AEW Full Gear has arrived!
All Elite Wrestling returns to pay-per-view this evening starting at 6:30pm EST. / 3:30pm PST. with the “Zero Hour” pre-show, leading into the AEW Full Gear 2023 PPV itself at 8pm EST. / 5pm PST.
On tap for tonight’s show is MJF vs. Jay White for the AEW title, Ricky Starks & Big Bill vs. LFI vs. FTR vs. Kings Of The Black Throne in a ladder match for the AEW tag-team titles, Kris Statlander vs. Julia Hart vs. Skye Blue for the TBS women’s title, Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega vs. The Young Bucks, Orange Cassidy vs. Jon Moxley for the AEW International title, Sting & Darby Allin & Adam Copeland vs. The Patriarchy, as well as Hikaru Shida vs. “Timeless” Toni Storm for the AEW women’s title.
Also scheduled for the “Zero Hour” pre-show leading into the AEW Full Gear 2023 pay-per-view is Eddie Kingston vs. Jay Lethal for the ROH title, MJF & Samoa Joe vs. The Gunns for the ROH tag-team titles, as well as Claudio Castagnoli vs. Buddy Matthews in a battle between the Blackpool Combat Club and The House of Black.
Featured below are complete AEW Full Gear results from Friday, November 18, 2023. The following report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live from 6:30pm EST. – 12am EST.
AEW FULL GEAR RESULTS (11/18/2023)
The “Zero Hour” pre-show for AEW Full Gear is now officially off-and-running from inside the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA. with Renee Paquette, RJ City and Stokely Hathaway.
The three welcome us to the show and then begin running down the lineup for tonight’s pay-per-view. Once they finish running down the card for this evening, we shoot into a video package telling the story behind tonight’s MJF vs. Jay White main event.
After the package wraps up, the pre-show hosts give their thoughts on the bout, with each picking Jay White to finally dethrone MJF tonight. The talk shifts to the International title bout and then we see the package telling the story for the Jon Moxley vs. Orange Cassidy showdown.
Stokely has some fun with Paquette while talking about Moxley after the package. They move on from there to talk about the AEW Women’s Championship contest pitting Hikaru Shida against challenger “Timeless” Toni Storm. The package for that match airs next.
From there, they continue running down more matches and showing more video packages, including ones for the TBS Women’s title triple-threat match, the big Trios bout with Sting, Darby Allin & Adam Copeland against Christian Cage, Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne, as well as The Golden Jets vs. The Young Bucks.
We see the video package for the Texas Death Match between Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland, before RJ City gives a history lesson on the Texas Death Match. The pre-show hosts run down the lineup one more time, including the Zero Hour pre-show bouts, which are about to begin momentarily.
ROH World Championship
Eddie Kingston (C) vs. Jay Lethal
Now we’re sent to Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuiness at ringside. They send us to Bobby Cruise in the ring. The ROH ring announcer introduces our opening contest, which will feature the ROH World Championship on-the-line.
Jay Lethal’s theme hits and out he comes accompanied by his group. Stokely Hathaway joins the gang on special guest commentary for this one. He settles in the ring and then Eddie Kingston’s entrance tune hits and the crowd goes wild as the defending champ heads to the ring.
“Eddie! Eddie!” chants spread throughout the Kia Forum as he settles in the ring. Stokely stews about Kingston’s success on commentary. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. They lock up and Kingston backs Lethal in the corner. He blasts him with some chops that the crowd react to.
Lethal begins taking over after sending “The Mad King” face-first into the steel ring post. Jeff Jarrett sneaks in a cheap shot and then he, Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh all do Jarrett’s strut as the fans boo. Lethal continues to dominate the action after getting Kingston back in the ring. Dutt sneaks in a cheap shot at ringside.
Jay hits some chops that really seem to sting and then Kingston fights back with a big t-bone suplex that sends Lethal flying overhead. Kingston works over Lethal in the corner and then hits his trademark rapid-fire machine-gun chop spot.
Lethal fights back with some kicks and then hits a flying elbow smash off the top-rope for a close near fall attempt. Jay goes for his Lethal Injection finisher but Kingston sees it coming and counters. He decks Dutt as he tries getting involved and then he and Lethal hit lariats at the same time on each other.
Karen Jarrett distracts the ref as Kingston and Lethal each crawl for Jeff Jarrett’s guitar. Ortiz comes down and grabs it right when they go to get it. He grabs it and breaks it over Sonjay Dutt’s head. Back in the ring, Lethal goes for a Lethal Injection but Kingston counters with half-and-half and then hits his finisher for the win to retain.
Winner and STILL ROH World Champion: Eddie Kingston
Buddy Matthews vs. Claudio Castagnoli
As he walks up the ramp with Ortiz after the win, Kingston grabs the mic from one of the pre-shows hosts and cuts an impromptu promo to the crowd, thanking them and then talking trash to Stokely Hathaway as he goes to re-join Paquette and RJ on the ramp.
