AEW Full Gear 2019

Full Gear has both a pre-show and a Buy In, which is a bit odd. A PnP video airs that basically makes them babyfaces. "BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE!" They cut a promo on being driven by the pressure of NYC and skyrocketed their careers due to it. Santana talks about being 14 and guarding his sister during a shooting. Both teams are viewed as different sides of the same coin - with each team being backyarders, while PnP built their ring while the Bucks had their dad do it. Moxley vs. Omega is hyped up as a battle of different viewpoint - with Omega personifying the Japanese work ethic. Moxley was made in Philly in the ECW Arena with CZW. Omega talks about loving the Japanese arenas that he loved seeing in games as a kid. I love the arena vs. arena mentality here, but they're replaying several of the same voice clips seconds apart. THAT'S WHEN YOU JUST END THE VIDEO FOR THAT FEUD.

 

 

The Full Gear set looks great and we get Taz on the Buy In! We get a recap of Britt Baker's career-best promo talking shit about Bea Priestley. WCW-style PPV ramp for this. Gotta say, TNA's version looked better. The red carpet here looks good, but the material looks uneven - like someone put a giant screen protector on and left a ton of bubbles under the surface. Bea gets a bow and arrow on the post. Taz talks about Britt's flu and says it makes cardio harder. This is already not good and it's not likely to get any better. The story they're telling in the ring doesn't match the video package.

Bea hits a few kicks for 2. Britt lands a tackle and lariat and a corner high knee. Britt gets a swinging fisherman suplex for 2. Super brainbuster for Britt, but she can't get a second one. They go back and forth on a crucifix for 2. Regalplex gets 2 for Bea - that should just be a finish. Bea gets a necklock, but Britt gets the rope. Double stomp to a kneeling Britt on the apron! Queen's landing is turned into a goofy discus rainmaker forearm. Shitty looking destroyer gets 2. Thank God the Lockjaw ends it. This was a complete slog. Taz has the nerve to call this a spectacular match.

Goofy candles hit the tron and the lights are out for THERE ARE EIGHT MILLION WAYS TO DIE AND SHE'S ONE - for Kong and Brandi. Kong's got a new gold outfit and brings out a knife after taking off her right glove. She gives the knife to Brandi and hits an implant buster to Bea and then the knife is used to slice some of Bea's hair off. Cool stuff I guess. It's definitely a better more modern use of Kong than what they did last time. Ross talks about how the first lights out match he saw was in MSW, and it was so physical and violent to hype up Omega vs. Moxley.

Bucks are out to face PnP, with the heels using some cheap tactics to double-team Nick. CAMEL CLUTCH/GORI SPECIAL COMBO! Apron PK misses for Nick! Ortiz says he's a genius and lands a lariat to the newly-damaged shin before tossing him into Morton. Morton tosses Nick back and Matt eats a double reverse suplex. Street sweeper is met with a big mid-air belly to belly. Nick lands a series of kicks including a tornado kick and flips the bird before hitting a rising knee. Liger bomb into a Santana PK gets 2.9. Street Sweeper to Nick gets the win and the Bucks lose another one. They have to be the most unselfish exects ever - and it's smart too. They get cred for losing and shift the focus on the younger and more athletic teams who can carry the load longer-term.

Sammy comes down to help his boys take out the Bucks, but the RNR Express makes a save with a low bridge and some punches! THEY BE CLUBBERIN TONY! CANADIAN DESTROYER TO ORTIZ! TOPE TO SANTANA AND SAMMY. This is the perfect use of a legend on PPV. So in one match, you've got the last 30 years of North Carolina tag team legends in the ring outside of the Hardys and the future with PnP.

Big tope starts things off until Pac slows things down with a corner leg choke. Pac eats a nasty slam on the apron that they nearly miss on-camera. Orihara moonsault hits! Apron high kick hits for Pac and he goes for the black arrow, but gets crotched. Avalanche fallaway slam hits for Page, but a buckshot meets a superkick. Page gets a big pop-up powerbomb before he goes for Deadeye with a transition into a standing octopus and then the Brutalizer! However, since Pac did to him standing, Page falls into the ropes - perfect! Black Arrow misses and Pac goes for a low blow mule kick, but Page grabs the foot and hits a discus elbow, discus lariat, and the Deadeye ends it! Fantastic match!

