Quick Thoughts: AEW Double or Nothing 2023

For the fifth time in its history AEW brought Double or Nothing to the late May bank holiday weekend. It's always nice to see AEW bring the first show it ever done back it is an interesting year on year look at how the comapny is doing. AEW feels like they want this show over and done with for a bigger summer with Collision, Forbidden Door and the huge All In at Wembley show (which I do have tickets for) with a haywire build from strong to weak to thrown togtehr. However, when I have said this before AEW have put on a solid show so let's see if that holds up. Either way a good day for wrestling with Master Wato winning New Japan's 

The Buy-In

First of all I have no idea if this is called a PreShow, Buy-In or Zero Hour seems everyone calls it something different. Regardless it seems they have moved to how WWE use to do it with a pannel and one match at least this gives them some different content then re-running the road to special. It's also a good use of Renee who excels in these roles as does RJ City. 

Ethan Page and The Gunns (Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn) vs. The Hardys (Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy) and Hook
Ok enough Matt Hardy stories about contracts man it's enough. Speaking of the Hardy's I dunno I am just kinda done with Jeff Hardy and his next redemption story. It does feel like Jeff should stay away from wrestling now I don't think it is the best thing for how his demons affect him. I feel like I was justified in that following that bad spill by Jeff. This was a fine match outside of this hopefully Jeff isn't too hurt as he seemed to be struggling for the rest of the match.

The Owen Hart tournament is back and I am very happy with this can't wait to see who wins this. 

Main Show

Blackjack Battle Royal for the AEW International Championship
First of all Orange Cassidy has probably had the best title reign in AEW history. A lot of title defences and carried the story of being the workhorse too lazy to say no to a title defence as it's more hassle as he becomes more and more hurt. I have no idea when this match started or what happened for most of this chaos. I really enjoyed the last two men in OC & Swerve and want a singles match between the two and I do have to wonder who actually will beat him now. 

Unsanctioned Match: Adam Cole vs. Chris Jericho
Odd build I've gone hot and cold on this but I like both wrestlers in this so was expecting a good match. Of course it isn't a Sabu match without him almost fucking up a spot so 10/10. The match was just ok and the finish was odd I don't know this is an Unsanctioned match was odd and didn't reach the level of violence other matches in this match type had so it kinda fell flat with an odd ending maybe if those punches from Adam Cole were better it would've worked. I dunno maybe a singles match between the two would be better.

AEW Tag Team Championship Match: FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal (with Karen Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh)
Man FTR Bald what a guy maybe if he stopped leaking stuff to dirt sheets and then condemming it I would like him more but poor Cash Wheeler having to put up with him. I just didn't care for this match or build it was a fine match but the story didn't do much for me. From the guitar spots on I woke up for this match it was so funy and it also woke a dead crowd up. Most of the match wasn't feeling it the ending though really enjoyed. 

AEW TNT Championship Match: Wardlow (c) (with Arn Anderson) vs. Christian Cage (with Luchasaurus)
Christian Cage better than Edge no debate no doubt the Instant Classic clears. Found it weird that this was a ladder match seemed an odd addition to the match and really with a match that doesn't have much of a feud to it. I really enjoyed this. It was a car crash but enjoyable. Wardlow needed a big win for once and while I love Christian Cage to win I hope this would elevate both the TNT title and Wardlow. 

AEW Women's Championship Match: Jamie Hayter (c) vs. Toni Storm
An interesting build for this one and by build I mean they just do not progress this. Jamie's injury sucks and clearly limited this match I just hope she's ok for Wembley but as expected based on reports this would be a quick match and Jamie did all she good. I am glad Toni gets a moment where she can fully celebrate being women's champion not any interim rubbish. Funnily enough this was a good match for what is was. 

AEW World Trios Championship Open House Rules
I like these Open House Rules idea but if it was me my rule would be even if my team does lose we actually win the match and the titles. I love The Acclaimed so nice to see them on PPV I don't know why this needed to be advertised as an open challenge though. I feel like this match did spend too much time building to the hot tag to Billy Gunn to a point where I switched out a little bit. I liked the end a real get fucked ending by the House of Black with Malakai hitting Black Mass to win. A good match just a tiny bit longer. 

AEW TBS Championship Match: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Taya Valkyrie
Man I dunno but Taya is just someone I do not rate highly as a wrestler. I find her so boring. Regardless of that this was a solid match Jade still gets better and better and this was a longer match in which she held her own. Thank god Kris Statlander is back and they are having a match right away which was a surprise and Kris won. A great moment for her she looks great and is a champion, fully deserved and interested where this goes for both women now. 

AEW World Championship Match: MJF (c) vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Darby Allin vs. "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry
A feud with very weird booking but I like all four men at some point they were going to have to do this match and I was looking forward to it. I'm very glad all of these guys have chemistry in the ring especially MJF and Darby who should be career rivals. Sammy had a real stand out performance here I think we are close to trying a face run again maybe he should feud with Jericho. MJF won by being smart and using the side headlock takeover on Darby again a great ending so good and a great match lived up to my expectations. 

Anarchy in the Arena: 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)
The match I was most looking forward to and the match with the best feud. The Elite are back in full force and the BCC are firing off like nobodies business in two different companies the rightful main event. This was wild full of anarchy what you would expect. It's a hard match to really call so much happens at once but got me thinking how I hope all this backstage brawling is in the game but I mean a exploding superkick is a 5 star match. Insane match to end the show with the right call to leave the show on a high. The ending with Takeshita was an expected but interesting choice I am just sitting here now waiting for if we see Kota Ibushi. I know Kenny sees Takeshita as a top top talent so the eventual singles match there should be great as well.

In football there is a saying ‘a game of two halves’ and I genuinely feel that is how Double or Nothing 2023 was just that. The first half of the show I was not feeling it but after Karen Jarrett his Aubrey with a guitar (of all things) the show and the crowd seemed to woke up. While a weak PPV the last two matches and Statlander’s return made it a decent enough show. As I said before this felt like a show AEW just wanted out of the way to build to bigger shows and now with Forbidden Door at the end of the month with a big crowd, 65,000 tickets sold for Wembley, a new TV show and the return of one of their biggest stars it seems this summer AEW will look to fire on all cylinders (also please sigh Kota Ibushi thanks).