The panelists react to the opener and then introduce some more video packages for tonight’s matches. We then head back to ringside where the commentators set the stage for our second pre-show match here on the AEW Full Gear “Zero Hour” pre-show. Claudio Castagnoli’s theme hits and out comes the Blackpool Combat Club member.
Out next comes Buddy Matthews of The House of Black. He settles in the ring and the bell sounds to get our second of three pre-show matches officially off-and-running. Castagnoli jumps off to an early offensive lead. Matthews heads out to the floor to re-group.
Castagnoli goes out after him and Matthews takes over. Back in the ring, Matthews comes off the ropes with a Meteora that connects for a near fall attempt. After a big discus lariat connects, Castagnoli takes over on offense. Castagnoli goes for the big swing but Matthews counters it.
Matthews goes for another Meteora and Claudio counters with the swing. Moments later, Castagnoli hits a power bomb and slaps on a Scorpion Death Lock. Matthews taps out. Castagnoli picks up the win in a good match. Claudio thinks about a handshake afterwards, but Matthews pushes past him and walks off.
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli
ROH World Tag-Team Championships
MJF & Samoa Joe (C) vs. The Gunns
It’s main event time!
The AEW Full Gear 2023 “Zero Hour” pre-show is now gearing up for the third and final scheduled match leading into tonight’s PPV, as MJF joins forces with Samoa Joe to defend he and Adam Cole’s ROH World Tag-Team Championships against The Gunns of Bullet Club Gold. Austin and Colten Gunn make their way out first.
The commentators point out that Juice Robinson is nowhere to be found because he is out of action after the attack that wrapped up last night’s episode of AEW Rampage. Samoa Joe’s theme hits next and out comes “The King of Television” to chants of “Joe! Joe! Joe!” as the commentators remind us that MJF finally accepted his offer.
MJF’s theme hits next and out comes the AEW World and ROH World Tag-Team Champion in a purple Ric Flair-style robe. He heads to the ring to a huge pop from the L.A. crowd and then settles inside the squared circle with a “He’s Our Scumbag” yellow and purple t-shirt. He takes the robe off and poses with the title on the ropes before siding up next to Joe for this title tilt.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this ROH World Tag-Team Championship contest. Friedman goes wild on Gunn to start things off and the crowd is loving every minute of it. MJF gets cocky and does the Rick Rude hip dance and then The Gunns double-team him from behind. Samoa Joe ends up helping out and MJF takes back over.
MJF tells Joe he doesn’t need his help, but then Joe tags himself in. The fans chant “Joe! Joe! Joe!” as he and MJF go face-to-face. They see The Gunns coming and both turn and start beating them down. Joe hits a big dive to take them both out on the floor.
Joe continues to beat them down and then proudly high-five tags in MJF to take back over in the ring, but The Gunns immediately shift the momentum in their favor. MJF struggles to try and make a tag, but The Gunns cut him off and continue to control the offense, keeping Friedman isolated in their corner and utilizing frequent tags.
Friedman takes over after Joe provides an assist. Joe goes for a Muscle Buster but MJF takes back over and yells, “Who wants to see a Muscle Buster?!” He then hoists Gunn up for one, but is drop kicked by the other. He sets up a Kangaroo Kick for a big pop but then Joe tags himself back in, much to the dismay of the champ. They get in each others faces again.
They turn their attention to The Gunns and then call for stereo Muscle Busters. They hoist both Gunns up but both Gunns escape and send MJF and Joe face-first into each other. The Gunns hit a double-team high spot on Joe and go for the cover, but MJF breaks it up just in time.
The Gunns look to finish things off, but then Adam Cole’s theme hits and out he comes on crutches. The distraction allows Joe to sink in his rear naked choke finisher for the tap out victory. MJF runs over and hugs Cole for a big pop from the crowd. After the match, Joe and MJF shake hands and if MJF leaves with the AEW title tonight, Joe is next in line.
MJF and Adam Cole have another nice moment after Joe walks off but then Friedman is attacked from behind by The Gunns. Cole is unable to do anything because of his leg. He is forced to watch on as The Gunns hold MJF down and smash his leg to bits with a steel chair. The medical team runs down to check on MJF afterwards. They even bring out a stretcher.
Winners and STILL ROH World Tag-Team Champions: MJF (and Adam Cole)
Christian Cage, Luchasaurus & Nick Wayne vs. Adam Copeland, Sting & Darby Allin
The pre-show wraps up with MJF being wheeled to the back on a stretcher as the commentators speculate what that means for tonight’s PPV main event, where MJF is scheduled to defend his AEW World Championship against “Switchblade” Jay White. The last image we see is MJF being loaded into am ambulance begging Adam Cole not to let them take his championship.
