Freddie Prinze Jr. Says Jade Cargill’s First AEW Loss Is A Good Thing For Her

Jade Cargill’s undefeated streak and 508-day reign as AEW TBS Championship came to an end at the hands of the returning Kris Statlander last month at Double or Nothing. Cargill lost the title after issuing an open challenge immediately following her successful championship defense against Taya Valkyrie. Actor and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. thinks the 31-year-old could now benefit from tasting her first defeat in All Elite Wrestling. 

“Jade Cargill has taken her first loss, which I think is going to end up being a good thing,” Prinze Jr. said on the “Wrestling with Freddie” podcast. “Now she can actually get a story on her way back to the title … And I don’t feel that she’s been utilized as well as she could. I’ve definitely seen her promo work get better. I think everyone has seen her work get a little better. Again, they limit what she can do, to a certain degree, to keep her safe and to keep her opponents safe while she’s learning on the job. She’s been doing this, I think, what? Is it two years? Between two and three years, something like that? So it’s not a lot of time.”

“This can be that opportunity that she can fall on hard times,” Prinze Jr. continued. “She can struggle now that she’s lost. I hope to see them do this, I really do. To see her only lose once is not the way to go. I think she has to struggle and have a mental block and a mental challenge that she herself has to come over. And that becomes the story until you can get her someone that will then be the other character in the story. But you can self-motivate. We’re watching Cody Rhodes do it [in WWE]. He doesn’t have someone to wrestle every week, so it can be done. 

“If she lost another match to someone there’s no way she should lose to, then all of a sudden the backstage promo is her yelling at her girls like, ‘Yo, get the bleep away from me right now! Get away from me now!’ Like, something is wrong and she shouldn’t be losing. And she is, ‘Are you injured?’ ‘No, I’m not hurt! Leave me alone!’ Like, whatever. Like, she has to go through some kind of struggle now so that she can, you know, do the metamorphosis into the next version of herself. So I hope that they’re thinking of that.”

Toni Storm Becomes The New AEW Women’s Champion At Double Or Nothing

The Outcasts proved to be too much for Jamie Hayter. During Sunday’s AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view, Outcasts’ Toni Storm defeated Hayter to become the new AEW Women’s Champion. Even before the match started, Storm’s cohorts, Saraya and Ruby Soho, attacked Hayter on the ramp. Her music had played twice before she was shown to be dragged out by Soho and Saraya.

The short match was chaotic with even Britt Baker and Hikaru Shida getting in the mix to try and help Hayter. Storm eventually got the three count after she hit the Storm Zero. It’s worth noting that going into tonight’s match, Hayter was injured and her shoulder was taped up. She also wasn’t clear to compete on the May 17 episode of “AEW Dynamite.”

This is Storm’s second reign as the AEW Women’s Champion. Her first title reign began at AEW All Out 2022 in September but ended in November due to Hayter defeating her at Full Gear 2022. During her reign, Hayter had defended the title against the likes of Ruby Soho, Saraya, Shida, and most recently former AEW Women’s Champion Riho.

Kris Statlander Returns, Becomes The New AEW TBS Champion At Double Or Nothing

Last night’s AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view was a wild ride for Jade Cargill. Cargill had successfully retained the AEW TBS Championship against Taya Valkyrie, making her 60-0. Post-match, Mark Sterling noted that there is “nobody” left to challenge Cargill before Kris Statlander’s music hit.

The two ended up having a match, where Statlander defeated Cargill and became the new AEW TBS Champion. This is the first title that Statlander has held since signing with All Elite Wrestling back in December 2019.

Statlander had been out of action since August 2022 due to a torn ACL and torn meniscus. One of her last matches on AEW TV was on the July 15, 2022, episode of “AEW Ramage,” where she teamed with ROH Women’s World Champion Athena and defeated The Renegade Twins.

Before losing the title, Cargill had held the title since the January 5, 2022, episode of “Dynamite.” She became the first TBS Champion after defeating Ruby Soho in the tournament finals.

Adam Cole And Chris Jericho Set For Unsanctioned Match At AEW Double Or Nothing

AEW’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view is right around the corner, and after feuding for weeks, Adam Cole and Chris Jericho are set to clash at the big event.

Friday night on “Rampage,” Jericho officially challenged Cole to an unsanctioned match in Las Vegas, Nevada. Before doing so, he called Cole a coward repeatedly and said he’d “beat his a**” if he were there. As it happened, Cole was right outside the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, where “Rampage” took place. But at that moment, was not allowed to enter the building due to a previous order banning Cole from the building. That is, until Jericho ripped up said document, declaring it “null and void.”

The two were eventually able to get their hands on one another, but not without security intervening and separating them multiple times. The rest will have to wait until the big event. Speaking of, with Double or Nothing scheduled for Sunday, May 28, this will presumably be Cole’s third match back since Forbidden Door last June, when he suffered a potentially career-threatening concussion. Upon returning, he wrestled his first match back on the March 29 episode of “Dynamite,” defeating Daniel Garcia.

