The biggest story going into Double or Nothing 2022 is how deep a bench All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has built. The company has put together one of the best cards in their short history and has achieved their first million dollar gate in Las Vegas without some of their most bankable stars like Kenny Omega, Sting, and Orange Cassidy bolstering the event. This will also mark the second pay-per-view (yes, they’re still PPV’s in this company, not “premium live events”) without Cody Rhodes, who debuted in WWE last month at Wrestlemania.
But enough about the cats that aren’t here, because Double Or Nothing, which marks the company’s return to Las Vegas after three years, is loaded top-to-bottom with stars past, present, and future. It coincides with the three-year anniversary of AEW’s formation, and in many ways it’s a celebration of how far AEW has come since then. Biff Bam Pop’s resident Superkliq; Andy Burns, Jeffrey ‘X’ Martin, Josh Wallen and Sachin Hingoo got together in the ol’ groupchat to give their predictions for the event.
Buy-In Preshow – Hookhausen (Hook/Danhausen) vs Tony Nese and “Smart” Mark Sterling
What a difference a couple of months makes, huh? In the time since Revolution, Jeff Hardy debuted on Dynamite, Thunder Rosa won the AEW Women’s Championship, and Tony Khan practically kicked down the Forbidden Door with the announcement of a full-ass joint PPV with New Japan Pro Wrestling called – wait for it – Forbidden Door on June 26. But the most industry-rocking development of all is, of course, the creation of wrestling’s greatest unit; No Flips, Just Chips – Hookhausen. In the kick-off to the evening, the formidable and wildly popular duo of Hook and Danhausen will face their nemesis, “glass of water with a six pack” Tony Nese and his lawyer “Smart” Mark Sterling.
AB: This an absolute no-brainer to me, and will be a fun way to kick of what’s looking to be a very long night of sports entertainment wrestling. Look for Hookhausen to take the win, and “Smart” Mark Sterling to take the pin.
JW: I hated the Danhausen squash, but that payoff had Mega Powers vibes, so I concede that it had the desired effect. This is goofy wrestling shit at its finest. You’ll either get it or you won’t, but the crowd is gonna go bananas for this one. It might be the most eagerly anticipated pre-show match in the history of pre-shows. Give me Hookhausen all day.
JXM: There was a time when movie theaters showed cartoons before the feature attraction. This match will be the cartoon. Sterling will attempt to avoid any contact. Danhausen will hurl curses at his opponents. Meanwhile, Hook and Nese will put on a pretty good show. I won’t be surprised if Hookhausen picks up the win, but it will be a fun watch no matter who comes out on top.
SH: I’m making it unanimous among the fellas that Hookhausen, in particular the Hook part of Hookhausen, have this in the bag. Danhausen has that same inexplicably powerful energy that Orange Cassidy does and while his act isn’t for everyone, the wrecking ball with the good hair, Hook, sure is. “Smart” Mark is going to need a second neck brace and probably a few paralegals to assemble his pain and suffering case after this outing.
TBS Championship – Jade Cargill (c) (with “The Baddies” – Kiera Hogan/Red Velvet) vs Anna Jay (with Dark Order)
The story behind Anna Jay going after Jade’s title and winning streak isn’t exactly complex and some might even call it non-existent, but other than world champ Thunder Rosa, no one’s had Jade’s number in a match quite like the Queenslayer did a few months ago when the two first clashed.
AB: I always like seeing Jade Cargill in the ring, but this feels way more like a Rampage match than a PPV one. I’m guessing Anna Jay will get “some” offense in, but look for Jade to keep her win streak well intact.
JW: Cut the shit. Anna Jay ain’t that bitch.
JXM: I’m not sure there’s anyone on the roster that Cargill couldn’t defeat. The main reason I’m glad Jay is in the match is, well, she’s not Tay Conti. What’s Jay going to do with that title anyway? Hit John Silver in the head with the belt? Cargill retains.