From there we shoot to the bad ass, elaborate cold open video package to kick off the pay-per-view portion of tonight’s event. After that, we shoot inside the Kia Forum as fireworks explode and the commentators welcome us to the show.
A special choir comes out to do Christian Cage’s theme song, as he and his teammates, Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne, get the over-the-top ring entrance treatment to kick off things on tonight’s PPV card. The heel trio settles in the ring for our opening contest and then the music dies down and they await the arrival of their opposition.
Ric Flair’s theme hits and out comes “The Nature Boy.” Adam Copeland comes out with face-paint to join his painted pals “The Icon” Sting and Darby Allin. It’s almost like a WarGames before the WarGames next weekend here at the Kia Forum! The opening Trios bout is now officially off-and-running. We see Christian Cage live up to The Patriarcy team name by having a nice fatherly moment with Nick Wayne.
The match finally gets going and we see Allin get the better of Wayne in the early goings. He then tags in Sting, who picks up where he left off as the crowd comes to life. Sting sends Wayne to the floor and follows him out to continue the attack. Sting runs Wayne into the barricade and brings the action back into the ring.
In the ring, Wayne quickly tags out and in comes the TNT Champion. Sting points at Copeland and the crowd explodes. Sting tags in the face-painted Copeland, who has an intense stare down with Cage as fans loudly chant “Holy sh*t!” before they even touch. Cage tags out before anything happens, the crowd boos and in comes the monster Luchasaurus to deal with Copeland.
From there, Copeland delivers a few shots and runs the ropes, but Luchasaurus takes him to the corner and beats him down. Copeland kicks Luchasaurus in the face and drops him with a side-Russian leg-sweep. Copeland drops Luchasaurus with a swinging neck-breaker and tags Allin back in.
Luchasaurus throws Allin into the corner, but Allin kicks him in the face. Luchasaurus delivers an uppercut, and then Cage delivers a neck-breaker over the top rope. Luchasaurus chokeslams Allin on the apron and throws him back into the ring. Luchasaurus stomps on Allin’s head and throws him into the corner.
Now Luchasaurus chokes Allin with his boot, and Cage tags in. Cage stomps on Allin in the corner and stands on his throat. Cage stomps on Allin again and takes him down. Cage rakes Allin’s face and stomps him again. Wayne tags in and delivers a few kicks to Allin. Wayne delivers a back-breaker and mocks Flair with the strut. Luchasaurus tags in and kicks Allin in the mid-section.
Luchasaurus chops Allin against the ropes and tags Wayne back in. Luchasaurus slams Allin down and Wayne connects with a senton. Wayne goes for the cover, but Allin kicks out to keep this one alive. Luchasaurus takes over for a bit but then Sting and Copeland both go to work on him before Allin and Wayne return and hit some high spots. Luchasaurus then takes over and beats down Copeland.
Ric Flair is shown at ringside and Cage walks over to get in his face. Christian Cage ends up beating down Flair and leaving him laying on the floor, getting himself huge heat in the process. Sting fights back in the ring and hits a Stinger splash on Luchasaurus in the corner.
Copeland follows up with a big Spear and the crowd goes nuts. Sting follows up with a Scorpion Death Drop and Allin hits a Coffin Drop after that. Copeland scores the pin for the win in an incredibly entertaining opener. After the match, Flair recovers and joins them for a celebration. Sting hugs his son at ringside in an emotional moment.
Winners: Adam Copeland, Sting & Darby Allin
Adam Cole To Fill-In For MJF Against Jay White
We shoot to a Draft Kings commercial with RJ City and Lexy Nair and then we return inside the Kia Forum, where the commentators talk about what went down with MJF at the hands of The Gunns after he and Samoa Joe’s victory in the final match on tonight’s “Zero Hour” pre-show.
With that said, they send things over to Tony Schiavone, who is joined now on the entrance ramp by “Switchblade” Jay White. White yells at Schiavone to “tell them! tell them!” Now it’s announced that MJF won’t be able to defend his title tonight, so Jay White is going to be named the new AEW Champion.
Before that can happen, Adam Cole comes out to keep the promise he made to MJF as he was being stretchered into an ambulance, which is to not “let them take my championship.” He says he’ll defend the AEW Championship on behalf of MJF tonight against Jay White.
AEW International Championship
Orange Cassidy (C) vs. Jon Moxley
It’s time for our next match of the evening. The pre-match video package airs to tell the story leading into tonight’s rematch between Jon Moxley and Orange Cassidy for the AEW International Championship. After the package wraps up, Orange Cassidy’s theme hits and out comes the “Freshly Squeezed” one.
The champ settles in the ring and pulls his title out of his back pack for a big pop. His theme dies down and “Wild Thing” hits next. Out comes Jon Moxley through the crowd as always. The fans in Inglewood show him a ton of love coming out. He settles in the ring as the commentators hype this showdown while talking about how violent their first meeting was.
