AEW Double or Nothing 2020: 5 stars who could join the Casino Ladder Match

After last week’s announcement of the Casino Ladder Match at Double or Nothing for a future World Championship match, AEW added Darby Allin and Colt Cabana to the match. Who could join them?

During the May 6 episode of Dynamite, it was announced AEW would hold a Casino Ladder Match at Double or Nothing with the winner receiving a future AEW World Championship match.

Beyond that, not much has been revealed though Jim Ross on commentary said we would find out all of the rules on this week’s episode (like the number of participants).

(Also, if there are some more signings and building of talent, don’t be surprised to see a women’s version of the match next year.)

My immediate reaction (as I’m sure was that of many) was that this is AEW’s version of the Money in the Bank ladder matches, maybe not-so-ironically having aired Sunday. However, there isn’t enough information available as of now to definitely say what the match entails.

For example, will the winner receive their title match on a set date? What about within a one-year time frame like WWE? Will they be able to “cash-in” whenever they want, or does it have to be announced ahead of time?

If it’s announced ahead of time, can it be the second match the World Champion (or new World Champion) has in one show? Will the Casino Ladder Match winner also have the authority to place their match immediately after the World Championship match in a scenario like this?

Will the winner’s contract become a burden like the Number 2 headband in Afro Samurai where every wrestler is going to chase after it and force the winner to retain or relinquish it through combat? Is it safe and secure once the ladder match ends?

These are just some of the questions I have as we head towards this week’s Dynamite and Double or Nothing.

Sunday, AEW announced the first participant in Darby Allin. Monday, they announced the second participant in Colt Cabana. Who could join them?

While I list five potential participants, this doesn’t mean there will be five wrestlers added to the match. With two announced, I envision a max of six wrestlers for the match, leaving only four more spots. However, I believe each wrestler listed is a viable choice to be in the match.

Two have had previous World Championship matches, but that shouldn’t necessarily disqualify anyone from consideration.

Also, it should be noted that some talent (like PAC) are unable to travel due to the pandemic. While PAC would be a solid addition to the match, it doesn’t seem likely he or other international talent who do not have some sort of residency in the United States will be available.

With that said, let’s start with a certain “Superbad” superstar.

5. Kip Sabian (w/ Penelope Ford)

I’ve written before that Sabian (and Ford) has massive breakout potential. If AEW goes the route of being able to invoke the contract at any time, then the cowardly heel who is feelin’ himself a little too much at ALL times would be the perfect genesis of his star-making turn.

Particularly with Sabian, teasing a cash-in only for him to be thwarted or forced to retreat would help build anticipation for what could be a successful attempt. If worked well enough, the fans could hope for Sabian to win the championship as the payoff even as they continue to boo his heel act.

In a way, this is similar to the playbook for Seth Rollins’ victory at WrestleMania Play Button (31), which WWE named as their greatest Money in the Bank moment (even though it didn’t happen at Money in the Bank). Most of the crowd erupted, but then went right back to booing Rollins on RAW.

Imagine Sabian, after at least six months of holding onto that opportunity, pulling off a heist of his own and snatching the World Championship away from a beloved character like current champion Jon Moxley. Not only would his profile and star power rise exponentially, it gives fans even more reason to despise him for taking the title from their World Champion.

The juicier angle necessitates strong storytelling. Let’s say Cody somehow earns a World Championship match either by Moxley waiving the clause (and his character totally would do this) or by winning so many matches it wouldn’t justify denying him. Come Revolution 2021, Cody could be scheduled in a singles match against the champion in what should be a highly anticipated match…

…only for Sabian to run-in like Rollins and snatch the title away from Cody’s grasp again. Not only does this delay Cody’s inevitable championship victory (and fend off allegations of booking himself too strong), it would rekindle the Sabian-Cody feud.

The only difference is this time, it would be over the AEW World Championship and Cody seeking revenge on Sabian. I imagine Sabian would be even more smarmy, arrogant, and cowardly as champion, and can only imagine what antics Ford would do to ensure Sabian keeps the title.

