AEW Full Gear 2023 11/18/2023

AEW Full Gear 2023 11/18/2023

Pre-show: ROH Tag Titles - MJF and Samoa Joe (c) vs The Gunn's

MJF nails Colten then corner stomps him. Colten drops down, MJF spits at Austin then struts over Colten. Joe saves MJF from being sent into the corner then MJF double lariats The Gunn's. MJF tells Joe that he doens't need him then Joe tags himself in. Joe then topes both Gunn's. Joe sentons Colten then hits punches.

Joe back enzugiri's Colten then MJF gets in and is lariated by Colten. Colten stomps MJF in the corner. MJF takes a double back elbow with The Gunn's mocking MJF during it. MJF throws Austin over the top. Colten slides out and tags in Austin, who then back elbows MJF. Colten misses a corner splash then Austin is back body dropped over the top.

Joe gets in and lariats then Gunn's. He facekicks Colten then powerslams Austin. MJF tries to muscle buster Austin but Colten dropkicks him to stop it. MJF double ddt's the Gunn's then kips up. MJF goes for the kangaroo kick then Joe tags himself in. The faces go for stereo muscle busters but are thrown into each other. Joe takes a 310 to Yuma.

MJF fights the Gunn's outside and has his head banged off the steps. Adam Cole's music hits. The Gunn's get distracted and Joe chokes out Colten to win it.

It was okay and made sense. I thought it put over Joe well but it didn't do much to help out The Gunn's. I didn't like Cole basically cheating by distracting the Gunn's.

Joe and MJF shake on a title match after.

Joe leaves then The Gunn's beat up MJF. MJF takes a chair to the leg and has to be stretched out. He tells Adam when he's in the ambulance not to let him lose his title.

Christian Cage, Nick Wayne and Luchasaurus vs Sting, Darby Allin and Adam Copeland

Christian had kids singing his theme song for his entrance and Adam wore Darby style facepaint with a Sting bat. Ric Flair came out with the faces. Dr. Ken and Steve-O were there. The crowd sang Adam's theme song.

Nick headlock takeovers Darby then Darby does a neat one arm monkey flip on Nick. Nick's arm is worked on and Sting flings him out of the ring by it. Sting then throws him into the rails then back into the ring. Adam and CC get in then CC slips out. Lucha hits punches on Edge in the corner then corner lariats him.

Adam russian legsweeps Lucha then neckbreakers him. Lucha chokeslams Darby on the apron and Darby takes a horrible bump down to the floor. Tony asks "What are we doing?". Christian snap mares Darby then rakes his face. Nick stands on Darby's face and poses. Nick backbreakers Darby then Lucha chops Darby.

Lucha does a neat side slam on Darby then Nick slingshots in on Darby. Darby sits on top and is euro'd by Nick. Darby bites him then top rope sunset bombs him. Christian crawls under the ring then pops up behind Adam and sends him into the post. Sting then walks into a big lariat from Lucha outside. Christian flips Darby into the buckles. Adam is tagged in and Christian runs from him.

Adam lifting ddt's Lucha then knocks him off the apron.  Adam gorilla presses Nick outside onto Lucha then Darby tope con hilos both. Sting then dives on Nick off the apron, going over Ric Flair. Lucha takes a 2v1 from Adam and Sting. Lucha then takes a reverse ddt + 2nd rope elbow drop.

Nick is lifted for a double suplex then Darby crossbodies Nick in the air. Lucha lariats Adam in the back of the neck. Flair and Christian argue outside then Flair hits chops and punches. Christian pokes him in the eyes then low blows him. Christian accidentally nails Lucha with a belt then Adam chases Christian. Christian runs to the back of the building. Sting splashes Lucha then Adam spears Lucha. Darby hits a top rope coffin drop on Lucha and Adam picks up the win.

It was a good opener. Darby's bump off the apron was wild, the Flair/Christian spot was fun and the crowd was into it. They also told a good story with Adam not being able to get to Christian. 

Darby told the crowd to cheer after as it was Sting's last match in California. 

Tony Schiavone, Bryce the ref and Jay White got on the stage. Tony said MJF can't defend the title tonight and says the MJF/Jay White match has been cancelled. Tony then said by default the new champ is...then Adam Cole's music hits.

