AEW Double or Nothing PPV Results: 5-29-22
Results courtesy of
PWTorch.com (direct link to Keller's real time report).
(1) MJF vs. WARDLOW
MJF came out first. The announcers didn’t hint about any issues with MJF regarding his contract or no-showing a Meet & Greet. MJF gave the fans the up yours arm gesture after taking off his robe. He looked more cut as he ever has. Then they showed Wardlow making his way out of a holding cell backstage, handcuffed and escorted by security to the stage. Ross said Bill Watts once told him athletic big men draw. MJF bailed out to ringside as soon as the bell rang. When Wardlow got his hands on him, he set up a quick powerbomb. MJF slipped free and dropped to ringside. Fans chanted, “He showed up!” to taunt MJF. MJF yelled at a woman in the front row. Ross said MJF is somewhat reminiscent of Roddy Piper in his heyday.
Wardlow grabbed MJF at ringside and set up another powerbomb in the ring. MJF bit Wardlow and then poked his eye. He smiled and applied a side headlock. Wardlow broke free. Fans chanted, “MJF – F— you!” MJF countered Wardlow with a huracanrana. MJF indicated he hurt his leg. Fans chanted “Bullshit!” MJF pulled his ring out of his trunks. The ref caught him in the act and took the ring. Wardlow came up behind a now-worried MJF, who begged off into the corner.
MJF wanted a handshake. Instead, Wardlow powerbombed him. Fans chanted “One more time!” MJF lay on his back as Wardlow played to the crowd. Wardlow gave MJF a second powerbomb. Ross said Wardlow is handling MJF “like a cruiserweight, whatever the hell that is.” Wardlow delivered a third powerbomb. Ross asked how dominating Wardlow will be as his career progresses. Wardlow gave MJF two more quick powerbombs for five total, then stood on his chest. The ref counted two. Wardlow removed his boot and shook his head no. The announcers took joy in his decision.
Wardlow then delivered yet another powerbomb. Ross said neither of these wrestlers will ever forget this moment for a long, long time. Wardlow powerbombed MJF again. Ross said he’s loving the payback. And another. And another quickly. He pulled his straps down and flexed, then delivered one more big one. He stood his chest for the three count. Excalibur said Wardlow is finally free. MJF was rolled from the ring onto a stretcher at ringside. They put him in a neckbrace.
WINNER: Wardlow in 7:00. (*3/4)
(The match that got the most TV build was a 7 minute one-sided squash. It was in some ways satisfying since they built up to it for so long, but it was anticlimactic that MJF was treated like he was beneath Wardlow and just easy fodder, which isn’t how MJF had been previously portrayed in the ring. This feels like a statement that AEW is shifting away from MJF as a top tier wrestler based on behind the scenes happenings in recent days and months. The announcers didn’t even allude to the controversy with MJF behind the scenes in AEW this weekend.)
(2) THE YOUNG BUCKS (Matt & Nick Jackson w/Brandon Cutler) vs. THE HARDY BROTHERS (Matt & Jeff Hardy)
Caprice Coleman joined the announcers. He said this is like The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express vs. Midnight Rockers (not really; they were of the same generation). The messed around early with some back and forth action,, but nothing too intense. The Bucks got an advantage on Jeff for a while. A few minutes later, all four were down and out at ringside after a Side Effect by Matt Hardy on Matt Jackson.
Back in the ring, Matt tagged in Jeff. Jeff landed a running leap off of Matt’s back with a flying leg to Matt Jackson’s chest. Matt Jackson catapulted Matt Hardy into Jeff. The Bucks then took over briefly. Jeff went for a Swanton a minute later, but Matt Jcakson avoided it and hit a Twist of Fate. Nick then landed a Swanton. Matt Jackson made the quick cover to score a near fall. Fans began chanting, “This is awesome!” The Bucks hit some superkicks next.
Matt and Jeff Hardy sat up kneeling. Matt Hardy trash-talked the Bucks. The Bucks then fired with more superkicks. Then they high-fived each other. The Hardys sat up again and gave them middle fingers. Matt and Jeff both let the Bucks stereo superkick them one after another leading to a near fall. Coleman said the Hardys were showing their hearts and the Bucks were starting to show their frustrations.
