The fifth installment of Double or Nothing showed a glimpse into the future of the promotion. Dubbed the Four Pillars Match, the AEW World Championship match featured four home grown stars in the champion Maxwell Jacob Freidman, Jungle Boy Jack Perry, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara. Tonight featured a double Main Event with Anarchy in the Arena closing the show. Let’s get to the action.
21 Man Blackjack Battle Royal – AEW International Championship Match
Orange Cassidy have a single, solitary shot of pyro go off is never not funny. Kip Sabian almost eliminates the champ at the sound of the bell, but Orange is able to land on the apron and roll back into the ring. Several competitors fight on the floor, choosing to wait to enter the ring. Kommander runs the ropes, taking out Big Bill with a moonsault. Kommander goes back to the rope run, but now he is in the match. Jay White knocks him to the floor. Ricky Starks nearly gets eliminated but some how keeps both feet off the floor. The Best Friends eliminate Kip Sabian and celebrate with a hug with Orange Cassidy. The good feeling don’t last, as Orange inadvertently low bridges Chuck Taylor and getting him eliminated. Swerve Strickland finally enters the match, jumping his old partner Keith Lee. Swerve leaps into a power slam from Lee, who then gets decked by Brian Cage. A half and half on the apron takes out Lee Moriarty. Trent Baretta shoves Cassidy out of the way and eats the boot from Big Bill, getting himself eliminated. Keith Lee tries to take out Swerve, only to have Brian Cage dump him over the top rope. Rey Fenix is accidently eliminated by Penta, while being worked over by Jay White and Juice Robinson. Ricky Starks spears Jay White and knocks him over the top rope. A big boot from Big Bill sends Starks over the top rope. Brain Cage gets eliminated after taking a Canadian Destroyer on the apron from Dustin Rhodes, who is then knocked off the apron. Orange Cassidy, Swerve, Big Bill and Penta are the last four standing. Penta tries to chop down Bill with kicks, but then runs into the big boot and a clothesline sends him to the floor. Bill hits the champ with a Boss Man slam. Swerve lets Bill take the lead. Swerve shoves Bill while lifting Orange. Cassidy hits the ring while Bill hits the floor. Swerves blocks the DDT, but Cassidy hits Stundog Millionaire. Strickland lands a kick to the back of the head and both men are down. Prince Nana sweeps the leg on Orange and Swerve hits the Swerve Stomp. Strickland taunts the champ, instead of tossing him. Cassidy fights off elimination and hits the DDT. He follows with one off the ropes. Cassidy connects with the Orange Punch, but Swerve is able t hod onto the ropes. Swerve brings the champ over the top rope to the apron. Prince Nana interferes and Swerve hits a knee strike. Strickland goes up top, but Orange counters the stomp. Cassidy kicks Swerve off the apron to win the battle royal.
Winner…and still AEW International Champion…via elimination: Orange Cassidy
Match rating: 3.5/5
Adam Cole w/Roderick Strong vs. Chris Jericho w/the JAS – Unsanctioned Match w/ Special Enforcer Sabu
The JAS, minus Sammy Guevara, head to the ring with Jericho. Daniel Garcia and Jericho beat down Cole in the ring as Sabu takes out Matt Menard and Angelo Parker. Sabu and Jericho duel with chairs in the ring. Sabu lands a blow, whole Cole fights off Menard and Parker. Sabu dives onto Menard through a table onto the floor. Cole and Jericho finally stand together in the ring and Cole wants to fight. Jericho is tossed to the floor. Cole whips Jericho’s legs into the ring post. Cole wanted a Panama Sunrise on the apron, but Jericho counters. Cole hits the floor hard on as suplex. Cole fights off a powerbomb, but is dropped face first onto the ring apron. Jericho is whipped hard into the apron. Cole counters a lionsault with a well place kick in mid-air. Cole fights out of a lion tamer, as the rope break does him no good in an unsanctioned match. Cole reaches for a fire extinguisher and is able use it to break the hold. Cole slams Jericho in the face with the canister but only gets a two count on the pin. Jericho lures Cole in and hits him with the Codebreaker. He sprays Cole with the fire extinguisher. Jericho grabs a kendo stick, threatening Cole, when Britt Baker runs down with a kendo stick of her own. She pummels Jericho into the corner. Saraya tries to make the save and Baker fights her off.
