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WHAT SHOULD GO DOWN TONIGHT: THE AEW DOUBLE OR NOTHING TIP SHEET

By Dave Scherer, Mike Johnson, Richard Trionfo, Cory Strode & Anthony Pires on 2020-05-21 10:22:00

AEW presents Double Or Nothing this Saturday night.  Here's our take on what will happen, which was completed before injuries changed several matches.

Best Friends vs. Private Party (The Buy In Kickoff Show):

Dave: Private Party hasn't been around while the Best Friends have.  If it's me, I have it be a very competitive match where the Friends get a hard fought victory, one of those deals where the Party gains from the loss.  They need more development and AEW should take it slow in building them up.

Mike: Private Party should get the win here to bring them back with some impact.   I don't think it would hurt Best Friends to take the loss here but it would absolutely put a dent, at least short term, into Private Party.

Cory: There is no issue between these two teams, mostly because Private Party hasn’t been around since the lockdown occurred.  Best Friends has done solid work over the last few months, but the Private Party needs to come back strong in order to make an impact, so they should get the win here.  However, the win won’t matter as long as both teams get the show going with a fast paced match.

Richard:  The team that benefited the most from the 'current situation' against the team that might have been hurt the most by the 'current situation'.  When you consider how much Best Friends did during the last two months, it feels like an insult that they are not going to be on the pay per view.  Since there is a title match on the line, I would have Best Friends win the match.  If there was nothing on the line other than getting the people watching at home excited for the show, I would have had Private Party get the win.

Anthony: So the mighty Dark Order loses their number 1 contenders ranking due to inactivity but Private Party has a spot here even though they've been just as inactive.  THIS is why you should join Dark Order.  Best Friends absolutely stepped up during the last 2 months and put together some very good wins.They are definitely not the team that'll ever carry the banner as AEW's best team, but they've earned their spot here and should get the W on this stage.  You know Private Party is going to bring their absolute best here.  A loss won't hurt them one bit.

Kris Statlander versus Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D.

Mike: If Baker can still go, it makes sense she wins here.  They've been pushing her into the position of being the face of the division and it's just a matter of time that she ends up the centerpiece.  Statlander will put up a good fight but in the end, she'll fall to the Mandible Claw.  If Baker's knee injury keeps her out, that'll be a real shame as she's picked up so much momentum of late.

Cory: On Dynamite, Baker was reluctant to get in the ring during the tag team match, and was taken out with a knee injury that may or may not be storyline.  I have to admit that this screams to me that Baker will lose and use that as her excuse, but it might also be that she is trying to lull Statlander into a false sense of security, making this a 50 – 50 toss up.  I am going to go with Baker winning, since she has done so much work to improve over the last few months and position her as the number one contender.

Richard:  Because of the finish of the four way and how Baker applied a submission hold on the floor to allow Shida to earn her title match, I would have put this match on the Buy In instead of the Tag Match.  If everyone else can have people accompany them to the ring, when do we get AEW's best Barista Tony S to join her?  Statlander seemed to be groomed for the title, but Baker has been one of the best characters in the company and the best female characters.  Maybe Britt will remember that submissions only count in the ring so she can get the victory this time.

Anthony: Britt Baker is and should be the face of this division.  Bell-to-bell, she's improving. Personality-wise, as a heel she's hitting on every possible cylinder. Having gotten that out of the way, she's not ready to be the in-ring leader of the division.  Her vs. Nyla Rose would not be pleasant.  Statlander is, in my opinion, still got a title match in her.  On that, and that alone, I'd have her the one to win here.  Britt can verbally tear Schiavone to shreds later and get every ounce of heat back.

Dave: It all depends on if the knee is a factor or not.  If it is, or they are making it one when it's not, Statlander wins.  If it's a ruse, then Baker wins because she is despicable and all.

Casino Ladder Match for AEW Championship Bout - Orange Cassidy, Rey Fenix, Darby Allin, Colt Cabana, Luchasaurus, Frankie Kazarian, Scorpio Sky:

Dave: Gotta be honest here, I really want to see Luchasaurus get a Title shot.  The guy is just fun for me.  I wouldn't mind Allin winning here but I really want to see Lucha get the shot.

Mike: I am going to predict Darby Allin takes some insane punishment.  I can really see Scorpio Sky getting the win here as they've obviously got him in mind as a long-term player.  It should be interesting to see who the mystery performer is, especially with Drew Gulak and Chris Hero, among others, now out there.

Cory: I’m sure they will adding more people to this, but I am thinking this will go to Darby Allin for a feud between him an Mox, both of whom are outsiders. 

