Darby Allin

All Elite Wrestling will grant Maxwell Jacob Friedman's wish. 

The promotion announced MJF will wrestle for the AEW World Championship at All Out on Sept. 5.

#BREAKINGNEWS@the_MJF will challenge the #AEW World Champion at #AEWAllOut

This Wednesday on Dynamite MJF will give us a campaign update and @JonMoxley defends the AEW World Championship against @DarbyAllin

Watch #AEWDynamite every Wednesday at 8/7c on @TNTDrama. pic.twitter.com/HB8inXSjJs

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 3, 2020

MJF signaled his intention to challenge for the world title during the most recent edition of AEW Dynamite. He specifically called out Jon Moxley, who's putting the AEW World Championship on the line against Darby Allin on Wednesday's edition of Dynamite.

MJF's promo illustrated why he deserved to be put in such a prominent spot. He's an effective, traditional heel at a time when wrestling fans don't necessarily adhere to the traditional babyface/heel dynamics when they're reacting to what's happening inside the ring.

The 24-year-old is so good on the mic, too, that he can sound like he fully believes what he's saying, even if what he's saying isn't totally true.

MJF is bound to be a champion someday, and someday might just be Sept. 5.

All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing pay-per-view scheduled for Saturday at Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida, boasts a stacked card with no shortage of star power.

While much of the focus is on AEW world champion Jon Moxley vs. Brodie Lee, Cody vs. Lance Archer for the TNT Championship and the Stadium Stampede match pitting The Inner Circle against The Elite and Matt Hardy, there are other bouts on tap with plenty of potential as well.

Here are three Double or Nothing matches that may not be receiving as much attention as some of the others but could steal the show by the time the night is over.

              

Casino Ladder Match

After the Casino Battle Royales at previous pay-per-views received mixed reviews, AEW is using a different concept to crown a No. 1 contender at Double or Nothing in the form of a Casino Ladder match.

It will feature nine of AEW's best and brightest talents and boasts an intriguing set of rules as well. Rather than all nine wrestlers starting the match together, it will begin with two and one additional person will enter the bout at timed intervals.

To add even more interest to the match, it can end at any time, even before all nine participants have entered the match.

The fact that it's a new concept and has a future AEW World Championship match on the line should place at least some of the spotlight on it even if it is more of an undercard match. That should bode well for those who are part of the contest.

With the likes of Darby Allin, Rey Fenix, Colt Cabana, Kip Sabian, Scorpio Sky, Frankie Kazarian, Orange Cassidy and Luchasaurus competing, there is a great mix of accomplished veterans and young, rising stars in the bout.

There is also plenty of room to share the spotlight and an opportunity to take the next step in their careers, even for those who don't win the match.

Allin, Fenix and Luchasaurus stand out as those with perhaps the best chance to shine due to their skill sets and how well they figure to play out in a ladder match.

In terms of who will win and earn a title shot, Allin seems to be on the precipice of being a top guy, so there is little doubt he would benefit from a huge win that puts him in position to vie for the AEW World Championship against either Moxley or Lee.

             

Private Party vs. Best Friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA2ozmsf-Mc

While the match is slated to take place on the pre-show, the AEW World Tag Team Championship No. 1 Contenders' match between Private Party and Best Friends could feature some of the best action fans see all night.

Private Party have been absent during the coronavirus pandemic, but Double or Nothing will represent their return to in-ring action. It will also give them an opportunity to regain some of the momentum they had earlier in their AEW tenure, which included a win over The Young Bucks.

While Private Party have been out of the picture, Best Friends have been on a roll with wins over Kenny Omega and Michael Nakazawa, Sabian and Jimmy Havoc, and Jurassic Express over the past several weeks on Dynamite.

Trent and Chuck Taylor have unquestionably earned a title shot against AEW world tag team champions Omega and "Hangman" Adam Page, but they need one more big win in order to cement it.

Private Party are one of the most exciting tag teams in all of wrestling, and the fact that they have been off television for so long could mean they want to come back with a bang and leave a lasting impression.

Similarly, Best Friends always seem to have entertaining matches, and Trent's style in particular should mesh well with Private Party.

It is easy to look past this match when examining the card, but anyone tuning in will quickly see why it was added in the first place.

