Backstage News On PAC And Adam Page Match Getting Pulled From AEW Double Or Nothing
Yesterday, Adam Page showed up at a Wrestle Gate Pro event in Nottingham, England to confront PAC and answer his open challenge. The two had a match where Adam Page won by DQ. Afterwards, PAC took down Page with a chair and told him he wouldn't be coming to Double or Nothing or AEW.
Initially, this all seemed like a way to hype their upcoming match at AEW Double or Nothing, but in actuality the match had been called off and this was how it was written off. It was reported the cancellation was do to creative differences as PAC (and Dragon Gate) didn't want to lose a match while he's the Open the Dream Gate Champion. AEW had other ideas for how they wanted the match to go and things weren't lining up for the two sides.
Page will still have a match at the show against a yet to be named opponent.
On this morning's Wrestler Observer Radio it was noted the bout in England will be streamed by AEW, most likely on Tuesday, as a way for fans to still be able to see a match between the two since it won't be on Saturday's PPV.
In terms of the match itself, AEW did not want a tie/DQ as they are looking for wins/losses in their matches, especially on PPVs. PAC previously went to 30-minute draws with Will Ospreay and Zack Sabre Jr., which drew boos and would probably get a similar reaction at Double or Nothing. Also, it was reported PPV time was a factor as AEW is working within a four hour limit and that match would take up a big chunk of time, only for a tie to happen.
Dave Meltzer also speculated AEW is looking at things long-term, PAC beating Page wasn't so much a problem, but he would have to keep winning against bigger names to make the win against Page mean something. He felt Kenny Omega would have been next in line and AEW probably didn't want to have PAC beat Omega at this point.
When PAC eventually drops his title, doing the DQ finish in England allows an easy reentry point for PAC, if he does return to AEW.
You never know who might turn up at Wrestle Gate Pro.......#LionsSpirit #AEW pic.twitter.com/mVf76yGHD0
? Wrestle Gate Pro (@WrestleGatePro) May 18, 2019
Wait! PAC says he isn't going to #DoubleOrNothing and he isn't going to @AEWrestling !!!!!@theAdamPage @BASTARDPAC @MattJackson13 @NickJacksonYB @CodyRhodes @TheBrandiRhodes @IAmJericho @WONF4W @ryansatin @WrestleGatePro #LionsSpirit pic.twitter.com/mQGmugZjPU
? Wrestle Thoughts Podcast (@wtpoduk) May 18, 2019