Matt Jackson beat up Jeff Hardy at ringside and put him on top of the ringside steps, which were tipped on their side. Nick Jackson climbed to the top rope. Jeff fought free. Matt Hardy gave Nick a sitout Razor’s Edge. Jeff put Matt Jackson on the steps, then climbed to the top rope. He leaped off with a Swanton onto Nick on the steps at ringside. Matt Hardy gave Matt Jackson a Twist of Fate for a believable near fall mid-ring a second later. Jeff landed a Swanton on Nick for the clean win a minute later.
WINNERS: The Hardys in 19:00. (***)
(Pretty good some of the time. Jeff Hardy seemed off somehow at various times, which is always concerning for various possible reasons. Some will like the match overall more than me, I strongly suspect. I’m not a fan of wrestlers just asking for superkicks and eating that many, then coming back to win. I suppose it’s more fair to enter this match looking forward to the novelty of these two iconic teams in the ring opposite each other rather than expecting a classic. There’s a lot of wear and tear on everyone in that right right now. That said, they paced the match well, built it smart in those early minutes, and hit some big crowd-pleasing spots late with dramatic near falls. So it worked well enough.)
(3) JADE CARGILL (w/”Smart” Mark Sterling) vs. ANNA JAY – TBS Title match
Cargill dominated early. Jay fought back and hit an awkward top rope flipping blockbuster. They fought to ringside seconds later. Keira Hogan and Red Velvet ran out and grabbed Jay, but Jay delivered a double DDT on the floor. Back in the ring, Jade took over briefly, but Jay rolled through with a near fall. Sterling hadn’t appeared yet, but at this time he limped out with a crutch. he slipped it to Cargill. Jay, though, used the crutch as a weapon and scored a near fall. Sterling’s interference nearly backfired. Johnny Silver ran out and yanked off Sterling’s neck brace and then brainbuster suplexed him. Cargill, meanwhile, hit her Eye of the Storm for a believable near fall. He followed with an attempt at her finisher, but Jay slipped free and applied her signature Queen’s Slayer sleeper. Cargill stood with Jay on her back.
Jay climbed to the top rope. Cargill met her up there. Stokely (formerly Malcolm Bivens) Hathaway walked out, which distracted Jay. Schiavone said he hasn’t seen him since 2017. Ross said he’s never seen him. Cargill then finished Jay with her finisher.
WINNER: Cargill in 7:00 to retain the TBS Title.
(A lot of bells and whistles there to distract from what was otherwise a limited and clunky match.)
(4) HOUSE OF BLACK (Buddy Mathews & Brody King & Malakai Black) vs. PAC & PENTA & REY FENIX (w/Alex Abrahantes)
They took turns one on one in various athletic exchanges. Then they all stood opposite of each other and chaos broke out. Pac hit Matthews with a poison rana for a near fall. Fans chanted “AEW! AEW!” Penta and Fenix landed running flip dives at ringside a couple minutes later. A “This is awesome!” chant broke out. Pac and Fenix double-covered Matthews and King and for some reason the ref counted. It was only a two count. They built to a big spot with Brody who did a running flip dive over the top rope. He came up short and hit the back of his neck on the edge of the ring apron and also made contact with Pac. That looked dangerous. Chaos broke out in the ring with a Dante’s Inferno on Fenix, but the cover was broken up by wrestlers stumbling into the corner. All six were in the ring again and did rapid-fire moves. Fenix and Penta hit some superkicks. Pac joined them for a triple superkick. Black charged at Pac, but Pac gave him a brainbuster for a near fall, broken up by Matthews.
Penta gave Matthews a Canadian Destroyer on the ring apron. Next, Penta held Black in position for a DDT as Fenix dove of the top rope with foot stomp to add extra force on the DDT. Fenix and Penta set up a double-team move on Black, but Black escaped and landed his spin hook kick on Fenix. Pac landed a step-up enzuigiri followed by his Black Arrow attempt. Matthews cut him off, though. Pac fought off Matthews and then landed a 450.
Black came up behind Pac and delivered a nasty German suplex. Alex distracted the ref on the ring apron briefly. Pac then took Black down and climbed to the top rope. The lights went dark. When they came back on, Julia Hart was standing in the corner. She sprayed black mist into Pac’s eyes. Black then kicked Pac and got a three count.
WINNERS: House of Black in 13:00.
(All of those moves, nonstop start to finish, and the ending was a lights out schtich leading to black mist from a foreshadowed turn by Julia Hart? Okay then. The crowd reacted to the big spots, but there’s a numbness that comes from that many big moves, one after another, without any long-term selling or storytelling.)