16 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Double Or Nothing 2019

7. An Effective Joshi Showcase

While a quick glance at the names involved may have led casual fans to expect a single-digit runtime, Double Or Nothing's six-woman joshi tag was always going to get time. This is Kenny Omega's pet project. He has spoken openly about wanting to make this AEW's equivalent of the WCW cruiserweight division, and for that, the wrestlers need a space to shine. This was the case last night, as the hyper-talented sixsome did more to enhance their own North American reputations than almost anyone else on the card.

Though marred by a timekeeping issue when the bell was accidentally rung after a two-count, Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki, and Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida, Riho, and Ryo Mizunami was a barnstormer. The fans lapped up the fast, exciting, stiff action, and while Shida is the only participant signed to a full AEW contract, we can likely expect more signatures to follow on the strength of these performances.

This was a spectacle match. Everything from the wrestlers' elaborate attires to the way they worked screamed "PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!", and their breathless pace made anyone who didn't look foolish.