Jericho holds himself up the middle rope and Cole chokes him with a kendo stick. Cole hits a back stabber. Cole goes up top. Jericho throws a chair at him, sending Cole crashing to the floor through a table. Jericho grabs a chain with handcuffs attached. He cuffs Cole with one end, but Adam fights back and cuffs himself to Jericho. Cole connects with a superkick and follows with the Panama Sunrise. Jericho kicks out. Cole misses the Boom and nearly gets rolled up. Jericho whips Cole with the chain. Adam ducks the Judas effect, but gets choked with the chain. Cole flips over to get out of the choke and lands another super kick. Cole lowers the Boom with the knee strike. He wraps the chain around his knee and lowers the Boom on more time. Cole beats on Jericho on the mat until referee Aubrey Edwards stops the match as Jericho can no longer defend himself.
Winner via ref stoppage: Adam Cole
Match Rating: 3.5/5
Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett w/Satnam Singh, Sonjay Dutt and Karen Jarrett vs. FTR – AEW World Tag Team Match w/Mark Briscoe Special Guest Referee
Briscoe lets everyone know he is going to call this right down the middle. Lethal and Harwood lock up, break, retreat and do it all again. A shoulder tackle sends Dax to the mat. Harwood chops away at Lethal. A back elbow sends Harwood to the floor. Cash gets double teamed, but Harwood makes the save with a cross body onto Lethal and Jarrett. Harwood and Wheeler look for stereo sharpshooters, but Lethal and Jarrett escape. Jeff Jarrett runs into Briscoe after trying to fake a tag in. Lethal takes a back body drop. Cash falls to the floor on a low bridge. Briscoe catches Jarrett trying to grab a chair. Instead he tosses Wheeler in the security barrier. Jarrett distracts Briscoe allowing Karen to choke Wheeler on the ropes. Jarrett struts across the ring. Lethal tags in to hit Cash with a neck breaker. Wheeler with a back drop, but can’t get to the corner. Harwood is knocked off the apron. Wheeler gets caught in the corner. Jerrett locks in the figure four. Dax with a diving head butt to break the hold. Both men are down and Briscoe starts the ten count. Lethal gets the tag, preventing Cash from tagging out. Harwood finally gets the hot tag. A short armed lariat turn Jay inside out. Dax with rolling German suplexes, but Lethal blocks the third one. Harwood hits a brain buster, but only gets a two count. Jay hits the Lethal Combination. Lethal goes up top and Dax cuts him down. Wheeler and Jarrett fight on the apron, as Dutt tries to hold Wheeler. Cash is run into the ring post. Dax is knocked to the mat, but Lethal takes too long. Harwood hits a superplex and rolls through. Wheeler comes in with the doomsday powerbomb and then takes out Jarrett on the floor. Sonjay Dutt pulls Dax off the pin. Briscoe tosses Dutt from ringside. And Satnam gets the hook as well. Jarrett tries to hit Harwood with a guitar shot, but nails Briscoe instead. Cash and Dax hit the Big Rig, but Briscoe is out. Dutt prevents Aubrey Edwards from hitting the ring and then Karen Jarrett hits her with a guitar.
In the ring, Lethal hits Dax and Cash with the Lethal Injection, but there still isn’t a ref. Karen grabs the titles belts. Lethal has a belt in the ring. Jeff pulls Dax his feet but Harwood fights back. Lethal takes a spike piledriver. Jarrett hits him with the title belt and follows with the Stroke. Briscoe comes around and makes the count, but Dax kicks out before the three. Jarrett starts to push Briscoe around. Mark hits him back. Jarrett falls into the Shatter Machine. Dax covers and gets the win.
Winners…and still AEW World Tag Team Champions…via pinfall: FTR
Match Rating: 4/5
Ricky Starks tries to get a word with Alex Marvez, but is jumped by Bullet Club Gold. FTR run them off.
Chris Jericho and Saraya demand a mixed tag team match verses Adam Cole Britt Baker. Jericho hits an AEW Staffer with a fireball.