Cole says Jay is not leaving this place with MJF's title. Cole said he talked to Tony Khan and will defend MJF's title for him. Cole then said he is in the main event tonight against Jay. Jay is thrilled and said he took him out once and will do it again for good.

I didn't get the logic on this one. MJF is too injured and can't defend, yet Adam Cole, who is even more injured defends in his place. I've never liked the "my partner is injured, so here's my replacement partner" storyline that wrestling does but it's more believable in tag wrestling. It doesn't work at all for a singles match. This is also on top of the general absurdity of Jay White carrying around the actual title belt for weeks.

AEW International Title - Orange Cassidy (c) vs Jon Moxley

Mox hits some shots on him early, dropping him. OC is thrown out then thrown onto a table and punched. OC is dropped gut first on a rail. Mox release suplexes OC then stomps him in the corner. Mox blackhole slams OC then punches and boots him.

Mox rakes his back then bites his nose. OC rakes Mox's back then bites him. Mox hits headbutts then OC hits headbutts. Mox is bleeding and is superplexed. OC top rope diving ddt's him then OC satellite ddt's him for 2.

OC boots him several times and flips him off. OC topes him into the commentator's table. OC then topes him again and then topes him again with a flying forearm. OC goes up top and Mox kicks him when he lands. OC hits a cutter off a suplex then takes downward elbows. Mox hits mounted punches then OC kiks him. OC puts him in the red rum then Mox cutters him.

Mox piledrivers him for 2. Mox mocks OC by doing his weak kicks to him  then face shoves him. OC then puts his hands in his pockets and Mox runs head first into the buckle. OC hits orange punches but can't put him down. OC then wins with a beachbreak.

I didn't like Mox losing to OC and I didn't like OC doing his pockets routine near the end. I thought Mox did a good job here but the winner was all wrong here. It also felt like it needed more time. 

Mark Briscoe is announced for the Continental Classic.

AEW Women's Title - Hikaru Shida (c) vs Toni Storm

Toni rips up a script and they trade forearms. Shida knees her in the gut then flying knees her. Shida chops  her while she's tied in the ropes and we see Mariah May watching in the back. Toni hits chops then hits machine gun chops. Toni bulldogs her then does a wind-up forearm.

Toni foot choke Shida on the bottom rope. They duck each others shots and Shida flying knees her. Shida hits corner punches then 2nd rope dropkicks her for 2. Toni throws Shida off the ropes then Luther gives Toni shoes to use. The ref grabs one of them then Toni hits Shida with the other.

Shida beachbreaks her then Toni slaps her. Shida hits a brazilian kick then falcon arrows her for 2. Shida comes off the top and stumbles after landing then Toni ankle locks her. Toni takes off Shida's shoes and tries to hit her with it. Toni gets hit and the shoe flies out somewhere. Shida goes for a kendo stick shot, Luther grabs the stick then is kicked in the nuts. Shida hits Luther with the stick. Toni puts something metal in her tights then germans her. Toni hip attacks her with a tray in her trunks and wins it.

The tray stuff was clever but dumb. There's no way the ref didn't see it and it was obvious it was there. It looked bad and brought down any good will this match had gained.

Mariah May comes out after with flowers and gives it to Toni. 

Renee interviews Eddie Kingston. Eddie said he wants in the Continental Classic and said he wants to put both of his titles on the line in it. Eddie then says the winner of this tournament becomes the triple crown championship as the winner also gets the new continental championship. AEW already has too many titles already and I really don't see what this title adds. It's also not good that we are a few days away from the start of this tournament yet still don't know who will all be in it.

AEW Tag Titles - Ladder Match - Ricky Starks and Big Bill (c) vs FTR vs Kings of the Black Throne vs LFI (Rush and Dralistico)

 

Everyone except Bill and Brody fight to start. Brody and Bill stare down then get hit before they can hit anyone. Black is punched by Dax and falls out. Ricky is pushed into the rails by the ladder then Dax takes a see-saw ladder to the face. Rush and Cash climb the ladder at the same time then climb down and hit each other. Rush headbutts Cash then Cash spears rush off the apron onto various people. Dral hen tope con hilos everyone outside, including his own partner.