From there, the bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. Taz has filled in on commentary after Schiavone left to interview Jay White and Adam Cole in the previous segment. Mox jumps into the early offensive lead in this one, taking it to the champ. He locks him in a Texas Cloverleaf and Cassidy struggles to escape.
After some more early action, we see Mox start to bite Cassidy in the corner until Cassidy bites back. Cassidy ends up badly busting Mox open, and he bleeds like a stuck pig for the rest of the match. He takes back over on offense, however, and has Cassidy down and out.
Mox does the wimpy kick routine to Cassidy, which like last time they shared the ring, only served to anger the “Freshly Squeezed” one. He stands up and triumphantly raises his hands high in the sky before bringing them back down into his pockets. Mox shrugs his shoulders and goes back on the attack.
When all is said-and-done, however, it is Cassidy who manages to pick up the victory after more than three Orange Punches to retain his title in another excellent bout here at Full Gear. After the match, the BCC guys come to the ring to aid a bloody Mox in recovering while Cassidy is helped up by HOOK as his theme plays and the crowd pops.
Winner and STILL AEW International Champion: Orange Cassidy
Mark Briscoe Announced As Next Entrant Into AEW Continental Classic Tournament
The commentators switch gears and talk about the inaugural AEW Continental Classic six-week, round-robin tournament, which kicks off next week. In addition to Bryan Danielson and Andrade El Idolo, we see a video package that announces Mark Briscoe as the latest entrant into the tourney field.
AEW Women’s Championship
Hikaru Shida (C) vs. “Timeless” Toni Storm
Back inside the Kia Forum, we see the camera go black-and-white as it’s time for “Timeless” Toni Storm to make her way out. She comes out with her butler by her side to a big reaction from the L.A. crowd. She makes her way into the ring and settles inside as her entrance wraps up.
Now we hear the familiar sounds of Hikaru Shida’s entrance tune as the Japanese women’s wrestling star makes her way out to defend her AEW Women’s Championship. Now the bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. Mariah May is shown watching on a montior backstage.
In the early going, Shida takes it to Storm as Excalibur points out the welts on Storm’s chest courtesy of Emi Sakura from last night’s AEW Rampage “tune up” match. Storm throws a hissy fit in the corner moments later and then the two begin getting after it again, with Storm settling into the offensive lead this time.
Storm gets a shoe from Luther the Butler and goes to use it, but the ref stops her. As she dumps that one, Storm pulls another shoe out and blasts Shida with the tip of the heel. She goes to try and steal the win off of that, however Shida kicks out and starts to fight back. Shida hits Storm with her own Storm Zero finisher.
Shida continues to dominate the offense and then connects with a Falcon Arrow. She goes for the cover, but “Timeless” Toni finds in it her to kick out before the count of three. Shida looks for a Meteora but Storm avoids it. Storm fights back and takes Shida’s boot off. She goes to use it as a weapon. Shida avoids it and takes out Luther at ringside.
Back in the ring, Storm hides another weapon in her tights and pretends to be down and out. Shida comes back in and Storm springs back to life. She dead-lifts Shida and then hits a German suplex in an awesome spot.
She adjusts the weapon in the back of her tights and charges at Shida and connects with her hip-attack finisher in the corner for the win. After the match the screen goes black-and-white and Storm has an over-the-top extra dramatic celebration as Mariah May comes out and brings her celebratory flowers.
Winner and NEW AEW Women’s Champion: “Timeless” Toni Storm
Eddie Kingston Announced As Next Entrant Into AEW Continental Classic Tournament
We go backstage where Renee Paquette is joined by Eddie Kingston. Fresh off his ROH title defense over Jay Lethal in the Zero Hour pre-show, “The Mad King” talks about next on his agenda being to enter the AEW Continental Classic Tournament.
He also says he’s putting his NJPW STRONG Openweight and ROH title on-the-line in every bout he competes in the tourney. After this, we head back inside the Kia Forum.
AEW World Tag-Team Championships
Ricky Starks & Big Bill (C) vs. LFI vs. FTR vs. The Kings Of The Black Throne
Now the video package airs to tell the story for our next match of the evening, which is a four-way ladder match with the AEW World Tag-Team Championships on-the-line, as Ricky Starks and Big Bill defend against LFI, FTR and The Kings of the Black Throne.
After all four teams make their respective ring walks, the bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with our latest championship contest of the evening. Early on we see everyone except Bill and King brawl in and around the ring. Bill and King walk toward each other, but they’re attacked by FTR and LFI. Harwood and Black are left in the ring to brawl as everyone else goes to the floor.
King props a ladder between the ring apron and the barricade, and then Harwood drops Black with a hard shot. Starks gets sent into the barricade, and then Harwood gets hit in the face with a ladder. Rush sets a ladder up in the ring, and then he and Wheeler climb it. They both climb back down and exchange shots. Rush delivers a headbutt and runs the ropes, but Wheeler dodges and sends him to the apron.
