This Saturday, November 13, All Elite Wrestling presents it’s last pay-per-view event of 2021, the third-annual Full Gear, from Minneapolis, Minnesota. This one’s set to be a pivotal show for the company, with the culmination of the longest-running storyline in AEW’s history with “Hangman” Adam Page challenging Kenny Omega for the AEW Championship. Resident wrestling fanatics Jeffrey X Martin, Andy Burns, and Sachin Hingoo are here to run down the card and hit you with their predictions for the big show!
Falls Count Anywhere: Christian Cage and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) vs. The SuperKliq (Adam Cole, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson)
Ever since Adam Cole (bay bay) debuted for AEW back in September at All In, the SuperKliq has been in everyone’s business. The only ones willing to stand int heir way have been the usually-affable Jurassic Express of Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy, and fresh off a reign with the Impact World Title, Christian Cage.
Jeffery X Martin: It feels like the Superkliq have been feuding with Jurassic Express and Christian Cage forever, and I am just fine with that. Matches between those workers are always entertaining, even if those battles feel a little midcard. The air will be filled with bodies and cooling spray. The Falls Count Anywhere stipulation implies ramp bumps, stage tosses, and plunder galore. There aren’t any real stakes attached to this match, but I’m going to give it to the Superkliq with the inevitable assistance of Bobby “Budge’s Buddy” Fish. His interference may turn the tide and give Cole and the Bucks the win.
Sachin Hingoo: I have to admit that I’m not extremely invested in the storyline implications of this one, but with the Bucks openly saying that they want to give Jurassic Express their first ‘five-star’ match, I’m expecting pure spectacle here. These guys are all capable of tearing the arena down to it’s foundations, and everyone will be out to prove themselves. I’m giving it to the Superkliq, like Jeff says, with an assist from Bobby Fish and the Elite B-team of Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa. AEW knows when to pull out the crazy bumps and wild stunts, and this match is the best chance to see both on this card.
Andy Burns: This one is a tough call for me. You know the action is going to be outstanding, and there’s a lot of issues between the two teams. Jungle Boy got the win over Bobby Fish on Friday night, which I was relieved to see. The Young Bucks and Adam Cole are already made men, while I think Luchasaurus and JB aren’t quite there yet. A win for them with Christian will go a long way, I think, and I’m hoping TK agrees.
Darby Allin vs. MJF
MJF’s talked about AEW’s ‘Four Pillars’ recently, meaning the four guys the company is throwing their weight behind for the future. Sammy Guevara, Jungle Boy, Darby Allin, and MJF are the homegrown stars that will lead the company into the future and at Full Gear, two of those pillars – MJF and Darby – are on a collision course.
Jeffery X Martin: This could be an interesting clash of ring styles. Allin is furious with MJF, for good reason, but he’s going to have change his focus from desperate moves off the ropes. Keeping MJF grounded will be key to making this a good match. I think Allin will defeat MJF, but only because that’s what the fans want. I expect a little bit of color, but Allin will win with the patented coffin drop.
Andy Burns: This match could go either way for me. Both men lost on PPV last time, but I don’t think Darby loses anything if he takes the pin. MJF is the best heel in the business, let alone AEW, and I think a win here could get him closer to a title match, either against Sammy for the TNT title, or even the heavyweight belt sooner than later.
Sachin Hingoo: I’m expecting this to be a tough, well-fought battle with Darby damn near killing himself to win. But I think that 2022 will see MJF finally making a play for Big Plat, so it’s time for him to start working his way through the Four Pillars, starting with Darbs. This could be a good opportunity for Darby to change things up a bit as well and evolve his character a little, maybe even stoking tensions with his father, Sting.
CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston
Full Gear 2020 featured Eddie Kingston going after his old friend Jon Moxley in an “I Quit” match for the AEW Championship. A year later, Mox is off the card, dealing with his personal demons, but Eddie is still out here grinding – this time against AEW’s biggest signing of the year, CM Punk.
Jeffery X Martin: Kingston has so much goodwill within the entire wrestling community right now. He’s the quintessential everyman, and no matter how you love Punk, you want Kingston to go over. He deserves it. He’s earned it. But, no one should be surprised if Punk goes full heel. We’ve been expecting the Uncle Punk guy to go away and this is the perfect opportunity for that arc to kick off. Kingston should win. He’ll be the locker room hero, he’ll be even more over with the fans. That’s why I think Punk is going to get the victory. It will put the fans behind Kingston even more and be the perfect beginning to Punk’s heel turn.
Andy Burns: CM Punk says he’s come to AEW to work with the young stars, and while there’s not much age difference between Punk and Eddie, this is the sort of match that puts Punk in the legend category and Eddie in the upstart one. Punk doesn’t need to win this, but to push Eddie to the next level, he should absolutely get his hand raised. He’s the Mick Foley here, and thanks to his incredible mic work and his article this week where he detailed his life’s journey, the fans should be on his side. A win here elevates him, and does nothing to hurt Punk. I’d expect blood, guts and a lot of emotion.
