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Welcome to this week's column on things AEW subtly told us during the latest installment of Dynamite.
As per usual, Tony Khan provided plenty of surprises, including two jokers in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. Johnny Elite (f.k.a. John Morrison) and Maki Itoh made shocking appearances on the show, giving many fans a rush of adrenaline and increased interest in the tournament.
However, the company didn't let the Texas crowd soak into these unforgettable moments as the show flew by. Most of the matches and segments felt like they were being booked in a hustle.
Regardless, the episode gave a clear-cut insight into the possible storylines heading into the road to AEW Double or Nothing. We'll now get started with five subtle things that the company shed light on Wednesday night.
#5. Johnny Elite is not officially All Elite!
Johnny Elite made big headlines for AEW, not merely for his sensational debut but also for the chaos he sparked on social media.
The former WWE Superstar's arrival seems to have been kept top-secret, which is why the company's official Twitter handle made an awful botch.
In an amusing bit, they accidentally tagged Johnny Gargano's Twitter handle instead of the former Morrison in one of their tweets. While the company's social media quickly deleted the post, the damage was already done as people shared a screengrab of the blunder.
Interestingly, the audience present at ringside almost believed Gargano, not Morrison, had arrived as soon as "Johnny" flashed on Titantron. Nevertheless, the latter's debut was seemingly a one-off deal as Mr. Khan didn't confirm his signing.
However, PWInsider recently reported that the proverbial door is open for the former WWE Superstar for future appearances.
Johnny Elite suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Samoa Joe in the Owen Hart Tournament. Despite suffering the loss, he impressed everyone with his sheer athleticism and proved he still has a lot left in the tank.
#4. The direction for Sting and Darby Allin ahead of AEW Double or Nothing
Following Darby Allin's loss to Jeff Hardy last week, it became apparent that he and his mentor Sting would be without a feud heading into the pay-per-view on May 29th.
But it is hard for any company to leave a living legend in Sting and a rising sensation like Allin out of their match card for a marquee event. The two men intervened in a massive brawl pitting The Elite against The Hardys this week.
During the tussle, the face-painted stars exchanged blows with reDRagon, thus teasing a rivalry. Should Kyle O'Reilly lose to Samoa Joe in the semi-finals of the Owen Hart Cup next week, he and Fish would need a ready-made feud for the pay-per-view.
In that case, the company could look to book reDRagon vs. Sting and Darby Allin at Double or Nothing.
#3. The Hardys seem to be on a collision course with The Young Bucks
With Adam Cole having booked himself a berth in the Owen Hart Cup finals, The Young Bucks also seem to be looking to secure a spot at the pay-per-view.
Nick and Matt Jackson have confronted Jeff and Matt Hardy on multiple occasions. The two teams have dropped numerous hints reigniting their old rivalry. The Young Bucks even annihilated the WWE legends on Dynamite this week.
Now that Charismatic Enigma is out of the tournament, he and his brother could shift their focus to seeking payback from The Bucks on May 29th.
#2. AEW stars Bryan Danielson and Eddie Kingston don't appear to be on the same page
Though not official, The Jericho Appreciation Society will collide against The Blackpool Combat Club and Eddie Kingston w/Santana & Ortiz at Double or Nothing. The bout is dubbed as sports entertainers vs. professional wrestlers.
The two teams exchanged a rip-roaring war of words on Dynamite, resulting in Jericho challenging the Regal-led faction to a Stadium Stampede fight on May 29th.
However, Moxley rejected the stipulation and instead asked the heels to face them in an "anything goes" match. While everything looked hunky-dory, Kingston and Danielson suddenly planted seeds for dissension within the group days before their mega fight.
The two men clearly don't see eye-to-eye, as we've seen them throwing shade at each other during their rivalry last year. Kingston and Danielson could become the catalyst for the faction's downfall at the pay-per-view.
#1. AEW star Christian Cage has put Jurassic Express' title reign in jeopardy
Christian Cage appears to be steadily undergoing a significant character change.
His aggressive persona has suggested that the company could be planning to book him to turn heel on his protege, Jungle Boy.
On AEW Dynamite this week, Cage put Jurassic Express' title reign in jeopardy when he announced a trios match for the AEW Tag Team Titles at Double or Nothing.
The former WWE Superstar granted Team Taz and Keith Lee-Swerve Strickland a shot at tag team gold. Captain Charisma is seemingly overconfident, claiming that no team is on Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus' level right now.
As everyone knows, the latter doesn't have to be pinned or submitted to lose their titles in a triple-threat match. Should Jurassic Express' fairytale run come to an end, the blame could fall on their mentor.
Are you excited about AEW Double or Nothing 2022? Sound off in the comments section below.
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