AEW had a big mission to accomplish ever since their announcement as a wrestling entity and that is to deliver an enjoyable and memorable PPV titled "Double Or Nothing." That mission was successful both critically and financially.
And yet, due to the unique times, we're living in, Double Or Nothing managed to score a second W in the show's history. This was an entertaining 3 and a half hours of professional wrestling. Oh, and I've not seen the preshow match so I can't talk about it.
Frank Kazarian vs Joey Janela (replacing Rey Fenix due to an injury) vs Scorpio Sky vs Darby Allin vs Kip Sabian vs Christopher Daniels vs Orange Cassidy vs Colt Cabana vs Luchasaurus vs Brian Cage. Casino Ladder Number One Contender's Match For The AEW World Championship.
The match started off as a gauntlet match which is a unique take for a multi-person ladder match that definitely separates from the rest.
During the match, Allin tried to deliver a move through a ladder, Frank Kazarian, using his skateboard and he did do that, however, Kazarian quickly rolled away and Allin hurt his leg because of it.
That beat-up leg didn't stop him from nailing a sunset flip to Luchasaurus from the top rope.
And, yes, Brian Cage made his AEW debut in this match looking like a beefed-up EC3 and Taz was by his side.
To quote Tony Schiavone, "They're caging Brian Cage" and that charming line was a reference regarding the rest of the competitors putting a big casino chip along with other objects on to an unconscious Brian Cage.
That plan was successful until the ending. Cage threw Allin onto the outside with the ladder and climbed to the top of another ladder to grab the casino chip and won the whole match.
Honestly, I wasn't that surprised by Cage showing up but nevertheless, that was a solid opener with fun moments like Marko Stunt and Luchasaurus delivering a chokeslam.
AEW successfully did its job on delivering a concept that is unique but also familiar at the same time. You know, like a sequel to a movie.
Jungle Boy vs MJF.
Like I said in my predictions post (although very obviously dated today), this was a showcase for MJF's style of wrestling and it pulled a great effort at doing so.
This is the best I've seen MJF look from an in-ring aspect even though I'm not a fan of the character.
Jungle Boy did a reverse hurricanrana to MJF on the ring apron which absolutely looked brutal.
MJF used the ref to have Jungle Boy fall in between the top rope and MJF like some of us, were surprised to see Jungle deliver a powerbomb from the top rope.
The match concluded with a quick bridge pin from MJF and after the cool moves he took, MJF still prevailed in the end.
Cody vs Lance Archer For The AEW TNT Championship.
Take a look at the championship that Mike Tyson was holding one more time if you've seen the PPV already.
I get that it wasn't all the way done and I respect the fact they're paying tribute to the NWA TV title belt.
But, I am not feeling it to be honest. The title design has a bland and disappointing look. Either way, there's a match for that title and it was decent.
Those two guys fought outside the ring and in the crowd area throughout the first half of the match.
Back in the ring, Archer delivered a suplex that had Cody land all the way near the bottom turnbuckle.
Cody did homage to his father with the bionic elbow and then his brother, Dustin with the curtain call.
Due to some interference from both managers in Arn Anderson and Jake Roberts, the referee made the decision to kick them out of ringside.
Two Crossrhodes for some good measure from Cody and just like that, he becomes the first-ever TNT championship.
Kris Statlander vs Penelope Ford.
Alex Marvez interviewed one of AEW medical professionals concerning Britt Baker's injury. The guy in question, Dr Michael Samson, said that Baker will announce the condition of the injury this Wednesday's Dynamite episode and will see on that night how severe her injury is.
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| Don't tell me that you didn't think for a second that the show was buffering? |
As far as how the match was overall, it was okay. Statlander won the match with the package piledriver aka the big bang theory aka the name known for a show that awfully portrays geek culture because according to the writers, that's how nerds act.
Dustin Rhodes vs Shawn Spears.
Shawn Spears came out to the ring with a suit and he thought that Rhodes wouldn't show up to the ring.
So, he forcefully asked the referee to count till 10 (ha, get it?) for the count-out win.
To no surprise, Dustin Rhodes snuck to the ring and immediately attacked Spears to start off this match.
The match was probably the worst of the night as it was a way for the show to fill time in the lamest way possible.
It was technically a squash match because Spears had little to no offence. Rhodes defeated Spears with the curtain call.
Hikaru Shida vs Nyla Rose For the AEW Women's World Championship.
Shida took a lot of damage from Nyla Rose thanks to the series of chairs Rose had used and there are few moments that it could've ended the match but Hikaru is still in this match beat up as she was.Hikaru with many kendo sticks strikes and some kicks, still didn't put Rose down until one kendo stick strike and a kick was enough for Hikaru to become the new women's champion. A decent match overall.
I thought that win will lead to a feud between herself and Britt Baker but like I said earlier, Baker's announcement is something we have to wait and see whether she's okay to compete or not.
Jon Moxley vs Brodie Lee For The AEW World Championship.
Let me get this out of the way, this encounter had a boring build. However, I was interested from a wrestling standpoint. The simple question is, did it deliver? Not really.
It was fine for what it was, a standard one on one match that wasn't offensive or even dull.
It's just that the bout missed something that gave me the kick like that strong yet delicious flavour that you tasted the moment you ate a dish.
Moxley nailed an underhook DDT to Brodie that went through the rampway. Moments after the medical team came out to check on them, Moxley hits another underhook DDT twice on Lee and he applied the sleeper hold on the big man that knocked him out and that's how Jon retained the championship.
Matt Hardy and The Elite (Adam Page, Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana and Ortiz) In A Stadium Stampede match.
This is THE match that I've been looking forward to mainly because of the story they told throughout several and several weeks (that street fight was AMAZING).
I'm happy to say that the Stampede match that took place in the banks' field arena Did. Not. Disappoint.
Some of the highlights were:
- The Elite guys had their usual attire while the Inner Circle wore an American football protective gear which I thought was hilarious for some reason.
- Hangman Adam Page chasing Sammy Guevara with his horse you know, cowboy sh*t.
- Matt Jackson nailing a moonsault from the field goal.
- Santana and Ortiz drowning Matt Hardy that turned the older Hardy brother into his old personas like the Matt Version 2.0 and the "Matt Hardy will not die" aka regular Matt Hardy.
- Page and Jake Hager had the closest thing to a bar fight.
- Jericho hitting the judas effect on the Jacksonville Jaguars mascot.
- Vanguard one is alive and with an upgrade.
And so much f'ing more. I could go on and on about the highlights but this review is getting longer. Who won this Stampede match?
The good guys in The Elite with a one-winged angel to Sammy Guevara from the top of the sign through a wooden roof.
So, to recap for all of you slow mofos.
Like: Stampede match, MJF vs Jungle Boy, casino ladder match.
Didn't like: Dustin Rhodes vs Shawn Spears.
Sound off in the comments below on what do you think about Double Or Nothing 2020? Follow the blog for honest pro wrestling opinions as well my twitter @omartheplayaguy. Anywho, stay safe smarks.
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