AEW Double Or Nothing 2021 Results
Serena Deeb (c) vs Riho – NWA Women’s Championship
In the Buy-In before the official PPV went on air, Serena Deeb defended her NWA Women’s title against former AEW Women’s titleholder Riho. Deeb retained her title belt after locking in her Serenity Lock submission finisher. A good start to the show for the live audience.
Winner: Serena Deeb (Retained)
Rating: 3.5/5
Hangman Page vs Brian Cage
Hangman Page starts the match with his highflying, but it is not enough for the power of the machine Brian Cage who treats Page like a ragdoll. Page gains some breathing room when he hits a Clothesline to take Cage out and delivers a giant Moonsault to have the advantage. Fans erupt when Page reverses a Powerbomb into a Hurricanrana. Cage is back in control when he tosses Page into the ropes to set up a giant Superplex into the entrance. It seems like it is over when the Machine hits a super F5 from the top rope, and Cage gets cocky and teases a Buckshot lariat of his own. Page gets the upper hand again when he hits Cage’s F5 on him. The rest of Team Taz interferes, and Cage wants nothing to do with cheating, and Hangman hits the Buckshot lariat to get the win. Great way to set the pace for Double or Nothing.
Descension is further teased within Team Taz as ‘The Machine’ barges and walks past his fellow stablemates.
⅘ Stars
Winner: Hangman Page
The Young Bucks (c) vs Eddie Kingston & Jon Moxley – AEW World Tag Team Championship
Kingston and Mox enter to the sound of ‘Wild Thing’ is what is his first true cheers, considering his work thus far has been within the pandemic. The Young Bucks are heavily booed.
Kingston’s leg is worked on by the Jackson’s who try to prevent a tag to Moxley. The commentary team make a point about the more experienced Bucks compared to the more recent brotherhood bond of the new duo. The former world champ is soon tagged in, defiantly fighting the tag titleholders.
This match is Attitude Era-like carnage with The Bucks using their spray cans for a close 2 count. This is followed by a Meltzer Driver on the floor. Nothing can keep him down, with Moxley kicking out of everything at 2. There are many edge-of-your-seat near falls for both teams and huge power moves are countered and hit. A final BTE Trigger secures a win for The Bucks, but nobody looks weak in this incredibly investing match.
Winner: Young Bucks (Retained)
Rating: 4.75/5
Casino Battle Royal – #1 Contender for the AEW World Title
Next up is the Casino Battle Royal to determine a number 1 contender to Omega’s title belt. Amongst the entries, Christian is a favorite due to his name value and previous interaction with Kenny. Dark horse options include Jungle Blu and Matt Hardy, but whose the joker?
The first pack see Matt Sydal leave early as we’ll as talents like Powerhouse Hobbs, Dustin Rhodes, Christian and Max Caster. The next, diamond packs sees Matt Hardy, 10 and Nick Comorato amongst others. This repeats continuously with Pillman and Jungle Boy arguably getting some of the biggest ovations from the live crowd.
The joker is revealed last. Not Samoa Joe, Paul Wight or an Impact/NJPW star but Lio Rush. The talented MLW star gets a good reception too but lasts only a short time before eliminated. Hardy is then out, leaving Jungle Boy and Christian. The 2 faces fight precariously but Jack Perry gets the somewhat surprising win, much to the delight of the crowd.
Winner: Jungle Boy
Rating: 2.75/5
Anthony Ogogo vs Cody Rhodes
In a battle between the US and UK, Rhodes takes on British boxing medalist Ogogo.
Ogogo arrives to boos, with the match starting out as a wrestling match. Anthony gets in a punch which Rhodes really puts over. Cody soon goes to work targeting a laceration above Ogogo’s right eye (the uninjured one). Ogogo delivers a frog splash following a huge punch to Cody’s face. Cody gets the win in the end in this wrestling match, winning with a Vertebreaker.
This result does not worry any fears of Cody being overpushed, being an unwanted result for many, as just another ‘America Tay’ cheap pop victory rather than cementing a star.
⅖ Stars
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Miro (c) vs Lance Archer – AEW TNT Championship
Lance Archer is not here to play when he attacks the Champion Miro right away. Archer hits an impressive Old School into a Moonsault. As they fight outside the ring and right away, Miro goes through the bell keepers table. Each opponent gives them some of the hardest hits with suplexes and kicks all around. With the look on Archer’s face, fans could see that this will become his moment since he’s been trying to win this championship since day one. Out of nowhere, Jake “The Snake ” Roberts comes out with a white bag, but Miro attacks Roberts and throws the sack across the stage. Fans gasp in horror since they all know Damian is in that bag. Archer almost gets the win with a huge Chokeslam, but Miro does not quit. Miro attempts to lock in his Camel Clutch. Miro attacks the surgical repair back more as the lock is in, and he puts away Archer to retain his championship.