SH: I’m with Andy that this match maybe doesn’t need to be on a PPV, but Jade is a star – perhaps AEW’s best prospect at the moment – so her presence is never unwelcome in these parts. I don’t give poor Anna a snowball’s chance against That Bitch, and hope that more than anything, this is a vehicle to get a certain Sonny Kiss in with the Baddies already. Jade all the way.
MJF vs Wardlow
Once again, Maxwell Jacob Friedman steals the show with the strongest story going into the PPV. After going down to CM Punk at Revolution, MJF has finally pushed his (now-former) heavy too hard and has really stepped in it. Wardlow’s had to sustain lashings, having to be handcuffed while not wrestling, and a brutal steel cage match against Shawn Spears, but he finally gets his hands on his crummy boss at Double or Nothing.
AB: I’ve given this some thought (not that not I’m giving the other matches thought as well), and this is not as clear cut in my head as you’d think it should be. All signs point to Wardlow getting his hands on MJF and getting the win, but I think there could be shenanigans that cost him the win. Is it Shaun Spears? Is it someone else? Max has a lot of money, couldn’t he buy off a ref and eek out the win? I don’t think Wardlow needs to get the win, he’s already over, and if he’s somehow robbed of the victory over his oppressor, I believe it could get him even more over. I think this feud still has legs, and will continue following a controversial Wardlow loss.
JW: It’s hard not to see Wardlow going over here. The long term booking. The build to get here. The stakes. It’s all been great, if not perfect. If you’ve listened to any of Wardlow’s podcast appearances, you know he’s ready for the next step. I’ll take The War Pig and hope that TK ponies up for Black Sabbath. THAT would be an entrance to behold.
JXM: Three things need to happen in this match. Wardlow must have “War Pigs” as his entrance theme. MJF must be the subject of the greatest Powerbomb Symphony that Wardlow has ever conducted. Tony Khan must offer Wardlow a fat contract and make MJF watch him sign it. Make the fans happy. Give this match to Wardlow, and then send that guy to the top. He’s got champion written all over him (not literally).
SH: There are times when you do the unexpected thing. The swerve. The work. Really stick it to the marks. This isn’t one of those times. Wardlow is currently on a Goldberg run and is possibly the biggest potential male star the company has in their back pocket. It’s time to make the War Dog, and I think he’ll come out on top here, again overcoming whatever shenanigans Max throws in his face. Wardlow for the win.
Men of the Year (Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky) and Paige Van Zant vs. Sammy Guevara, Frankie Kazarian, and Tay Conti
This one was just added to the card on Friday’s Rampage, but we could all see this brewing for some time. Sammy and Tay are not likeable at all, but neither is Dan Lambert, so it’s hard to know who to root for in this match. But it’s a big one, nonetheless, for AEW as it marks Paige Van Zant’s in-ring debut, and if they want to make her a Rousey-level star for them, she needs to look good.
AB: The crowd absolutely hates Tay and Sammy, and wants to see them get their comeuppance. It’s also time to see PVZ go in the ring. I think Men of the Year take down this trio, and Scorpio moves on to a new feud.
JW: We took a lot of weird turns to get here and it feels a bit forced at this point. I applaud the storytelling audible in response to Sammy and Tay but the talent really deserve better then what this has turned into. At the end of the day, this should get on Sport Center’s Top 10, so mission accomplished? I’ll take Men of The Year and PVZ and pray that I never see the Tay/Sammy experiment on my screen ever again.
JXM: This match has stakes for me, mostly because I want Frankie Kazarian to win everything. Titles, game shows, sweepstakes, whatever. This is also an interesting AEW debut for PVZ who, by all rights, should beat the sniveling dogshit out of Tay Conti. Nonetheless, I think Tayvara and Kaz will win this match. See, the fans hate Sammy and Tay together. If they win, that will cement their heel status and maybe… just maybe… put them in a program against Cole and Baker. I can live with that.