             

Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander

When it comes to the AEW women's division, all eyes will be on the match between AEW women's champion Nyla Rose and No. 1 contender Hikaru Shida on Saturday.

While that match has the potential to be great, the clash between Britt Baker and Kris Statlander is one that shouldn't be ignored.

Baker has really started to come into her own as a heel over the past few months after she wasn't necessarily received well as the face of the women's division. Instead of fighting against that, AEW turned her heel, and it is the best thing that could have happened for her.

She has cut some quality promos and provided viewers with entertaining segments outside the ring, such as the visits to her dentist office. Those pre-tapes have helped her come into her own as a villain.

Statlander's alien character seemingly hasn't connected quite as well with the fanbase, and she has had some clunky matches, including a loss to Rose at Revolution in February.

She is still new to the business, though, as she has only been wrestling since 2017. She has all the physical tools needed to be a star and put on great matches, and perhaps Baker will be able to get that out of her at Double or Nothing.

If she can, then Baker and Statlander may have a chance to outperform Rose and Shida despite less hoopla.

          

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Jon Moxley is set to defend the All Elite Wrestling World Championship against Brodie Lee at Double or Nothing next Saturday, but assuming he comes away with his title reign still intact, Mox should enter directly into a feud with Darby Allin.

Allin will be part of the nine-person Casino Ladder Match at Double or Nothing with the winner earning a future AEW World title shot. Although there are some big names in the match, nobody stands out more than Allin as an ideal candidate to win and enter the world title scene.

Ever since AEW came into existence, it has been clear that Allin has future star written all over him. He boasts the undeniable "it factor" that few possess, which reminds many fans of Jeff Hardy. That helped Hardy become WWE champion and one of the biggest stars in the business, which is a level Allin can eventually reach as well.

Moxley vs. Allin may not make complete sense on the surface since they are both technically babyfaces, but they have tweener tendencies, and Allin especially leans to the heel side at times.

Most recently, Allin laid out Cody after they lost a tag team match to Sammy Guevara and Shawn Spears on Dynamite, which speaks to how easy it would be for AEW to put him in a program with a popular face like Mox. A clear heel vs. face dynamic is usually ideal, but Moxley and Allin are talented enough to make it work.

They also have some history, as they faced each other on the eighth-ever episode of Dynamite back in November. Moxley won that match, but Allin pushed him to the limit and showed that he is capable of hanging with one of the best in the business.

Several months later in March, Moxley and Allin were scheduled to team up against Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara on Dynamite. That match never happened as intended, though, since Mox was attacked by The Inner Circle beforehand.

As a result, Allin had to wrestle the match on his own and ended up losing. That situation hasn't been touched on since it happened in March, but having Allin become No. 1 contender and then use that as motivation by claiming that Mox left him high and dry would be a good way to add some instant heat to the rivalry.

Over the past couple of weeks, AEW has seemingly been building up Allin in a unique way. During backstage interviews with Taz, he has rejected Taz's offers to help him and revealed that he has an amateur wrestling background.

Allin is primarily viewed as a daredevil and a dark, mysterious character, but bringing up his amateur wrestling experience adds layers to his character and some legitimacy to him as a performer.

Moxley has primarily been a brawler throughout his career, but he has noticeably incorporated more of a ground game and grappling style in AEW. Based on that, AEW playing up Allin's wrestling skill may be a sign that it is preparing for Mox and Allin to clash.

The key in world title feuds is to have both performers come out of the rivalry better than when they went in. Moxley's reign may not end any time soon, and he may not drop the title to Allin, but the program could still be hugely beneficial to the up-and-coming star.

If Moxley retains his title over Allin at a big event, but Allin turns in a memorable performance in the process, then AEW will have a strong champion in Moxley and a star on the rise in Allin, which is the perfect mix.

      

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

It's been almost a year since Double or Nothing, the All Elite Wrestling pay-per-view debut that showed that the company is a major player. 

Since then, AEW has built new stars and showcased its established talent. These are the five who stand out as the promotion's most effective babyfaces in its first full year.

   

5. Luchasaurus

Who would've thought when we saw Luchasaurus for the first time in the Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing that the 6'7", 250-pound behemoth portraying a dinosaur would be one of the best babyfaces AEW had to offer?