Black 2nd rope connector moonsaults onto people outside. Starks is then superplexed by Dax onto people outside. Brody and Bill stare down then trade in the ring. Brody clubs Bill's back then Bill and Brody are sandwiched with ladders.

Dax throws a ladder at Rush then Dax does the Terry Funk ladder spot in slow motion. Dral springboard dropkicks a ladder into Dax. Dral corkscrew kicks Cash then is pushed off the ladder into the ropes. Rush kicks Cash in the face in the corner. Cash then powerslams Rush. 

Cash throws Black into a ladder then Black pulls the ropes and whiplashes the ladder into Cash. Cash low blows Black on the ropes then Cash piledrivers Black on the ladder. Brody topes a ladder that Bill is holding outside. Ricky spears Dral and Rush. Ricky walks the top rope then backdrops Cash.

Ricky belly to belly suplexes Black into the ladder then Brody bodyblocks Starks into the ladder. Brody then back body drops Dax onto the ladder. Brody then cannonballs Dax on the ladder. Dral springboard codebreakers Bill then Bill chokeslams Dral.

Rush rams a ladder into Bill then Rush low dropkicks a ladder into Bill's head. Rush and Ricky climb a ladder then 2 other ladders are set-up next to it. Cash is backdropped off a ladder then Dral poisonrana's Black. Brody hits a sitout driver on Dral on a bridged ladder.

Brody ends up laying on the ladder then Cash dives off the top onto him on it. Ricky and Dax climb the ladder and both are pulled down. Black is lariated over the top. Ricky bangs a belt into Cash's face then Ricky grabs both belts and wins it.

It was your usual ladder spotfest match. Some big spots here. Nothing super dangerous thankfully and they did what they could with it. Nothing great or super memorable. 

TBS Title - Kris Statlander (c) vs Skye Blue vs Julia Hart

Skye is wearing some blue headdress thing and lots of paint around her eyes, along with part of a dress. Julia has some kind of red design painted on her face too.

Kris throws Hart, slams Skye then slams Hart onto Skye. Kris kips down out of a double lariat then hits her down double lariat on the kip up. Kris does the handstand corkscrew legdrop on Skye. Kris pushes Skye then they slap each other. Skye hits a step up knee on her then Hart flips on Kris off the apron. Skye jumps off the apron and hurricanrana's Kris.

Kris double suplexes both opponents on the floor. Kris takes a sandwich superkick then Skye and Hart stare down. They shake hands and throw horrible shots on each other. Hart bangs Skye's head off the mat then they grab each other by the hair.

Skye snapmares Hart then hits mounted shots. Skye PK's her then Kris backdrops Skye. Kris samoan drops Skye then Skye rolls up Hart. Hart double boots and presses Skye then rolls int oa lariat on Kris.Hart's head is put against the top buckle then it is superkicked. Skye ducks a lariat then takes one from Kris. Kris ki krushers Hat for 2. Skye jumps off the 2nd rope and goes for a hurricanrana then is dropped down chest first from the electric chair.

Kris goes to climb the buckles and is pushed down. Hart top rope moonsaults Skye for 2. Kris powerslams Hart on the floor then Skye facekicks Kris. Skye sweeping kicks Kris on the mat then is caught on a crossbody. Skye does a toyota roll into a code red on Kris. Hart puts HArtless on Skye then is deadlift german'd out of it. Kris deadlift germans Skye then germans both again. Kris cradle piledrivers Skye then Hart wins with a lariat.

Nobody embarrassed themselves and it wasn't awful. They did okay for the women.

They announced Will Osperay as the newest roster member. He then came down to talk with Tony Schiavone. Will signed his contract. He said he is not coming in just yet and said he needs to finish up in NJPW. Then he says he will be on the road to Revolution. He then tells Tony to line up the best he has got, especially for Wembley Stadium. I didn't really get the purpose of this since he's not coming in yet and since he's already been on the show multiple times.

