Quick Thoughts: AEW Double or Nothing 2025

As we roll into the late May bank holiday it means it is time for Double or Nothing. Moving out of Vegas this year voluntarily I think it is a good move. With that dogshit Wrestlemania taking place there, it being an expensive place and the fact tickets didn’t really move as expected last year it makes sense to start moving this (and All Out) to other venues. However, in relation to the PPV I do feel it now has lost some importance. What was the name of the initial AEW PPV and a show normally steeped in the memory of that it now just feels like a set up show to All In. It feels like the Royal Rumble (without the big spectacle match) to All In’s Wrestlemania. I mean the main event tonight is for a title shot at a bigger show it just relegates Double or Nothing to below All In which I mean it is clearly just by venue choice but still. Personally, I’d switch Double or Nothing and Dynasty in the calendar letter a show with less brand name/significance be the building PPV and have Double or Nothing be the big end Q1 show. Regardless, I feel this card is solid main evented by a personal dream match of mine and many others. So as ever let break down the card.

Speaking of breaking down the shows I am now up and running on Dropkickd. For those unaware, Dropkickd is a wrestling review website similar to Letterboxd where you can review and rate current and historical shows. I was personally waiting for New Japan to be added before diving in and now that’s on there I’m fully invested. I can be found at TheBenHopkinsBrand where I am currently reviewing every show I went to live. Turns out getting hold of old Impact Wembley tapings is harder than first thought. Once RevPro is on there I’ll also cover those shows.

Zero Hour
Remember when these were called the Buy In (remind me never to write in advance again smh)? Not much to buy into if it’s announced as random matches. For record I’m typing this first part on the Thursday post Dynamite. I don’t know if this Paragon vs Don Callis Family 6 man tag match is on the Zero Hour yet or not same with Anna Jay & Harley Cameron vs. Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford. It’s odd they always use to advertise and have matches they were building on these. Personally, and I guess I will see at this point if they have any CMLL showcases on this show. Grand Slam Mexico is coming up in a sold out venue and the ROH Lucha matches have been fun but for me I’d be getting Mascara Dorada on this show somewhere I think he’s great and had the privilege of seeing him live at Royal Quest 4. The week of arena Mexico shows sound great and worth seeking out when they happen. Dorada vs Bandido, Neon vs Hologram and the CMLL Trios title match between El Sky Team (Mistico, Dorada & Neon) vs Bandido, Hologram and Komander all sound great and personally I’d be putting the ROH tag belts on Hologram and Komander at Grand Slam mainly because I love The Hologram.

Also shouts out to Master Wato. I believe in you please win Best of the Super Juniors and the air Heavyweight title. I need that in my life the world gave us the evil of Tottenham Hotspur winning a trophy so we need good to balance it out. Also be on Forbidden Door and team with Hologram I’d like to see my dream team live.

Main Card

2025 Women's Owen Hart Foundation Cup Tournament Final: Jamie Hayter vs. Mercedes Moné
The first of two tournament finals for Double or Nothing and much like the main event I really can't tell the winner. Which I mean that's a good thing as it creates one story of Jamie wanting her revenge on those who injured her or a dream champion vs. champion match. I'd prefer a Jamie to win so there's two women's title matches on All In. This match got better as it went on I wasn't too hot at the start but they won me over as it went on. Mercedes winning is a move makes me think Women's Tag Belts are on the way just to have a second women's title match on All In. Look I get it's the biggest women's match they can do but I'd rather champions defended their belts especially on the biggest show.

Match Rating: 4/5 

FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) (with Stokely) vs. Daniel Garcia and Nigel McGuinness
Turning heel is what FTR needed. They grew stale and feel refreshed, not only that we get another Nigel McGuinness match which is always nice. It was still an incredible moment to see him return to the ring at All In so another match is always a positive. I do wonder if we are waiting for a swerve and Daniel Garcia will joint up with FTR but we will see. Look I mean for what it was this was fine. A little too much focus on Tony and Garcia really shouldn't be the one losing the match when his partner is a commentator more than a wrestler. Still I had fun watching this.

