Full Gear might go down as one of AEW's most frustrating pay-per-views.
There was some real brilliance, a few head-scratching decisions, and a case of trying too hard on Saturday night's Prudential Center card, but it might have been better spread out over some Dynamite and Collision. I don't know.
One thing is for sure, not everything went well, but AEW is working together to push fresher members onto the card and feel committed to the Death Rider and Hart Syndicate story. It means you're making an effort. That's good.
Here are five takeaways from Full Gear.
too many good things
After Jon Moxley finally defeated Orange Cassidy to retain the AEW World Championship, it seemed like AEW was trying to do too much at once and negate some of the benefits of this match. Ta. But thank God for Darby Allin
Immediately after the gong, after a barrage of orange punches from the challenger, Moxley knocked Cassidy down, biting him and digging his claws into his back, leaving him bleeding. Cassidy's strikes didn't seem to faze the champion, but things changed when he bravely reached into his pockets and delivered his signature shin kick.
Three more orange punches and a beach break couldn't keep Moxley down, and the remaining Death Riders entered the ring, only to be separated from Conglomerate. Marina Shafir tried to hit Cassidy with the championship briefcase, but Willow Nightingale, returning from injury, ran down and hit her hard with a spear, and the incident was pushed to Cassidy.
The challenger crushed Moxley, but the champion still kicked him. When Cassidy unleashes another orange punch, turncoat Wheeler Yuta defeats him with Psycho Knee. Moxley hits the Death Rider DDT for the win. Fans care about Cassidy, and this opens things up for him when needed, such as the Solo Chicore costing Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39.
Then things got weird.
As the Death Riders tried to do more damage to Cassidy, “Hangman” Adam Page came out and hit Yuta with a chair. Kristan Cage then destroyed Moxley in a suit for the AEW Championship contract, but was unable to cash in as Jay White blocked him. White was out to get revenge on Cage, but the audience was pretty quiet trying to process the three story arcs AEW tried to push.
When the Death Riders fled to the parking lot, Arin saved the day by ramming into their car as they jumped into another car. This makes it pretty clear who will end Moxley's reign in the end.
Hearts So Good
AEW got everything right about Bobby Lashley's first pay-per-view match in the company. He was the strong man he needed to be, dominating early and then ending the match by pushing Strickland into the barricade, spearing him in the ring, and stunning the former AEW World Champion with a Hurtlock. It seemed like there was.
Strickland scored enough points during that time to give fans hope. He ran up and jumped up a set of steel steps and swerved Stomp Lashley through the Spanish announce table. Even a house call and a Swerve Stomp back in the ring weren't enough to stop Lashley.
I feel AEW is doing the right thing in building The Hart Syndicate as a major heel faction, and Lashley defeating Strickland is another brick. Lashley also put Prince Nana in the Hurtlock. Strickland would need some friends – maybe Will Hobbs.
The new king in town?
Will Ospreay was limited at times as Fletcher took advantage of a shoulder injury and complaints of numbness. Fletcher, a 25-year-old who entered the ring wearing a crown, faced off against Osprey on every front, displaying some great storytelling that made his former friend swoon.
Toward the end of the match, Ospreay used a Styles Clash and hit a hard Hidden Blade, but the pin was weak and Fletcher allowed him to kick out. Fletcher stake-drives Ospreay from the apron to the outside steel steps, telling him, “I'm better than you!”
Fletcher drags Ospreay's left arm and hits a Grimstone Piledriver, but Aerial Assassination raises his shoulder. Ospreay, who lacked strength in his arms, was unable to land meaningful strikes.
From there, Fletcher dominated Ospreay and connected with a hilarious brainbuster to the top turnbuckle, keeping Ospreay from the biggest win of his career.
vintage performance
Mercedes Mone and Statländer had a match that lived up to expectations, and the crowd went wild. Statlender's power, Mone's agility, and the pure wrestling ability of both men made this the TBS Champion's best match in AEW.
At one point, challenger Statlander caught a Meteora attempt and slammed Mone into the turnbuckle. She then fired back at the Statement Maker and rolled Mone, who was selling her ass the whole time, into a Samoan drop.
