Tag: AEW Full Gear

10 best AEW PPVs of all time: Which AEW shows were the greatest so far?

AEW has put on some classic pay-per-views since it came into existence in 2019. Here’s our list of the top 10 to date.

No matter how you feel personally about All Elite Wrestling, there’s no denying the boost that the company has given the U.S. pro wrestling scene in just its first few years of existence. A truly healthy, strong alternative to WWE had been missing for more than a decade before AEW came to life in 2019, and almost anyone you ask in the business will tell you that it’s been a net positive.

One of AEW’s calling cards from the very start has been a strong offering of pay-per-view shows. Driven by his days as a wrestling fan, Tony Khan tries to load up each event in a way that he might have once dreamt about, and while they often tend to run a little long and occasionally seem to come together at the last minute, they nearly always deliver in terms of the in-ring product.

That makes picking the best AEW PPVs to date a bit challenging. Since the company has been cautious about not running too many big cards — though that’s starting to change with the addition of Forbidden Door in 2022 and All Out and WrestleDream in 2023 — it’s not like there have been a bunch of mediocre shows to help separate the ones that have shined brightest.

Still, if there’s one thing that unites wrestling fans, it’s opinions on which things are better than others, and no site is better for that than Cagematch. Using both the user votes on that site and Dave Meltzer’s ratings, we’ve cobbled together a bit of a consensus opinion on the top AEW PPVs, just like we did for WWE.

You’ll see that even the awe-inspiring backdrop of 80,000+ fans at Wembley Stadium in 2023 didn’t sway these ranking too much, since All In London isn’t even in the top 10.

Which shows are? You’ll have to read on to find out.

Swerve Strickland on his Bray Wyatt tribute at AEW Full Gear: ‘I just wanted to show appreciation that the love and influence wasn’t lost’

Swerve Strickland explained his thoughtful Bray Wyatt tribute at AEW Full Gear.

In November, one of AEW’s brightest stars, Swerve Strickland, competed in one of the bloodiest, most brutal pro wrestling matches ever broadcast at AEW Full Gear. He defeated Hangman Adam Page, making it an unforgettable night and arguably a career-defining moment.

That night, the 33-year-old stood out in another way by paying tribute to the late Bray Wyatt, who passed away earlier this year, with his gear design. They were simultaneously in WWE earlier in their careers.

In an interview on Not Sam Wrestling with Sam Roberts, Strickland explained his homage to Wyatt, saying he wanted to pay tribute to someone who was “ahead of his time” and show appreciation to someone who was loved (h/t Fightful for transcription).

I didn’t know Bray as close as a lot of people like Brodie Lee, there were people influenced by him from his time there, but some people have known him since FCW or NXT and they have that personal connection. To me, I remember when The Fiend was really going, there was a lot of chatter that it wasn’t for them, as a fan. I was like, ‘No, this is brilliant work.’ I don’t think people really appreciated the brilliance he was bringing to the screen and a lot of risks he was taking, week by week, which is not easy to do. Weekly television on two shows. It wasn’t just Raw or SmackDown, he was doing both shows with his material. Bringing that to the real world. I really appreciated that and I think he was ahead of his time. I just wanted to show appreciation that the love and influence wasn’t lost. I put that as part of my gear, and I was in the locker room with him during my time at 205 [205 Live], he always gave me hugs. He was awesome.

At one point, I had to help him with a Fiend mask. It was COVID and we were all in that box together. There were times I had to help him with that. There were times I would see him in Gorilla coming back when they were testing the red lighting after the show and getting that going. I’ve seen a lot of those processes with him. He was always a good brother in the locker room. He was fun, really cool.

That was one of those things of, ‘you’ve always influenced me through all of this.’ No matter what, if it was their taste or wasn’t, I’m a horror person, and I was really happy to see a new age of horror brought to the screen in an industry that I love and I was like, ‘Man, that was a revolutionary.’ I wanted to take a little piece of that into what I was doing that night. If anything, I feel like his spirit powered that match.

Strickland made a thoughtful gesture, clearly appreciating Wyatt’s abilities as his character in the wrestling ring. His larger-than-life persona endeared him to both fans and wrestlers, leaving an impact that will endure forever.

Will Ospreay admits ‘a new type of fear’ over AEW Full Gear reveal

Scared once the bell rings? Nope. But Will Ospreay explained why he was at AEW Full Gear.

