The lineup for AEW’s Casino Ladder Match is complete for Double or Nothing on May 23. It features a skateboarding coffin lover, a bam-bam man, a sloth, a firebird, a sky-walker, an Englishman, a seasoned veteran, a dinosaur, and a surprise.
The full list includes:
- Darby Allin
- Colt Cabana
- Orange Cassidy
- Fenix
- Scorpio Sky
- Kip Sabian
- Frankie Kazarian
- Luchasaurus
- Mystery participant
The mystery man looks suspiciously like Vacant from WWE. Did he get released too during WWE’s recent cuts?
Your ninth & final entrant in the Casino Ladder Match is a mystery & will be revealed at Double or Nothing!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEWrestling) May 18, 2020
Order Double or Nothing on Sat, May 23rd on all major cable & satellite providers / @BRLive / @FITETV (Intl Fans Only) #AEWDoN pic.twitter.com/Fl63XOQKCq
The nine competitors will fight to climb up and retrieve a special poker chip high above the ring. AEW’s twist to the standard ladder match is starting with two wrestlers then adding another every 90 seconds. The winner will earn an AEW World Championship match. There is no mention yet if the poker chip will permit a spontaneous cash-in, like WWE’s Money in the Bank briefcase.
Let’s breakdown the field to determine the favorites. I’m confident in saying Sabian has no shot. Frankie Kazarian just lost a match to champ Jon Moxley. I don’t see him grabbing the chip, unless Mr. Brodie Lee shocks the world and dethrones Mox. Orange Cassidy is too lazy to climb the ladder. I could see a slight chance of Colt Cabana winning, but that’s not a story I’d be interested in.
That leaves Darby Allin, Fenix, Scorpio Sky, Luchasaurus, and the mystery person. After Sky’s in-depth video promos the past few weeks, he seems like the story favorite. Allin is the fan favorite and winning would finally give him a signature victory to build his resume. Luchasaurus has the clear advantage in power. Fenix is my personal pick. I don’t think he would defeat Moxley, but I’d love to see him try in an interesting clash of styles.
As for who could fill the mystery role, most guesses will come from the list of released talent from WWE last month. I think I’d pop hardest for EC3. His new persona would be entertaining as he runs his mouth while biding his time for the cash-in. For current AEW talent, PAC, Pentagon, and Dustin Rhodes would be the prime suspects. That assumes nobody pulls double duty and that PAC and Pentagon are able to return into the USA due to the coronavirus border tightness.
All in all, that is a good mix of talent with no obvious winner. There is a lot of athleticism and creativity to create numerous memorable moments.
Who is your pick to win the Casino Ladder Match? Who would you most like to see be victorious? Who do you think will fill the role as the mystery participant? Who would make you most excited as the surprise?