10 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Double Or Nothing 2021

4. Dr. Britt Baker JUST Brings The Moment

Britt Baker AEW
AEW

Hikaru Shida Vs. Dr. Britt Baker fell off the rails after a hot start.

Baker ate sh*t after Shida posted her into the guardrail and flattened her with a twisting crossbody, and none of this felt superfluous because back in the ring, Baker recovered and never let go of Shida's wrist unless Shida freed herself. Baker constantly cycling through pin attempts and latching onto the Lockjaw is such a refreshing strategy. Even on a night where every pop was exploited, Baker wrestles to win. Always.

Unfortunately, this was more drab than compelling at points, particularly since Shida has a tendency to connect weakly with her barrage of knees. Her comebacks didn't feel anywhere near defiant nor snug enough. This slow match felt wishy-washy as they collapsed to the ropes together at various points.

The execution was sloppy throughout and bogged down some blinding ideas. The stretch muffler curb stomp reversal was a splendid exploration of this dynamic, but it was as if they were wrestling through treacle. It wasn't dynamic at all. Until the last three minutes, which verged on the incredible.

The near-falls were electrifying. The Air Raid Crash and Falcon Arrow kick-outs were achingly close, and without overdoing it, the various last-gasp reversals and belt shots added that mind-blowing layer of big match drama right at the death. These didn't feel like tropes, either, which is key. The finishing sequences felt like a great champion losing the fight of her life.

This was arguably more impressive than a super-polished performance: Baker and Shida brought the white-hot atmosphere all the way back in those final three minutes.

It wasn't a classic, but it was over like one.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!