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AEW brought some much-needed entertainment on Saturday night, after what has been a sad week for the industry.
Double or Nothing 2020 was a home run for AEW, with several tremendous matches. It is safe to say that the promotion exceeded most fan expectations going into the show.
Whether it was the Casino Ladder match, the crowning of new champions, or the absolutely unique main event - there was something for every AEW fan to enjoy at Double or Nothing.
Even faced with the task of delivering the event without a paying audience, AEW still managed to generate a sense of atmosphere inside Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida. The company made use of what they had available - and this meant that both Vickie Guerrero and MMA legend Vitor Belfort were invited to be a part of the limited number of spectators in attendance.
AEW needed their second-annual Double or Nothing pay-per-view to deliver. Here are 5 important takeaways from a show that did just that.
#5 Brian Cage as a main event player
AEW has themselves a new major contender for their world championship. Following much speculation, Brian Cage was revealed as the mystery entrant in the Casino Ladder Match. The former Impact World Champion guaranteed himself a future shot at the top prize in AEW by winning the spectacular multi-man match.
Interestingly, though, Brian Cage did not come alone. Instead, he was accompanied by AEW announcer Taz - who now looks to have taken on a role as Cage's manager.
We only got a brief glimpse of Cage in an AEW ring at Double or Nothing, but there are plenty of feuds available to him moving forward. Cage brutally threw Darby Allin out of the ring before he claimed victory in the Casino Ladder Match, so there is a potential rivalry there for the future.
Brian Cage also, of course, now has a cast-iron AEW World Championship opportunity to his name. It has been confirmed that this match will take place at AEW's next big event, Fyter Fest. Win or lose against Moxley, Cage is a great performer and the addition of Taz in his corner should make for an intriguing period ahead.
#4 Hikaru Shida as AEW Women's Champion
The most emotional moment at Double or Nothing was, undoubtedly, Hikaru Shida's victory over Nyla Rose to claim the AEW Women's Championship.
A new AEW Women's Champion
After what must have been a difficult day – following the passing of her countrywoman Hana Kimura – Shida put on an amazing performance to dethrone Rose for AEW gold.
An immediate rematch for the "Native Beast" is a strong possibility, especially as the AEW women's roster is quite thin at present. The recent injury suffered by Britt Baker really hurts the depth of the division, which only had a few members to begin with.
Although there are other heels that Hikaru Shida could tangle with, another meeting with Nyla Rose makes the most sense right now.
Regardless of her next opponent, though, it was truly heart-warming to see Shida win the AEW Women's Championship at Double or Nothing. Her becoming champion this weekend was absolutely the correct decision from AEW. It was the result that every fan wanted to see.
#3 Cody as AEW TNT Champion
Cody Rhodes became the first-ever AEW TNT Champion after an intense battle with Lance Archer at Double or Nothing and was presented the belt by none other than Mike Tyson.
Cody was the right choice for AEW
His victory was another example of AEW making a good booking decision on the pay-per-view. Cody is the most beloved babyface in all of AEW, as well as one of their top talents in the ring.
Given that the TNT title is named after AEW's television partner, you would expect to see the belt defended often on Dynamite. Cody can have a solid match with pretty much anyone on the AEW roster and is a natural choice as the first champion.
That is not to say that his feud with Archer needs to be over though. The pair have one of the most personal rivalries in AEW at present. There is more to be told in their story.
Archer and his advisor, Jake "The Snake" Roberts have gone after the Rhodes family repeatedly in recent times. Cody will, no doubt, seek full revenge on Archer soon.
#2 Jon Moxley and Brodie Lee exceed expectations
If truth be told, AEW fans were generally not high on the build-up to the Jon Moxley Vs Brodie Lee AEW World Championship match at Double or Nothing.
Their story was overshadowed by both The Elite Vs The Inner Circle feud and Cody's grudge with Lance Archer.
Why the AEW World Championship match delivered
Moxley and Lee certainly stepped things up when they made their way to the AEW ring, however. Engaging in a wild brawl, the pair delivered a championship match that ranks as one of the best in the short history of AEW. The highlight of the bout was Jon Moxley executing his Paradigm Shift DDT on Lee through the entrance ramp.
So well was the match received that Moxley and Lee will likely meet again down the road in AEW. It is worth noting that Brodie Lee passed out, rather than actually submitting when Moxley ended the match with a rear naked choke. "The Exalted One" definitely has a reason to demand a second bout with Moxley.
It will not happen next, though, as AEW has confirmed that Moxley will face Casino Ladder Match winner Brian Cage at Fyter Fest. Could we see Brodie Lee somehow get involved in that match? Only time will tell, but both Moxley and Lee proved that they are headline performers at AEW Double or Nothing.
#1 A touchdown of a main event
The empty-arena setting in which all professional wrestling has had to take place recently obviously hurts the overall products presented by both AEW and WWE. However, the absence of crowds has also given us some of the most unique matches in wrestling history.
The main event of AEW Double or Nothing was the first-ever Stadium Stampede Match. Yes, it was unique, but it was also a lot of fun.
Why the Stadium Stampede match worked for AEW
The memorable 10-man brawl between The Elite and The Inner Circle went all over the football stadium in which it took place, with craziness at every turn.
Adam "Hangman" Page entering the field on a horse, a Matt Jackson moonsault off one of the field goal posts, and a bar brawl involving Page, Kenny Omega and Jake Hager were just some highlights of the wackiest match in AEW history.
The Elite won the match, but the result was secondary to the sheer entertainment of the match. Until they are able to perform in front of real crowds, AEW should definitely consider using these cinematic style matches again - where they have a rivalry that suits one.
The current situation is far from ideal for anyone, but AEW presented something fresh with the Stadium Stampede Match at Double or Nothing. Fans like to be treated to new ideas and AEW should certainly think about doing more matches of this style going forward.
