This weekend marks the sevenths (SEVENTH) annual AEW Double or Nothing PPV, and also the sixth anniversary of the company's first show, DON 2019. Man, what a game-changing time it's been these last six years of All Elite Wrestling. Here's to many, many more...
Well it took them until the final 7-10 days to actually put this whole lineup together, but Double or Nothing 2025 is looking like a helluva show on paper. Two huge tournament finals, one of which will fittingly headline the show, the annual Anarchy in the Arena match, a women's title bout, and two undercard matches that should deliver big. Plus the PPV return of Nigel McGuinness!
AEW Tag Team Championship: The Hurt Syndicate vs. The Sons of Texas
The one match that likely won't be above TV quality is this one, pitting the dominant tag champs against the unlikely challenger tandem of Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara (whose last PPV main card match was at Worlds End 2023!). Obviously there's no chance of Dustin and Sammy winning this, it'll just be a means to further the MJF storyline. Will he get involved, and will Bobby and Shelton appreciate it? And when the MJF thing inevitably goes south for Bobby and Shelton, who will he team up with against them? Wardlow?
Pick: Hurt Syndicate retain
FTR vs. Nigel McGuinness & Daniel Garcia
This one should be fun. I love that Nigel gets to wrestle once in a while; in his prime he was one of the best in the world and he deserved a better career end than he got in 2010. The story here is Nigel doubting he and Danny have a snowball's chance in hell of beating FTR. But undoubtedly they'll put up a gallant fight. I think FTR wins in the end, and they should, but it'll be a fun watch.
Pick: FTR
Stretcher Match: Mark Briscoe vs. Ricochet
These two are always great and they'll elevate this admittedly goofy gimmick match above its station. There aren't many matches in the running, but this should end up the best Stretcher/Ambulance match of all time. Ricochet will get some kind of cheap win.
Pick: Ricochet
Continental Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. "Speedball" Mike Bailey
This should be great. Okada can still pull out a classic when he wants to, and Bailey will bounce around for him like a ping-pong ball. Again, there's no suspense over a title change since we're obviously headed for Okada vs. Omega in July. But this'll be yet another great PPV showing for Kazuchika.
Pick: Okada retains
AEW Women's Championship: Toni Storm vs. Mina Shirakawa
A rematch from last year's Forbidden Door and a rubber match of sorts for these two since Mina pinned Toni last week, this should get more time than it did in 2024, but the result will be the same. We're likely getting Toni vs. Mercedes at All In, so Toni gets a decisive win over her fellow Stardom alum.
Pick: Toni retains
Women's Owen Cup Final: Mercedes Moné vs. Jamie Hayter
This is a first-time meeting I believe, and while I imagine few people have Jamie winning this, the build has been solid. Jamie has a history with Toni Storm and is tired of being overlooked, while Mercedes wants what she thinks she's entitled to, the top women's title in the company. With both of these Owen finals there's a valid reason to pick either participant, which is a good thing. Toni could wrestle Jamie at All In, while Mercedes could face Athena again. But I think it'll be Toni vs. Mercedes, and I think Toni should be the first to defeat Moné in an AEW ring. Storm is a rare organically-grown superstar with crossover potential and a win over the vaunted Mercedes would help solidify that. Moné could win the title at All In but if that's the case Toni needs to win it back from her.
Pick: Mercedes Moné
Anarchy in the Arena: The Death Riders/Young Bucks vs. Swerve Strickland/Kenny Omega/The Opps/Willow Nightingale
First off, I love that Willow and Marina are in this, it's historic and gives them both a chance to steal the spotlight. This should be great, as Anarchy always is, but the addition of the two women will make it stand out from the rest. Gabe Kidd will no doubt get involved as well, which gives the heels an advantage, but the babyfaces have two possible surprise partners to even the odds: Hook or Eddie Kingston. Both have a reason to be there - Hook because the Death Riders took him out last month, Kingston because he was injured at the hands of Gabe Kidd. I think the babyfaces probably win this round and then there's a Blood & Guts in June where the Death Riders even the score.
Pick: Team Swerve
Men's Owen Cup Final: Will Ospreay vs. Hangman Page
This is going to be fucking epic. First time ever for these two, and they're two of the best on the planet right now. I love that they're taking up the challenge of following the Anarchy match, and I love that this tournament final is being presented as the most important thing on the show. Their face-to-face promo this week was fantastic and outlined both their motivations perfectly. This is a rare case where I'll be happy with either guy winning. Hangman has the more compelling story and reasons for needing the win, but Ospreay going on to win the title is also a perfectly desirable outcome. Contrary to popular Twitter discourse, this isn't a "Hangman or bust" situation. Yes Hanger deserves this, but so does Ospreay. Either outcome will make for an engaging story going into All In, and if it is Ospreay then we'll be getting a brand new face of the company, the guy who steals the show pretty much every time out. And we'll probably also see this match again, for the title. Again, I'm fine no matter who wins this.
Pick: I think it's probably Ospreay
So yeah, helluva lineup for this show. It feels like a setup for All In somewhat, but that's okay. There's gonna be a ton of good wrestling as usual, and the Owen Cup Finals are by far the most important in the four years they've been doing this tournament. Should be another banger from a company that specializes in bangers.
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