It's the Let's Watch Some Wrestling AEW Full Gear Review!

Good Morning!

Full Gear was pretty good! I really had a good time watching this show, and that wasn’t only due to the fine pizza and cat antics offered by my buddy’s hospitality. HOWEVER, if you haven’t tried it yet, I cannot recommend 7-Up’s Shirley Temple drink enough -- it’s amazing and defeats their cherry offering as my favorite version of the pop.

But I digress. Full Gear outdid my expectations, and featured matches where I didn’t expect much but was pleasantly surprised, matches where I expected more but was satisfied with the result, and one match that I was incredibly happy to have been wrong about on several levels. Let’s dive right into the review!

Zero Hour: Costco Man defeated QT Marshall, Anna Jay defeated Deonna Purrazzo, and Buddy Matthews defeated Dante Martin, Komander, and THE BEAST MORTOS

My Pick: Costco AJ and his Costco Son -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: QT

We only picked ⅓ of these matches, because only one had been announced when we wrote the preview. That 4 way was fun, but nothing special for AEW, and I missed the women’s match entirely. The Costco match was fun, though, for what it was. As I said in the preview, I have no co

nnection with the guy or the kids, but you could tell that both of the kids were having a blast. The crowd seemed genuinely into the match, and QT is the very definition of the wrestling term “a good hand,” doing all the best heel spots from the ‘80s in an attempt to get Costco AJ over. Even Big Show/Paul Wight got in on the fun, walking The Rizzler to his timekeeper post and defending him from an attempted assault by Marshall. Overall, it was a pre-show match that got eyes on the product. Could be worse -- could be a Paul brother.

Private Party © defeated The Outrunners, Kings of the Black Throne, and The Acclaimed to retain the World Tag Team Championship

My Pick: Private Party’s gotta retain here -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: The same!

Private Party won in a kind of surprising fashion, but they felt more like an afterthought in their big title defense. Tension between the Acclaimed’s Max Caster and Anthony Bowens was the big focus of this match, starting with Max throwing his microphone at Bowens before the match began and continuing in several spots during the fight. I’ve grown more and more annoyed with Caster over the past few months, with his edgelord Twitter shtick and increasingly trollish entrance raps going from silly to grating for me. I’m really hoping he initiates the breakup with Bowens, only for Bowens to end up being the member of the Acclaimed that MVP and the Hurt Syndicate wanted all along. Let him be a heel without a stable, just an unlikeable prick to eat losses and steal wins to get some heat.

The Outrunners and House of Black had some good points in this match, and Brody was able to shine as the big bad house of fire as well. The match was good, and the right guys won, but hopefully Outrunners vs FTR, an Acclaimed break, and the House of Black reunion with Julia Hart are all coming to keep those teams relevant too.

MJF defeated Roderick Strong

My Pick: MJF comes out on top -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: MJF

A match born from a rivalry that’s been simmering for over a year now, kind of, Roddy Strong vs MJF was another good, serviceable match with the right guy winning and the story coming out of the fight being more important than the fight itself. MJF’s submission win in this match made sense, and Strong going for backbreakers all night was expected, but the inclusion of Kyle O’Reilly, Adam Cole, and the Kingdom guys should all lead into some new directions for everyone involved except Cole and MJF, who HAVE to meet at World’s End to blow off this neverending feud.

Mercedes Moné © defeated Kris Statlander to retain the TBS Championship

My Pick: Mercedes retains -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Statlander!

Look, I’ll admit to having been kind of a turd on this one. Mercedes hasn’t impressed me since her match with Willow Nightingale, and I honestly gave most of the credit to Willow for that one. Haters might say the same about this match, which is reasonable considering the fact that Statlander can make anyone look good. But Mercedes more than held up her end of this battle, and I was really impressed by everything she did in the ring on the night. Her reactions to Stat’s kickouts were wild, and I loved how she went from annoyed, to a tantrum, to confident, to angry, to finally relieved at the final three count. Statlander and Moné had amazing chemistry, showed some incredible creativity in their reversals, and put on what I would call Mercedes’ best match out of the Fed so far. Good on both women. 

I would have loved to have seen Statlander win gold, but with the turn on Kamille, Mercedes has more than a few women waiting to challenge for that title. If AEW decides to do that match at Winter is Coming, and quickly go with Jamie Hayter challenging for the TBS Championship at World’s End, Mercedes has the built-in excuse of working three big shows in a row against three big meaty women in a row. It all works for me.

