AEW Double or Nothing

Battle royal starts things off and MJF beats up Dustin Thomas. Nakazawa avoids a go-behind with baby oil, as ya do. One flaw is that audibly, both Marvez and Exalibur sound way too similar to one another. Pillman Jr. superkicks Isiah Cassidy with the loosest superkick ever and he's now dyed blonde. Shawn Spears took his WWE 90 day payoff and got some terrible ink. MJF flips him off and he eats the tye breaker and then gets flipped off.

\Billy Gunn is out and he's ripped. Glacier faces off with MJF and he lands a nice crosschop. NAKAZAWA IS GONE! Glacier mists Sunny Daze and knocks him off the top before MJF takes out Glacier. Jimmy Havoc puts a lit cigarette out on Janela before Pillman hits Air Pillman.

Marko Stunt takes out someone and flosses before MJF beats him up. Dreamer is out and uses a trashcan that smashes Luchasaurus when he throws it. Dreamer hits a cutter on Jimmy Havoc. Adam Page gets the joker card, so he's 21. So no Moxley in at least this role tonight. Page and Janela brawl for a bit and a discus elbow hits Janela. Dead Eye hits Janela too! Acey goes for a move on Stunt, but eats a codebreaker when Jungle Boy makes a save.

GIANT ACEY POUNCE sends Stunt to the floor! HOW DO YOU MISS A 619 BY A NO-LEGGED MAN!? 450 and then MJF beats up Dustin Thomas. Thomas takes out Spears and then MJF takes him out. Cutler eats a fameasser, but Cutler takes him out. Luchasaurus murders Janela with a chokeslam through a table and then Orange Cassidy works with Dreamer.

Dreamer tosses out Cassidy. Jungle Boy goes for an HBK '95 Rumble save, but Havoc bites the fingers to take him out. Steaming issues cut in and Page wins it. Peter Avalan is a dick to Alicia A and Smiley Kylie. The "Shoes" video for Dustin vs. Cody airs.

Sammy Guevera is out and looks stunned to see so many people here. Kip Sabian is out and gets hyped up for the UK fans. This match needs a flow beyond move>pose>move>pose. Sammy hits some kind of dive that the cameras miss. Sammy goes for a double jump-back moonsault and misses that before landing a standing SSP. Marvez says "Kenny against Kenny against Kenny against Jericho". Yikes. Sabian hits some kind of thing and THEY MISS IT AGAIN!

Replay shows it was a tornado snap suplex. Sammy hits an RVD-esque SSP off the apron to the barricade. 630 meets the knees and Deathly Hollows hits and ends it - Sabian wins it. This was good-ish at points, but hurt by the director missing too many highspots and Alex Marvez just isn't ready for primetime. It's his first show, but Mike Tenay would top him as the best first-timer ever on commentary. A Sadie Gibbs video airs. Fantastic hype video on Sadie Gibbs. So why isn't she on the show? Jim Ross comes out and gets his own intro.

Brandi and Cody comes out with the dog in a pre-tape. Kenny Omega makes wacky faces on his laptop and Matt meets MICHAEL. NAKAZAWA! We get a minor recreation of the Stan superkick bit with Nick superkicking some guy demanding they get credentials. The Elite come down and start the show off formally.

BRYAN AND VINNY ARE ON TV and we get the national anthem played. Three people and they're all singing a bit differently and God bless 'em, but htis isn't good. SCU vs. Strong Hearts is starting the show off. SCU is out in American flag-esque getup and Daniels is singing because fuck it, he's getting paid big money now.

Stronghearts are out and Excalibur talks about a 10 count to leave the ring in tag matches instead of 5. Stronghearts' theme is pretty great. Excalibur talks about CIMA training MONKS! Daniels and CIMA work quickly - well, CIMA works quickly and Daniels does his best. T-Hawk works with Kaz, who gets 2 off a firemarn carry into a flip cradle for 2. Lindaman clubs away on Sky before a triple-team attack gets 2 for SCU. OWE speeds through them and just smashes Daniels in the corner. Daniels eats some vintage Kaientai triple teaming.

Lindaman lands a gorgeous German on Sky for 2.9! Kaz gets 2 off a northern lights on T-Hawk. Pumbing Bomb hits for CIMA on Daniels after he snap dropkicks Kaz. Outside-in DDT for Kaz and Hawk and Daniels double-down off a lariat. Angels Wings hits CIMA, but Lindamin hits a deadlift German for 2. Lindaman hits a metora off the top for 2. Inside-out rana from Kaz to Hawk. Best Meltzer Ever wins it!

Allie joins the commentary team in a stunning red dress. Smiley Kylie Ray is out. Nyla Rose has a top-notch presentaiton and Dr. Britt Baker is here - with Excalibur talks about how she can smash your teeth and then give you a referral to fix it. Brandi comes out working as a heel looking hot. She teases coming in, but Awesome Kong replaces her. Okay, so WHY BRING IN KONG IF YOU HAVE NYLA!? Kong can't go anymore - she couldn't work five years ago.

