Roundtable: AEW Fyter Fest

What did you think of Double Or Nothing?

David Gibb: It reminded me a lot of a big New Japan show in that the featured/main event singles and 2-on-2 matches were strong and memorable while the undercard multi-person matches were pretty forgettable.

Juan Bautista: The show was great. The matches flowed together. There wasn’t a match that felt out of place.

Chad Gelfand: I loved Double or Nothing. It was such a breath of fresh air in what has been a stagnant time creatively for WWE. Double or Nothing was a peek into an alternative brand of wrestling that’s not solely trying to imitate WWE.

Steven Jackson: Double or Nothing was fantastic. One of the best independent shows ever and a celebration of what AEW has to offer in the coming weeks, months and years!

Sam Gladen: I loved it. But it had serious issues that showed AEW wasn’t yet ready to challenge WWE for the crown. The audio and commentary need serious work and some of the camera direction was downright silly. The ring work (that we were able to see) was solid, though.

John Corrigan: It was the most fun pay-per-view I’ve seen in a long time. However, I do agree with Jim Cornette’s analysis that it wasn’t successful in educating casual viewers (people who don’t follow the indies) on who most of these wrestlers are. For example, I zoned out of the six-women’s tag team match because I had no reason to care.

Neal Wagner: Double or Nothing was an excellent show. When you have a show in which you can say “this is the worst match, but it was still really good,” then that says a lot. For a debut show for a new company, this was the most excellent way to start out.

Who stood out to you the most at Double Or Nothing?

Gibb: Dustin Rhodes illustrated the incredible emotional resonance and depth of entertainment that are possible while working within the traditional boundaries of pro wrestling.

Bautista: Smiley Kylie Rae. I had no prior exposure to her and she won me over by the end of the match. She is the cocaine version of Bayley.

Gelfand: MJF. His poise and commitment to character at such a young age is impressive and we’ll be seeing him as one of the faces of AEW in a few years.

Jackson: Dustin Rhodes. The passion, emotion and history of his career all came to the surface on the PPV. It was the match of his career and turned everyone’s heads to just how talented he truly is.

Gladen: They are building Hangman Page to be an absolute monster and of course Moxley looks imposing as hell. I’m very curious after Double or Nothing how Joey Janela and Jimmy Havoc will bring their hardcore CZW-style to TV.

Corrigan: MJF became the top villain in the company in just one night. His promo to Page and Bret Hart was hilarious.

Wagner: Dustin Rhodes. The match against Cody is still talked about for its quality and storytelling. It was the match of the night and that was with great competition. I’m excited to see what happens with him going forward, especially at Fight for the Fallen as he teams with Cody against The Young Bucks.

Is it a smart strategy for AEW to air Fyter Fest for free?

Gibb: For the love of god, YES!!!

Bautista: Yes, they have recognized that paying regular PPV prices can be a bit much for fans. It’s an event that will probably make money off the gate and merchandise. It’s good for exposure.

Gelfand: It builds cache with their audience and it makes the show visible to as many people as possible. Right now it’s incredibly important that AEW is seen by as many people as possible while they’re trying to get established.

Jackson: It’s a great strategy! Everyone wants to watch AEW and letting the show air for free is a great way to integrate more fans into the product.

Gladen: Absolutely. Especially after the sour taste left in some mouths after paying 50 dollars for Double Or Nothing in an era where that isn’t normal any longer. This is the best jumping-on point for the promotion.

Corrigan: Of course. I can’t keep risking the feds knocking on my door!

Wagner: It’s smart to do Fyter Fest and Fight for the Fallen for free because now you can build up that fan base before starting TV in October. It’s great to get some of the product out there now and even let people find out and see where you will be for future shows and pay-per-views.

Which match at Fyter Fest are you most looking forward to?

Gibb: It’s Kenny’s show, and I can’t get enough of the Lucha Bros, so definitely the six-man.

Bautista: The fatal four way to see how the match flows and how each individual style blends together. It will be intriguing to see how much time the match gets and if the momentum of the match doesn’t die off.

Gelfand: Jon Moxley vs. Joey Janela. They should tear the house down and each other apart. I think we’ll see more of the sadistic, CZW-style Moxley in this match, too, which should be a sight to see.

Jackson: It’s such a hard question as there are so many matches I’m excited for! If I have to choose one, Cody vs. Darby Allin. I’ve followed Darby since seeing him in EVOLVE and I’m really pleased AEW has signed him to the promotion. I hope the whole world can see just how good Darby is!

Gladen: Moxley vs. Janela should be amazing with their hardcore backgrounds and Mox’ solid traditional wrestling. They should be able to steal the show.

Corrigan: I wasn’t crazy about Moxley’s matches in NJPW, so this bout with Janela should be his breakout performance since leaving McMahonland.

Wagner: John Moxley vs. Joey Janela will be a great match to watch. Moxley has had two good matches with New Japan since leaving the WWE banner and both men are crazy when it comes to the extreme deathmatch-style. This match could get very violent.

Who wins in the fatal four way: Adam Page, Jimmy Havoc, Jungle Boy or MJF?

Gibb: Page has the title match coming up, so I say he gets a strong win.

Bautista: MJF to get momentum going for him. He is an amazing heel, but needs to get a win here and there. Adam Page is already in a prime position, as long as he has a strong showing he’ll be fine. This will be Havoc’s and Jungle Boy’s first outing in a non-rumble match, so as long as they’re able to have a good outing, they can’t be hurt.

Gelfand: Adam Page. AEW wants to keep Page strong and give him more momentum going into his AEW title match with Chris Jericho at All Out.

Jackson: I’d love MJF to win and then be an ultra-bad guy about it!

Gladen: You have to have Adam Page win to maintain the idea of him challenging for the World Title, but make it a hard-fought match to legitimize the other three. I don’t think Jungle Boy or MJF will get a ton of effective offense on either Page or Havoc, but they should work well together and the match will serve as a launching pad for the middleweight/light-heavyweight divisions. I would have those two beat each other to a dazed stupor and have Havoc and Page take the bulk of the match.

Corrigan: MJF. He can get the pin on Jungle Boy, so Page doesn’t really lose and MJF can claim a victory over the future AEW World Champion.

Wagner: Immediately, I want to pick Hangman Page to win due to the buildup of the upcoming match at All Out with Jericho for the AEW title. But I’m picking MJF largely to build that new mega-heat heel character and also if Hangman walks away champion in late August, it can give him an immediate challenger by MJF winning a match over Page before taking the title.