Texas Death Match - Adam Page vs Swerve Strickland

Prince Nana had backup dancers with him. And they were Nana's backup dancers, not Swerve's. Page doesn't do his entrance and just runs in to attack Swerve. Page powerbombs Swerve and hits a buckshot lariat. Swerve is sent into the rails then Page throws a chair at his head. Page duct-tapes his hands together then uses a staple gun on Swerve's chest. Swerve gets a piece of paper stapled to him then hits him with a chair in the side of the head. Page then staples some fingerpaint painting to Swerve's face and rips it off.

Page catches Swerve's blood in his mouth. Page grabs a barbed wire chair then swerve kicks him in the nuts. Nana removes the tape off of Swerve's wrists. Page uses the staple gun on him and Swerve no sells it. Swerve then staples him in the head. Swerve staples himself in the chest. Page is sent head first into a barbed wire chair then Swerve puts barbed wire in Page's head.

A cinder block is put on the apron. Swerve bites Page's head then death valley drivers him on the block. Swerve death valley drivers him non the rail's edge, while it's standing. Swerve slaps him around then Page hits punches. Swerve facekicks him then Page fallaway slams him twice. Page rakes barbed wire on Swerve's head then wraps it around Swerve's body. Page then fallway slams him with the barbed wire wrapped around him. Page top rope moonsaults Swerve outside with a barbed wire chair.

Page has a barbed wire chair kicked into him. Page then tombstones him on a barbed wire chair. Nana helps Swerve get up to beat the count though counts have not played much of a role in this yet. Page barbed wire chairs Swerve in the back then Swerve barbed wire chairs him in the back. Swerve sitout powerbombs him on a chair then top rope double stomps him. 

Page takes a chair to the back then Swerve pours glass pieces onto Page's back. Swerve then top rope 450's the glass into Page's back and hits the JML driver. Swerve lariats Page over the top and goes with him. Swerve pulls out a barbed wire board. They go up top and Page bites Swerve. Page then top rope flipping fallaway slams him through the board. Page powerbombs him on the board then hits deadeye.

Page wraps barbed wire around Swerve's head then hits a buckshot lariat. Nana pulls Swerve out to beat the count and Page is mad. Brian Cage then nails Page from behind, powerbombs him, buckle bombs him then F-5's him. Cage sets up a table outside. Page barbed wire punches Cage then lariats him. Nana gets in and takes deadeye off the apron through a table.

Swerve hits Page with a cinder block in the back. Swerve hangs Page with a chain over the top rope. Page can't get up from the 10 count and Swerve wins.

They did too much as standard and it did go a little too long. Glass, barbed wire, cinder blocks, boards, staple guns and other things were used. I thought having Nana and Cage interfere helped hide them doing too much some. I thought it was still a good match  overall but I wouldn't call it a classic. And as usual, it wasn't a real texas death match and was actually a last man standing match.

The Young Bucks vs Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho

A Buck uses the ropes to flip out of a wristlock then Kenny shoulders him over. Omega dodges a dropkick. CJ armdrags Matt then Matt gyrates. Matt takes chops in the corner then pounds on Kenny's back. Kenny hurricanrana's Matt and throws Nick over the top. Kenny then tope con hilos Matt. Nick kicks him from the apron then is dropkicked off the ropes by CJ. CJ dropkicks a Buck through the ropes then CJ is sent into the steps.

CJ's arm is worked on by The Bucks then Jericho's arm is double stomped off the top. A Buck then springboard dropkicks CJ off the apron. CJ is stomped in the corner  then CJ 2nd rope dropkicks a Buck. CJ's arm is bleeding and Kenny is tagged in. Kenny step up enzugiri's a buck then dragon suplexes the other. Kenny finlay rolls one Buck then codebreakers the other Buck who is seated on the 2nd buckle. Kenny then top rope moonsaults a Buck.

Kenny top rope crossbodies Nick then backslides him into a knee. CJ shoulders over both Bucks then asai moonsaults both of them. CJ rolls up a Buck then takes a spin kick to the head. Kenny gets DDT'd then CJ accidentally nails Kenny. CJ then boston crab's Matt. Nick is thrown into the rails outside. A Buck hits a double northern lights suplex then Kenny is german suplexed on the apron. Jericho hits a bulldog then is bridged on the middle rope for a top rope swanton.

