SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
On November 13, 2021, AEW will be airing Full Gear from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Originally scheduled to take place the previous week in St. Louis, the event was reportedly moved to avoid having to compete with a UFC event (an instead putting it in competition with NJPW’s Battle in the Valley PPV, gonna be a long night of wrestling). We will see if “Hangman” Adam Page has finally overcome his demons when he faces Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship. The winner of the match will know who lurks in the wings as they will soon be facing the winner of the AEW World Championship Eliminator tournament. Also, Chris Jericho and his team will seek to shut up supreme heat magnet Dan Lambert and his team, and the AEW Women’s World Championship and AEW World Tag Team Championship will also be on the line.
Kenny Omega (c) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page – AEW World Championship Match
Story in a nutshell: Has Adam Page finally overcome his insecurities to finally win the AEW World Championship from his former tag team partner, Kenny Omega.
It has been a long journey for Adam Page. He lost against Chris Jericho when given the opportunity to become the first AEW World Champion which set him into a spiral of self-doubt. Despite the success he had as a tag team with Kenny Omega, his self-doubt created a wedge between his tag partner and the rest of the Elite. This led to Page getting kicked out of the group. Soon after he was defeated by Kenny Omega at Full Gear 2020 on Omega’s way to winning the championship. It was the Dark Order’s friendship and blind faith in him that finally helped him escape the morass of self-pity he had found himself in.
Adam Page returned after a brief hiatus to win a Casino Ladder Match to earn a shot at the champion, his former tag team partner, Kenny Omega. Page has stated that the doubts are gone, and he is ready to face this challenge.
Prediction and analysis: Part of the challenge includes the Elite who have gotten themselves involved in Omega’s matches, but the Dark Order will likely be there to act as a counter. If there are any shenanigans, I hope they happen early and that we are left with a clean match. This is a match that I think Page MUST win. It’s time to give Page the title and reward the audience’s faith in him. There is a chance that Page loses by cheating and is given another shot on a big tv show (like the first episode when Dynamite moves to TBS) and wins it then.
Bryan Danielson vs. Miro – AEW World Championship Eliminator Final
Story in a nutshell: Brian Danielson and Miro meet in the final of the AEW World Championship Eliminator tournament with the winner getting a future AEW World Championship match.
Eight men competed in the AEW World Championship Eliminator tournament. The winner of the tournament earns a future shot at the AEW World Championship. Bryan Danielson defeated Dustin Rhodes and Eddie Kingston on his way to the final. Jon Moxley defeated Preston Vance but pulled out of the tournament due to real-life personal issues before he could face Orange Cassidy. Miro was chosen as his replacement in the match and defeated Cassidy to make it to the final. Miro believes his “God” has turned on him by making him lose the AEW TNT Championship to Sammy Guevara and fears that his “God” is toying with him by presenting this opportunity. He has demanded “God” give him the victory.
Prediction and analysis: Moxley was being presented with a harder edge to him making me think he was going to beat Bryan to face who I think will soon be the champion, Adam Page. With Moxley sadly out of the picture, Miro has been slotted into his place. Since I think Miro was also being prepped as a future threat to the championship further down the line, I can totally see Miro win. Since I think the winner of this match will be the main event of the first TBS Dynamite, I’ve got Bryan winning, setting up a face vs. face matchup between Page and Bryan.
Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara & Santana & Ortiz & Jake Hager vs. Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky & Junior dos Santos & Andrei Arlovski & Dan Lambert – Minneapolis Street Fight
Story in a nutshell: After Dan Lambert spent weeks bad mouthing AEW, Chris Jericho finally stood up to him leading his group, the Inner Circle, into combat against Lambert’s team of Men of the Year and American Top Team.
American Top Team is an MMA training gym funded by Dan Lambert and headquartered in South Florida. While in Miami, Lambert, who is also a wresting enthusiast, appeared on Dynamite to run down the product. Chris Jericho had enough and came out to defend the company. Lambert threw his support behind the Men of the Year, Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky since he considered them the only “real” men in the company. There were several skirmishes between Jericho and his group, the Inner Circle (which consist of Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Ortiz, Santana, and Jake Hager) and Men of the Year who were backed up by various members of American Top Team. Jericho was allowed to choose which members of American Top Team the Inner Circle would face at Full Gear in a Minneapolis Street Fight. The Men of the Year would be bolstered by Junior dos Santos and Andrei Arlovski. Since Lambert was running his mouth and called himself the “top” member of American Top Team, he was the fifth man chosen much to his chagrin.
Prediction and analysis: Man has this storyline been a blast to follow. Personally, what I’d do is let the Inner Circle punish and humiliate Lambert but ultimately give one of Men of the Year the victory, so they come away with something. However, Tony Khan tends to book happy endings to feuds, so I think Inner Circle wins.
MJF vs. Darby Allin
Story in a nutshell: MJF was being MJF and as MJF is the absolute worst human, it is now Darby Allin’s turn to try and shut him up.