Christian Cage (challenger) vs. Wardlow (champion) w/Arn Anderson – TNT Championship Ladder Match
Wardlow misses a clothesline but powers out of the Kill Switch. The champ wants to grab a ladder, but Cage shuts that idea down. Christian drop kicks a ladder into Wardlow, nut the champ responds by swatting Cage out of mid-air with the ladder. Wardlow sets up multiple tables at ringside. Cage is laid on the tables and Wardlow goes to the top turnbuckle. Cage rolls off the table before Wardlow can take flight. Christian nails the champ with a ladder shot. Wardlow sets Cage on a ladder set up across the ring and the barrier. Cage slips out of powerbomb and crotches the champ on the ladder.
Cage sets up a ladder in the ring, but Wardlow rolls back into the ring. Cage is whipped into the ladder in the corner. Wardlow is driven into the ladder and the gets catapulted into it. Cage makes the climb, but Wardlow knocks down the ladder. The champ makes the climb, but Cage is able to grab his boot. Christian fights out of a powerbomb and ends up on the ladder. Wardlow catches Christian in mid-air and slams him to the mat. Wardlow takes Cage on the airplane spin and dumps him onto the ladder. The champ makes another attempt for the belt, when Luchasarus hits the ring. He tosses Cage into the ring and he hits a neck breaker off the ladder. Cage runs into a knee strike and eats an Alabama Slam on the ladder. The champ stares down Luchasaurus, but then misses the senton, crashing into a ladder. Cage knocks Wardlow off the apron.
Arn Anderson gives Wardlow some coaching. The Champ leaps to the ladder and it snaps under his weight. Wardlow looks to have hurt his leg. Wardlow tries to climb the broken ladder and the ref stops him. Luchasaurus chokeslams the champ in the middle of the ring. Double A is in the ring, but runs into a choke. Arn tries to bite his way free. Anderson is tossed from the ring. Luchasaurus gets hit with a chair from Wardlow and lands on a table. Wardlow hits a swanton bomb from a top the ladder through Luchasaurus on a table to the floor. WHAT?!?
Christian pulls himself into the ring and starts to climb. He gets a hand on it when Anderson dumps him off the ladder. Wardlow catches him, powerbombs him an climbs the ladder. Wardlow retrieves the belt to win.
Winner and still TNT Champion: Wardlow
Match Rating: 4/5
Toni Storm w/ Saraya and Ruby Soho (challenger) vs. Jamie Hayter (champion) – AEW Women’s World Title Match
Her music hits, but Hayter is no where to be found. Hayter emerges from the back, getting beat on by Saraya and Ruby Soho. Storm slams her into the security barrier and then has her arm wrapped around the ring post. Storm drop kicks her arm into the ring steps twice. Hayter is rolled into the ring and the ref checks on Jamie. The champ says she is good. Storm wants a quick pin, but doesn’t get it. Saraya takes off a turnbuckle pad. Britt Baker runs down and jumps Saraya. Ruby tries to take off another pad, when Hayter confronts her she gets sprayed in the eyes. Storm with a high stack but only gets a two count. Hikaru Shida attacks Soho with a kendo stick. Storm is knocked into the exposed turnbuckle and Hayter hits Hayter-ade. Storm kicks out. Storm hits Storm Zero after Hayter hits the exposed turnbuckle. She covers and gets the win.
Winner…and new AEW Women’s World Champion…via pinfall: Toni Storm
Match Rating : 2/5
The House of Black (champions) vs. The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass (challengers) – AEW World Trios Championship House Rules Match
#TheAcclaimed @RealBillyGunn @Bowens_Official @PlatinumMax have answered the Open House challenge!
Order #AEWDoN LIVE on PPV right now!
🇺🇸: https://t.co/fVjgrTiTeE
🌐: https://t.co/RLL4ZBJoGf pic.twitter.com/8e8ArNVgic— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 29, 2023
Malakai Black and Anthony Bowens lock up to start. Bowens with back elbow that Black shrugs off. Black takes a seat in the middle of the ring and Bowens sits down across from him. Buddy tags in with a diving foot stomp to Bowens’ arm. Bowens hit the famouser on Matthews and follows with a drop kick. Buddy hits the floor, where Caster slams him into the ring apron. Caster and Black collide in the middle of the ring. Brody King makes the tag, but runs into a boot. He connects with a lariat and gets a two count. Malakai gets worked over in the corner. Bowens connects on Shiver me timbers, but gets caught in a knee bar. King and Buddy take out Billy and Max.