Those who were familiar with his work at Lucha Underground as a former Trios Championship holder knew what Luchasaurus could bring the table, but those less familiar quickly grew to love his brute strength and sneaky quick offense. 

Since Double or Nothing, Luchasaurus has partnered himself with Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt to form the Jurassic Express, which has become one of the most popular stables at AEW. He's showcased himself as one of the best hot tags in wrestling when helping his much smaller partners.

It'll be exciting to see how AEW tries to elevate Luchasaurus in 2020, whether as part of a tag team or in singles competition.

   

4. Orange Cassidy

"Freshly Squeezed" also made his AEW debut at Double or Nothing's Casino Battle Royale when he delivered hilariously soft kicks to the shins of Tommy Dreamer, much to the crowd's delight. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ-L7knAC2Q

Orange Cassidy then made sporadic surprise appearances at pay-per-views and Dynamite episodes to help Best Friends, his newfound tag partners. More often than not, his cameos were highlights of the shows as AEW made a seemingly concerted effort not to overexpose him to fans by regularly featuring him. This made for particularly special moments whenever Cassidy did anything.

No moment was more special than his debut singles match at Revolution against Pac. When the match was first booked, there was plenty of curiosity in seeing how a lackadaisical Cassidy could work with Pac, one of the most technical wrestlers in the world. What transpired was a brilliant way of introducing fans to Cassidy's legitimate wrestling talent while still managing to offer the comedic relief he's known for.

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1233959806194651136

Their match at Revolution in February was one of the most well received and for good reason. No one can really tell what Cassidy's ceiling is yet, but it'll sure be fun to watch the road to it.

   

3. Darby Allin

No AEW roster member benefited more from the newfound spotlight than Darby Allin. 

Very little was known about Allin when he made his debut at Fyter Fest last June. However, AEW did feature promos from him leading up to his match against Cody that showed plenty of promise and showcased a character that we hadn't really seen in wrestling before.

Fast forward to present day and Allin has 20 matches under his belt, including an AEW Championship match against Chris Jericho in October. Despite only winning about half of those matches, Allin's style allows him to display lightning-quick offense while also managing to put over just about any big move an opponent has to offer. That will take him a long way, and if the dark side of his character can continue to blossom, he can eventually be one of the first megastars that AEW could largely take credit for.

   

2. Jon Moxley

Jon Moxley making his surprise debut at Double or Nothing should go down as one of the greatest and most important moments in AEW history. He became the first marquee name to defect from the WWE while still in the prime of his career—it was an industry-changing decision that made it clear AEW is a top promotion in the world.

Moxley went on to be part of two high-profile feuds with Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho. His Lights Out match with Omega may be the most widely talked about one in AEW's existence considering its extreme violence. As a result of defeating Omega, Moxley went on to challenge and defeat Jericho for the AEW World Championship, solidifying himself as a babyface by rejecting The Inner Circle's offer to join them.

His ability to showcase extreme wrestling one week while also relying on his world-class technical ability and in-ring storytelling the next makes him a well-rounded and intriguing character that fans gravitate toward just to see what he does next.

Also, Moxley gets bonus points for receiving the biggest pop of AEW's short history during his debut.

   

1. Cody

Fans were fully behind Cody at nearly every turn in what was the most eventful year of his career.

The American Nightmare was a part of so many important moments that it becomes clear he's the focal point of AEW.

Putting on the match of the year with Dustin at Double or Nothing was just the beginning for Cody. He went on to help put over Allin in his debut at Fyter Fest before taking a brutal chair shot from Shawn Spears, which only further elevated Cody's position as the top face in the company. His feud with Spears was filled with in-depth storytelling that fans felt invested in, making it that much sweeter when Cody defeated The Chairman at All Out last August. 

After opening the first episode of Dynamite with a win over Sammy Guevara, Cody continued to make storytelling a trademark of his rivalries with feuds against Chris Jericho for the AEW World Championship and MJF when the Salt of the Earth turned on him at Full Gear in November.

The reaction to Cody in both feuds was red-hot considering his willingness to forego any future world championship title shots if he were to lose to Jericho and his acceptance of grueling stipulations to compete against MJF, one of which led to the craziest spot in AEW's short history.