Rush kicks King down to the floor, and then Wheeler spears Rush into King and Bill on the outside. Dralistico takes Wheeler, King, Rush, and Bill with a dive, and then Starks goes up top. Black cuts him off with an elbow strike, and then moonsaults onto Wheeler and Bill.
Harwood and Starks go up top, and then Harwood superplexes Starks onto the group on the outside. Bill and Kings slide ladders into the ring and stare each other down. They get into the ring and delivers hard shots to each other. Rush and Harwood get into the ring and hit them with ladders to break it up.
They ram the ladders into each other, and Harwood gets the advantage. Harwood puts the ladder on his shoulders and uses it as a propeller to knocks everyone down. Dralistico dropkicks the ladder into Harwood face to stop him, and then delivers a few kicks and knee strikes to Wheeler. Dralistico climbs the ladder, but Wheeler comes back and knocks him down.
Rush delivers a few quick kicks to Wheeler and follows with a chop. Rush runs the ropes, but Wheeler drops him with a power slam. Wheeler climbs the ladder, but Black cuts him off. Black delivers a few right hands and props the ladder against the ropes. Harwood slams Black into the ladder, but Black comes back and slams the ladder into Harwood’s face.
Black wedges the ladder in the corner and knocks Wheeler onto it. Black goes up top, but Harwood cuts him off. Harwood delivers a few shots, but King comes back and delivers hard chops that send Harwood to the floor. Wheeler knocks King to the floor, but Black takes advantage and delivers a few shots. Wheeler comes back with a low-blow, and then delivers an inverted pile-driver to Black on the ladder.
King comes back in with a shot to Wheeler and goes for a dive, but Bill hits him with a ladder on the outside. Starks knocks Harwood and Dralistico down with shots, and then does the same to Wheeler. Starks drops Dralistico and Rush with spears, and then delivers a back elbow to Wheeler.
Starks walks the ropes and drops Wheeler with a back-drop driver. King has been busted open as Starks props a ladder in the corner. Black comes back and exchanges shots with Starks. Black delivers a back elbow, but Starks throws Black into the ladder. King knocks Starks into the ladder, and then drops Harwood onto it as well.
Now we see King deliver a cannonball to Harwood on top of the ladder, and then sets up another ladder and begins to climb. He gets stopped and the action continues. After a few more high spots, a ladder bridge is set up outside the ring. Cash Wheeler climbs to the top-rope and flies off with a splash onto Brody King on the ladder bridge outside the ring for a thunderous “Holy sh*t!” chant.
Back in the ring, Harwood and Starks climb up opposing sides of the ladder set up under the titles. They begin duking it out up there as the crowd goes wild. Starks knocks Harwood off but then Wheeler runs up. Starks handles him as well with Big Bill’s help. He pulls down one title and throws it to Big Bill, he then pulls down the other and the two retain their gold in an amazing ladder match. Craziness.
Winners and STILL AEW World Tag-Team Champions: Ricky Starks & Big Bill
TBS Women’s Championship
Kris Statlander (C) vs. Skye Blue vs. Julia Hart
After some more promotion for the AEW Worlds End pay-per-view in December and the AEW Continental Classic Tournament kicking off this coming Wednesday night on AEW Dynamite, we send things back down to the ring for our next match of the evening, which features the TBS Women’s Championship up-for-grabs with Kris Statlander defending against Julia Hart and Skye Blue.
The lights go out and when they come back on, Julia Hart’s theme hits. Out comes The House of Black member looking all-business and ready for her title opportunity. Out next without her baseball cap, but instead a thorn crown, is a more heel-looking Skye Blue. The two challengers are in the ring and now it’s time for the champ.
Kris Statlander’s theme hits and out comes the reigning and defending TBS Women’s Champion to a nice reception from the Inglewood crowd. It’s time for triple-threat TBS Women’s title action up next here at AEW Full Gear 2023 in the Kia Forum. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one.
All three stare each other down and then Statlander goes to work, taking Julia down with an arm-drag and then taking out Skye Blue. She hits a big double clothesline to take both of them out at the same time after that. The champ is off to a good start. Hart and Blue team up and take Statlander down and then turn their attention to each other.
On the floor, we see Hart and Blue look for a double suplex on Statlander, however she counters and takes them both out with a double suplex of her own. Back in the ring, we see Blue and Hart continue to work together until Statlander fires up. She hits a bunch of suplexes, prompting the commentators to jokingly refer to her as “The Human Suplex Machine,” which Taz, of course, objects to.
Moments later, we see Blue hit a wicked Code Blue for a super close near fall. Hart gets her submission finisher on but that doesn’t end it. Regardless, moments later Hart pulls off the win anyways. We have a new TBS Women’s Champion. Good match.