Richard:  There are a few things that I want to see happen during this match to make it a proper ladder match:  1)  Someone (probably Darby) doing a spot from the top of the ladder that costs him the match; 2) tag team partners battle when they are the only ones in the ring; 3) Orange Cassidy trying to climb the ladder with no hands.  Since this is being done staggered like a Royal Rumble/gauntlet style match, I gave my dream situation on audio on Monday where the first two start off and one of them grabs a chair and pummels the other until they cannot move and then the pummeler climbs the ladder and wins the match before number three shows up.  They will be announcing the final participant on the PPV and there is the speculation of who it could be.  Do you have that 'unnamed participant' start off the match or be the final entrant?  In a way, I hope it isn't one of the recent WWE releases, but I assume that is who it would be.  If they want to maintain a perspective of being 'different than WWE', put one of the women on the roster in the match.  Of the eight announced, I would have a hard time picking a winner.  I would probably have Scorpio Sky win.  Depending on when this match takes place, put MJF in the match and have him win.  

Anthony: Way too early to copy WWE Money in the Bank.  If this casino chip turns into another briefcase, it's going to look low rent, which is why I really hope the winner gets to simply pick their spot in advance.  With that as the caveat, I'd prefer AEW use this to get one of the lower carders over here.  I agree with Dave, Luchasaurus would be a fun pick but I think he'll be going nose-to-nose with Wardlow before this show is over.  Kip Sabian checks all the boxes for my way of thinking and I'd love to see him get elevated here.

MJF vs. Jungle Boy

Dave: MJF is vile and despicable, and he will use something out of his playbook of evil to get the win here.

Mike: I don't see MJF losing his first match to Jungle Boy.  To me, I see this as MJF getting the win as a result of Wardlow interfering, which brings us closer to Wardlow vs. Luchasaurus.

Cory: MJF is undefeated, and Jungle Boy is part of a tag team, so I don’t think the loss will hurt him, and MJF needs to stay strong, so he’ll get the win here. This is probably a building block to Warlow vs Luchasaurus.

Richard:   This should be a good match and might steal the show.  MJF should win the match.  I hope we don't get any shenanigans during the match to take away from what they can do.  Jungle Boy continues his 1-2-3 Kid build despite getting the loss.

Anthony: No one is disputing that AEW really has something special in the future with Jungle Boy.  They have something VERY special in the present with MJF.  Jungle Boy will look good here but this MJF's world and Jungle Boy is simply allowed to live in it at the present time.

Dustin Rhodes versus Shawn Spears

Mike: Dustin could use a win here after he was mauled by Lance Archer.  Spears ripping on Dustin seems to set the stage for Rhodes to get some revenge and a nice moment.  I don't see this as the start of a larger storyline, unless this is a set up for QT Marshall to be revealed as Spears' long-awaited new partner.

Cory: Added at the last minute without Dustin being involved in the build, this feels like a throw away, especially with Spears claiming Dustin has retired.  I DO think that the SSN gimmick could be one that finally gives Shawn Spears a decent gimmick and Dustin doesn’t need a win as one of the Legends of AEW.  I look for this to be a brutal match where Spears does something illegal to get the win.

Richard: This is the match we needed to be added at the last minute for this PPV, and to use the AEW version of the Randy News Network.  I really don't know what to say about this match other than it should go ten minutes (sorry wrong company and gimmick).  Spears should win because he needs a win and the momentum to form that perfect tag team under the tutelage of Tully Blanchard (is that still a thing?). 

Dave: Dustin doesn't need a win, at all. He is made.  Spears needs one badly.

AEW Women's Champion Nyla Rose vs. Hikaru Shida - No DQ.

Dave: Rose has been great as a nasty heel.  When someone beats her, it will get a good pop.  It's way too soon to take the Title off of her and the stipulation will give them the out they need to use here.

Mike: The No DQ means they are going to be able to use all the bells and whistles and honestly, this is the best way to showcase Nyla as a monster.  I don't see a title change here, but if they want to shift the title over to Baker in the end, Shida makes a lot more sense as someone for Baker to beat down the line.  I don't see them playing hot potato with the title, so my guess is Rose retains.

Cory: I thought they would have Statlander win the four way for this one, since they have been building her up for a couple of months While Shida is a a great worker, the only thing that’s been going on with her has been antagonism between her and Britt Baker.  Oddly enough, that’s why I think she will win, moving to a feud between her and Baker over the title for the summer. 

Richard:  Does adding the No DQ stipulation mean that we will see a new champion.  Shida has been one of the people who has held the women's division together over the last two months and the title might be the reward.  I agree with Dave that it is too soon to take the title off of Nyla, but I would put it at 50/50 right now.

Anthony: The rehabilitation of Nyla Rose continues.  Shida has been my favorite of the Japanese women brought into AEW.  Her entrance and look alone scream "star" to me.  These two are going to have a brawl that might not be pretty.  Rose was not booked well as a monster from AEW's outset so it's imperative that they fix that here.  Rose retains.

The Elite vs. The Inner Circle in a "Stadium Stampede" match.

