Gears Are Turning: Real Time Thoughts on AEW Full Gear 2021

It’s that time, ladies and gentlemen. AEW Full Gear is here and the only time I’ve been more pumped for a wrestling show was, well, when AEW held their last pay-per-view, in September. That show was hot but this show, in my ever-so-humble opinion, is scalding, and oooh it hurts so good. Before we get started, allow myself to introduce…myself.

My name Is Nick and for the next four hours, I will be your torchbearer, your flag bearer, your Paul Bearer for AEW Full Gear. This is going to be less play-by-play, more stream of consciousness. I am going to write down what I think when I think it, and you, dear reader, will get a glimpse into my brain as I watch what I hope will be one of the greatest, most cathartic pay-per-views of all time. I can’t promise this will be funny, thought-provoking, or otherwise entertaining in any way, but it will be…here. It’ll be here.

That being said, the time is Nigh so crack open a Pepsi, grab a slice of pizza (just, not the one Dana White is trying to peddle, please), sit back, and watch the coronation of The Cowboy (hopefully).

AEW Full Gear: November 13, 2021

We’re starting things off with two of the four pillars of AEW, and it only seems right that if the night is to end with Adam Page, it begins with his heirs apparent.

Darby Allin vs MJF

I like MJF’s robe.
Did JR just say Darby Allin has Boo-Boo Face?
I asked the people I’m with who has more potential and the consensus seems to be Darby Allin. I disagree. MJF is somebody that people will pay to see get beat up. ESPECIALLY if he is a champion. MJF has whatever the EVIL version of the “It Factor” is.
This crowd must agree, as they’re chanting for both guys.
A top-rope tombstone into a middle-rope stunner was a great sequence.
I love how hot this crowd is. I think we have all realized over the last couple years how vital crowds are to the presentation of professional wrestling.
Now that CM Punk AND MJF have figured out the perfect ways to escape the Coffin Drop, anybody that actually takes the move is going to look like a doofus. Like, move. Just move. That’s all you have to do.
Eat your heart out, Undertaker. This is the evolution of the sit-up.
Darby Allin is a vampire; I’ve been saying it for years.
Speaking of The Undertaker, a tombstone on the apron from MJF and man oh man, did it look great. Kane tombstoning Linda McMahon, that was not.
I would one hundred percent be interested in a fatal four-way Pillars of AEW match down the line.
The pinning sequence between Allin and MJF is how my cousin and I used to wrestle each other.
Another brilliant counter to the Coffin Drop.
Oops, never mind.
Did MJF just blow his “I’m a**hole in real life” cover by obviously going out of his way to protect Allin?
The Pinnacle interfering was predictable, as was the Sting counter-interference, but sometimes, as the main event will prove, predictable is okay.
MJF begging Darby to hit him with the skateboard, but my buddy raised a good point. Isn’t the rule in pro wrestling that if your opponent brings in a foreign object, you’re allowed to use it?
MJF winning with some sort of version of “brass knucks” is so old school, and I love it. Also, technically, MJF won with a side headlock takeover, which is great. I’m a big fan of small package-type finishes.
I said that exact thing out loud and my girlfriend said so, does she? Everybody laughed. This isn’t fun anymore.

Lucha Brothers vs FTR

Next up is another potential show-stealer.
FTR is such an underrated tag team. They absolutely would’ve been tag team champions for years in the old NWA/WCW.
What a beautiful, heel-yet-still-respectful way to homage Eddie Guerrero from Cash Wheeler.
What an even more beautiful tribute to Eddie by the Lucha Bros.
What a tremendous foot-stomp piledriver combo.
Penta flying out of nowhere and hitting a ‘Super Hero Landing’ to protect his brother is the type of wrestling content I am here for.
The mask tomfoolery was not a super great way to end the match, but it could have been worse. For a second, with the commentary that going on, I thought they were going to restart the match because the Brothers Lucha pinned the wrong guy. They didn’t, but that probably means they’ll be continuing the feud. I’m okay with that. Maybe it will result in a tag team ladder match for both sets of titles.

Daniel Bryan vs Miro

Next up is what’s sure to be a hard-hitting, Japanese strong style match between Bryan and Rusev.
What’s amazing is that this match could have happened sooo many times in WWE and it would have stolen any show it was on. It just goes to show that the issues with WWE are not the wrestlers.
I don’t have much to say during this match, because it’s just so fun to watch.
Admittedly, it has taken me a long time to get behind Miro. I never cared about Rusev and it took me a long time to get behind Miro, but now I am completely supportive of him. Some might say that he has redeemed himself.
This match has made Miro. Danielson gave him the match of a lifetime, and Miro took it. Danielson helped Miro look like a monster.
Win or lose, this was Miro’s breakout match.
He lost, but man oh man. This is the perfect example of “gaining something in defeat.” This was a match I’ve been waiting to see from Miro since his debut.

