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TJRWrestling AEW Double or Nothing 2023 Preview

aew double or nothing 2023 preview

It’s AEW Double or Nothing with MJF defending the World Title against Darby Allin, Jack Perry and Sammy Guevara while there’s also an Anarchy in the Arena grudge match and a whole lot more.

John: AEW Double or Nothing is their second pay-per-view this year. It’s taking place on Sunday night during a very busy weekend with WWE running two PPVs this weekend as well. I think the lineup is okay, but also definitely weaker than the best AEW PPVs in company history. Ticket sales in Las Vegas have been slow for a reason. It’s just not that exciting of a lineup.

My part in this preview will be very brief because of all the news, previews and reviews I have been doing over the last couple of days. I’m exhausted.

If you need info on how to order Double or Nothing on PPV, check out AEW’s website for info on how to watch it in your country. There are different options depending on where you live. Joining me for the preview is Alex Podgorski.

Alex: To be honest, if it wasn’t for the dedicated news team here at TJR then I wouldn’t have known that Double or Nothing was happening this weekend. So much of the news surrounding AEW has been around either the big Wembley show in August or the melodrama involving Tony Khan that I wouldn’t blame anyone for forgetting this show was happening. I’ll try and be optimistic here, but given the line-up, I’m not really expecting this show to set the world on fire or have any matches as good as those that took place at Revolution.

(Note: All graphics are from AEW.)

There were two matches that we will not be previewing because they were added after we wrote this preview.

* AEW Trios Tag Team Champions “House of Black” Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews defend their titles in an open challenge.

* (Pre-Show) Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy & Hook vs. Ethan Page, Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn for control of Page’s contract.

AEW International Championship 21-Man Blackjack Battle Royale: Orange Cassidy defends against 20 opponents

Alex: I don’t like Orange Cassidy so I’m a bit biased going into this one. He’s done some solid work in making the International title into something semi-important but I think it’s time for a title change. OC isn’t a guy that really needs a title and he’s already a regular fixture on Dynamite anyway. As for who should beat him, I’m going with Jay White. He was signed to so much fanfare and hasn’t done much of anything since his debut. If Tony Khan wants to actually get something out of however much he’s paying White, then he should book White to become the new International Champion and have some natural feuds grow out of that.

Winner and NEW AEW International Champion: Jay White

John: It’s an easy way to get a lot of people on the show, but is it that interesting? Nope. I’ll go with Orange Cassidy finding a way to win and retain because AEW loves putting that guy over. If he doesn’t win then Ricky Starks or Jay White would be a good choice as the new champion.

Winner: Orange Cassidy

TBS Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Taya Valkyrie

Alex: Same old, same old. Cargill is a female Goldberg and there’s no sense in ruining that. This feud is based on who does a better double chickenwing facebuster and it makes more sense to have the homegrown wrestler continue her winning streak. This shouldn’t go more than eight minutes with Cargill getting the decisive victory.

Winner and STILL AEW TBS Champion: Jade Cargill

John: This is probably Jade’s best feud since winning the title in January 2022 and never losing a match. With that said, she has barely had any relevant feuds in that time, which is an example of how poor the booking has been. While I think my fellow Canadian Taya presents a legit challenge, I’ll go with Jade cheating somehow for the win.

Winner: Jade Cargill

AEW Tag Team Championships: FTR – Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal – Mark Briscoe is the referee

Alex: I have no idea what purpose Mark Briscoe will serve in this match. The way I see it, the only reason to have a special referee is to setup some sort of interference or betrayal spot and neither team would benefit from that here. This match doesn’t need anyone interfering only for Mark to knock them out. It doesn’t need Mark calling the match unfairly. But since he’s there, he might as well collect a paycheck and get a quick pop.

As for the match itself, I predict 15 minutes of bog standard FTR-style tag team wrestling. Those guy have a LONG way to go if they want to stake their claim as the best tag team in AEW. This will be average by FTR standards, which will make it one of the better tag team matches in AEW so far this year.