Nyla and Kong square off to start. Okay, so then do that instead of this. Kong backfists and kicks Nyla. She goes for a double splash on Kylie and Britt and misses. Kylie and Britt go for a low-risk NJPW forearm exchange. Kong catches Britt in a slam and then Kylie suicide dives on them.

Marvez awkwardly hypes Fight for the Fallen and a Britt slingblade gets 2. Nyla gets a weird GTS into an elbow for 2. Britt knees Kylie in the corner and then Nyla hits a rabbit lariat, sorta. Tower of doom spot. Kong hits a series of punches and the backfist for Baker.  Baker avoids an apron bomb and superkicks her before Kong gets speared into the steps by Nyla.

Spiral neckbreaker gets 2.5 for Britt on Kylie. Empress German gets 2 for Kylie! Britt hits...something called an ushigoroshi that isn't one. Looked more like KO's knee brainbuster, but other than the finish, this overachieved. Omega vs. CIMA is booked for Fight for the Fallen. We see Omega and Jericho get ready backstage earlier.

The Best Friends are out to face Jack Evans and Angelico. Trent bowls over Jack and poses. Evans and Angelico are tremendous together. Cattle mutilation snapmare on Trent and a PK lands hard. Chuckie's falcon arrow gets 2 on Jack. Trent lands a crazy tornado DDT on Jack. JESUS! Poetry in Motion-related moves and a suplex into a 450 from Angelico to Jack onto Trent gets 2. 630 HITS FOR JACK, BUT CHUCKIE MAKES THE SAVE! Pescado misses for Angelico and a doomsday knee hits alongside a Chuckie flip dive. Tag Team Crunchy wins it! This was a blast.

The lights go out and some guys show up with Excalibur saying he knows who they are and then doesn't name them. Torture rack backbreaker hits. Chavo special into a diamond dust hits too. THESE MEN NEED NAMES! JR knocks this a bit, as he should and they hype up All Out with tickets going on sale on June 14.

Joshi tag is up and this match really needs a video package on the talent. Ryo Mizunami amd Hikaru Shida are out. Team Aja is out after Yuka Sakazaka is out as the wacky magical girl. Okay, this act rules. Aja and Emi come out looking so tough and grizzled.

Yuka stomps the foot and dances! Aja and Mizunami are in and acting like bulls. Riho and her trainer do a bridge spot mid-ring. Riho has been wrestling for 13 years and is 21. Yikes. Magical Girl tags in with a rana. Sakura gets a surfboard on Riho and then Aja gets the living shit kicked out of her back by Aja Kong. Spike piledriver hits for 2 and Sakazaki comes in to get more covers.

Aja gets charged at and just says fuck that and slaps her. Big spear to Aja! Mizunami lands a series of corner chops and then a giant waterwheel suplex hits. Riho hits a 702 on Aja. Can vs. Cane warfare! Crowd is going unreal for all of this with a she will rock you clap. Double dive gets 2.9999, but thAe bell rings. Well there goes the momentum for the match.

Aja backfist hits her partner and then a running knee lands on Sakura to end it. Well, this was great auntil the botched bell ring. The commentators are thrown to and it gets awkard for a bit. Dustin vs. Cody is up with them talking about JR knowing each since they were babies. JR talks about how they're brothers via their father, but never lived together.

The hype video ends and we go to the set in gold and then a throne. Brandi gives him a sledgehammer to destroy HHH's goofy entrance getup symbolism. A Goldust remix starts off Dustin's theme. His new gear is basically a black and red Goldust getup with no sleeves and silver accents. This is the best non-Goldust getup he's had outside of WWE.

Cody hits a tope suicida. Dustin hits a 619 on the apron and then a somersault senton off the apron! Brandi throws water at Dustin and a reverse Rack Attack gets 2 for Cody. Dustin goes for shattered dreams, but Cody takes the pad off and Cody smacks Dustin's face into the buckle. Bionic spear by Brnadi results in her getting ejected.

DDP picks her up and takes her to the back. Dustin gets split open and his face matches his paint now. Dustin swings and misses, but Cody's dropkick lands hard. Dustin takes a gorgeous bump into the corner. Cody curb stomps him for 2! Dustin's snap slam gets 2.

Cody gets a figure four, but Dustin reverses it and now the canvas is caked in blood. Dustin gets an atomic drop and takes Cody's tights down to spank him with the belt. HE GETS 2 OFF THE CODE RED! Dustin gets a sloppy superplex and a Cross Rhodes for 2.99!

Disaster Kick and Cross Rhodes hits for Cody AND ONLY GETS 2!Dustin glares at him with a bloody face and gets another Cross Rhodes for 2!

We get some crowd shots showing them in absolute shock. Cody gets a brogue kick. Cody picks him up by his hands and eats a slap before landing a vertebreaker! Earl counts Dustin down before Cody stops the count and pins him with a Cross Rhodes. This was Cody's best match ever and possibly Goldust's best singles match ever too - twas a classic.

Cody comes in and is covered in even more blood. Cody says at Fight for the Falln, he has a match with the partner of his choosing against the Bucks. He wants Dustin and he needs his brother. They went for a "WALK BEHINDERS!" moment here, but this was just a tonal disconnect. Still, it's a great pop for the moment.

