The stakes are higher than a Tokyo Dome main event

Double or Nothing has always been the heartbeat of All Elite Wrestling. It’s the show that brought us the first-ever main event with Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, setting the table for the chaos that followed. As we look toward May 24, 2026, the roster is a volatile mix of grizzled veterans and younger talent who weren't even on the main stage three years ago.

We have to address the elephant in the room: the World Championship booking since the turn of the year has been allergic to consistency. If we are watching the main event, the smart money for the title defense has to land on the current champion holding firm. Switching the belt now would feel like a knee-jerk reaction to a ratings dip rather than a coherent story. Expect a 25-minute technical masterclass that ends with a desperate roll-up or a timely interference that gets the crowd screaming for a rematch.

Mid-card chaos and the tag team logjam

The International and TNT title pictures are where the real headaches start. The booking has been a carousel of talent that doesn't always make sense for long-term growth. We saw how the NXT crossovers caused tremors over at the competition, and AEW needs to stop trying to match that pace with random title swaps. Keep the gold on the guys who have been putting in the work since January rather than slapping it on someone just because they’re the flavor of the month.

The tag division is in a weird spot, frankly. We have teams that have incredible chemistry on house shows but look like they’ve never met in a high-stakes televised match. I’m predicting a title change here just to freshen up the stagnant segments. You cannot keep putting the same two teams in a loop for six straight weeks and expect us to buy the next pay-per-view buy rate.

Women's division needs more than just a headline

Let’s get real about the women’s world title scene. It has felt disjointed since the start of the year. If we’re being honest, the match quality is there, but the story beats are missing the finish line. Whoever walks out of Double or Nothing with that strap needs to be the designated workhorse for the summer. If they don't have a clear, three-month plan for the summer tour, it’s going to be a long, dry season leading into the fall.

You can’t just rely on the 'best match of the night' reputation forever. The fans want stakes, and when the booking feels like it’s being written on a cocktail napkin five minutes before tapings, it shows. I’m looking for a clean, hard-hitting defensive win to cement the champion's status. If we get another 'referee bump' finish, I’m going to lose my mind.

The reality check for Tony Khan's vision

AEW has lived through the fire of its own recent creative shifts. The brand is at a crossroads where it has to decide if it’s the home for the purists who loved the early indie-superstar aesthetic or if it’s pivoting toward a mainstream polish. I trust the talent, but I really question the pacing of these championship runs.

Look at the history of the company. When they let stories breathe, we get moments like the Hangman Page title ascent. When they rush, we get confused crowds in the third hour. Double or Nothing represents 33 days of anticipation that could either vault the company into a hot summer or anchor them to a lukewarm spring. My money is on them playing it safe with the top titles but taking a massive, necessary risk with the lower-card belts to shake up the hierarchy.

The criticism isn't about hate—it’s about wanting better. We’ve seen enough near-falls at the 14-minute mark to know when a match is being dragged out to fill time. If these wrestlers go out there and deliver, the fans will forgive any booking sins, but my internal clock is ticking. You can only coast on nostalgia for the 'golden era' of 2021 for so long before you start looking like a reboot that nobody asked for.

Let’s see if they can actually deliver a clean finish in the main event. If the champion walks out with the belt after a clean 1, 2, 3 pinfall, it shows they have a plan. Anything less? Just another show on the calendar.