AEW staged its penultimate pay-per-view of 2023 Saturday evening with Full Gear, headlined by world champion MJF defending in opposition to “Switchblade” Jay White.
That blockbuster fundamental occasion capped off a present that noticed each main title within the promotion at stake, the fruits of a number of distinguished feuds, and the reveal of a brand new signing:
Who signed on the dotted line, which championships modified palms and was MJF in a position to overcome all the current adversity he has encountered by retaining his title?
Discover out with this recap of Full Gear, full with grades and evaluation for every of the evening’s matches.
Introduced prematurely of Saturday’s present have been:
- AEW World Championship: MJF (c) vs. Jay White
- Worldwide Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jon Moxley
- AEW Tag Workforce Championship Ladder Match: FTR vs. La Facción Ingobernable vs. Kings of the Black Throne vs. Huge Invoice and Ricky Starks (c)
- AEW Ladies’s World Championship: Hikaru Shida (c) vs. “Timeless” Toni Storm
- TBS Championship: Kris Statlander (c) vs. Skye Blue vs. Julia Hart
- Texas Demise match: “Hangman” Adam Web page vs. Swerve Strickland
- Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho vs. The Younger Bucks
- Adam Copeland, Darby Allin and Sting vs. Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Nick Wayne
- Ring of Honor World Championship: Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Jay Deadly (Zero Hour)
- Ring of Honor World Tag Workforce Championship: MJF and Samoa Joe (c) vs. The Gunns (Zero Hour)
- Claudio Castagnoli vs. Buddy Murphy (Zero Hour)
Eddie Kingston defended the Ring of Honor World Championship in opposition to Jay Deadly to kick off the night’s Zero Hour pre-show.
With Stokeley Hathaway watching from the commentary place, Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh, Karen Jarrett, and Sonjay Dutt all made their presence felt at ringside, with no repercussions.
Deadly managed the tempo and dominated the motion, however the gritty Kingston by no means gave up, combating his method again into the bout. Simply because it seemed as if Jeff Jarrett’s trademark guitar would play an element into the closing moments of the competition, Ortiz appeared and blasted Dutt with it.
The distraction allowed Kingston to rock Deadly with a again fist and rating the profitable title protection.
It was a adequate match to start out the present, with an excessive amount of consideration paid to these at ringside, Hathaway’s intensifying vendetta in opposition to the champion on commentary, and Ortiz reuniting together with his good friend following the conflict.
Kingston has earned higher than to have his ROH title reign wasted within the opening match of kickoff exhibits in entrance of half-empty arenas, too.
Consequence
Kingston defeated Deadly to retain
Grade
C+
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- “What can I do?” Stokeley Hathaway of the Ring of Honor Board of Administrators mentioned when pressed by Tony Schiavone about permitting interference from Deadly’s teammates at ringside.
- Ortiz appeared, grabbed maintain of Jarrett’s guitar, and blasted Dutt with it. He appeared to reunite with Kingston following the match.
- Kingston commandeering a dwell mic is at all times a enjoyable expertise, whatever the setting. He did so right here after his win.
For those who take two wrestlers the caliber of The Home of Black’s Buddy Matthews and Blackpool Fight Membership’s Claudio Castagnoli and put them within the ring with no frills or exterior interference, you’re setting your present up for some rattling advantageous in-ring motion.
Neither man dissatisfied Saturday evening, delivering a great, hard-hitting match that noticed each males bruised and welted however during which Castagnoli in the end received with the Sharpshooter.
The match did nothing to additional any sick will between the BCC and The Home of Black, but it surely did present followers a preview of issues to return in a while the primary present with nice in-ring motion and a top quality win for Castagnoli, even when Matthews might have used the victory extra.
Consequence
Castagnoli defeated Matthews
Grade
B+
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- “We would like Mami” chants will not be precisely what you hope for when a man as gifted as Buddy Matthews is within the ring. That’s an indictment on the artistic for not giving followers a purpose to care about Matthews sufficient exterior of his spot in Home of Black.
- Matthews used a jackhammer. The thriller signing is certainly Goldberg.
- The physicality of the match was obvious on Castagnoli, who sported cuts and scrapes on the precise facet of his head and left shoulder.
