Double or Nothing 2020

Lore & Background

Originally scheduled for the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the 2020 event was moved to Jacksonville after the venue canceled all events through May 31 due to the pandemic. The Stadium Stampede match, a cinematic match, headlined the show and was contested in both Daily's Place and TIAA Bank Field.

Reader's Guide

The event had at least two championships on the line: the AEW World Championship and the AEW Women's World Championship. The main event was the Stadium Stampede match, a tornado tag team match between two multi-man teams, won by The Elite.

Origins and Naming

The concept for Double or Nothing emerged directly from the momentum generated by the September 2018 All In event, an independent pay-per-view born from a wager between Cody Rhodes and journalist Dave Meltzer. Following that historic night, Rhodes delivered a memorable promo stating that when making a bet, one sometimes goes "double or nothing," a phrase that would eventually define AEW's flagship show. This sentiment catalyzed the formation of All Elite Wrestling in January 2019, with Double or Nothing immediately scheduled as its inaugural pay-per-view for Memorial Day weekend.

The name was not merely a catchphrase but also reflected the event's traditional setting on the Las Vegas Strip, capitalizing on the city's famous gambling culture. For years, the show served as AEW's marquee presentation, standing alongside All Out, Full Gear, and Revolution as one of the promotion's premier annual attractions before being surpassed by All In in 2023.

Pandemic Adaptations and Venues

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a dramatic shift in location for the 2020 and 2021 editions of Double or Nothing. Originally slated to return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, both events were relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, due to venue cancellations and health protocols. The 2020 show took place at Daily's Place and the adjacent TIAA Bank Field, while the 2021 event also utilized these facilities before AEW resumed live touring later that summer. Notably, the 2021 edition marked a significant milestone as the first AEW pay-per-view to operate with full capacity crowds following relaxed state restrictions. This period represented the final time Daily's Place hosted a major PPV. The tradition of holding the event in Las Vegas eventually ended in 2025 when it moved to Glendale, Arizona, and continued evolving in 2026 by traveling to New York City for the first time.

Signature Match Concepts

Since its inception during the pandemic era, Double or Nothing has distinguished itself through unique, large-scale match stipulations that often serve as the main event. The 2020 and 2021 editions introduced the Stadium Stampede match, a cinematic spectacle designed to utilize both the intimate Daily's Place arena and the expansive TIAA Bank Field stadium simultaneously. This format capitalized on the creative freedom available during the lockdown period. When AEW returned to touring in 2022, the concept evolved into Anarchy in the Arena, allowing competitors to battle throughout the entire host venue rather than a specific ring or field. The Stadium Stampede made a notable return in 2026, adapted for the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, proving that these specialized formats remain central to the event's identity regardless of the location.

Evolution of Location and Theme

Double or Nothing used to mean Las Vegas, with the Strip in Paradise, Nevada hosting several editions that leaned into its gambling motif. That changed for the 2025 show at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona; leaving the city kept the betting angle alive via local casino ties. The 2026 event pushed boundaries further by moving to Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York—the first AEW pay-per-view in that market and the first Double or Nothing without a direct casino link, opening a new chapter for the annual spectacle.