Battle royal clips air. AEW World Title presentation BY BRET HART! Wasn't expecting him - and his AEW theme is better than any WCW theme he ever had. They've got a red canvas to make things look important and Bret gets a holy shit chant. Bret brings Page out and this is pretty cool.

 

MJF comes down and gets an asshole chant and he says they bought a ticket to see him. He mocks the Bret HOF attack. MJF says they're all jealous of him. MJF mocks Bret before Jungle Boy stops MJF from leaving for a bit and then Jimmy Havoc comes down. Everyone beats up MJF and Bret shows off the belt.

Tale of the tape for Bucks-Lucha Bros. PENTA's window pane suit is incredible. They get a major league look and pyro display. Bucks are out in Elvis jumpsuits in Vegas because of course they are. The crowd is absolutely electric to start! Penta takes the gloves off for a CERO MIEDO bit. Zero Fear countered into a sharpshooter before Matt does the Cero Miedo bit too.

Fenix fakes out a dive and Nick lands a double team run-up armdrag. The 15% misses when PENTA pulls Matt in! Flipping stunner to PENTA! Matt gets a locomotion suplex series into the sharpshooter! Nick PKs Fenix and hits a flipping X factor to Penta. Bucks get a double sunset flip into a double sharpshooter!

Bucks to the MCMG's finish for 2.9! PENTA chops the fuck out of them both. SUPERKICK PARTY! DOUBLE DOWN OFF A DOUBLE LARIAT!  OUTSIDE IN DESTROYER FROM FENIX AFTER A PENTA DESTROYER ON THE APRON GETS 2! Fenix dives off of Penta's shoulders onto the Bucks on the floor!

PENTA DRIVER AND THE GORI SPECIAL LEADS TO A SENTON ATOMICO FROM FENIX FOR 2! PENTA wants the arm snap, but Nick saves with a superkick! FENIX DIVES INTO A DOUBLE SUPERKICK! YAKUZA KICK IN THE CORNER FROM MATT!  MATT HITS AN EL GENERICO BRAINBUSTER ON HIM! So yeah, they'll be going after him when his deal's up. MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK GETS 2.9!

Matt hits a package piledriver for 2.9! Meltzer driver is avoided AND THE ARM SNAP HITS AND THEN THE PENTA DRIVER GETS 2.9! MELTZER DRIVER HITS AND GETS THE WIN! This was a crazy-good match and about as close to a classic as has been seen on U.S. PPV for tag teams since the Beer Money run a decade ago. The decade started with classics with the Machine Guns and Bucks and ends with the Bucks and Lucha Bros.

Jericho comes out with Page doing a Y2J pose in Lionheart gear. Then we get someone as  THE LIST OF JERICHO! The Lite Brite jacket before doing his usual intro now.  Kenny's new theme is pretty good - different from Devil's Sky, but with a heavy Japanese influence. Ironically, this theme fits Kenny far better in a dome setting than his NJPW theme did.

Jericho attacks the Cracker Barrell. Tieup starts things off before Jericho shoulderblocks him down. Omega chops away mid-ring before Jericho goes for chops in the ropes. V trigger misses in the corner and Jericho slugs him and chops him. Jericho gets the Walls briefly before a baseball slide hits.

Omega missile dropkicks Jericho, who bails to the floor. Finlay roll into a moonsault gets 2 for Kenny. Jericho chops Kenny bloody and Kenny goes for a V trigger, but eats a lariat for 2. Jericho flips the fans off and Jericho's chest is chopped red. Jericho is busted up too and he lifts a table up and Omega dives onto them.

Swan dive double stomp onto the table! Omega's nose is all busted up  Waterwheel kick to Jericho leads to a V trigger into the back of the head in the corner. Avalanche snap dragon teased, but he gets a tamer variant with a belly to back off the top.

Jericho avoids a one winged angel and lands a flipover German and two Lionsaults. Kenny goes for the Jay driller and Jericho backdrops him over the top and through the table. TRIANGLE DROPKICK BY JERICHO! SUPER CODEBREAKER GETS 2! Angel avoided into a victory roll and then a Walls, before Kenny escapes and lands a Liger bomb for 2. LIONTAMER!

DISCUS ELBOW BY KENNY AND A V TRIGGER HITS! Jericho avoids an Angel with a DDT. Jericho lands the codebreaker and the Judas Effect elbow to win it. I love it - that's how you get a finisher over - YOU BEAT PEOPLE WITH IT. Now, Jericho is set up as a modern-day guy and not just a nostalgia guy and whoever wins between he and Page, you can't go wrong. Page is maybe the best guy to go with for establishing the new title, but to give it a sense of history, go with Jericho at All Out and then have Page beat him - maybe at the first TNT show.

Jericho demands a thank you AND GETS JON MOXLEY and eats whatever Dirty Deeds is caused now. Omega avoids it and brawls with him for a bit. They fight on the big chips AND THE DEEDS HITS! AA OFF THE STAGE FOR OMEGA. Wow. AEW needed to deliver a big show and did so - this was huge.