CJ hits corner punches on a Buck then top rope hurricanrana's him. CJ is kicked in the crotch then Kenny is too. CJ takes a judas effect then Omega takes a springboard swanton outside. CJ takes a BTE trigger for 2. CJ hits a superkick and takes a superkick into his bleeding arm. CJ low blows a Buck then Kenny hits a running knee on another Buck. Kenny hits two dragon suplexes then is poisonrana'd. Kenny then takes a one winged angel for 2.

A Buck springboards and takes a codebreaker from CJ. Kenny then hits an electric chair german on Matt for 2.  CJ takes superkicks then a Buck takes a pumping knee. Kenny then hits a one winged angel on a Buck and wins it.

It was awful, indy crap as expected. Lots of dangerous moves, lots of kicking out of stuff and little selling. The story was weak here with the Bucks being little kids and being mad that their buddy was hanging out with someone else. Then these guys were low blowing each other and making each other bleed over it.

The Bucks threw a hissy fit after, throwing stuff and ripping up the pads on the rails.

AEW Title - Adam Cole (c) vs Jay White

Adam Cole comes out in regular clothes and on crutches. An ambulance arrives at the building as this is about to start and MJF is driving it. They said he stole the ambulance which is stupid then MJF hobbled down to ringside and is ready to go.

AEW Title - MJF (c) vs Jay White

MJF slaps him then Jay clips the leg. Jay stomps and chops him then underhook suplexes him into the buckles. MJF is thrown out and beaten up by the Gunn's. MJFis sent out again and fights both Gunn's. The Gunn's go to chair MJF's leg but are caught by the ref and thrown out.

Jay throws MJF's shirt on Cole outside. MJF asks for Jay to hit him and Jay does. MJF gets some shots in and a slam on Jay. Jay's head is banged off the buckles then MJF hits corner punches on him. MJF bites him then kangaroo kicks him.

Jay dropkicks him in the knee then ddt's him. MJF pops up Jay in the corner and back kicks him. MJF comes off the 2nd rope and holds his leg then takes a uranage. MJF is thrown out then chopped outside. MJF ddt's Jay on the floor. Jay is put on the commentator's table but it just collapses. MJF then jumps off the top with a elbow to Jay on the floor.

Jay dragon screws MJF over the middle rope as they get back in. MJF is put in tree of woe and takes some shots. Jay stands on MJF's knee up top then is suplexed over. Jay top rope uranage's MJF off the top for 2. Jay hits chops then MJF eye pokes him and spinning forearms him. Jay flatliners MJF then germans him.

MJF rolls up Jay then tombstones him. MJF top rope double stomps Jay's arm. Jay is on the apron and MJF jumps over the top rope to cutter him on the floor. Jay dragon screws him multiple times back in the ring then figure fours him. MJF overturns it and Jay ropebreaks. Cole tries to hit Jay with the belt but Jay ends up nailing MJF with it. Jay grabs the Dynamite Diamond Ring and MJF low blows him.

The Gunn's come in and get nailed by MJF. MJF punches Jay with the ring and wins it.

I hated this. Cole was supposed to be defending for MJF, but then MJF re-took his spot. Lots of interference in this one, weapons usage, ref bumps, low blows and all kinds of other nonsense. Jay lost to a one legged MJF, who was barely able to walk before this yet was jumping off the top and over the top rope to the floor. It was nonsense, they did too much, it was very long and it buried Jay.

Overall thoughts: A long show as usual from AEW. The main was a mess. The Golden Jets/Young Bucks tag shouldn't have been in the semi-main spot. There Texas Death Match/Last Man Standing Match was good but not a classic.  The AEW's Women's Title match had a stupid finish but the girls did okay in the TBS Title match. Mox losing was the wrong call in the International Title match and the opener was good. Will Osperay's segment didn't make much sense and AEW announcing yet another new title is not something anyone really wanted. I thought it was about average with the main and semi-main not being very good but the Swerve/Page match and some of the undercard matches being okay. I'm also surprised we didn't find out who The Devil was here. Finally, I thought the arena needed some extra decoration as the side opposite the camera just had a wall and a "KIA" logo.