AEW Full Gear is in the history books! What appeared to be an average card turned out to become one of the best PPVs of 2025. From beginning to end, including the pre-show, Full Gear delivered a show which was well-paced, did not cause fan burnout, and while it did end after midnight, it was well worth it. The lineup was very well planned. Matches spaced to give fans breathers and then turned it right back on.
I had the privilege of going and experiencing Full Gear live, and I have to say, the arena was legit packed, the crowd a fireball of energy throughout the night. One of the hottest shows I have been to.
Lots to unpack with Dynamite coming up, so let’s get to the recap!
Tail Gate Brawl: Honestly probably one of the better pre-shows this year, however squeezing four matches did prove challenging with one suffering for time while the “main event” bled over into the main show, which was likely intended.
Juice Robinson & Austin Gunn defeated Bowens & Caster, Big Bill & Bryan Keith, and the Outrunners to win the $200K Challenge
Absolutely fun match. The Bowens/Caster tease continues. It seemed as though we were going to see their ol’ double team maneuvers and a potential scissoring, but both were interrupted. Outrunners were massively over.
Robinson now gets his investing on. I could have sworn I heard an “Invest!” and an “I-R-A” chant.
Big Boom A.J. and QT Marshall defeated RPG Vice
Big Justice gets shoved to the floor by Trent. That got INSANE heat from the crowd. However, justice was served when he dropped Trent with a Diamond Cutter. There is a lot of hate thrown at the Boom Crew because of their influencer status, but as the match went on, the crowd got firmly behind them. The last time Full Gear was in NJ, it was Big Boom vs. QT Marshall.
While it turned out to be a fun match which did get the NJ crowd fired up, it did go a bit too long which is what likely caused the next match to get cut extremely short.
Eddie Kingston and Hook defeated The Workhorsemen
While the match began on the outside like a brawl, barely three minutes went by before Eddie pinned Anthony Henry after an unexpected DDT. Even though the outcome was predictable, it would have been better to see both teams get ample time to put on a brief show. Eddie looked like he was wrestling in his street clothes.
Backstage: Samoa Joe cuts a promo with The Opps Dojo, showing a number of tough looking individuals behind him. Menacing and fear-inducing. Those are the best words to describe just how good Joe is with the promos.
El Sky Team defeated Takeshita, Okada, and Hechicero
With only minutes left to the pre-show, it was obvious this would run into the PPV. It seemed as though this was the plan, as Okada was nowhere to be found prior to the match and was not present when the match began. After the PPV began Okada rolls up in a fancy sportscar, in his ring gear no less. He joins the match but inevitably things fall apart as he engages with Takeshita, and despite Hechicero’s best efforts the two will not get along. El Sky Team gets the win, but Okada and Takeshita are left bickering much to the dismay of Don Callis.
Next up on the main card, in a spectacular opening contest, PAC defeated Darby Allin. While PAC claimed to fight under the pretense of a clean match, the outcome was anything but. Thanks to interference, specifically from Wheeler Yuta, the notorious bastard gets the win.
All throughout the contest PAC just manhandled Darby, bodyslamming him from the ring apron to the floor, and also throwing him through the ropes in an insane spot. PAC looks physically imposing and once more is a credible threat to any opponent.
It seems PAC is quickly becoming the more dominant figure in the Death Riders.
The Timeless Love Bombs defeated Megan Bayne/Marina Shafir, Babes of Wrath, and Sisters of Sin
Matches like four-team tornado tags tend to be nothing but chaotic brawls, this turned out to be so much better. While tagging was not mandatory, it felt evenly paced with everyone getting a decent amount of time to breathe on the ring, showcasing why the AEW Women’s Division is on fire. Toni Storm pinned Harley Cameron, thus earning the right to make a stipulation for their match against Bayne and Shafir. While “Timeless” Toni offered some creative ideas, Mina suggested a Taipei Death Match.
I’d watch.
