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, Dallas Allsopp, Greg Coleman and Callum Wiggins preview AEW Double or Nothing 2022.
Sunday marks the return of AEW Double or Nothing - but is the show a guaranteed winner or not?
Question 1: Will Thunder Rosa defeat Serena Deeb for the AEW Women’s World Championship, or will The Professor finally claim the gold that seemed destined for her waist in 2021?
ALLSOPP: Although I am a huge fan of Thunder Rosa, her reign has somewhat underwhelmed. But in Serena Deeb, she has an opponent capable of giving her the first strong challenge she needs to truly get over. Deeb should be AEW Women’s World Champion, but not yet. She needs to truly snap and become the badass she almost is now. Rosa will retain, and in style!
COLEMAN: I expect this to be a great match and these two should get time to really work. At the end, Thunder Rosa retains. It’s far too soon for Rosa to lose her title, especially after it took a pretty long time to get her in position to be the Champion. Serena Deeb losing to the champ won’t hurt her, and it opens her up to feud with other babyfaces in the women’s division. Rosa should be Champion until they eventually pull the trigger on Jade Cargill challenging her.
WIGGINS: In an ideal world, I would prefer Serena Deeb to capture the AEW Women's World Championship, as there are more credible challengers on the babyface side of their women's division than the heel side, especially as it's too soon to go back to Britt Baker, and Jade Cargill is the AEW TBS Champion.
I'm a fan of Thunder Rosa, but ever since dethroning Baker, this reign has wallowed in nothingness for months. Primarily due to bad booking, but Rosa isn't exactly lighting the world on fire either when she is given an opportunity. However, I think AEW will err on the side of caution for now by having Rosa retain.
Question 2: Who should triumph in the long anticipated matchup between MJF and Wardlow? Who needs the win more?
COLEMAN: I have gone on record and said it is too early for this match to be happening. It would’ve been so much bigger if it involved the AEW World Championship with MJF as Champion. However, here we are, and Wardlow should win this match based largely on the stipulation. It’s hard to imagine Wardlow being written off of television for however long to play up the fact that he doesn’t have a contract with AEW, if he was to lose. I think MJF needs the win more to get some steam back from his loss to CM Punk at Revolution, and put him back into prime position to challenge whoever the AEW World Champion is at All Out. Ultimately, Wardlow wins.
WIGGINS: Wardlow absolutely has to win this match, and ideally in rapid, dominant fashion. MJF is utterly teflon at this point, so can suffer another pay-per-view defeat without any significant detriment to his character. In fact, it should be the starting point for an internal snap and unbeaten run that culminates in him finally capturing the AEW World Championship.
Wardlow is mega-over right now and that momentum shouldn't be derailed, and I would follow up his victory here with a quick win of the AEW TNT Championship.
ALLSOPP: I am so conflicted here! I absolutely adore how much of an asshole MJF is, but I need to acknowledge that his record on the big stage is not perfect. Therefore, I want him to defeat Wardlow, even if it is in the slimiest of fashions. That ‘W’ means a lot. And it is that importance that drives the need for Wardlow to win in order to be the homegrown face AEW needs. Therefore, I see Wardlow winning after beating all the odds.
Question 3: Should CM Punk defeat Hangman Adam Page for the AEW World Championship? Would Punk winning lead to higher ratings than Page has achieved?
WIGGINS: This is a complete toss-up in my mind. Gun to my head, I say Hangman Adam Page retains the AEW World Championship over CM Punk and pushes forward to another defence at Forbidden Door. But it is incredibly tight in my mind - both men could easily win this match and have it make total sense, with numerous potential finishes at play.
And, not to bury the question, but the idea that Page has caused AEW to struggle in the ratings is utter BS. The ratings have been consistently strong the vast majority of the year, and Punk being champion wouldn't elevate this immensely, because frankly you can still watch Punk on AEW every week regardless.
ALLSOPP: Should CM Punk win? Is it an imperative need for AEW to have CM Punk win? I dare say the answer to both is a resounding ‘yes’. CM Punk is a legitimate star, and one who will give another layer of credibility to the AEW World Championship. This would also be in response to the fact that Hangman Adam Page has been a fine Champion, but not great. Casual fans will tune in every week to see Punk as the head of the show.
COLEMAN: I haven’t anticipated a match in the history of AEW as much as I am anticipating this one. The main reason for my heightened anticipation is because this is truly a pick ‘em match where either man winning makes a ton of sense. Hangman Adam Page retaining would give him wins over Kenny Omega, Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, and CM Punk in 6 months time. I can’t think of any other current champion that would be able to say that they beat four top-10 wrestlers in their first 6 months as a World Champion. It would further legitimize Page as AEW World Champion, and would make him an even bigger prize for whoever eventually beats him (paging MJF). The success of Page’s run has been one of the most polarizing topics currently being discussed in pro wrestling circles. I’m personally in the camp that feels he has done quite well in his first reign as World Champion. That being said, 6 months is a solid length for a world title reign and Page has done great work as Champion. If Punk were to beat Page for the title, it wouldn’t hurt him at all.
I don’t believe ratings will change with Punk as Champion because I don’t believe a large amount of the fanbase for AEW based their decision about watching the show or not on who is the Champion. I could be wrong. My official pick is Page retains, shakes Punk’s hand, and gets hit with a GTS.
Those are our thoughts on the issue, but where do you stand?
Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments below!
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