Shawn Spears comes out to face Joey Janela, who takes a great ass-whopping to start. Joey lands a sloppy flip dive off the top to the floor. Joey eats a big chop off the top and an apron backbreaker hits. Spears takes the buckle pad off to distract Earl so he and Tully can hit a SPIKE PILEDRIVER OFF THE STEPS! Tully didn't seem to get hurt off that, which is good. C4 hits and ends it. This was a ton of fun.

Sabian and Penelope are now an act and insult Goldenboy. Private Party come out to face the Lucha Bros and SCU in a triple threat with the Bucks win being used as proof that they can beat veteran teams - perfect usage of that win. Goddamn do they get some stunning pyro. SCU comes out and JR wishes the folks battling the wild fires well. JR puts over how much Sky has done to elevate his game and they talk about Daniels and Kaz being so perfect, while Sky took the ball and ran with it.

Tons of craziness here. Quen lands a bulldog to Fenix and a legdrop to Penta. Camel clutch/ curb stomp gets 2 for Private Party. Sky gets a slingshot rana into a dragon clutch! Gin and Juice is avoided and SCU-Later gets the win. This was a lot of fun - not quite a classic, but very good and SCU keeping the gold is the right move. Lucha Brothers didn't drop the fall, but didn't win and take out Kaz and Sky. The lights go out and Daniels shows up in Pentagon's outfit because even with a  half-mask and paint, he has such a distinct face that it's impossible to not tell it's him. STO and an Angel's Wings to Fenix. This ruled!

Emi Sakura's Freddie Mercury getup is just odd. They have the exact match you'd expect, with Riho as a great face in peril. She gets brief bits of hope with knee strikes to the head, but wins with a crucifix into the high cradle. Cody gets his biggest, craziest intro yet with all sorts of smoke, pyro and camera tricks. Jericho's out with Hager, a wacky silver scarf, and a silver and black jacket.

Jericho looks 30 pounds fatter from TV and has a weight belt on ala Cody, which still doesn't help. Crowd chants happy birthday since he's 49 now. They start off with a tie-up before Cody starts working on the arm with an elbow stomp. Snap powerslam gets 2 for Cody, who sends Jericho hard knees-first onto the ramp off a lariat over the top. Cody goes for a suicide dive and eats the ramp. He's covered in blood and has a nasty cut over his right eye. This plays into history perfectly with Luger losing a title shot to Flair via blood stoppage in MD.

Aubrey gets Doc Sampson and he tries to close it up. Cody eats a ton of shots to the wound before landing a springboard cutter. Jericho talks shit to Cody's mom, so she tells him "fuck you" and Cody spears Jericho. Figure 4 by Cody leads to an MJF-Hager brawl leads to Aubrey being distracted, so Jericho belts Cody. 2.9!

They get into a kneeling elbow war before Cody wins out with a bionic elbow! That gets 2.9 and was beautiful. Jericho takes his belt off and whips Cody with Aubrey taking it from him and throwing it out of the ring to an AUBREY chant. Jericho gets the walls, but he won't release on the ropes and works on the wound. Jericho shoves her, so she shoves him and a small package gets 2. Liontamer is on and Jericho STOMPS THE HEAD during it. MJF has a towel and Jericho wrenches in the Liontamer even more. MJF throws in the towel and it's perfect. He has the benefit of the doubt given the circumstances, so it's a lot like Bret and Owen at Survivor Series '94. It's the perfect finish that builds for the finish. This is smart too because if Cody wants a secondary title to mean a lot, he can be the primary holder for that and do for it what Nakamura and Tanahashi did for the IWGP IC Title.

Cody gets up and MJF apologizes to him. Crowd tells Cody to fuck him up and then MJF BALLSHOTS CODY! In a nod to HBK-Jericho, as he's kneeling after the shot, MJF shoves him down. Cody gets up and looks stunned, with the gash getting even worse. Tremendous. Hype video airs for Omega and Moxley.