“Switchblade” Jay White defeated “Hangman” Adam Page

My Pick: Hanger hurts Jay real bad among a sea of “Leaves IS Plants, Dumbass!” signs -- NEWS FLASH, DUMBASS, YOU WAS WRONG

2k24 said: Page

I loved this match, more than I expected to. Switchblade is a solid, dependable wrestler, and a guy who can get good results out of anything you throw at him. Heel leader of some weirdos slapped together to sell more Bullet Club merch? Sure. Babyface who maybe walked into a deathmatch with a guy whose singular focus has been murdering his one true love/rival? Why not?

I really thought this would be the match where Hangman’s current trajectory into darkness would pay off, but it was not to be. I like the story, though: you can go to “that place” when you’re faced with a rival like Swerve Strickland, but if you stay there, you’re not going to find anything but heartache. Jay White deserved the win, too, given how often he ends up losing these bigger storylines when he’s inserted into them. Maybe he’s the next guy to go after Moxley? I don’t think he’s quite beloved enough, but we’ll see soon enough.

Full credit to the “Leaves IS Plants” sign holders for getting BlueSky lore on TV, although maybe you don’t need to block the folks behind you every 40 seconds.

Kyle Fletcher defeated Will Ospreay

My Pick: Fletcher surprises with a victory -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Fletcher

This would have been the match of the night on any other night, and probably on this night for many AEW fans. Flips, melodramatic acting, full-on SCREAMING from Fletcher, reversals on reversals on reversals…just great, top-tier professional wrestling. I love that Ospreay is so willing to get other performers over despite the massive pops he continues to get when his music hits. This is a guy who (Undertaker voice) “RESPECKS THE BUSINESS” and is doing all the right things to help get AEW back on track. 

I know some people have a problem with Ospreay’s history, but I think he’s shown genuine growth as a person and has apologized for his past, which is way more than I expect from most people these days. You can’t go back, but you can learn and grow and that’s gotta count for something.

Daniel Garcia defeated Jack Perry © for the TNT Championship

My Pick: Daniel Garcia steals one for the good guys -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Daniel Garcia

Another guy I could easily see falling into the AEW vs Death Riders story is Daniel Garcia, who has been at the front line of the big team brawls in weeks past. Garcia picked up the win after some dramatic self-sacrificing by Perry, which will probably lead to a bit of “I wanted you to win for yourself” type promos in the coming shows. I’m not as high on Garcia as some people are, but I like him just fine and I’m happy to see him succeed. We’ll see if his character work is as strong as his wrestling as he moves on from the Scapegoat and into the featured feud on AEW’s weekly shows.

Konosuke Takeshita defeated Ricochet to retain the International Championship

No predictions

This was another match I wasn’t able to preview due to a late announcement, and if we’re being honest I would have been wrong anyway. I wanted this match to happen, and I wanted it to happen before Fletcher/Ospreay in a “top that” kind of way, in part because I knew that the Protostar and the Aerial Assassin would do just that. I dearly love my sweet Cinnabon son, and you can ask those closest to me about my lifelong crush on Prince Puma/Pretty Ricky. If anything, I wanted Take to lose, giving him a reason to enter the Continental Classic (more on that later). 

But he didn’t. This was a good, not great, match that hopefully leads to a great rematch somewhere down the road. Takeshita is as much raw talent as he is potential, with years left in his career to grow. He’s strong, smart, agile, and able to perform in any context asked of him. In short, he’s gonna be fine. Ricochet is evolving into more of an AEW style performer every week, and while getting the Fed off him is taking some time, you can really see that he’s trying his best to become what many folks thought he would be if he’d stayed on the indies, rather than going to WWE. 

Bobby Lashley defeated Swerve Strickland

My Pick: Big Bob smash, Big Bob win -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Strickland

I really thought this would be more of a squash than what we got. It’s fine, though; Strickland is a former world champion, and we’re not trying to tell the story of his monumental collapse after losing his title. Lashley is going to be established as a monster more in the coming weeks, I’m sure, so this fight against one of the best talents AEW has on the roster makes sense in that regard. The post-match shenanigans let us know that the Owie Organization means business, and their business is DEEP HURTING.

