by #AEWDON
Fans packed Dailey’s place tonight as AEW Double or Nothing 2021 took place. The crowd was every bit as hot as expected and it was fun from the opening bell.
The night started off with a dark match good enough to be on the main PPV as Riho failed to capture the NWA Women’s Championship from Serena Deeb. Serene has come such a far way from her days in CM Punks Straight Edge Society.
As much as I don’t think they should be having NWA matches in a division they badly need to develop their own female talent, this was a good match and was worth being on an AEW PPV. Where Riho goes from here is in question, but Deeb will continue to get matches and screen time both on PPV’s and Dynamite.
The main card started with a thrilling showcase as Brian Cage and Hangman Page showed why drastically different styles can play off of each other. Both men shined and Cage shying away help from Team Taz further creates dissent in the group. While Cage still hasn’t won a big match in AEW, moving away from Team Taz will create a much-needed jumpstart in his career.
The loudest pop of the night went to Jon Moxley as “Wild Thing” blared from the speakers and the crowd went nuts. While The Young Bucks predictably won the match and retained the Tag Championships, it was a feel-good moment much needed for all after a year plus from Hell.
It also shows that another World Championship run for Moxley is not out of the questions now that fans are back. Moxley needs to move back to singles ASAP.
Sudden fan sensation Jungle Boy Jack Perry won the Casino Battle Royal, last eliminating Christian Cage. The crowd loved it, and that pop came pretty darn close to matching the one for Jon Moxley. While no one expects Perry to win a world title, it will be interesting to see how far this fad goes.
Lio Rush also debuted during this match, let’s keep our eyes on that as well as AEW still needs to develop a cruiserweight division.
In what was NOT a coincidence, they had a salute to the American Soldiers who have lost their lives only moments before the Cody Rhodes vs Anthony Ogogo match. In what was only the latter’s third match, he almost won in a 35 second squash match after a vicious bolo punch to the body. Ogogo spent the entire first portion of the match just pounding away at the body of Rhodes.
In the end, Cody who came out dressed in Red, White and Blue, was using his Dad’s nickname “The Dream” and they announced him as the Dad to be. Trust me, there was no chance in hell he was losing his match. He had a superman rally and walked away with the come from behind win. Even in defeat, Cody helped Ogogo get over and thus, they both won.
Miro is showing everyone why he is much more than a comedy act. He has once again found his monster form in AEW and showed it tonight with a dominant win over Lance Archer. Sadly when it comes to title matches on PPV for Archer, he remains 0 for the century with several foul tips.
The match between Hikaru Shida and Dr. Britt Baker was easily the best in the AEW Women’s Division History. What a fabulous match as Baker ends the year long run of Shida in what was a five star classic that had over a dozen false finishes. The only down point was the terrible announcing of Excalibur who simply doesn’t know when to shut up.
For Baker, my goodness! I have been saying for a year plus she needed to be in the title scene and then she goes out and cashes in her first chance big time! While it is crazy to think every champ in AEW is currently listed as a heel, Baker may just become the anti-hero we grow to love!
The outcome of the next match was a bit puzzling as it was Sting getting the pinfall victory over Scorpion Sky. It was vintage filled as he broke out almost all of his classic moves on the route to victory. I’m just not sure out of the four men in that match, what sense it makes putting him over. I think if there wasn’t a live crowd, it would have went a different way.
It was PAC and Kenny Omega putting together one amazing title match to cap off a stellar night of in ring action. Oh yeah, I guess Orange Cassidy was there too. The match was so good, I just wish we could have gotten a clean finish without Callis. With Omega retaining it set’s up his next cross promotional match with Moose nicely over at Impact.
Before the Main Event could start, Mark Henry showed up. As stunning as that was, perhaps even more of a shock was the fact that he wasn’t wearing that Pink suit jacket for once.
The Stadium Stampede delivered once again. Complete with Mega Phones and Urban Meyer handing Chris Jericho his laptop to smash over MJF’s head. This concept is pure money! MJF threw coffee in the face of Jericho, so the former Y2J responded by beating the crap out of MJF for the next 5 minutes.
From there, it was time for the two bulls to go at it as Wardlow and Hager went toe to toe near the walk-in freezer complete with hanging sides of beef. Hager would eventually smash Wardlow through a wall. Meanwhile Sammy G and Shawn Spears did battle with chairs while LAX and FTR had a knockdown drag out in a disco.
The match and the night would end with the Inner Circle going out on top! What an epic night for the fans in what may have been the greatest night in Pro Wrestling PPV History!
