AEW Full Gear (Nov. 22, 2025) closed with a shocker. Samoa Joe is the new world champion. In addition, the PPV featured the surprise return of Swerve Strickland, Kris Statlander stopping the Moné train, the Young Bucks reuniting with Kenny Omega, FTR winning tag team gold, Mark Briscoe winning the TNT title, and much more from Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
Let’s break it all down from top to bottom.
AEW World Championship: Samoa Joe defeated Hangman Page (c) to win the title. Steel cage match. Hangman and Joe slugged it out with lots of blood from cuts on the cage. The main event wasn’t anything special, then business picked up for the finish. Hangman was in control. Katsuyori Shibata ran down to scale the cage, but Eddie Kingston wasn’t far behind to pull him off for a fight. The cameras missed a ref bump. Deadeye piledriver by Hangman, but the referee was down. Will Hobbs ripped the steel chain off the door to enter the ring. Hangman struck a low blow, then he delivered a buckshot lariat to Joe. That was another pinfall that would have won, but the ref was still down. Hook ran in to revive the official. A mischievous expression crossed Hook’s face as he picked up the title belt. Boom! Heel turn. Hook walloped Hangman. Joe hit a musclebuster on the belt to win.
After the match, Swerve Strickland made a surprise return to beat up Opps stooges.
The show closed with Hangman and Swerve standing side by side staring down Joe, who was on stage.
The main event was a bad story with fun moments. The whole point of TV leading into PPV was Hangman eliminating the Opps, so it would one-on-one. Plus, it was inside a steel cage. Having Shibata and Hobbs show up makes that story on TV pointless. Hook’s heel turn was silly. Was he a sleeper agent waiting for the right time? I have to laugh at the idea of Kingston being played the fool. I am looking forward at Kingston ripping into Hook for a feud.
On to the fun parts. Hobbs was a beast treating that cage door like the big ole women of San Antonio. It was a genius move by AEW bookers to have the door open, so Hangman could use that little space for the buckshot lariat. My reaction to Joe winning the world title was, “Holy shit.” That is the kind of jolt AEW needs. It felt too predictable at the top. Well, not anymore. Hangman was protected in defeat, and Joe has the aura to never question him at the top. AEW needs to be careful not to turn this story into Death Riders 2.0. I don’t see Joe holding the gold that long, so it shouldn’t be a problem. The return of Swerve was electric. The finish of the PPV makes me eager for Dynamite to see how the angle shakes out.
AEW Women’s World Championship: Kris Statlander (c) defeated Mercedes Moné to retain the title. Statlander injured her arm early. Mercedes went at the limb like a shark to blood. StatDaddy rallied with one-armed power. That was the back and forth flow for the match. In the end, Statlander caught Mercedes for the Saturday Night Fever piledriver to win.
Solid match. The counter transitions were exciting throughout. The story provided Statlander with adversity to overcome. Mercedes was ruthless in her attack on the arm. That made Statlander’s comebacks more impactful. There was also some flash, such as the Fourteen Amigos for one suplex for every title of Mercedes.
$1,000,000 match: Young Bucks & Josh Alexander defeated Kenny Omega & Jurassic Express. Cash prize to the winners. Josh Alexander was focused on injuring the ankle of Omega. The Bucks wrestled on the same page as Alexander with a few hiccups, but they weren’t as vicious as the Walking Weapon. They stuck to lots of flips and superkicks. In fact, flips and superkicks started the winning rally. The Bucks flipped out of a double Doomsday Device to clear the ring with superkicks. When Jack Perry ducked, Alexander was an accidental recipient of superkicks. Omega capitalized for a One-Winged Angel on the floor. On the inside, the Bucks outnumbered Perry for a BTE Trigger. Matt Jackson made the one million dollar pin.
Afterward, Don Callis took the Bucks and their money to celebrate. Alexander and Callis Family goons attacked Omega. The Bucks finally noticed on stage. They stood there milking the drama, then they finally ran in for the save to clear the ring. Jurassic Express offered their support for a handshake. Omega slapped the Bucks’ hands to go for a hug instead. The Elite exited through the babyface tunnel.
The match was a furious pace of action. The finish for the Bucks was a very cool sequence. It was the type of standout moment to push them with momentum back up the tag team division ranks. The fans reacted positively to the Elite burying the hatchet. It didn’t touch my cold heart. The Bucks acted like weasels too long to all of a sudden be babyfaces again. Commentary put the spin on the Bucks finally realizing that friends were more important that money. It’s a nice message worthy of exploring in story. Speaking of spin, I’m looking forward to Omega versus Alexander spinning out from this. Alexander is really developing nicely in this character. The match is going to be a banger, and now the character work for Alexander will add the edge needed.
TNT Championship: Mark Briscoe defeated Kyle Fletcher (c) to win the title. No DQ with tables, ladders, chairs, and a bucket of tacks. AEW did a nice job with Briscoe’s video package to explain the value of family for the stipulation (Briscoe joins Callis Family if he loses).
The top spot was Briscoe with a froggy bow off a ladder through a barbed wire table.
