All Elite Wrestling returns to pay-per-view tonight for DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021 live on BRLive.com (Order Now)! With every championship on the line, the return of Stadium Stampede, Sting's first live wrestling match in six years, the Casino Battle Royale, and more on tap, this is set to be the biggest wrestling extravaganza of the Spring!
The event may be sold-out, but fans everywhere can still join us on pay-per-view at 8pm EST/7pm CST on BRLive (Order Now) with the DOUBLE OR NOTHING: THE BUY-IN kicking off the festivities ABSOLUTELY FREE at 7:30pm EST! The NWA World Women's Title will defended during THE BUY-IN with Serena Deeb facing the challenge of the former, first-ever AEW Women's World Champion Riho in a rematch of their Women's World Title Eliminator bout!
AEW WORLD TITLE MATCH...
Kenny Omega (c) vs. (#1) Orange Cassidy vs. (#2) PAC
***1ST PINFALL WINS**
“Oh what a tangled web we weave/When first we practice to deceive”
Those words were written in 1808 by Sir Walter Scott in his poem “Marmion: A Tale Of Flodden Field” but they apply just as well to the AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and Don Callis as they did to Lord Marmion.
This scenario began at DYNAMITE: BLOOD AND GUTS when it was announced that Orange Cassidy and PAC, the two highest ranked competitors in the Men's division, would collide on May 12th to determine the World Champion's DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021 challenger. The bout, a rematch of their REVOLUTION 2020 showcase, was quite the competitive affair but, following a devastating Liger Bomb from PAC to Cassidy, the victory seemed to be in the palm of The Bastard's hand.
While referee Aubrey Edwards checked on the condition of Cassidy following the rough landing, Don Callis began ranting on the microphone to provide added distraction. Callis' misdirection allowed Kenny Omega to slide into the ring and wallop PAC with the AEW World Title belt. That attack left both PAC and OC unable to answer Edwards' ten count, thus rendering the match a draw and in the, eyes of Callis/Omega, leaving Kenny with no challenger for May 30th.
That hope proved short-lived as Tony Schiavone was Johnny-on-the-spot with the announcement that Kenny's actions meant he would now have to defend his AEW World Title against both PAC and Orange Cassidy at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021 in a three-way match! In his devious hopes of eliminating two men from title contention, Omega ultimately put himself in a position where he does not even have to be pinned in order to lose that coveted AEW World Championship.
But the games were not over yet, not for “The Invisible Hand” and “The Cleaner”, and not for Orange Cassidy either. For whatever reason, be it fear or simply trying keep it a one-on-one title bout, the pair singled out “Freshly Squeezed” as the man to push out of the pay-per-view equation. Callis offered up a contract that stated OC would bow out of this Sunday night's title match in exchange for a future match with Kenny Omega, and to the surprise of none, not even the two men offering the shady deal, Cassidy slowly shredded the offending document. Callis of course had a back-up copy of the contract, and passed it off to Cassidy to reconsider the deal...
Suffice to say, looking at that video embedded above, Cassidy did not reconsider his stance and delivered Kenny that message in shreds. But it was not only the AEW World Champion who ended up feeling OC's response to that ploy via Orange Punch, the third man in this equation also felt the power of that punch when he tried to assault Cassidy. PAC got laid out, Omega was knocked silly, and it was Orange Cassidy who stood tall on DYNAMITE \with the AEW World Title belt in his hand! Will that also be the final scene on Sunday night at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021?
What is so intriguing about this insistence of getting Cassidy to remove himself from the three-way bout is that Kenny plays like he considers OC beneath him, beneath the World Title. He believes Cassidy is better suited as an AEW mascot rather than title contended, and yet, if the World Champion really believes OC is just not that good, why wouldn't he want him in the title bout? After all, PAC has taken the measure of Omega on several occasions, flat out crushing Kenny's soul at ALL OUT 2019, and although Omega would get his back in subsequent rematches, it was a loss that lingered well beyond that single evening in Chicago.