Winners and STILL AEW Tag Team Champions: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler)

John: I don’t know why Jeff Jarrett keeps getting title shots, but clearly Tony Khan is a big fan of his and likes how Jeff knows how to get heat. It’s just weird that we saw Jay & Jeff challenge The Acclaimed a bunch of times, then there’s a title switch and Jay/Jeff are back to being title contenders. There are so many AEW tag teams that have nothing to do, yet Double J in his 50s still gets a lot of screen time. With Mark Briscoe as the referee I think he’ll stop Lethal & Jarrett from cheating leading to FTR getting the win. FTR won the titles recently and I don’t see them losing them yet.

Winners: FTR – Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood

AEW Women’s Championship: Jamie Hayter (c) vs. Toni Storm

Alex: I have no strong feelings about this match one way or the other. However, this match lacks a sense of finality to it, and with Saraya’s recent comments about wanting to do a women’s Blood & Guts match, then I don’t think this match will end decisively. I predict around ten minutes of action before interference ensues from both the Outcasts and the AEW originals. Shenanigans will ensue and the match will be called off. Hayter will retain via technicality and Saraya will have the excuse she needs to setup the Blood & Guts match she wants so badly.

Winner via DQ/Interference and STILL AEW Women’s World Champion: Jamie Hayter

John: Jamie Hayter hasn’t wrestled in over one month due to a legit right arm injury, so I think there will be a title change as Hayter tries to gut it out. I think the heel Storm and The Outcasts group could use a title for the sake of credibility. Toni should win here thanks to an assist by Saraya & Ruby Soho most likely.

Winner AND NEW AEW Women’s Champion: Toni Storm

TNT Championship Ladder Match: Wardlow (c) vs. Christian Cage

Alex: I don’t know why this match is happening nor do I really care. This match just screams placeholder and unless Wardlow start some kind of “veteran killer” gimmick à la Randy Orton, then I don’t see much in this match. I guess Christian will put Wardlow over in under ten minutes and hopefully Wardlow can use whatever momentum he gets from this hastily-booked match to try and get more over.

Winner and STILL TNT Champion: Wardlow

John: Wardlow winning here seems like a lock. Just to be clear, Christian Cage lost to Darby Allin at Revolution in March, he didn’t win any matches since then and somehow Christian gets a title shot just because he says mean things? Okay. Wardlow should win in five minutes or less, but as a ladder match it will go longer. I think Luchasaurus will attack Wardlow after the win.

Winner: Wardlow

Unsanctioned Match: Chris Jericho vs. Adam Cole

Alex: The success or failure of this match depends on how far Jericho is willing to go to win this match. Anyone that has followed Adam Cole’s story knows how serious his concussion issues over the past year have been. Since this is an unsanctioned match, then AEW is presenting it as though Cole will have to live with the consequences of this match no matter what happens. If Jericho can tell that story in this match only for Cole to overcome it, then we have a winning match here.

This isn’t a match that Jericho needs to win. He has reached an almost Undertaker-like position, at least within AEW. He can win or lose and his career, booking and overall status won’t change much regardless. Enough people see him as a legend that he can do whatever the hell he wants and people will still see what he does as a net positive contribution. So why not use that unique status to help Cole get out of his post-concussion slump and build him up as a singles star?

Winner: Adam Cole

John: Let’s go back to Revolution again when Ricky Starks beat Chris Jericho clean and it was supposed to elevate Starks. Instead, Starks is part of a random battle royal while Jericho is in a top four match that has had two months of build. This is one of the matches on the show that should be a bloody one with plenty of fighting outside the ring. Adam Cole will likely ascend to main event status soon, so a win here seems likely.

Winner: Adam Cole

Anarchy in the Arena Match: The Elite – Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Blackpool Combat Club – Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta

Alex: If this is anything like last year’s Anarchy in the Arena match, then this going to be ludicrous. Basically this is a street fight and the only way to win is to pin or submit someone in the ring. But since the brawling aspect is being emphasized, then that favors Moxley, who thrives in such chaotic situations. And since most of the people involved in this match have considerable influence in the company, there really isn’t anyone who can tell them to not do anything.

