I’ve never been the most patriotic dude, so I have to say that Memorial Day for me is now more associated with our usual yearly trip to Vegas, first for Starrcast, then for AEW’s yearly Double or Nothing event. This year as I sit in a hotel room in Upstate New York working on this article between gigs, I won’t be in Sin City with my boys walking the strip with giant frozen adult beverages, but I will certainly be in front of my laptop with the show on and Twitter open, as is my setup of choice on PPV weekends. But I have a little secret for you:
The internet is not real. These wrestlers don’t hate each other, and save for the occasional off-the-cuff remark from an owner, the officials, writers, and producers don’t either. It’s not Kendrick vs Drake. It’s wrestling, and healthy competition is always welcomed. As we come up on the 5th Double or Nothing pay-per-view, right where it all started in Las Vegas, I’m here to let you know to block out the noise and just enjoy wrestling…That’s the one part they never get wrong.
If you keep your ear to the Tweets as I do, you might have noticed that the new trend is for users to call AEW a failing company right now, and that couldn’t be further from reality. In April 2024, Forbes ranked AEW as the world’s third most valuable combat sports promotion with an estimated value of $2 billion, behind Ultimate Fighting Championship ($11.3bn) and WWE ($6.8bn). I’d love to be a $2 billion failure, personally.
As of today, AEW Dynamite has run just a handful of shows (242) less than WCW Nitro (288). Seems wild, right? Let’s celebrate some great wrestling this weekend.
Since its inception, Double or Nothing has set a high bar for excitement, innovation, and unforgettable moments. Who could forget Jon Moxley’s electric debut in 2019, the insane 2020 pandemic Stadium Stampede match, or the emotional Cody vs Dustin match? This year’s event promises to be no different, offering a stacked card, compelling storylines, and the unpredictable energy that AEW is known for. Here are a couple of reasons why Double or Nothing should be another spectacular PPV.
AEW has meticulously crafted a match card that caters to every type of wrestling fan. From high-flying bouts to technical masterpieces and intense rivalries and brawls, you’ll see it all this weekend. Key matches I’m looking forward to include:
AEW TBS Championship — Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Mercedes Mone:
The CEO of AEW (sorry Jebailey) will make her debut on probably the most critical stage there is. With their last match ending in an injury that’s kept her on the shelf for a year and the internet wrestling community growing antsy with anticipation of her finally wrestling in an AEW ring, I think Mercedes really should have something to prove and want to push herself and Willow to have the best match of the night. I just hope it goes off without a hitch.
The Elite (Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry, Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson) vs. Team AEW (Bryan Danielson, Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood and Darby Allin) (Anarchy in the Arena match)
The biggest story in AEW right now, even more so than the world title (which is personally a shame to me), is the hostile takeover of AEW by the new Young Bucks, who have run roughshod over the company, adding and deleting members of the Elite as they please. This match should be insane and over-the-top fun. With Darby added last week, that just means even more ridiculous stunts are in play. Team AEW seems a little haphazardly put together, but this will absolutely be a riot to watch.
AEW World Championship — Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Christian Cage:
Swerve is a personal friend, so I can’t say too much about his unbelievable climb to the top of the mountain without sounding biased, but I will just say that I’m proud of him and the work he’s put in. My only knock is that this story seems secondary to the fight for control of AEW, which is kind of like during the Attitude Era when The Rock and Mankind had their spectacular feud, only to be the secondary story in WWE to Austin vs McMahon. I get it, but I’m just old school, and I feel like the World Title is always the big story. Christian Cage completely reinvented himself as maybe the best heel in the business, and Swerve has the odds stacked against him. Perfect opportunity to rise above and pull off the impossible.
There are several more I’m looking forward to, but the rule of three seems to work best.
AEW PPVs have always run a little later than I want them to, but with them running so many fewer events than WWE, we can concentrate on making these count with some super memorable matches.
Overall, AEW Double or Nothing is poised to be another feather in the cap of AEW, which weekly boasts the best wrestling contests. Don’t let the tribalism or venom of the internet sway you on one show or another, because you can certainly enjoy both. So, mark your calendars and grab an energy drink and prepare for a night of incredible action, drama, and excitement that will leave you (and me) talking (or tweeting) about it long after the bell rings.
Happy Wrestling!
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