This is it. It’s finally here. AEW’s first ever live Pay Per View show! It’s going down in Vegas and it’s going to be a banger. The MGM Grand is going to explode when All Elite Wrestling rolls the dice and goes Double or Nothing and lays all the cards on the table this Saturday night!!! And, of course, the Ringside Apostles are here to break this one down for you and give our predictions on this one wild night in Nevada.
@MsAmandaJayne
The world’s first look of the anticipated All Elite Wrestling is this weekend at Double or Nothing. Kip Sabian and Sammy Guevara are the two that were chosen to kick off the event. An interesting pairing of two cocky heelish characters who most people have never heard of. Guevara is most known for his flippy, lucha-like style or the obnoxious kid people love to hate (me included). Sabian is part of the growing UK scene as seen on the revamp of World of Sport and in promotions like RevPro and OTT. Trained by Ricky Knight (Paige from WWE’s father), his style is very similar to Guevara but with some British Strong Style.
PREDICTION: These guys are the future as both have been in the business for 6-9 years. It seems like Guevara is getting a little push on Being the Elite. He is the jerk kid who people hate but are now trying to say he isn’t a bad person. Sabian is a virtual unknown to the US Independent scene. The future of these guys and AEW will be something to watch. I expect the guy who already has AEW merch for sale (Sammy) to get the nod.
-Amanda Hyun
@IAMSCF
To kick off DoN, we’re getting –for free(!)– a 21 man (aaah, 21… blackjack…Vegas…gotcha) Over-The-Top Battle Royale.
Why? Because whomever wins gets a future title shot for the AEW Championship. You know, the AEW Champ …. uh, who doesn’t…. exist…. yet. Breaking news: The winner of the Royale will face the winner of Jericho/Omega at a later date for the first shot at the AEW Title!
As of this writing there are seventeen men listed (Sonny Kiss vs. Brandon Cutler vs. Ace Romero vs. Glacier vs. Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Sunny Daze vs. MJF vs. Joey Janela vs. Dustin Thomas vs. Billy Gunn vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. Michael Nakazawa vs. Jungle Boy vs. Isiah Kassidy vs. Marq Quen vs. Luchasaurus vs. Shawn (The Perfect Ten) Spears and the last four spots ! Who’s going to show up? MOX? A Double? Or the original “A Double” Arn Anderson? Brandi Rhodes? Who knows?! It’s Vegas Baby! They say that in Vegas, the House always wins? Not this time; with a new viable wrestling promotion where talents can go and work and be paid? Who wins? We do! Welcome to the big time AEW!
PREDICTION: As much as I’m a mark for Spears –even if he spells his name incorrectly, much like my brother from another mother does– I don’t really see anyone listed so far being a viable opponent for either Jericho or Omega. Who’s going to win this? Someone who hasn’t even been announced yet. ((Please don’t let it be Hangman..))
-Sean Farrell
@TravMoody
It’s no surprise that as someone who recently gave up WWE Raw and Smackdown and has used those hours to watch Joshi pro wrestling league, STARDOM, that I took this match to preview. Six Asian women and Mr. Moody? Sounds like a Vegas party you’ll never hear the real story of. Truth is, other than near 30-year vet Aja Kong I have zero clue who any of these talents are; I’m leaving that faith in the hands of Kenny Omega.
What’s beautiful about AEW from the jump is the variety of matches we’re getting. These 6-woman tag is no exception, as I expect this to be a truly hard-hitting, athletic, and tenacious affair not seen by most fans of WWE women’s wrestling, or the TNA Knockouts Division, and certainly not of the Women of Honor. This promises to be on another level. If you’re looking for one talent to shine brightest though, I’d keep my eye on Hikaru Shida. She has the appearance of a Japanese Wonder Woman and the skills built up from her days with Ice Ribbon (where Ryo Mizunami and Emi Sakura‘s talents also have reigned) and Oz Academy (where Shida had plenty of great go-at-its with Kong).
PREDICTION: Shida seems like an easy choice to get the pinfall here, but don’t sleep on the 21-year old Riho Abe who also spent time in the ring with Omega back in 2013 at a Gatoh Move event; as the youngest and lightest competitor, I can easily see her getting the surprise victory over Kong.
-Travis Moody
@travmoody
Be careful what you ask for. Top indie, ROH and NJPW tag team, Chuck Taylor and Trent Barreta wanted out of the Casino Battle Royale for “some tag team action”. Well, they got it. While I’m not all that familiar with Lucha Underground’s Angelico and Jack Evans, I definitely see some of the promising young talent in AEW getting the rub. This isn’t WWE. I don’t see All Elite bringing in new guys just to bury them. Chuck and Trent are way over and, win or lose here, can always get a future title shot against the Lucha Bros or Bucks down the line. Maybe that’s the promise.
PREDICTION: This match is flying far under the weekend radar but could wind up explosive. Both “Dustin and Greg” have looked fantastic as of late (they both had very good matches at PWG, and looked superb in both of them), and should be able to push the heat onto the high flyers. I’m expecting a highly entertaining 3.75/5 bout with Evans & Angelico, while — seeing how they’ve always been portrayed as “dicks” on BTE — the Best Friends might turn heavy heel and beat the shit out of them post-match.
