Here is my AEW Double or Nothing 2020 review, including the biggest takeaways from the show, the wild Stadium Stampede Match, and much more. Let’s jump in.
Blake’s AEW Double or Nothing 2020 Review
- Location: Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL
- Commentary: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone
Frankie Kazarian vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Kip Sabian vs. Darby Allin vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Colt Cabana vs. Joey Janela vs. Luchasaurus vs. Brian Cage – Casino Ladder Match
Everyone was wondering who the mystery participant would be, and there were many rumored names. And since it was clear that it was someone making his AEW debut, it was clear that the company had to give viewers a strong first impression. Well, that’s exactly what they did. This match featured a variety of talent and a variety of insane moves. Allin’s skateboard spot off the ladder was just nuts, and I was probably one of the many that thought he broke his leg. But we already knew that Allin doesn’t mind taking crazy bumps. Among the other things we learned: Orange Cassidy needs the WWE Network to watch ladder match replays, getting your fingers caught in a ladder sucks (poor Colt Cabana), Luchasaurus is still a badass, AEW understands the value of pairing former stars with rising stars by putting Taz with Cage, those poker chips are really heavy, and more. With the win, Cage is set for an AEW World Title match with Jon Moxley at Fyter Fest, according to Tony Khan. This was a hell of a way to introduce a No. 1 contender for the company’s top title.
- RATING: *** (Recommended)
MJF vs. Jungle Boy
I was listening to the POST Wrestling Double or Nothing post show and John Pollock, one of my favorite wrestling journalists in the business, echoed my exact thoughts early in this match: MJF and Jungle Boy have incredible chemistry together. Because of that, this was my favorite traditional wrestling match of the night. While it included its own insane move with Jungle Boy hitting a reverse hurricanrana on MJF on the apron, the match was more of a display of two young stars understanding the basics of what makes wrestling work. There was the dastardly act from MJF in selling a fake knee injury, using it to his advantage to regain the upper hand on his opponent. There was Jungle Boy selling a shoulder injury to the point where it prevented him from holding a submission move long enough to make MJF tap out. And there was also the simple good vs. evil aspect which isn’t required in every match in the modern era, yet still works when executed well. These two dudes are among the future of AEW, and this match confirmed that the company will be in good hands when the future becomes the present.
- RATING: ****
Cody vs. Lance Archer – AEW TNT Title
Speaking of good vs. evil, the first-ever AEW TNT Title match also had that layer to it. And despite some suggesting that Archer is already screwed due to losing the match, the outcome makes sense. Archer destroyed Cody’s brother. Archer’s manager, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, attacked Cody’s wife with a giant snake and then laid on top of her. In a non-Archer related part of the story, Cody can’t even compete for the company’s top title despite being ranked as the top challenger. So, Cody (good) getting revenge on Archer (bad) is as simple as it gets when it comes to storytelling in wrestling. Archer still looked like a complete maniac even in defeat, and while neither needs the belt to cement their status as top AEW stars, Cody needed it more from a storyline standpoint. I can’t say that I was entertained by this as I was the MJF/Jungle Boy match, but this still told a good story, even if it dragged a little at times. Also, Mike Tyson’s involvement was rather minimal for what was expected.
- RATING: ***
– Dr. Sampson’s update on Britt Baker This was notable since he made it clear that Baker will be out of action for a few months. Of course, it also pushed the story of Baker being difficult to deal with, and despite the fact that it absolutely sucks that she’ll be sidelined during the hottest point of her career thus far, she should be fantastic in both video segments and on commentary.
Penelope Ford vs. Kris Statlander
Not too much to this one given the fact that it was thrown together after Baker’s injury. The lack of a story made it just another match, but this was another example of two young talents with a lot of potential. The announcers noted the great agility from both, and they’ll continue to develop different skills in the versatile AEW women’s division. Also loved Kip Sabian overselling his injuries from the Casino Ladder Match by wearing a neck brace and hopping around on crutches.
- RATING: **
Shawn Spears vs. Dustin Rhodes
Probably my least favorite thing on the show, but it’s not as though it was meant to be anything more than a quick match that allowed Dustin to get back at Spears after all the trash-talking. Spears turning around and Dustin entering the camera shot behind him was a cool touch. Spears’ ass was all over the screen, as was the picture of Tully Blanchard on his boxers. Surely there’s a better use of Spears than this, but we’ll see what’s next for him.
- RATING: *
– Video announcement for All Out All Out is coming on September 5. – Tribute to Hana Kimura with Excalibur’s commentary This was a nice tribute to the Stardom star, who tragically passed away at the age of 22. Excalibur delivered some needed thoughts on the state of social media and its negative impact. The takeaway from this tragedy: Be kind to one another.