Mone hurt Statlender's knee during the match and also hit him with a frog splash. The challenger showed incredible resilience, lifting his shoulders at the last moment after two backstabbers and Monemaker's finisher.
Frustrated, Mone fell from the Statement Maker submission, but Statlander picked her up and caused her to fall from the electric chair position. She lifted the champion almost flat off the ground for Saturday Night Fever and the biggest explosion of the match. But Monet bit Statlender's knee. The champion used a cazadora to drive the challenger's throat into the ropes and roll him up for the victory.
This was a valuable match for Mone, who thankfully ejected Camille and gave her a chance to sabotage backstage after a late night showdown. AEW also tells the story of the rapid disintegration of Mone and Camille's partnership.
Oh Danny Oi
Daniel Garcia achieved one of the most anticlimactic championship wins ever, cranking back and tapping Jack Perry with the Sharpshooter to become the new TNT Champion. The match played out well. During the match, the crowd clearly did not like Perry, but never favored Garcia, who received little attention in the classic babyface spot of the match until the title-winning surprise. This match was in a terrible position on the card in the 6th of 9 matches following Ospreay vs. Fletcher.
Perry continued to toy with the fact that Garcia was not ready to be champion, at one point handing Garcia the TNT Championship and daring him to punch him. Perry then hit a low blow-in and a running strike, but Garcia delivered a kick with a lukewarm response. It's clear that AEW is pushing some new faces, but this moment felt like a waste of all the energy the company put into Perry's development.
Other matches
Jay White talks about 'Hangman' Adam Page
Blade Runner is over. After a series of incredible counters that started with Page going for a Buckshot Lariat, it only took one shot from White to take Cowboy down. It was White's fifth career singles victory over Page. White informed Page after the win, sparking a post-match attack. Page even criticized Christoper Daniels for trying to intervene. This is a huge momentum win for White, who at one point kicked out of two consecutive Dead Eyes matches against the former AEW World Champion.
MJF vs. Roderick Strong
Strong relentlessly attacked MJF's back with backbreakers, strikes, and submissions, then threw him into the barricade. With Strong, there is no wasted movement. All of that was for nothing for MJF, as one mistake on Strong's pin attempt turned into a salt-of-the-earth submission. After tapping out Strong, MJF slammed his arm against a chair and attacked Adam Cole from behind. However, Kyle O'Reilly escaped too late and lost to Cole, claiming that it was his dealings with MJF that caused him to be injured after Strong warned him beforehand.
Konosuke Takeshita defeats Richet to defend International Championship
There's not much to say about this match other than it probably shouldn't have happened. Takeshita nearly ran over Richet, who was dealing with a back injury, in the shortest match of the night. There's no reason for fans to think Richette is still in WWE. Maybe he'll come back from this and eventually become champion, but then he'll have this match on Dynamite. Takeshita certainly looked like a strong player.
A private party pits The Ackleyd, The Outrunners, and Kings of the Black Throne to retain the AEW Tag Team Championship.
Max Caster and Anthony Bowens have been at odds ever since MVP and the Hart Syndicate made an offer to the former. It continued here as well, with The Acclaimed losing the match in the last match. After a blind tag with Bowens, Caster was dragged to the top rope before Private Party attacked Jin and Juice and finished them off with a not-so-high-energy opener.
Precautions
AEW has started its next feud after Women's World Champion Mariah May tried to attack her friend Mina Shirakawa with a champagne bottle during a celebration. Shirakawa pushed the champion down the ramp through a table, then stood up and gave her a bloody kiss on the forehead.
“Big Boom” AJ defeated QT Marshall in a highly entertaining Zero Hour match, but it was the kids who stole the show. The big pop was for Big Justice's spear on Marshall and Rizler's act of celebrating by climbing on the ropes.
Biggest winner: Kyle Fletcher
Biggest loser: Ricochet
Best match: Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher, Chris Statlaender vs. Mercedes Mohn.
Grade: B
