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The stage is set for this year's Double Or Nothing PPV presented by AEW. This will mark the second installment of the PPV since AEW rocked the pro-wrestling world. We will witness the crowing of the inaugural AEW TNT Champion in a bout between Cody and Lance Archer. The two have proved their prowess by overcoming six other competitors in a tournament that will see its culmination on the 23rd of May.
AEW's top prize will also be contested for at the event. The current AEW World Champion, Jon Moxley, who made his debut for the franchise last year will defend the title against Brodie Lee. This will be the first time the two wrestlers will face off in an AEW ring. If their earlier bouts are anything to go by, we are in for a riveting contest.
For the fans who are here to relive last year's event and to refresh their memory, let's dive right into it. Let's wind the clock back and relive the highlights of last year's successful event that put AEW on the map of pro-wrestling.
#5 The 21-man Casino Battle Royal at AEW Double Or Nothing
Much like a pre-show in WWE, AEW had its version called the Buy In. The main attraction of the Buy In was the 21-man Casino Battle Royal. The rules were simple. The match would start off with five men with another wave of five men hitting the ring every three minutes. The 21st entrant would enter alone and would have an obvious advantage.
The winner of the match would receive an AEW World Championship match in the future against the winner of the match between Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega. The match saw some big names make appearances. Wrestlers such as Tommy Dreamer, Billy Gun, Shawn Spears, and Hangman Adam Page garnered good reception at the event.
The 21st entrant, Adam Page went on to win the match that night by eliminating the man who entered at a spot right before him, MJF. The match as a whole was a fun way to kick off the PPV. All wrestling fans love a good battle royal that includes a bit of nostalgia as well as back and forth competition.
Page would later go on to face Chris Jericho but lost, which would result in Jericho getting crowned as the inaugural AEW World Champion.
#4 The debut of Awesome Kong at AEW Double Or Nothing
Dr. Britt Baker, Nyla Rose, and Kylie Rae were slated to compete in a Triple Threat Match at AEW Double Or Nothing but that match turned into a Fatal Four Way Match when Awesome Kong was inserted into the picture. Before the match began, Brandi Rhodes made her way out and announced the arrival of Awesome Kong.
Kong dominated most of the match and it took a combined effort by the other three competitors to nullify Kong's dominance. Kong came up short in the match as Baker walked away with the victory that night.
Kong has been a part of many wrestling promotions before her stint in AEW. She has always been built as a force to be reckoned with. Sadly, in AEW, Kong hasn't been able to find her stride. She sided with Brandi Rhodes through her career but that storyline had to be cut short due to Kong's hiatus for filming the Netflix series GLOW.
It is great to watch Awesome Kong perform in the ring and we hope to see her between the ropes soon enough.
#3 Brother vs Brother at AEW Double Or Nothing
These two competitors share so much history between them that if you were to go back and watch this match, it would be impossible to not get goosebumps. The build to this match was nothing short of spectacular. When Cody revealed that he would face his brother at AEW Double Or Nothing, the company's first PPV, wrestling fans all over the world were sure to tune in.
Cody went on to say that he would beat Dustin Rhodes at the event, marking the death of the famous "Attitude Era". Right from Cody's entrance, spectators wouldn't want to blink their eyes in the awe of missing something important. During his entrance, Cody demolished a king's throne with a sledgehammer, mocking WWE's Triple H.
When the two wrestlers were in the ring, the fans in attendance began chanting the name of Dusty Rhodes. The two put on a masterclass and left their blood, sweat, and tears in the ring. This is the match that the first iteration of AEW Double Or Nothing will be remembered for.
#2 Chris Jericho vs Kenny Omega at AEW Double Or Nothing
In the main event of AEW Double Or Nothing, we saw another duo that shared a rich history between them. Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega were coming off their great rivalry in NJPW. They were very vocal about their mutual hatred of each other in press conferences before the event.
The two wrestlers were fighting for a shot to face the winner of the Casino Battle Royal, Adam Page, in a bid to become the first-ever AEW World Champion. The fans were behind these stars from the word go. The two did all they could to push each other to the limit.
In the end, we saw Jericho pick up the win after he hit Omega with the Judas Effect. The match received much appreciation from critics and fans alike. This was a great match to end what was a historical night in pro-wrestling and the coming of age of WWE's biggest competitor in the business.
But, the night didn't end there. What we saw next at AEW Double Or Nothing blew the roof off the stadium.
#1 Jon Moxley debuts at AEW Double Or Nothing
When Chris Jericho beat Kenny Omega in the main event of AEW Double Or Nothing, he took the mic to address the crowd. In what was a self-appreciation speech, Jericho told the fans to thank him for the show. What came next was something that caught the fans by surprise.
Jon Moxley made his AEW debut and made his way to the ring through the crowd. He performed the Dirty Deeds on everyone in sight, which included Jericho and a referee. When it was Omega's turn, he fought back and the two spilled out of the ring and into the crowd.
Omega and Moxley fought all over the stadium but in the end we would see Moxley get the last laugh as he threw Omega off a stack of chips near the ramp. This marked the beginning of the era of Jon Moxley in AEW, who had left his spot in WWE to explore new ventures.
Who do you think will steal the show at this year's Double Or Nothing? Let us know in the comments below!
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
