Quick Thoughts: AEW Double or Nothing 2022
Four years ago All Elite Wrestling started and changed the wrestling landscape. I feel like I say that every review I do but it's true. Now back in the place it all started in Las Vegas it was a show which celebrate the legacy of Owen Hart as well as CM Punk's first chance to be a world champion since his return.
The Buy In
MJF vs. Wardlow
On a quick note surrounding everything revolving MJF no showing his meet and greet and such. I know as a character he treads a line between working and being unprofessional and this was the later, just odd behaviour. Regardless, as for the match they told the correct story and it worked really well it didn't need to be a wrestling match in the purest sense the fans wanted MJF powerbomed and they worked to that and the symphony began which the crowd loved it. Wardlow wins the right decision and end of the story. I dunno if that's it for MJF in AEW but it might be best for both parties if it is, we will see on Wednesday I guess. A good post match moment for Wardlow really sets him up well.
The Hardys (Matt and Jeff) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson)
Before talking about the match I was really surprised the lack of footage used from their Ring of Honour matches in the hype packages. Tony Khan owns that footage now so it shouldn't be an issue I dunno just weird. Poor Jeff's boot broke but that didn't hurt the match he was still able to perform as Jeff does. A good match but I ended up surprised at the winners I wonder if a rematch is on the card. I would say we will get a Hardy title reign as tag champs before the years end it makes sense if you are bringing them in. I guess we will see this didn't feel like a feud ender.
TBS Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Anna Jay
Jade is a star. I say it, I keep saying it but she is a future cornerstone of the company and got the entrance a star should. The match felt kinda sloppy at points but I think that's just a lack of experience thing all around nothing that really hurt the match. Right winner and I felt the match picked up as it went on. However, I did pop seeing Stokely Hathaway a one in a million talent so glad he's in AEW same with Athena two great talents. I still think Statlander should be the one to beat Jade (at All Out imo) but we will see, it feels like Jade will beat Athena and Statlander will beat Red Velvet to set that up
The House of Black (Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews, and Brody King) vs. Death Triangle (Pac, Penta Oscuro, and Rey Fénix)
Man I love all 6 men in this match, a rematch of sorts from Revolution replacing Erik Redbeard with Rey Fenix. I don't really have the words for this match man it was great, easily two steps above all else on the card up to that point but that's to be expected by the sheer level of talent in this match. The match was as good as you'd expect for the sheer talent level in the match and was so smooth throughout and a good feud ender and it will be nice to have these 6 go onto new things especially Black and PAC who have been fighting since November last year. I really wish this match was to crown the first trios champions, it is time for those titles and would've been a good place to kick the division off. I was fine with whatever team won and finally Julia Hart is part of the House of Black at last we can move on from that.
Men's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Final: Samoa Joe vs. Adam Cole
First of all I am so happy to see Owen being paid tribute, I love Owen so to finally pay tribute to him in a company where he will be in games, have figures and shirts all to help the Owen Hart Foundation is a great thing. Another I am so glad the winners of both tournaments gets a belt. They should showcase that all year until the next one it makes the tournament feel good and showing everyone look what they won. I enjoyed this match Samoa Joe will always be one of my favourites and despite what Twitter says Adam Cole is a great wrestler. I dunno about the placement on the card a perfectly fine match but after the 6 man tag match I needed more of a cool down. Interested to see how Adam Cole is booked as tournament winner now going forward.
Women's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Final: Britt Baker vs. Ruby Soho
A lot of talk about Britt being bad on the timeline recently. Look, is she the best women's wrestler in AEW? No and it's not even close but she's not terrible as many hyperbole artists would tell you. Comparing this to their match at Arthur Ashe I found this one better both have gotten better since then and it felt like they have more chemistry and the match felt better. Ending was a bit sudden but man Ruby Soho just never gonna win a big match at this rate very much the Jungle Boy booking until he won the tag belt. Really should've seen the people wearing pink and black winning the matches before they started. The post match was good and a great moment to hear from Martha and her getting respect from the crowd. Those belts look great and should be displayed all year round until next year where the winners should get automatic entry (provided they aren't challenging for their respective world titles) give them a chance to defend their trophy/title.
American Top Team (Scorpio Sky, Ethan Page, and Paige VanZant) (with Dan Lambert) vs. Sammy Guevara, Frankie Kazarian, and Tay Conti
Just END this feud. I am so tired of the TNT title not being defended on PPV and this never ending Sammy & Tay vs. American Top Team feud it's done leave it nobody has benefited give the TNT title to Wardlow on Wednesday or something the belt needs a hard reset away from this feud, the only real positive of the feud is that people see how good Ethan Page is on the mic let's do something with him going forward. At least Sammy & Tay are acting like heels at least that's something and it isn't a case of the company ignoring audience reaction. The storyline for this match meant I really couldn't get into it. As for the debut of Paige VanZant I thought she was win when doing moves but seemed lost when selling but I guess to be expected in a debut match.