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Whether you believe Tony Khan tends to overhype his “important announcement” shtick or not, it would be hard to find too many pro wrestling fans upset about his latest big reveal. When Khan promoted a “blockbuster” signing at AEW Full Gear, he delivered exactly that, revealing that Will Ospreay will be All Elite beginning next year.

(Perhaps not “All” Elite since he’ll still be able to work with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but you get the idea.)

Universally considered to be in the discussion for best pro wrestler in the world today, the 30-year-old Ospreay possesses an unshakable confidence backed by his track record of putting on high quality matches with talent in NJPW, AEW and elsewhere. But he admitted in his recent interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated that things were different at Full Gear.

Far from the swagger fans have grown to expect form him, Ospreay said being revealed as the big signing filled him with self-doubt — and yes, even fear.

This was a new type of fear. It was completely different from wrestling. Even if you’ve never seen me wrestle, I’m confident that I can do something dazzling and make you remember me. But I couldn’t do that at Full Gear.

Ospreay explained that any butterflies he usually gets are washed away because he knows he can go when the bell rings. Things were different for his signing segment with Tony Schiavone, but it all worked out in the end.

As I was waiting, I asked myself, ‘What if people don’t know my entrance music, Elevated?’ Then, when Schiavone was talking, it went real quiet. That was scary. There was this murmur, then the music hit. That reception was truly overwhelming for me. People were genuinely happy to have me, and I felt it the moment the music hit.

Ospreay’s prior work with AEW probably has something to do with that, as he’s appeared on multiple episodes of Dynamite and Rampage as well as several pay-per-views. The chances of the majority of the crowd knowing his music are higher there than they would have been had he signed with WWE, for example.

Still, it’s sort of comforting to know that even someone as self-assured as Ospreay enjoys the kind of validation that comes with feeling wanted. Even if most of us can never dream of doing anything he does in the ring, that’s a feeling that is relatable to all.

AEW Full Gear 2023: Best photos from Inglewood

Check out some of the best photos from AEW Full Gear 2023, held at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

AEW Full Gear is always one of the company’s biggest shows of any calendar year, and the 2023 edition from the Kia Forum in Inglewood right outside L.A. was no exception.

Highlights of the night included an unbelievably violent Texas Death match between Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page, a new TBS Champion and high drama around the main event before MJF somehow emerged with his title.

Relive some of the most memorable moments with the best photos from Full Gear 2023.

(Images courtesy of All Elite Wrestling)

AEW Full Gear 2023 results: MJF guts it out against Jay White, retains world title

Despite a vicious attack earlier in the night, MJF prevailed over Jay White in the main event of AEW Full Gear 2023.

Incredibly, Adam Cole makes his way down to the ring on crutches and even sort of does his “boom” bit. Jay White mocks Cole while still clutching the AEW world title, dressed in the same gear he wore while defeating Cole (and two others) at the original Forbidden Door.

Referee Bryce Remsburg doesn’t look happy about these circumstances, and White keeps mocking his opponent as he hops on one leg across the ring. But just as the action looks like it will begin, an ambulance pulls up, and a limping MJF pulls up (apparently having stolen the ambulance). A group of security guards and officials try to stop him, but MJF makes his way to the ring.

A quick discussion between friends leads to MJF telling Cole he’s got this. But does he? MJF looks like he can barely put any weight on his injured left leg, and White happily takes advantage. Switchblade stomps away on him in the corner, following with chops and a slam for a near fall.

Cole looks understandably concerned as the fans try to rally their scumbag. The Gunns attack MJF while Remsburg is occupied with White, leading to another near fall. They do it again, but this time the champ at least attempts some resistance, and he’s able to kick out a second time.

The Gunns get a steel chair but are caught this time, and Remsburg gets a big pop when he ejects Austin and Colten. Cole sends them off with double birds.

White, however, takes the time to belittle both Cole and MJF. The champ verbally berates his challenger and gets in his first burst of offense. MJF tees off with right hands in the corner and bites his forehead to boot.

Even with an injured leg, MJF hits the Kangaroo Kick and kips up. He’s considering a dive but takes a low dropkick and a short-arm DDT for a two count. Agony is obvious on MJF’s face as he can’t even be whipped across the ring without collapsing in pain.

MJF pulls out a unique twist on a mule kick in the corner, buying himself a respite. He thinks Panama Sunrise but White evades it and hits a uranage for another two count.