Bowens and Black trade shots in the middle of the ring. Black locks in the knee bar again. Buddy tags in and hits a meteora. Black with a modified calf slicers. And there are no rope breaks. A thrust kick connects with Black but Bowens can’t get to his corner. Malakai cuts him off. Matthews drops onto the leg. Bowens drop kicks Buddy off the apron, but still can’t get the pin. King with a senton after tagging in. Bowens is chopped in the corner. Bowens hits a jaw breaker, but still can’t get a tag. King knocks Caster and Gunn to the floor before hitting Bowens with a cannonball. Caster is able to break the pin. Bowens shoves King into Matthews and then low bridges King. Matthews is kicked out of the ring along with Black. Gunn is yanked off the apron before a tag can be made. Matthews leaps into a super kick and both men are down.
Gunn finally gets the hot tag. He clears the ring and hits King with a Famouser. Matthews with a kick from apron. Gunn hits him with a famouser. Black is legal and connects on the spinning heel kick to Gunn. He covers to get the win.
Winners…and still AEW World Trios Champions…via pinfall: The House of Black
Match Rating: 3.5/5
Taya Valkyrie (challenger) vs. Jade Cargill (champion) w/Leila Grey and Mark Sterling – TBS Championship Match
Taya wants to the Road to Valhalla immediately, but Jade blocks. A shoulder blocks sends Jade to the mat. Cargill tries to regroup on the floor. Jade dodge Taya, who takes out Sterling. Taya with a sliding suplex after setting Jade up in the ropes. Grey distracts Taya, allowing Jade to strike. Cargill with a spinebuster. The champ drops Taya on then security barrier.
In the ring, Taya hits a lariat. Cargill locks in a sleeper. Taya counters with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Cargill launches herself off the ropes, but Taya gets the knees up to block her in mid-air. Valkyrie and Cargill trade shots in the middle of ring. Taya locks in the STF and then stomps her head into the mat. The champ kicks out at two. Taya hits a spear and sets up Road to Valhalla. Jade kicks out right before three. Jade slips behind connects with a kick to the jaw. She hits Jaded and covers for the three count.
Winner…and still TBS Champion…via pinfall: Jade Cargill
Match rating: 4/5
After the match, Mark Sterling celebrates Jade being 60-0. He says there is nobody left for Jade to face after issuing an open challenge, except for Kris Statlander! She’s back! Jade wants her. Statlander has answered the open challenge!
Kris Statlander (challenger) vs. Jade Cargill (champion) w/Leila Grey and Mark Sterling – TBS Championship Match
Kris nearly pulls off the early pin. Statlander blocks the Jaded and hits Friday Night Fever. She covers to get the win.
Winner…and new TBS Champion…via pinfall: Kris Statlander
Match Rating: NA
Darby Allin (challenger) vs. Jungle Boy Jack Perry (challenger) vs. Sammy Guevara (challenger) vs. MJF (champion) – AEW World Heavyweight Championship Match
Before the match, Sammy and his wife, Tay Melo, announce that they are having a baby.
All three challengers team up on the champ, pummeling him in the corner. Perry with an over hand chop, Sammy follows with one and Darby stomps him into the corner. Than champ hits the floor. All three challengers trade drop kicks. MJF gives a golf clap from the apron and gets knocked back down for his trouble. Jungle Boy with a double arm drag, but then runs into a clothesline from MJF. With the ring clear, MJF runs the ropes, then struts. Allin shuts him down with a drop kick and follows with a cannon ball throw the ropes. JB hits Allin and MJF with suicide dives. He then flies over the top rope to take out MJF and Darby. Sammy goes up top and hits a shooting star press to the floor.
