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My colleague Soumik Datta, who missed AEW Double or Nothing just asked me if the recently concluded pay-per-view was good enough to watch or not. My response was that it's not a question of good or bad, really, because this was a very important show.
And I truly think that Double or Nothing was a significantly more important show than All In was. This is not just because of the quality of the show but because of the statement that it made.
That said, there were a lot of aspects of the show that I did not particularly care for. I invite you to write your own thoughts in the comments below.
I'd be glad to know what you guys thought about the show.
#1 Best: Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes
I remember that when the first Okada vs. Omega match happened, comparisons were made to Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker. Michaels shrugged those comparisons away saying that as good as the match may have been, it's impossible to recreate the emotion of the Michaels vs. Undertaker clash at WrestleMania because of their shared history.
So when you put two brothers across the ring from one other, and have the crowd chant for Dusty Rhodes before the bell even rings, can that feeling be matched? Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes put on a showcase for the ages, and reminded us just how shackled and repressed they were in the WWE system.
It was a bloodbath so if you're not a fan of the more brutal aspects of professional wrestling, I'd advise that you skip it. But if you do enjoy a hard-fought, emotional rollercoaster, this was certainly the match for you.
Well, it's in my list of 'best matches from 2019' for sure.
#1 Worst: Alex Marvez
I was recently watching one of the Flair and Steamboat matches from 1989 back and was reminded of just how good Jim Ross was during his prime in WCW. Of course, he was the voice of the Attitude Era too, with Jerry 'The King' Lawler, and both men called the action with their own distinct flavor, making the proceedings seem much larger than life.
Fast forward to 2019, and Jim Ross is no longer the same announcer he was. That said, I thought that he did an okay job at the booth and so did Excalibur, who was on fire.
Alex Marvez, on the other hand, was simply awful. He seemed so unenthusiastic about the proceedings on hand that he seemed to bring the energy down even when the action was frantic and fast-paced.
To be honest, I think that AEW could do with a 2 man booth.
#2 Best: The arrival of Jon Moxley
This was certainly the biggest talking point after AEW Double or Nothing. Jon Moxley is not just a random Superstar from the WWE roster who moved over to the other side. He is one of the biggest wrestlers in the world and he left his cushy spot in WWE to venture to greener avenues.
Can you guys even imagine what the think tank of WWE must be wondering at this very moment? Not only did they lose one of their biggest stars, but they lost him to a promotion that seems to be doing everything right. Do you guys think that Moxley will do better in AEW than he did in WWE?
There is a whole new pool of talent that he can potentially work with and revive his career. Despite his top spot, it wasn't hard to see that his character had been getting a little stale.
#2 Worst: A terrible botch
One of my favorite matches in the card featured the six women from Japan. If I may be so blunt, they even overshadowed the Fatal Four Way match with the American women because of their hard-hitting style and more fast-paced action. The crowd was completely invested in the match from the opening bell to the two closing ones.
Yes, the first closing bell was a big botch. The referee only counted to two but the person in charge of ringing the bell, hit it to the amusement of everyone gathered to see AEW Double or Nothing. It was a pretty embarrassing botch and the crowd let everyone know that the timekeeper had messed up.
In any case, this was the one black mark from an otherwise remarkable show, in my opinion. It should be on a lot of 'botch' lists but won't otherwise have too many ill effects on AEW.
#3 Best: The Lucha Bros vs. The Young Bucks
Who is the best tag team in the world? Is it The Young Bucks or is it the Lucha Bros, many have wondered?!
The Young Bucks picked up a victory in what was a barn-burner of a contest this week in a match that went back and forth. It wasn't as good as the matches Pentagon Jr. and Fenix had with the likes of LAX or the Bucks had with say, The Golden Lovers, but it was still a very good and exciting contest.
I really do hope that these two teams have many more matches down the line and can actually tell a long-term story. Maybe trade a few wins and build the tag team division into a very competitive one.
The Best Friends, who also performed in the card, could also be inserted into the mix for some potential classics.
#3 Worst: The Casino Battle Royale
I must say that I wasn't a big fan of the entire 'Buy In' section of the pay-per-view and actually thought that the main card would disappoint. The rules for the Battle Royale were quite convoluted and did not make it easy for the fans to follow the action.
Also, nobody in the match was really a known commodity if you discount the likes of Billy Gunn and Tommy Dreamer and even Glacier. The announcers did not build up the participants as top tier stars and it just felt like an enhancement talent fest.
It just felt weird that Adam Page would be crowned as the Number 1 contender on the pre-show and not the main card. Because he is likely to be the first world champion for the promotion, he could have done with a bigger rub.
Yeah, so I thought that the Battle Royale wasn't very good.
#4 Best/worst: The Judas Effect finisher
Let's get the obvious out of the way first. I think that Chris Jericho is one of the greatest of all time. The level at which he performs even in the twilight of his career is simply extraordinary to see, quite honestly.
But then again, I don't quite like the Judas Effect as Jericho's new finisher. We're so used to the Walls of Jericho and the Codebreaker, that this just seems like a pale imitation and a very weak way to end a match. Compare it to the One Winged Angel, a move that actually seems like it could hurt you.
Jericho and Omega put on a pretty good match but honestly, the way it ended was strange. Actual MMA specialists like Ronda Rousey and Matt Riddle actually incorporate elements from the mixed martial arts world effectively into their pro wrestling arsenal.
Chris Jericho does not.