SH: After Friday’s Rampage, I’m unwittingly getting into this feud, and like several other things on that show, is giving me some confusing feelings. Chiefly, that I don’t know who I’m supposed to be rooting for out of these two teams. But I found myself getting on board with the late-90s Raw chaotic energy of Tayvara and Kaz breaking into the American Top Team headquarters in spite of myself. I’m going in cheering for Scorp above all else, but I think given the stipulation that if they lose they can’t challenge for the TNT title again, I’m going Guevara, Tay, and Kaz. But can we please get someone new feuding for the TNT belt? I would accept a cardboard cutout of Cody Rhodes at this point.
Men’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament Final – Adam Cole vs Samoa Joe
As much as most of us wanted to see Cool Kyle (O’Reilly) make it to the finals and possibly win the Owen Hart Cup Tournament, especially as the only Canadian in either the men’s or women’s brackets, Wednesday’s Dynamite dashed those hopes. Joe and Kyle had a fantastic match though, and Joe and Cole have every chance to steal the show on Sunday.
AB: This is going to be a killer match, and you can make an argument for either man winning. I love Adam Cole. I love Samoa Joe. Either man winning works for me, but if I have to pick (and I do), I’m going to go with Joe after a hard fought battle where both men look amazing in the ring as they honour the memory and legacy of Owen Hart.
JW: Adam Cole has come into AEW doing the favors and it’s time to start the rebuild with a big win here. They’ve planted the seeds of a Lethal/Sanjay/Satnam run in. I just hope we get a match worthy of The Owen Finals before we get there.
JXM: I’ve been a fan of Adam Cole ever since NXT didn’t suck and the Undisputed Era was the highlight of every show. Joe has the obvious size advantage (insert “Cole is short” joke here), but Joe doesn’t need to win the Owen. He already has the ROH title. Cole could use this tournament win to hasten the implosion of the Undisputed Elite. I think Cole will drop the knee pad, lower the boom and defeat Joe.
SH: At first, I was thinking that AEW will want to have two babyfaces win the tournaments, but what honours Owen’s legacy better than a shenanigan-pulling, award-stealing villain like Cole? I think it’s his night, and I want to see him carry the Owen trophy everywhere like Owen did his Slammys.
Women’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament Final – Britt Baker D.M.D. vs Ruby Soho
Any combination of the four semi-final women in the tournament – Toni Storm, Kris Statlander, and the finalists Ruby Soho and Britt Baker – would have made for a great match, and none had an easy road to these finals. There’s interesting style battles no matter which way the chips had landed, with AEW newcomer Toni Storm looking to prove her worth, Kris Statlander sporting a new attitude and a new aggressive mindset, Ruby Soho leveraging her insane popularity with the crowd, and the Fifth Pillar, Britt Baker looking to pull one out (and not just an impacted wisdom tooth) yet again. In the end, it’s Ruby Soho and Britt in the finals in what should be an outstanding match.
JXM: I didn’t expect Ruby to win that semi-final against Kris Statlander (is Stat a resident alien now?) but, now that she has, I don’t think she’s going to win the Owen. Look. How awesome and cringe-inducing would it be if both Britt and her real-life boyfriend Adam Cole won the Owen? My gods, they’ll be insufferable, but the story possibilities are endless. We’ll also get a Ruby/Statlander program out of this, methinks. There’s one choice for the winner of this match, and she has three initials. D. M. D.
AB: Like Jeff, I was hoping for a Kris Statlander win on Rampage this past Friday, but with that being said, I think we’re looking at Ruby Soho beating D.M.D., thus giving her her first real accolade in AEW. Britt Baker is a made woman already, so she can take a loss and still be strong. Giving Ruby this win gives her that push she hasn’t had quite achieved yet. Both women will work hard, and there won’t be any real losers no matter what.