Hikaru Shida vs. (c) Nyla Rose – No DQ Match for the AEW Women’s Title
My first thought when Shida won was that title changes just don’t have the same impact without a crowd. It would’ve been cool to see a raucous crowd’s reaction to Shida slaying the beast, but nonetheless, it’s an important moment for the new champ, the former champ, and for AEW’s women division. Shida’s victory makes her the face of the women’s division. Nyla’s loss puts her in an intriguing spot, and I’m curious who she feuds with next if she doesn’t get another shot at Shida. As for the women’s division, Shida winning gives AEW more options in terms of potential feuds, and you have to assume that Shida vs. Baker is an obvious direction once the latter returns from injury. This was a very good match with Nyla doing a great job selling the kendo stick shot at the end, and Shida winning was the right move.
- Rating: ***
Mr. Brodie Lee vs. (c) Jon Moxley – AEW World Title
Like many people, I wasn’t sure where this would be slotted on the card. Given what the actual main event entailed (and the fact that it was taped on Friday), it was clearly the right move to put this as the live main event. The build to this match was fine, but nothing spectacular. The Dark Order has had to adjust without Evil Uno and Stu Grayson, leaving Harper to fend for himself without any notable characters around him. But while the setup for the match was limited due to the roster issues and lack of fans, I thought the match itself was very good. As soon as the bell rung, Moxley couldn’t restrain himself from attacking Lee. This is a small, but important tidbit that gives the character some validity. The bastard stole his title belt, so of course he’d want to try to tear his head off right from the beginning. It’s the type of approach that could have added a little something extra to Cody’s match against Archer considering the circumstances, but then again, Moxley and Cody are completely different characters. But there were similarities with the two matches. Lee, like Archer, came out of the match looking strong. The Paradigm Shift through the ramp was awesome, and Lee crawling out with his head busted open was a nice visual. And then he kicked out of the Paradigm Shift at one right after that which made him look even stronger. With the finish being Lee passing out, he can argue that he didn’t willingly lose the match. These two beat the hell out of each other, and that’s exactly what it needed to be for two brawlers. The finishing sequence was well done, and I enjoyed this one.
- Rating: ***1/2 (Recommended)
– New AEW Unrivaled action figures coming in August Hell yeah.
The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager, Santana, Ortiz) vs. The Elite (Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, Matt Hardy, The Young Bucks) – Stadium Stampede Match
I can’t possibly do this match justice with only words. If you haven’t yet watched this spectacle (I assume the majority of you have), go do that before you read any further. The beauty is in the details when it comes to this type of match, and it’s not one you want spoiled. You have to experience it for yourself to get the full effect. Now that you’ve watched, let’s start with an obvious fact: cinematic wrestling matches aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. They just aren’t. So, rather than argue with someone about why they should enjoy this match, we have to understand that not everyone will. And that’s OK because pro wrestling is about personal enjoyment. From the moment the camera panned over the stadium, it was evident that this was gonna be absolutely nuts. The ring in the middle of the field, Jaguars cheerleaders on the sidelines, the Inner Circle running out of the tunnel in football jerseys and helmets, and on, and on. Once the match started, chaos ensued. It’s impossible to list every single thing that I loved about the match, but here were some of the highlights
- Hangman Page riding into the stadium on a horse, and Sammy Guevara’s facial expression after seeing him
- Matt Jackson hitting a moonsault off the field goal post
- Hangman getting off the horse, telling it to stay put, then hitting the bar in the concourse lobby
- Ortiz being hesitant to get into the pool with Matt Hardy and Santana
- The fun callback to Hardy’s V1 Titantron in the WWE
- Hardy throwing Santana into an ice chest and telling him that ‘it’ll help with your inflammation’
- Hangman and Jake Hager having a drink together before kicking each other’s asses
- Matt Jackson suplexing Sammy the length of the field
- Nick Jackson throwing footballs at Jericho’s nuts
- Jericho hitting the Judas Effect on the Jaguars mascot
- Jericho pulling out a challenge flag after nearly pinning Nick, then calling Aubrey Edwards a shitty referee after she doesn’t overturn the call
- Matt Jackson super kicking the referee after getting flagged for a celebration following his suplex spree on Sammy
- Hangman marking the field, including using it on an incapacitated Jericho
- Sammy’s incredible reaction to hearing the sound of Hardy and Kenny Omega on the golf cart
- Omega hitting the One Winged Angel on Sammy from the stands onto a stage
And that was just some of the highlights from this thing. This wasn’t Ric Flair/Ricky Steamboat from 1989, or Kenny Omega/Kazuchida Okada from Dominion. However, it never intended to be either of those. Instead, this match’s purpose was to entertain during one of the most trying times in the world’s history. It accomplished that and much more as one of the most unique matches ever. Despite what you read on the internet, pro wrestling doesn’t have to always be so serious. Sometimes, it’s fine to just have fun. This was fun.
- Rating: ****1/2
Blake’s Take on AEW DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2020
- Best Match: Stadium Stampede Match (****1/2)
- Show MVP: Hangman Page
- Overall Rating: 8.0/10
- Thoughts: Very entertaining show with a mixture of good matches and entertaining storylines. The Stadium Stampede Match was just pure fun, and it’ll undoubtedly be loved or hated depending on what fans want in their wrestling.
For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!
