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AEW Double or Nothing 2021 saw a packed card as ten amazing matches took place on the night of the event. However, as always, with every positive, there were some points that stuck out to the fans, failing to deliver as much as the hype had been.
The event saw Cody Rhodes face Anthony Ogogo, while Kenny Omega defended his AEW title in a Triple Threat match. The AEW TNT Title, the AEW Tag Team Championships, and the AEW Women's title were all on the line as well. Meanwhile, for Chris Jericho's faction, their very survival in AEW hung in the balance when they faced The Pinnacle in a Stadium Stampede Match in the main event of Double or Nothing.
With all that, not to mention the addition of another legend in Mark Henry, who will be working as a commentator for AEW Rampage, Double or Nothing was a phenomenal event with multiple highlights. Alll said, there are a lot of positives to talk about from the night, but the negatives cannot be overlooked either.
The following are the five best and worst moments from AEW Double or Nothing.
#1 AEW Double or Nothing 2021: Best - Brian Cage
Brian Cage is finally coming into his own. Ever since coming to AEW, while Cage has been shown to be a dominant wrestler, he was never given the push that he deserved in the ring.
With Team Taz, Cage had the spokesperson that he needed, but he seemed to be restricted in what he could do. He didn't have a single memorable match in the ring and didn't seem to have a character of his own.
After the events of last night, the dynamic has definitely changed. At Double or Nothing, Brian Cage opened the event facing Hangman Page in what was one of the best matches of the night.
Fans got a show and they got to see just how athletic Cage was. Both wrestlers put on a show that was not likely to be forgotten. Unfortunately, a distraction from Ricky Starks cost Cage and he lost to Hangman Page.
Despite that, it was the best match that Cage was a part of since coming to AEW. Double or Nothing could be the breakthrough moment for Cage in AEW. Not only that, but Cage denied any help from Team Taz, refusing to beat Page that way. After the match, Cage stormed off, frustrating Hook, Ricky Starks, and Taz. Could we be seeing a major turn for The Machine?
#1 AEW Double or Nothing 2021: Worst - Lio Rush's debut ends in minutes
When Lio Rush made his way out during the Double or Nothing Casino Battle Royale, it was a genuinely extraordinary moment for everyone concerned. The former WWE Superstar was always a crowd favorite and fans were sad to see how his run in the company ended.
He talked about retiring for a while, so when he returned to wrestling, it was a welcome sight for fans. Though he's working with MLW, AAA, and NJPW, many fans wondered if we'd ever see him on a major network again. Rush finally appeared in AEW at the 2021 Double or Nothing event, though he didn't last too long in the match.
It was a great moment that the live fans went crazy for and fans had been hoping to see him do more in the ring. Unfortunately, he was eliminated from the match by Matt Hardy and Private Party. He didn't get a chance to do much and it was transparently obvious that his appearance was entirely for the crowd pop.
While it seems that NJPW allowed Rush to appear for AEW and he is not signed with the company, it would still have been better to see more from him in his first appearance. Hopefully, we'll see Rush show up on AEW Dynamite this week.
#2 AEW Double or Nothing 2021: Best - Britt Baker finally wins the women's title
Britt Baker finally won the AEW Women's Championship at the 2021 Double or Nothing event.
Britt Baker has been one of the most consistent women on the AEW roster for a long time. Even when she was out injured last year, she was at ringside and continuously making her presence felt.
Hikaru Shida was also one of the most deserving women on the roster, carrying the AEW Women's Championship at the most difficult time for the company. Not only was the women's division and their booking under scrutiny, the COVID-19 pandemic meant that there were a lot of obstacles that AEW was facing.
However, when Britt Baker returned, she helped to raise the women's division. While it didn't happen immediately, week after week, with the matches and feuds she had, she created an impact on the women's division, lending them more credibility.
Shida deserves all the praise for her contribution to AEW, but it was time for Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., to become the champion at Double or Nothing.
#2 AEW Double or Nothing 2021: Worst - Cody Rhodes wins again
Cody Rhodes faced Anthony Ogogo at AEW Double or Nothing. Heading into the match, all AEW did was to build up the strength of Ogogo's punches. He made Austin Gunn bleed internally with the punch and it appeared that Cody stood no chance when they faced each other at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
However, that was not the case at all.
Instead, Cody Rhodes not only took the punch from Anthony Ogogo, he took five of them. He ate all the punches and some rather impressive moves by Ogogo. For his part, Ogogo looked fantastic, hitting a picture-perfect Frog Splash and several other maneuvers, looking to get the biggest win of his short career.
Cody Rhodes was not to be denied.
Yet again, he won the match against Ogogo. Rhodes didn't need a win here, while the new superstar needed it. Once again, as if in a flashback to last year's Double or Nothing, Cody defeated the star who needed the win more. At this point, unless Cody Rhodes is going to challenge for a title in the immediate future, he could have put over the new star instead.
All of Anthony Ogogo's hype went down the drain at Double or Nothing.
#3 AEW Double or Nothing 2021: Best/Worst - The Inner Circle win in a chaotic main event
In the main event of the 2021 Double or Nothing pay-per-view, ten men battled, giving their all as The Inner Circle fought for their very survival. The match was chaotic to say the least as they looked to get the best out of every second.
All the members split up and went in different directions, battling in different parts of the arena. While Chris Jericho and MJF were inseparable, fighting through offices, Jake Hager and Wardlow were doing battle in a walk-in freezer.
Santana and Ortiz were fighting against FTR in an apparent club as well, and were joined by their former manager and LAX leader Konnan. But the ones that stole the show were Sammy Guevara and Shawn Spears. Spears possibly had his most memorable performance since coming to AEW, and it was all thanks to Sammy Guevara.
After Double or Nothing, no one can deny that Sammy Guevara is a star. His incredible athleticism and his charisma drew eyes to him every time he was performing in the match.
The Inner Circle won the match, which means they will continue. It also opened the door to multiple interesting storylines that could take place in the coming months.
However, for Pinnacle, it was a crushing defeat at Double or Nothing, and it will be interesting to see where MJF and his crew go from here.
