AEW Review: Adam Page vs. PAC Match Originally Scheduled for Double or Nothing is Available Now on YouTube

The first ever official All Elite Wrestling pay-per-view is called Double or Nothing and it is set to take place this Saturday, May 25th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. One of the biggest matches that was going to take place at Double or Nothing was going to see “Hangman” Adam Page face off with PAC, who WWE fans would know as Neville.

The match is off Double or Nothing because of creative differences. We covered it in more detail here. The gist of it is that PAC is a champion for Dragon Gate and apparently, there were concerns about the finish that as going to happen in the Page/PAC match. It has been mentioned by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer that PAC was going to beat Page, then they would put him against Kenny Omega and Omega would get the win, so that’s where the issue was. It’s not known if PAC will work for AEW in the future. There were also rumors of PAC having a Visa issue that would prevent him from working in the US, but it’s not known if that is true.

The Page vs. PAC is now officially not happening at Double or Nothing and Page is expected to have a surprise opponent.

Due to the creative differences, Page was flown to England to face PAC this past Saturday, May 18 at a Wrestlegate Pro show in Nottingham, England. It was a huge surprise when Page showed up because he wasn’t advertised for the event. AEW posted the video on their Youtube Channel at 12pmET today.

While I plan on writing a full review of Double or Nothing, I’m not going to review this match with details, but I will summarize the end of the match as well as the post match angle. I will post it below for you to watch and then offer some quick thoughts underneath it.

The match went about 13 minutes. It was pretty hard hitting and they had good chemistry. After Page knocked PAC down with a stiff lariat, he was setting up for his next move. However, PAC kicked the referee in the groin and that led to the DQ finish.

That meant that “Hangman” Adam Page won by disqualification.

After the match was over, PAC grabbed a steel chair and hit Page in the back of the head with it. PAC also hit Page in the left knee with the chair. PAC wrapped a chair around Page’s ankle and then used another chair to hit the chair that was on Page’s ankle.

PAC said that the only reason he was going to Vegas to hurt him, maim him and torture him. PAC said his work is done. PAC told Page to tell his “little elite buddies” that he is not coming to Double or Nothing and he is not coming to AEW.

It will likely lead to Page selling a left ankle injury for his match at Double or Nothing on Saturday.

Analysis: The match was around ***1/4 or so if you’re interested in that. It was a really good post-match angle. The DQ finish was the compromise they must have agreed to and they didn’t want to do that kind of finish at Double or Nothing because they are likely planning clean finishes to the matches.

That was unofficially the first match in AEW history although it was not in an AEW ring. They are apparently paying the wrestlers around the same money as promised for Double or Nothing. Since it’s not in an AEW ring, I would label it as the unofficial first AEW match ever.

I will have a review of Double or Nothing up this weekend. It might not be live on Saturday because I have plans, but I will get it posted by Sunday for sure.