Double or Nothing 2020 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by All Elite Wrestling (AEW). It took place on May 23, 2020. It was the second event in the Double or Nothing chronology and determined the inaugural holder of the AEW TNT Championship, presented by Mike Tyson.
The event was originally scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. The venue, however, canceled all events up through May 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. AEW subsequently announced that the PPV would still proceed as planned but from an undisclosed location.
Production[]
Background[]
After the success of the September 2018 event All In, a group known as The Elite (Cody, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega), the driving forces behind the event, used the positive response from All In to pursue further events with backing of businessmen Shahid Khan and Tony Khan. This resulted in the foundation of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in January 2019, and their inaugural pay-per-view, Double or Nothing, was then held on May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on the Las Vegas Strip. On February 5, 2020, AEW announced that Double or Nothing would be returning to the same venue on May 23 of that year, establishing Double or Nothing as both an annual event, as well as their marquee event.
On April 8, the MGM Grand Garden Arena announced that they had canceled all events up through May 31 due to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic. In response, AEW announced that Double or Nothing would still proceed as planned but from an undisclosed location. The announcement also confirmed that a third Double or Nothing event would emanate from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 29, 2021 and, in addition to offering refunds, tickets purchased for 2020's show would be valid for the following year's event.
Storylines[]
Double or Nothing featured professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. Storylines are produced on The Young Bucks' YouTube series Being The Elite and AEW's weekly shows Dynamite and Dark.
On March 30, 2020, AEW announced a new title, the AEW TNT Championship, with the inaugural champion to be determined by an eight-man, single-elimination tournament. The tournament began on the April 8 episode of Dynamite with the final scheduled for Double or Nothing. In the semifinals on the April 29 episode, Cody and Lance Archer defeated Darby Allin and Dustin Rhodes, respectively, setting up the inaugural championship match.
On the May 6 episode of Dynamite, AEW World Champion Jon Moxley defeated Frankie Kazarian in a match. Moments later, members of The Dark Order attacked Moxley, Kazarian, and the latter's stable, SoCal Uncensored. The Dark Order's leader, "The Exalted One" Mr. Brodie Lee then entered the ring and challenged Moxley to an AEW World Championship match, which he accepted. Later in the episode, the match was announced for Double or Nothing.
During the May 6 episode of Dynamite, a nine-man ladder match titled the Casino Ladder Match was scheduled for Double or Nothing with the winner receiving a future AEW World Championship match. The rules of the match were revealed the following week. Two wrestlers begin the match and every 90 seconds, another participant enters. The winner is the one who retrieves the casino chip suspended above the ring. Darby Allin, Colt Cabana, Orange Cassidy, Rey Fénix, Scorpio Sky, Kip Sabian and Frankie Kazarian were the first seven announced participants.
On the May 13 episode of Dynamite, Hikaru Shida, who was at the top of the rankings in the women's division, defeated Penelope Ford, Kris Statlander, and Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. to win a four-way match. It was then announced that Shida would challenge Nyla Rose for the AEW Women's World Championship at Double or Nothing. Backstage during Shida's interview, Rose attacked Shida with a kendo stick. It was then announced that their match would be a no disqualification, no-countout match.
During the aforementioned women's four-way match, Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. attacked Kris Statlander outside the ring and applied the Lockjaw on her, which allowed Hikaru Shida to score the pin over Penelope Ford. Despite the match being over, Baker continued to apply the submission on Statlander. Afterwards, a match between Baker and Statlander was scheduled for Double or Nothing.
On the May 20 episode of Dynamite, both Dr. Britt Baker DMD & Rey Fénix suffered injuries which caused them to be replaced in their individual matches by Penelope Ford and Joey Janela respectfully.
Results[]
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- The Buy In Pre Show: Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent) defeated Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) to become the #1 contender for the AEW World Tag Team Championship (15:13)
- Brian Cage (w/ Taz) defeated Darby Allin and Colt Cabana and Orange Cassidy and Joey Janela and Scorpio Sky and Kip Sabian and Frankie Kazarian and Luchasaurus in a Casino Ladder match for a future AEW World Championship match (27:28)
- MJF (w/ Wardlow) defeated Jungle Boy (17:27)
- Cody (w/ Arn Anderson) defeated Lance Archer (w/ Jake Roberts) in the Tournament final for the inaugural AEW TNT Championship (21:11)
- Kris Statlander defeated Penelope Ford (w/ Kip Sabian) (8:11)
- Dustin Rhodes (w/ Brandi Rhodes) defeated Shawn Spears (4:11)
- Hikaru Shida defeated Nyla Rose (c) in a No Disqualification and No Countout match to win the AEW Women's World Championship (16:34)
- Jon Moxley (c) defeated Brodie Lee by referee's decision to retain the AEW World Championship (15:29)
- "Broken" Matt Hardy & The Elite (Hangman Page, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)) defeated The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana & Ortiz) in a Stadium Stampede match (33:59)
TNT Championship tournament bracket[]
The first half of the TNT Championship Tournament bracket was announced on the March 31 episode of Dark, with the second half revealed on the following night's Dynamite. The tournament will begin on the April 8 episode of Dynamite.
Quarterfinals Dynamite (April 8, 15, 22, 2020) |
Semifinals Dynamite (April 29, 2020) |
Final Double or Nothing May 23, 2020 | |||||||||||||
Cody | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Shawn Spears | 21:30 | ||||||||||||||
Cody | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Darby Allin | 20:10 | ||||||||||||||
Sammy Guevara | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Darby Allin | 10:50 | ||||||||||||||
Cody | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Lance Archer | 21:11 | ||||||||||||||
Dustin Rhodes | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Kip Sabian | 14:10 | ||||||||||||||
Dustin Rhodes | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Lance Archer | 22:45 | ||||||||||||||
Colt Cabana | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Lance Archer | 12:42 |
Other on-screen talent[]
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External links[]
Double or Nothing |
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2019 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 |
All Elite Wrestling Events |
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2019 |
Double or Nothing • Fyter Fest • Fight For The Fallen • All Out • Full Gear |
2020 |
Revolution • Double or Nothing • Fyter Fest • All Out • Full Gear |
2021 |
Revolution • Double or Nothing • All Out • Full Gear |
2022 |
Battle of the Belts I • Revolution • Battle of the Belts II • Double or Nothing • AEW-NJPW Forbidden Door • Battle of the Belts III • All Out • Battle of the Belts IV • Full Gear |
2023 |
Battle of the Belts V • Revolution • Battle of the Belts VI • Double or Nothing • AEW-NJPW Forbidden Door • Battle of the Belts VII • All In • All Out • WrestleDream • Battle of the Belts VIII • Full Gear • Worlds End |
2024 |
Battle of the Belts IX • Revolution |