Double or Nothing highlights the essence of AEW

The best was saved for last in this outstanding pay-per-view

Extra Mustard is a weekly column looking at the highs and lows–and everything in between–in combat sports and beyond.

Last night served as a strong reminder: it’s healthy to have more than one option.

A night after WWE ran Saturday Night’s Main Event, AEW delivered a spectacular showing at its Double or Nothing pay-per-view, opening and closing with a pair of matches that turned this show from very good to great.

In the opener, Mercedes Moné defeated Jamie Hayter to win the women’s Owen Hart Cup. Two goals were accomplished here: Moné extended her undefeated streak and goes on to challenge “Timeless” Toni Storm at All In in July, while Hayter looked fantastic in defeat. After struggling to find herself in the ring following a back injury two years ago, Hayter is finally reclaiming the form that brought her to new heights.

The main event finished with a surprise, as Hangman Page defeated Will Ospreay to win the men’s Owen Hart Cup tournament. It was widely assumed that Ospreay would emerge victorious, but Hangman put forth an outstanding effort–furthering his connection with the crowd as the top babyface in AEW. He won the match at the 36:56 mark, which was only eight minutes less than the total amount of wrestling from WWE’s showing of Saturday Night’s Main Event.