The placement of this match on the card was a little weird, too. Likely meant to be a cool-down spot after what was assumed to be a barn-burner between Takeshita and Ricochet, I thought the proximity of “heel group beating down a beloved star to establish themselves” matches stuck out like a sore thumb. I love the Hurt Syndicate, don’t get me wrong -- if anything, I hope they stick around long after the Death Riders are forced to disband. That’s just all the more reason to keep the two teams separate, for now.

Jon Moxley © defeated Orange Cassidy to retain the AEW World Championship

My Pick: Mox retains  -- I WAS RIGHT!

2k24 said: Mox

This went just about exactly how I expected, up until the post match insanity began. Cassidy came out hot, hitting Moxley with Orange Punches galore. He was then beaten down and bloodied, but remained resilient and defiant, hitting a Beach Break that I nearly bit on. In the end, Moxley stood tall over the defeated Cassidy, and added insult to injury by going full Art the Clown on Orange, pouring what we were told by Excalibur was some kind of industrial ring-mat-cleaning fluid on the bloodied man’s wounds. 

After the match was when the real fun began. Hangman Page faced down Moxley before Christian Cage, his part-time associate, attacked from behind. Christian readied his contract for cash-in on the prone champion, only for Jay White to attack Cage. I don’t have much of a theory on what this means for any of the four men involved, although they do all have a bit of history that justified this whole angle. I’m definitely in “let it play out” mode here.

The mWo (I refuse to back down on that name) was headed back to their pickup truck/escape vehicle when what looked like a spray painted taxi obliterated the front half of their truck. The announcers asked who could have driven the vehicle, but come on -- spray painted skulls on a crap used car? It was Darby. So then Claudio assaulted the valet guy, stole some keys, and the Riders rode off in an SUV. The camera (shoutout to AEW for using this more mobile, handheld-style camera throughout the night) moved around the smashed truck to reveal Darby, skateboard in hand, as the next last hope for the All Elite brand jumped onto the hood of the pickup and smashed the windshield to end the show. 

The Continental Classic, version 2.0!

Sunday brought us the announcement of this year’s brackets for AEW’s now-annual Continental Classic, a points-based tournament that has two divisions and runs throughout December, culminating in the winners of those divisions face off at World’s End. Here’s the divisions:

I’m not sure if AEW plans on separating these divisions by show, like they did last year. Collision and Dynamite were operating with an unofficial roster split during the last C2, and if that holds true, the Blue Division is the one I’m way more excited for: that lineup can GET IT. Okada, Garcia, Briscoe, Benjamin, THE BEAST MORTOS, and Kyle Goddamn Fletcher? Tell me one matchup in that murderers’ row that doesn’t have the potential to steal any show.

That’s not to say that the Gold League is bad -- Darby is gonna get murdered (again) by Claudio Castignoli and Brody King, and even Ricochet and Will Ospreay can toss the little guy around while using their aerial abilities on him. It’s gonna be a fun December, and while I’m a little disappointed that my son Takeshita wasn’t entered, I’m looking forward to a potential Ospreay/Okada final, even though there’s plenty of fans who have seen that and are over it. But there are other potential finals that are interesting, too: Okada facing down Allen for the last piece of gold that the Elite holds is something. Claudio claiming another title for the Death Riders is another direction. Danny Garcia vs Castignoli keeps both of them involved in that AEW/mWo story too. There’s plenty of cool outcomes, is what I’m saying. What’s important is not to marry yourself to a fantasy booking and getting pissy when it doesn’t come to bear; there’s so many directions that both the ending of Full Gear and the whole December of this tournament can provide. I’m legit excited to see where 2024 ends for All Elite Wrestling, and hopefully next year provides more growth in audiences and love for this company that so many of us have enjoyed since its inception.

And that’s it!

Full Gear was a blast. Was it the best show AEW has done all year? No, but who cares? It was fun, it had some good wrestling, and it’s given us some very interesting possibilities for future rivalries and matches. Oh! And Mariah May turned on beloved visiting superstar Mina Shirakawa by trying to smash her upside the head with a champagne bottle! Mina, lovely and wise performer that she is, saw that attack coming and put her former partner through a table for her troubles. So, no Toni Storm just yet, but Mina vs Mariah should be a blast.