-Travis Moody
@ShawnPuffy
Paging Dr. Brit Baker. Dr. Baker. You’re needed in the ring. This is going to be an interesting match. The Doctor vs the current Zelo Pro Women’s Champion v Nyla Rose. What can I say about Nyla? Nyla Rose has already made history as the first Trans-wrestler to be signed to a major deal. She’s a multi time champion. I mean… she’s a guy sooooo… Whatever. She has to be the obvious favorite to win against two females, right? Only if you’re underestimating the “other” two females in this thing. I also don’t really see another company’s champion (Kylie Rae) getting the rub at the first AEW show, even in a non-title match, so I can’t pick Little Miss Pikachu to get the W.
PREDICTION: It’s going to be a good match but in the end it’s going to be the good Doctor coming out of this one with the victory to set the tone and take her place as the leader of the women’s division in AEW. Dr. Brit Baker for the win.
-Shawn Puff
@OGMrGrimm
You must be saying, “Um don’t you know this match already happened a few days ago in Wrestlegate Pro?” Yes, yes I do. And it was a really good match. But, you saw it yourself. The bout had a very to be continued vibe to it by the end. Hangman looked better than ever, and PAC was a proper bastard this night. So why talk about it with the Double or Nothing card? Because there is so much speculation to be had.
AEW wants to make Adam Page the top guy of the promotion, no doubt — possibly even the inaugural heavyweight champion. Which is why it’s easy to see the early intension of having the winner of this match vs. the winner of the main event Jericho vs Omega 2 for the strap. What I also think happened is that AEW and DragonGate couldnt come to an agreement on who would win with both companies are fully invested in their guy; DragonGate using PAC to elevate the relevance of the company and their championship by way of his year and 3/4 long undefeated streak. And AEW has Page pegged as the young blue chipper who could be legitimized as a top guy by years end. Its hard to be upset at either company for wanting what they want.
PREDICTION: So what happens now? It could all be a work. We could possibly get the match again at AEW Double or Nothing anyway. PAC could possibly be done with the company for real. I wonder if JR will start saying “Anything can happen in the AEW?” What I think is that Hangman will enter and win the battle royal cementing his spot in the match to crown the first AEW Heavyweight Champion. And while we are speculating here, I’m going with Hangman vs Jericho for the championship. Then later, All Elite can pick back up with the Hangman vs PAC feud…
-Ryan Davis
@Asseenontonyv
This was the first ever match announced for Double Or Nothing. Christopher Daniels issued an open challenge for his team of Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky at the event that was promptly answered by Japanese legend CIMA. He promised to bring with him Two of his best students in Oriental Wrestling Entertainment. A few weeks later we got our answer, T-Hawk & El Lindaman — two of the most action-packed, high-flyers the OWE has to offer.
PREDICTION: This match is my guess for opening bout since it has all the makings of a spot fest and should get the PPV off to a roaring start. SCU in one hell of a match!!!
-Tony Valenti
The Young Bucks (c) v The Lucha Bros
@GeneSelassie
Here, we have two of the best tag teams on the planet. I don’t feel any members of the Elite are losing matches because they need to be established as the top guys in AEW early on. Also, this is for the AAA titles, so the champions aren’t losing those belts on a non-AAA event
PREDICTION: It’s that easy. Young Bucks.
-Gene Selassie
@mochaloca85
With a wonderful six-minute promo, we learned that Cody’s opponent for Double or Nothing is his half-brother, Dustin Rhodes. Dustin says it’s time for one last ride with different makeup and that Cody is arrogant and wants to put him out to pasture for some imagined slight against him. Cody says it’s not about personal family issues; it’s about killing the Attitude Era (which, in retrospect, wasn’t as good as we remember it being) so that the business can grow and evolve.
PREDICTION: I’m just glad we finally get a good singles match between the two of them so we can finally get a good resolution to their WWE storyline. Cody via Cross-Rhodes to make it definitive (unlike Dustin’s roll-up pin in the Fed), maybe after hitting Dustin with a Curtain Call before.
-Destiny Edwards
The match that everyone undoubtedly will be looking forward to the most. Every smark’s favorite “best wrestler” vs every smark’s favorite “greatest legend.” This being only the second time that Winnipeg’s favorite sons have gone to battle the wrestling world was already at a fever pitch. That’s even before they announced that the winner of this match will now face the winner of the Battle Royal to become the inaugural AEW World Champion.
It’ll be very interesting to see which way they go here. Everyone is expecting Jericho to get his win back. Setting up an eventual third match at some point down the line. Do they go with the G.O.A.T. to establish the new company with a legend? Or do they go with the current best in the world (unless you ask WWE)?
PREDICTION: With so much riding on this match now its hard to say which way they will go. Omega has been really laid back and almost comical lately. While Jericho has been getting jacked and training MMA at Dave Bautista’s gym. Y2J even developed a new back spinning elbow finish called the “Judas Effect” in anticipation of this bout. If you also consider that after this Jericho is heading into a match for the IWGP Heavyweight championship, I say the odds are greatly in his favor.
-Ryan Davis