Full Gear could become one of the most disappointing pay-per-views in AEW.
There was some real brilliance, some surprising decisions and perhaps a case of trying too hard to get a card from Prudential Center on Saturday night that might have been better spread out over a few Dynamite and Collisions.
One thing is for sure, while not everything will work out, AEW is making a concerted effort to push some new faces to the top level and feels a commitment to the Death Riders and Hurt Syndicates storylines and that is a good thing.
Here are five takeaways from Full Gear.
Too much of a good thing
AEW tried to do too much at once after Jon Moxley finally took down Orange Cassidy to retain the AEW World Championship which negated some of the good things that came out of the match. But thank God for Darby Allin
After a flurry of orange punches from the challenger at the bell, Moxley knocked Cassidy down and bloodied him – biting him and hammering his nails into his back. Cassidy's strikes didn't seem to faze the champion, but things turned around after he defiantly stuck his hands in his pockets and delivered his signature kicks.
Three more orange punches and a beach break couldn't keep Moxley down before the rest of the Death Knights arrived in the ring to be isolated from the conglomerate. Marina Shafir was about to hit Cassidy with the championship briefcase, but Willow Nightingale, back from injury, ran up and nailed her with a powerful uppercut – dropping the case to Cassidy.
The challenger smashed Moxley with it, but the champion still kicked. As Cassidy prepared to deliver another orange punch, the rebounding Wheeler Utah took him out with a bad knee. Moxley hit the Death Rider DDT to win it. Fans care about Cassidy and that leaves things open for him if need be – like Solo Sequa cost Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39.
Then things got weird.
“The Executioner” Adam Page came out to hit Utah with a chair as the Death Knights looked to do more damage to Cassidy. Christian Cage then smashed Moxley with an AEW Championship contract issue but failed to cash it in because Jay White stopped him. Wyatt was out for revenge on Cage, but the crowd was too silent as they tried to deal with the three-story deck that AEW tried to pressure.
When the Death Riders ran into the parking lot, Allin saved things by ramming a car into their car as they jumped into another car. It left things very clear who would end Moxley's reign in the end.
It hurts so good
AEW did everything right regarding Bobby Lashley's first pay-per-view match with the company. He looked every bit the force he needed to be, dominating early and then finishing things off by impaling Strickland through the barricade, rolling him into the ring and knocking the former AEW World Champion unconscious in the Hurt Lock.
Strickland got enough time to give fans hope. He even ran up the steel steps set up to jump and stomp Lashley through the Spanish announce table. The conference call and another swerve back in the ring wasn't enough to keep Lashley down.
AEW feels properly committed to building the Hurt Syndicate as a major faction, and Lashley's win over Strickland is another building block. Lashley also put Prince Nana in the Pain Lock. Strickland will need some friends, maybe Will Hobbs.
New king in town?
Will Ospreay was limited at times as Fletcher benefited from a shoulder injury and complaints of numbness. 25-year-old Fletcher, who wore a crown to the ring, went toe-to-toe with Ospreay in every way and did some great stories in shouting down his former friend.
Late in the match, Ospreay delivered the Styles Clash and hit a hard hidden blade, but a flimsy pin allowed Fletcher to kick out. Fletcher was moving Ospreay from the apron to the steel steps outside – telling him “I'm better than you!”
Fletcher hit a Grimstone pile driver with Ospreay's left arm limping but the aerial attack lifted his shoulder. With no strength in his arms, Ospreay was unable to land meaningful strikes.
Fletcher overpowered him from there, laughing at him before connecting the Brainbuster to the top turnbuckle to keep Ospreay away from the biggest win of his career.
Vintage performance
Mercedes Mooney and Statlander had the match you hoped for and the crowd had it. It was Statlander's strength, Mooney's agility and pure wrestling ability that served as the TBS champion's best match in AEW.