AEW World Champion MJF needed something to do with teaming with Samoa Joe to defend the Ring of Honor World Tag Workforce Championship in opposition to The Gunns Saturday evening and it was obvious on quite a few events all through the match.
He didn’t wish to tag Joe, even turned his again on him at one level, however in the end realized he would want the help of The Destroyer if he needed to retain the titles.
Joe supplied simply that, rolling late within the match as he took the struggle to the challengers. When Austin and Colten Gunn bought the very best of him, Adam Cole made a shock look that supplied a distraction and allowed Joe to attain the win with a Coquina Clutch.
After the match, the heels beat down MJF and destroyed his knee with a metal chair, creating doubt about his skill to defend the AEW World Championship in opposition to “Switchblade” Jay White later within the evening and offering a cliffhanger on the conclusion of the Zero Hour present.
A strong match, robust storytelling, and an awesome angle helped make this the very best a part of the kickoff present.
Consequence
MJF and Samoa Joe defeated The Gunns to retain the titles
Grade
B+
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- MJF wore a purple and yellow gown to the ring with “365” written throughout its again. Excalibur known as him out for being presumptuous contemplating his 365th day as world champion shouldn’t be till tomorrow and he nonetheless has a fundamental occasion in opposition to Jay White slated for later within the present.
- “I do not want your assist,” MJF advised Joe, then turned his again on the previous ROH TV champion as he unloaded on Austin Gunn.
- Cole’s surprising look drew a monster pop, which ought to squash any considerations that he would in some way lose reputation or momentum as a consequence of his damage.
Sting’s last match within the state of California kicked off Full Gear and noticed him accomplice with Darby Allin and “Rated R Celebrity” Adam Copeland to defeat TNT Champion Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Nick Wayne in trios motion.
The match featured a jaw-dropping bump from Allin and each character work and spectacle befitting the legendary opponents at play on this match. Was it an awesome match? Not by any stretch of the creativeness, even much less so by the point Ric Aptitude bought concerned late.
Nonetheless, it was a enjoyable opener with appreciable power and an acceptable end because the cowardly Cage left his teammates behind to struggle his battle for him. It didn’t go so nicely and now, the query turns into whether or not the feud between these two sides will proceed.
Consequence
Copeland, Allin, and Sting defeated Cage, Luchasaurus, and Wayne
Grade
C+
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- A youngsters’s choir sang the heel crew to the ring as a result of Christian Cage is for the youngsters.
- It shouldn’t be misplaced on anybody that Wayne is within the ring with three reliable Corridor of Famers. What a time for that younger competitor.
- Allin took a sickening spill over the rope, bumping the apron on the best way down as Steve-O of Jackass fame watched at ringside.
- Luchasaurus seemed robust as he weathered a three-on-one assault and stood tall.
- Cage took off by way of the group to keep away from additional beating, leaving his teammates to endure the loss.
AEW Worldwide Champion Orange Cassidy beat Jon Moxley as definitively as anybody has up to now within the nearly five-year historical past of the corporate, retaining his title and leaving little question as to who the higher man is.
Freshley Squeezed absorbed every part Moxley threw at him, bloodied his challenger, and rocked him with six Orange Punches earlier than pinning him following Seashore Break.
It was an acceptable conclusion to a narrative that has gone on for months and a defining second within the profession of Cassidy.
Moxley doesn’t lose like this. He’s so hardly ever on the shedding facet of any match, and positively not this definitively, that it means extra. It’s extra memorable. Above all, it’s a signal of respect from the previous world champion to Cassidy that he can be prepared to place him over to that extent.
A giant second for Cassidy, a robust match with some nice storytelling, and a red-hot crowd helped make this an enormous win for this present.
Consequence
Cassidy pinned Moxley to retain the title
Grade
A
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- Tony Schiavone revealed in a pre-match promo section that MJF is injured and will probably be unable to defend the AEW World Championship later tonight. Adam Cole interrupted and volunteered to take action in his place. That is regardless of being injured and having undergone surgical procedure lately. The reserving is mindless, it doesn’t matter what huge angle AEW has deliberate for the primary occasion section. A significant miss.
- Cassidy and Moxley, on paper, shouldn’t have the in-ring chemistry they do.