I still think it’s too soon to get right into Darby vs Moxley, but that’s because I think all signs point to the little skull-faced psycho becoming the last man standing for AEW. I think we’ve got to let things get worse, in kayfabe, before a Sting-like Darby appears in the rafters, ready to set things right again. I thought about Mark Briscoe being the next sacrifice to the Riders: a man literally every wrestling fan loves getting laid out to end 2024 feels like the way to go before the good guys finally mount a real comeback. Briscoe’s presence in the Continental Classic likely puts an end to that theory, but I still think there’s a few months in Moxley’s latest title reign before we put a new hero over. 

Next weekend is Survivor Series, which I’m not super high on because I don’t like WarGames as much as some fans. It’s usually fun, but I feel like WWE made a good decision in ending stipped-up premium live events like Hell in a Cell, and it always feels forced to make teams for the annual big cage match. I am looking forward to the stories that come out of this show, which has become the time of year when WrestleMania plans start to come into focus. Owens/Rhodes should transition nicely into Cody versus Rocky and KO taking Sami Zayn, and the Bloodlines will evolve and separate into a few different matches, I think. 

I’ll sim the announced matches a little later this week, and the Let’s Watch Some Wrestling Survivor Series preview will go up on Thursday or Friday. Then we’ve got some catching up to do with NXT before their next big show, Deadl1ne.

Thank you so much for reading. If you liked what you saw, consider telling your friends, mentioning Let’s Watch Some Wrestling on social media, or even buying me a hot cup of coffee using the Ko-Fi button. Have a great week, have a great Thanksgiving whether you celebrate or not, good luck to you retail warriors on Black Friday, and I’ll see you back here next time, dear reader. Until then, Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!

2024 Predictions

WWE Royal Rumble 2/4

NXT Vengeance Day 1/6

WWE Elimination Chamber Perth 4/4

AEW Revolution 9/11

NXT Roadblock 4/6

NXT Stand and Deliver 5/7

WWE WrestleMania Night One 4.5/7

WWE WrestleMania Night Two 4/6

AEW Dynasty 11/12

WWE Backlash 5/5

WWE King and Queen of the Ring (SSM XIV) 6/6

AEW Double or Nothing 9/12

NXT Battleground 4/6

WWE Money in the Bank 2/5

NXT Heatwave 3/6

AEW All In 6/10

WWE Bash in Berlin 3/5

NXT No Mercy 3/6

AEW Full Gear 8/9

Total Correct/Total Predictions 93.5/133

2K Predictions

AEW Full Gear 4/9

The Let's Watch Some Wrestling AEW Full Gear Preview!

 

Good Morning!

Happy Full Gear week to all who celebrate! I had an idea for the upcoming three weeks (!) of pay-per-premium-live-events, given that making predictions and writing previews is probably my favorite part of this blog. However, before we dive in, let’s update our 2024 stats so far:

WWE Royal Rumble 2/4

NXT Vengeance Day 1/6

WWE Elimination Chamber Perth 4/4

AEW Revolution 9/11

NXT Roadblock 4/6

NXT Stand and Deliver 5/7

WWE WrestleMania Night One 4.5/7

WWE WrestleMania Night Two 4/6

AEW Dynasty 11/12

WWE Backlash 5/5

WWE King and Queen of the Ring (SSM XIV) 6/6

AEW Double or Nothing 9/12

NXT Battleground 4/6

WWE Money in the Bank 2/5

NXT Heatwave 3/6

AEW All In 6/10

WWE Bash in Berlin 3/5

NXT No Mercy 3/6

Total Correct/Total Predictions 85.5/124

So, we’re holding steady at a solid 69% correct, which is exactly what we finished 2023 with. I don’t think that’s too shabby, especially when you factor in the fact that a few of these cards were predicted while I was barely paying attention to my life during the whole Legend of Zelda fiasco. She’s doing fine, by the way, and continues to wait until I’ve finally settled into the office before bringing me a toy to throw around for her. 

The Idea!

I’ve been getting back into WWE 2k24 lately. Mostly, I’ve been playing MyRise, which is basically a career mode with a created wrestler, and there are separate storylines for men and women. I’m using a create-a-wrestler who goes by the name of MO GOOD, and so far we’ve been getting some great results for this indie-wrestler-turned-WWE-superstar, despite the game making WWE seem like the worst place in the world to work. There are bitchy co-workers, ignorant show producers, and actual demon possessions taking place everywhere! However, there’s also the opportunity to work with BIG HUGE DAVE BATISTA, so there are some positives.