JW: I’m a bit surprised with the crowd turning on Ruby after her victory over Kris Statlander. I also don’t think she did herself any favors acknowledging it on the mic. I was ready to take the winner of Kris vs Ruby in the finals, but after that crowd reaction it’s tough. I think they saw this as a career defining moment with an epic pop for the win. Instead they could be met with a shower of boos. I’ll go with Ruby and hope that these two have the match of their lives to earn that epic pop. If we don’t get that, I don’t know where they go with Ruby.
SH: As with the men’s tournament, I think there’s a case here for the heel (Britt) to pick this one up, since Owen was a perennial heel, but the case is a little weaker on the women’s side. I’ve gone back and forth on this, but as Andy says, Ruby needs this a lot more than Britt does at this stage, so I’d rather she picks this one up. There’s programs with Toni Storm (for Britt) and a new crowd favourite Kris Statlander (for Ruby coming out of this tournament, and I think the last few weeks did what they were supposed to in building some new stars and potential contenders for Rosa. It’s time for Ruby to shine.
Women’s World Championship – Thunder Rosa (c) vs Serena Deeb
AB: This is another no-brainer. You can’t have Thunder Rosa lose here; if she does, it negates her win and her so-far lackluster championship run. Serena Deeb is a badass, and I have no doubt at some point she’ll have some AEW gold around her waist, but it won’t happen here.
JW: These are two of the best women on the roster in terms of in ring work. This has the potential to steal the show if they get a hot crowd. I’ll go with La Mera Mera in a mat classic.
JXM: This should be a good match. Both Rosa and Deeb are better in the ring than they are on the stick. If they’re planning a heel run with the women’s championship, I don’t think Deeb is the person to get that over with the fans. I’ll go with Rosa retaining, but I won’t be surprised if her next major heel opponent winds up taking the title, as long as they can cut a promo without stumbling over their words.
SH: Due in part to an injury that’s limited her in-ring work, Rosa’s reign hasn’t been as exciting as I was expecting. But in that time, Serena’s been developing a pretty compelling worst-person-in-line-at-Starbucks character that finally matches up with her incredible in-ring ability. That’s the recipe for a formidable contender for La Mera Mera but I still think Rosa is gonna pull it out. Let’s see if this next phase of her reign as champion is more of what we’ve been hoping for.
Darby Allin vs Kyle O’Reilly
Here’s another late addition to the card from Friday’s Rampage, and it’s a doozy. This one is built on Kyle injuring Darby’s father Sting on Dynamite, and who are we to question anything beyond that?
AB: Do we really need this match on an already stacked card? No. Will it be good? Yes. This is a hard one to predict for me, because I really think both guys need a win. However, Darby is a crowd pleaser, so I think he’ll come out on top.
JW: This was a last minute throw in, and while it’s a match I’m eager to see, I don’t know that it needs to be on this already packed card. Both men are incredible at what they do and I expect Kyle to win with an assist from Bobby Fish to set up reDRagon vs Darby and Sting for the rest of the summer.
JXM: Where the hell did this match come from? This one is a potential show-stealer. O’Reilly, the air-guitar loving MMA guy who is devastating on the mat against Darbs, the high-flying daredevil who does not fear death? I mean, that’s a main event. I’m going to give it to Darbs but, if it lives up to its potential, this match is going to slap.
SH: As if I’m going to complain about a great match being added to this card with no notice. This goes back to my point off the top about AEW having a deep bench. This match is basically on the card to fill time while the NBA finals wrap up, but how wild is it that this company can put a match like Darby vs Kyle, a match that could main event almost anywhere in North America as a time-killer?! Both of these guys are going to have an insane match, and as for the winner? I dunno, let’s say Kyle.