- Oh, look, Moxley’s bleeding. Not less than it is sensible throughout the story’s context, as he busted Cassidy open in September at All Out and Freshley Squeezed fired up and returned the favor right here.
- “The place’s the turnbuckle pad?!” Bryce Remsburg might be overheard asking, a uncommon referee who shouldn’t be utterly unaware of his environment inside a professional wrestling ring.
“Timeless” Toni Storm regained the AEW Ladies’s World Championship, defeating Hikaru Shida in a shenanigans-filled match that by no means actually lived as much as the promise of the expertise concerned.
There was incessant interference from Storm’s butler, Luther, and dishonest from the challenger. The end got here when she stuffed a steel tray behind her tights and delivered a working hip assault within the nook,
Regardless of the questionable high quality of the match itself, there isn’t a denying what this meant for the character that Storm has created. It was the coronation of the Timeless one and the looks of Mariah Might on the conclusion of the bout continued to plant the seeds of the obsessed fan that may play out within the coming months.
Given what number of character incarnations she has been by way of since arriving in AEW, it’s rewarding to see Storm excel, create one thing wholly totally different than anything within the firm, and get it over to the purpose {that a} championship victory couldn’t be denied.
Consequence
Storm defeated Shida to win the title
Grade
C+
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- Storm launched a shoe and, after referee Aubrey Edwards caught her, produced one other and rocked Shida with it for a two-count.
- Luther stopped Shida from utilizing her kendo stick on Storm, then paid for it within the type of a low blow and some pictures concerning the physique.
- “That factor remains to be protruding the again of her britches,” Taz astutely identified however Edwards in some way missed on two totally different events within the closing moments of the match.
- Mariah Might joined Storm within the ring for the post-match celebration, bringing her flowers.
Ricky Starks and Huge Invoice defended their AEW World Tag Workforce Championship in opposition to FTR’s Dax Harwood and Money Wheeler, Home of Black’s Malakai Black and Brody King, and La Faccion Ingobernables’ Rush and Dralistico in a 4-Means Ladder Match.
Some individuals benefit from the Quick and The Livid franchise as a result of it’s loud, obnoxious, and options jaw-dropping motion, and crowd pleasing automobile crashes.
This was the equal of that movie collection.
There was little to no story thread, simply strikes, excessive spots, huge bumps, and ladder climbs earlier than Starks was in a position to rock Wheeler with one of many belts, knocking him to the mat and permitting Absolute to safe the profitable title protection.
The comparability to the Quick franchise shouldn’t be meant to be an insult. This can be very profitable and has an enormous fan base. That doesn’t imply it’s for everybody, although.
The trouble was there and everybody concerned labored extraordinarily arduous. When there isn’t a thread holding it collectively, although, it is extra of the identical ladder stuff we see throughout totally different promotions.
Not less than the precise crew went over right here. As nice as FTR is, and as refreshing as LFI or The Home of Black would have been as champs, Starks and Huge Invoice nonetheless seems like a crew that has extra to perform.
Consequence
Starks and Huge Invoice defeated LFI, FTR, and The Home of Black to retain
Grade
B
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- The commentary crew doubled down on the explanation for Starks and Huge Invoice selecting the ladder match stipulation being the peak of the latter prefer it was an awesome clarification within the first place.
- Starks steals the highlight each time he’s on digital camera. Whether or not it’s in AEW or elsewhere, he’s going to be a man who headlines pay-per-views and makes boatloads of cash for his employer.
- A few of the ladder bumps on this one have been depraved, at the same time as they seemed comparatively tame.
- King delivered a Gonzo Bomb to Dralistico on a ladder that didn’t give at ringside.
The home didn’t at all times win Saturday evening, however Julia Hart held up her finish of the deal, bringing gold to The Home of Black by defeating Skye Blue and Kris Statlander in a three-way match to win the TBS Championship.
The match, higher than anticipated because of some strong timing and some actually intelligent spots, it noticed Hart and Blue placing apart their variations on multiple event to take down Statlander.
The champion continued to struggle and at one level, obliterated Blue with Saturday Evening Fever. An alert Hart leveled Statlander, pinned her rival, and received her first title.
Hart, like Storm just a few matches earlier, has spent appreciable time constructing momentum for herself. After displaying appreciable enchancment throughout this current push, she had her efforts repaid within the type of a title triumph.