Cody Rhodes hit the Steel Cage Moonsault 🌙#AEWDynamite

(via @AEWrestling)pic.twitter.com/Dfj5zzmgZP

— B/R Wrestling (@BRWrestling) February 20, 2020

His willingness to go the extra mile to entertain fans while also giving them a reason to feel invested in just about everything he does is why Cody's the top face at AEW.

AEW Dynamite, headlined by two TNT Championship tournament matches, topped WWE NXT in viewership for the second consecutive Wednesday.

According to Figure Four Online's Bryan Alvarez, Dynamite averaged 693,000 viewers during its two-hour broadcast on TNT, while NXT garnered 637,000 viewers on USA Network. 

The finals in the TNT Championship tournament were officially set for the Double or Nothing pay-per-view on May 23, as Cody defeated Darby Allin in the first semifinal to open the show and Lance Archer beat Dustin Rhodes in the other semifinal, which also served as the main event.

Archer and Jake "The Snake" Roberts have had Cody firmly in their crosshairs ever since they debuted in All Elite Wrestling, and Archer will finally get the opportunity to go one-on-one with Cody at Double or Nothing with a title hanging in the balance.

In other happenings on Dynamite, Best Friends beat Kip Sabian and Jimmy Havoc in a No Disqualifications and No Count-Outs tag team match. Brodie Lee defeated Marko Stunt, and both Wardlow and Shawn Spears won squash matches.

NXT closed with what was likely the conclusion of the feud between Keith Lee and Damian Priest, as Lee defeated Priest cleanly to retain the NXT North American Championship.

The return of NXT women's champion Charlotte Flair to in-ring action on the black and yellow brand also occurred with Charlotte beating Mia Yim by submission in a hard-fought match. After the bout, No. 1 contender Io Shirai confronted The Queen.

Additionally, the tournament to crown an interim NXT cruiserweight champion continued with Isaiah "Swerve" Scott beating El Hijo del Fantasma and the underdog storyline involving Drake Maverick taking a positive turn, as he upset Tony Nese.

Candice LeRae brought her new attitude to NXT as well and impressed with a win over Kacy Catanzaro, while Dexter Lumis beat Shane Thorne after starring in next week's main event. Imperium attacked Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher during The Newly-Bros Show.

NXT is advertising an absolutely stacked show next week with Velveteen Dream facing Adam Cole for the NXT Championship. Shirai faces Charlotte for the NXT Women's Championship, and Finn Balor makes his return after getting attacked last week.

   

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

On Wednesday night's AEW Dynamite, Darby Allin once again pushed Cody Rhodes to the absolute limit. It was another in a series of show-stealing performances by one of the promotion's true breakout stars.

Even in a losing effort, Allin has a gift for directing all eyes his way, his energy and passion almost a physical presence in the ring.

A year ago, Allin was struggling on the independent scene. Now he's on the cusp of greatness. Find out his thoughts on his rise to prominence, wrestling in the time of COVID-19 and the future.

Jonathan Snowden: So, you and I met briefly in Atlanta last year. I was working on a story about Ken Shamrock but was wowed by your performance. I interviewed you in the parking lot. The Yeti showed up. It was a weird time.

Darby Allin: I was just talking about that earlier.

Jonathan: I remember asking the promoter about talking to you specifically because I was like, 'This guy has something. There's something special there.' And now, a year later, you're on national television. Does it feel like you've come a long way or does it feel like it's all still a work in progress?

Darby: A little bit of both to be honest. (It) definitely came a long way with just noticing all the fans taking notice of your work. But at the same time, it's a work in progress because I know there's a lot of s--t I need to do to make it to that next level.

Jonathan: What do you mean by 's--t I need to do?'

Darby: Just keep proving people wrong. Walking in here back at Fyter Fest, a lot of people were kind of like at first, 'Who's this skinny little dude?' But a lot of those people have, over time, shut their mouths and taken notice of what I can actually bring into the ring and I'm not just a crash test dummy.

Jonathan: I've heard you talk several times about proving people wrong. I'm interested in your perspective on this because, from the outside, I see pure positivity surrounding your name. Everyone loves what you're doing. You're looking at it from the opposite perspective, looking to prove people wrong. Do you feel like you're powered by negativity? Does it push you?