The champ is sent hard to the floor as the announcers suggest White is in complete control. That changes quickly as MJF pulls off a DDT on the floor. MJF clears off the announce table, and it collapses as soon as he puts White on it. No matter, as MJF launches himself off the top rope anyway and just drops an elbow all the way to the floor.

Understandably, both men are down but the fans are clapping for their champ. Remsburg starts another count, but MJF is up and chucks White back in the ring. The fans reward MJF with a “he’s our scumbag” chant, but White hits a dragon screw and puts the champion in the Tree of Woe. Even from that position, MJF hurls White down only to get his leg taken out again.

An avalanche uranage can’t feel good for MJF, but he’s able to kick out at two yet again. Max is fired up and waves Switchblade in for more chops, and he’s able to escape a Blade Runner only to get hit with several more moves, ending with a deadlift release German suplex.

Both men try roll-ups, and even grabbing the ropes doesn’t work for MJF. He connects on a pildriver, though, with White taking a hard bump. MJF tries for the Heatseeker but gets shoved backward and ends up face down on the canvas.

MJF gathers himself and launches a running cutter over the top rope all the way to the floor. It takes a while, but Max is able to finally cover for two.

It’s hard for MJF to put weight on his knee again, so Cole goes back to work on his motivation. The ringside doctor comes to check on the champ but he won’t entertain any suggestions of quitting. A wrenching dragon screw may make him regret it, not to mention a second one.

White taunts Cole before locking in a Figure Four, which seems like it would have MJF in big trouble. Cole considers throwing in the towel even as MJF takes some chops too. Finally, MJF flips the hold over, and White now suffers as he takes a while to reach the rope and breaks the hold.

Cole has the title belt in hand, but it ends up with White, and Switchblade uses it … only to see MJF somehow kick out. Remsburg takes an accidental bump from White, and MJF smiles as Cole produces his Dynamite Diamond Ring. But White is up quickly and gets the ring.

As Switchblade moves in, MJF nails him with a low blow and reclaims the ring. The Gunns return but are quickly fought off, and MJF connects with the ring. He covers White and a recovered Remsburg makes the three count.

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AEW Full Gear 2023: Will Ospreay is AEW’s blockbuster signing

Tony Khan delivered on his promise of a blockbuster signing for AEW, unveiling Will Ospreay at Full Gear 2023.

After a great deal of speculation, AEW delivered on its tease and gave us a blockbuster signing: and it’s Will Ospreay.

The Aerial Assassin joined Tony Schiavone in the ring in the middle of Full Gear in Inglewood and signed a ceremonial contract. Ospreay acknowledged the warm reaction from the fans but said he had some bad news. Namely, he asked for patience as he works to “finish up” with New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Ospreay added that he would be All Elite just in time for the road to Revolution. That would sync up with earlier reports that he is under contract to NJPW through February 2024; the 2024 date for Revolution hasn’t been announced yet, but the event has always been in March.

Another motivation for Ospreay became clear during his brief promo. He wants to be in one of the biggest matches at AEW All In when it returns to Wembley Stadium next August.

In Ospreay, AEW gets a performer who many consider the best pro wrestler in the world today. At age 30, he has relative youth still on his side, and even though he’s suggested he may have to change his “Aerial Assassin” style a bit to ensure he doesn’t injure himself for his post-wrestling life, he should be able to adjust without taking away too much of what makes him special.

While AEW fans have already seen Ospreay at the Forbidden Door events and a few times on weekly TV, getting him on a full time basis is almost certain to be a popular move. There will still be a bit of a wait, but at only a few months, it will likely fly by just like Ospreay flies in so many ways.

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AEW Full Gear 2023 results: Golden Jets prevail, angering the Young Bucks

The Young Bucks threw a temper tantrum after losing to the Golden Jets at AEW Full Gear 2023.

Kenny Omega tries to show the Young Bucks that it’s still respect between them with a pre-match fist bump. Don Callis has joined the commentators for this one, perhaps just to rant at Omega and Chris Jericho who he dislikes more than everyone else.

All four men get to work in the opening minutes, with Matt Jackson doing some mock smiling as Jericho plays to the crowd. Omega tags himself in to stop Jericho from swarming Matt in the corner, showing some sportsmanship to a friend.