So knowing what PAC brings to the table as a threat, and talking as if OC is not one himself, why not aim at convincing The Death Triangle member to step down this night? Could it be that everything the AEW World Champion has said about Orange Cassidy is just false bravado? Does Omega actually view OC as a threat but won't allow himself to admit that? Or do he and Callis just think so little of “Freshly Squeezed” that they actually believed he would acquiesce his World Title opportunity? Whatever is truly spiraling about in the brain of Omega, the harsh reality is that he must now pay the consequences for his attempt to game the system and will face both PAC and Orange Cassidy this Sunday night on pay-per-view! Omega's head must perpetually be on a swivel, with eyes in the back of that head, because he does not have to be the one beaten for a new champion to be crowned.
And should that be the case, should PAC defeat Cassidy or vice versa, Omega will only have himself and Don Callis to blame for creating the very circumstances that caused his downfall...
AEW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH...
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) (c) vs. (#4) Eddie Kingston/Jon Moxley
Speaking of people who have only themselves to blame for their situation at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021, here are the AEW World Tag Team Champions Matt and Nick Jackson. Several weeks ago, The Young Bucks, in the midst of a six man tag pitting Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers against Jon Moxley and The Bucks, the brothers Jackson finally chose Kenny Omega. They picked friendship over doing the right thing, they chose family over remaining true to the people their fans thought they had grown into. Or perhaps, in looking at their behavior since delivering the stereo superkicks to Mox, The Young Bucks stripped away the artifice and in their regression, fans are seeing Matt and Nick for who they truly are at their core.
Selfish, self-centered, and obscenely over-the top; if there is something about them that irritates anyone, they will make sure to do it extra. If you don't like their $1,000 shoes well then what do you think about some $5,000 kicks? Hate that one dangly earring? Here's three more for you. The Bucks will poke and poke and poke whatever bear they feel like, and then when you push them, Matt and Nick will step into the ring to show why they are a generation-defining tag team.
Just since realigning with Omega, The Young Bucks have done that to Death Triangle, the Varsity Blonds, and even put the nails in SCU's coffin, people who were once as close as their brothers, with a gleeful victory over Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian.
Unfortunately for Matt and Nick, as a result of their choice to back Omega, they now have to deal with two individuals who do not care about any of the showboating or shenanigans: Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston. This odd couple who were at each other's throats for a great deal of 2020 have reforged their long-time bond in the aftermath of REVOLUTION 2021, and in the process climbed up the tag team ranks to their current position. Be it on DARK: ELEVATION, DARK, or DYNAMITE, Mox and The Mad King have been willing to fight any team put across from them in order to climb the rankings and get into a position to rip the World Tag Team Titles from the grip of The Young Bucks. In the process, they have also taken that whole “poking the bear” page out of The Elite's playbook into a violent bent, by not only trashing their dressing room, but also straight driving a truck into the side of The Elite's own personal trailer. As for those aforementioned high-ticket shoes The Young Bucks so proudly sport during their bouts as of late, well after Matt and Nick successfully retained their titles over Pillman Jr and Garrison, the footwear found new owners in Eddie and Moxley.
The words of Mox and Kingston embedded above from FRIDAY NIGHT DYNAMITE are all the testament fans need to know where the challengers are mentally at heading into this fight. Hungry pitbulls who want those tag team titles, and want to desecrate everything Matt and Nick have come to represent over the last few weeks.
On Sunday night, in their seventh defense of the World Tag Team Titles, The Young Bucks will clash with a team quite unlike any other they have faced in the 200+ days of their reign. Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston will bring a level of aggression and ruthlessness unmatched by any other duo. Perhaps it's their unique chemistry, perhaps it's their mutual love for the fight, either way Kingston and Moxley are the biggest threat to the championship The Young Bucks have faced yet, and that is no disrespect to the caliber off foes they have faced. Ortiz/Santana, MJF/Jericho, SCU, The Acclaimed, Death Triangle, and the Varsity Blonds were all tremendous threats, but the extremely personal nature of this fight has elevated this championship affair into something greater.
The Young Bucks made a choice, they made the bed with Kenny Omega at the expense of Moxley and Kingston, and now they have to lie in it. Question is if The Young Bucks will wake up in the morning still champions, or if it will be an empty bed...
AEW WOMEN'S WORLD TITLE MATCH...