Kyle O'Reilly vs. Darby Allin
Really thought this match should've been on the buy in as it gets lost on a massive card like this and I also didn't want to go to bed post 5AM. This was a surprisingly physical match which was expected from the early vicious knee by O'Reilly. Man that give by Darby the first one was bad man Jesus I thought he badly hurt himself. The second dive into the submission on the outside was good however. Does anyone hate themselves with as much reckless abandon as Darby like between this and the Jeff match like man I am worried for this guy. Surprised at the winner I do hope that something is done with ReDRagon going forward I really wanted an FTR vs. ReDRagon match for the ROH titles here but I guess we may get that at a later date.
Women's Championship: Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Serena Deeb
A change of pace from other matches on the night this was worked more as a war of attrition. Easily the best women's match of the night in my opinion but should be expected by two of the best workers on the Women's roster in AEW. I did feel this match would've been better served with a stipulation like it being a submission match as it felt largely like that what the match was worked around. Rosa retained as she should've her reign hasn't really begun, even though Britt won The Owen let's not replay that yet but going forward let's have Rosa on TV more, not sure who her next opponent will be, I would like a heel turn for Shida to face Rosa that'd be cool.
Anarchy in the Arena: The Jericho Appreciation Society (Chris Jericho, Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, Daniel Garcia, and Jake Hager) vs. Eddie Kingston, Santana, Ortiz, and The Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley)
I love the Jericho Appreciation Society, I think as a group they have been great and a great use of 2point0 and Daniel Garcia especially even more so with the Backstreet Boys attire they had here. I really loved the opening of the JAS charging into the crowd to start the fight a wild brawl as Wild Thing continued to play, it really was anarchy. This was difficult to follow but man I loved it. Man too much to call in this match but Matt Menard what a trooper what a trooper. Can't rate this one as a match it was just pure carnage. Rewatching this the day after is just a marvel, I don't think you can rate this as a match because it feels like with how separated all the action is you miss so much but man this was a spectacle, as far as replacing Stadium Stampede I don't you could've gotten better than this, exceeded my expectations and then some and made me believe for sure Eddie should be the next AEW World Champion if not just for the visual of him walking down to the ring with the gasoline bottle ready to kill a man like a GTA protagonist, what a guy.
Tag Team Championship: Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus (c) vs. Team Taz (Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs) vs. Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland
Man Ricky Starks doesn't get enough credit. He is great and I was pulling for Team Taz to win here. I do think it was time for the Tag Titles to change hands, Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus have been good but it is time to move the belts on and have Jungle Boy work as the singles star he can be with that Christian feud that has been expected. So you can expect I wasn't a fan of the outcome. Not to take away from a very good match but I do feel it is time for the tag titles to change hands maybe it will happen on Dynamite soon but still just felt like it was time for new champions. I did enjoy this match and all three teams worked well mainly having the same style of big man and little man teams, I don't think the feud between Keith & Swerve against Team Taz is over and personally would love to see those two teams get a match between them as I feel Hobbs and Keith especially have great chemistry. Jurassic Express continue to work well I do wonder if the end goal is them losing to FTR in a match for 3 sets of tag titles at All Out maybe but not sure, regardless if I think they should lose the belts or not Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus work very well together but their reign feels like and afterthought.
AEW World Championship: Adam Page (c) vs. CM Punk
A match I was conflicted in, I would be happy with either person winning. I really enjoyed this match and I am in no hurry to see CM Punk attempt the Buckshot Lariat though but apart from this it was a contest built on emotion in which I feel it delivered a sets both men on new paths post match. I am wondering where we go with Hangman from here with his crisis of conscience if he isn't going to be in the world title contention for a bit I'd really love to see him win the TNT title be the first triple crown champion in AEW but we will see. Really interested how CM Punk as champion goes and I am expecting a heel turn at some point in it. It's nice to have a world title match where both men have been built up to a point either can win, a main event scene with more then one talent who can win the world title how novel.
Regardless of quality of show no PPV should end at 5:40AM English time, the sun should not be up as I go to bed start your shows and hour early I beg. Anyway, the show was good I wouldn't say it was one of the best AEW PPVs but still a good show especially the last three matches. A good show that felt like we had a lot of feuds ending so will be interesting to see on Dynamite the direction heading forward depending on the matches on Forbidden Door later in the month but I guess we will see from Wednesday onwards.
Comments
Post a Comment