Matt doesn’t really show him the same mercy in return, but Kenny handles him and Nick. Jericho makes a tag but gets pulled off the apron, and Omega hits a tope con hilo while his partner connects on a diving dropkick through the ropes.

Matt Jackson hurls Jericho into the steel steps, where Nick Jackson sandwiches his right arm between those steps and the ring skirt. Nick keeps working over that arm, and the Bucks make quick tags to continue that strategy.

Jericho takes a landing on his right arm even as he finally makes a tag to Omega. Kenny runs through some of his trademark offense against both Jacksons, punctuating it with a moonsault to the floor.

A high cross body to Nick is countered with a roll through that nearly steals a win. Omega responds quickly with a knee shot before tagging Jericho back in. He hits a Lionsault onto both his foes, sort of, and tries for the Walls of Jericho on Matt before the Bucks recover for Matt to hit a flying armbar.

All four men are in at once, with moves flying back and forth. Matt ends up in the Walls of Jericho, and Omega keeps Nick from soaring to the rescue. The injured right arm of Jericho lets him down, and he has to release the hold when Matt starts kicking it.

Matt is able to suplex both the Golden Jets as once, and Omega takes a suplex on the apron as well. Jericho responds with a bulldog on Matt but takes a senton atomico from Nick and is barely saved by his partner.

Jericho softens up Matt with punches before delivering a top rope hurricanrana, but Nick kicks him in the crotch while the ref isn’t watching … and Matt does the same to Kenny. Nick hits the Judas Effect on Jericho, but Omega makes the save again.

Jericho is isolated against both Bucks and eats the BTE Trigger, but even with Nick holding off Kenny, The Ocho kicks out from Matt’s pin. Jericho escapes from a Meltzer Driver attempt and shoves the ref away so he can hit his own low blow.

Omega tags in and looks like he’s making a choice … but it’s not to V-Trigger Jericho, only to get Nick to turn around so he could take the move. Mat hits the One-Winged Angel on Omega, but he won’t stay down to his own move.

A Codebreaker prevents another double team move, and Omega suplexes Matt for a close near fall. All four men start trading shots again, but Omega emerges to hit a ripcord knee and the One-Winged Angel to secure a victory.

A furious Nick Jackson tears up the announce table, and the Jacksons refuse Kenny’s post-match signs of friendship.

AEW Full Gear 2023 results: Swerve Strickland tops Hangman Adam Page in bloody spectacle

Swerve vs. Hangman lived up to the hype in their incredibly violent Texas Death Match at AEW Full Gear.

The elaborate entrance of Swerve Strickland with extra dancers to accompany Prince Nana may quickly go for naught, as Hangman Adam Page shows how motivated he is by swiftly attacking Swerve outside the ring. Page goes under the ring for duct tape, but pauses to throw a chair in Strickland’s face.

After quickly taping Swerve’s hands together, Page uses a stapler to put several staples into Strickland’s pecs. He staples a piece of paper to Swerve’s left arm and follows with staples to the other arm and back.

If that wasn’t enough, Page staples a note to Strickland’s face, pulls it off and then drinks the blood for a second. Yes, really.

When Hangman goes for a barbed wire-wrapped chair, Swerve finally fights back … but he starts no-selling staples and turns it around and staples Page in the forehead. Strickland grins through a face full of blood and staples himself.

Page gets tossed into the barbed wire chair in one corner. Swerve takes some barbed wire and grinds it across Hangman’s face, then looks for more weapons underneath the ring. He finds a cinder block and places it on the edge of the ring as both men land strikes. They fight to the apron, where Swerve bites Page and hits a Death Valley Driver onto the cinder block.

Strickland hits a piledriver on top of the barricade, even as blood continues to cover almost every part of his face. Back in the ring, Page hits a couple of fallaway slams but doesn’t spring up as quickly as he usually does. Fortunately he has barbed wire close at hand, wrapping it around Strickland for a fallaway slam with the wire. Damn.

Page connects on a moonsault to the floor with the barbed wire chair, getting the fans to their feet again. But that same chair gets kicked into his face, and Swerve goes for a piledriver onto the chair. Page reverses it, and only Nana can save Strickland from the ref’s 10 count.

When Hangman looks for a DeadEye off the turnbuckle, Strickand is able to reverse it into a powerbomb, followed by a Swerve Stomp … all on the chair. Not quite satisfied, Strickland dumps glass shards onto his foe and hits a 450 splash, then the JBL Driver. Page somehow pulls himself up on the ropes before the 10 count.

