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AEW celebrated its five-year anniversary in Las Vegas with the 2024 edition of its inaugural pay-per-view, Double or Nothing. The event presented a card of top-tier matches, crowned several new champions, and continued to build on the storylines currently in progress in the company.
Despite being an action-packed and exciting affair, Double or Nothing 2024 saw All Elite Wrestling Creative Head Tony Khan arguably make certain creative missteps.
Here are four mistakes that AEW made during the sixth edition of their iconic annual pay-per-view.
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#1. Adam Copeland retaining the TNT Title against Malakai Black
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Adam Copeland and Malakai Black faced off for the former's TNT Championship in a Barbed Wire Steel Cage match at Double or Nothing. The bout had several intriguing stakes, with Black demanding that The Rated-R Superstar "bend the knee" to The House of Black if he lost.
Copeland, on the other hand, indicated that Buddy Matthews and Brody King could consider joining forces with him were he to retain his title.
The steel cage match was an incredibly violent one, with the WWE Hall of Famer forcing Black to pass out with the help of an assist from his former mentor Gangrel. While Copeland's win was a cause for celebrations among fans, a victory for Malakai could have revitalized his singles run in All Elite Wrestling and also inaugurated a compelling storyline involving the 50-year-old legend joining The House of Black.
The former NXT Champion's loss at the pay-per-view also raises questions regarding his future in AEW amidst recent reports regarding his contract status.
#2. Orange Cassidy defeating Trent Beretta in their rematch
The feud between Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta began after the latter turned on the Freshly Squeezed star and attacked him in April. The New York native elevated the rivalry to a greater degree of bitterness by ending Chuck Taylor's career after defeating him in a Parking Lot Brawl.
Beretta and Cassidy clashed in a singles match on Dynamite earlier this month, with the latter picking up a controversial roll-up victory. This prompted Trent to challenge the 40-year-old star to a bout at Double or Nothing 2024.
After an intense back-and-forth contest, the former AEW International Champion managed to pin Beretta to pick up the victory. However, a win for Trent at the pay-per-view would have added to the credibility of the 37-year-old star as a singles competitor.
Interestingly, Cassidy's victory was applauded by Don Callis, who seems keen to add the former to his faction. Although it remains to be seen where this story leads, Beretta could arguably have benefited more from the heel manager's services in an angle that would see Callis help Trent emerge triumphant and then recruit him into The Don Callis Family.
#3. Mercedes Mone not turning heel at AEW Double or Nothing 2024
Mercedes Mone made her AEW in-ring debut at Double or Nothing 2024, facing Willow Nightingale for the TBS Championship. The bout marked The CEO's first match since suffering a severe injury against the very same opponent last year at NJPW Resurgence.
In the weeks following her debut at Dynamite: Big Business, Mone interrupted Nightingale several times on television, escalating tensions between the two women to the point of physicality during the contract signing for their title match.
Fans and veterans alike have argued that Mone's All Elite Wrestling character gives the impression of being a heel. The former IWGP Women's Champion even garnered some heat during her exchange with Willow during their contract signing on Dynamite. Although Mone defeated Nightingale to win the TBS Title at Double or Nothing, her victory was not accompanied by a turn to the dark side.
Considering the immense popularity of Women's World Champion Toni Storm in spite of being a heel, a character shift for Mone could have positioned her as the top villain of AEW's women's division.
#4. Tony Khan's on-screen appearance, despite his recent remarks
On the media call for Double or Nothing 2024, Tony Khan claimed that he had intentionally made only a limited number of appearances on AEW television, stating that he stepped in front of the camera only to make important announcements. His remarks came in light of his participation in a major storyline in which The New Elite has been attempting to take control of All Elite Wrestling - a quest they began by assaulting the head honcho of the Jacksonville-based promotion on Dynamite last month.
Khan made his in-person return to AEW programming by driving Darby Allin to the arena to rescue Bryan Danielson from The Elite on the go-home edition of Dynamite heading into Double or Nothing. Despite his remarks prior to the pay-per-view, the 41-year-old executive was involved in the Anarchy in the Arena match between The Elite and Team AEW.
At one point during the bout, Jack Perry dragged Tony from the backstage area to the entrance ramp. The AEW President would be rescued by Allin, who set The Scapegoat on fire as Khan fled to safety. The spot was a sensational one, but Khan's involvement in it and in the match was arguably not essential.
It remains to be seen what the landscape of AEW will look like in the aftermath of Double or Nothing 2024.