FTR defeated Brodido to become Three-Time AEW Men’s World Tag Team Champions
While heartbreaking, it was an unbelievably good match. Predicting this was near-impossible. Brody and Bandido put on one of the best matches of their tag team career, with praise to FTR for complimenting them so well in the ring. Dax and Cash also seem to give 110% as well. The home stretch with FTR throwing every move in their repertoire and some moves belonging to other teams, Brodido would not give in. That is, until King was taken out with a Spike Piledriver on the ring apron. Bandido fell to the Shatter Machine.
No doubt many will feel unhappy that Brodido’s reign has come to an end so soon, but their mark and impact will certainly be lasting. King and Bandido made such an excellent combination of strength and agility, the energy brought to the ring, the natural ability to gain such a huge crowd response is uncanny. One would hope this is not the end of their union.
Ricochet wins the Casino Gauntlet to become the inaugural AEW National Champion
Another fun match. Other participants included Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, Claudio, Daniel Garcia, Orange Cassidy, Wheeler Yuta, Kevin Knight, Roderick Strong, Mark Davis, “Speedball” Mike Bailey, and “Daddy Magic” Matt Minard.
Highlights include Ricochet being beaten and thrown around by all the big guys in the match. Speaking of, Lashley and Benjamin didn’t seem to get to do a whole lot, as Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona came in to sabotage their chances. Three members of the Death Riders here felt a bit much, but it wound up working very well. Nice tension moment with Knight and Bailey going for a pin but stopping each other. Cassidy and Strong carried their time very well too, and of course Garcia and Minard wound up brawling around the arena and into the back. Ricochet hitting his moment for the win was very well done. I hope we get an early title defense to help legitimize the new championship.
MVP got a huge chant from the NJ crowd before the match began. I think the chant originated from Section 7, Row 10, Seats 1-5.
Kyle O’Reilly defeated Jon Moxley by Submission
A bloody, brutal contest. Should be considered match of the night and possible Match of the Year Candidate. I have said it all through 2025. Kyle O’Reilly is on the rise. He’s a wrestling machine. He can be funny with the Conglomeration and serious as Paragon. Either way, his stock just took a tremendous spike upwards with a clean win, albeit under No Holds Barred conditions. Despite Mox trying to get sinister with a fork, and other utensils, Kyle continues to fight back over and over. This was his Austin moment. Battered and bloodied, O’Reilly refused to give in, enhancing the perception that he could be as tough as required. Every time Mox tried a hold, Kyle countered. Mox went for brutality, Kyle would counter and repay the hurt threefold. After a series of submission attempts, Kyle forced Mox to tap out to the Ankle Lock.
The live crowd exploded. You couldn’t hear the music. It was incredible. Mox goes down, one-on-one by Kyle Fricken O’Reilly.
O’Reilly was already a made man by Blood and Guts, this locked it in for 2026. Mox on the other hand, seems to be “crashing out” as the kids say.
We go from one bloodbath to another, as Mark Briscoe defeated Kyle “Say My Full Name” Fletcher to win the TNT Championship.
If there is a category for feud or series of the year, it has to go to Briscoe and Fletcher. Every time they have a one-on-one match it has been nothing short of outstanding. In a similar fashion, the blood shed by both Kyle O’Reilly and Mark Briscoe reflects their undying fighting spirit and pulling the emotional heartstring of the fans. Fletcher turned up the hard hitting and bonecrunching moves early to assert dominance, but Briscoe never caved in. He is good at getting the heart of the crowd behind him. As Briscoe rallied back, so did the violence. Tables, chairs, thumbtacks, barbed wire, it all came out! Briscoe put the exclamation mark with a Crucific Drop (Razor’s Edge) off the top rope, through a barb-wire table. Following this insanity was the Jay Driller into a pile of thumbtacks for the emotional victory.
Briscoe is your textbook workhorse. Among those deserving of a championship, to be recognized as one of the best workers in the company. We all knew it already, and he didn’t need the trophy to sell anyone, but it is an honor to be perched atop a pedestal of champions.
Fletcher is pissed. Following the loss he confronts both Takeshita and Okada, demanding to know whether Protoshita or Protokada are worth anything. To add to the Don Callis strife, Fletcher and Takeshita both announce they will be in the Continental Classic.