I hear the catering tables are pretty stacked, too.

So, my idea was to add a little more unnecessary information and competition into this preview setup. I’ve downloaded create-a-wrestlers and community created arenas to fill out the roster of WWE 2k24, and I’m gonna simulate each card for AEW Full Gear, WWE Survivor Series/War Games, and NXT Deadl1ine over the next few weeks. [We will have to figure out a substitute for the Iron Survivor matches at Deadl1ne since those aren’t in the game, but that’s a problem for future Russ.] We’ll get to see if I’m better at my in-brain simulations than the best WWE game in years (still not great -- those servers are hot garbage and the writing in the womens’ storyline mode is questionable at best) is at predicting outcomes of matches. I basically chose the best-looking or most popular CAWs for wrestlers missing from the game, and edited stats to fit into their places on the card where needed. I thought about streaming those matches, but then realized I don’t really think anyone would be interested in watching, even with my devastating commentary. If I’m wrong, let me know and I’ll gladly talk over some matches on Twitch or YouTube or whatever. We’ll figure out how to make it work!

That being said, I’ll be watching the Xbox run these matches on the monitor over there —>

while I write up my predictions and summaries of the matches already announced by way of Wikipedia. I don’t think Rampage is going to be used to add any last-minute matches or stipulations, but if it is, we’ll just have to let those slide. Anyway, let’s get to the action!

[Fun extra point -- between the last paragraph and the beginning of this preview, I made a list of ten supporting people to download, and was booted from the servers no less than A DOZEN TIMES trying to fill out my AEW roster. Either the WWE 2k24 game hates that I’m filling it with talent from the competition, or these servers are trash and I’m not buying the next game unless that shit gets sorted out. It’s ridiculous.]

The AEW Full Gear Preview!

I honestly don’t know how to feel about this card. It’s AEW, which means the in-ring product has a floor of like three stars for most PPV matches. But the narratives feel pretty predictable, which is not very AEW of them -- I’m usually torn on most of the outcomes because I can see a logical way for things to play out one way or the other. Aside from a couple of matches, most of this card feels like it’s just a bump in the road to something bigger and better. Still, as I said, the matches look good on paper. I think Fletcher and Ospreay have the potential to steal match of the night honors, and I think the tag team match should have a similar high-energy flow to it. Mox/Cassidy and White/Page will likely see a good amount of color and creative violence, although the former fight’s outcome feels preordained. 

I know that’s a lot of flip-flopping for one paragraph. The TL;DR version is, I’m looking forward to Saturday and I hope I’m surprised by some of the matches that feel pretty by-the-numbers. So, let’s get to the predictions that I’m hoping might be wrong!

Zero Hour: Costco Man versus QT Marshall

A couple caveats for this one. First, I did not realize QT was still with the company as a performer. I remember he left a few months back, but obviously he made a return at some point because, well, here we are. Second, I do not know these “Costco guys.” The lightest of internet searches tells me they’re good-natured folks who got famous on TikTok doing some reviews of Costco food and enjoying themselves, so … great! That kid has his future sorted and he’s like 12. 

Those things being said, this is your typical “famous dude makes an appearance on the pre-show” match. QT is a solid hand and has a history as a trainer, meaning he’ll help the Costco guy -- who has some experience as an indie wrestler -- put on a serviceable match. QT will put the Costco dad over after putting him in some rest holds and making him look good, the kid will get involved, and their fans will rejoice. 

It’s not for me, but that’s fine. It’ll get some extra eyes on Zero Hour, which in turn might sell some more PPVs. Nobody gets hurt here. If you’re not interested in these guys, simply don’t watch the free Zero Hour show and boom, no harm, no foul. Our Wrestle Aunts and Uncle Jeff will forgive you, I’m sure.

My Pick: Costco AJ and his Costco Son

2k24 says: 

QT, which makes sense because he’s rated a bit higher, being an actual professional wrestler and all. 

MJF versus Roderick Strong

This match is the result of a month of Adam Cole and Roddy Strong having to earn the right to have a match with MJF, who has been out of the picture for a while but appears in pre taped segments from his villain compound weekly. Cole somehow came out of the disastrous “Devil” angle as the good guy, despite having been the architect of some high-quality evil during that storyline. But a return from injury almost always coincides with a turn, and Cole is beloved among wrestling fans because he’s generally known to be a nice guy outside of the ring. 