While making his case for getting a championship shot while also addressing recent big-name newcomers to AEW (Punk, Danielson, Cole), MJF called himself one of the four pillars of AEW and named Sammy Guevara, Jungle Boy, and Darby Allin as the other three. He claimed he was the best of them as he had defeated Guevara and Jungle Boy, glossing over Darby. Darby came out to confront MJF and MJF made things personal by attacking a real-life tragedy in Darby’s past. The two went back and forth getting over on each other in the following weeks with MJF using his group, the Pinnacle, to lay out Darby and Sting helping Darby run off MJF and his cronies.
Prediction and analysis: I can see MJF set as a threat to either the AEW World Title if Adam Page holds it or the AEW TNT Title currently in Sammy Guevara’s hand so I think MJF should win. Plus, Darby is the kind of wrestlers than people will stand behind regardless of whether he wins or loses.
Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fénix (c) vs. Dax Hardwood & Cash Wheeler, AEW World Tag Team Championship match
Story in a nutshell: Andrade’s feud with Triangulo de la Muerte (Death Triangle consisting of Pac, Penta El Zero Miedo, and Rey Fénix) facilitated FTR’s (Dax Hardwood and Cash Wheeler) capture of the AAA World Tag Team Championship setting up this championship match.
El Ídolo, Andrade tried to pry the Lucha Brothers, Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix away from Pac leading to a feud between Andrade and Death Triangle. While Andrade took on Pac, he claimed to have two luchadores ready to take the AAA World Tag Team Championship away from the Lucha Bros. Those Luchadores were Las Ranas (the Frogs) who were actually FTR, Dax Hardwood and Cash Wheeler, in disguise. Andrade procured their services through a back-alley deal with MJF. After beating the Lucha Bros. for the AAA Titles, FTR demanded a shot at the AEW World Tag Team Championship.
Prediction and analysis: I think Penta and Fénix should retain here. Andrade might continue accosting them with a legit luchador team, say Rush and Dragon Lee or something of the like.
Britt Baker D.M.D. (c) vs. Tay Conti – AEW Women’s World Championship Match
Story in a nutshell: The number one ranked challenger, Tay Conti takes on Britt Maker for the AEW Women’s World Championship.
Anna Jay, Tay Conti’s friend and fellow member of the Dark Order, got into it with Britt Baker backstage leading to a match between the two on Rampage. Britt won but she, along with her cronies, Rebel (or was it Reba) and Jaime Hayter attacked Jay after the match leading to a Tay Conti save. Tay Conti made her intentions known that she wants her shot at the title and being the top ranked woman on AEW, she got the match for Full Gear.
Prediction and analysis: Britt Baker wins. Not much more to say here.
Christian Cage & Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus vs. Adam Cole & Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson
Story in a nutshell: Adam Cole’s arrival to AEW launched a rivalry when the Superkliq of Cole and the Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) tried bullying Christian Cage and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) only for their targets to fight back.
During a multi-man match, the Young Bucks, Matt and Nick Jackson tried to injure Christian Cage putting him out of action for a while. Jungle Boy was giving an update on Christian’s condition when he was attacked by Kenny Omega, Adam Cole, and the Young Bucks. Things escalated with wrestlers getting thrown off of stages and through tables leading to this match. Even the con-chair-to was brought out.
Prediction and analysis: Always on the alert for a Christian Cage heel turn, there is always the chance of their team losing, say, Luchasaurus gets pinned, and Christian overreacts in blaming Luchasaurus forcing Jungle Boy to choose between them. So, I’m leaning towards the Superkliq winning.
C.M. Punk vs. Eddie Kingston
Story in a nutshell: If you interrupt a C.M. Punk interview, he will lose his $%^& and challenge you to a fight.
After losing to Brian Danielson in the AEW World Championship Eliminator tournament when he passed out, Eddie Kingston flipped out backstage since he didn’t actually quit (a call back to his feud with Moxley). Unfortunately, this tirade happened as C.M. Punk was being interviewed backstage raising Punk’s ire. Punk called out Kingston for being a screw up from way back. Kingston for his part called out Punk for being uptight and always looking down on him. They came to blows which led to this match.
Prediction and analysis: C.M. Punk wins and IWGP US Champion KENTA comes out to challenge him is what I hope with my all of my being is what happens.
Cody Rhodes & Pac vs. Andrade & Malakai Black
Story in a nutshell: Two long burning feuds cross over when Cody Rhodes and Pac team up to take on their respective rivals Malakai Black and Andrade, El Ídolo.
Malakai Black made his AEW debut by taking apart Cody Rhodes’s friends and family, trying to dismantle Cody’s life leading to a heated feud between the two. Meanwhile, Andrade has tried to drive a wedge between Pac and the Lucha Bros. leading him into several confrontations with Pac. Andrade claimed that he had friends all around the world and one of those friends was Black who helped Andrade try and take out Pac. Cody made the save making an unlikely alliance between himself and Pac.
Prediction and analysis: Can this match turn the crowd back to Cody’s side? I highly doubt it. Personally, I’m hoping the heels win and Cody takes it out on his partner Pac, leading to a Cody heal turn.
CATCH-UP: HEYDORN’S TAKE: Don’t hold me to this – AEW Full Gear 2021
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