In the end, Briscoe executed an avalanche Razor’s Edge through the barbed wire table. Dat Boy closed with the Jay Driller on tacks.
I thought the energy for this feud was on the downward trend for TV after the last PPV, then they went bonkers in this match. There was lots of blood and lots of pain. Both men showed heart to keep fighting after rough spots. My biggest reaction came from a move that never happened. Fletcher jammed a screwdriver into the turnbuckle for his avalanche buckle brainbuster. Just the idea of that level of violence made me laugh maniacally.
The finish was excellent for a way to end the feud, assuming this is the end. The crowd erupted for Briscoe’s victory. The result worked on several levels. Good guy beating bad guy, Briscoe free to be with family, and Dat Boy finally winning a title in AEW.
No Holds Barred: Kyle O’Reilly defeated Jon Moxley. Great story in the ring. It was primarily a battle of submission skills. Once Marina Shafir passed a fork like a prison shiv, blood flowed when Moxley did some stabbing. The drama built through grappling exchanges. Moxley did serious damage on a kimura, but O’Reilly was able to escape and transition to an ankle lock. Moxley tapped out.
This was a very interesting duel. I have to rant about No Holds Barred being a silly stipulation when forks are involved as weapons. They won me back with how the match progressed. Foreign objects were used in a way to enhance submissions, such as a steel chain on a bulldog choke. That aspect was cool in setting this match apart from a general No DQ match. The action flowed well not to tip its hand on the winner. Even though the method for blood was questionable, the visual enhanced the emotion to show how O’Reilly went through a war. The finish gave the people what they want for a babyface victory over the reviled villain.
The post-match activity was interesting as well. Moxley walked out on his own power despite the ankle pain. O’Reilly was tended to medics for his arm. Moxley began exiting, then he turned around to attack O’Reilly. Commentary painted this as a sore loser. I’m not sure that’s the full picture. My perception was Moxley being angry for O’Reilly showing weakness. The Death Riders’ mission is to toughen up AEW, and here is O’Reilly on his back when his legs are perfectly fine to stand up and walk to the back like a winner. Moxley held up his arms like a Diaz brother. He may have lost the match, but he didn’t lose the fight. Mox is the one still standing.
AEW National Championship: Ricochet wins the title in the Casino Gauntlet. Twelve men entered by the time the finish came. Kevin Knight landed a UFO splash, then Ricochet blindsided him with the Spirit Gun to become the inaugural titleholder.
Good action, but I feel like AEW lost the plot on the essence of the Casino Gauntlet. There was very little urgency trying to win a match where the first pin wins. There was a lot of focus on factions. For example, the Death Riders would wreck shop, but none of them went for pins when they had control. The one team with urgency was the most babyface of the bunch. JetSpeed had an encounter of both trying to win. They slowed down and squared of with good sportsmanship. The biggest letdown was barely any fighting between Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin. They didn’t do much to start, then the third man arrived. That third man was Ricochet with GOA on the outside to run roughshod over the Hurt Syndicate. I wanted to see a badass stalemate between Lashley and Benjamin, but AEW didn’t deliver. So, why tease us with that temptation?
Overall, the Casino Gauntlet was enjoyable as a popcorn match. There was the built-in excitement with the timed entrants, plenty of cool moves, and stories brewing, such as Daddy Magic chasing Daniel Garcia through the crowd. The finish was a flurry of offense. Ricochet makes sense as the winner. He finally gets gold, and he did it by picking his spot at the right time. That fits with his sneaky character.
The Casino Gauntlet full order was Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, Ricochet, Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, Orange Cassidy, Wheeler Yuta, Kevin Knight, Roderick Strong, Mark Davis, “Speedball” Mike Bailey, and Daddy Magic.
AEW World Tag Team Championship: FTR defeated Brodido (c) to win the titles. Stokely Hathaway earned his hazard pay by shoving Dax Harwood out of the way of a suicide dive. Brody King collided into Stokely, and the little man barely moved for the rest of the match. The story was divide and conquer for hot false finishes. For example, Bandido hit the 21 Plex on Cash Wheeler, then Dax Harwood grabbed the luchador for the Shatter Machine. King barely burst in to break the pin. Later, FTR planted King with a spike piledriver on the apron, then they spiked Bandido for the pin only for a dramatic kick out. In the end, Bandido went down on the Shatter Machine. Harwood secured the pin for FTR to become three-time tag team champs in AEW.
FTR and Brodido played the match well to get the crowd popping. King was a monster. Bandido showed heart going down in defeat. FTR wrestled strong with some heel tricks for a reaction. I like that FTR had a quality win rather than a cheap steal, so they look strong as champions. That should carry down the division to bring their best effort if they want to win gold. Brodido had a good run. Even if Bandido and King go to the singles scene, I hope they stick together as a faction. They have great chemistry for wrestling and comedy.
Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa defeated Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron, Julia Hart & Skye Blue, and Megan Bayne & Marina Shafir. Four-way tag team match. Winners get to call their stipulation for the semifinals of the AEW women’s tag title tournament. Bayne was a stud with a double suplex to the Sisters of Sin. The heels picking on each other was a good reminder of how much they all want the women’s tag titles. Despite being teammates in Blood & Guts, they aren’t friends.