So, Cole lost in his third match, which would have earned him a spot in THIS match, due to interference from the Don Callis family, which was done on behalf of MJF. Roddy, meanwhile, won his matches, so we’ll get this match, which will lead to Strong getting screwed or beat down post-match, and that’ll lead into Cole versus Max at the next big show, be it Winter is Coming on TBS or World’s End on pay-per-view. Easy peasy, straightforward stuff. I do hope Adam Cole learns the controls for that AEW spray tan machine, though; he’s been looking more and more orange over the last few weeks. 

My Pick: MJF comes out on top

2k24 says: 

MJF, although a SHOCKING appearance from current WWE superstar Cody Rhodes was certainly an unexpected treat. I imagine whoever made the Max create-a-wrestler that I downloaded also went as far as to add a rivalry with Cody in there. Rhodes appeared behind MJF after his music hit to distract Max, and laid the villain out with a steel chair. However, Cody left right after that, and the ref was so focused on getting that chair out of the ring that she missed MJF hitting Roddy with not one, not two, but THREE crotch shots. That was enough to set Strong up for a quick piledriver and the one-two-three. “Punch him in the weiner and give him a piledriver” happens to be the motto of Strong’s friends in the Undisputed Kingdom, so I guess there was a bit of irony in that finish.

“Switchblade” Jay White versus “Hangman” Adam Page

The leader of the Bang Bang Gang has evolved into a good guy recently, which works out nicely with Page descending into madness week by week. White is at his best as a sleazy baddie, in my opinion, but it feels like fans want to see him succeed regardless of his role on-screen. However, Hangman is straight-up beloved by AEW sickos, with many of us adhering to the adage “Hangman has done nothing wrong.” Hanger should continue his run of unnecessary violence against anyone standing between him and longtime rival Swerve Strickland OR the AEW championship -- although right now it feels like Page is miles away from the title scene. That being said, Hangman is easily the main character of All Elite Wrestling, and I’m sure there’s some long term storylines percolating in the background. We’ll get there, eventually.

My Pick: Hanger hurts Jay real bad among a sea of “Leaves IS Plants, Dumbass!” signs

2k24 says: 

Page wins in a real momentum-shift match that saw White dominating for the first half. A missed attack from the top turnbuckle to the floor gave Hangman a window, and Page seized that opportunity by hitting a number of moves outside the ring before finishing things with a springboard clothesline and a Deadeye.

Swerve Strickland versus Bobby Lashley

With a 2-on-1 “handicap” squash on Dynamite, Lashley was introduced to AEW as the monster many of us already know him to be. He’s strong as hell, he looks great in a suit, and he’s a big ole slab of meat. You don’t need much more than that to be successful in pro wrestling, but he’s also good in the ring. 

Strickland is still recovering from his incredibly violent feud with “Hangman” Page, and while that will likely never be fully resolved, it was time for the rivalry to be put on hold. While Page continues to be successful by tapping into his dark side, Strickland has had a bit of trouble staying relevant in a sea of new talent. I think he continues to lose here, mostly because it’s way too early in Lashley’s AEW career for him to eat a loss. I think Swerve will fight valiantly, but a combination of Bob’s power and the Hurt Syndicate’s numbers ought to be more than enough to put down the former champ…for now.

My Pick: Big Bob smash, Big Bob win

2k24 says:

Swerve wins in an affront to North American wrestling storytelling, surviving distractions from MVP (who got ejected) and Shelton Benjamin (who attacked Swerve with a kendo stick)

Will Ospreay versus Kyle Fletcher

Kyle Fletcher has sneakily become one of the most reliable performers in All Elite Wrestling. At this point, I’ll even check out Rampage if he’s gonna be wrestling there, which is more than I usually do for that throwaway hour of TV. His kayfabe argument of wanting to surpass Will Ospreay seems to be feeding a real-life dedication to improvement, and his shouty, flippy style is absolutely improving by the week. 