AEW Tag Team Championships – Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) (c) (with Christian Cage) vs. Team Taz (Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs) vs. Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland
AB: I want to see Team Taz take the titles. Starks and Hobbs are absolutely fantastic together in every sense of the word, and putting real gold on them is the next step in their evolution as AEW talent. This is going to be a great match, but at the end of the day the team with two potential heavyweight champions is my pick. By the way, I want to see Ricky Starks as AEW champ within a year. He’s got it all. Either that, or have him join BCC.
JW: Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus have been worthy champions and have had a nice run. Everything about the buildup to this seems to indicate a Christian heel turn, so I’ll go with a Swerve in more ways than one. Christian will inadvertently force Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus to drop the belts to Swerve and Keith Lee. In the aftermath, we get a pissed off Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy laying out Christian, ending the relationship. As far as the new champs? Let Swerve and Keith have a summer series with Hobbs and Starks making even bigger stars out of everyone in the process.
JXM: This one gets my vote for the sleeper match of the night. Any of the three teams could win. Maybe it’s just me, but I haven’t been too impressed with the Jurassic Express run with the titles. Jungle Boy is better as a singles competitor and Luchasaurus just is. Starks and Hobbs are both great in their own right, but the crowd is heavily behind Swerve and Keith Lee. My brain says Strickland and Lee take the titles, but my heart wants Team Taz to walk away as winners.
SH: Jurassic Express has, like Hangman, been quietly racking up big wins in their time as champions but it never really feels like they’re the focal point of a storyline. It’s time to shake things up, with Christian finally turning on his prehistoric proteges and maybe one or both doing some singles work. As for who’ll pick up the titles, both Team Taz and Swerve In My Glory would make for great champs, but I’m going with Starks and Hobbs just because they’ve been a team longer.
Anarchy In the Arena – 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) (with William Regal)
AB: I expect multiple malfunctions at the junction during this match, but at the end of the day look for either Parker or Menard to take the pin. The BCC have absolutely too much upside to lose right now. The question is where they’ll go next? After the tag belts perhaps?
JW: It’s hard to see BCC and LAX taking the L here, which is exactly why they will. Say what you want about Jericho, but he knows what he’s doing. He’s always been able to recognize wrestling trends and find ways to get over by exploiting as much emotion as he can. Sports Entertainment vs Pro Wrestling is what we’ve been talking about since AEW debuted. This will be entertaining pro wrestling. Which is all I’ve ever asked for.
JXM: Oy vey, what a mess this is going to be. I hope Tony Khan has a large enough camera crew to capture it all. You can’t take this seriously, right? It’s going to be wacky and it’s going to be an absolute cluster. Even though Chris Jericho is indeed a wizard, I’m pulling for the Blackpool Combat Club and Almost-LAX to win so the JAS has something to complain about later.
SH: Tony Khan done did it. The crazy bastard went and put all my favourite (male) wrestlers on the same team. You think I’d pick anyone but Blackpool and Ex-LAX?
PS. I’m a wizard
House of Black (Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews, and Brody King) vs. Death Triangle (Pac, Penta Oscuro, and Rey Fénix) (with Alex Abrahantes)
After taking a breather on this feud while Fenix rehabs one of the more gruesome injuries we’ve seen on Dynamite a couple months ago, Death Triangle is looking to mix it up with House of Black once again, with both teams intact this time. Some might say the road’s been a little rocky getting here, but would you expect anything less from this gang of bastards and brutes? Whatever issues you might have with the storytelling aside, I’m sure we can all agree that any combination of these six guys are fully capable of burning the T-Mobile Arena right to the ground. Maybe literally!
AB: I wish I was more excited for this match, but I’m not. I know it will be good, but the luster is fading from the House of Black. They need to crush Death Triangle and move into another feud.
JW: House of Black needs this. They need to take that next step or get lost in the shuffle. With as packed as this card is, give me a 7 minute car crash where HoB decimates Death Triangle and then sets their eyes on the next prize… Scorpio Sky’s TNT Title.