Cole made his AEW debut at All Out in September 2021, then realigning with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. He has yet to win gold with the company, and the aforementioned injury threatened to derail his career entirely. But at Double or Nothing, there will be no better time for him to get back on track when he takes on the former (and first) AEW World Champion.

Taya Valkyrie Getting Another Shot At Jade Cargill’s TBS Title At AEW Double Or Nothing

It’s official: Jade Cargill will be putting her undefeated streak and TBS Championship on the line against Taya Valkyrie on May 28 at AEW Double or Nothing. During the May 19 “AEW Rampage”, Cargill successfully defended her title against two consecutive opponents in rapid fashion as part of an open challenge. When a third one was invited to the ring, Valkyrie appeared and leveled the would-be challenger. She then marched down to the ring to confront Cargill, catching her with a clothesline and the Road to Valhalla before holding up the TBS Championship and telling Cargill she’ll see her at the Las Vegas-hosted pay-per-view event.

The pair first collided for the title on the April 26 “AEW Dynamite,” after tensions between them had bubbled over as a result of Cargill making her frustrations clear about the similarities that her finisher shares with Valkyrie’s. Valkyrie had debuted the month prior on March 15, confronting Cargill following a title defense against Nicole Matthews. Cargill’s two victories bring her impressive undefeated streak up to 59-0, having overcome the likes of Nyla Rose, Ruby Soho, Willow Nightingale, Kiera Hogan, Skye Blue, Billie Starkz, and Athena in both singles and tag team competition.

Cargill is the first and only TBS Champion to date, defeating the aforementioned Soho on the January 5, 2022 episode of “AEW Dynamite” in the finals of the TBS Championship tournament after receiving a buy-in for the first round and beating Red Velvet and Thunder Rosa in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively.

Blackpool Combat Club & The Elite Set For Anarchy In The Arena At AEW Double Of Nothing

The Elite is back together, just in time for a big showdown with the Blackpool Combat Club at AEW’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view.

Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and “Hangman” Adam Page formally reunited on-screen at the very end of Wednesday night’s “Dynamite.” Omega was first to emerge from backstage, interrupting an interview with Don Callis, who betrayed Omega and cost him a steel cage match against the B.C.C.’s Jon Moxley on last week’s “Dynamite.” However, a large contingent of security guards blocked Omega’s path to revenge and Callis quickly escaped.

That’s when Moxley and the rest of the B.C.C. – Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta – launched an attack on Omega. Moments later, the Bucks emerged, still hobbled by a backstage attack by the B.C.C. earlier in the show. Finally, Page made his surprise entrance, and turned the tide, forcing the B.C.C. to retreat. Page had not been seen on AEW TV since Danielson targeted his eye with a screwdriver just over a month ago. Sporting an eyepatch as a remnant of that attack, Page took the microphone and announced that The Elite and the B.C.C. would meet in an Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing.

Prior to his appearance on Wednesday night’s “Dynamite,” Page returned to in-ring action in a match against Big Bill at AEW’s non-televised House Rules show in Salem, Virginia this past Saturday night.

The first Anarchy in the Arena match occurred at last year’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view. On that night, it was the Jericho Appreciation Society (Chris Jericho, Angelo Parker, Daniel Garcia, Jake Hager, and Matt Menard) who defeated the combined forces of the Blackpool Combat Club’s Danielson and Moxley along with Eddie Kingson, Santana, and Ortiz.

Orange Cassidy Getting Unusual AEW International Title Defense At Double Or Nothing

Orange Cassidy has been defending his AEW International Championship against a seemingly endless parade of opponents over recent months. So, it seems to make sense that he would prefer a more efficient model of turning away title challengers.

After Cassidy stated that he would defend his championship against anyone who wants a shot, he learned during Wednesday night’s “Dynamite” that at least 20 individuals had approached AEW President Tony Khan to express their interest. In response, Cassidy offered to take on all of his would-be challengers at once.

“20, huh?” Cassidy said during a backstage interview on “Dynamite.” “That’s a lot … all right. I guess I’ll just fight them all.”

That will happen at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday, May 28, where Cassidy will defend his title against 20 challengers in a Blackjack Battle Royale.

As of this writing, AEW has yet to announce the 20 participants who will try to dethrone Cassidy’s reign as AEW International Champion. Cassidy last defended his title against Daniel Garcia on the May 10 episode of “Dynamite” following a successful title defense against Bandido on April 26. 

In recent weeks, Cassidy has put away the likes of The Butcher, Dralistico, Buddy Matthews, and Gabriel Kidd at various televised events. He had become the inaugural-Atlantic Champion last October with a victory over PAC, and the title was renamed when AEW visited Canada for a pair of shows earlier this year.

Other confirmed title matches for Double or Nothing include AEW World Champion MJF vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Darby Allin vs. Jack Perry, AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal, TNT Champion Wardlow vs. Christian Cage, and AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm. The event will also feature an Anarchy In The Arena match pitting The Elite against Blackpool Combat Club.

