Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.

This week, Callum Wiggins, Dallas Allsopp, and Robert DeFelice will be giving their thoughts on the debut show of All Elite Wrestling, Double Or Nothing 2019!

A change is in the air. All Elite Wrestling will debut on May 25 in Las Vegas, Nevada with Double Or Nothing. What's next for this evolution of pro wrestling? Let's not waste any more time, let's discuss...


ALLSOPP: One thing the Royal Rumble is known for us the surprise entrants and I can only believe that AEW has an ace up their sleeve and hasn’t announced a BIG name who they intend to win the Battle Royale. If I was a betting man I’d go with Jon Moxley as he is the hottest free agent in wrestling today and the promo he released had a big-time feel behind it - something we know AEW would be able to bankroll therefore I have to go with Jon Moxley. His credibility as a former WWE Champion could be the thing to validate AEW as a true competitor to WWE.

However, if I was to take a safe guess I believe Trent Baretta will win. He is a great wrestler with a tonne of experience on the independent scene and can believably challenge for the AEW World Championship, if not actually win it.

WIGGINS: Considering the opportunity on offer for whoever wins this unique Battle Royale, it would have to be someone AEW regards as a potential main event act down the line, if not at first as I doubt the first AEW World Champion will lose on their first defense. With that in mind, I'm going to rule out the speculative pick of Jon Moxley, as if he is signed he should immediately be placed in a program with one of the companies top stars, namely Kenny Omega or Cody Rhodes.

Instead, out of the names announced for the Casino Battle Royale, I'd place my chips on MJF. He's an incredibly charismatic heel who is already established enough to be in a world title program, but maybe not quite ready to hold the belt. In one or two years, almost certainly, but right now just an opportunity will serve him well in the early days of AEW.

DeFELICE: The stipulation that this match will determine the first number one contender in company history definitely makes someone want to speculate wildly and say Jon Moxley or CM Punk. However, I feel that these names can be ruled out because this match is still on the pre-show after all.

Instead of a major signing, I'm going to place my bet on a superstar with a ton of major buzz and no notable commitments outside of AEW, Joey Janela. Joey Janela is a major name on the independent scene and is a babyface. I do feel like the show should start off with a happier moment and that will come when Joey eliminates MJF to win the Casino Battle Royale.


DeFELICE: The video packages for this match prove just how good this promotion will be when it's in full serious mode. On the surface, it does seem like it's a given that Cody Rhodes will win this matchup. However, I'm more interested in character development moving forward.

Cody Rhodes has declared his mission statement to kill the Attitude Era. While this seems to have made him a heel against his brother, the same ideology makes him a babyface in his budding feud against Chris Jericho. Now, Cody has been very outspoken about changing the dynamic of traditional heel and babyface rules, but you have to believe at some point the pieces will fall and there will have to be a defined role for Cody.

For now, I think Cody defeats his brother in an absolute classic. I don't think this is the last ride for Dustin, but I do think that he's going to leave it all in the ring as though it will be.

WIGGINS: Both video packages of Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes have provided a fitting explanation of why this match is taking place and why they're taking it very seriously. That is a major positive as it subverts attention slightly into what is an incredibly predictable match on paper.

Dustin's determination to show he's still got one last ride in him and will use all his heart and experience to defeat his brother matched against Cody's desire to end comparisons to the Attitude Era by defeating one of its most memorable characters in Goldust. It's been a well-told story in just two 5-minute promos, better than much of what WWE has produced in the past year, but I think it's pretty obvious that the younger Rhodes will be victorious at the end.

ALLSOPP: This is one match that WWE should have thrown all their weight behind - it sells itself! You have one of the greatest characters in wrestling history who is capable of a great match when motivated and a wrestler who has reinvented himself into one of the soundest acts on the independent scene. They could have built this match with just an announcement and no additional promotion and I’d be salivating as it is clear they will put their all into the match and deliver what may be the best match of the night from a storytelling perspective.

Dustin Rhodes will be calling time in his career very soon and it is important he uses his remaining time well in matches that he feels invested in, and there is no match he will be more invested in than against his brother. I’m hoping for a Dustin so we can build to a trilogy of matches which culminates in a heated blow off match such as a Cage match to appeal to the old school nature of both men. It would also lead to a change of character in Cody and could validate him as a dangerous man, something that has been sorely missing from his character.


WIGGINS: I don't think it's out of the question that this match ends up being the first AEW World Championship match at Double or Nothing in a last-minute swerve, as Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho are arguably the promotions most prized assets. While I personally feel there's an opportunity to push Hangman Page to the summit after years of chasing titles, maybe it makes more sense to continue that wait for a few more months in AEW to improve the narrative, and instead give the first reign to one of your most established stars.

If their Double or Nothing match is for the title, most would probably place their bets on Omega as the younger, more electric wrestler. But, imagine the prospect of the AEW Champion challenging Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Championship at Dominion? Even if Jericho couldn't bring the title with him, it still is great publicity. Regardless, I think Jericho should sneak a victory here to build his title match and lead to a rubber match down the road.

DeFELICE: I will put all my cards on the table and say that if any match will get the last-minute addition of the AEW World Championship, it will be the match between Adam Page and PAC. However, if a championship does get added to this match, it makes all the sense in the world to give the win to Chris Jericho. To be clear, I think Jericho is winning either way. It would tie the rivalry with Omega at 1-1 and makes him even hotter going into the match with Okada at Dominion.

For Kenny Omega, this is the beginning of a true American run for him. He has a lot to live up to as he's almost being seen as the John Cena of the brand due to his reputation from Japan alone. Truth be told, I see him starting out in a little bit of a slump and allowing himself to work his way up the ladder creating a true story of redemption. It will be interesting to see whether or not this matchup steals the show, it's definitely the one I'm looking forward to the most.

ALLSOPP: Undoubtedly. Kenny Omega was the biggest free agent in wrestling at the turn of the year and AEW secured a definite victory over WWE by signing him whilst he is still in his prime. His reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion was compelling and despite 6-star match after 6-star match, he is still capable of wowing the fans and performing at the highest level. If there is one wrestler AEW needs to build the company around it is Omega.

The fact Chris Jericho is poised to face Kazuchika Okada at Dominion would indicate to me that he will not be winning this match because the relationship between AEW and NJPW isn’t fully established yet. I’m not convinced either party would be happy with their wrestler taking the fall if they were both champions of their respective companies. At this point in his career, Jericho is more than happy to put talent over and I don’t see stealing Omega’s thunder by winning. This will be the best match on the card and an Omega victory will propel him into the AEW World Championship picture, hopefully facing Jon Moxley in what can only be described as a true dream match.