11 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Double Or Nothing 2022

3. Thunder Rosa vs. Serena Deeb

Some good, competitive grappling opened Serena Deeb vs. Thunder Rosa, which made the match feel like a continuation of Kyle O'Reilly vs. Darby Allin, righting the show's course after a mediocre stretch through the middle.

Two excellent workers did great work. This is to be expected with Deeb, who brings everybody she wrestles up a notch, but Rosa was at her best as well. The Women's World Champion hasn't had many opportunities to remind people of how excellent she is between the ropes since taking the prize. Double Or Nothing felt like a righting of her course - and the "this is wrestling!" chants must have felt rewarding given this feud's lack of pre-PPV focus.

By the halfway mark, this was already the best technical wrestling match in AEW Women's Championship history. Sinews were stretched, ligaments were strained, and joints were contorted. When the strikes came, an already great match went up a notch. Satisfyingly sniff jaw-rattlers were flung in both directions, though the duo never strayed too far from their technical base.

As the match entered the deep waters, so too did the wrestlers. Escalating bombs came as tiredness set in, with Deeb and Rosa abandoning technicality to fling their bodies around like weapons, culminating in Rosa nailing the Fire Thunder Driver to retain.

An excellent outing, rough spots and all, and exactly what the division needed.