Omega gets a giant intro while Moxley comes through the crowd. JR points out that the ref shouldn't be used here since Mox beat him up before. They have a usual garbage match with Mox eating a barb wire broom to the head off a tope attempt. Broom shot to the upper back seems to lead to Moxley's neck getting sliced up on the right side. Might've been off the dive, but he came up spurting blood right away.

Omega uses the broom as a broom on the back to slice him up more and then a 619 position leads to more. Drop toehold onto the broom leading to a kotaru crusher slicing up Omega's wrist. Trashcan moonsault comes up a bit short for Omega, but gets 2. Omega gets a mouse trap board X PLEX ON THE MOUSE TRAPS by Mox! Sideslam onto a giant pile of chains gets 2 for Mox. SNAPDRAGONS to Mox! THIRD SNAP DRAGON HITS and Omega hangs him with the chain. Terminator dive through a barricade-mounted table! Omega gets a glass shard from the table on the Dynamite debut and slices his hand! He unravels the bag of glass and drags him on the glass.

Sharpshooter from Omega leads to Moxley DRAGGING HIMSELF THROUGH GLASS and pulls himself up with the ropes. Omega grabs glass and forces it down his throat and gets some, but eats a GERMAN ON THE GLASS. V TRIGGER and another hits him into the ropes. Mox hits the ramp and Omega grabs a screwdriver and grinds it into Mox's head! Omega calls for Page and the Bucks to bring IT but they refuse. They walk away from him here and then bring out a barb wire web!

Omega sets up an OWA on the web, but Mox avoids it. Omega avoids the AA while Mox avoids another V trigger. SUPLEX OFF THE RAMP INTO A BARB WIRE WEB! The ring crew pulls Omega out, while Mox is still tangled up. He's finally freed and beats up the crew before trying an exploder through a storm cellar-ish part of the set, but Omega avoids it and smacks him with other parts before V Triggering him THROUGH THE LIT GEAR.

Moxley emerges and a Paradigm Shift on the glass gets 2.9! Moxley cuts the canvas ties and exposes the boards. Mox goes for a cradle piledriver on the boards, but Omega backdrops him out! V trigger to the neck and the OWA is blocked as is the Paradigm Shift, but Omega lands one of his own! That gets 2.9! Omega goes for a phoenix splash, but misses! Excalibur talks about that being out of Ibushi's playbook and it not paying off for a 2.5. Elevated Paradigm Shift ends it! Moxley tells everyone to be careful what you wish for, because you motherfuckers might just get it. Goddamn what an insane match and a great show.

AEW Dynamite 11-6-19 - Full Gear Go-Home Show

Dark Order and Private Pary have what is called a Bronze Medal match to be put into a triple threat tag title match at Full Gear. They need to explain these wacky names before just doing them. Pac and Trent start things off with quick matwork. Pac stares down Orange and tosses Trent into the barricade. Pac hits a gorgeous spin dive to the floor and lands on his feet perfectly. Cassidy kicks away at Pac with the ref being blocked by Chuckie until Pac sends him down. Brainbuster on the floor from Pac leads to the Black Arrow and a 2.9 because the ref botches the count - so Pac just locks on the Brutalizer and the win.  Pac tells the fans to shut up and he's heard what Page said and he heard his swear word - but on Saturday in Baltimore at Full Gear, he will make an example of Page. Cody's announcement is next.

Backstage during the break, Evil Uno is laced up. Tony being Cody's Mean Gene is great. Tony and Cody as the modern-day Gene and Hogan is tremendous - they truly do have great chemistry. Cody gets totally drowned out by AEW chants. Cody talks about Bill Watts, Eddie Graham, and Dusty were titans at the box office and in the ring. He says that them being management, they were in-ring - like himself. He has told everyone that he's proud of AEW "THIS IS FREEDOM!" is such a great line in today's world. Cody starts to say that if he doesn't beat Jericho then he will never challenge for the AEW World Title again. He says that he didn't read about Jericho's upbringing in A Lion's Tale - which you can get for $3 and Jericho is nothing but a stupid dick.

Jericho needs the youth more than they need him and this match isn't about just him, it's about the dead, the living, his wife, his sister, and in 14 years, going from unwantable to un-goddamn-deniable! Cody hypes up A Match Beyond between the Elite and the inner circle. Perfect stuff - now we've got stakes that are higher than ever for the PPV and a future name for their variant of War Games.

