quote:

The show had a new camera setup and only one entrance ramp due to the expanded crowd capacity. It's the same that they used for Fight for the Fallen and other pre-pandemic Daily's Place events, if I recall correctly. The crowd was hot.

Darby Allin (w/ Sting) defeated Cesar Bononi (w/ Peter Avalon, JD Drake, & Ryan Nemeth)

Bononi easily overpowered Allin early on, just tossing him around the ring. He then sent Allin to the ramp on the outside before tossing him back into the ring for a two count.

Allin countered an inverted suplex attempt into a hanging sleeper hold, but Bononi reached the ropes. He followed up the sleeper with repeated slaps to the back of Bononi's head and the over-the-top stunner. Allin then hit the Coffin Drop for the quick victory.

– After the match, Allin called out Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky, demanding "let's do this tonight." Page and Sky walked out to "you suck" chants and Sky told the crowd to grow up. Sky said Double or Nothing would be the end of one legend and the beginning of two more.

Sky and Page were about to walk off, but the Wingmen – Bononi's stable – attacked from behind. Page and Sky returned to the fray and locked Allin in a choke as Sky was about to Pillmanize Sting's leg, but the Dark Order ran out to make the save.

**********

Cody Rhodes vs. Anthony Ogogo weigh-in, hosted by Paul Wight

Wight, flanked by an American and British flag, pumped up the crowd and introduced the weigh-in, saying there'd be no shenanigans.

Ogogo was first, joined by the Factory. QT Marshall asked the crowd to show some respect to Ogogo. Wight then introduced "The American Dream" Cody Rhodes, who was joined by his trainees at the Nightmare Factory along with Brandi, Dustin, Arn Anderson, and other Family members.

Cody weighed in first, but Wight actually had a hard time getting the scale to work. He eventually called it at 218 pounds. Fireworks were going off nearby, prompting a "U-S-A" chant from the crowd.

Ogogo weighed in wearing a loud pair of Union Jack briefs, landing at 219 pounds -- one pound heavier than Cody. Wight was about to read the official ruling, but Marshall interrupted to point out Ogogo is heavier, ensuring he will win at Double or Nothing. Ogogo posed and celebrated in the corner, but then Cody did the same to a huge pop.

The camera missed some physical activity, forcing the Factory out of the ring. Cody recognized Wight and said he'd see everyone at Double or Nothing.

*********

A video package hyped Stadium Stampede. Chris Jericho, MJF, and media members spoke. We were told to "expect the unexpected."

**********

The cameras cut backstage to Powerhouse Hobbs brawling with Christian Cage. Both are participants in this Sunday's Casino Battle Royale and Christian is supposed to wrestle later tonight. Christian whacked Hobbs with a bar and tackled him into boxes.

**********

Taz joined commentary for this match.

Hangman Page vs. Joey Janela (w/ Sonny Kiss)

This was a rematch from All In back in 2018, and it was very good.

They wrestled to a stalemate early on until Page shrugged off a chop and nailed a couple of his own. A snap suplex got two. Page sent Janela to the floor, but Janela avoided the plancha and hit a thrust kick. Page caught a crossbody and turned it into a fallaway slam.

Janela took control after sending Page face-first into the turnbuckle, leading to a commercial break. Right as we came back, Page clotheslined Janela all the way to the floor. They fought on the apron, where Page hit his springboard clothesline and a plancha. Page was bleeding from the mouth.

Page went for the Deadeye, but Janela rolled Page up for two before Page crushed Janela with a boot. Janela sent Page into the corner on a snap German before landing a diving elbow drop for a close two. Page was busted open on the top of his forehead. Janela went for the Death Valley Driver, but Page hit a discus forearm, a pop-up powerbomb, and the Buckshot Lariat for the win.

– After the match, Taz interrupted Page's celebration and brought out Brian Cage. Page told Taz to shut up and recognized Team Taz's scheme to attack him. Page said he expected that from Team Taz, but not from Cage. He thought Cage had more balls than that, but maybe they've shrunk all the way up by now. He demanded Cage face him like a man. Cage said he didn't need their help, and he'd see Page on Sunday.

**********

We were about to see a Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston promo, but the show cut to commercial as it started.

Once back from commercial, we got the promo. Moxley said it was time to get serious. He said he and Kingston were a great team, and he trusts Kingston with his life. He has Kingston's back in war, and it's going to be war for the tag team championships. The Bucks may be a more well oiled machine, but Moxley and Kingston are pitbulls, and they're gonna make the Bucks quit.

Kingston said he and Moxley speak for the underdogs. When they win, maybe they'll be VPs. The pressure's coming.