This could also help elevate Ford, who herself was named in last week’s video on the women’s division as one to watch as a challenger for Women’s Champion Nyla Rose. If Sabian and Ford (The Fordians, I like to say) are both champions simultaneously, oh how much heat they would receive!

It would be offset a little because they can both go in the ring, but regardless, Sabian winning the ladder match could be the beginning of his run to the top of the card.

If not, his inclusion in the match does raise his status since he’d be one step away from a World Championship match. He would also bring another quick, athletic body to complement Allin.

4. Jake Hager

The first of two former World Championship challengers on this list, Hager has the bonafides for this match. Don’t forget, the former Jack Swagger not only won a Money in the Bank match, he also successfully utilized the contract to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

Hager’s inclusion would bring a bigger body that could really waylay and throw around some competitors (like Allin or Sabian). He could bring that realistic destructive edge to a match that is bound to chaotic.

(Yes, this all depends on if he wants to risk injury that could stunt his MMA career. Then again, every match is an injury risk.)

That destruction seems more likely to be “throwing people at or onto ladders” and “use ladder as an armed weapon” than “use ladder as launching pad.” If Hager is in this match, at least one person is taking a gutwrench powerbomb onto/through a ladder.

Even with Chris Jericho as the leader of Inner Circle, there shouldn’t be any issues with a Hager victory since Jericho is locked in with his tag partner and fellow Inner Circle member Sammy Guevara as Le Sex Gods. For the time being, Hager winning and having a World Championship match in-hand shouldn’t present any problems as Le Sex Gods presumably aim for the Tag Team Championship.

If, however, Jericho sets his eyes once again on the World Championship, what does that mean for Hager if he has the contract, Jericho if he wants the contract, and the rest of Inner Circle as dissension creeps through their ranks?

Hager could also aim for a rematch with Moxley if the latter is still champion. I would just caution to have a different build than Moxley being beaten down by his next championship opponent every week (which is happening again with Brodie Lee).

3. Shawn Spears

Though unsuccessful in his attempt to win the TNT Championship, Spears’ mere inclusion in the tournament (probably) indicates management sees him as an upper-mid-carder at worst. I guess when you’re paired with the legendary Tully Blanchard, that should be your floor.

Then again, it’s been a weird eight months or so for Spears, and the legend manager/current wrestler combo receiving the big push is Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Lance Archer.

Spears, like anyone in the match, gains more notoriety just by being involved in the match (similar to his spike in popularity after his first appearance as entrant 10 in the Royal Rumble match). He’s also a ring veteran (or in Cody’s terms, a “very good hand”) who can help keep the match on track when Allin inevitably leaps off of a 30-foot ladder.

Spears winning the contract would also help in his quest to fulfill his mission since the beginning of AEW: to become a champion. In AEW, he’s gone from middling single wrestler to searching for a tag team partner to losing in the TNT Championship Tournament. Each was a path for Spears to become a champion in AEW though he failed in all three.

This represents his fourth, and potentially final, path to a championship (outside of an unlikely winning streak based on his historical and current booking).

With the added benefit of Blanchard and his promo abilities, Spears can make the turn from an arrogant and somewhat comical heel to a legitimate threat with a newfound confidence (not arrogance). This confidence manifests in a more physical and devastating in-ring style, capped off with his C4 running Death Valley Driver finisher.

A feud with a World Champion Cody and Spears with the contract culminating in a World Championship match is enticing. Add in Cody’s comments and it adds a further layer of intrigue. You just know Blanchard would highlight those words in a promo to encourage Spears and try to turn the fans against Cody.

If we are going to see anything of Spears as more than a mid-card gatekeeper, then this might be the last opportunity. Let’s see what happens.

2. Scorpio Sky

Like with The Fordians, I picked Sky as a massive breakout singles star. This was just before AEW released the first of two videos on Sky (above), so I know that AEW management also has their eyes on the potential of Sky as a singles wrestler.

Sky is arguably the best wrestler included in this list. He’s arguably better than both announced participants. He is a great technical wrestler, can take to “sky” when necessary, and is about as fluid as one can hope. That fluidity is needed in a ladder match.

