AEW Full Gear 2023 from the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
AEW Full Gear 2023 advertised five championship matches. MJF defended the AEW World Heavyweight Championship against Jay White, and Hikaru Shida defended the AEW Women’s World Championship against Timeless Toni Storm, Orange Cassidy defended the AEW International Championship against Jon Moxley and Kris Statlander defended the TBS Championship against Julia Hart and Skye Blue.
Last night’s broadcast of AEW Collision, which went head-to-head against WWE SmackDown, drew its lowest viewership ever with 251,000 viewers and just 92,000 in the 18-49 demographic.
AEW Full Gear 2023 Results | November 18, 2023
- Edge, Sting and Darby Allin def. Christian Cage, Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne
- Orange Cassidy def. Jon Moxley | AEW Women’s International Title
- Toni Storm def. Hikaru Shida |AEW Women’s World Title
- Ricky Starks and Big Bill win Tag Team
TISI
- Julia Hart def. Kris Statlander and Skye Blue | AEW TBS Title
- Swerve Strickland def. Hangman Adam Page | Texas Death Match
- The Golden Jets def. The Young Bucks
- MJF def. Jay White | AEW World Heavyweight Championship
- AEW Full Gear 2023 Venue: The Los Angeles Forum (Inglewood, Calif.)
- AEW Full Gear 2023 Tickets Distributed: 11,163
- Available Tickets: 1,145
AEW Full Gear 2023 Winners and Grades
Darby Allin, Sting And Edge Def. Christian Cage, Nick Wayne And Luchasaurus
Christian Cage, AEW’s patriarch, had a children’s choir sing his song and it was a magnificent entrance.
Sting, Edge and Darby Allin used their bats to touch tips for their entrance.
Sting wore facepaint on half his face and looked like a Canadian Thunder Rosa.
Ric Flair appeared ringside and was mocked by Nick Wayne, who also gave Flair the finger.
Christian Cage teased a spear right in front of Edge and AEW production was able to capture this moment perfectly.
Ric Flair took a terrifying bump from Christian Cage on the outside, meaning he’s one step closer to his ill-advised AEW in-ring return.
Christian Cage accidentally struck Luchasaurus with the TNT Title, later absconding with the belt through the crowd. The Luchasaurus babyface turn is nigh.
MJF’s leg was pillmanized following his successful AEW Tag Team Title defense. Tony Schiavone announced MJF would be unable to compete in the main event. Just as it seemed Jay White would be named the new AEW world champion, one-legged Adam Cole stepped up and took MJF’s spot.
Cage, Wayne and Luchasaurus vs. Allin, Sting and Edge Grade: B+
Orange Cassidy Def. Jon Moxley
This begun as an epilogue to Moxley and Orange Cassidy’s last match as Moxley forged forward and dominated Cassidy early on.
Moxley bit Orange Cassidy’s nose in the turnbuckle, and it reminded me of those old Goldust spots where he would kiss his opponents on the mouth.
Like clockwork, Jon Moxley bled within the first five minutes of this match.
With Moxley no-selling Cassidy’s offense, Cassidy’s typically low-energy kicks turned into Forrest Griffin leg kicks.
Moxley continued to control the match, and the crowd was split between the two.
Cassidy roared back with a furious comeback that ended in a Beach Break and a clean victory.
Orange Cassidy vs. Jon Moxley Grade: A
Toni Storm Def. Hikaru Shida
Of course, Toni Storm received a huge pop near her “hometown” of Los Angeles, Calif.
Mariah May was shown backstage watching Toni Storm’s match and the announce team completely ignored her.
Toni Storm easily tricked Aubrey Edwards to strike Hikaru Shida with a shoe behind Aubrey’s back. Toni Storm is the new AEW women’s world champion and I’m expecting an acceptance speech.
