5 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Double Or Nothing 2023
3. Jade Cargill (c) vs. Taya Valkyrie
"Finisher stuff" wasn't exactly the deepest or most meaningful motivation for these two women to twice wage war for the TBS Championship, but Jade Cargill's 59-0 record going into the pay-per-view yet again didn't feel particularly under threat even if they assembled a great match on the night.
And then it did!
Valkyrie and Cargill's occasional miscommunications aside, this was a stirring rematch that featured more than enough physicality from the Challenger that a now-legal Road To Valhalla attempt drew one of the loudest nearfalls all evening. A split crowd thought they were seeing history, dove into the moment, and gave the wrestlers their emotions. Job done, and Jade retained, but then it was time for Jade to finally do a job.
As noted above, the implications of Kris Statlander's impromptu TBS Championship victory could be dire, but it was impossible not to smile as she ended the streak at 60-0, announced her comeback in the most satisfying way imaginable, and gave punters in the building the live experience they'd been craving mere minutes earlier. WWE does this with Money In The Bank for a reason - it's harder to back babyfaces longterm, but the in-arena vibe is undeniable.