The action built for a hot tag to Storm, then chaos broke out. Mina landed a dive onto the pile outside. Storm and Harley exchanged roll-ups. Toni scored a small package to win.
PAC defeated Darby Allin. Allin entered with a special vignette bandaged like a mummy from second-degree burns.
The story was PAC wanting a wrestling match to prove that Allin is not in his class. When Allin was schooling PAC, the Bastard resorted to attacking Allin’s wounds. The finish had some drama with PAC applying the Brutalizer submission. Allin reached the ropes for the break. PAC missed a dive, and Allin snatched the Scorpion Death Lock. PAC waved in for Wheeler Yuta to cause a distraction. Allin released the hold, and PAC cracked him in the face with Sting’s baseball bat to win via pinfall.
This match was basic booking in a good way. Allin and PAC put on a strong wrestling match. Allin was the resilient hero fighting through pain from his burns. PAC was the cheating villain worthy of scorn. After claiming he wanted a clean match, of course PAC resorts to shenanigans once he gets in trouble. It was enough to leave me wanting more of this simple feud. I liked watching Allin get back to wrestling. With all those hardcore matches against Jon Moxley, this bout is a reminder that Allin can compete at a high level as a sport. Focusing on real wrestling is important if Allin wants to compete in the Continental Classic or challenge for titles.
CMLL World Trios Championship: Mistico, Mascara Dorada, & Neon (c) defeated Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita, & Hechicero to retain the titles. Lucha rules in effect (no tags), because this was CMLL gold. Okada was nowhere to be seen when the match started. Hechicero evened the odds by injuring Mistico’s arm with a chair. Mistico exited to the back for treatment. Okada drove up to the arena and joined the match.
A short while later, Mistico returned with his arm heavily taped. The partnership between Okada and Takeshita malfunctioned several times. Okada took pleasure whenever hitting his partner, by accident and on purpose.
In the end, Mascara Dorada and Neon landed dives outside onto Okada and Takeshita. Mistico worked on Hechicero to set up La Mistica armbar for the win. Afterward, Don Callis kept the peace between Okada and Takeshita.
This match was about cool lucha libre moves and dysfunction within the Callis Family. Okada was funny throughout. Imagine peaking across at the stop light to see Okada joyriding his luxury automobile in his tights without a shirt. Okada cheesed it up with the handshake fake to middle finger for Takeshita. He also smiled wide when hitting the Rainmaker on Takeshita. Okada is doing a great job setting up the heat for Takeshita to snap. For the CMLL luchadores, Mascara Dorada and Neon had nice dives. Mistico was showcased as a superstar by battling through injury to submit Hechicero.
Later in the show, Okada, Takeshita, and Fletcher announced they will all be in the Continental Classic tournament.
The Tailgate Brawl pre-show featured three and a quarter matches. The CMLL trios bout started for a few minutes before finishing on the PPV.
Eddie Kingston & Hook defeated Workhorsemen. The New York crew handled business for a quick match. Kingston hit a DDT on Anthony Henry for the win, while Hook strangled JD Drake with Redrum. After the events from the main event, I have to scratch out what I had written. I doubt Kingston and Hook will remain as a team.
Big Boom AJ & QT Marshall defeated RPG Vice. The finish was a lot fun. Trent shoved Big Justice, who is a child.
Justice got payback later on Rocky for a diamond cutter.
When Trent grabbed the kid, Paul Wight punched him cold. QT and AJ hit a teamwork flying blockbuster powerbomb to Trent, and QT made the pin to win.
This delivered a good time for a celebrity match. AJ and QT executed nifty teamwork, such as a AJ popping QT up for a cannonball outside. The flow got the crowd engaged with AJ on a hot tag and RPG Vice being despicable heels to children. The outside chaos was amusing, especially with Big Show making the big save.
$200,000: Bang Bang Gang defeated Max Caster & Anthony Bowens, Big Bill & Bryan Keith, and Outrunners. Cash prize to the winners. The story was the Acclaimed (still not an official reunion) actually executing teamwork maneuvers. After Caster landed the Mic Drop combo, he wanted to scissor. Before Bowens could respond, opponents broke it up. Caster was tossed out, and Bowens cleared the ring. Bowens put his focus looking at Caster outside, then Juice Robinson scored a roll-up to win. Bowens blamed the loss on Caster.
There was a little bit of progress for the Acclaimed story. Bowens is still a sour puss. It looks like Caster is warming up to their success, unless he just wanted to scissor as a way to annoy Bowens. For the Bang Bang Gang, I love Juice’s exuberance at winning. It makes the cash prize feel special.
Stud of the Show: Kyle O’Reilly
The king of air guitar tapped out Jon Moxley again.
Match of the Night: FTR vs. Brodido
Electric tag team action.
Entertaining show with quality wrestling. Rowdy way to close the PPV.
Share your thoughts about AEW Full Gear. PPV replay is available for streaming through PPV.com, HBO Max, Amazon, YouTube, and Triller TV, depending on your region.