Wardlow And Christian Cage To Meet In TNT Title Ladder Match At AEW Double Or Nothing

Wardlow will be defending his TNT Championship against Christian Cage in a ladder match at Double or Nothing.

Wednesday’s edition of “AEW Dynamite” kicked off with a bang after the titleholder called Cage out to the ring after weeks of animosity between the pair. Cage and his right-hand man Luchasarus answered the call. A verbal exchange between the pair ensued before the two got into a brawl, which ultimately resulted in Luchasaurus delivering a chokeslam to Wardlow through a ladder.

While Wardlow was being checked on by medical staff following the commercial break, his mentor Arn Anderson approached him and expressed that he should’ve been in the ring with him. Wardlow explained that he told him to stay in the back in an effort to protect him before challenging Christian Cage to the aforementioned bout with some encouragement from Anderson and the match was made official. This will be Wardlow’s first defense of the title since dethroning Powerhouse Hobbs on the April 19 episode of “Dynamite”.

Wardlow, who is currently holding the TNT Championship for the third time in his career, has defended the title just once in his current reign, which came against Lee Moriarty on last week’s “Dynamite.” 

At Double or Nothing, AEW World Champion MJF will face Darby Allin, Jungle Boy, and Sammy Guevara in a four-way match, while AEW Women’s Champion Jamie Hayter will face off against Toni Storm. FTR will also put their tag team titles on the line against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal, while Orange Cassidy will face 20 other stars in a battle royal for the AEW International Championship.

Jamie Hayter’s AEW Women’s Title Challenger At Double Or Nothing Revealed

As doubt clouds her on-screen medical status, the path Jamie Hayter must follow to remain AEW Women’s World Champion into the summer is coming sharply into focus.

During Wednesday night’s episode of “Dynamite,” it was announced that Hayter will defend her title at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view against The Outcasts’ Toni Storm. It’s a rematch of the bout at Full Gear last November that saw Hayter win the title for the first time, by defeating Storm.

Hayter did not appear on Wednesday’s “Dynamite,” despite being promoted for a trios match against Storm and the rest of The Outcasts. AEW President Tony Khan announced just hours before the broadcast that Hayter was not medically cleared. Her health has been a key component of her story since she was rammed shoulder-first into the ring steps by Storm during a match on “Dynamite” last month.

A lot has transpired since their previous encounter at last year’s Full Gear. On that night, Storm was the babyface trying to go from Interim to Undisputed AEW Women’s World Champion, determined to carry the AEW women’s division following Thunder Rosa’s untimely injury. Hayter, meanwhile, was still a heel and the story going into the match was that she had abandoned her former roommate — Storm — after they broke into the business together while living in the United Kingdom. 

As such, the roles have reversed this time around, with Storm portraying the heel and Hayter the fan-favorite champion. 

Since defeating Storm for the title last November, Hayter has proven to be a fighting champion, overcoming challenges from the likes of Hikaru Shida, Emi Sakura, Ruby Soho, Saraya, and Riho. If she retains against Storm, she’d further establish herself as the third longest-reigning AEW Women’s World Champion in history, trailing only behind Hikaru Shida (372 days) and Britt Baker (290 days). 

Anna Jay Doesn’t See MJF Losing AEW Title To Boyfriend Jungle Boy

Anna Jay materialized out of thin air to become one of AEW’s home-grown stars, a Nightmare Factory student who earned a contract on the back of being shockingly competent for a wrestler with less than t0 matches when she first did extra work for the company early in the COVID-19 pandemic. During her time there, she hit it off with fellow home-grown star “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry, with Perry and Jay going public as a couple in June 2021, though they’ve rarely been linked on TV in AEW canon. On Monday, though, she appeared on USA Today’s “Under the Ring” podcast, where she chimed in with her prediction for her boyfriend’s shot at MJF’s AEW World Championship in the “four pillars four-way” a week from this Sunday at Double or Nothing.

“Well, this is hard to say, because I’m in [the Jericho Appreciation Society and] we’ve got Sammy Guevara, [an] incredible talent,” she explained. “Then we’ve got Jungle Boy, who, obviously, I am rooting for behind the scenes a little bit. But then you have the obvious [winner], MJF. I don’t really see him losing this, but you never know. I’m pulling for someone else, but it’ll be a great match regardless.”

Jay mentioned later that she’s always been a Chris Jericho fan, which made her experience being added to the JAS particularly surreal. “I just never thought I would meet him, let alone get to work with him and be in a faction with him, so it’s been really cool,” she noted, also adding that Matt Menard is to the JAS as John Silver was to her in the Dark Order, the one who always makes her laugh.

Double or Nothing takes place on May 28 in Las Vegas; it airs on traditional pay-per-view and Bleacher Report Live in the U.S. and is available in most of the world on FITE TV.