Toni Storm vs. Hikaru Shida Grade: B
Ricky Starks And Big Bill Win Tag Team Ladder Match
There was an early showdown between Big Bill and Brody King, and from then on, any time they would strike each other, the crowd would chant “meat!”
Given his ECW background, I was surprised to learn that Taz has never been in a ladder match.
Fans cheered on RUSH as he got all is stuff in.
One of the best spots of the match was Cash Wheeler’s piledriver to Malakai Black.
A bloodied Brody King in facepaint looked so terrifying.
RUSH spent half his offense playing to the crowd, to the point where Excalibur asked “is he burning daylight?”
The spot of the match was a Gonzo Bomb from Brody King on Dralistico.
Tag Team Ladder Match Grade: A-
Julia Hart Def. Kris Statlander And Skye Blue
Even though they had to follow a great tag team ladder match, Kris Statlander, Julia Hart and Skye Blue had no problem keeping the crowd interested throughout.
Julia Hart hit an awkward-looking moonsault on Skye Blue for a nearfall.
There was a great nearfall on Kris Statlander after Skye Blue hit an impressive Code Blue.
Julia Hart won after stealing a pinfall from Kris Statlander shortly after Kris hit the Saturday Night Fever.
Women’s TBS Title Triple Threat Grade: B-
Will Ospreay Signs With AEW
AEW signed another “best in the world” prototype. For more information, click here.
Swerve Strickland Def. Hangman Adam Page
Prince Nana did his dance with a dance team, and if this doesn’t get whole crowds to do the dance, nothing will.
Both Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland were bleeding profusely, as expected.
Midway through this violent death match, the ring mat looked like a crime scene.
Hangman Adam Page hit a moonsault while holding a barbed-wire wrapped chair.
A bloodthirsty Forum came to its feet when Swerve answered a 10-count, because that meant the match would continue.
Swerve hit Page with the barbed-wired chair and the barbed-wire got caught in poor Hangman’s hair and face.
Hangman fought off outside interference from Brian Cage and Prince Nana, but back came Swerve with a cinderblock shot to the back. Swerve won by hanging the Hangman with a chain.
Hangman Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland Grade: A
Golden Jets Def. The Young Bucks
Don Callis appeared on commentary, not because he’s aligned with the Young Bucks, but because he hates Kenny Omega that much.
Fans were behind hometown favorites Young Bucks, but not to the degree where they felt like the babyfaces.
The Young Bucks cheated throughout this match to hammer home the point that they were, in fact, the heels.
Kenny Omega teased turning on Chris Jericho, only to deliver the V-Trigger to the Young Bucks.
Kenny Omega won the match with a One Winged Angle, leading to a biblical temper tantrum from the Young Bucks.
Golden Jets vs. Young Bucks Grade: B
MJF Vs. Jay White
The announce team teased that this match was going to be a massacre due to Adam Cole’s injury.
Bryce Remsburg couldn’t hide his disgust while holding up the AEW World Title. Nigel McGuinness suggested this should be a Last Man Standing Match.
Just when the match was about to begin, MJF commandeered an ambulance vehicle and showed up at the last minute.
Of course, the story of the match was Jay White working over MJF’s injured left leg.
Excalibur said MJF’s injury had taken the air out of the Kia Forum, but with the pay-per-view approaching 5 hours (including Zero Hour), I think these people were just tired.
MJF added to the long list of talent on this show that wore purple and gold to kiss up to this LA crowd.
The announce table collapsed prematurely as MJF put Jay White on it. MJF went for the flying elbow anyway, and the crowd politely chanted “holy s—t.”
MJF really earned the “holy s—t” chants with a running RKO to the outside.
AEW continues to have protocol issues with doctors both in and out of kayfabe. This time, MJF flipped off Dr. Samson as the doctor tried to check on his storyline injury.
Adam Cole teased throwing in the towel to add another layer of drama to this match.
Jay White managed to intercept, not one, but two foreign objects from Adam Cole. Very sus.
