Quick Thoughts: Full Gear 2022

2022 is coming to an end in a year I cannot decide if it has done quickly or slowly but regardless of that on Saturday 19th November AEW brought it's final PPV of the year to New Jersey for Full Gear. I have to be honest going into this show I have been checked out of wrestling for a little while I don't remember the last time I fully watched a Dynamite or Rampage (let alone any other company). Going into the show I was hoping AEW could hook my back in and over this we will see if they did or not. 

Zero Hour

Best Friends (Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta and Chuck Taylor), Rocky Romero and Danhausen vs. The Factory (QT Marshall, Aaron Solo, Lee Johnson, Nick Comoroto and Cole Karter)
Would've preferred Orange Cassidy defending his title but oh well, I like The Factory (not as a group but as individuals it's odd). I had my doubts about Danhausen when he was signed but he won me over quite quick it is one of those things you need to understand and once you do it's great. All the guys in this are solid wrestlers and I'm happy to see Lee Johnson back (honestly The Factory should be a prominent act in ROH). Danhausen actually doing moves was nice a more serious change for him was needed as all he did was get squashed. A solid opener Danhausen amazingly over. 

Brian Cage vs. Ricky Starks
Ricky Starks is the man. I really enjoy his work and Brian Cage as well when he's not cutting promos. The two seem to work well but I couldn't get into the match. I think this was because the winner was obvious but it is was it is. A good match but you know obvious winner. 

Eddie Kingston vs. Jun Akiyama
First of all Jun Akiyama is a legend, someone who never gets the amount of credit he deserves due to being in a generation with some of the greatest of all times, with Muta retiring he's the only one left of his generation and he is the man. This is a King Road's match and as such I love it because I love the style. Again Eddie has a great match to close the Zero Hour, I hope he has a great day and year.

Main Show

Steel Cage: Luchasaurus vs. "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry
The match I thought would open the show. Starting with the big gimmick and grudge match. I wish Luchasaurus had a different name, I cannot take a monster heel seriously with that name. Jack bleeding early was good gives him more of a visual uphill battle right away. The match was building to the big dive by Jack Perry and he get it (thankfully the table broke) and Jack got the win. I was worried this match wouldn't be good and I was wrong a great opening match and a credit to both men. You have to wonder what Jack does next does if Christian isn't healed maybe he throws people at Jack until then but we will see. 

AEW Trios Championship Match: Death Triangle (Pac, Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix) (c) (with Alex Abrahantes) vs. The Elite (Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson))
The Elite are back after the debacle following All Out. The incidents that have occured were a shame (and also happened at 6AM my time so was a shock when I woke up on the Monday) so it's nice they are back. This match is a combination of two of my favourite AEW feuds so I knew I'd love the match. These 6 either have tremendous chemistry or are just some of the best in the world, likely both and before it was even over I wanted a rematch. So SO happy Death Triangle won they deserve to have a rain without the 'what about The Elite' let's go. 

AEW TBS Championship Match: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Nyla Rose
Ah man master theif Nyla Rose is great, it's funny and honestly she should just be a babyface without a manager, she's a great on the mic and doesn't need a manager. This was a fine match best Jade match since Revolution in my opinion. I just wish we could see Jade have longer matches but we will get there. A fun feud which saw Nyla show more character then she hasn't had a chance before I have come out of this match wanting to see more of Nyla so let's do that. 

ROH World Championship Match: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Sammy Guevara
ROH continues to be built. It amazes me that certain people complain that Jericho ruined the legacy of ROH just before Tony Khan beat it (what the no fans show that lost all it's money because nobody could get over except Brody King & Bandido who were pushed for Gresham) need to get real. Jericho is needed to get a TV/streaming deal and we can work on building the ROH roster based on that. This match got better as it went on. Jericho winning was obvious to me but I bit on a lot of near falls which was a major positive for a good match. Jericho vs. Garcia title for title at Final Battle I always thought was the move but we will see. 

Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. Saraya
Saraya back in the ring this is a match to be built around her return. The match was built around Saraya's neck and being targeted with those issues which made sense. This was a match where we find out who the methodical pace benefits. This match was slow but that is was expected it is her first match back. This was a fine match to be expected for Saraya's return match I imagine she will pick up the pace the more matches she has. 

AEW TNT Championship Match: Wardlow (c) vs. Samoa Joe vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
The the big meaty men slapping meat match of the show. This was a match where three men just beat the shit out of each other and boy did they. I was really shocked that Samoa Joe won, hey look Joe is one of my favourite wrestlers of all time seeing him win a belt will always be a positive but a surprise nonetheless. Interested where this goes from here I was expecting Wardlow vs. Samoa Joe at Final Battle but I guess we still might. 

Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal vs. Sting and Darby Allin
Jeff Jarrett in 2022 what a world. I have to be honest I am on board with Satnam Singh I love him I need him and Darby more their interactions have always been phenomenal. I did get confused why this turned into a match with tag. No rules but we will tag it was odd. I do love the fact in 2022 we still Jarrett guitar spots as Darby inherited his fathers ability to no sell the guitar. Darby & Sting need to do that tag finisher more. That match was was pretty fast pace I enjoyed that a lot. 

AEW Women's Interim Championship Match: Toni Storm (c) vs. Jamie Hayter
First of all enough of the bullshit just have Toni Storm the actually champion. Both are at the top of the women's roster worker wise and this was a physical match these two women beat the hell out of each other which included one of the most brutal rainmakers I have ever seen from Toni Storm. I loved it Jamie won let's go I'm over the moon Jamie is the greatest person or event to come out of Southampton since Arsenal signed Theo Walcott in 2006. Interested where all women involved in the match go from here.

AEW Tag Team Championship Match: The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster) (c) (with Billy Gunn) vs. Swerve In Our Glory (Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland)
I love the fact The Acclaimed are the most over act in the company, I kept telling my friends to watch them and here we are now the first real homegrown act from the bottom to the top of the card. Swerve should be a main part of this company going forward I'm not the first to say it but his has it maybe even more than that he is a unique talent nobody is like him and he should be a main act. This was another match that picked up not as good as their All Out match but still a good match. I love the ending Keith Lee being a good guy saying no to Swerve wanting to take people's fingers. I am so looking forward to the Swerve and Keith Lee feud. 

AEW World Championship Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. MJF
Feel sorry for Mox. The second PPV in a row he has to be the de facto heel because he's in or near somebody else's hometown despite being the top face in the company. Either way he is a great ace of AEW and I am glad he's happy and healthy (but please let him have his break). A good match where I woke up when the refs started going down, shenanigans were afoot. In what was expected Regal turned on Mox as villians stuck together. Either way great stuff for MJF he deserves to be a world champion. Well I do wonder the explination on Wednesday so let's see. 

I loved this show. When I spoke at the beggining that this show needed to work to get me hooked back in and it did. I felt that the majority of matches were good to great even those that were just ok (the Starks and Saraya matches) I understand why they were how they were for story and/or health reasons. Looking forward to where AEW goes into the new year it felt like this show was a reset ready for 2023 in a way and we will see how Winter is Coming and Final Battle build on this.