2023-11-19 03:02:10
AEW staged its penultimate pay-per-view of 2023 Saturday night with Full Gear, headlined by world champion MJF defending against “Switchblade” Jay White.
That blockbuster main event capped off a show that saw every major title in the promotion at stake, the culmination of several prominent feuds, and the reveal of a new signing:
Who signed on the dotted line, which championships changed hands and was MJF able to overcome all of the recent adversity he has encountered by retaining his title?
Find out with this recap of Full Gear, complete with grades and analysis for each of the night’s matches.
Announced in advance of Saturday’s show were:
AEW World Championship: MJF (c) vs. Jay White
International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jon Moxley
AEW Tag Team Championship Ladder Match: FTR vs. La Facción Ingobernable vs. Kings of the Black Throne vs. Big Bill and Ricky Starks (c)
AEW Women’s World Championship: Hikaru Shida (c) vs. “Timeless” Toni Storm
TBS Championship: Kris Statlander (c) vs. Skye Blue vs. Julia Hart
Texas Death match: “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland
Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho vs. The Young Bucks
Adam Copeland, Darby Allin and Sting vs. Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Nick Wayne
Ring of Honor World Championship: Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Jay Lethal (Zero Hour)
Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship: MJF and Samoa Joe (c) vs. The Gunns (Zero Hour)
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Buddy Murphy (Zero Hour)
Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Eddie Kingston defended the Ring of Honor World Championship against Jay Lethal to kick off the evening’s Zero Hour pre-show.
With Stokeley Hathaway watching from the commentary position, Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh, Karen Jarrett, and Sonjay Dutt all made their presence felt at ringside, with no repercussions.
Lethal controlled the pace and dominated the action, but the gritty Kingston never gave up, fighting his way back into the bout. Just as it looked as though Jeff Jarrett’s trademark guitar would play a factor into the closing moments of the contest, Ortiz appeared and blasted Dutt with it.
The distraction allowed Kingston to rock Lethal with a back fist and score the successful title defense.
It was a good enough match to start the show, with too much attention paid to those at ringside, Hathaway’s intensifying vendetta against the champion on commentary, and Ortiz reuniting with his friend following the clash.
Kingston has earned better than to have his ROH title reign wasted in the opening match of kickoff shows in front of half-empty arenas, too.
Result
Kingston defeated Lethal to retain
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
“What can I do?” Stokeley Hathaway of the Ring of Honor Board of Directors said when pressed by Tony Schiavone about allowing interference from Lethal’s teammates at ringside.
Ortiz appeared, grabbed hold of Jarrett’s guitar, and blasted Dutt with it. He appeared to reunite with Kingston following the match.
Kingston commandeering a live mic is always a fun experience, regardless of the setting. He did so here after his win.
Credit: All Elite Wrestling
If you take two wrestlers the caliber of The House of Black’s Buddy Matthews and Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli and put them in the ring with no frills or outside interference, you are setting your show up for some damn fine in-ring action.
Neither man disappointed Saturday night, delivering a good, hard-hitting match that saw both men bruised and welted but in which Castagnoli ultimately won with the Sharpshooter.
The match did nothing to further any ill will between the BCC and The House of Black, but it did provide fans a preview of things to come later on the main show with great in-ring action and a quality win for Castagnoli, even if Matthews could have used the victory more.
Result
Castagnoli defeated Matthews
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
“We want Mami” chants are not exactly what you hope for when a guy as talented as Buddy Matthews is in the ring. That is an indictment on the creative for not giving fans a reason to care about Matthews enough outside of his spot in House of Black.
Matthews used a jackhammer. The mystery signing is definitely Goldberg.
The physicality of the match was apparent on Castagnoli, who sported cuts and scrapes on the right side of his head and left shoulder.
Credit: All Elite Wrestling
AEW World Champion MJF wanted anything to do with teaming with Samoa Joe to defend the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship against The Gunns Saturday night and it was apparent on numerous occasions throughout the match.
He did not want to tag Joe, even turned his back on him at one point, but ultimately realized he would need the support of The Destroyer if he wanted to retain the titles.
Joe provided just that, rolling late in the match as he took the fight to the challengers. When Austin and Colten Gunn got the best of him, Adam Cole made a surprise appearance that provided a distraction and allowed Joe to score the win with a Coquina Clutch.
After the match, the heels beat down MJF and destroyed his knee with a steel chair, creating doubt about his ability to defend the AEW World Championship against “Switchblade” Jay White later in the night and providing a cliffhanger at the conclusion of the Zero Hour show.
A solid match, strong storytelling, and a great angle helped make this the best part of the kickoff show.
Result
MJF and Samoa Joe defeated The Gunns to retain the titles
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
MJF wore a purple and yellow robe to the ring with “365” written across its back. Excalibur called him out for being presumptuous considering his 365th day as world champion is not until tomorrow and he still has a main event against Jay White slated for later in the show.
“I don’t need your help,” MJF told Joe, then turned his back on the former ROH TV champion as he unloaded on Austin Gunn.
Cole’s unexpected appearance drew a monster pop, which should squash any concerns that he would somehow lose popularity or momentum due to his injury.
Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Sting’s final match in the state of California kicked off Full Gear and saw him partner with Darby Allin and “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland to defeat TNT Champion Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Nick Wayne in trios action.
The match featured a jaw-dropping bump from Allin and both character work and spectacle befitting the legendary competitors at play in this match. Was it a great match? Not by any stretch of the imagination, even less so by the time Ric Flair got involved late.
Still, it was a fun opener with considerable energy and an appropriate finish as the cowardly Cage left his teammates behind to fight his battle for him. It did not go so well and now, the question becomes whether the feud between these two sides will continue.
Result
Copeland, Allin, and Sting defeated Cage, Luchasaurus, and Wayne
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
A children’s choir sang the heel team to the ring because Christian Cage is for the kids.
It should not be lost on anyone that Wayne is in the ring with three legitimate Hall of Famers. What a time for that young competitor.
Allin took a sickening spill over the rope, bumping the apron on the way down as Steve-O of Jackass fame watched at ringside.
Luchasaurus looked strong as he weathered a three-on-one attack and stood tall.
Cage took off through the crowd to avoid further beating, leaving his teammates to suffer the loss.
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