JXM: It’s a sad thing to see but the House of Black is rapidly losing credibility. If they don’t pull off a win over the Death Triangle, then I’m not sure where else they can go. Sure, it’s going to be a brutal match to watch, with the highflyers taking on the black metal beasts. I think the violence of the House of Black will win out over the technical proficience of Death Triangle. And can we please have Evil Julia Hart now? It’s been like two years or something since that storyline began.
SH: My kingdom for a storyline or a motivation for The House of Black. They came in, won (then lost) against Cody, destroyed the Varsity Blonds, and have been stuck in this feud with Death Triangle for a while, while misting Julia Hart, Pac, and Pentagon along the way. For a spooky cult who gets regular promo time, we’re still not sure what they’re after and only a vague sense of what they’re about. And it’s not even clear what the mist does! I hope that Death Triangle, who I love, can draw some of this out of the House, but the House always sometimes wins.
The Hardys (Matt and Jeff) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson)
Interestingly, most of the build to this much-anticipated tag match between two legendary teams has happened on the Bucks’ YouTube show, Being The Elite. That show’s seen the Hardys trying to draw out a more aggressive Young Bucks, the ones who took the industry by storm even prior to AEW, and were less concerned with sneaker shopping than doling out superkicks to the best talent in the world. Will Team Extreme be able to ‘delete’ the Bucks, or will Nick and Matt bring their new “Live, Love, Superkick” philosophy to the veteran’s faces?
AB: There are no losers in this one, only winners, including us, the fans. This is going to be a hell of a lot fun, and again, it’s one of those matches where it doesn’t matter who scores the pin. However, I think the win could go to the Hardys, which will then put them into the tag title conversation.
JW: I’ll admit something to you: I can’t watch spots. The thought of watching someone break their neck on live tv has never been something I could stomach. I’ll watch replays once I know there’s feeling in all of their extremities, but I’ll look away when it’s getting ready to happen live. I’m terrified of these two teams being in the ring together. If Double or Nothing has any type of set decoration that appears to be about 20 foot tall, guarantee that one or more of these men are going to fall from it. There’s more money to be made with these two teams, so expect this to kick off at least a best of 3 series. I’ll take The Hardy’s and pray everyone makes it out in one piece.
JXM: If ever there were a match designed to ease your Spot Monkey Addiction, it’s this one. We all know what to expect from this match. Superkicks, Twists of Fate, and damned near every beautifully choreographed series of moves from the two teams’ history. I’m down for a greatest hits match between these people, and I don’t even care who wins. Okay, fine. Give it to the Hardys for nostalgia’s sake, but it doesn’t matter. This is an exhibition match, and I am ready to be exhibited to. Exhibited for. Something like that.
SH: I’m going to break with the pack a little and go with the Bucks here. I don’t think the Hardys need this win, even though it’d be a crowd-pleaser, and it’s an important accolade to cement the Bucks as one of the best ever. Their buddy Kenny is on the way back and there might be a war coming. The Elite have taken a bit of a backseat for a while, but it’s time for them to show everyone whose house this is. I can’t wait for this match, though, and no matter which way it goes, I’ll be like an 8 year old again.
AEW World Championship – “Hangman” Adam Page (c) vs CM Punk
AB: It’s almost been a year since CM Punk arrived in AEW, and everything he’s done so far has been outstanding. If ever there was time for him to win the belt, it’s right now. Page has had some solid title defenses, and his story was far from over, but I want Punk to win the gold and have a target on his back. There’s no shame in losing to the Best in the World, as Hangman will discover Sunday night.
JW: The Hangman build has felt a bit messy. I see where they were trying to go with it, but they never got there for me to be emotionally invested. People are screaming for a Punk turn, but there’s one more important stop before we get there. Punk should win an epic match and follow it up with a promo where he talks about creating the pro wrestling landscape he always dreamed of. One where the workers are celebrated and you do things the right way. You help lift others up as opposed to pulling them down or stealing their ideas. This would be the moment I have Kenta slide in the back door, let the crowd react, have Punk turn around and eat the move that he “stole” from Kenta, the GTS. Show goes off the air with Kenta standing over your new AEW Champ teasing a match at Forbidden Door. It also plants the seed that in stealing the GTS, maybe Punk isn’t the hero we all made him out to be? That is how you start your heel turn.