Hikaru Shida (c) vs. (#1) Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D
It has been a long time coming, since January 1st of 2020 really, because that was the last time Dr. Britt Baker was anywhere near the AEW Women's World Title. That night in Jacksonville, Baker was one-fourth of a title bout along with defending champion Riho, Hikaru Shida, and Nyla Rose. Riho would prove victorious that evening on DYNAMITE, and the Good Doctor has not been in title contention since that evening almost 17 months ago. No one-on-one opportunities, no other multi-woman matches, nothing, and although the rather serious injuries she endured no doubt played a part against Britt's title aspirations, she spent a great deal of time claiming it was all some grand conspiracy against her.
Meanwhile, over the course of the last year, Hikaru Shida has reigned as the Women's World Champion in dominating fashion. Be it Nyla Rose, Penelope Ford, Thunder Rosa, no matter what foe earned their shot at Shida, she turned them away en route to becoming the most dominant champ, across all divisions, that All Elite Wrestling has seen to date. Even prior to capturing the title at the 2020 DOUBLE OR NOTHING event, Shida was already on her way to becoming the top woman in the division. In the case of Britt Baker, Shida owns three wins in singles competition over her (11/20/19, 4/8/20, & a 5/13/20 Four Way) to date and in their seven total encounters, the only win under Baker's belt came on the back of Nyla Rose as it took place in the tag team contest where Britt's devastating knee injury occurred. One could say Shida has been the bane of Baker's existence, yet she may also be the root of Britt's rise to where she is now given that Shida shattered Baker's nose in that long ago fight and forced the wrestling world to actually look at just how tough The Good Doctor truly is as a wrestler.
Still, through the injuries, in spite of this alleged conspiracy idea Baker clung to for awhile, and her disdain for the rankings system, Dr. Baker did the only thing she could to get the title match she has desperately wanted since day one, she did the work. Whether you like Britt or not, her personality certainly makes it difficult, it is impossible to deny her skill in the ring or the fact she has done the necessary thing to become a title contender; she has won matches. Officially, Baker is 10-1 on the year with the lone blemish coming at the hands of Nyla Rose during the Women's World Title Eliminator Tournament, and while she was on the losing end of the Unsanctioned Lights Out war with Thunder Rosa, Baker again proved just how tough an opponent can be.
Outside the ring, Baker has consistently been a top merchandise mover for All Elite Wrestling and a strong public face for the company, even if she can create unfortunate situations such as with the Forbes Magazine photo shoot. It is becoming increasingly difficult to argue with Britt's insistence on being the face of the Women's division, but until she becomes the World Champion, that moniker belongs to Hikaru Shida.
On Friday, in honor of her reign as Women's World Champion for over one year, Shida was awarded a new championship belt but of course Baker could not let that slide without inserting herself into the celebration. She had to come out and declare herself the face of an era, the Era of DMD, and step on the recognition of of Hikaru Shida's exemplary accomplishments.
This Sunday night, with the AEW Women's World at stake, one of the most-anticipated matches in AEW's two year history will take place when Hikaru Shida defends against the number one ranked Dr. Britt Baker! Will the historic one year reign of the champion continue, or will May 30th mark the dawning of the DMD era in All Elite Wrestling? Join us for DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021 (Order Now) live on BRLive.com to find out!
TNT TITLE MATCH...
Miro (c) vs. “The Muderhawk Monster” Lance Archer (w/ Jake Roberts)
He has decimated every opponent placed in front of him since the day he set foot in All Elite Wrestling. He has shown a remorseless desire to harm his foes, and a scary hunger for violence rivaled by few individuals on the roster. He seems to care not for the well-being of friend or foe, if there are any actual friends to even consider, and his only goal is championship status.
Those words can be applied to both Miro and Lance Archer, but only one of them has achieved that stated goal, and he did so on his very first try. It was Miro who ended the historic TNT Title run of Darby Allin, and he did so in alarming fashion, with a viciousness that The Best Man had only given AEW audiences a glimpse at prior to that night. Well, in actuality, it was Kip Sabian who got the first taste of the true beast inside Miro in that eerie locker room assault Miro perpetrated on his “best friend”, one that ultimately sent Kip off to surgery.
As for Archer, only three men have found a way to best him since he arrived in All Elite Wrestling in March of last year: Cody Rhodes, Jon Moxley, and Eddie Kingston. Twenty-two other foes have felt Lance's wrath in singles bouts, but the fact that two of those losses came with championships on the line has to sting. “The Murderhawk Monster” could have been the first TNT Champion one year ago at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2020 but Cody figured out a way to stop him in the finals of that tournament. He could have been the man to end Jon Moxley's legendary AEW World Title run on the October 14th DYNAMITE, but the champion managed to eek out a victory by the skin of his teeth.
