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AEW Full Gear is maybe the biggest pay per view event of the season in the year 2020 and it carries with it some of the most interesting matches AEW has put on in its history. From the Dinner Debonaire to Orange Cassidy to a horrid injury to the most hyped tag team match of the year to one of the promos of the decade, Full Gear’s build has been absolutely insane. And with tremendous build comes tremendous expectations, so to help you temper those emotions for a little bit (and possibly laugh at me by tomorrow) I’m hear to give my predictions for Full Gear as someone who watches AEW religiously. Let’s go!
Griff's Picks
(BUY IN) SERENA DEEB vs ALLYSIN KAY FOR NWA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
I don’t watch NWA so I don’t know how well Serena is booked as champion, but she’s been solid in every AEW match and it seems too early for her to lose the title now, Deeb wins clean.
ORANGE CASSIDY vs JOHN “4” SILVER
This will be one of the easiest to pick. AEW seems to be in the midst of a long term build to Orange Cassidy being one of their main baby face singles stars and they don’t have much for him to do after beating Chris Jericho. As disappointing as that is, it’s a marathon not a sprint with Orange and that means a clean win here is in order, probably with Beach Break to put over that move as another finisher.
CHRIS JERICHO vs MJF: IF MJF WINS, HE JOINS THE INNER CIRCLE
You may not agree, but this is the most unpredictable match of the night for me. I could see MJF winning clean; I could see Jericho winning clean; I could see the Inner Circle interfering; I could see Wardlow turning babyface on his evil boss. But I refuse to cop out of making a pick here- as will be my new proud tradition- so with the way the build is going I believe MJF will win dirty. This opens to door for MJF to take over the Inner Circle using Jericho’s respect for his new found killer instinct as his way in, kick Jericho out of the group eventually and set up Y2J for his baby face retirement run.
MATT HARDY vs SAMMY GUEVARA: ELITE DELETION
Boy… this build has been something else. There has been more blood spilled and years taken off careers in this feud than almost any I’ve ever seen. This sounds like it’ll be a cinematic match judging by Jericho’s comment on commentary of how Matt Hardy “invented this type of match.” Matt Hardy seems to be in AEW to put younger guys over so I’d imagine that starts here, Sammy Guevara wins but I can’t say how not knowing how exactly this match will be presented.
FTR vs YOUNG BUCKS FOR AEW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
I’m very disappointed we won’t see this match in front of 50,000 screaming fans because this is dream booking come to life. This is like if the Brainbusters could take on the Rockers on their way up, it’s an old school build between two teams seemingly ripped from different decades. Every bit of this build makes me believe this feud will continue for a long time as they’re already putting over the fact Matt Jackson isn’t healthy. Because of that, it certainly seems like FTR will win dirty and set up what would certainly be a main-event level match when we can get more fans in the seats.
HIKARU SHIDA vs NYLA ROSE FOR AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
I will not say anything about crappy AEW women booking. I will not say anything about crappy AEW women booking. I will not say anything about crappy AEW women booking. While these two women at least have history, the build to this match has been… well it hasn’t. But the way AEW has booked its women so far makes me think they want their booking to jumpstart the division so they’ll put the title on Nyla to see if maybe she can energize this sputtering women’s roster.
CODY vs DARBY ALLIN FOR AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP
This match is actually not too easy to predict. While Cody Rhodes is booked stronger than almost anyone else in the company, his World Title loss to Jericho and his squash loss to Brodie Lee always gives you that feeling that he could lose in any given match. This is no different. Allin and Cody have history, Darby has nearly beaten Cody on several occasions. But this doesn’t feel like the kind of match to put him over in. The build feels disjointed and there was no real segway from Darby’s feud with Team Taz to this with Cody. While I truly believe Darby Allin is the man to dethrone Cody and I believe he’s a star in the making, it won’t happen on this night. Cody wins, but I don’t think it will be clean, I believe this could be the start of a Cody heel turn build, and that won’t be the last time I say that in these predictions.