Darby: I am powered by that negativity. You can look at a lot of people, the best times in life are either A: they're angry, or B: they're sad. And that goes for everybody. Musicians, some people write their best songs when they're pissed off or sad.

So negativity's never going to go away with people, so it's always there, but it kind of just drives me to wake up and not be in the place I was seven years ago and just feeling lost and not knowing what's next in life, and just hoping, one day, things will break out. It's about never getting comfortable. That's the word I'm searching for. Complacent or comfortable. I just stay far away from those two phrases.

Jonathan: One of the things we talked about in that parking lot last year was how different you feel from other wrestlers. I know you draw on influences from outside of wrestling. Sometimes, creatively, wrestling is very self-referential, whether it's talking about Bill Watts or the Attitude Era, wrestling is about previous wrestling shows. You do something a little bit different. Where do you find your inspiration for the unique things you bring to the table?

Darby: Real-life people, whether it's musicians and s--t like that or skateboarders. I don't know what it is. I respect the hell out of wrestling. It's like what I live for. But for some reason I just don't feel like I would've clicked with those human beings, back say in the '80s, or '70s, or maybe the '90s, you know what I mean?

Jonathan: Sure.

Darby: So when I look at like some punk rockers or some skateboarders, I really feel like those people I would have blended with. So why not use that energy when you enter this world of wrestling?

Jonathan: You mention the '80s and '90s. Do you feel like you fit in with the current people that you work within wrestling? Or is it part of who you are to feel like an outsider, even now?

Darby: It's weird because I do at times, but then other times I'm like, 'Man, what the hell?' I'll go to the building and I'm not trying to be standoffish, but sometimes I just feel so damn awkward that I always go to my own little part of the room and away from everybody. And then after the show, I'll be like the first to kind of say, 'OK, I'm going back to my hotel room. I'm not really going to go out.' It's not like I want to be an assh--e. I don't want to ever run into problems and if you s--t where you eat, you're dealing with all this, like, drama and stuff. I'd rather just kind of disappear and keep the drama at an all-time low.

Jonathan: I've always found wrestling to be interesting because you and the other person are creating this art together. But, at the same time, you're also competitive for what are a very small number of positions and slots. Is it kind of a weird environment to operate in?

Darby: I wouldn't say weird, because I just don't feel like it's so cutthroat as it once was. I don't know if it's just the newer generations or what the deal is, but I don't get this vibe where, like, say I'm wrestling somebody and thinking, 'He's trying to take my spot,' you know what I mean? Especially with AEW, I feel like everybody is so friendly and just wanting to kick ass as a group, so to speak. So, I don't get that vibe, you know? I feel like everybody's like just in this together, which is nice.

Jonathan: I definitely get a real sense of positivity when I talk to people from AEW. But, at the same time, you were featured at Fyter Fest and had some momentum, and then you weren't featured much at all for a little while. The competition is pretty fierce. There's a lot of talented people there.

Darby: Of course. Of course, there's talented people. But a lot of them aren't willing to do what I'm willing to do.

Jonathan: You mean physically? Or mentally?

Darby: Everything. Everything. Physically, mentally, busting your ass, going the extra mile, filming promos, doing s--t, not just sitting around and waiting for a handout. You take it.

Jonathan: I can really see that AEW is a place that lets you reach out and grab it. Really go for it. From the outside, at least, it seems to me like AEW provides artists with some degree of freedom creatively. Do you feel satisfied with the creative opportunities you've been allotted with AEW?

Darby: Of course. Look at my promo two weeks ago. I tied my friend to the back of a 4x4 and dragged him across the yard.

Jonathan: I loved it. 

Darby: I'd say I'm pretty happy with my creative freedom here.

🖕🏼 @sammyguevara pic.twitter.com/yPBaLlHdph

— DARBY ALLIN (@DarbyAllin) April 23, 2020

Jonathan: Your vignettes feel different than your standard 'let me tell you something, brother' kind of wrestling stuff. How are those things done? Do you and your friends do them? Do they send a camera crew? Walk me through how something like that is created.

Darby: Me and my friend Max Yoder, we're just a two-man group. All it is.