Winner and NEW TBS Women’s Champion: Julia Hart
AEW Announces Blockbuster Signing Of Will Ospreay
After a quick Draft Kings commercial, we return inside the Kia Forum where Excalibur, Taz and Nigel McGuinness send things to the ring, where Tony Schiavone talks about how great tonight has been already.
Schiavone brings up the announcement regarding the newest addition to the AEW roster and then wastes no time in introducing the new signee. Will Ospreay’s theme hits and out comes “The Aerial Assassin” to an enormous pop.
He settles in the ring and says he’s gonna get the bad news out of the way first. He mentions how he’s not going to be around yet. He says he’s spent years with NJPW and has business to finish up there, but by the time AEW Revolution rolls around, “I’m all yours!”
He also mentions his excitement about being ready to return to Wembley Stadium next year. He vows to show what All Elite really looks like.
Texas Death Match
Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland
The pre-show video package for our next match of the evening airs, telling the story leading up to our Texas Death Match between bitter rivals Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland. After the package wraps up, we shoot back inside the Kia Forum.
Swerve Strickland’s catchy-ass entrance tune hits and out comes Prince Nana and a bunch of female dancers to do his little catchy-ass dance for a good crowd reaction. The Mogul Embassy leader then emerges looking all-business as he heads to the ring for this dangerous Texas Death Match.
Hangman Page is out next and he comes to the ring ready to get into some “Cowboy sh*t,” by the look on his face. The fight is on like Donkey Kong straight out of the gate, with Hangman on Swerve like stink on a monkey. He decks Swerve and the crowd goes wild.
He grabs a stapler and staples something to Swerve’s face in the corner of the ring. Swerve takes over after this and now we see Hangman busted open and bleeding as Swerve chokes him. Hangman fights back and continues to come unhinged, using everything at his disposal to inflict pain on Swerve, who is now a bloody mess as well.
This one is off to a very violent and very bloody start in the early goings. Swerve is dripping blood all over the place. We see scissors entered into the mix, and something tells me they won’t be used in the same fashion that The Acclaimed are always talking about.
Swerve fights back and now he’s looking psycho, too, as he takes the staple gun and just repeatedly staples himself all over. The crowd chants “Holy sh*t” at that. A barbed wire-wrapped chair is wedged in the ropes in the corner. Swerve runs Hangman face-first into that with authority for a big gasp from the crowd.
Strickland grabs a cinder block from under the ring and sets it on the apron as Hangman starts to recover in the ring. The two couldn’t be any bloodier if they tried. It’s insanity. Hangman wraps something around Swerve and continues to beat him down as he pulls ahead into the offensive lead once again while the crowd rallies behind him.
Hangman enjoys a moment or so in the offensive lead, but it isn’t long before Swerve takes back over, as more buckets of blood spill from each man in this extra violent Texas Death Match. Prince Nana gets involved but Hangman takes over. He grabs the barbed wire-wrapped steel chair and begins using it on Swerve again.
Page hoists Swerve up on the ropes and is looking for an Avalanche Dead Eye, but Swerve escapes before he can and then power bombs Hangman off the top onto the barbed wire-wrapped chair. He heads back to the top-rope and comes off with a flying double stomp. He pours broken glass all over Hangman’s back and then hits a 450 splash off the top rope onto him.
He follows that up with another high spot. The referee nearly reaches the count of ten, but Hangman pops up at nine-and-a-half to the shock and awe of the crowd and commentators alike. Swerve sets up two unfolded chairs in the ring. He pulls out plywood or something with barbed wire all over it. He lays it across the two chairs like a bridge.
Swerve grabs Hangman and pulls him into the corner and then brings him up to the top-rope with him. Hangman ends up biting Swerve and recovering. He grabs Swerve and connects through the barbed wire board bridge on the chairs off the top-rope. He pops right back up and power bombs him on the barbed wire board and then hits a Dead Eye on it.
Page grabs a long strand of barbed wire and wraps it around his fist and arm. He then wraps some around Swerve’s face and neck. He hits a Buckshot Lariat like that. Swerve wasn’t going to get up, but Prince Nana pulls him out of the ring to help beat the count. “The Machine” Brian Cage of The Mogul Embassy runs down and chaos ensues.
Cage levels Page with a lariat and then a big F-5, before heading out of the ring to pull out a table, which he sets up on the floor. Page recovers and takes over. He sees Nana with a chair, but ends up putting him through the table on the floor with a Dead Eye.
Strickland blasts Page over the head with the cinder block brought out earlier and then wraps a chain around his throat. He hangs him by the throat over the ring post and ends up finishing him off for the win in an epic, violent, bloody Texas Death Match.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
The Young Bucks vs. Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega
We continue right along, as we near the final matches of the evening. The commentators run footage from the Zero Hour pre-show that reminds fans about MJF being attacked and stretchered into an ambulance while pleading with Adam Cole not to let him take his title. They then remind everyone that Adam Cole kept his word and vowed to step in on MJF’s behalf tonight.