Okada is sad.
The Young Bucks and Josh Alexander defeated Kenny Omega and Jurassic Express to win the One Million Dollar Challenge
A fast moving and intense back-and-forth, which is to be expected with individuals very familiar with each other. While the Bucks, the Express, and Omega delivered with high flying and high risk moves, it was Josh Alexander who stood out as a menace. Any chance he had, he was grounding and pounding away, keeping his agile opponents on the mat. The match was wild, with Kenny exacting revenge of a sort by crushing Alexander with a One-Winged Angel on the arena floor, but left the Bucks open in the ring to knockout Jack Perry with the BTE Trigger.
The story continues to unfold as Don Callis rejoices like a kid in a candy store. It seems the Bucks are with the Family… until the assault on Omega and Jurassic Express continues. In true conflicting fashion the Bucks seem to be torn between the money and their friends. The Bucks opt to bail on the cash, rushing to save Omega, Perry, and Luchasaurus.
The Elite are back!
Calling it now. This week on Dynamite, not only will the feud between The Elite and The Family begin in earnest, but so will the build towards ANARCHY IN THE ARENA.
AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander defeated TBS Champion Merecedes Mone
Another stellar match, worthy of contender for one of the best matches on the card. Easily identifiable as a solid straight-up wrestling match. Mone gets both cheers and boos from the crowd, but no denying when she is in the ring, she will exceed expectations each and every time. Mone and Big Stat have great chemistry, as evidenced by their first two encounters, but this one easily outshined all. Mone tried coming off as the aggressor, but Stat wound up assuming the role with Mone resorting to trying to outsmart her opponent. After a number of dramatic reversals, Stat crushed the CEO with Saturday Night Fever for the win.
Great entrance with Stat emerging from a crashing rocketship.
Mone’s character development is at a fork in the road. It seemed as though waters were tested with her team up with Harley Cameron, but also with Athena. Will she go full crazy heel, or perhaps a face turn might be down the pike? Keeping the World Championship out of her collection shows that she is human and can be defeated.
Stat is going to be a monster champion. The only new contenders believable would be Marina Shafir or Megan Bayne. As they are tied up in the tournament, it might be a while before they pose a challenge.
Steel Cage Main Event: Samoa Joe defeated “Hangman” Adam Page to win the AEW Men’s World Championship
A hot night leading into a hotly anticipated main event. Samoa Joe, since the heel turn, has come off like a ruthless overlord with zero tolerance for failure. His influence on Hobbs and Shibata has been damn-near perfect. Both Hobbs and Shibata have this natural presence, regardless of alignment, but as heels certainly emit an aura of intimidation. Joe and Hangman tore into each other right from the bell. Ultimately, interference became a factor, but Page was able to drive away the Opps members with help from Eddie Kingston. As the chaos was contained, Hook rushed out to even the field, even trying to wake the ref after Page delivered a Buckshot Lariat. Hook, grabbing the World Championship belt turned and clobbered Hangman! Joe crushes the champion with a Muscle Buster, followed by the dramatic three count, and the crowning of a new champion.
But wait! It’s not over yet! The lights go out and SWERVE STRICKLAND HAS RETURNED! He drives off the Opps dojo members and sends Joe retreating, but not in fear, in confidence.
The show closes with Page and Swerve side by side, staring daggers. What a wild night.
Joe winning was a great creative decision. The man is a warlord as champion. Page’s run ending so soon was a shock, but it adds to the notion where in AEW things may not be as predictable as one might think. The live crowd erupted in shock, and in applause for the conclusion. Easy to say the crowd went home happy.
Where do we go from here? The Continental Classic begins on Dynamite, the brackets are announced. Page and Swerve must address the elephant in the room. They will need help to confront the four-man stable of Joe, Hobbs, Shibata, and Hook. Let’s add Eddie Kingston to the mix, and of course, everyone now anticipates Will Ospreay to rejoin Page and Swerve as well.
AEW Full Gear, on paper, didn’t seem like it would rank, but by the end of the night, it easily cracked the top three AEW PPVs for 2025.