Private Party vs. Dark Order is up for the bronze medals - which are legit bronze medals. Stu looks fantastic here with some impressive moves like a big standing uranage, double Pele kick and a skin the cat rana. Gin and Juice ends it on Grayson. Grayson was the glue here - his stock rose a lot. A tremendous video from Jericho airs showing that Jericho's biggest worry is getting the right bubbly after the match and Virgil says his talent is like Olive Garden's breadsticks - unlimited. Sammy had the best line of the video with Jericho being 48, in his prime, and being the youngest AEW Champion in history. This is the best thing ever.

Jamie Hayter's out to team with Emi Sakura dressed as Freddie Mercury. Exalibur announces AEW Countdown after Dynamite. Shanna's back teaming with Riho, who is just over. Shanna "hits" an uppercut. They need to maybe not shoot the non-Japanese women's strikes from the side to show all the light. Wheelbarrow drop for Riho gets 2. Shanny runs wild on Hayter and gets 2 off a forearm. Shanny lands a slick sliced bread and then a nasty butterfly DDT for 2.9. Hayter lands a gourdbuster on Shanna. Sakura and Riho are back in and Riho eats 2 on several cradles, gets 2 off of a counter, but gets la majistraled for the loss. This looked perfect given how much Riho's weight worked agaisnt her there.

Ross talks about THE EVOLUTION OF BRANDI and we get a spooky red room video of her. So now she's an uber-bitch and a heel and she'll be Kong's manager. Kong had NOTHING left five years ago and has less now. Brandon Cutler's in the ring to face Shawn Spears, who has The Chairman and Perfection as his nicknames. Pick one! Cutler looks great doing a variety of high kicks and an over the top legdrop. Spears tosses him into the barricades hard. Running DVD ends it, but Janela makes a save to stop a DVD on the chair.

A neat Omega-Moxley hype video has Kenny mock Moxley saying this wasn't going to be a chain wrestling match anyway. Justin Roberts is in a very shiny silver suit. Page and Omega are out against Sammy and Jericho. Portrait mode vlogging -now that's a heel. Jericho being announced at 225 pounds remains hilarious. Jericho being his manager when he's done or part-time in ring would be tremendous.

Sammy works hard against both Omega and Page. Page lands an awesome delayed pumphandle sack of shit slam. Jericho is as old now as Hogan was in his Hulkamania STILL Rules run in 2002 - and unlike just about every legend, Jericho's doing a completely different act that doesn't play on nostalgia. Jericho and Page got at it with Jericho eating a corner lariat. Omega chops the God out of the Spanish God mid-ring in Charlotte! Omega goes for a Terminator dive, but Hager slugs him from behind for an ad break .Pac ballshots Page and Jericho hits the Judas Effect to end it. Cody runs wild and uppercuts Sammy. MJF chairshots Hager in the back, Jericho in the gut and sends him in for Cross Rhodes!

Moxley comes down with a barbwire bat and then Omega uses a barbwire broom while the Inner Circle brawls and stirs more shit up. Bucks make a save with a superkick party! Omega saves Nick from a powerbomb off the stage again and then Mox and Omega brawl more. Nick does a RAW sign flip dive off the heel tunnel that knocks everyone over including a camera man. This is just a great shit-kicking brawl and a hell of a way to close a go-home show. Goddamn is JR adding a ton to this. Not the best show on Earth bell to bell, but damned effective.

NWA Powerrr 11-5-19 - Storm vs. Cabana for the National Title

Last week's tag match is recapped with Cabana's win getting him a shot at the National Title tonight. The opening for the show gets better and better as it uses a couple of minutes to get over key moves, storylines, and acts - it's unbelievably efficient. Colt comes out to chat with Dave Marquez about main eventing last week and he deserves it - Team Aldis beat Storm's team and he gets a shot tonight IN THE MAIN EVENT. Aron Stevens' loss is recapped and he comes out and he demands they shut up with the Captain Morgan stuff and he wants to show that he is better than Ricky Starks. He has requested a rematch in a more traditional NWA-style match. He isn't sure what that is yet, but he did find out that he is a great, great great great great great grandson of Shakespeare. He says he has a script from Hollywood and if he doesn't get respect, he will leave wrestling. Aldis announces that the NWA is coming to RetroMania Wrestling!

