AEW Double or Nothing 2021 Preview & Picks

The Buy-In

NWA Women’s Championship: Riho vs. Serena Deeb (C)

Serena Deeb has played a big part in keeping the AEW Women’s division afloat during the pandemic era. Riho still has a lot of goodwill from the fans due to her time as the AEW Women’s champion. The problem is that there is ZERO build and it almost seems like someone hit the “random” button. It’s nice to see the NWA being represented but I’m not fond of a title match on a preshow. On paper, this should be a good match, though. Deeb’s newfound aggression against Riho’s speed could be fun. There’s no way the title changes hands here, though.

Pick: Serena Deeb

Main Card

Brian Cage vs. Hangman Page

I really think this is going to be the opener and I think that the crowd is going to erupt with Hangman’s music plays. Cage is an interesting choice here. I think that the original play was going to be Ricky Starks against Page and while that may have been a better match, having Cage creates an interesting story. Brian’s break from Team Taz is coming, especially after the latest Dynamite. I think Page gets his win back but AEW gets a monster baby-face in the process.

Pick: Hangman Page

Casino Battle Royale

This should be absolutely crazy. For better or worse, this has become a signature match for AEW. With crowds back, I expect something that will get people talking. I have no clue who the mystery entrant is this year but realistically, there are not many entrants that feel like they have a real shot at winning. I think it’s going to boil down to either Christian or the mystery competitor. I’m giving the win to the mystery man for that shock value.

Pick: Mystery Entrant

Anthony Ogogo vs. Cody Rhodes

Man, there is a lot that could be said about this one. The entire program has seemed odd to me. I’m not a fan of these nationalistic angles. Sure, it’s “old-school” but that doesn’t make them great automatically. To me, there is no way that Ogogo is the villain here. Cody is a natural heel and I think this is going to be the closest we get to a turn for a while. With the presentation and the usage of “The American Dream” moniker, Cody’s winning. My heart says “Ogogo” but my mind says “Rhodes”. Cody wins but I hope he gets laid out by the Governor.

Pick: Cody Rhodes

Darby Allin and Sting vs. Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky

It’s crazy to think that Sting’s last live match was six years ago but here we are. Other than that, there’s not a whole lot I want in this match. I’d rather we got Allin vs. Page but I get saving that one for another time. Sky’s heel turn still feels out of place to me and it’s stopping me from fully buying into the feud. I think Darby’s going to get killed for ten minutes until Sting gets the hottest of hot tags and nails someone with a Scorpion Death Drop.

Pick: Darby Allin and Sting

Stadium Stampede: The Inner Circle vs. The Pinnacle

This may be the match I’m most intrigued by. I didn’t care much for last year’s edition for a lot of reasons. MJF has said many times that this Stampede will not have the silliness that the previous one had. That is the hook here for me. I’m not sure if this one is going to go the cinematic route since we will have a full venue. If that’s the case, then I will be a little let down by that. If they go a more traditional route, then I’ll definitely be more interested. Either way, I expect some crazy bumps and a lot of blood. I think The Pinnacle takes it to continue their run and get all kinds of heat.

Pick: The Pinnacle

TNT Championship: Lance Archer vs. Miro (C)

This is going to be two big dudes beating the heck out of each other and I dig that. I am still really confused by Archer’s heel/face alignment though. While we aren’t approaching Big Show territory yet, he does seem to flip on an almost weekly basis. Miro has finally stepped up as a true monster. I want Miro to keep this title for as long as possible. It’s finally Miro’s time to shine. Miro’s winning and he gets bonus points if he takes out Jake Roberts.

Pick: Miro

AEW Women’s Championship: Dr. Britt Baker, DMD vs. Hikaru Shida (C)

This very well could be the Match of the Night. Shida has been the champ for a whole year and finally gets to defend the title in front of a full crowd. I think that when Baker makes her entrance though, the place is gonna explode. The match itself should be fantastic. This will go one of two ways: Shida cements her legacy as THE face of the AEW women’s division, or Baker kicks off a new era for the division. I love Shida but I think it’s time to give the doctor her due.

Pick: Dr. Britt Baker

AEW Tag Team Championship: Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston vs. The Young Bucks (C)

Mox and Kingston have consistently been some of the most entertaining parts of Dynamite for me. The Young Bucks going full-blown heel has greatly increased my interest in whatever they are doing. The clash of styles between these two teams is what will really sell it. The acrobatics of The Young Bucks against the brawling style of Mox and Eddie should be fun as heck to watch. I don’t see a title change here and I’m guessing there will be some sort of shenanigans.

Pick: The Young Bucks

AEW World Championship: PAC vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Kenny Omega (C)

Full disclosure: I don’t like multi-man title matches. I would prefer that Kenny went against either challenger one on one but what are you gonna do? I do think that this will be a lot of fun. Is it going to be a technical masterpiece? No. It will be entertaining though. I can’t wait to see how the crowd reacts to Orange Cassidy. Much like the tag title match, I’m expecting shenanigans aplenty. There’s no way that Omega loses yet. He still needs to complete the Infinity Gauntlet of wresting first.

Pick: Kenny Omega

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