News from the AEW rally: Double or Nothing date & location, signings, pay, more!

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) held its rally in Jacksonville, Florida today to make a few announcements and drop some news on what to expect from the promotion going forward. You can catch a replay of the live stream here.

Among the items:

• SCU has signed with the promotion.
• Cody Rhodes claimed they are going to change the economy of pro wrestling. Wrestlers are typically paid poorly and they will fix that.
• Wins and losses are actually going to matter. “More than they’ve ever mattered before,” according to Cody.
• Matt Jackson said they won’t care about race, gender, sex, or religion but “if you’re an elite athlete, we want you. Our doors are open to all.”
• Jackson announced that talent from OWE will be coming into AEW. “I swear to god you guys are going to love these guys.”
• Double or Nothing will take place on May 25, 2019, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Brandi Rhodes announced there will indeed be a women’s division in AEW.
• On top of that, she said the women will be paid equally and there will be no sliding scale.
• Britt Baker was announced as the first signing for the women’s division. She talked up the promotion’s commitment to women’s wrestling because she is one of the first signings not just in the women’s division but of the entire roster.
• MJF interrupted Conrad Thompson to call him fat in like 20 different ways, like “tons of fun” and “turkey tits.” Then he called the crowd dumb and poor. He also claimed Jacksonville is “the dumpster fire of America.” He, too, is with AEW. “You can’t change the world without a fresh new face and there is no better face to look at in professional wrestling than MJF.”
• MJF was interrupted by the Jacksonville Jaguars mascot. He called the mascot “tons of fluff” before telling him to leave. He was hit with a crutch from behind, which turned out to be Joey Janela, who was with Penelope Ford. Janela said “in 2019, we’re All Elite.”
• Hangman Page said he would be the first All Elite Wrestling champion in 2019 and Neville PAC showed up with a belt of his own. “I’m already a champion, and you couldn’t even lace my boots.” Page said if that was a challenge, he accepts.
• A second entrance for Cody and The Young Bucks. They had one more announcement, and that was that the second show would take place in Jacksonville and a large portion of the gate would go to benefit victims of gun violence.
• Just as Conrad was closing the show, Fozzy’s music hit and Chris Jericho showed up. “I’m Chris Jericho and I am all in with All Elite Wrestling. Surprise! I think we just took things to a different level, didn’t we? ... I’m not here for the money, I’ve already got the money.” He said they’re going to change not just the world but the universe.

That will do it.