As such, if you’ve followed AEW for any length of time or have tuned into our previews/reviews of AEW on this site, then you know what kind of stuff you can expect from these names. The Elite will make this a Superkick party. Hangman will do his Buckshot over some random object in a contrived spot. Jon Moxley will bleed within three minutes and will introduce enough weapons to start his own militia. Kenny Omega will spam knee strikes and will probably win the match with his One-Winged Angel on to Yuta (picking at random here).

If the action does make it back into the ring for anything than the deciding fall, then that favors guys like Bryan and Castagnoli, who are more wrestlers than brawlers. But since most of the chaos will be spread throughout the arena, then those circumstances favor The Elite. Because of that, the Elite take this one…though I don’t think this will be the end of this feud, not by a long shot.

Winners: The Elite – Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson

John: This should be wild with Jon Moxley bleeding within the first two minutes while all eight guys brawl all around the building. I think The Elite should win. The crowd should be into it for the most part too.

Winners: Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson

AEW World Championship: MJF (c) vs. “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Darby Allin

Alex: Let’s be honest: does ANYONE on the planet expect MJF to lose this match? No. There’s just no way. MJF has been booked way better than the rest of them and is on such a higher level that it isn’t fair to call the other three men in this match Pillars. Actually, I’d go a step further and say MJF isn’t a pillar either but rather he’s Atlas holding the company on his shoulders.

And I’m not just looking at this from a “business perspective”; booking-wise none of the challengers have been built up to the level of credible challenger, much less the level of capable champion. Jungle Boy still looks and wrestles like an undercarder, Sammy Guevara hasn’t been that impressive, and Darby Allin has a real-life deathwish and wants to climb Mount f**king Everest. How could he prepare for that while also dedicating each week to appearing and possibly wrestling as champion?

As for this match, I predict that MJF wins in decisive fashion. I don’t think him stealing a win here would be fair because it would make him look weak compared to his challengers. He needs to have a dominant performance so that all three of these guys get send back down the card and build up again, but properly next time. Because none of them have been presented as possible world-champion-level wrestlers and God knows MJF needs to face someone that actually stands a chance of beating him.

Winner and STILL AEW World Champion: MJF

John: A win for MJF seems obvious here. I think it will be an outstanding match with four guys getting a chance to shine. I think Allin has the best shot of the other guys, but MJF winning feels like the right call. They’ll probably have a long match that goes over 20 minutes too.

Winner: MJF

BONUS TOPICS!

The Match I’m Looking Forward To The Most

Alex: MJF vs. Darby vs. Sammy vs. Jungle Boy.

John: Anarchy in the Arena.

The Match I Care About The Least

Alex: Wardlow vs. Christian Cage.

John: Wardlow vs. Christian Cage.

Longest Match

Alex: Anarchy in the Arena match (~30 minutes).

John: Anarchy in the Arena.

Shortest Match

Alex: Jade Cargill vs. Taya Valkyrie (~8 minutes).

John: Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter.

Excitement Level on a Scale of 1-10 (1 being low, 10 being high)

Alex: 4. This lineup is disappointing. Nothing excites me that much here and I’m saving my excitement for Forbidden Door in Toronto. I think that’ll be a much better show; not only because we’ll see wrestlers we don’t usually see in AEW, but because NJPW will bring with its wrestlers certain booking requirements that will likely lead to better outcomes than whatever happens here.

John: 7. There will be some great matches to carry the show, but I think in terms of storylines and must-see matches, it’s a weaker lineup.

In Closing

John: I’ll be back with a review of AEW Double or Nothing on TJRWrestling.net on Sunday night.

You can also tweet me @johnreport. If you want to send an email, send it to me at mrjohncanton@gmail.com as well. Thanks for reading.