Dave: I think The Inner Circle should win here but as long as it's as fun as the match from Dynamite a few weeks back, it really doesn't matter who goes over to me.

Mike: This should be a lot of fun with all sorts of insanity.  They are still building to the Blood and Guts match, so to me, Inner Circle has to once again get the win.  The Elite's been fragmented and distanced, so it doesn't make a lot of sense for them to show up and beat the Circle, who have been at the top of their game.  If I was AEW, I'd pre-tape this so I could use every section of the stadium I want without dead air as everyone gets into place.

Cory: This will sound strange, but I don’t think it matters in any way, shape, or form who wins this one.  It’s going to be a big, crazy brawl all over the place with tons of insane spots, crazy plunder, and general chaos.  Still, the Inner Circle has been getting the upper hand for months, and the Elite are fighting from underneath, so I can see them get the victory here.

Richard:  I hope this will be 'pre-taped' in parts so they can move around the stadium (or this match will be 2 hours) because they need to fight in the pool in the upper deck of the stadium.  With it being a five on five match, I hope they have all of the referees working (heck, they will probably have 8 or 14 left over) and that they do split screen footage.  With the Elite being off television for a while, I would have the Inner Circle win the match with Guevara getting the victory for his team.

Anthony: I'm becoming more and more cognizant as I write these that this is looking like the Night of the Heels but if "Blood and Guts" is still on the table, then the Inner Circle absolutely has to win here.  What I'm wondering is who will actually be representing the Elite in this one.  This should be absolute fun insanity and worth the price of the show alone

MIke Tyson to present Title Belt to Winner Lance Archer with Jake Roberts vs. Cody with Arn Anderson to determine the first AEW TNT Champion. 

Dave: Archer has been great as a monster and while Cody always fights with heart, I don't want him to go over here.  Maybe Arn turns or he and Cody have a miscommunication, but I have Archer go over and the two of them can feud.

Mike: Who does Mike Tyson knock out?  I can see Cody getting the win.  They set up Archer as a beast who walked in, talked trash and smashed down a lot of people close to him, but for Cody not to win after his wife is attacked...I just don't see that one happening.  We know Cody can't win the AEW title, but he CAN be the TNT Champion.  I bet Tyson KO's someone and Cody gets the win.

Cory: The thing we are all expecting is Cody to exact revenge against Lance Archer and win the title.  However, Cody has, wisely, NOT gone in that direction in the past, and has lost of his opponents at the big blow off match, and I see that continuing here, making it so he has to chase the title until they are in front of crowds again., so I can easily see Lance Archer winning the match through nefarious means.   

Richard:  I would assume that there will be blood in this match because Cody is involved.  With more people outside the ring than the Stadium Stampede match, I would assume someone is getting involved, or maybe someone else will get involved.  The biggest moment of the match will probably be Brandi trying to get revenge on Jake.  Archer gets the title and then he does something to piss off Tyson when he gets the title belt.

Anthony: AEW has had 2 bites at the apple lately on brand new monsters, Archer and Mr. Brodie Lee.  With what I suspect will go down with Lee, Archer has to get the win here.  There will be a ton of shenanigans and these two are going to have an epic brawl.  Archer wins in what I'm predicting will be match of the night.  I don't know where Iron Mike fits in here in terms of involvement but it would KILL Archer dead if he ends up looking at the lights after a Tyson right hand.

AEW Champion Jon Moxley vs. Brodie Lee

Dave: The Lee character isn't working for me.  As I said with Eps over the weekend I think Lee needs his character tweak so I have him lose here and then do some work on his character.  Take a step back to go two forward.

Mike: This needs to be a big moment for Brodie Lee, but it doesn't need to be a crowning moment for him as champion.  This needs to be a kickass war that raises Lee's prestige as he continues to fine-tune himself in the post-WWE era.  Moxley retains.

Cory:  We don’t have any stipulations yet, and this is early in Mox’s run as champion, so I am expecting Mox to retain after a brutal match. Lee just hasn’t been built up enough to be champion, and AEW has show that they like longer title reigns, which makes the title strong in the long run. 

Richard:  Brodie needs that big moment to justify becoming the champion and he hasn't had it yet.  The Dark Order will likely get involved in the match but Moxley will fight them off with no problem.  I would assume that this will be the final match of the show (but you never know), so at the end, we will probably see the lights go out for the reveal of the next person to challenge Moxley. . . (insert name of former WWE guy).

Anthony: On one hand, Moxley's reign as world champion hasn't got me excited at all.  On the other hand, it's way too soon to get the belt off of him.  On yet another hand, it would hurt Lee to lose so quickly after being introduced.  For one of the few times in its short history, I think AEW will take the easy way out and give us a Moxley win via disqualification.  This, however, in completely dependent upon it's place on the card.  If the stadium Stampede closes the show, I'll stand by this.  If this goes on last, then a clean Moxley win is really the only way they can go.

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