JXM: Get out the sunscreen and a bottle of Pepsi, because we’re in for the Summ3r of Punk. Page is good, maybe better right now than he’s ever been. But Punk is the comeback story of the wrestling world. He wants this title. He deserves this title. History demands that he win this title. And when he does… he’s going to turn heel and AEW is going to get even hotter than it is right now. Page down, Punk up. That’s the way we like to… watch wrestling.
SH: I think it’s close to a lock that CM Punk will be holding that AEW Championship before the end of 2022. But I don’t think Double or Nothing is quite the right time. While Hangman’s had some outstanding defences so far with wins over Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega, two of the best to ever do it, he needs one more to really cement his spot at the top of this company. I say Hangman pulls this out after and incredible, showstopper of a match, and Punk wins the big one at All Out in Chi-town.
Any Other Surprises?
JXM: Miro returns. Claudio Castagnoli debuts. Wardlow gets “War Pigs” as his entrance theme. Jim Ross uses the phrase “running faster than a scalded dog.” Moxley bleeds. Keith Lee biels Ricky Starks into next week. The Owen trophy will not be a statue of Hart in a blue blazer. I get hammered and yell at the screen. My wife gives up and falls asleep during the Elite vs. Delete match.
AB: I’m with Jeff that I’d like to see Claudio debut. Otherwise, I think we’re in for a stacked evening of great wrestling action. I worry the crowd will be burned out by main event time, something that Tony and co should keep in mind through the night.
JW: We’ve already seen Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan sign their death warrants by attacking the soon to be Seven Star FTR. Kenta and Bullet Club have to make their presence felt with Forbidden Door less than a month away. Selfishly, I’ll also ask for Claudio in the BCC. I’ve brought it up on more than one occasion, but the thought of Claudio giving someone the Giant Swing while Mox and Danielson kick the shit out of that person in a sadistic game of tetherball is all I’ve ever wanted from pro wrestling.
SH: With Forbidden Door a few weeks away, it’s time to start building some feuds with the NJPW talent. Give me the Switchblade Jay White and KENTA taking out Hangman and Punk, or Okada and Tanahashi challenging the BCC. Make the Owen trophy a statue of Owen holding two smaller trophies. I want to see Claudio too, but I think that’s for the massive Dynamite from the LA Forum this week.
Bonus – How Long Will This Show Be (Starting at the 7pm Buy-In)?
AB: I think we’re looking at five hours, which for a guy who goes to bed at 10 pm is going to be a looooong night.
JW: I’ll go 11:50 in the East. There’s a lot of moving parts here.
JXM: Tony Khan and Tony Schiavone usually keep the timing on AEW shows pretty tight. Nonetheless, this card holds a lot of matches. I’m going to guess five and a half hours. Call in late for work the next day, sports fans.
SH: Unlike the rest of these guys, I’m going into this prediction with the knowledge that Game 7 of the NBA finals will be running head to head with this event, and Tony Khan has stated that he doesn’t want to start Punk/Hangman until that game ends. Hence, the insane number of matches on this card. With that in mind, I’m thinking this wraps around 1am EST, and a whopping six hours.
Strap in, friends. It’s wrestling time.
AEW Double or Nothing is live at 8pm EST on Sunday, May 29, 2022.
Viewers can stream DOUBLE OR NOTHING on the B/R app (Android and iOS), Bleacher Report website or via Bleacher Report on connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, FireTV and Xbox. DOUBLE OR NOTHING will also be available On-Demand through cable and satellite TV providers along with select movie theaters in North America. International fans can access the event through PPV.com and FITE.