Jack Perry hits Sammy with a German suplex, sending Sammy and Darby crashing into MJF. Perry with a lariat to MJF and follows with a poisonrana to Guevara. Darby goes corner to corner striking MJF and JB. Allin with a Stunner to MJF and almost gets the pin with a side headlock takeover. Guevara misses a moonsault on the floor but lands on is feet. He hits a Spanish Fly on MJF and then flies over the top to take out Perry. Guevara with a frog splash on the champ, but MJF kicks out. The champ bites Sammy atop the turnbuckle and then whips Guevara onto Perry.
MJF hits a package piledriver on Allin, who kicks out. The champ verbally assault Darby and spits on him. MJF blocks a kicks from Sammy, but can’t avoid Jungel Boy. Allin with the John Woo drop kick to the champ. All four men are down. Darby with a scorpion death drop. Guevara with a code breaker to MJF and JB hits the Kill Switch. MJF nearly steals a pin with a Cross Rhodes. MJF grabs a microphone and tries to bargain with Sammy to lay down. Think of the baby, that’s on the way. Guevara says he will lay down and take the money. MJF covers, but Sammy rolls him up and nearly gets the pin. MJF blocks the GTH and tries to apply the Lebell lock. Sammy counters into the Walls of Jericho. Darby Allin gets Jungle Boy in the Scorpion Death Lock. Perry won’t let MJF tap, blocking his hand. The hold are broken.
All four men have each locked in submission holds in the middle of the ring. MJF breaks free and all holds are broken. Allin counters a powerbomb into a Code Red. Sammy hits Allin with a Canadian Destroyer. Perry hits Sammy with a Canadian Destroyer and then launches himself off Allin to hit MJF with a Canadian Destroyer. MJF kicks out.
Perry hits a sit out tiger driver on Guevara, who kicks out. On the floor, Allin drives JB into the barricade and then clotheslines Perry and MJF into the crowd. Allin goes up top, but gets caught with a knee strike from Sammy. Guevara with a Spanish Fly off the top onto MJF and Jungle Jack.
All four men make their way back into the ring. They all trade shots, until MJF unloads with eye pokes. The champ runs into a triple super kick. Guevara with a leaping cutter. Allin with the Code Red and Perry with an elbow strike. MJF goes to the floor and the other three trade near falls. Guevara with a thrust kick to Allin and then catches Perry with an implant DDT. Allin with a Code Red to Sammy. Darby wants the Coffin drop, but gets crotched on the top rope by MJF. The champ powerbombs Allin off the top turnbuckle. MJF is also down. Sammy breaks the cover with a senton. Perry tries to pin anyone with no luck.
Guevara hits a cutter off the ropes on Perry, who rolls out of the ring. MJF nails Sammy with a low blow and pulls out the Dynamite Diamond ring. Darby clocks him with the skateboard and hits the Coffin Drop. Allin with a headlock take over and covers. Jungle Boy breaks the pin. Allin shoves Perry, who responds with a slap. The two throw down and both connect with haymakers at the same time. MJF has his title belt in the ring. Perry gets to his feet first and intercepts the belt shot. Sammy takes MJF over the top. Perry has the belt with Allin down. Perry tosses the belt but then gets tripped by Allin nearly pin. Sammy with running knee strikes and hits Perry with the GTH. Darby knocks Sammy to the floor. Allin hits the Coffin Drop on Jungle Boy, but MJF laid the belt for Darby to land on. The champ with a head lock takeover on Darby Allin and covers to get the win.
Winner…and still AEW World Heavyweight Champion…via pinfall: Maxwell Jacob Friedman
Match Rating: 4.5/5
The Elite (Matt and Nick Jackson, Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page) vs. The Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Brian Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta) – Anarchy in the Arena
The Elite don’t wait for the BCC to get to the ring. The meet them in the crowd and start throwing hands as the band is still playing “Wild Thing”. Page drops Danielson on the railing and slides him down into a trashcan shot. Don Callis joins the commentary team. Mox leaps off the announce desk with a hammer shot to Kenny. And the band is still playing! Claudio drives a chair into Omega’s throat. One of the referees has been busted open! It’s anarchy! Page takes down Danielson in the ring with a lariat. He pulls off the eye patch, revealing that hi eye is fully healed.