If Allin is leaping off a tall ladder, Sky is probably doing something like running up a ladder, leaping onto the top rope, and springboarding onto his fellow competitors at ringside.

His fluidity should also help mitigate what will be some brutal bumps. That shouldn’t be overlooked.

Sky winning the contract also frees him up to focus on being a singles wrestler so that his fellow SCU members Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian can team again (remember how successful they were as The Addiction?).

A former World Championship challenger, we know the fans are behind Sky. All it took was booking him to win matches. Who knew!

The first face on this list, Sky with the contract should continually build up his status with victorious singles feuds over gradually tougher competition. He could then announce ahead of time he is signing the contract for Full Gear or Revolution. Because he has the support of fans, it is crucial not to do anything to diminish that support.

Unless, of course, the plan is to turn Sky heel, though I would advise against that option.

The beauty of Sky having the contract is his styles mesh well with pretty much any wrestler regardless of two important factors: the style of his competition and their face/heel disposition. Sky is also somewhat of a chameleon in that he can work whatever style is most comfortable for his opponent.

What better way to build up his credibility than having him against divergent styles like Hager, Guevara, Wardlow, Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Pres10 Vance, Santana, Ortiz, and/or others? That’s a pretty diverse group of in-ring styles.

Further, as I’ve written before, this would help AEW by having more men’s wrestlers of color in the upper-mid to upper-card singles scene (like SUGE D/Pineapple Pete recently). For a company that stressed there would be men of color in the World Championship picture, it’s a very White scene that still has Sky’s title match as the only World Championship match involving a man of color (and that was in November).

Of course, trying to fill some nebulous definition of diversity shouldn’t (and isn’t) the main goal of upper-card placement (except for maybe Jinder Mahal as WWE Champion). It does help, however, when someone as talented as Sky is waiting for the opportunity to show his star potential.

There may be no bigger opportunity for Sky than winning this match.

1. Trent?

(I use Trent? because that’s how he’s listed on AEW’s roster page.)

Admittedly, this might be the most surprising inclusion in this list. However, to me at least, it has been pretty clear that AEW sees a certain something in Trent? considering his run of singles matches with the likes of Lucha Bros, PAC, Kenny Omega, and Moxley, and his status as the in-ring MVP of Best Friends.

While those matches were great (he only beat Pentagon Jr.), this could be the time when fans start viewing Trent? as more than just one of those dudes that hugs Orange Cassidy.

(Orange Cassidy would be a really intriguing add to the match, but I don’t think that’s the vision they have for him just yet.)

I do like Trent?. I think it is clear he is more apt to have success as a singles wrestler than his tag team partner in Chuck Taylor. His match with Pentagon Jr. really solidified to me that he has potential as a singles star.

Trent? can work, is great at selling, and has an above-average understanding of ring psychology. His singles matches I listed above indicate those traits aren’t just limited to tag team wrestling.

Trent? winning the contract, to me, is the time to present him as an honorable wrestler. I can see him defending his contract against any comers to prove his worthiness as both a singles competitor and a future World Championship challenger.

Instead of John Cena’s U.S. Championship Open, think of it as the Trent’s? AEW World Championship Contract Open. He could have rematches with those talents named earlier. He could wrestle the likes of Brodie Lee and Lance Archer should either/both fail in their respective championship matches in a few weeks.

(This could be how Cody is able to fight for the World Championship again, but this would damage Trent? beyond repair. Think of what happened to the then Mr. Kennedy after he lost the briefcase unceremoniously to Edge.)

His inclusion and performance in the match might be the moment where we find out if Trent? is destined to be a tag team gatekeeper that occasionally sniffs the Tag Team Championship picture. A good showing even without winning might mean more is in store for Trent?.

Tomorrow night, we’ll find out all the rules and presumably the number of and remaining participants. Who knows, everything I just wrote might become OBSOLETE. Still, I would be surprised if at least two of the five listed weren’t included in the match.

What are your thoughts on who might be added? Who do you want to win?