older than Flair at this point..
“Moxley sat Takeshita on a chair at ringside and bit his forehead.”
Is NJPW so bad these days that they need the anemic retard plumber holding their main belt?
Can this pathetic jackass actually wrestle a regular match anymore?
Why so angry? Rejected at the gay bar again?
Why’d you turn him down?
Please be more creative with your insults. No homophobic bullshit.
My apologies. 100% my doing. Told you a couple of months ago, that I’ve been with this site since day 1. And the Torch newsletter before that. Don’t want to jeopardize my standing.
I appreciate the apology and your support.
Yet you would cup his balls if he was still in the E
Great comeback homophobe!
Oh look, yet another AEW fan going to their favorite set of Young Bucks approved insults.
Jason I want you to know something.
Even tho this comments section has its issues, it is an oasis compared to what happens on wrestling pages on Facebook.
I intended this as a compliment, but reading what I typed and looking at some of the other comments, I hope I haven’t filled you with a dystopian level of dread. As far as comments sections go, this is the good one.
If a portion of our fandom is a cesspool, then Facebook is the cesspool of cesspools.
That’s good to hear. There’s a reason I avoid Facebook and Twitter as much as I do. I wish there was a little more friendly discourse here, but it is what it is. And you’re right, it could definitely be worse.
Brood Edge oh joy! Let it go. It’s not 1998. Not an ounce of originality in this company
And it gets better Gangrel shows up. This company is so lame
Yet you, and your boyfriend keep watching. Just weird.
What’s up with all the homophobia? I’m not gay but I don’t have a problem with gay people. Shows your intellect if that’s the best you can come up with
It’s a standard AEW fan thing, and also a long standing Young Bucks thing.
Yet you would cup Hs balls if he did it
Nice picture of your mother in your profile pic! She’s had some work done
BRIAN WHO’S AEW’S BIGGEST FANBOY!
Go to bed grandpa. It’s past your bedtime
It seems incredibly unlikely that we’ll get an IWGP title change on a non-NJPW show (especially to a DDT guy like Takeshita) so it feels like Mox’s title defenses will lack drama
Curious if the crowd is badly mic’d up or if the reaction to Mone’s entrance was really that quiet. I’m not her biggest fan but she was a star and I feel like they’ve managed to pull a Bret in WCW on her by keeping her on ice for this long
She got a big pop on her first night because it was her hometown and she hadn’t been in a wrestling ring in quite a while. There’s been no real reaction since then. Nobody chants CEO, she’s showing that she can’t cut a promo without WWE writers, and she has always been a botch waiting to happen in the ring.
She was the 4th most popular horsewoman, by a mile, when she walked out on WWE. It’s the equivalent of NFL teams signing players like Wes Welker from the Patriots and being shocked that they weren’t that good without Tom Brady.
That doesn’t mean you don’t use her, it just means you can’t build the division around her when she’s only had 5 matches in 2 years and everything she’s done in AEW seems designed to mimic her WWE gimmick at the end.
She wasn’t cleared to wrestle yet. And she turned heel two weeks ago
Show’s definitely going over.Probably since it’s in Vegas.
Is it just me or does the Young Bucks entrance theme sound like Roman Reigns??
“Man, is this show over-booked.”
Every AEW show is overbooked because it’s run by a socially incompetent man-child who doesn’t understand anything about how anyone would actually do anything.
This guy prefers the Weinstein company
Moxley still trying hard to sell the idea that he is a legit tough guy.
He is the better Shield member
Did dude really say “Welcome to this shit show?” Wow that’s very WCW like where NWO members consistently said their own show sucks in words and actions. “Bold strategy Cotton, let’s see how it plays out.”
Except those guys in NWO were portrayed as an outside organization.
Hey Okada,
You could’ve been in WWE teaming with Nakamura instead of this you know..
Lmao wow what an “upgrade”
Because Nakamura is doing soooooooo much in WWE currently. Right? I mean he has a meaningful fued, right? No, wait. He is a champion currently, right? Wait, he won KOTR? No, he wasn’t even in it.
Not all WWE does is perfect, and Nakamura is one of those that they’ve dropped the ball on.
I was hoping this would be the end of the Nerd World Order. Awful show.
Better than the E show in terrorist country
Everybody is entitled to their opinion. Even when you’re wrong.
The only good thing about this fiasco is going to be when Jim Cornette reviews it. What a steaming pile of Russo. But the AEW apologists as small and shrinking as they are will eat this turd sandwich up. And the cocaine cowboy still thinks he’s going to get a giant rights fee increase with this crapfest
Basement dwellers so mad tonight that the best ppv show was in America and not in terrorists territory
Cry me a river! Bitch!
Apparently Louisville was under some crazy storm situation and he didn’t have power last night.
No real loss, AEW is so repeatedly awful these days that even his insults can’t make them interesting anymore.
Edge just spoke in a recent interview about wanting to bring Gangrel back for a spot in WWE, and the idea was rejected. Obviously, he gave away the ending to this match in the process.
I cannot believe they actually said “welcome to the shitshow.” They will never live that down. Snickers presents… not this!
To Jason’s point on the preshow, are even the commentators too cool for school? It doesn’t help when there’s 50 of them a night, but who is the moral center who calls out the heels and rule breaking?
Your review was spot on as usual, Powell-a-mino.
I ffw liberally and was still burned out as all hell by the midway point. Credit to the Anarchy match for standing out despite endless hardcore stuff before it.
Maybe I just don’t get it, but Mone’s finisher looked like dog shit. A ppv, debuting the move in Aew,winning a title with it, the move absolutely has to land. Stuff happens far too often in Aew.
Swerve-Christian should not have been 24 mins. A dominant 10 min Swerve win wouldve been preferred for me,and there was plenty of wrestling tonight to make up for it.
Mone routinely botched her WWE finisher as well. That’s just part of the package with her.
ECW was cool in the 90s
This is just a horrifying mess. If you like Aew I’m certain you loved this show (and that’s fine) but this overbooked over the top junk is not going to grow their business. Sorry