Strickland clotheslines Page to the floor and grabs a chair while Nana gets out a board studded with barbed wire. The board is set across two chairs, but Swerve may regret it when he goes up top. A flipping powerslam sends Swerve through the board, and it’s followed by a powerbomb and DeadEye into the barbed wire.

Once again, Page wraps his foe in barbed wire and connects on a Buckshot. Nana pulls his boss out to the floor to save him, then does his dance to motivate him.

That gives Brian Cage a chance to run down and destroy Hangman with several power moves. Cage sets up a table on the floor, but Page is lying in wait with barbed wire wrapped around his fist. There’s a clothesline for him too.

Page finally has enough of Nana and gives him a DeadEye off the apron through the table, but that gives Strickland a chance to break the cinder block over his upper back. When it becomes clear Page isn’t going to stay down, Swerve wraps a metal chain around his neck and tries to choke him out.

Will this finally end it? Page tries his best but can’t beat the 10 count, and even in victory, Strickland slumps down beside his rival before crawling over him and stumbling to his feet.

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AEW Full Gear 2023 results: Toni Storm secures ‘Timeless’ title win

It took some suspension of disbelief, but Toni Storm was a champion again at AEW Full Gear 2023.

Can Toni Storm complete her “Hollywood Homecoming” with a title victory? She tears up what looks like a script after the opening bell, with the announcers joking about her going off book. Hikaru Shida doesn’t appear to find anything funny about her, nor does Mariah May, watching backstage, enjoy seeing her idol take tons of chops from the champ.

Storm fights back with a bulldog and winds up big time for a dramatic elbow strike. Toni covers but barely even gets a one count.

Headbutts make Shida reel a bit, which May likes a lot more. The challenger lays in some more strikes some but takes some coming back, including a big running knee.

In the corner, Shida drops down a series of forearm shots, then follows with a missile dropkick for two. Storm slams the champ back from the apron into the ring and covers for her own two count, then gets her shoe from Luther. When referee Aubrey Edwards takes that shoe, Storm gets another one that Luther has tucked into her waistband and connects for a close near fall.

Shida recovers to hit a counter Storm Zero, but she’s still feeling the effects of the shoe shot and both women are slow to rise. The champ just wears out the challenger with forearm shots and a Falcon Arrow, but Storm kicks out.

After Storm moves away, Shida misses a meteora, looking like she landed hard, and gets caught in an ankle lock. Storm tries hitting Shida with her own shoe and gets clocked in the face, so Shida gets her kendo stick … but is prevented from using it by Luther, who takes the wrath of the champ instead.

Meanwhile, Storm tucks what looks like a small frying pan into her shorts before nearly getting rolled up for three. She recovers for a deadlift German suplex before hitting a hip attack aided by the pan to win it.

May comes out to present Storm with flowers, cheering for her as she becomes the new champ. In black and white, of course.

AEW Full Gear 2023 results: Orange Cassidy unleashes his inner animal on Jon Moxley

See how Orange Cassidy dug down deep to defeat Jon Moxley at AEW Full Gear 2023.

Hook comes out to the ring in support of his friend, Orange Cassidy. Wheeler Yuta walks out beside his Blackpool Combat Club teammate, Jon Moxley.

Mox isn’t waiting for Cassidy to do any of his theatrics, going right at the champ and beating him out to the floor and then over behind the announce table. Cassidy gets dropped on the barricade as well and takes a stiff forearm before they return to the ring.

Cassidy takes a bunch of stomps while in the corner and takes a spinning slam that leads to a near fall. Up on the top turnbuckle, Moxley rakes the back and bites his foe on the face, but it doesn’t stop Orange from doing exactly the same thing in response.

A crazy series of headbutts busts Moxley open, but he tries to shake it off after a superplex. Cassidy hits two different types of DDTs, but a fired up challenger kicks out at one.

Mox takes a series of kicks, but Cassidy flips him off and they battle on, with Moxley getting the next near fall. Moxley uncovers one of the top turnbuckles, but if you guessed he’d be the one to take a bump there, you’re right.

Cassidy connects on three Orange Punches in a row only to see Moxley kick out. He hits another three Orange Punches, then the Beach Break, and damn if that wasn’t a hard earned title defense.

Hook and Trent Beretta celebrate in the ring, but Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta come to carry Moxley out and get into it a bit with them.

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