Not for nothing, but I’m pretty sure that the other two teams in this match are also best friends. Just sayin’!
Anyway, looks like AEW’s continuing the trend of having qualifiers as part of their Buy In portions of their shows, which does make some sense when you think about it. Earn your way directly into a big main card match by getting a solid win on the pre-show. Doing so adds a level of prestige to this part of the show, gives you a real reason to tune in, and in a way just makes getting onto the main card all the bigger a deal.
AEW have announced a tag team title tournament that shall coincide with their arrival on TNT this fall, promising that their first series of episodes will feature it prominently. While the exact number hasn’t been announced nor all the participants, we do know that one team is getting a bye past the first round. That will be determined in a match at All Out, and one of the teams vying for it will be decided right here.
Triple Threat Tag Team Match: SCU (Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian) vs. Best Friends vs. Private Party
(Winners get a shot at a first-round bye in eventual Tag Team Title tournament)
SCU opened the main card of Double or Nothing and had quite the standout trios match. They bested OWE’s Stronghearts in a great showing. While the group is mostly famous for their pre-match promos, they can certainly get it done between the ropes. I’m not certain if I expect them to become tag champions but they are certainly set up well to be one of the division’s cornerstones and they certainly have a great shot at winning this one.
Kazarian and Sky bring a wealth of experience and athleticism alike into this one. Scorpio was actually named by JR as the most athletic man in that trios match. That ain’t nothing to sneeze at. They also know every trick in the book, making them a test for any team. They’ve been on their best behavior so far, but don’t be shocked if they go to the well of dirty tactics. (The original team that spawned this group was called Bad Influence for a reason!)
The Best Friends have the most high profile victory going into this one.
Having just bested Jack Evans and Angelico in a stellar bout at AEW’s inaugural PPV, they’ve got momentum. With the exception of the Bucks retaining the AAA tag titles later in the night, this was easily the biggest win for any team thus far in AEW. So they’re riding high for certain, even if their celebration was cut short by the arrival of the Dark Order.
Baretta and Chuckie T mix high flying skills with rugged brawling and awkward, frenetic energy. They’re one of AEW’s most tenured teams and giving them that win on PPV speaks volumes about their status. They’ll be a force in the tag division, no doubt about it. And considering that one of the many promises AEW was built on was that tag teams can in fact main event, that’s saying something.
Private Party are an interesting wildcard in this one.
They were in the Casino Royale, but a combination of poor production and somewhat spotty booking made it easy to miss their highest spots. Even their exit from the ring wasn’t particularly well shot, in my estimation. It wasn’t the best showcase for Quen and Kassidy, but that wasn’t on purpose. The Young Bucks are extremely high on these two, for good reason, as they look to be the Bucks of the future. (Younger Bucks?)
Indeed, from the highlight reels it’s unmistakable that they work a style very similar to the Bucks. Which in turn makes it no surprise that they’ve allegedly taken them under their wing. Technically, they haven’t been confirmed as actually signed yet, which makes their chances of winning this seem slim. But… c’mon, there’s no way they aren’t gonna be All Elite, right? Don’t count ‘em out.
This is maybe the toughest one for me to call, I could see any of these teams getting this nod. This is especially true because of the implications of a first round bye, which itself can go either way. Whoever wins that could take the advantage all the way to the final, or they could get too cocky and lose in the second round. It’s hard to say…
But on balance, I think I’m going with the Best Friends to win this match.
It seems safe to assume that a match similar to this will take place at Fight For The Fallen. Gotta determine the other half of that All Out match somehow. If I had to guess, that match would see The Dark Order vs. Evans & Angelico vs. Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus. As mentioned, the Order have made immediate enemies of the Best Friends, so it’d be sensible if those two teams ended up meeting at All Out. That’s mostly what I base this decision on, but I could easily be entirely off-course.
AEW Fyter Fest takes place on June 29th, and will be streamed for free for US viewers on B/R Live for all those who sign up. The rest of the world will be able to purchase the event on Fite.tv.
For previews on the rest of the show, check out the links below:
Michael Nakazawa vs. Alex Jebailey
Jungle Boy vs. MJF vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. Hangman Page
Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho vs. Nyla Rose
Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks vs. Laredo Kid & The Lucha Bros
