AEW Redemption needs more than gimmicks to fix its stale tag team scene

The Double Chain gamble

AEW has officially booked the Bang Bang Gang into a Double Chain match for the upcoming Redemption pay-per-view. It is a desperate move for a division that has drifted into a repetitive cycle of interference and non-finishes. The gimmick, which tethers opponents together at the wrist, occupies a strange space in modern wrestling history. It rarely produces technical brilliance, serving instead as a blunt instrument to limit mobility and force a brawl.

The Bang Bang Gang’s reliance on this stipulation suggests management is struggling to find a compelling narrative anchor for their current roster. We saw this play out on Dynamite when the challenge was laid out. Rather than building stakes through character progression or high-quality bouts, we are getting a forced gimmick to generate temporary heat. It feels like an artificial spike in adrenaline to distract from a sagging mid-card.

Tactical stagnation in the tag division

The core issue remains the lack of spacing and variety in AEW's tag team booking. We see the same sequences: two minutes of fast-paced chain wrestling, followed by a double-down, followed by an inevitable referee bump. The Double Chain match is essentially a logistical nightmare designed to prevent the usual high-speed tags that define the promotion. By restricting movement, they are inadvertently highlighting the limitations of their own wrestling style.

This is a tactical failure. If you tether two athletes together, you force a linear pace. The Bang Bang Gang usually thrives on chaotic, multi-man sprints where they can isolate corners. Removing that option pulls them away from their natural strengths. When you look at their recent performances, their best work comes from seamless transitions off the apron—not standing stationary while chained to an opponent for 20 minutes.

The booking blind spot

There is a recurring flaw in Tony Khan’s booking logic that persists here: the belief that a stipulation can save a lukewarm feud. We saw this pattern emerge throughout the spring, and Wrestling Inc reports that this is the primary hook for their next major event. It is a miscalculation. High-stakes matches should be the culmination of a grudge that feels organic, not a contractual requirement to sell tickets.

The Bang Bang Gang is talented enough to make this work physically, but the optics are poor. They are moving backward into 1980s territory to solve a 2026 problem. Without a significant alteration to the match structure—specifically regarding the length of the chain and the rules surrounding rope breaks—this will likely devolve into a messy, disjointed affair. The division needs fresher antagonists and more varied pacing, not metal links and leather straps.

The risk here is alienation. Fans who tune in for the high-workrate style AEW once championed might find the slow, restricted movement of a chain match contradictory. If the execution fails—if the pacing drags or the spots look overly coordinated to avoid tangling—it will be a significant setback for a promotion already facing dwindling momentum on Wednesday nights. They need to show they can craft a compelling story without reverting to the dusty tropes of the past.