Those losses, the anger that stems from them, for Archer they are fuel to the fire burning deep inside, and motivation to bring Miro's TNT Title reign to a very early end. There was that possibility of it coming to an end on Friday night when Dante Martin tried to end the nascent run, but it was ultimately unsuccessful. Still, in the aftermath of that bout, Jake Roberts hit the ringside area to deliver a verbal message to Miro before Lance Archer delivered a physical one of his own! A plethora of EW officials had to separate the two behemoths on Friday, but there's no need to stop the hostilities on Sunday when the TNT Title is on the line!
Will see a new TNT Champion crowned so quickly in this battle of AEW's behemoths? However this one goes, it is certainly going to be a hard-hitting affair between two of the scariest men on the AEW roster!
STADIUM STAMPEDE II...
***IF THE INNER CIRCLE LOSES, THEY MUST DISBAND***
The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho/Jake Hager/Ortiz/Sammy Guevara)
vs.
The Pinnacle (Cash Wheeler/Dax Harwood/MJF/Shawn Spears/Wardlow)
DYNAMITE: BLOOD & GUTS was every bit as violent and visceral as the moniker implied. Not one member of The Inner Circle or The Pinnacle came out of the fight unscathed, and Chris Jericho certainly endured the worst of it having been tossed from the roof of the cage by MJF after Sammy Guevara had already surrendered on his team's behalf.
A week later, with Jericho seemingly absent from the side of The Inner Circle and some legal strings apparently pulled to keep Santana away from Jacksonville, the men who compromise The Pinnacle attempt to hold their very own coronation ceremony; essentially time to pat themselves on the back and declare themselves the top guys of AEW.
The Inner Circle had other plans, emerging upon a special vehicle with Chris Jericho proudly in tow, his left arm braced due to a dislocated elbow from BLOOD & GUTS, and aiming to get a rematch against MJF, Wardlow, FTR, and Spears. Max initially refused, but after enduring a Bubbly Bath from the Inner Circle-mobile, he acquiesced but only under two conditions.
The first condition was that the match would take place under the auspices of a match stipulation introduced at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2020: the Stadium Stampede. The second condition was that if The Inner Circle loses the fight, then it will be the last night that Jericho, Santana, Ortiz, Sammy Guevara, and Jake Hager exist as a unit. The future of The Inner Circle for the opportunity to claim dominance over The Pinnacle; was it a risk worth taking for Jericho and his lot? The answer would be a resounding yes!
For those who witnessed the spectacle one year ago, the witnessed The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, and Matt Hardy fight The Inner Circle throughout the entire landscape of TIAA Bank Field. They fought in the bar area, the bathrooms, inside the luxury pool area, and of course on the field upon which the Jacksonville Jaguars play during the NFL season. Ultimately it came to an end via a spectacular One Winged Angel on Sammy Guevara, and is a bout still talked about to this day. It was at times humorous, it was violent, it was amusing, and it was even fun to watch unfold; that is not was The Inner Circle and The Pinnacle are promising this year.
In the words of Dax Harwood on Twitter, “I hope Ortiz & Santana left their comedy bull**** at Stadium Stampede last year...” or Chris Jericho's words when he answered the challenge, “You'll have to kill us to beat us...Hell is coming for you”.
On Friday The Inner Circle gathered on possibly their final DYNAMITE together in order to celebrate their historic run since October 2019, but the celebration of their history quickly soured as MJF and Wardlow appeared on the big screen with the legendary Dean Malenko as their, well, hostage really.
It's time for the talking to end, for ten men to enter into TIAA Bank Field, and attempt to end each other's careers. It may be the final night The Inner Circle walks into an AEW event as a unit, or it may be the night they reassert their dominance as the top faction within All Elite Wrestling. Whichever way this war goes, it is a fight no one who experiences it will ever forget and, as with BLOOD & GUTS, none of the men involved will leave unscathed.
FOR THE LOVE OF COUNTRY...