⅗ Stars
Winner: Miro (Retained)
Hikaru Shida (c) vs Britt Baker- AEW Women’s Championship
Britt arrives to a big pop despite her heel status, perhaps showing the writing is on the wall for Shida’s year-long reign. It would really be a missed opportunity to not put the belt on her now in her era – a time of such a great heel character
Eagle-eyed fans noticed Peyton Royce in the crowd watching on.
This match was booked really weird. Shida was shown to be quite heelish, cheating a little. Britt was kicking out however and valiantly fighting off the Japanese champion. Yet Britt still used a belt so stayed a heel, eventually winning with the Lockjaw to pick up the belt she earned and fought so hard for.
Winner: Britt Baker (New Champion)
Rating: ⅗
Sting & Darby Allin vs Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page
Darby is coming out in his version of Sting’s facepaint, knowing this will be a fight. Allin right away hits a dive making the crowd go crazy. Sky suplexes Sting on the entrance ramp makes it seem like Sting is out of the match, but not at all. Sting no-sells the suplex, takes off his shirt, and dives into both Page and Sky. Just a few minutes into the match, Sting is looking great, and if there is ring rust, the 62-year-old is hiding it well. Allin is working most of the time to lead to Sting’s hot tag but not the case right away when the ref did not see the tag take place, keeping Sting out of the match for much longer. Page picks up Allin for a Gorilla Press and ends up tossing him into the crowd and Allin’s family members. The look in the face of Page will be a GIF seen around social media after this night. Allin hits a Stunner that finally opens Sting for his vintage punches and Stinger Splashes. And just when fans thought Sting put on his greatest hits, he busts out a Code Red the world has never seen before. Sting locks in the Scorpion Deathlock on Page, and Sky locks in his Heel Hook, and both sets of teams are in the middle ring, trying not to tap. Sky attempts to hit a cutter, and Sting reverses it, and he hits the Death Drop and gets the win. Great to see Sting deliver a great wrestling match and possibly end his career in his terms.
⅘ Stars
Winner: Sting & Darby Allin
Kenny Omega w/ Don Callis (c) vs Orange Cassidy vs Pac – AEW World Heavyweight Championship
Of course, this match begins with Orange Cassidy chilling on the side as the two with history, Pac and Kenny Omega, start the match. Cassidy comes back from the outside and tries to take advantage of his opponents with relaxed pinfalls. Once those sunglasses come off, Cassidy is ready to win a world title as he hangs in with his serious opponents. Every time Cassidy is out of the match, he comes back and becomes a real threat to Omega. Omega takes advantage of both Pac and Cassidy feeling really confident in this match. Cassidy and Omega exchange pinfalls, and Pac, out of nowhere, hits a 450 Splash, and for the first time in the match, Pac has the control. These three men go back and forth, hitting their best shots, and every one of them is playing their roles perfectly—Omega overconfident and makes it seem like this match is too easy. Pac the dangerous one who sneaks in to break up any momentum in the match. And Cassidy, the underdog with comedic styling, makes fans believe he could be the next AEW champion. Fans truly thought they were getting a new champion when Cassidy attempted to steal a pinfall after Pac hit Omega with avalanche Falcon Arrow. Some of the closest calls occur when Pac gets a two and a half count to almost winning the match. Omega fears his championship is gone since he can’t take out his opponents. He instead takes out the referee. A sea of boos and vulgarities begins to fill the arena as fans know it is the beginning of the end. Omega hits Pac with every title he has, and Cassidy pulls his final Orange Punch and pins Omega but reverses into a Crucifix to retain his AEW Championship.
Unrelated to but after this, we find out Mark Henry will work with AEW as an analyst for upcoming show Rampage.
Winner: Kenny Omega
4.5/5 Stars
Inner Circle vs The Pinnacle
Decked out in denim, the Inner Circle members come down in cables from the stadium. This feud is significantly more personal than last year’s feud so perhaps the stipulation will be less comedic.
MJF runs away, sprinting as fast as he can before the brawl starts. MJF throws coffee at ‘The Demo God’ before thwacking him with a telephone. Naturally, Jericho responds with a cookie tray and wet floor sign. They continue to brawl with various objects. ‘Le Champion’ throws MJF from a chair through a table.
We are then shown others fighting as Wardlow fights Jake Hager near some freezers where we see a horribly, freshly mutilated pig. It further descends into madness with a nightclub, Tony Khan’s dad, a golf cart, staples and Konan – what is even going on now? Absolute mayhem and carnage, carried comedically by MJF’s comedy chops.
After all this absolute absurdity, we return to Daily’s Place for a live section. Guevara runs down Shawn Spears. In the ring, Guevara hits the 630 and gets the win for his team.
A fun enough match, it is a feel good babyface win and makes the fans go home happy – ending on an Inner Circle win in fans first event back.
Winner: Inner Circle
Rating: 3.5/5
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