Jonathan: And you guys just film it, put that together and hand it off to them?

Darby: That's it.

Jonathan: That is pretty awesome. There's probably not a lot of other national TV shows that operate that way. That's got to feel pretty cool to see your vision on the screen like that.

Darby: Oh yeah, definitely. And that's the thing, anybody can do that. It's not like I walked in there with any special rights, you know what I mean? Like anybody, if you've got a friend and a camera, anybody can dictate their own story and put out their own vision.

Jonathan: When you do something like that, what's the feedback process? Who do you talk to in the company? I don't know if supervisor is the right word for wrestling, but who do you work with for something like this?

Darby: Just (AEW President) Tony (Khan).

Jonathan: Just directly with the boss, huh?

Darby: Yeah. I send it to Tony. First thing I send it to Tony and then I'll send one to Cody. Jericho too, I'll send him s--t. Just like, 'Yo, look at this.' It's not, like, so much to be hoping that they'll put the thumbs up. Because I know that they'll like it. It's just that I just want to share my art with certain people before it gets on air. Just being like, 'Tell me your thoughts on this.'

Jonathan: What is success for you in wrestling? Is it winning matches and title belts? Or is it more about presenting some kind of vision and message your way? What's making it? I know you never want to be complacent, but what's the immediate goal?

Darby: The company's just started, it's still fairly new. For somebody like me to get in a spot and to have their faith. Week three I wrestled Jericho, and for them to have that faith, week three, for me to be put out in the main event against Jericho—I considered that a success. The company was willing to put things on your back and willing to feature you and as a person that's in the media as one of the poster children.

I want to be featured, I want to be doing everything for the company. I want to do all the media. At the same time, it always changes in my mind. If someone told me I'd be where I am two years ago, I would have said 'I'm on top of the mountain.' But then over time obviously you grow and then you think, 'Wait, this isn't good enough. I got to keep going and going and going.' So success always changes. 

Jonathan: When you look at your rise with the wrestling fandom, is there a moment that stands out to you that really got the audience's attention. To me, it was when you rode the skateboard down the ramp for the first time—you launched yourself physically and metaphorically. But maybe that's not what you remember. What was the big moment for you?

Darby: I'd say my debut, taking Cody to the max. The fans kind of, like, expected this outcome and then they got a different outcome. I remember after that match, a few weeks later I wrestled at Fight for the Fallen and I remember coming out from my entrance and getting a reaction that definitely wasn't there a few weeks before. Even though that was before TV, I felt the tides were changing at that point.

Jonathan: You talk about the crowd and the energy that they provide and the energy that they give you. I'm curious about the empty arena matches you've been doing. How does that work? Do you go out and have a regular wrestling match, and they're filming it and there just happens to be nobody there? Or do you produce them differently? What does it like behind the scenes when you're doing these matches?

Darby: Same thing as always. Just go out there and you just put it all out there. To be honest, I've wrestled in indie shows with less people than we have now. So it doesn't bother me none. I remember all the people watching at home and I don't ever want anybody to say some bulls--t like, 'He phoned it in tonight,' 'He took it easy tonight.'

I know there are a lot of fans that we have watching at home, and I know if I didn't put in the work, it would drive me mad. So it doesn't really change my aggression or it doesn't change anything. I'm still on 110 percent and I think the match with Sammy speaks volumes on that.

Jonathan: It sounds like it's not a big deal for you, but other people I know are really driven by, like, the energy they get from an audience. There's no part of you when you do something awesome and then there's no response, that feels weird on some level?

Darby: It does, but it doesn't because I'm in such a zone that it's weird. Even when I'm in the building with thousands of people and I do something, people are like, 'Did you hear that pop?' And I'm like, 'no' because I have tunnel vision. It's so weird to explain, but once I get in that zone, everything around me kind of goes out the window. And that's how it's been at the tapings recently. S--t don't bother me none.

Jonathan: It really felt to me like you guys were building something pretty special there. And not that you're not doing great work now, but obviously things have gotten weird. Do you feel like AEW and wrestling generally is going to be able to pick back up whenever we're allowed to pick it back up? Or do you feel like an opportunity has been lost over the last couple of months?

