4 mistakes Tony Khan must not make at AEW Double or Nothing 2024
Double or Nothing 2019 was not only the inaugural edition of the iconic AEW pay-per-view, it was also the very first pay-per-view produced by the Jacksonville-based promotion. Five years later, All Elite Wrestling will return to Paradise, Nevada for the 2024 edition of the event, set to emanate from the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The card for AEW Double or Nothing 2024 promises several action-packed matches which will advance various storylines at play in the company's programming. Although Tony Khan has cultivated a reputation for booking memorable pay-per-views, evidenced by the success of Dynasty 2024 last month and Revolution 2024 the month before that, it is imperative that the company's Creative Head make narratively coherent and profitable decisions when planning the upcoming event.
On that note, here are four errors that Khan must avoid while booking Double or Nothing 2024:
#1: Crowning an Assassin: Will Ospreay must NOT lose to Roderick Strong
Will Ospreay is set to challenge Roderick Strong for the International Championship at Double or Nothing 2024, a shot he earned by winning a Casino Gauntlet match on Dynamite last month. The Messiah of the Backbreaker, who is a formidable competitor by himself, is additionally armed with the support of The Undisputed Kingdom, who could cost Ospreay the opportunity to capture his first singles title at the pay-per-view.
However, considering the immense popuarity and audience response that The Aerial Assassin is currently enjoying, it would be a mistake to not crown Ospreay with the International Title. Such a victory would not only utilize the momentum gathered by Ospreay after his victory over Bryan Danielson at Dynasty 2024, but it could also kickstart his reported split from the Don Callis Family.
#2: Mone holds the gold: Mercedes Mone must NOT lose her AEW in-ring debut
Mercedes Mone revealed last month that she would make her in-ring debut in AEW at Double or Nothing 2024 against whoever walked out of Dynasty 2024 as the TBS Champion. Willow Nightingale beat Julia Hart for the title in the Chaifetz Arena, making the clash between the former rivals official. Tensions have been running high between champion and contender in recent weeks after The CEO slapped Nightingale in the face during her victory celebration on Dynamite.
Regardless of the fan support rallying behind Willow, Mercedes Mone must absolutely defeat the 2023 Women's Owen Hart Cup winner to win the TBS Championship. Even though this would cut Nightingale's title run short, a star of Mone's caliber can not be booked to lose her first match in the promotion. Furthermore, a loss would allow Nightingale to continue her feud with the former IWGP Women's Champion.
#3: Cope with The End: Malakai Black must NOT lose to Adam Copeland
A singles match between Malakai Black and Adam Copeland has been in the making since the former sprayed the black mist on the reigning TNT Champion during a star-studded trios match at Dynasty 2024. Since then, The Rated-R Superstar has hunted down The House of Black piece by piece, retaining his title against Buddy Matthews and Brody King on consecutive episodes of Dynamite. The black mist has seemingly begun to affect Copeland's behaviour as well, as seen in his consideration of hitting a Con-Chair-To on Matthews, and in his strange post-match interaction with Kyle O'Reilly on AEW Collision last week.
Following his match against O'Reilly, the WWE Hall of Famer challenged Malakai Black to a barbed wire steel cage match for the TNT Title at Double or Nothing 2024. This will mark the Dutch star's first pay-per-view singles match in AEW, making the bout a must-win for the former AEW World Trios Champion. A victory against a legend like Copeland would elevate Black as a singles competitor while also shaking up the TNT Championship landscape.
#4: AEW goes All ELITE: Team AEW must NOT defeat The Elite in Anarchy in the Arena
The New Elite are seemingly taking over All Elite Wrestling after having incapacitated Tony Khan last month, and brutalizing Kenny Omega the week after that. The Cleaner announced on the following episode of Dynamite that a team of AEW stars woud take on The Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry in an Anarchy in the Arena Match at Double or Nothing 2024. The team was revealed to consist of FTR, Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson.
The storyline of the EVPs and their new stable-mates taking control of the promotion they helped found is currently one of AEW's hottest angles. In order to continue it further, The Elite must triumph over Team AEW. This would allow the story to include more currently absent major names such as Hangman Page, Kota Ibushi and eventually, Kenny Omega who could lead the charge against their former stable-mates down the line.
It remains to be seen what creative directions Tony Khan chooses to explore at AEW Double or Nothing 2024.
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