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From Mike Tyson crowning Cody as AEW's first-ever TNT Champion to an absolutely chaotic main event between The Elite and The Inner Circle, AEW Double or Nothing 2020 featured many contrasting moments.
Undoubtedly, this was a must-see pay-per-view from start-to-finish. Fans were concerned that Double or Nothing wouldn't live up to expectations because of current restrictions. But AEW management deserves a round of applause for putting on one of the most entertaining main events of 2020.
It just went on to show that the company took this year's Money in the Bank Ladder match as a challenge, and they outdid WWE at their own game last night.
Here are the five biggest news stories from AEW Double or Nothing (May 23, 2020).
#5: Mike Tyson presented an unfinished title as Cody became the first-ever AEW TNT Champion
Cody and Lance Archer wrestled each other in the final round of AEW's TNT Championship tournament, with Arn Anderson and Jake "The Snake" Roberts at their respective sides.
This was certainly a good contest from a storytelling point-of-view. Archer dominated Cody throughout the bout, and it stretched to a point where fans had to believe that Cody was done for good.
Mike Tyson's presence ended up being a huge factor for Cody's victory. He threatened to knock out Jake Roberts if the WWF legend didn't stop interfering in the match.
Tony Schiavone did let us know that the title belt was unfinished due to current COVID-19 restrictions, which is fine because the last thing you want is for the TNT championship to resemble the RAW Tag Team titles.
Lance Archer's loss might diminish his threatening image in the upcoming weeks, but then again, it was Jake Roberts' shenanigans that got him distracted throughout the bout.
Mike Tyson yawning in the middle of such an important match did crack me up as a fan.
#4: Brian Cage made his AEW debut and won the Casino Ladder Match
A surprise entrant was hyped by the AEW production team leading up to the Casino Ladder Match at Double or Nothing.
The participants were as follows: Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy, Colt Cabana, Joey Janela, Scorpio Sky, Luchasaurus, Kip Sabian, Frankie Kazarian, and a mysterious competitor, who turned out to be Brian Cage.
Brian Cage, the former TNA/Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground star, has been one of the most renowned names outside of WWE, and his AEW debut was certainly a surprise for viewers sitting at home.
The match itself was a little messy, but there were some exciting spots to keep you engaged to the end.
Since Cage went on to successfully retrieve the poker chip hanging over the ring, he will challenge the AEW World Champion, Jon Moxley, at AEW Fyter Fest.
AEW is often stereotyped for pushing smaller Superstars ahead of pro-wrestling's traditional "big men". But the company features some of the best wrestlers with a big stature, and Brian Cage is a fine addition to that pack of talent.
#3: Hikaru Shida became the new AEW Women's World Champion in an emotional series of events
The AEW Women's Division has been criticized for several shortcomings in the past.
But Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose was easily one of the top-tier bouts at this year's Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
The No Disqualification stipulation helped both women to go to extreme lengths throughout the match. Before it began, AEW revealed a graphic of Hana Kimura with an emotional tribute by Excalibur on commentary.
Since the 22-year old wrestler's tragic death, the world of pro-wrestling has been in mourning. So in a way, Shida's title victory not only signifies her own struggle to get to the top, but it also stands as a reminder of the emotional turmoil we have all been through in several ways recently.
Hikaru Shida deserves to be AEW Women's World Champion right now, and there was no better way it could have been achieved during last night's event.
Now that Shida is the champion to defeat, several heels like Britt Baker, Nyla Rose, and Penelope Ford will be on the trail to dethrone her from the top.
#2: Jon Moxley choked out Brodie Lee to retain the AEW World Title
Jon Moxley and Brodie Lee put each other through hell in an intense title match at AEW Double or Nothing.
Heading into this bout, fans were apprehensive of getting too excited with the outcome. This is because Moxley and Lee have wrestled with each other several times before, and not all of those matches have knocked it out of the park.
On top of that, the buildup to this encounter felt slightly rushed as well. But when the bell rang, both men proved that the title match was worth sticking around for.
AEW has a smart policy where Superstars can get away with a lot of hardcore stuff because there needs to be a clear victor at the end of a title match. This is why you don't have a lot of disqualifications in AEW, to begin with.
This helps Moxley in accessing his extreme side during matches too. After all, a hardcore style of wrestling is what he is most known for.
Also, Brodie Lee didn't look any less menacing after losing to the AEW World Champion. He simply got choked out to unconsciousness and didn't get pinned or tapped out in the process.
#1: The Stadium Stampede match was one of the most creative and exciting bouts of 2020
The main event of AEW Double or Nothing deserves its own article, and that is how good it was.
There were so many chaotic moments that would end taking up 3-4 slides worth of description. Whether it was Sammy Guevara being chased by an actual horse or Matt Hardy avenging the loss of his precious drone inside a swimming pool, the Stadium Stampede Match is a perfect example of wrestling and entertainment co-existing together.
One of the best takeaways from this whole affair is that Hangman Page has broken out as one of the best stars in AEW. His "western antihero" schtick was dialed up to the max last night.
The AEW production crew deserves appreciation too. Although it was meant to look like chaos, the Stadium Stampede match required a lot of planning and creative discussions over the past week.
At the end of the day, The Elite stood tall and united in victory, but it was ultimately the viewers who received a potent dose of entertainment, and if you haven't watched it yet, then what are you waiting for?