Sachin Hingoo: I was solidly of the opinion that this was a foregone conclusion for Punk to win up until a few days ago, but after reading Eddie’s excellent piece in the Player’s Tribune (seriously, don’t miss this one) this week, I am ready to follow this dude straight into hell. Eddie might or might not actually pick up the win here, but I’ve been annoying our group chat with the idea that this could be the catalyst for a Bret/Austin-style double turn with Punk ditching the ‘happy to be here’ persona he’s been sporting since he arrived in AEW and Eddie capturing the energy of the crowd. Imagine the image of Eddie passing out in an Anaconda Vice, and more importantly, imagine the t-shirt sales.
Minneapolis Street Fight: The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana, and Ortiz) vs. Men of the Year (Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page) and American Top Team (Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski and Dan Lambert)
Jeffery X Martin: Is this gonna be one of those cinematic matches like the football stadium stuff? Big street fights like this are harder to properly capture on television. Expect tables, chairs and soft drink machines. I would much rather hear the Painmaker and Dan Lambert yell at each other than watch a glorified schmozz. Ideally, this thing ends with Jericho pinning that fat-faced dipshit Dan Lambert in the middle of the ring. Remember, Jericho is beautiful on the inside and that’s why the Inner Circle will win.
Andy Burns: There’s no way the Inner Circle doesn’t come out on top of this one. American Top Team and Dan Lambert have done a solid job making themselves into despicable heels, especially this past week on Dynamite when Lambert put Chris Jericho through a table. It’s time for the Inner Circle to get their revenge, in a match that’s going to have a lot of plunder. I’m guessing we’ll see Lambert get the hell kicked out of him before he finally takes the pin.
Sachin Hingoo: With the chaos of Jurassic Express/Christian vs Superkliq already on the card, another chaotic brawl isn’t exactly going to feel fresh here unless they do something really unique. I’m expecting an old-school brawl with American Top Team (feat. Men of the Year) taking the L. The real money match coming out of this will be Jericho vs Jorge Masvidal, which could happen on a special Dynamite or even at Revolution in February. Until then, expect Dan Lambert to take a big, satisfying ass-kicking. If anyone deserves it, it’s this dipshit.
AEW Tag Team Championship: The Lucha Brothers (c) vs FTR
Jeffery X Martin: I hated The Revival. I really enjoy FTR. I have come to appreciate their technicality and adherence to old-school tag rules. The Lucha Brothers, however, are incredibly exciting to watch. Their match against the Young Bucks at All Out is a strong Match of the Year contender. It’s a hard call, but I’m giving the Lucha Brothers the edge in this one. With their resistance to rope work, FTR is going to have a hard time stopping the acrobatics of the Lucha Brothers. You can’t keep a guy in a submission hold after getting hit by a 200-pound dude who did a missile drop kick off the top robe. Penta and Fenix retain.
Andy Burns: It’s way too soon to take the belts off of The Lucha Brothers, plus FTR just pinned them for the AAA titles just a few weeks ago. However, a team carrying two titles makes a statement. In the end, the champs should retain in what I think will be one entertaining encounter.
Sachin Hingoo: The only team I will accept beating the Lucha Bros for these titles is Santana and Ortiz, so this is a pretty easy call for me. FTR capturing the AAA titles was a big surprise though, and further cemented them as threats anytime they step into the ring. Still, I’m calling the Bros pulling out the win here, and I’m excited to see if they can top their kick-ass entrance from All Out.
AEW World Championship Eliminator: Bryan Danielson vs Miro
Jeffery X Martin: Everybody knows this match wasn’t supposed to happen, but it might turn out for the best. Raging Miro with his creepy relationship with his god against Danielson, who appears to be a member of the Randy Orton School of Joint Manipulation? It’s a strange match-up. It feels too early for Danielson to grab a title. The only way it could work, in my opinion, is if he keeps a standing open challenge for the title just so he can goddamned wrestle. Miro grabbing that title back, against Danielson, could elevate Miro and make him more dangerous than ever. I have to give this one to Miro.
Andy Burns: This is such a hard one. Bryan Danielson is a superstar who has been delivering every time he’s been in the AEW. Miro is a rehabbed monster, one of the most intimidating forces in AEW. While I think Bryan is going to be AEW champ at some point, I don’t think he needs to be contention immediately. However, if Hangman Page comes out on top of his battle with Kenny Omega, he’s going to need a top heel to help establish his status as AEW champion. Miro fits that bill perfectly. As well, Bryan’s been clear on AEW television that he hasn’t beaten Miro yet; having him chase that elusive win a little longer makes for as great story. On that note, I see Miro getting the win here.
Sachin Hingoo: Miro is the perfect obstacle to throw in Bryan’s way here, and as a last-minute change due to Mox’s absence, you can’t ask for anything better. There’s way too much upside for Miro to get the win here – a world title chase is definitely in the cards for him, and what better time than now – but I’m also intrigued at the storyline possibilities of another loss for Miro. Does he attack and dethrone his God? Does he bring in his flexible wife for motivation? Still, I’m making this unanimous and picking Miro.
