ESPN has officially restored an All Elite Wrestling section to its website, launching the renewed coverage with an extensive feature on current AEW World Champion Darby Allin ahead of this Sunday’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
The article, written by Andreas Hale and titled “AEW’s Darby Allin keeps tempting fate and coming back for more,” was published this week and subsequently promoted across AEW’s social media channels on May 20.
The feature dives deep into Allin’s lifelong obsession with danger and risk-taking, revealing that his extreme behavior long predates his wrestling career. Among the stories highlighted are Allin landing a skateboard kickflip at 20,998 feet during his successful Mount Everest summit, performing a front flip off a piano onto concrete at just five years old, and executing a 100-foot jump on a Can-Am while holding bicycle handlebars at Travis Pastrana’s compound only days after winning the AEW World Championship.
Despite the highly physical and reckless style that has defined his wrestling career, the article notes that Allin has suffered only three broken bones throughout his entire time in professional wrestling.
One of the centerpiece moments covered in the feature was Allin’s successful climb of Mount Everest on May 18, 2025, at 8:40 a.m. local time. The accomplishment placed him among fewer than 7,000 people in history to reach the summit since the mountain was first conquered in 1953.
At the summit, Allin planted an AEW flag and recorded a video proposing to his girlfriend, Sarah.
Speaking to ESPN about his outlook on life and risk, Allin delivered a quote that perfectly encapsulates the philosophy that has defined his career.
“If the worst that is going to happen to me is dying, so be it. It’s fine, but it’s not worth sitting by and watching this life go by and doing nothing interesting with it.”
Allin captured the AEW World Championship on April 15, 2026, defeating MJF in under three minutes during Dynamite: Spring BreakThru at the Angel of the Winds Arena in Kennewick, Washington — just miles away from the Buddy Wayne Academy where he originally trained.
Since winning the title, Allin has successfully defended the championship seven times.
AEW President Tony Khan also spoke to ESPN for the article, praising Allin’s evolution into one of the company’s defining stars.
According to Khan, Allin has been part of AEW since the very first episode of Dynamite and has developed into a performer that fans genuinely believe in, making now the right moment to position him as both AEW World Champion and one of the faces of the promotion.
Allin’s next title defense comes this Sunday at AEW Double or Nothing in a Title vs. Hair match against MJF. If MJF loses, he must shave his head.
The event takes place Sunday, May 24, at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. The pay-per-view streams live on HBO Max PPV beginning at 8 p.m. ET, with the Buy In pre-show starting at 7 p.m. ET and featuring Mick Foley joining Renee Paquette as co-host.
Updated AEW Double Or Nothing Card:
AEW World Championship — Title vs. Hair:
Darby Allin (c) vs. MJF
AEW Women’s World Championship — Four-Way Match:
Thekla (c) vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Kris Statlander vs. Jamie Hayter
AEW International Championship:
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita
AEW World Tag Team Championship — I Quit New York Street Fight:
FTR (c) vs. Adam Copeland and Christian Cage
AEW Continental Championship — No Time Limit:
Jon Moxley (c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Stadium Stampede — 14-Man Match:
Chris Jericho, Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, Kenny Omega, Jack Perry, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson vs. Ricochet, Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, Mark Davis, Andrade El Idolo, Clark Connors and David Finlay
Men’s Owen Hart Cup Quarterfinal:
Will Ospreay vs. Samoa Joe
Men’s Owen Hart Cup Quarterfinal:
Swerve Strickland vs. Bandido
Women’s Owen Hart Cup Quarterfinal:
Willow Nightingale vs. Alex Windsor
5-Minute Tag Team Eliminator:
Divine Dominion vs. Zayda Steel and Viva Van
10-Man Tag Team Match:
Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Roderick Strong, AJ Befumo and QT Marshall vs. Shane Taylor Promotions