At some point, competitor Statlander spotted Meteor's attempt and slammed Mooney into the turnbuckle. She later countered the statement maker, rolling Moné – who had been selling her ass the whole time – into a Samoan drop.
Moon took Statlander's knee during the match, even landing a frog splash on her. The challenger showed tremendous resilience, getting her shoulder up at the last second after two backstabs and a Moné Maker finish.
A frustrated Mooney walked out of the Statement Maker submission, but Statlander caught her and fell out of the electric chair position. She pulled the champion up almost flat from the floor in preparation for Saturday Night Fever and the biggest banger of the match. But Mooney bit Statlander's knee. The champion delivered a Cazadora to force the challenger's throat into the ropes, allowing her to roll her over for the win.
This was a classic match for Mooney, who thankfully kicked Camille out and got the chance to interfere backstage after a confrontation earlier in the night. AEW also tells the story of the rapid erosion of the partnership between Moné and Kamille.
Oh Danny, so much
Daniel Garcia had one of the most anti-climactic tournament victories ever, defeating Jack Perry via a sharpshooter to become the new TNT Champion. The match was well put together. The crowd clearly didn't like Perry during the match but they never supported Garcia, who got very little exposure in the classic babyface spots in the match until his upset title win. This match was in a terrible spot on the card in the sixth match of nine after Ospreay Fletcher
Perry continued to play off the fact that Garcia wasn't ready to be champion, at one point handing Garcia the TNT Championship and daring him to beat him up. Perry then hit a low blow and a running kick but Garcia kicked out in response. AEW is clearly pushing some new faces, but the moment felt like a waste of all the energy the company has put into building Perry.
Other matches
J. White on Adam “The Executioner” Page.
Blade Runner is over. It only took one for White, after a massive series of counters that started with Page trying to get a Buckshot Lariat, to put the Cowboy down. This was White's fifth career singles win over Page. White told Page this after his win to spark a post-match attack. Page even decked Christopher Daniels, who was trying to intervene. It's a big win for White – who was also coming off a two-match losing streak, at one point, over the former AEW world champion.
MJF on Roderick Strong
Strong was hard on MJF's back with strikes, strikes, submissions, and throwing him into the barricade. There are no wasted moves with Strong. It all proved to be for nothing as MJF turned Strong's one miss on a pin attempt into a salt of the earth submission. After Strong tapped out, MJF smashed his arm into the chair, bringing Adam Cole in from behind. But Kyle O'Reilly lost it to Cole after he was too late to come out and blamed his handling of MJF for Strong's injury after being forewarned.
Konosuke Takeshita defeated Richochet to retain the International Championship
There's not much to say about this match other than it probably shouldn't have happened. He ran over Takeshita Richochet – who was nursing a back injury – in the shortest match of the night. There is no reason for fans to feel like Richochet is still stuck in WWE. Maybe he will come back from this to become champion in the end, but then do this match on dynamite. Takeshita sure looked like a force.
A special event for The Acclaimed, The Outrunners and Kings of the Black Throne to retain the AEW Tag Team Championships.
Max Caster and Anthony Bowens still aren't on the same page since MVP and the Hurt Syndicate put on a show for the former. That continued here and cost the latter the match. After a blind tag to Bowens, Caster was pinned on the top rope before hitting Private Party Gin and Juice to retain in a less-than-high energy opener.
Notes
AEW launched Maria Mai's next feud when the Women's World Champion attempted to attack her friend Mina Shirakawa with a bottle of champagne while she was celebrating. Shirakawa led the heroine off the ramp, across a table, got up and gave her a bloody kiss on the forehead.
“Big Boom” AJ defeated QT Marshall in a very entertaining Zero Hour match, but the kids stole the show. It was big pops of Big Justice's spear on Marshall and anything by The Rizzler, who climbed the ropes to celebrate.
Biggest winner: Kyle Fletcher
Biggest loser: Throwback
Best matches: Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher, Kris Statlander vs. Mercedes Moon.
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