Now the pre-match video package for our next bout airs, telling the story leading up to tonight’s tag-team featured bout, with The Golden Jets duo of Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega teaming up for a high stakes showdown against The Young Bucks. With a win, they get the Bucks’ guaranteed tag title shot. With a loss, The Golden Jets can never team up again.
The video package wraps up and we shoot back inside the Kia Forum where we hear the familiar sounds of “Judas in My Mind” as Fozzy front man Moongoose McQu…I mean, Chris Jericho, emerges and makes his way out to a huge pop. He heads to the ring with Floyd the baseball bat as fans sing along with the lyrics to his catchy-ass entrance tune.
Out next comes “The Cleaner” himself, Kenny Omega, to his long, drawn out ring introduction by “The Dapper Yapper” himself, Justin Roberts. As he heads to the ring, Don Callis joins the gang on special guest commentary for this one. The Golden Jets are both in the ring and ready for action.
From there, the guitars begin wailing to start the ring music for our next team, the number one contenders to the AEW World Tag-Team Championships and arguably among the best teams in the history of the business, Nick and Matt Jackson — The Young Bucks. The duo settles inside the squared circle as well and it’s time to get this one officially off-and-running.
Nick Jackson and Omega kick things off for their respective teams. After they trade some mat-based wrestling attacks, they fist-bump each other and then Jericho tags in, as does Matt Jackson. Matt slams Jericho down, but Jericho comes back and chops him into the corner. Omega tags in to stop the chops and allows Matt to back away from the corner. Matt kicks Omega in the midsection and clubs him across the back.
Matt sends Omega across, but Omega counters with a hurricanrana to the outside. Omega sends Nick out as well, but Nick pulls Jericho to the apron after Jericho makes the tag. Omega takes Matt out with a dive, but Nick kicks him in the face. Jericho sends Nick to the floor with an enzuigiri and follows with a low dropkick. Matt comes back with shots to Jericho on the outside.
After that, The Bucks put his arm between the steps and the ring post. Matt kicks the steps into Jericho’s arm and gets him back into the ring. Nick tags in and delivers a few shots to Jericho. Matt tags back in and works over Jericho’s arm. Nick tags back in and The Bucks double-team Jericho for a bit. Nick delivers another shot to Jericho’s arm, which is now cut open.
Jericho comes back with a double clothesline, but Nick delivers a shot to his head and dropkicks him to the floor. Matt pulls Jericho’s arm into the ring post and gets Jericho back into the ring. Jericho fights back and tags Omega in. The Bucks double-team Omega, but he fights back and takes them both down with snap-dragon suplexes.
Omega puts Nick in the corner and drops Matt with a rolling senton. Omega drops Nick with a Backstabber and drops Matt with a moonsault on the outside. Omega goes for a cross-body on Nick, but Nick rolls through and gets a two count. Omega delivers a knee to Nick’s face, and then Jericho and Matt tag in. Jericho drops Matt with a few shoulder tackles, and then drops Nick as well.
Jericho connects with a double Lionsault, and then goes for the Walls of Jericho on Matt. Matt kicks Jericho in the face and sends him to the corner. Nick wrenches Jericho’s arm over the top rope and Matt takes him down. Matt goes for the Walls himself, but Jericho rolls him up for a two count. Jericho drops Matt with a shot, Nick takes Jericho down, and then Omega drops Nick.
Omega gets dropped now, and then Jericho counters Matt and locks in the Walls. Matt gets free and he and Jericho exchange shots. The Young Bucks hit stereo super kicks in a double-team attack and now they have Jericho down and out. Jericho keeps trying to fight back, but is mostly on the defensive at this point. One Jackson complains about a low blow.
When Omega turns around, the other blatantly kicks the hell out of him with a low blow. Jackson hits Jericho with a Judas Effect but when he goes for the cover, Omega breaks it up. We see more and more tension between Omega and the Bucks now as we work our way into the final moments of what has been a very entertaining tag-team tilt.
Omega fires up but Jackson slows him down and hits a One-Winged Angel for a super close near fall. The fight continues with Jackson landing super kicks, but after he hits Jericho in mid Judas Effect with one, Jericho continues with his Judas Effect anyway in an awkward spot. Jackson takes a bump and then Omega takes out the other Jackson with a rip-cord knee and a One-Winged Angel for the win.
The Golden Jets are next in line for the title shot. After the match, Jackson throws another major temper tantrum on the floor, similar to Jericho’s initial heel turn from his Lionheart days in WCW, where he’d smash chairs on the ring post because of nWo themes and other stuff.
Winners: Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega
AEW World Championship
MJF (C) vs. Jay White
It’s main event time!
The injured Adam Cole is not the real AEW World Champion, but instead representing the real AEW World Champion, MJF, due to his injury, for his scheduled match against the man who technically has the championship belt, Jay White. Confusing, ain’t it?
