All Elite Wrestling, a new wrestling promotion led by the former WWE wrestler Cody Rhodes, put on its first official show, "Double or Nothing," over Memorial Day weekend.

The show was enthralling and received rave reviews from fans in attendance and those watching at home, and it gave clear examples of the differences between the new company and WWE.

Between the wide range of wrestling skills on display, the access given by the performers, and the return of a bit of blood, there are plenty of reasons for wrestling fans to be excited about the future of AEW.

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On Saturday, over the Memorial Day weekend, a new chapter in the world of professional wrestling began.

All Elite Wrestling's debut pay-per-view "Double or Nothing" aired live from Las Vegas, earning rave reviews from fans in attendance and those watching at home.

All Elite Wrestling, or AEW, presents the first true stateside alternative to WWE in two decades. The brand is helmed by the former WWE performer Cody Rhodes, who along with the indie superstar tag team The Young Bucks and the New Japan legend Kenny Omega will serve as both performers and executives for the new promotion.

Funding the project is Shad Khan, the billionaire owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC, with his son, Tony, a lifelong wrestling fan, serving as president and CEO of the company.

Between its ever-growing roster of talent and its announced television deal with TNT, AEW was already positioned as a draw for wrestling fans before any action in the ring. But on Saturday, the promotion took things to another level with "Double or Nothing."

The show was enthralling and proved not only that AEW can draw a crowd and put on some classic matches, but that the differences between the upstart company and Vince McMahon's Goliath may play to its advantage.

In the show itself and the interviews given to reporters after the final bell, it's easy to see just how new a product AEW is setting out to be compared with WWE.