Dave Meltzer says early indicators point to AEW Double or Nothing 2026 being one of the most successful pay-per-views in All Elite Wrestling history.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer noted that while final numbers are not yet available, the event has already surpassed several key internal benchmarks. “A huge success. I don’t know if it beat All In, the Globe Life Field show. It’s too early to tell.”
Meltzer added that Double or Nothing appears to have set a new AEW record on the HBO Max platform. “It was the biggest that they’ve ever done on HBO Max, but HBO Max started after the All In show.”
For Meltzer, the most important comparison was against AEW Revolution 2026, which had previously been AEW’s strongest pay-per-view performance since All In. “So to me, the big thing was would they be able to beat Revolution? To me, that was the goal, and Revolution did a real big number. Revolution was the biggest since All In, and they beat Revolution by a fairly significant margin.”
According to the preliminary information Meltzer has heard, Double or Nothing may be running roughly 15 percent ahead of Revolution’s buy rate. “The only numbers that I’ve seen were 15 percent up from Revolution. I think that’s a little bit higher than it’s going to end up, but again, I’ve only heard some stuff.”
While Meltzer does not expect the show to surpass some of AEW’s all-time record-setting events, he believes it is firmly in the conversation for a top-five or top-six spot in company history. “I think it is pretty clear that it will be among your top five, six pay-per-views in the history of AEW.”
Meltzer specifically cited several events he does not expect Double or Nothing to surpass:
AEW Revolution 2024 featuring the retirement of Sting
AEW All Out 2021
AEW All In 2023
“It’s not going to beat the Sting retirement. It’s not going to beat that big one in Chicago when Punk had his first match there and everything, where they set the record. It’s not going to beat the first Wembley.”
However, he believes the show could ultimately rank just behind those landmark events. “But as far as spots four, five, six, I think it’s possible that it may beat some of them.”
The strong business performance follows a highly praised Double or Nothing card from Louis Armstrong Stadium that featured major matches including Darby Allin vs. MJF, the return of Kyle Fletcher, and the crowning of new AEW World Tag Team Champions Adam Copeland and Christian Cage.
