Orange Cassidy is the AEW Double or Nothing MVP

Orange Cassidy had a star-making performance despite the loss at AEW Double or Nothing.

All Elite Wrestling’s Double or Nothing show has come and gone for 2021. The first full capacity crowd stole the show from beginning to end, as the freshness of the white-hot crowd made a good show great. And while they are certainly MVPs in their own right, we must look at the wrestlers who showed out on such a major stage when they needed to most. And while a new champion was crowned, others retained, and scores were settled, the MVP was actually on the losing side at Double or Nothing. That MVP is none other than “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy.

Many may believe that new AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker or reigning AEW World Champion Kenny Omega should be deserving of this title, but none of them matched what Cassidy was able to show all night long.

Throughout the night, AEW aired a special hype video for the AEW World Championship match between champion Kenny Omega, PAC, and Cassidy. And in that video package, Cassidy made a reasonable claim of “why not me?” He made note of his two wins over Chris Jericho, the first AEW World Champion, as good reasons as to why he not only has a chance but could walk out of the show as the new champion.

Orange Cassidy continued to display this immense confidence once the match actually began, showing a sense of seriousness from the moment the bell rang. Almost instantly, the glasses were off and Cassidy was going at top speed. He shined throughout, making both PAC and Omega sweat as to whether they could stop him from achieving his goal or not.

Perhaps the best part of the entire match was that the crowd was with him from beginning to end. Everything he did, the crowd was right there with him hoping that maybe, just maybe this was his night to show the world it was his time to be the best. Cassidy took plenty of brutal shots in the bout, as multiple kneepad-less V-Triggers from Omega and even a Black Arrow weren’t enough to keep him down. He kept fighting on and on.

As the match was nearing its close, Cassidy looked as though he would shock the world. Two Orange Punches to the skull of PAC had “The Bastard” down and out, allowing “Freshly Squeezed” to roll onto him and pin him. The only reason it was a three count was due to Don Callis’ involvement, as he pulled out the referee before the three count.

Cassidy was then cleared out of the ring by Omega, who would take out the referee and eventually hit PAC with four title shots to the head, ridding him from the end of the match. Cassidy had one last near fall in him as he surprised Omega with a pin, met by a reversal with Cassidy’s shoulders down long enough for the three count. The champion escaped with his title but was left with the remembrance that Orange Cassidy is no joke.

The match was one of the best all night long, maybe the best, and a lot of that has to do with Cassidy himself. He got the fans involved and into it from beginning to end, only bolstering the performances by all. It was a special night for him as all of the hard work nearly paid off with him on top as the world champion.

He may have walked out of the show without gold around his waist, but you could feel in this match that someday it will be his moment to be the world champion in AEW. It’s coming for Cassidy. Just not yet.

From beginning to end, this match was impressive and Cassidy solidified himself as a main eventer moving forward. That, in itself, is a major win for the one who is “Freshly Squeezed.”