The Dawsons kill Mimis and Kingsley quickly. Kingston and Homicide come out and they want another match and they're willing to put that on the line against them to get them in the ring. Joe Galli talks to Tim Storm about what it's like to be on top and then lose that. He sees Powerrr as a chance to redeem himself. Galli says that he could always ask Corgan to get a shot, but Storm says he's a man of his word. Aldis pulls him aside and says that nothing with this company now happens without what he did. Now this is some simple character-building and it's perfect. In ONE MINUTE, they made you care about Tim Storm and showed that Aldis has a heart.

Ashley Vox faces Thunder Rosa, who beats her quickly with a double stomp off the top to the back after a flash dropkick. Rosa jumps her and Belle runs in and Rosa wants her to attack her, but Marti won't. Marti says she's fought Rosa before and then Allysin Kay comes out and gets jumped by Rosa. Marti pump kicks Kay after not doing that to Vox. Stevens demands a 2/3 falls match against Starks. Stevens is wearing his terrible flesh-colored gear and loses fall 1 via a schoolboy in 3 seconds. A guy in an orange santa outfit tells him that was one fall and we get a minor YES chant in a new context.

Fall 2 has more action from Stevens, including him taking some big chops. He sends him down, but curtsees and gets cradled for an all-too-revealing victory roll. Another RetroMania Wrestling ad airs. Storm and Cabana come out with Eli out and Kennedy on the side of Cabana. The National Title looks so good on Storm with his revamped red gear. They have a fun little match that winds up being a backdrop for Kamille to stir shit up and Cabana wins with the Superman Pin again.

Storm gives him a thumbs up for the win before the Dawsons come out and want their match now. Outlaw Inc uses fish hooks and a kick combo to get the win with a gringo cutter with the help of the RNR Express taking out the Wild Cards when they try to get involved. What a great show. This format is perfect and this is the most efficient wrestling show in the business.

AEW Dynamite 10-30-19 - Tag Champs Crowned

Tony starts the show off at the airport next to a plane with Dustin and Cody coming off. So we're going for Gene and Ric at Starrcade '93 with Cody playing the role of Flair and Tony as Mean Gene. Recap of the Omega-Moxley brawls and more between Page and PAC. We see Moxley and Omega being announced by Tony as a lights-out match. Sammy Guevara comes out to face Page. The themed ringposts remind me of the Slim Jim corner posts for Halloween Havoc shows in the late '90s. Page lands a series of great chops and a big boot. Snap suplex gets 2 for Sammy.

Sammy dives into a fallaway slam that Page nips up from. Page goes on the apron and gets pulled down awkwardly. Sammy gets a squatting Samoan drop for 2. Sammy teases a dive off the top and hops off for a slap. Apron warfare leads to a bossman slam on the apron from Page! Orihara moonsault hits for Page! Discus elbow to Sammy leads to a Buckshot and a win! Each guy shined brightly and this wasn't a perfect match, but damn fun.

Page grabs the mic and says at Full Gear, it's time for some real cowboy shit and he'll take PAC's head off. COWBOY SHIT gets a huge chant. Backstage during the PIP break, Private Party meets the Rock 'n Roll Express! Shanna debuts to face Hikaru Shida, who gets a very Muta '89-esque intro. Shanna elbows out of a go-behind. Shanna goes for a dive and eats a knee. Hard corner knee by Shida gets 2. Forearm shivers by Shanna lead to a PIP break. Angels wings hits for 2.

Shanna blocks a superplex with a headbutt and an Alberto stomp. Shanna slaps the back to get her up and eats a Dudebuster. Shida gets a deadlift superplex for 2.9! Shanna gets a flash cradle for 2. THIS HAS ONLY GONE ON 10 MINUTES!? Jesus. Feels like 20. Shida hits a running knee and a falcon arrow for 2.5 when the leg isn't hooked up. Another running knee hits and ends it. This was good, but entirely too long.