I’m not really sure what’s going on with Ospreay right now. He’s still loosely involved with the Don Callis family, despite having left them months ago. He’s not really in the title picture, although he’s also kind of always in the title picture, you know? He’s easily the biggest pop of the night whenever he comes out for his matches, and he’s one of the better guys on the mic in the company, casually shooting the breeze with Tony Schiavone when he’s not scheduled for a match. I don’t think he has a problem putting anyone over, and Fletcher could use this match as a stepping stone to something greater, maybe a strong showing in the upcoming Continental Classic tournament. 

All that is to say, I think Fletcher pulls out a win here. He’s got the whole Callis family behind him, and since none of them are busy on Saturday we’ll probably see Brian Cage, Lance Archer, and my beloved son Konosuke Takeshita ringside. Ospreay can counter with Ricochet, and Mark Davis might be on his side -- although he did eat an errant Hidden Blade on Dynamite, one meant for Fletcher. That could lead to Davis turning on Ospreay and joining up with Callis and Fletcher as well. I see a Dusty finish on the horizon for this one.

My Pick: Fletcher surprises with a victory, albeit a shmozzy one

2k24 says:

Fletcher wins in a genuinely good match, after hitting a jumping tombstone piledriver in the corner. Lots of dives to the outside and top-rope moves in this one, much like we’ll probably see on Saturday.

Private Party © vs The Outrunners vs Kings of the Black Throne vs The Acclaimed for the World Tag Team Championship

I loved Private Party picking up the victory over the Young Bucks, and I love it even more after learning that they weren’t even scheduled to do so -- the outpouring of love from AEW fans changed the booking, which is always heartwarming to hear. They’ve had issues staying healthy, which is just the reality of pro wrestling, but now that they’re consistently working together, Marq Quen and Isaiah Cassidy are one of the more fun tag teams in the company.

I really want Private Party to retain their titles here. Not just because of what I just talked about, but because none of the other three teams involved should carry the tag team titles right now. Let me explain.

House of Black is better as a trio, and Buddy Matthews would be sidelined if Malakai Black and Brody King win the tag belts. They also will be welcoming Julia Hart back into the stable soon, and that could overshadow the tag titles, leaving them undefended for weeks -- much like they were when the Bucks held them. The Outrunners are funny jobbers who earned their spot here by getting themselves over, but this isn’t the time to strap them up. And The Acclaimed aren’t in a position to hold gold -- in fact, they should not only take the loss, but FINALLY cash in on all the negative energy Max Caster has brought to the team recently with a heel turn on Bowens and maybe even acceptance into the Hurt Syndicate. 

My Pick: Private Party’s gotta retain here, and I’d like Anthony Bowens to eat the pin and a beating from a heel-turning Max Caster.

2k24 says:

The same! Bowens actually took the loss in the simulation as well, with Quen getting the pinfall while Cassidy tossed a steel chair at Caster, who was seated in the corner of the ring. Everyone else was cleared out by a monstrous Brody King, but he was mid-powerbomb on an Outrunner while Quen was gathering Bowens up for the victory.

Mercedes Moné © versus Kris Statlander for the TBS Championship

Look, I don’t like being negative. And I know Mercedes has legions of fans. I was a huge Sasha Banks fan for most of her NXT and WWE run! But I have really disliked a lot of what she’s doing in AEW. I don’t like that her theme song is the only way she’s getting CEO chants from all but her most diehard fans. I don’t like that she’s obligated to do more talking than fighting, because her voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me. And I don’t like that her in-ring work has been fairly lousy, with the exception of her match against Willow Nightingale. Now, you can chalk that last point up to her just not having chemistry with her opponents, but at some point some of the blame has to be put on Mercedes, as well.

On the other hand, Kris Statlander could have a good match with a scarecrow. She’s talented, powerful, has a great look, and she’s got … interesting taste in street clothes. I don’t understand the whole hip-vented jeans look, but I’m also very old. What the hell do I know about fashion? I’ve worn jeans, a t-shirt, and a flannel for the better part of my 45 years on this planet. 

I don’t know what the move is here, honestly. Does Mercedes keep winning and retain her TBS championship, hopefully gaining more momentum as a challenger is built in, say, Jamie Hayter, Willow Nightingale (currently recovering from a concussion, get well soon), or Julia Hart? Or do we give Statlander another run as TBS champion, a belt she held after a surprise return and quick victory over a tired Jade Cargill? I’m gonna say it’s the former, although I’d be super happy to be wrong and see the former alien hold that blue belt over her head on Stat-urday night.

