All Elite Wrestling held a fan rally for its first official event, Double or Nothing, at the TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida on Tuesday afternoon.
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The event was live streamed on Twitter, Instagram, Periscope and YouTube. For those who missed out on all the news, here are the highlights below.
Prior to the show getting started, Cody Rhodes posted a video backstage with former WWF wrestler Billy Gunn, where the two confirmed that Gunn would be a producer for AEW.
#AEW #DoubleOrNothing Rally @AEWrestling first producer @RealBillyGunn pic.twitter.com/jsRlgshjQm
โ All Elite Wrestling (@AEWrestling) January 8, 2019
After the show got underway, former Ring of Honor stars Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky made their way out to the stage. The three announced that they had all signed with AEW.
Next up was Rhodes, who made a number of announcements regarding how the company will be run. According to him, the wrestlers will be the highest-paid members of the company, and that wins and losses on their shows will hold a higher value “than ever before.”
Rhodes was then joined by Matt and Nick Jackson, who had a pair of announcements to make. The first, from Matt, was that the company would be sharing talent with the China-based promotion Oriental Wrestling Entertainment (OWE). Nick then announced that Double or Nothing would take place at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 25.
AEW Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes was up next, and confirmed that AEW would not only have a women’s division, but that pay would be equal between male and female wrestlers. She then brought out the first woman to be signed to AEW, Britt Baker.
MLW wrestler MJF then made his way out and cut a heel promo on the crowd. After announcing that he was joining the company, he was cut off by the Jacksonville Jaguars mascot Jaxson, who distracted him long enough to get hit in the back with a crutch by “Bad Boy” Joey Janela.
He’s @JANELABABY. He’s a bad, bad boy. He’s @AEWrestling. #AEW
โก๏ธ //t.co/MbxZcQzSBW pic.twitter.com/53WeGzvFpG
โ TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) January 8, 2019
Janela announced he and Penelope Ford were both signing with AEW.
Adam Page then came out and cut an intense promo about how he wanted to be AEW’s first champion, and wound up coming face to face with former WWE Superstar Neville, now known as PAC.
HE’S HERE! PAC IS HERE!#AEWRally pic.twitter.com/so0OU84xCP
โ GIF Skull – #AEW Invades #SDLive at 5 EST (@GIFSkull) January 8, 2019
Rhodes and The Bucks made their way back onto the stage and announced AEW’s event after Double or Nothing would take place in Jacksonville. No word on when or what the show would be called, but Rhodes made a note that portions of the ticket sales would go to victims of gun violence.
Conrad Thompson, who had been the host of the rally, attempted to close out the show only for Chris Jericho’s music to hit. The former WWE icon announced he was joining AEW as well, and that he’d be at Double or Nothing.