Match Rating: 2.5/5

Stretcher Match: Mark Briscoe vs. Ricochet
Kinda off match that feels added to get to the match amount TK likes but I mean hey Ricochet on PPV is deserved and I like Mark Briscoe who is probably one of the most loveable and solid babyfaces AEW has not in Anarchy in the Arena. With Orange Cassidy out you need solid babyfaces and Mark Briscoe does he role great. Speaking of great roles Ricochet is amazing at what he does. This is what happens when you give a talent a role they can be passionate in and it reflects with his best work in years. Despite wondering why this is on the card I am looking forward to it. This match overdelivered so much. Maybe because it was actually an ambluance match and Ricochet and Mark Briscoe are great it was real fun. Mark does need to go the the hospital though maybe don't try and break the Muta scale

Match Rating: 4/5

AEW Tag Team Championship Match:  The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin) (c) (with MVP) vs. The Sons of Texas (Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara)
Hey look, they hurt people. As much as I love the Hurt Syndicate a division is not just one team and I think this being a PPV match shows the issue at the moment you need to build the people to beat them from now up to the point it happens, big wins away from the Hurt Syndicate (I'd do it with Gates of Agnony) but let's see. Dustin & Sammy don't do anything for me as a team give the belts to Hologram and Komander at Grand Slam Mexico please and thanks. Weird match I dunno wasn't feeling it but I think that is mainly down to me not thinking The Son of Texas could win need to build good challengers for them.

Match Rating: 2/5 

AEW Continental Championship Match: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. "Speedball" Mike Bailey
Speedball has been a great signing for AEW. It helps when you have people excited and motivated to be there and not jsut see it as a way to get to WWE. I have been surprised at how easily Speedball and Kevin Knight who's currently in Japan have adapted to AEW TV. They are over and key parts of the show. Speaking of key parts of the show Okada is slowly heading towards his expected All In double title match with Kenny Omega so I was going into this with an expected outcome but I still think given the calibre of wrestlers it should be good (if Okada is motivated).  I'd give Okada a solid 6.5/10 on the motivated scale this was a good match. Look obvious winner aside I bit on a few close calls so this match did it's job at being an entertaining match. Okada vs. Omega coming up sonner rather then later.

Match Ratings: 3/5

AEW Women's World Championship Match: "Timeless" Toni Storm (c) (with Luther) vs. Mina Shirakawa
It's great to have Mina back. While many people expect to see Mariah May in this match I doubt it AEW has established a good history between these two for this rematch (which they are saying is a rubber match on a technicality). I really feel the result is a Toni win and she's keeping the belt until All In but still their match at Forbidden Door last year was great so I hope for more of the same. This was fine, I didn't feel it hit the heights of their first one maybe because of the obvious winner but hopefully we have something for Mina to keep going with now she's out of the title picture for minimum 2 months. 

Match Rating: 2.5/5

Anarchy in the Arena Match
Ok, so look I said a lot of angry things about Mox in the Dynasty review but I mean he's kinda been working since that show. Maybe the essemble of characters means less of him or maybe The Owen and Anarchy meaning no bad shitty PPV ending to a world title match but I'm kinda with it atm. Interesting team line up always good to see Willow getting big spotlight. I mean these matches are about the big moments and surprises, with Gabe Kidd lurking I do wonder if Eddie Kingston is on his way back but I guess we will see. Man how do you even review it. It's a mess but it's a great one at that just violence, chaos was great I can only imagine a real pain to watch live when it's all over the arena much like the Stadium Sampede I was at for All In

Match Rating: 4/5

Paragon (Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong) vs. The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, and Josh Alexander)
Hey look at that this is on the main card. Was confused at a rushed set up but then remembered the Summer Spectacle 4 hour TV block coming up next month and it feels like that needs a big title match and Adam Cole vs. Kyle Fletcher would help to fill that amongst other things. The Don Callis family have been a real good group this year and I'd be thinking about them going after the Trios titles in some form (which would just end up as Archer and RPG Vice when it should be Takeshita, Alexander and Archer). I dunno man I'd love Joe to face Takeshita or Alexander please and thanks. I was kinda checked out given the previous match. Nothing wrong but one match has to suffer as the breather.

Match Rating: 2.5/5

2025 Men's Owen Hart Foundation Cup Tournament Final: "Hangman" Adam Page vs. Will Ospreay
In the main event of the evening we get a dream match with big stakes. Hangman and Ospreay battle here for what will likely be the person to beat Mox at All In and be the face of AEW going forward. I'm happy with either man winning. But man I do feel that Hangman would be great however, I see a scenario where he is screwed out of it by the Young Bucks and I mean Ospreay is great and that doesn't take away from a worthy winner. Got to be honest, match had a different feel to what I expected and even at 5AM (end these shows earlier please it's bright out) I loved it. I imagine I will love it more on rewatch now stick the fucking landing and give Hangman the belt.

Match Rating: 5/5

In conclusion a really fun show. Even if some stuff didn't land for me the bigger matches all hit and some others overdelivered. Both tag matches I felt went long and the 6 man tag I just saw as a set up match I hold no real interest in but rather what is past it. Still a worth while PPV it isn't AEWs best ever show but it still delivers the quality you would expect.

Overall PPV Rating: 4/5 

Until All In and the various TV specials in between I am interested in how they card shapes it. To move tickets now it has to be huge so go all out announce anything and everything quick and pack the people in.