There’s an argument to be made that Blue shouldn’t have eaten the pin given the truth that she is within the midst of a personality transformation, however the end protected Statlander, who’s prone to be the primary challenger for Hart in a rematch situation.
Consequence
Hart defeated Statlander and Blue to win the title
Grade
B
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- Blue entered the sector to new theme music, with a brand new look, finishing the transition from the extra generic babyface persona to this darker model of herself, led to by the mist assault by Hart two months earlier.
- Hart almost received the title off a moonsault however Statlander simply narrowly broke up the pinfall, then drove her challenger to the sector flooring with a powerslam.
- The end was rather well executed, with nice timing.
Will Ospreay is All Elite.
The Aerial Murderer was revealed as the most recent signee to AEW, with the understanding that he won’t be coming in till he finally ends up with New Japan Professional-Wrestling. He did problem Tony Khan to search out him high opponents, particularly for Wembley Stadium subsequent August.
It is a huge addition to the roster in that it provides the corporate one other reliable fundamental eventer. Whether or not it lives as much as the hype that solely intensified (by AEW’s personal doing) is the actual query.
Moments later, Hangman Web page and Swerve Strickland settled their intensely private rivalry in a Texas Demise Match.
What ensued was probably the most violent, grizzly, graphic matches in firm historical past.
It match the story in that Web page was vengeful, trying to punish Strickland for invading his residence and threatening his household. The gang cringed each time the cameras targeted on the crimson-masked faces of the opponents, reacted for each excessive spot, and chanted “that is superior,” even when it was not.
Adrenaline fueled pressing bursts of power, Brian Cage interfered however paid for it, and Web page lastly bought a measure of revenge on Prince Nana by driving him by way of a desk. It was Strickland’s use of a cinder block and metal chain that in the end earned him the hard-fought victory.
The match developed into an awesome hardcore match, however misses an “A+” grade due to using the staple gun early on that, in hindsight, was completely pointless and needlessly cringe-worthy.
The identical story might have been advised with out crossing the road into tastelessness and the opening minutes flirted with it.
On a optimistic observe, Strickland is a made man now. Followers have been already completely behind him right here and much more so after the victory. This was his “Austin at WrestleMania 13” second and he handed with flying colours. He’s a future world champion with this firm.
Consequence
Strickland defeated Web page
Grade
A-
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- There’s a advantageous line between hardcore wrestling and rubbish wrestling and there are method too many cases of this firm stepping proper over it. To the purpose that it stops being entertaining. The early moments of this match, with the stapling and the extreme blood loss from Strickland, reached that time.
- “That is utterly pointless,” Excalibur mentioned, quoting the late Tracy Smothers. He was not flawed.
- Having Cage and Nana instantly issue into the end protected Web page from being considered as an outright loser for the second present in a row.
The Golden Jets’ Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega battled The Younger Bucks in a match arrange by the latter’s mounting frustration with their good friend’s partnership with The Ocho.
There was greater than arduous emotions and bragging rights at stake, although, as a win for the Jets meant they’d obtain the Bucks’ AEW tag title alternative.
Although it appeared as if Omega would possibly select friendship over championship aspirations, he proved loyal to Jericho, rocking Matt Jackson with a V-Set off. The motion would intensify from there, culminating with a One-Winged Angel by Omega to Matt for the win.
After the match, the infuriated hometown heroes, having misplaced a championship alternative and seen their friendship take one other hit, by way of a match by destroying the ringside space and refusing an indication of respect from Omega.
From a logic standpoint, the Bucks might have utilized their title alternative at any level and held onto it lengthy sufficient to lose it. That is their fault and, in the end, makes them look foolish.
Past that, the match struggled to get the group again after the previous match, however did have them invested late, as soon as the opponents went by way of their action-heavy ending sequence.
The post-match firmly established the Bucks as heels and it’ll now be fascinating to see how they reply transferring ahead. May an alliance with Don Callis be on the horizon?
Consequence
Jericho and Omega defeated The Bucks
Grade
B
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- Curiously, Callis joined the commentary crew for this match, regardless of his “household” shedding Wednesday’s Road Battle on Dynamite. May it counsel a serious storyline growth on this one?
