Double or Nothing has become a fixture of Memorial Day weekend and this years show didn’t disappoint with the main event making it onto this Positive Trio. The match between Hangman Adam Page and Will Ospreay was joined on the list by two enjoyable moments. A mascot was attacked with a kendo stick at TNA Under Seige and the Best of Super Juniors tournament was set alight by the Super Ninja Special.
Double or Nothing was bookended by the finals of the Owen Hart Foundation tournament. Both were incredible matches but the men’s final just edged out the women’s final between Mercedes Mone and Jamie Hayter.
The match had the stakes of the winner going onto main event All In and challenge Jon Moxley for the AEW Men’s World title. Page and Ospreay both had storyline reasons why they should win and this made the match unpredictable throughout.
As you’d expect with these two, the match was fast paced with lots of near falls and intrigue. Both men kicked out of the others finishers but what added to the match was the emotion of both competitors at the end after Page got the fall to capture the ‘Owen’.
It really felt as if we had watched something incredible that meant so much, and the moment invoked so much feeling. This was the best AEW match of the year so far.
I never thought Hammer the Honey Badger would ever make it into the Positive Trio, but it has happened. The mascot was at ringside for the six man match between The System and The Northern Armoury at Under Seige.
Also at ringside was Alisha Edwards and when she grabbed a kendo stick, Hammer moved towards her.
What made this moment special was what happened next. It looked likely that Hammer would grab the kendo stick from Alisha and chase her away. Instead Alisha hammered (excuse the pun!) the mascot with the kendo stick. Hammer sold it like a trouper and the facial expressions of Alisha as she stood over the prone Hammer, were incredible.
The New Japan Best of Super Juniors had a viral ‘Sportscenter’ moment which will hopefully show the promotion the benefit of allowing more clips to be shared online.
Ninja Mack does some incredible moves, but the Super Ninja Special from his match with Robbie X is one of the greatest things ever seen.
Starting in the ring and doing multiple somersaults out of the ring and down the entrance aisle, Ninja finally caught Robbie and kicked him. The move was incredibly executed by both men and will hopefully help Ninja get more opportunities in New Japan.
The Super Ninja Special has it’s flaws and, as shown later in the tournament, it is relatively easy to sidestep from as Ninja travels in a straight line. It is undoubtably though, the move of the year and a deserved inclusion on May’s Trio.
Positive Wrestling 