AEW Full Gear: 5 key questions and predictions for AEW's championship extravaganza pay-per-view

Yahoo

22-11-2024

It's AEW pay-per-view week, so you know what that means: Uncrowned's Horsemen are riding again ahead of Full Gear this weekend.
Kel Dansby, Drake Riggs, Pen Shamrock and Anthony Sulla-Heffinger are tackling some of the burning questions heading into AEW's penultimate pay-per-view of the season. Since October's 'WrestleDream' event, the landscape of AEW has changed dramatically, with AEW World Champion Jon Moxley's Death Riders running roughshod over the roster, setting the stage for an eventful Saturday night.
This time around, these ponies are adding a new trick — predictions — which we almost certainly won't hold over each others' heads as an unofficial ranking of the Uncrowned wrestling scribes.
With all the intro mumbo jumbo out of the way, let's get to what everyone is really here for: The takes.
1. What title do we to see change hands?
The TBS title was created for Jade Cargill. She walked so Kris Statlander could run, and run she did ... but not for long enough.
I want to see the former champ Statlander reclaim her throne and I think she will. It's too perfect of a setting. Statlander is back at Full Gear, where she lost it a year ago (without getting pinned), and there's Kamille's impending (and justified) turn on Mercedes Moné coming. This all tracks. We have to get to Moné's pursuit of the world title sooner rather than later anyway. A feud with Mariah May would be absolutely brilliant — after a Kamille feud, of course. I don't necessarily love that a Statlander win will come from that Kamille turn, she doesn't need it to be able to beat Moné, but I'll take it. Statlander is awesome and fits significantly better as TBS queen.
I'm with Drake on this one — it's time for a new TBS Champion. Moné's run hasn't been bad, and she does need a trilogy match with Willow Nightingale, but that can come down the line. The seeds have been planted for a Kamille turn — hopefully she just walks away from Moné instead of putting her hands on her, which would diminish a Statlander win — so I would like to see that play out Saturday. Moné has enough clout and name recognition that even with a loss she'll be a credible opponent higher up on the card. Statlander deserves this moment in front of a semi-hometown crowd.
It's tough to pinpoint a title that feels destined to change hands at Full Gear. Honestly, I'd cheat and suggest adding Chris Jericho to the card just so he could drop the ROH Title to Tomohiro Ishii. If you missed their backstage interaction on "AEW Dynamite," you're missing a gem.
Since that's not on the table, my pick would be Daniel Garcia dethroning Jack Perry for the TNT Championship. The EVP storyline has fizzled out, and Perry's momentum from his NJPW return earlier this year has all but disappeared. Garcia recently re-signed with AEW, and this would be the perfect way to launch his next chapter with the company.
Moné's TBS Championship run hasn't been particularly compelling, and while she might need a fresh story, she does not need the title. She's established enough to do a campaign that doesn't involve a belt, though AEW might feel forced to keep her in title contention if her deal is as lucrative as the rumors said.
Maybe this is like when an NFL team throws millions at a quarterback so they're obligated to play 'em — either way, main event moves make more sense for Moné than continuing this run with the TBS strap. Plus, Kris Statlander would benefit, as would Kamille, if she's the one to sabotage her friend and step out of Moné's shadow.
2. If you could make one change to the card, what would it be and why?
I would remove Hangman vs. Switchblade. The match will surely be entertaining considering the talent involved, but we just saw this at WrestleDream. Give more time to other matches or just shorten the runtime of the show as a whole. You could really sell a special episode of Dynamite/Rampage/Collision with this as the main event instead.
This might be an extreme take, but Orange Cassidy as Jon Moxley's challenger. I like what they've done with a serious Cassidy and I think he's a great, fun wrestler, and these two work great together. There's just no way in hell I ever see Cassidy becoming a world champion, especially as the character we've primarily known him as. Similar to my feelings on the TBS title, if the belt changes hands, it would probably be from a Wheeler Yuta interference and turn. We know the absolute coward will never do that, though. Just go away, Yuta.
OK, so, Mariah May won the Women's Championship on August 25. That will be 90 days ago. The time for a victory lap is long gone. I'd scrap the Champagne Celebration bit and replace it with — stay with me, because this is wild — an actual wrestling match where May defends the title.
AEW hasn't addressed why Darby Allin won the Royal Rampage match on "AEW Rampage" (July 26), earning a world title shot at Dynamite: Grand Slam (September 25), but ended up wrestling Moxley instead. Moxley defeated Allin, then challenged Bryan Danielson at WrestleDream, winning the AEW World Championship for the fourth time.
There's no logical reason for Allin to be OK with Moxley's reign. And why has Orange Cassidy suddenly jumped ahead as Moxley's next challenger? The main event should be Allin vs. Moxley — both to avenge his September loss and to retaliate for the beatdown on Danielson. It's a story begging to be told.
3. Off-the-wall prediction for the show?
Swerve Strickland falls to Bobby Lashley and is then ambushed by the Hurt Syndicate. But just when things seem bleak, his former tag team partner, Keith Lee, returns. Lee helps fend off the attack, setting the stage for a dramatic staredown with Lashley. This moment revives the tension between Swerve and Lee from 2022 while giving them a common enemy heading into 2025.
Ricochet helps Bobby Lashley beat Swerve Strickland and joins the Hurt Syndicate. Is that even off the wall enough? How about this — Toni Storm returns? Nah, that still doesn't feel wacky enough. OK, final answer — Samoa Joe comes back and we see him face-to-face with Moxley.
