[2020-05-23-AEW-Double Or Nothing] Jungle Boy vs Maxwell Jacob Friedman

[cactus]

This felt like a breath of fresh air for someone who has felt AEW's in-ring product hasn't been up to snuff. Whilst some of the bigger moments featured big spots that wouldn't feel out of place in a PWG spotfest, they make those big moments count by consistent selling and a clear-cut face/heel dynamic. After a neat technical exchange that caught me off guard, MJF sets his sights on damaging Jungle Boy's arm to set up for his submission. This was the best match of the PPV, and this shows that MJF's ring work can reach the level of his mic work when he wants it to.

★★★½

[ShittyLittleBoots]

This match felt kind of all over the place? It had a very basic heel vs. babyface dynamic, with some good stuff like MJF faking that injury early on & going after Jungle Boy's arm throughout, but it also felt like a shitty generic indy match at the same time. No selling Destroyers & chops galore like its Kobashi vs Sasaki or something. Dragged like a motherfucker too -- I guess they went like 20 minutes, but it sure felt like 40. If it indeed was 20 minutes, that's 10 too many for the material the two had here, in my honest opinion. *1/4

[KB8]

Outside of Jericho decking a mascot and Jake Roberts' little dance I thought this was the best thing on the show, even if it had some stuff I couldn't be bothered with and went too long (although every match went long). I liked the stuff around the arm and thought Jungle Boy mostly sold it really well. MJF feigning injury was pretty awesome too. The fighting spirit pop-up definitely sucked, but they at least redeemed the goofy strike exchange with MJF realising it was a bad idea and just punching Jungle Boy in the dodgy arm. That reverse rana bump on the apron was ludicrous. Ultimately the things I disliked about it are the things most people have made peace with in 2020, especially if you're actively following AEW week to week, so if I theoretically thought these two had a ***1/4 match (or, you know...something) then I'm guessing it would've really resonated with the AEW fans who've been along for the ride from the start.