**********

Orange Cassidy responds to Kenny Omega's offer

Tony Schiavone was about to bring out Orange, but PAC interrupted. He sent Schiavone packing and said this Sunday, Orange would be irrelevant. The only man with any relevance is the man who's going to beat Kenny Omega and become AEW champion: the Bastard. He asked Omega if he was proud of his reign and called him pathetic before calling him out.

Don Callis interrupted on the big screen, calling PAC a dangerous person, a violent, aggressive, soulless sociopath. It was a distraction so Omega could hit a cheap shot, but PAC had it scouted, taking Omega down with a running dropkick. The Good Brothers came out and beat down PAC until the Lucha Bros came out to even the odds.

Omega and PAC were alone in the ring. As Omega went for the One-Winged Angel, Orange's music played, and he came out with the Best Friends. He pulled out a note for Omega, and inside was the shredded contract offered by Omega and Callis. Orange dropped Omega with the Orange Punch and went to pick up the AEW World Championship, but PAC stopped him and went for a powerbomb. Orange countered it and hit a second Orange Punch, leading to "Freshly Squeezed" chants as the segment ended.

**********

Jade Cargill was interviewed by Schiavone but quickly interrupted by Matt Hardy, who said he'd win the Casino Battle Royale and that big things are coming to Hardy Family Offices. Mark Sterling showed up and said he's working for Cargill now. He insulted Hardy and gave him his business card.

Jade Cargill (w/ Mark Sterling) defeated KiLynn King

Both women are very tall. They performed a test of strength at the start, with Cargill overpowering King and dropping her with a clothesline. King went for a running crossbody, but Cargill caught her, curled her, and planted her with a powerslam into a commercial break.

Back from break, Cargill kipped up and sent King to the floor. She hit King with a strong forearm and pushed her back into the ring, hitting Jaded for the easy victory.

**********

Lance Archer and Jake Roberts spoke. Roberts began to address Dante Martin, who could win the TNT title tonight, but Archer wanted to call out Miro, saying at Double or Nothing, he'd be the new TNT champion.

**********

TNT Championship: Miro (c) defeated Dante Martin

Miro dominated Dante from the opening bell. After a quick beatdown, he taunted Dante, turning his back and allowing Miro to hit a jawbreaker. Miro tried to come back with a splash, but Dante avoided it and hit a springboard moonsault press, but he only got one. Miro tried to send Dante out of the ring, but Dante flipped out and back in with a springboard dropkick for another one count.

Dante looked to climb the ropes, but Miro cut him off and brought him back in the hard way with a vertical suplex. Miro followed it up with a thrust kick before calling for Game Over and applying it for the submission victory in about three minutes.

– After the match, Miro wouldn't release the hold. Lance Archer and Jake Roberts came out, but Roberts said Miro's fairy tale would be over at Double or Nothing. He told Miro to "shut the F up." Miro came back and told Roberts to shut up, ready for a fight, and Archer came in and went for a choke slam. They brawled with Roberts narrating, with Archer getting the better of it at the end of the segment.

**********

Hikaru Shida championship reign anniversary celebration

Schiavone hosted. Shida was presented with a new AEW Women's World Championship belt, slightly bigger than the first and more gold-looking, if that makes sense.

Shida said that when she won the title, there was no fans – but tonight, they're here. She's proud to share this moment with them, because this title is for the fans.

Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. interrupted. She congratulated Shida on her reign. Baker wants to take back saying she's the "face of the women's division," because when she wins the title on Sunday, she's going to be the face of a whole new era. Like Austin 3:16, this new era is going to be "D.M.D."

**********

During the commercial break, Sammy Guevara did his poster board message schtick he's been doing in recent weeks.

**********

Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page defeated Dark Order (Evil Uno & Stu Grayson)

Sky was cocky wrestling with Uno at the start. Grayson came out of nowhere and dropped Sky with a DDT before pushing Page into the Dark Order's corner. Grayson dominated Page until Sky swept out his leg and took him out with a slingshot cutter into a commercial break.

Once back, Grayson fought back with some strikes, escaped the TKO, and spiked Sky with a uranage. Sky was able to tag in Page, but Grayson landed a backflip kick on both opponents, buying him the time to tag in Uno. Uno hit a surprising hurricanrana on Page and a flatliner on Sky before the ref-assisted neckbreaker on Page.

Dark Order used teamwork to allow Grayson to hit a belly-to-belly suplex on Page on Sky in the corner. They hit a combo cannonball and 450 splash for a near fall. Sky gouged the eyes to stop the run, locking Grayson in the heel hook as Page hit the Ego's Edge on Uno for the win.

– Page grabbed a mic and started speaking but was immediately interrupted by Darby Allin, flanked by a parade of people in Sting masks. Allin attacked Page as Sky effortlessly dispatched the line of Stings, until a very tall one shrugged off an attack and unmasked as Sting himself, sending Sky packing.