Darby: No, not at all. Beyond wrestling and entertainment, people are hungry for everything to come back. So without a doubt, I think everybody's going to be supporting this more than they were before when everything comes back. Without a doubt. That's how I see it, at least.

I just feel like people want things to succeed. I think people want to go to the movies. I think people want to see wrestling and I think people want to go to concerts and they're going to support everything because they realize how fast things can change. So I'm very excited for what the future and everything holds.

                                     

Jonathan Snowden covers combat sports for Bleacher Report.

The TNT Championship tournament has played out on AEW Dynamite over the past few weeks, and the finals will officially be set Wednesday based on the result of the two semifinal bouts.

Cody and Darby Allin will do battle in one of the semifinals, with Lance Archer and Dustin Rhodes clashing in the other. The winner of those matches will then meet at AEW Double or Nothing to determine the inaugural TNT champion.

With the tournament taking shape now that the first round is over, here are predictions for how the semifinals will go Wednesday and for who will win in the finals and be crowned as the TNT champion.

          

Cody vs. Darby Allin

The semifinal between Cody and Allin is a highly anticipated one since they are two of the most popular performers All Elite Wrestling has to offer and have a ton of history with each other.

It all started a Fyter Fest last June, which was essentially Allin's coming-out party as a top star in pro wrestling. Most expected Cody to win the match with relative ease, but it ended up being a time limit draw.

They eventually met again on the Jan. 1 edition of Dynamite with Cody picking up the win, but Allin had already established himself as one of the top babyfaces in the company by that point.

More recently, Cody and Allin teamed against Shawn Spears and Sammy Guevara last month. The match came about since Cody was set to face Spears in the first round of the tournament and Allin was scheduled to face Guevara.

Cody and Allin came out on the losing end, and things were tense between them to say the least, as Allin laid The American Nightmare out before leaving.

Now, Cody and Allin will look to settle score on Dynamite, with the winner going on to compete for the TNT Championship.

There is a chance that Allin could win Wednesday if AEW wants to put the title on an up-and-coming star who would benefit from holding it, but based on the story being told between Cody and Archer, look for him to prevail once again.

         

Lance Archer vs. Dustin Rhodes

The other semifinal match between Archer and Rhodes is a bout that hasn't happened since they were both in WWE as part of the ECW brand in 2009.

Both men have changed a lot since then, and there is no question that there is far more intrigue surrounding their semifinal match in the TNT Championship tournament.

Archer has dominated since making his AEW debut several weeks ago, including a victory over Colt Cabana in the first round of the tourney. Rhodes took a much different path to the semis, as he put his career on the line against Kip Sabian in the first round and managed to prevail.

Wednesday's bout should be a hard-hitting affair between two big, physical wrestlers. A rematch between Cody and Dustin of their classic encounter at last year's Double or Nothing could be fun, but it seems unlikely.

Archer and his mentor, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, have spoken constantly about Cody since arriving in AEW and all signs point to them being on a collision course.

Assuming that holds true, Archer will beat a game Rhodes in the second semifinal of the TNT Championship tournament.

              

Cody vs. Lance Archer

There is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the Double or Nothing pay-per-view, which was originally supposed to be held in Las Vegas on May 23.

Instead, the event will happen with no fans in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic, and it will likely emanate from Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida. The card is also something of a mystery aside from the TNT Championship tournament final.

Since the only clear rivalry that has been built over multiple weeks entering Double or Nothing is Cody vs. Archer, they figure to lock horns in a heated affair on pay-per-view.

A strong case can be made for either of them to win the match. Cody is arguably AEW's top star and has lost each of his past two big PPV matches, while Archer is brand new and could be damaged by losing so soon.

Since Cody can't compete for the AEW World Championship due to the stipulation he agreed to before facing Chris Jericho at Full Gear, the TNT title should mean everything to him from a storyline perspective.

If that is the case, then Cody can ill afford to lose since he would then be in danger of losing credibility as a top babyface.

Cody using his star power and influence to make the TNT Championship feel like a big deal may be the best thing for the title in its infancy, which is why he should and will win.

A loss will be a setback for Archer, but it shouldn't be difficult for AEW to book him like a monster and get him back on track quickly after the fact.

               

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

-