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AEW will have their signature pay-per-view Double or Nothing this weekend. There a number of highly-anticipated matches, including CM Punk vs Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship.
MJF will finally go one-on-one with former bodyguard Wardlow, the winners of the inaugural Owen Hart Cup Tournament will be crowned on the show and all-out anarchy will take place between the Jericho Appreciation Society and the Blackpool Combat Club, together with Eddie Kingston, Santana and Ortiz.
AEW President Tony Khan has done a great job in building a blockbuster match card. Unfortunately, a number of stars will have to sit out unless there are last-minute additions added to the event.
Here are 5 AEW stars who will miss out this weekend.
#5. Former TNT Champion Miro
It's been nearly half a year since we saw AEW wrestler Miro on television. The Redeemer has been away primarily due to a hamstring injury which required an operation. The latest reports have suggested that the former WWE Superstar is fully fit and just waiting for a creative storyline to return.
However, it looks like he won't be returning in time for Double or Nothing. That would be a shame as he was one of the most entertaining characters in the company during his record-breaking 140-day reign as TNT Champion in 2021. He cut ridiculously over-the-top promos as God's Favorite Champion while still retaining a menacing aura.
According to Fightful Select, the 37-year-old star recently signed a four-year contract extension, which will keep him with Tony Khan's promotion until at least the beginning of 2026. He will have plenty of time to make an impact post-Double or Nothing. Here's hoping that the Bulgarian Brute will go after the world title upon his return.
#4. Former FTW Champion Brian Cage
Brian Cage has not been seen on AEW television since failing to recapture the FTW Title from his former Team Taz member Ricky Starks in a Philly Street fight late last year.
While Cage made his debut at the ROH Supercard of Honor XV, fans are still wondering when The Machine will return to All Elite Wrestling, seeing as how his original contract has been extended.
It would have marked two years since Brian Cage's AEW debut at Double or Nothing. The former FTW champion teased a return/re-debut to mark the occasion.
"About time to make a shocki ng return/ re-debut and do it again," Cage tweeted.
With the fourth installment of Double or Nothing precisely days away, it is still unclear whether Cage will finally make a much-anticipated return on the big stage. But given the loaded card, it would be wise to push it to a future Dynamite instead.
#3. Former WWE Superstar Andrade
It's fair to say that Andrade El Idolo's run in AEW has been a massive disappointment so far. The former NXT Champion made massive waves on Dynamite during his initial debut.
But since aligning with the Hardy Family Office, he has felt like a midcarder at best. The Mexican star recently had a Coffin Match against Darby Allin but he is not scheduled to appear at Double or Nothing.
Andrade's assistant, Jose, recently shared a tweet in which his employer was asked what it would take for him to win the World Championship. The 32-year-old confidently stated that he only needed time.
“What is missing? TIME. Give me a little bit of time, and all the Latinos will have that gold. That gold will be for me, and it will be for all of you.”
Andrade could still revive some momentum and eventually challenge for the world title, but he will need more prominent stories to help him get over with the audience.
The former NXT Champion posted a throwback picture of his former stable, Los Ingobernables, on his Twitter page. This has left fans speculating that a match between Andrade and Tetsuya Naito might be on the cards. Perhaps he is looking beyond this weekend towards AEW's next pay-per-view event, Forbidden Door.
#2. Wrestling legend Sting
Sting is suffering from an apparent injury that will keep him off the Double or Nothing pay-per-view. During his last appearance on Dynamite, The Icon was injured by Kyle O'Reilly during a brawl between The Hardys, Sting, Darby Allin and The Undisputed Elite.
The reDragon member would trap The Icon's leg in a steel chair and proceed to stomp it into oblivion. In a tweet on AEW's official page, it was revealed that the 63-year-old has not been cleared for travel, and therefore will miss the Fan Fest Meet & Greets at Double or Nothing.
"Due to injury last week, @Sting has not been cleared to travel & will unfortunately not be at this Saturday’s #AEWDoN Fan Fest Meet & Greets. For fans who purchased tickets to see #TheIcon, Watch your inbox for information on refunds."
Sting's protege Darby Allin challenged O'Reilly to a match at Double or Nothing to seek payback on his mentor's behalf. But with The Icon out of the picture, Allin might be outnumbered, especially with the rest of The Undisputed Era wrestling on the card as well.
#1. Former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega
The biggest name that is set to miss out on this year's Double or Nothing is former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega. The Best Bout Machine has been out of action since dropping his world title to Adam Page.
While it's been more than six months, he is still yet to recover from his multiple injuries. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer had this to say about The Cleaner's latest medical update:
“He said he’s resigned to the fact that physically he will never be 100 percent, but he is looking at reversing some of the physical damage and being able to return and this time off and fixing up his different injuries would extend his time as an effective pro wrestler,” Meltzer said. (H/T:NoDQ.com)
In a May 19 report, however, PWInsider reported that according to an inside source, the AEW EVP leader has resumed his backstage responsibilities and has also been heavily involved with the development of the upcoming AEW video game.
Here's hoping Omega takes as much time as he needs to heal his body and return much healthier physically. All Elite Wrestling is currently in a great place with enough high-profile wrestlers to carry the company while he is away.