Hangman looks to get revenge with the screwdriver, but Yuta cuts him down with a chop block. All four members of the BCC beat down Page. The rest of the Elite hit the ring. Kenny with a chair shot to Mox. AND THE BAND IS STILL PLAYING! The Elite rain down punches in each corner and a super kick party breaks out. The Elite hit a four way suicide dive. Claudio, Danielson and the Bucks fight to the stage and the Band is still playing! The Bucks take out the lead singer with super kick party.
In the ring, Omega is striking Mox with a piece of the announce desk. Mox is busted open. The two trade shots in the middle of the ring. The two take each other out with lariats as Matt Jackson hits Yuta with rolling Northern Lights suplexes down the ramp. Nick takes down Castagnoli. Wheeler is power bombed into the ring apron. Mox is alone in the ring with Omega and Hangman. Mox kicks Kenny to the floor and takes out Page with a lariat. Danielson chokes Hangman with his wrist tape. Omega is whipped into the Double or Nothing casino chip. Mox reveals it is covered in barbed wire. Mox suplexes Omega onto the barbed wire, as Castagnoli and Nick Jackson fight on the concourse. Mox has a fork and stabs Omega in the forehead.
On the concourse Claudio takes Matt for a spin. He carries him back into the arena. Mox has Kenny in a choke hold. Omega drops him onto the barbed wire. Yuta has Hangman in the ring. Danielson has Nick Jackson on the cement, as Yuta drills Page with a chair. Danielson pummels Nick on the floor, ripping his forehead open.
Claudio and Matt Jackson have fought onto the loading dock and Matt is thrown into the bed of a pick up truck. Castagnoli with a pile driver in the bed of the truck. Wheeler is hitting people with a leaf blower. Yuta and Mox driver Kenny into the mat. Nick Jackson is thrown off the stage. Page hits Mox with the Dead Eye on the apron. Yuta clocks Page with the lead blower. Kenny does his best Steve Rogers impression, using a trash can lid as a shield. Nick does his best to fight off the BCC, but Mox hits him with the King Kong lariat. Mox can’t get the pin. Mox locks in a single leg crab. Omega can’t kick Matt free. Omega is tossed into the barrier. And Mox has the full Boston Crab locked in, while Wheeler has a head lock on.
Matt Jackson makes his way back to he ring after being piledriven in the pick up truck. Matt saves his brother with an exploding super kick. Yuta gets a superkick, three times. Hangman hits Yuta with the Buckshot Lariat, but Wheeler kicks out. Claudio rips off Matt’s shoe. Kenny pulls Claudio to the floor. And now there are tacks and Matt has a bare foot. Mox slams his foot into the tacks and hits the Death Rider. Matt kicks out. Danielson locks in a heel hook on Matt. Nick saves his brother with a senton. Mox hits Nick with a cutter, face first into the tacks. Omega counters Ricola bomb and hits the V Trigger. Danielson starts handing out Psycho knees. Yuta hits Matt with a low blow. Mox makes Matt eats tacks and Castagnoli hits the uppercut. Page breaks up the pin after a German suplex from Wheeler.
Omega and Page fire each other up and clear the ring. Danielson chops away at Kenny and Page with kicks. Page hits Bryan with the Dead Eye. Kenny hits the One Winged Angel, but Yuta makes the save on the pin. Wheeler faces off against Omega and Hangman. Kenny and Page hit moonsaults on Wheeler, but Don Callis has left commentary. Wheeler ducks the Buckshot and nails him with a screwdriver from Callis. Don is in the ring and a masked man attacks Omega. It’s Konosuke Takeshita! Wheeler makes the pin and gets the three count.
Winners: The Blackpool Combat Club
Match Rating: 4/5
After the match, Callis strangles Kenny in the middle of the ring. The Blackpool Combat Club celebrates in the ring.
AEW Double or Nothing 5/28/2023
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Double or Nothing delivered with the Double Main Event. The Four Pillars match could be in match of the year discussions. And Anarchy in the Arena is always crazy. Kris Statlander returned to hand Jade Cargill her first loss and take the TBS title. Unfortunately, with Jamie Hayter injured the AEW title match had to be filled with shenanigans. The show kicked off with a fun battle royal. AEW PPV almost always deliver and Double or Nothing did not disappoint.