**********

Full card for AEW Double or Nothing:

Buy-in for the NWA Women's World Championship: Serena Deeb (c) vs. Riho
Casino Battle Royale for a future AEW World Championship match
Cody Rhodes vs. Anthony Ogogo
Hangman Page vs. Brian Cage
Sting & Darby Allin vs. Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page
TNT Championship: Miro (c) vs. Lance Archer
Stadium Stampede: The Pinnacle vs. Inner Circle (if Inner Circle loses, they have to break up)
AEW Women's World Championship: Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.
AEW World Tag Team Championships: Young Bucks (c) vs. Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston
AEW World Championship: Kenny Omega (c) vs. PAC vs. Orange Cassidy

**********

Inner Circle Celebration

Eric Bischoff was introduced as the master of ceremonies. He said that 25 years ago on this very night and network, he introduced what would become maybe the greatest faction of all time (referring to the N.W.O.). He then brought out another great faction, the Inner Circle, who came out to the first full "Judas" entrance in a long time.

Jericho, wearing his arm cast, said it feels good to be surrounded by fans again. He thanked Bischoff for everything he's done. Bischoff played a video package remembering the Inner Circle's history.

After a long "Inner Circle" chant, Santana spoke. He recalled October 2, 2019, the night the Inner Circle formed. They put the company on their backs through a pandemic and are now here for the return of the best fans in wrestling today. If this truly is their last dance, Santana wouldn't have it any other way. Ortiz simply said "That was beautiful."

Hager didn't want highlights of the good times, he wanted the hard times that make hard men, because those are the moments that should be celebrated. Guevara said they'd been through everything together. When he quit the Inner Circle, he didn't like that at all. He's going to do everything in his power to make sure that never happens again.

Jericho said he was hesitant at first, because he doesn't play well with others. But with these guys, it was natural. They didn't give a drat about anyone or anything except each other and putting on great performances. At Stadium Stampede, they're going to do it again -- and if they lose, they're going down in a blaze of glory. He ended it with a simple "I love you," and they all hugged.

They all did their middle fingers at the camera, but MJF interrupted on the video board. He mocked them and said he's excited for Stadium Stampede before revealing that Dean Malenko had been beaten up. He demanded they get out to the football field if they wanted to save the Iceman.

The Inner Circle ran to save Malenko, but were ambushed by the Pinnacle. Everyone brawled, with the Pinnacle maintaining an advantage. FTR put Santana and Ortiz through tables with simultaneous stuff piledrivers. MJF closed the show with "When you are in the Pinnacle, you are always on top."

NAG posted:

IcePhoenix posted:

Dacap posted:

dsriggs posted:

Eat My Fuc posted:

Remember when the Acclaimed came out and rapped "Young Cucks you can't beat us you're laughable, Trump really won we gotta storm the capital". Disgusting.

Malcolm Excellent posted:

Hey everyone I made a meme

Seams posted:

where da gently caress is number

Big Queefy posted:

Man i finally watched the Britt vs Shida match and i just didn't like it all that much outside the final couple of minutes.

But when Tony hugged Britt, I drat near cried. So it was all worth it.

smarxist posted:

anyone else think that aew could be building to a second brand with main shows?

coconono posted:

PPV did 150k, previous highest PPV was 125k

https://twitter.com/alex_greenlay/status/1399541614587039747?s=21

flex them biceps tony

smarxist posted:

gettin' a little misty watching sammy stand tall in the stampede tbqh

Jordan7hm posted:

Didn’t she just graduate like right before AEW started? It certainly sounded to me like she was working for an existing established practice, not that she owned her own.

RealFoxy posted:

There's so many good tag-teams in AEW that they should just do an entire G1 style tournament that lasts all of Winter 2022 leading to a Double or Nothing title match. They should also allow the Freebird rule which leads to a Trios title, also at Double or Nothing 2022.

Kunabomber posted:

She probably practices at least one day a week, and has fill-ins or associates come in to work other days. She also has to attend a certain number of hours of classes/seminars for continuing education to keep her license current. I don't blame her for maintaining a practice - a wrestling career can end in a flash but those student loans will go for at least 20 years.

Edit: that's not even taking into account the administrative duties as the head doctor of the practice, handling insurance, making sure the office is running smoothly, HR issues, etc - I would never call running a practice as 'passive income'.

sticklefifer posted:

Ugh, this Britt discussion makes me wonder how many wrestling fans who don't understand boundaries try to get appointments with her so she can work on their gross mouths.

CombineThresher posted:

Exactly! There's also Jungle Boy, Orange Cassidy, the Lucha Bros, and so on. Then you have guys like John Silver who is super jacked but also very short, which would have made him a laughingstock on WWE TV.