My Pick: Mercedes retains, womp womp

2k24 says:

Statlander! Stat’s power game was simply too much for Mercedes, even with Kamille in her corner. Kamille’s interference did result in a backstabber for Moné, but it wasn’t enough to get a three count. Statlander countered with an armbreaker, and while Mercedes survived that submission move, a quick transition into her finisher gave Stat the win and the title.

“Scapegoat” Jack Perry © versus Daniel Garcia for the TNT Championship

I feel like this is another storyline that feels like it’s going to weave into something bigger -- in this case, the whole “war for the soul of AEW” thing with Jon Moxley and pals. Daniel Garcia has been on the front lines of this battle, and challenged the Young Bucks and Perry when they ran away rather than joining the fight. We haven’t heard from any of the Elite since they ran off, although it’s noticeable that they left Perry to defend his title alone. 

Somebody on BlueSky pointed out that the bit with Jack Perry and Daniel Garcia on the go-home Dynamite was ripped straight out of the Batman comics; specifically, the Jason Todd/Joker arc in Death in the Family -- right down to Garcia using a crowbar. However, no murders took place on Wednesday. A frustrated Garcia instead chose to break a headlight and call it a day, after kidnapping Perry and strapping him to the front of his Scapegoat bus. Maybe that will be a metaphor for Danny being unwilling to go as far as he needs to on Saturday to pick up the win? WHO’S TO SAY?

I think Garcia wins the TNT title on Saturday, leaving Okada with the only bit of gold left for the Elite going into the Continental Classic. I assume that the Rainmaker will have to defend his C2 belt by entering that tournament, and it only makes sense for him to have a solid run before dropping it to the winner. After all, re-establishing Kazuchika Okada will be necessary if he and Kenny Omega are destined to have one final meeting in AEW.

My Pick: Daniel Garcia steals one for the good guys

2k24 says:

Daniel Garcia with the win! Garcia and Perry fought a submission battle, with each man targeting the limbs of the other. The creators of the CAWs for Garcia and Perry did great work, too -- Garcia did his little dance after hitting a devastating avalanche piledriver, and Perry’s entrance gear even featured his Scapegoat mask!

Jon Moxley © versus Orange Cassidy for the AEW World Championship

If there’s a match I’d label as a Stone Cold Lead Pipe Lock of the Week, it’s this one. Moxley just won the AEW Championship at the last pay-per-view by nearly murdering Bryan Danielson, and his Death Riders are clearly building to a big team battle with whoever is chosen to represent All Elite Wrestling. Most fans seem to believe Darby Allin will be the guy to defeat Moxley and end his reign of terror, but for that to happen we’ll need to see Moxley, well, reign for a while.

That’s a bummer, too, because I think Orange Cassidy would have been far more dramatic as the last man standing for AEW. Darby is an amazing performer, and I’m sure his match with Moxley will feature more blood, broken bones, and violent hardware than we can imagine. But Orange has that ability to shock you with a full-throttle match or a passionate promo, just like his defiant rant on Wednesday before he was beaten down by the mWo to close out Dynamite.

Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards. However, it’s going to take some heartbreak for the fans to get really into this invasion angle, and Orange Cassidy is one of the AEW Originals that people really get defensive about, especially when outsiders make fun of his unique style without having seen one of his better matches. It’s gonna hurt to watch him lose, and it’s gonna hurt even more to watch him get demolished before Darby arrives to make the save -- too late -- to close Full Gear.

My Pick: Mox retains as we build to full on war between AEW and the Death Riders of the mWo

2k24 says:

Mox with the quick, decisive win, helped out by Shafir, Wheeler, Castignoli, and PAC, I assume -- the game only lets you bring 3 managers to ringside.

And that’s it!

Full Gear is Saturday (Staturday?) night, and I hope you all have a blast watching it. I’ll be right there with you in spirit, although I probably won’t be as active on BlueSky as I am during Dynamite or Collision since I’ll be watching with my buddy. Enjoy the show, and we’ll meet back here next week to talk about the results and to preview WWE’s Survivor Series/WarGames, too!

Thank you so much for reading. If you liked what you saw, consider telling your friends, mentioning Let’s Watch Some Wrestling on social media, or even buying me a hot cup of coffee using the Ko-Fi button. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next time, dear reader. Until then...