- “Have you ever had a dialog with the Younger Bucks this week?” Taz requested Callis. “No, I’ve not,” essentially the most hated man in AEW replied, as a result of he’s completely reliable and has by no means advised a lie.
- The Bucks rocking Kobes was a pleasant nod to continuity, seeing as how the present was in Los Angeles.
- The gang struggled actual arduous to get into this one after the final match. Not simply due to all that went into Web page-Strickland, but additionally as a result of this story simply shouldn’t be hitting residence.
- Jericho offered the harm performed to his proper arm by the Bucks by hammering Matt Jackson with left-handed punches.
- “In search of 5 stars with this one,” McGuinness mentioned because the Bucks arrange for the Meltzer Driver. Nigel is aware of what’s up.
Attributable to damage, MJF was unable to compete in the primary occasion and defend his AEW World Championship in opposition to Jay White so his greatest good friend, Adam Cole, stepped up and competed in his absence regardless of additionally being injured and having lately undergone surgical procedure on his ankle.
Booker of the 12 months stuff proper there.
MJF drove again into the sector, ala “Stone Chilly” Steve Austin in a Vince Russo fever dream, and hit the ring to defend his title.
What ensued was a match that didn’t dwell as much as the efforts of the lads concerned. Each MJF and White labored arduous, however the lack of consistency all through made it one of many extra lackluster in firm historical past.
All the story was primarily based round an injured leg that was solely injured when it wanted to be and never when there was a excessive spot to execute. There was a referee bump, incessant dishonest late, and Superman reserving of the primary occasion babyface the likes of which might make John Cena proud.
Add to that the truth that White appears like the most important loser on the planet after failing to beat a one-legged champion, even together with his hobbled greatest good friend at ringside, and you’ve got a fundamental occasion that was a jumbled mess.
A fundamental occasion that by no means wanted the overbooking that began with the damage angle earlier within the evening and devolved into the artistic mess it in the end turned.
Is MJF an awesome skilled wrestler? Completely. Does he want hopelessly overbooked messes like this to remain over with followers? No. What he does want is to keep away from the identical reserving tropes that turned followers in opposition to the resilient babyfaces in WWE through the years and extra importantly, high quality heels to work with.
White not is, largely as a result of he failed to beat a champion who competed on one leg for a lot of the match, regardless of utilizing a championship belt to his benefit and having an opportunity to do the identical with the Dynamite Diamond Ring.
It was horrendous reserving of White, an unnecessarily difficult show-long storyline, an illogical reserving determination to permit Cole into the combo within the first place, and a inconsistent promoting from a pupil of the sport that’s normally method higher with stuff like that.
On a optimistic observe, the group was sizzling, so there’s that. An excessive amount of of that schlock reserving, although, will ultimately flip them on it.
Consequence
MJF defeated Jay White to retain
Grade
C
Prime Moments and Takeaways
- The dearth of logic surrounding the reserving of this feud all through the course of this present has been mind-blowing.
- Cole’s presence at ringside is hanging over this one like a darkish cloud.
- Why is MJF leaping off the highest rope with an elbow drop to the ground on White when he is nursing a knee damage? It is par for the course so far as making sense, however nonetheless an absurd addition to this ridiculously overbooked match.
AEW Full Gear had a extremely robust center portion, with nice work from younger stars within the ladies’s division, a strong ladder match and, regardless of the grossness of its early portion, a Texas Deathmatch that made a star of Swerve Strickland.
The opening trios match featured loads of present and future Corridor of Famers however by no means reached the standard that almost all AEW PPV openers are synonymous with, and the final two matches featured gaps throughout the logic of the artistic that in the end dragged the general high quality down.
MJF remaining a focus is the precise name, however him and Jay White deserved higher than no matter mess they have been thrust into Saturday.
The inconsistency throughout the artistic is starting to indicate itself greater than at some other level in AEW historical past. Tony Khan and the remainder of his crew should step again and work to shore issues up or there will probably be extra nights like this.
Was Full Gear a nasty present? Not by any mreans.
Was it one which by no means lived as much as the potential of its card? Sure.
An excellent present, however not an awesome one, with a thud of a conclusion.
Grade: B-
