All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite: AEW Double Or Nothing 2023
May 28, 2023 4:54 PM - Season 4 (Specials) - Subscribe

In 2019, Double Or Nothing marked the beginning of AEW, establishing it as the first wrestling promotion to challenge the McMahon supremacy since the fall of WCW. Now, after four years of five-star matches and roster surprises, the company kicks off Year 5 with every title being defended in a variety of stipulations.

The announced card for Double Or Nothing:

Ethan Page & The Gunns vs. The Hardys (Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy) & HOOK
If the Hardys win, they get control over Ethan Page's contract... somehow. Isiah Kassidy was originally going to join the Hardys, but got sidelined by a neck injury - maybe kayfabe, maybe real
AEW Women’s World Championship Match: Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm
Tony Khan insists that this match will take place, even though all the insiders say Hayter's arm is legit injured... what sneaky surprise is planned here?
AEW TNT Championship Ladder Match: Wardlow vs. Christian Cage
The ladder match veteran takes on the very large man who he's made very angry. A victory for Christian would mean that this time he's spent returning with Luchasaurus and running down everyone's dead dad hasn't been in vain.
Blackjack Battle Royal for the AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) is the joker with 20 other competitors
Somehow "low effort" Orange Cassidy became the high-workrate hero after defending his championship in the space of a few months the same number of times Roman Reigns defended his two WWE titles in over two years. If he loses it today, it's only because he's elevated the title as far as it can go and is (hopefully) slated for something new.
AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: FTR vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal (with Mark Briscoe as special guest referee)
I feel the same way here, if FTR loses, it's only because they need to be unencumbered in order to join CM Punk on the premiering AEW Collision
AEW TBS Championship Match: Jade Cargill vs. Taya Valkyrie
Cargill owns one of the longest champion streaks of the modern era of wrestling, but not a lot of great matches to go with it. Possibly Wera Loca can get one out of her, but also possible the streak comes to an end.
Unsanctioned Match: Adam Cole vs. Chris Jericho
Part One of tonight's blood-soaked trilogy!
Anarchy in the Arena Match: Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta) vs. The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson and “Hangman” Adam Page)
And here's Part Two! My feelings about this match are... overflowing. Having this much talent and experience in the ring, and undoubtedly letting them use the entire event space as a playground? As I believe Justin Roberts once said, "Shit's gonna be crazy"
AEW World Championship Four-Way Match: MJF vs. Sammy Guevara vs. “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry vs. Darby Allin
My predictions: Sammy becomes a for-real babyface, Darby dislocates every limb and fucks off to climb Mt. Everest anyway, Jungle Boy moves slightly closer to a heel-turn, and MJF remains champ until the Bidding War of 2024 is upon us.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta (11 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
About 50% surprised to see Cassidy retain, but it does show me that when Swerve and Keith Lee are done with their program, he makes a great negative-zone reflection of Orange. He's already acting like an anime villain, but against OC he becomes a cartoon baddie.

Hilarious to me that the audience immediately recognized Swerve's error, mocking him for stuffing Cassidy's hands in his pockets... that's life giving Goku a senzu bean!
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 5:34 PM on May 28, 2023


Sabu -- who I just looked up and checked is 58 years old -- put himself through a table like it was no big deal. Almost reflexively, he did it.

Meanwhile the unsanctioned stip draws out Britt Baker to deliver her own comeuppance and also get a few licks on Saraya, plus any bondage fans out there have to love seeing such creative user of handcuffs on a looooong set of chain.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 5:56 PM on May 28, 2023


AUBREY BUMP AUBREY BUMP THIS IS NOT A DRILL

Honestly this whole match has been super cartoonish and dramatic and I love it. Lethal and Jeff Jarrett can have great matches despite being major assholes. Thanks for this feud, now go far far away, maybe over to Collision?
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 6:16 PM on May 28, 2023


Arn Anderson trying to bite the goddamn thumb off Luchasaurus feels like the long-term payoff to all the jokes about Waffle House. But Wardlow's swanton off the highest ladder is the kind of highlight that gets more brutal each time they replayed it. Great spots all around, I was legit concerned for Christian Cage for a couple minutes there.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 6:49 PM on May 28, 2023


OK, so the women's title match protected Hayter with her injury and constant interference from Saraya and Ruby, on the way to Toni Storm regaining the title. I expect that the storyline headed into Wembley Stadium will be Hayter's road to recovery, unless AEW plans to reintroduce Kris Statlander next week?
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 6:59 PM on May 28, 2023


Jade Cargill out here making here entrance with a live singer, and apparently some step dancers from Alpha Kappa Alpha. Someone could write a pretty extensive article about how AEW has succeeded at engaging with Black culture in a way that WWE has largely failed.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 7:22 PM on May 28, 2023


Well, Taya did definitely bring Jade Cargill to a good match, and 60-0 is a landmark.... but KRIS STATLANDER is back and like a dumb babyface Jade accepted!!

#ANDNEW

By the way, this means I can retract my planned snark about how WWE put on more women's matches in Saudi Arabia that AEW put on at this show.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 7:34 PM on May 28, 2023


Oh my word, the four pillars really sat down and planned out every possible version of spots they could all do together, didn't they? Chop spots and kick spots and finisher spots and high spots and two-count spots, all so that they could keep ending up in a big cuddle pile like newborn kittens.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 8:05 PM on May 28, 2023


No but seriously, this four-way paid off a lot of storythreads, Jungle Boy's dissatisfaction, Darby claiming moral high ground, Sammy completing his face turn because he and Tay Melo are having a baby... and MJF calling himself "best in the world" is just the cherry on top.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 8:24 PM on May 28, 2023


Little wonder the Anarchy Match went on last, considering the absolute crater they left of the ring afterwards. I'm gonna leave space for anyone else to comment here, I just want to say I am overjoyed at Takeshita allying with BCC, because it means that Kenny is almost certainly getting a certain Golden friend returning to make it an even match in time for Wembley Stadium.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 8:57 PM on May 28, 2023


I do love the gag about how the Anarchy in the Arena stipulation means that Wild Thing gets played on loop until someone stops it.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 6:28 AM on May 29, 2023 [1 favorite]


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