PAC and Cody Rhodes vs Malakai Black & Andrade El Idolo
Jeffery X Martin: If you divide this tag match in half, which you should, then the battle to watch will be Andrade vs. PAC. Both of those guys are powerhouses and when they’re in the ring together, expect nothing but brutality. On the other side, the storybuilding for Black has been so slow. Who is really in the House of Black? Black has dropped hints of someone in Cody’s circle betraying him, but who could it be? Cody and Black will have a decent battle, but I expect some kind of chicanery at the end. There might be a surprise debut. Maybe Arn will threaten Cody with his fabled Glock. Regardless, I expect a victory for Andrade and the House of Black in a match that will be half good (Cody v. Malakai) and half great (Andrade v. PAC).
Andy Burns: In no world do PAC and Cody get a win against Black and Andrade. Both teams make for strange bedfellows, but Black and Andrade so compelling together, and there’s already unity between them. Could we see the arrival of a hot free agent on the scene to cement a House of Black? It’s the last PPV of the year for AEW, so I’d say there’s a very good chance if the former Bray Wyatt is going to debut, here’s the place to do it. Either way, Black and Andrade are getting the win.
Sachin Hingoo: We’ve seen these dudes mix it up separately over the last few weeks, and the matches have been good to great. Personally I don’t see any chance for Cody and PAC to get the win here, or any reason to have Black and Andrade take a loss. This one’s got a chance to have big ramifications for AEW, though, and with the sudden availability of both Bray Wyatt and Brody King on the free agent market, we could see something really exciting here.
AEW Women’s Championship: Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D (c) vs Tay Conti
Jeffery X Martin: Baker’s run as heel champ has been incredible. I think she’s found her niche. Conti is a great talent. She’s got the martial arts moves and the kids love her. With all of that momentum, why does Conti still feel so green? She’s not ready for this title. It’s not her time. I’m not sure how to make Conti seem like a legitimate contender without making her bleed. [Hey, it worked for Britt.] Honestly, Baker should tear Conti apart. This should be a pretty easy win. Baker retains.
Andy Burns: This is the match I’m least interested in for Full Gear, mainly because I think Britt is a lock on winning, while Tay has done nothing to make me think she’s a real contender. The Countdown to Full Gear certainly highlighted her legit martial arts abilities, but I’m just not invested in her a real challenge. The real money is when Britt and Jade Cargill finally lock horns, so consider this a stopgap on the way to the good doctor’s next big challenge.
Sachin Hingoo: This reminds me of the Lucha Bros/FTR match in the sense that there’s a clear successor to the champion here, and it ain’t the challenger. I love Tay though and she’s an easy pick for Most Improved since her regrettable run in NXT. She’s just not on Britt’s level yet though, and as in the tag match, I want to see Thunder Rosa as the next champ. Tay will have her time, and this is a match to prove that she can hang, but Britt’s not dropping that belt tonight.
AEW Championship: Kenny Omega (c) vs “Hangman” Adam Page
Last year’s Full Gear saw Kenny Omega defeat Adam Page in the finals of the World Title Eliminator tournament, and then go on to defeat Jon Moxley for AEW’s top title. Since then, he and his Elite croneys have run roughshod over the company, protecting Kenny’s reign with copious interference and shenanigans. After many setbacks, Hangman has pulled himself together for one more shot at Kenny’s precious championship. This match stole the show last year so expect Hangman and Kenny to deliver once again, no matter the result.
Jeffery X Martin: The outcome of this match seems like a foregone conclusion. It’s time to end this story arc. It’s gonna be fun to watch, but it is going to be messy. Expect the Bucks and their stooges on the outside battling members of the Dark Order, and that is how it should be. Tie up all those ends. I just don’t see this ending any other way than Page hitting the Buckshot Lariat on Omega and finally grabbing that title. Get ready for a tremendous pile of Cowboy Shit.
Andy Burns: What do you when the outcome is expected in a big ticket match like Kenny and Hangman? Nearly everybody and their mother is expecting that Page finally wins the big one, so does Tony Khan do the theoretically obvious thing and put the belt on page, or does Omega continue to prove why he’s the bout machine? A few weeks ago, I would have gone with Omega, but since his return from leave to be with his new family, Hangman Page has done an excellent job of making me care about him. A new, pure babyface champion will be a change for the company, and there are some legit heels to chase Hangman for the belt. So, send the fans home happy and set the stage for 2022.
Sachin Hingoo: Those with terminal WWE-brain insist on surprises, swerves, and rarely just doing the simple, expected thing by just giving the fans what they want in the name of “heat”. AEW’s approach is the exact opposite, though they always find a way to both surprise and deliver. This storyline has been building since the very moment AEW became a thing, and Tony Khan is not going to drop the ball in the home stretch, in terms of storytelling or match quality. The fans are ready for Hangman’s coronation, and I think Kenny’s exhausted his bag of tricks. It’s more than past the time to don our ten-gallons, cut the asses out of our chaps, and mount up for some Cowboy Shit. The intrigue to me is how this affects Kenny – does he spiral from here, or will he be forced to evolve?
AEW Full Gear airs live on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 8pm EST on PPV, Bleacher Report, and FITE TV (see the AEW Website for viewing options) with the Buy-In Preshow starting at 7pm EST on YouTube.