“The American Dream” Cody Rhodes vs. “The Guv'nor” Anthony Ogogo
The impending battle between Cody Rhodes and Anthony Ogogo comes with a myriad of levels to it. On the surface, it is representative of QT Marshall's coup of The Nightmare Factory and splintering off into his own Factory with Ogogo, Aaron Solow, and Nick Comoroto. It is a clash between the “first AEW developmental talent” (Cody's words about Ogogo) and a piece of the companies' bedrock. It's not about Ogogo disrespecting Rhodes as an athlete, the pinned tweet on his feed as of this writing was about how The Guv'nor thinks “...Cody is the best wrestler in the world. on the stick, bell to bell, nobody can touch him”. It's that respect for Cody's abilities that actually makes it an honor for Ogogo to be the one to, how did he put it, “stove his head in at Double or Nothing”.
Yet, as the fight drew closer, the Factory versus Nightmare Family dynamic also gave way to a different vibe stemming from assorted comments from the British-born Ogogo. Cody Rhodes took umbrage with those comments, especially give that the Olympic Bronze Medalist boxer was making his living off a wrestling company based in the United States. It was but one of many things that “The American Nightmare” had to say about Ogogo's derogatory comments, and what ultimately led to Rhodes adopting, for one night only at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021, the nickname that was synonymous with his father, “The American Dream”!
It was a bold move from Cody, one that represents his fervent emotional reaction to Ogogo's assorted slander, yet one that has provoked a vast array of responses from fans around the world. Some agree with what Ogogo has had to say, some are vociferous in their support of Rhodes, but it is safe to say no one is ambivalent in this tense situation.
Setting aside their respective beliefs, this is a situation that will come to a head inside the wrestling ring, not via social media, interviews, or in-ring chatter, and in that realm there is no questioning the experience advantage of Rhodes when it comes to wrestling. Cody was born into it, has lived and breathed it as an amateur and a professional his entire life, and has been successful beyond his wildest dreams. He has fought both and against the greatest wrestlers of his generation, claimed championships everywhere he has competed, and proudly been one of the men who helped establish AEW.
Anthony Ogogo was not born into pro wrestling, he has not been immersed in it from birth, but what he has been is a fighter his entire life, and a boxer since the age of 12. He has claimed gold, bronze, and silver medals across the Junior Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, and even the 2012 Olympics. As a professional under the Golden Boy Promotions banner, Ogogo claimed seven victories before a before an Achilles tendon surgery put him out for a year. Then, in his first fight back, Anthony suffered through a second round separated shoulder to take a unanimous decision victory. That injury gain shelved him temporarily but upon Ogogo's return to action, he notched several more victories en route to Welterweight Title fight for the vacant belt. It would prove to be his final boxing bout as it was that night Ogogo sustained the eye injury that has left him 78% blind in the left eye despite nine operations and two injections. He was never supposed to fight again, yet in his time with AEW and the two bouts in which Ogogo has competed, The Guv'nor has looked like an absolute terror. It began with a devastating body blow that crumbled Cody in one shot, forcing him to actually miss time, and has now decimated Cole Karter as well as Austin Gunn in one-on-one matches, with the latter likely missing the next several months of competition due to injuries inflicted by Ogogo.
Unfortunately injuries are a risk at all times in athletic competition and Ogogo, as he discussed in an interview (Read Here) on Thursday, thought he was walking into this fight with a broken rib suffered in training. Thankfully he would tweet several hours later that the official report had come in, the rib was not broken, and he was “ready for war”.
Friday night, during the official weigh-in hosted by Paul Wight, Cody hit the scales at 218 pounds while Ogogo clocked in at 219 lbs. Unfortunately it was not just the nearly-even weight of the competitors that was the topic of discussion, it was also both QT Marshall and Anthony Ogogo trash-talking the fans as it went along.
Sunday night that verbal tete-a-tete ends...
Sunday night, DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021, it's “The American Dream” versus “The Guv'nor” with stakes both personal and professional on the line. Will Rhodes once more lay in a heap at the feet of Ogogo following a shot from those lethal hands? Or will Anthony Ogogo find himself humbled by Cody in the biggest wrestling match of his nascent career? Tune into BRLive.com to watch it unfold before our very eyes!
ONE-ON-ONE...
