AEW Double or Nothing 2026 has been widely regarded as one of the best pay-per-views the company has ever produced, and one thing that has been picked up on by many fans is the distinct lack of blood in the marquee matches. For a show that had a Stadium Stampede match, an “I Quit” match, and a main event that saw Darby Allin jump off the top of the entrance stage, the lack of crimson throughout the night surprised people, but there was a very good reason for this.
Dave Meltzer detailed in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the New York State Athletic Commission outright banned both blading, and crowd brawling for the event. There was some blood on the show as Adam Copeland was busted open during the aforementioned “I Quit” match, but due to that blood being produced hardway, the commission let it slide. They also let the minimal crowd brawling during the Stadium Stampede match slide too, with The Young Bucks in particular getting to fight amongst the fans if only for a brief moment. At the time of writing, no one in AEW has been punished for these moments.
This is a similar situation to what happened back at AEW WrestleDream 2025 which took place in St. Louis, Missouri. That show was headlined by the highly anticipated “I Quit” match between Darby Allin and Jon Moxley, but due to regulations implemented by the Missouri Athletic Commission, no blading or crowd brawling was allowed at that event either, resulting in an almost bloodless main event.
With all that said, Meltzer also noted that Double or Nothing featuring little-to-no blood was one thing he saw fans praising on social media. While Meltzer acknowledged that the company’s various bloodbaths of the past do get over with loyal fans, they can turn some viewers away at times, particularly parents who don’t want their children to watch the shows. The regulations implemented by the NYSAC forced AEW’s hand, but Meltzer believes that eliminated the small percentage of criticism certain shows receive for being too violent.