MJF and Adam Cole have some big master plan and are still the bestest of friends, screwing over Roddy Strong in the process. The more I think about it, I've talked myself into it. This would be close to perfect, as I've wanted the "real" Cole to re-emerge as has been teased and I've pointed out in recent "AEW Dynamite" episode recaps. A form of that would be going this direction, albeit a different way to get to his goal of taking out MJF.
For the record, I do think Drake nailed his 'off the wall' prediction, so much so that I believe it's going to happen. Anyway, my OTW call is that Kenny Omega returns and saves Orange Cassidy from a major beatdown after the main event. Omega recently returned to NJPW after a lengthy absence, and as Moxley tries to mold AEW into his vision, who better to thwart him than someone who actually helped start the company?
4. What match should open the show?
Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher has all the makings of the night's best match, so it should open the pay-per-view with a bang. Fletcher's heel turn has been executed brilliantly, and AEW has a golden opportunity to solidify him as a major player with a hard-fought win over his former stablemate and mentor Ospreay.
Jack Perry vs. Daniel Garcia for the TNT Championship. The stakes and action should be high enough to get the crowd going early. This is one of the most unpredictable matches on the card too, which works in its favor.
Whichever one is going to end with a clean pinfall or submission. I get the sense this is going to be a night full of interference and hijinks, so before all of the shenanigans, can we just get one straight-up finish? That said, it also has to really be entertaining and set a high bar. My best bet for a banger match with high potential to end free of shenanigans is Hangman Adam Page vs. Jay White, so that's my ideal opener.
High pace, big action, bad blood. Give me Ospreay vs. Fletcher, which should be a good time because Ospreay is always a good time. No offense, Kyle. It is what it is. This will be fun.
5. How will Mariah May's Champagne Celebration go wrong?
Champagne problems, am I right? The real swerve here would be if nothing went wrong, considering every major event like this in professional wrestling history has devolved into chaos.
Toni Storm is playing coy, saying we've heard the last from her in professional wrestling. If done right, Storm returning Saturday would be an all-time women's division moment in AEW — let some gray and black confetti drop, then have a video montage celebrating May's run turn to black and white and boom, Storm's music hits.
I don't know how expected it might be, but I get some Chris Jericho-Kevin Owens festival of friendship vibes here. Therefore, Mina Shirakawa attacks Mariah, giving her the "celebration she'll never forget." That's a direct quote from this week's "AEW Dynamite," guys. Read into it! That woman wants a title, damnit! Friendships in wrestling are made to be broken. Talk about greed, eh?
I also don't see much logic in Mariah turning on Mina, other than to remain a selfish lone wolf type. Will we see Toni Storm return? Possibly, but having her just appear to ruin things is the definition of a stereotypical wrestling history repeat. We've seen that to death. Please be more creative than that, AEW.
Toni Storm's 'retirement' announcement last week feels far from permanent — it's pro wrestling, after all. Expect Storm to crash May's champagne celebration to thunderous applause, delivering an old-school, vintage beatdown to spoil the festivities.
The Vendetta interrupts. As Big AJ emphatically mentioned in his promo, Full Gear is going down at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Considering Deonna Purrazzo is very much from Jersey, it'd make a ton of sense for her and Taya Valkyrie to pop up when the bottle popping pops off.
BONUS: Favorite Costco food court item?
It's been countless years since I sat down and ate a meal in Costco. The pizza might legitimately be the only food court item I've tried. I remember it being pretty good, but I'm not going to lie to you guys and say it was a groundbreaking, must-try delicacy. Let the stupid trends die, thank you.
The year is 2055, Big Justice is supreme ruler and the Costco police are hunting for the leader of The Rizz-istance. I'm in a warehouse club prison because I slandered the Chicken Bake and Double Chunk Chocolate Cookie in an Uncrowned article in 2024. This is the Costco-verse future we face if Big Boom A.J. wins on Saturday.
Anyway, it's the pepperoni pizza.
My go-to is a tie: The plain cheese slice — it smacks wayyyy more than the pepperoni — and the strawberry-purée sundae with vanilla soft serve. Together, it's a five-star combo ... six if served in the Tokyo Dome!
For the record, I'm actually looking forward to seeing how Big AJ performs. My hope is that he has a botch-free showing and, even if he's initially greeted with boos, he wins the audience over. Some folks are upset he's getting a shot, which I find silly. Like, I'm not saying AJ is Dean Malenko, but I'm certain he has more moves in his arsenal than someone like a Bill G*ldberg who people are enamored with, so why not give the man a shot?
Wait, what was the question? Oh yeah, the pizza. (That Costco glizzy is a close second, though.)
Predictions
Jon Moxley (Dansby, Riggs, Shamrock, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Orange Cassidy
Mercedes Mone (Dansby, Shamrock) vs. Kris Statlander (Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger)
Private Party (Dansby, Riggs, Shamrock) vs. The Outrunners (Sulla-Heffinger) vs. The Acclaimed vs. Kings of the Black Throne
Jack Perry (Shamrock) vs. Daniel Garcia (Dansby, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger)
Konosuke Takeshita (Dansby, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Ricochet (Riggs, Shamrock)
MJF (Dansby, Riggs, Shamrock, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Roderick Strong
Will Ospreay (Riggs, Shamrock, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Kyle Fletcher (Dansby)
Swerve Strickland vs. Bobby Lashley (Dansby, Riggs, Shamrock, Sulla-Heffinger)
Jay White (Dansby, Riggs, Shamrock) vs. "Hangman" Adam Page (Sulla-Heffinger)
"Big Boom" A.J. with Big Justice (Dansby, Riggs, Shamrock, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Q.T. Marshall