(#5) “The Machine” Brian Cage vs. “Hangman” Adam Page
Several weeks ago, Adam Page sat atop the Men's Ranking after racking up nine consecutive singles wins, eight of them in 2021, and seemed on the precipice of his first World Title match since ALL OUT 2019 based on that record. Many fans speculated it would be Page getting a shot at redemption versus Kenny Omega at this pay-per-view extravaganza, but Team Taz had other plans in the form of their FTW Champion Brian Cage.
On the April 28th edition of DYNAMITE, one week after Page had defeated Team Taz's Ricky Starks, he was set to square off with “The Machine” Brian Cage. Hangman entered Daily's Place that night still in the top spot while Cage had been absent from the rankings for several months. Six minutes later that would all change after the FTW Champion dropped Hangman with the Drill Claw and pinned him for the victory. It must be noted however that a large reason this happened is because Cage and Team Taz attacked Hangman during his entrance, and although The Dark Order emerged to even the odds, “The Machine” still dropped Page with a powerbomb on the ramp before the bell even rang.
Hangman valiantly fought back from underneath, but that initial onslaught had Adam on his heels from jump street, and made the number one man in the rankings easier pickings for Cage than he would've been if not for Team Taz's sneak attack.
That upset win dropped Page down to the number five spot in the rankings, and immediately slid Cage into the fourth slot. Unfortunately for Hangman, his own inactivity in the weeks since that loss led to him sliding completely out of the rankings while Cage is presently at number five after Darby Allin's TNT Title loss moved him from champion's position back into challenger.
On FRIDAY NIGHT DYNAMITE, after a bloody Hangman defeated Joey Janela, Taz chose to rise from the announcer's table as Brian Cage emerged from the back, and attempt to distract Page for an attack by the rest of Team Taz. Page, far from oblivious, knew exactly what this situation was leading to and stepped to “The Machine”, challenging him to call of the dogs and do this one-on-one both in that moment, as well as on Sunday night. Cage, staring into the blood stained eyes of Page, waved off the gang attack and agree to meet his foe on even term at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021.
That brings us to this Sunday night at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021 where Hangman looks to even the score with Team Taz, and prove that Brian Cage's victory was a fluke made possible only by the pre-match assault. After being so close to a championship goal Page had at AEW's inception, it had to be crushing to have that ripped away, but Adam's chance for redemption is close-at-hand, and then it is time to get back to the top. But if Page cannot conquer this machine, does that mean his doubters (and Taz) are right about Adam choking under pressure?
TAG TEAM GRUDGE MATCH...
Darby Allin & Sting vs. (#2) Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky
Since Ethan Page made his surprise debut at REVOLUTION 2021 as a participant in the Face of The Revolution Ladder Match, he has developed a bond with the winner of said match, Scorpio Sky. See as a result of grabbing the brass ring that night, Sky was awarded a TNT Title match with Darby Allin on the following DYNAMITE.
The former member of SCU would not be successful in his attempt to end Allin's title run, and the frustration of that loss pushed Scorpio over the edge into violent territory. Employing a vicious heel hook, Sky has thrown aside any care for fans or the well-being of his foes and gone on a tear as a singles wrestler and as a tag team with “All Ego”.
As for Page, well he has been contemptuous since day one, and the two found a common bond in feeling unappreciated and underutilized by All Elite Wrestling. They wanted the star treatment, the high profile bouts, and if they weren't going to be given then, then they would take them.
That has brought the pair of Sky and Page into the number two spot in the tag team rankings, and also led them to put a target on the backs of Darby Allin and Sting. There is a great deal of history between Allin and Ethan Page that dates back long before AEW was born, history that saw Allin suffer serious injury at Page's hands, and a history that was repeated several weeks ago when Ethan Page tossed the then-TNT Champion down a flight of concrete stairs. And with no Sting there to have his back, thanks to that aforementioned heel hook of Scorpio Sky's a week prior, Darby was at the mercy of the two walking egos.
Whether or not that attack impacted the TNT Title match against Miro a week later is up for speculation, but it certainly did not help the situation given the wringer of defenses Allin had put himself through as champion. What also did not help was Page and Sky inserting themselves into that title match, not to help Miro but rather to hurt Darby, and with that the situation was prime to explode.
