The Double Chain Match is a cry for help

Let’s be honest: wrestling gimmicks are usually just a way to hide the fact that two guys actually hate each other and want to make a mess. The Bang Bang Gang putting out a Double Chain Challenge for AEW Redemption is the most desperate, beautiful, and nonsensical move of the year. If you think this is a logical way to settle a professional rivalry, you’ve clearly spent too much time huffing turnbuckle foam.

Jay White knows exactly what he’s doing. By dragging these chains into the ring, he’s effectively nuking the fluidity of a standard match. We aren’t getting high-flying maneuvers or intricate chain wrestling sequences when both competitors are tethered to six feet of heavy steel. It’s a 1980s territory fever dream brought to life in 2026, and frankly, I’m offended that I’m actually looking forward to it.

The strategic nightmare for the roster

Think about the mechanics here. If you’re a striker or a high-flyer, a double chain match is your ultimate Kryptonite. You can’t retreat to the corner to catch your breath. You can’t hit a suicide dive when you’re literally handcuffed to your opponent by the waist or the wrist. There is no escaping the action once the bell rings, which is exactly why the audience is going to lose their minds.

This isn't a new idea, but it feels particularly aggressive in the current AEW locker room environment. Historically, these matches serve as the nuclear option. When you run out of ways to tell a compelling story through technical wrestling or personal promos, you resort to bondage tropes and domestic hardware. Whoever came up with the idea for this specific gimmick at AEW Redemption probably spent their morning watching dusty NWA tapes from the Carter administration.

Is this a sign of booking fatigue?

Here is where I start getting the itch to complain. If we really look at where AEW is right now, we have to address the elephant in the room regarding the booking. As recent discourse on the event has shown, the fan base is stretched thin. We go from a high-octane Wednesday night to a stipulation-heavy pay-per-view, and sometimes it feels like the creative team is just shuffling a deck of extreme cards to keep things interesting.

Forcing a double chain requirement onto a marquee match creates a ceiling for quality. It limits what these guys can actually do, turning a potential clinic into a messy brawler. We saw how messy the fallout was after the July 22 edition of Dynamite, and this feels like a double-down on that same chaotic energy. If the match isn't a total bloodbath, people are going to wonder why they even bothered with the gimmick in the first place.

The stakes are higher than they should be

Despite my complaints, there is a certain charm to the Bang Bang Gang acting like petulant children who found a hardware store. By making the challenge, they’ve forced their opponents into a corner where they can’t turn it down without looking weak. It’s a power move in the most obnoxious way possible, which fits Jay White’s character perfectly.

We are looking at a match length likely clocking in around 18 minutes of pure, unadulterated grinding. The risk of injury is genuinely high, and the chance of a botched spot increases by at least 50 percent when you involve heavy chains. If someone catches their foot in a link during a botched Irish whip, we are going to be talking about this blunder for months. The margin for error here is basically non-existent.

Final thoughts on the fallout

If you love professional wrestling, you love the absurdity. You love the idea that someone decided the solution to a feud was to tie two men together like they’re in a low-rent action movie. It’s ridiculous, it’s unnecessary, and it’s going to be the most discussed finish of the night.

I will be the guy in the bar yelling at the screen regardless of the quality. Whether it’s a sloppy car crash or a technical masterpiece, the Bang Bang Gang has at least achieved the one thing they wanted: they’ve made sure everyone is watching. Just don't blame me when you're explaining to your non-wrestling friends why two grown men are struggling to move while chained together in the middle of a ring.