The SuperKliq Party vs Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, and Christian Cage

Tony Schiavone is FURIOUS that Matt Jackson has a purple mustache.
This match started so fast and furious, I thought Vin Diesel was gonna show up.
That was awful, and I apologize.
I would like to remind you all that Christian Cage doesn’t have to be doing this, and a year ago he was retired.
How come in wrestling you’re not allowed to punch somebody with a closed fist, but you are allowed to put your fingers in their mouth? Or, ya know, kick thumbtacks out of their face.
Can a case be made that Luchasaurus is already one of the best big men in the history of pro wrestling? I think it can, dear readers. I think it can.
Jim Ross: “This is a weapon!”
He’s not wrong, I guess.
I may be in the minority, but I really wish The Elite would get rid of Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa. Both guys are good dudes or whatever, but their dorkiness
Luchasaurus just did a shooting star press from the stage. There is no argument. He’s one of the best big men in the history of professional wrestling.
Jungle Boy became a Jungle Adolescent in this match and I, for one, am proud of him.

Cody Rhodes and Pac vs Malakai Black and Andrade El Idolo

Okay, here’s the thing about Cody Rhodes. I honestly can’t tell if he is doing these things intentionally. I can’t tell if he actually believes he’s the hero of his story. And I suppose that’s the point. If this is a slow burn heel turn, it’s perfect. If it’s not, he is as delusional as the ‘prodigal son’ in WWE that he loves to parody.
This match is definitely a “come down match” after literally the entire card so far. And that’s insane to say because all four of these guys are tremendous wrestlers. This story just doesn’t…fit. It seems like right now Cody Rhodes has the opposite of the Midas Touch and it’s kind of a bummer.
Somebody has a ‘Cody Solved Racism’ sign and I can’t tell if it’s ironic or not.
Andrade vs Aleistar Black was one of my favorite NXT feuds. I want to see them wrestle against each other, not with each other.
FTR coming out to just punch Cody a couple times was awkward and unnecessary.
This was a fine match, but it didn’t need to be on the pay-per-view. It would have been a great Dynamite or Rampage main event. Here, it just seemed out of place.

Tay Conti vs Dr. Britt Baker

The guitar player playing Britt Baker to the ring reminds me of me when I used to play on my high school praise and worship band.
Have we figured out yet if Dr. Baker is a good guy or a bad guy? Or is she just the cool bad guy?
Britt wins, as expected.
The wrestlers tried hard, but I dunno man. The story just wasn’t there for me and the match itself didn’t overcome the lack of story. I like both of these wrestlers but I’m begging for well-written stories for them to sink their teeth into.
No pun intended.

Eddie Kingston vs CM Punk

CM Punk is, was, and always will be one of my favorite wrestlers of all time. That being said, I really, really want Eddie Kingston to win this match.
He won’t, but I really want him to.
I won’t lie, Punk in shorts again popped me. The only thing missing is the lip ring and the bleach blonde hair.
FANTASTIC start to the match. How many wrestlers have wanted to hit Punk with a back fist? That was beautiful.
This feels like a fight. This feels like these two guys hate each other.
In short, this feels like wrestling.
Mental Health, Pahdna.
Punk got some significant boos. People want Eddie to win this match.
Eddie Kingston’s real-life story is the wrestling story they’re telling with Adam Page.
Now there’s a ‘Both These Guys’ chant, and yes.
Punk is already busted open. God this match rules.
Cody Rhodes believes he’s the hero of his own story. Eddie Kingston thinks he’s the villain in his.
Yikes, I wonder if Punk and FTR and the Lucha Bros are gonna have words RE: the Eddie tributes.
Punk with the 5 Moves of Doom hahahahaha. Oh, he’s loving being the heel in this match.
A spit to the face and a “F*** You” from Kingston to Punk. This is so. dang. real.
Kingston mocking Punks taunt, followed by one of his own, was gold.
“This is Awesome,” and yes.
“What a Goddamn fist fight,” and yes.
And yes, Punk won the match. But it made Eddie Kingston an even bigger star. This is a feud they can come back to at anytime. Eddie Kingston is the real deal.

The Inner Circle vs America’s Top Team

I super don’t care about this match and am going to go get snacks.

Adam Page vs Kenny Omega

Adam Page really should have planned his entrance better.
How did he get changed so quickly?
This match has a big time fight feel. This is a main event. This is a hero’s journey. This is a coming-of-age story. This…is wrestling.
Why isn’t Aubrey Edwards refereeing this match?
Remember everything I said about Brandon Cutler and Nakazawa? I feel the same about Don Callis. He no longer adds to the presentation of Kenny Omega. He did a great job in his role, and I hope he had fun, but it’s time to move on.
Also I realize how much my opinion means to Kenny Omega, Don Callis, and Tony Khan.
I don’t like Adam Page’s tights, while we’re at it.
The match ending doesn’t seem to be in question, but that aside, this match is great. These two guys can tell a story on the mic, but they can also tell a story in the ring. Very few wrestlers can do that, but many of them are in AEW (Omega, Hangman, Bucks, Kingston, Punk, Bryan, etc.)
I think the Tiger Driver ’98 is one of my favorite wrestling moves.
I got real scared when Hangman was climbing on the ring post, but it turned out okay.
Oh, that’s why Aubrey Edwards wasn’t refereeing this match.
Could’ve done without the ref spot but it could have been a lot worse.
I love this match. We KNOW what is going to happen but we’re still on the edge of our collective seat.
Tony Schiavone: I love that he hates The Young Bucks so.
Wow, Young Bucks didn’t get involved, and Matt even nodded at Hangman. Okay, I got the tearsies.
And that, ladies and gentleman, was the end of the match. A nod from Matt, a Buckshot Lariat, and a three count. That was perfect. That was wrestling.
That was, indeed, ‘Cowboy Sh#t.’

Home/All Elite Wrestling