Daniel Dubois won a chaotic instant classic with Fabio Wardley on Saturday night, climbing off the canvas twice to win the WBO heavyweight title.

Wardley dropped his fellow Briton with perhaps the second punch he threw, before putting Dubois down again in the third frame. At that juncture, a victory for the 28-year-old seemed beyond improbable.

But Dubois, a former IBF champion, finally silenced the longstanding questions about his heart to turn the tide. He gradually dismantled Wardley, 31, whose nose was a bloody mess and whose right eye was close to shutting.

After the referee seemed to consider stopping the bout a few times, he ultimately awarded Dubois an 11th-round win in Manchester. With that, Wardley was beaten for the first time.

“I know I’ve got heart, bundles of heart,” said Dubois in the ring after the fight. “I’m a warrior in there. [The first knockdown was a] flash knockdown, you have to get back up and come back harder, man. I’m a warrior. I thank Fabio for a great fight, man. I thank this team, and we move on now. All glory to God for this victory.”

Wardley thanked the crowd on his way out of the arena, before Frank Warren – who promotes both men – revealed there was a rematch clause in the contract for Saturday’s main event.

The result marked Wardley’s first loss (20-1-1, 19 KOs), as he was beaten in his first defence of a world title. Last time out, in October, he fought from behind to knock out Joseph Parker and win the interim WBO heavyweight belt – which was soon upgraded when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the official title.

Meanwhile, Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) entered the Co-op Live arena on the back of his second stoppage loss to Usyk, which was his third defeat overall. Dubois’s only other loss was a prior stoppage by Joe Joyce, in which “Dynamite” took a knee after suffering an orbital fracture – a moment that birthed a longstanding doubt about Dubois’s heart.

Those questions were harsh, however, as Dubois proved on Saturday, by rising twice and withstanding Wardley’s best offence to secure the unlikeliest of victories.

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Wardley dropped the Londoner with practically the second punch he threw, an overhand right, before flooring Dubois with a one-two in the third frame.

But thereafter, Dubois gradually broke down the Ipswich boxer, aggravating a pre-existing nasal injury to leave Wardley’s face streaming with blood. Furthermore, Dubois – whose left eye looked close to closing – almost punched Wardley’s right eye shut.

The referee had Wardley inspected by a ringside doctor at the start of round nine (for his nose) and round 10 (for his eye), but both times the champion was allowed to continue.

Perhaps that was unwise, as Wardley had begun to sustain increasingly-severe punishment, with Dubois close to sealing a finish at the end of several rounds.

Ultimately, the stoppage came after Dubois’s first meaningful attack in the penultimate frame, as he became a two-time world champion.

Double or Nothing is one of the most popular pay-per-views on the AEW calendar. Over the years, the show has formed an identity of its own among the fans due to its signature Stadium Stampede matches. It is a big show that has been a part of the All Elite Wrestling programming since the company’s first year. Therefore, it has witnessed some of the major moments in AEW history.

The pay-per-view has been the epicenter of chaos for the Jacksonville-based promotion, which has featured some of the best matches in the company’s tenure. But it has also been the hotspot for massive debuts for All Elite Wrestling. Many top stars in the Jacksonville-based promotion today made their debut as a surprise at this very pay-per-view in the past seven years.

In this article, let’s take a look at four top stars who made their AEW debut at Double or Nothing pay-per-view:

#4. Brian Cage

Brian Cage signed with AEW in early 2020, and fans had high excitement for his debut in the promotion. On May 23, Cage made his debut as the surprise entrant in the Casino Ladder Match for a future AEW World Championship match at Double or Nothing pay-per-view. He debuted alongside Taz and quickly became one of the top heels of the promotion.

What was good about that moment was that Brian Cage won his first AEW match on the day of his debut. The Swolverine went on to dominate the ladder match at Double or Nothing and won the title opportunity for himself. It was an incredible first appearance by Cage that helped him become one of the top stars of the promotion.

Moreover, the 42-year-old faced the AEW World Champion of that time, Jon Moxley, in a singles match for the title at Fight for the Fallen in the later months. But still, Cage’s debut stands out as one of the best first appearances in All Elite Wrestling’s history.

#3. Athena

Athena has been an incredible signing for All Elite Wrestling in the past few years. She was released by WWE in November 2021 following an incredible run in the company. After working some major independent wrestling matches, Minion Overlord joined AEW in 2022. On May 29 of that year, the former NXT Champion made her debut for All Elite Wrestling at Double or Nothing in Nevada.

Athena quickly made her mark on the promotion by confronting Jade Cargill. She appeared at the end of Cargill’s match to aid Kris Statlander and Anna Jay. It was a major debut for the Jacksonville-based promotion, and the former WWE star had a decent run before she was moved to ROH. In December 2022, Athena captured the ROH Women’s World Title and has been dominating the division since then.

#2. Lio Rush

Lio Rush joined All Elite Wrestling in 2021 following a decent run in the independent wrestling scene and WWE. On May 30, 2021, the former WWE star made his debut for the Jacksonville-based promotion during the Casino Battle Royal at the Double or Nothing show in Florida. Rush entered the bout as Joker and quickly created a buzz among the fans.

His initial appearance looked entertaining, and fans enjoyed his presence in the match. However, following a decent debut, Lio Rush was eliminated by Matt Hardy, ending his extraordinary experience. After that, the former WWE star will become an addition to the undercard of All Elite Wrestling. He has been trying to make an impact in the company since then.

In 2026, Rush debuted a new eerie gimmick that helped him to regain the buzz among the fans, something that he had not seen since his debut at Double or Nothing pay-per-view in 2021.

#1. Jon Moxley made his debut at AEW Double or Nothing 2019

In early May 2019, Jon Moxley announced the return of his former gimmick in professional wrestling. Shortly after that, rumors of Moxley’s arrival in AEW swarmed the internet. On May 25, 2019, he went on to make his much-awaited debut for All Elite Wrestling at the inaugural Double or Nothing pay-per-view. He appeared with an all-new persona, which was different than his WWE character.

The former WWE Champion attacked Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega following their main event showdown for the AEW World Championship. He also took down the referee in the ring to showcase his anti-authority and anti-hero persona. That debut made headlines all over the globe and quickly made Moxley one of the most popular stars in the professional wrestling business.

Thereafter, it was announced that The Purveyor of Violence has signed a multi-year deal with the Jacksonville-based promotion. It was the beginning of a legendary run in AEW. Moxley became a multi-time world champion in the company, and he formed his identity as one of the most important stars in the history of All Elite Wrestling.