KENNY OMEGA vs HANGMAN ADAM PAGE: WORLD TITLE ELIMINATOR FINALS
AEW has claimed it is a sports focused product; and while that claim doesn’t always hold up, as a sports nerd myself, the build to this match feels very familiar. It’s a tale as old as time: from the Lakers vs. Celtics to Ali vs. Foreman to Patriots vs. Colts, the stars aligned and the match we all dreamed of is finally happening. Now this may be speaking hopefully- full disclosure I am a Kenny Omega mark and I will not apologize for it- but this seems to me like this is the moment we get heel cleaner Kenny Omega back. The constant bragging during his entrances, his arrogance in promos, his face while pinning Sunny Kiss, Kenny Omega is about to become the heel that no one can beat cuz he’s too damn good. It’s the character that gave us some of the greatest matches in history in Japan and we’re about to see it here as Omega wins dirty with a One Winged Angel.
JON MOXLEY vs EDDIE KINGSTON: ‘I QUIT’ FOR AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
If you don’t like the build for this match, you and I can’t be friends. Mox and Kingston delivered one of the best wrestling promos I have ever seen on the go home edition of Dynamite, and it absolutely skyrocketed my hype level for this match. As fantastic as the build is, though, this doesn’t feel like a match Moxley will lose. I could be wrong, but I always got the sense Moxley will drop that title to the next up and coming heel and I really thought that was going to be MJF. Kingston feels like a transitional champion to me as he is so much more effective chasing the belt than he would be with it and Moxley is AEW’s biggest star in their history. He’s their biggest get, so him dropping the championship is the biggest deal. I believe AEW want Moxley to drop his championship to a despicable heel in front of thousands of fans and listen to the whole building go silent. As a result, in the main event, Eddie Kingston will say “I quit” while trapped in a bulldog choke in the middle of the ring and we will go to black with Jon Moxley absolutely devastated at the pain he put his long time friend through.
AEW are presenting and absolutely packed card tonight with 9 matches announced! Here are my predictions with the winners in bold.
Nathan's Picks
Serena Deeb (C) vs. Allysin Kay (NWA Women's Championship):
I wasn't even aware this match was on the card til I started my predictions but a second woman's match is always a positive! Deeb has been in great form recently & Kay is coming off a strong run in the NWA so it should be an interesting debut for her. In the end I expect Deeb to carry on with her solid run and pick up the run while giving newcomer Kay plenty of spotlight.
Orange Cassidy vs. John Silver:
A battle between AEWs first year breakout star and its new cult favourite? I expect this to be a fun, fast paced contest that gets Cassidy back on track after recent losses. Silver's time will come.
MJF vs. Chris Jericho:
AEW have been meticulously building this story for a year now and I expect it to deliver. It may not match up with the flashiness and excitement of other matches on the card but there's more than enough for fans to invest in here. Plenty of silliness is to be expected but I trust these guys to keep the balance just right as MJF does whatever it takes to get the win.
Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara (The Elite Deletion):
I'm not entirely sure how or why this feud is still ongoing but I am at least confident (hopeful?) this is the blowoff match. Cinematic matches are hard to call as often there is no definitive finish but Hardy is something of a specialist in this setting and I expect him to emerge victorious?
Adam Page vs. Kenny Omega:
I find it very hard to root for WWE baby faces so all credit to the brilliant work done by Hangman and AEW because I really, really want the anxious cowboy to pick up the win. He won't though, after a hard fought contest the best bout machine is going to remind us all why he's the best & break his friends heart for good measure.
FTR (C) vs. The Young Bucks (AEW Tag Team Championships):
AEWs usual, brilliant booking has deserted them in the build to what should be the most highly anticipated tag match of our generation. The match will still be amazing and with FTR having already ran through the rest of the division (plus the added stipulations), this feels like the right time to pull the trigger on a Young Bucks title win.
Cody (C) vs. Darby Allin (TNT Championship):
Another one of AEWs year long stories here even if it has gotten a bit muddled lately. Expect plenty of story and melodrama woven into the match as is Cody's forte and without a clear and obvious favourite I'm going to pick the American Nightmare for this one as if in doubt, bet on the house.
Hikaru Shida (C) vs. Nyla Rose (AEW Women's Championship):
The match will probably be great as these are two great wrestlers with plenty of chemistry but it's hard not to think of it as an afterthought when it was so lazily thrown together at the last minute. Let's say Nyla Rose regains her title.
Jon Moxley (C) vs. Eddie Kingston (AEW World Championship):
I'll be honest, their first match was not for me but I'll admit I seem to be on the wrong side of critical consensus for that one. The build to this match and its fire promos have gotten me hyped again though and I hope the match lives up to the build. This is likely to be an all out brawl with weapons swinging and blood flowing. No idea how but somehow Mox is making Eddie say I quit and I can't wait to see how.
Comparison
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