It happened on the May 19th edition of DYNAMITE when Sky and Page found themselves confronted by Sting, attacked by Darby, and prevented from escape by The Dark Order. They felt the wrath of The Icon and The Relentless One, and found themselves in the tag team battle that is set for this Sunday night!
Darby scored a win over the larger Cezar Bononi on FRIDAY NIGHT DYNAMITE, but Sky and Page would use the aftermath of the match to attack Sting and Darby. They very nearly succeeded in crippling Sting, with only the saving graces of The Dark Order making a difference in running of those two despicable humans. Yet Darby and an army of Stings would later make Scorpio and Ethan page for their transgressions later in the night...
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Sunday night will mark the first live match Sting has competed in since 2015, and he is hungry to get out there, alongside Darby Allin, in front of the raucous AEW faithful to shut the arrogant mouths of Scorpio Sky and “All Ego” Ethan Page. The old saying goes that revenge is a dish best served cold, but at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021, on what will no doubt be a hot Florida night, Sting and Darby Allin aim to tweak that old maxim!
CASINO BATTLE ROYALE (w/ Special Guest Commentator Paul Wight)
***WINNER EARNS A FUTURE WORLD TITLE MATCH***
Entrants include: Christian Cage, Matt Sydal, Powerhouse Hobbs, Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy, Marq Quen, Evil Uno, Colt Cabana, Ten, Jungle Boy, QT Marshall, Max Caster, Anthony Bowens, Nick Comoroto, Lee Johnson, Dustin Rhodes, Brian Pillman Jr, Griff Garrison, Penta El Zero Miedo, The Blade, and The Joker Card
DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2019: THE BUY-IN...Hangman Adam Page wins the inaugural Casino Battle Royale to earn his spot in the World Title bout at ALL OUT 2019,
ALL OUT 2019: THE BUY-IN...Nyla Rose wins the Women's Casino Battle Royale to earn her position in the Women's World Title bout on the first-ever episode of DYNAMITE.
ALL OUT 2020...Lance Archer wins the Casino Battle Royale to earn a future World Championship bout.
REVOLUTION 2021...PAC & Rey Fenix win the Casino Tag Team Royale to earn a future World Tag Team Title match.
Which of these twenty-one competitors will follow in the footsteps of those who have come before and earn their way to a future World Title Match with the winner of the Omega/PAC/Cassidy title bout? The way this works is each competitor is placed into one of the four groups represented by a card suit, five men in each group, with one individual serving as the Joker. Five competitors start the bout, and every three minutes another group of five will enter, leaving the Joker as the final lone entrant. Hangman Page was the original Joker in 2019, Mercedes Martinez drew that card in the Women's bout, and it would be Matt Sydal who infamously drew that 21st spot at ALL OUT 2020. It is no surprise that the speculation is running rampant as to who the mystery entrant will be this year, with the plethora of names being bandied about by the AEW fans the Casino Battle Royale makes for one of the most intriguing contests of the night!
THE BUY-IN...
NWA WORLD WOMEN'S TITLE MATCH...
Serena Deeb (c) vs. Riho
Serena Deeb returned to action on May 19th with a successful NWA Title defense against a very game Red Velvet, and she isn't waiting long to jump right back at it with the woman inadvertently responsible for putting Deeb on the shelf. Riho, the original AEW Women's World Champion, last faced Deeb in the opening round of the Women's World Title Eliminator Tournament and the damage that Serena's knee endured in that bout necessitated a surgical procedure that shelved her for three months.
Still, given how she performed in that championship defense with Red Velvet, one would never guess Deeb was freshly back from an injury. The NWA World Women's Champion looked better than every in that victory, and more than ready to take on the threat of the former AEW Women's World Champion during THE BUY-IN!
Can Riho, who last competed in a victory over Maki Itoh on the debut edition of DARK: ELEVATION, claim this historic championship as her own? And there is no doubt that Thunder Rosa will have her eyes on whichever woman survives this contest to be called champion!
AEW returns to pay-per-view this Sunday night with DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021, and although the event is sold-out, all of the action can be seen LIVE on pay-per-view at 8pm EST/7pm CST on BRLive (Order Now)! Plus, the DOUBLE OR NOTHING: BUY-IN will kick off the festivities ABSOLUTELY FREE at 7:30pm EST and will feature an NWA World Women's Title fight between Serena Deeb and Riho!