Brandi getting all pissed and POINTING last week gets dramatic music. Kong is shown throughout this alongside a murderer's row of the women. They're telling chapter 10 of a story they need to tell chapter 1 on first. Chris Van Vlient brings out Ricky and Robert! Ricky talks about West Virginia before PNP comes out and beats them up with loaded socks. AEW tag belts looked great on the Express. They pick up Ricky and toss him through a table next to the stage. That's a big bump for Ricky to take at his age. Bucks make a save as they've seen JUST ABOUT ENOUGH.

More with Cody and Tony. This is right out of the Flair-Vader playbook and that was one of the best show-long stories I've ever seen and it's being done wonderfully now. QT Marshall is mid-ring with Silvers and Reynolds to face THE BEST FRIENDS with Orange Cassidy and a Ricky and Morty intro. Exalibur has JR read some copy to amuse himself. Excalibur talks about corporate synergy as Trent loses his wig. LOL at JR getting a jab in at Trent's male pattern baldness. Sole food/half and half hits. Marshall bumps around for Cassidy. Strong Zero ends it. This was fun.

Jericho comes out for the contract signing in a tremendous purple and pumpkin suit. Cody arrives with Tony in his limo. Jericho knocks SKEEAVONE and says that this is the biggest match of Cody's career because it lets him be what he always wanted - the World Champion. Jericho insults the fans and gets called an asshole. Jericho tells Cody that he's needed elsewhere as we see Hager ballshot Dustin and smash his head into the limo before slamming his wrist in the car door. Great stuff. This is right out of the best early '90s WCW stuff. Jericho smokes a victory cigar afterwards.

Hybrid2 is out with Kip Sabian to face The Elite. Kenny gets a revamped tron and theme with an Undertale theme. Nick and Matt are out in their Fyter Fest SF II gear. Heels jump the faces because their entrance is too predictable. Lots of crazy shit and then Omega does a bunch of snapdragons and everyone Flair flops when he snaps his fingers. Sabian lands a tornado DDT to Matt before Nick lands a superkick. TERMINATOR DIVE gets stopped. Sabian goes for and gets Shield bombs on the apron. V Trigger and the OWA on Evans end it. This was a lot of fun.

PNP dresses up like Bucks fans and beats them up. Tag tourney finals are tonight and why is Peter Avalon on my TV at 9:34? Leva is dressed like Olive Oil. Moxley comes out to kick his ass. GO MOX GO. HURRY! Kick and Paradigm Shift hits! He says he's tired of suits and yes men saying he's different. He tells everyone to kiss his ass and stay out of his way. Well that was good, but not particularly exciting.

We come back from a break and SCU and the Lucha Bros. are in the ring for the main event. Okay, I get that things ran long - but having this not get a full intro hurts even with Justin Roberts being great and hyping up each guy with the intro. Dark Order Fat gets a human throne to watch this match. I could do without ever seeing them again.

Penta hits a driver for 2. Excalibur talks about being retired for 15 years and Scorp and Kaz are faster now than they were then. Rapid-fire kicks to Fenix  Fenix does some crazy shit and Penta electric chair tosses Sky into the steps and trips him up. Fenix hits a slingshot legdrop over the top to the floor and hopefully didn't just Johnny the Bull himself.

Well, he's kicking tons of ass during the break - so he lucked out. Sky comes in and runs wild with lariats and elbows. Slingshot headscissor from him leads to Kaz going for a slingshot rana to the floor and just clonking everything and everyone. Pop-up tornado DDT hits for Kaz. This reminds me of All In's main event where it's a technically great match that has me focusing more on time running out than the result. Sky hits a destroyer on Penta and Fenix hits a rainbow cutter on Sky for 2. Crossbody collision mid-ring! Kaz goes for an apron PK, but Penta pulls him down for a powerbomb through a ringside table!

Penta superkicks Sky down and Fenix gets a run-up shoulder splash for 2.5! Sky gets an inside cradle off the cradle piledriver and wins it! This was very good, but sloppy and hurt by the poor pacing of the show. Sky came off like a huge star and SCU is a great team for the inaugural champs as they can be anywhere on a card and with the CD angle, Sky and Kaz come off like bigger stars.