The commentators bring everyone up to speed on what went down on the pre-show with MJF being taken out in an ambulance, and Adam Cole vowing to fight on his behalf tonight. Adam Cole’s theme hits first and “The Dapper Yapper” Justin Roberts introduces him.
Adam Cole comes out on crutches to a huge pop from the California crowd. He does his usual ring entrance routine as best as he can on one wheel, and in street clothes with his leg braced up. The Bullet Club Gold entrance takes place next, with Jay White coming out accompanied by The Gunns for this main event title tilt.
It looks like the match is about to begin, and Jay White lays down and pretends he’s going to let Cole pin him. He laughs and pops up and it’s about time to get this one off-and-running. Before we do, however, we hear sirens and then on the big screen we see an ambulance making its’ way into the building.
The ambulance is being driven by MJF, who apparently stole the ambulance according to the commentators and brought it to the Kia Forum to fight on one leg. The defiant AEW World Champion emerges from the ambulance and heads into the ring, relieving Adam Cole of his fill-in duties, as the crowd goes wild.
Now the bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with our AEW World Championship main event here at AEW Full Gear 2023. The fans chant about MJF being their scumbag as White easily dominates the early offense, taking it to MJF. He sends him out to the floor where The Gunns get in some cheap shots, as if White didn’t have a big enough advantage already.
This happens a few more times and finally the referee catches on and ejects them from ringside, which puts a big giant smile on the face of MJF’s brochacho, Adam Cole. White still controls the offense for a while after they leave, however Friedman eventually starts to fight back into competitive form.
MJF takes over as the crowd goes wild. He repeatedly bashes White’s head into the turnbuckle and then climbs up on him for the ten-punch in the corner spot as the crowd counts along with each shot that lands. We see Adam Cole cheering MJF on from ringside as MJF plays to the crowd inside the Kia Forum.
Friedman calls for a kangaroo kick and he hits it, knocking White out to the floor. He sells his own leg after, but fights through it. Cole shouts some instructions to MJF from ringside, but it doesn’t work out as planned, as White comes back into the ring and dropkicks the injured leg of the champ and takes back over control of the match as the fans loudly boo.
White dumps MJF over his head and the champ crashes and burns awkwardly on the floor at ringside. White taunts him and Cole from in the ring and then heads out to deliver more punishment, but MJF begins fighting back. He decks White and starts clearing off the commentary desk as the fans come alive.
MJF puts White through the commentary desk and then climbs up to the top-rope. He leaps off and connects with a flying elbow smash, but bounces off the thin mat covering the solid floor and begins selling his leg as Adam Cole looks on in horror. The ref counts as both men are down and out, while Cole is continued to be shown on camera looking horrified.
The champ comes to life just in time to keep this match alive, and he rolls White back into the ring. He heads back in after him but stops and clutches his injured leg. The fans try and rally behind him with loud “He’s our scumbag!” chants. White fights back and hits a dragon-screw in the ropes on MJF, further adding to his injured leg.
They both head to the top-rope where White connects with an insane Avalanche Urinagi for a super close near fall attempt. MJF hulks-up but White snatches him up and looks for his Bladerunner finisher. MJF avoids it. White goes for it again moments later but again the champ manages to avoid it. MJF hits a tombstone piledriver and it hurts his own bad leg.
We see MJF fight back and look for his Heatseeker in the ropes, but White counters it. MJF sprints at White and leaps over the ropes, connecting with a cutter on the way down on White on the floor. Wow. MJF pulls his knee pad down and smacks his injured knee to try and beat it back to life. Cole shouts encouragement to the champ as he looks ready to finish this one off.
MJF goes to pick up White, but ends up collapsing on his own due to his leg. The ref comes over to check on him and he calls for a doctor. Friedman insists on continuing, and slaps away at his own hurt knee again as the crowd comes to life and rallies behind him.
White goes back to work on his bum wheel and spits at Cole at ringside before locking MJF in a figure-four leg lock. MJF screams in pain. Adam Cole has a towel and considers throwing it in. MJF struggles but eventually fights back and turns the hold over, putting the pressure on White’s legs. After this, the ref gets bumped.
White ends up dragon-screwing his injured leg again. On the floor, we see Cole has MJF’s Dynamite diamond ring, and MJF wants it, but White ends up with it. Before he can use it, however, Friedman blasts him with a low blow and now he has the ring. The Gunns come out but MJF decks them with the ring.
He turns into a Bladerunner attempt from White, but he sneaks in a ring shot to White as well to avoid it. He goes for the cover and gets the 1-2-3 to retain. He and Adam Cole have a special moment in the ring after the hard-fought victory. They head up the ramp together and are hugging on the top of the stage as the AEW Full Gear 2023 pay-per-view goes off the air on that note. Thanks for joining us!
Winner and STILL AEW World Champion: MJF
