SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Kris Statlander (c) vs. Mercedes Moné – AEW Women’s World Championship
Preview: Statlander has gotten a tremendous push since her impromptu four-way win over Toni Storm and then her subsequent title defense at last month’s WrestleDream. It’s clear the company has invested in her and wants to take her to that next level as a perennial women’s division main eventer. However, while Stat is very good in-ring it just hasn’t really translated to her promos or talking, in general. She was awful on the go-home Dynamite doing commentary during Mone’s match against Red Velvet – continually regurgitating the same talking points for the entire match. Meanwhile – Mone seem to be completely in her element as the “belt collector” of AEW and her genuine enjoyment for what she is currently doing seems to be getting her over as a face again to several crowds recently. This feud has lacked a powerful build between the two characters, but I do like what it has done for Mone more than for Stat even though I doubt that was the intent.
Prediction: Kris Statlander (c) defeats Mercedes Moné to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship
I personally would strongly consider putting the belt on an increasingly hit Mone here, but I doubt that Tony Khan pulls the trigger with the investment that he has put into Stat over the last two PPVs. Mone doesn’t really need the boost as she is as established as they come, but I don’t really see it in Stat and I think Mone taking the belt from her and then giving the rub to whoever the next younger, female wrestler that they want to put over would be the better strategic, long-term decision. Stat continuing with the belt is a sunken cost fallacy, in my opinion.
“Hangman” Adam Page (c) vs. Samoa Joe – Steel Cage match for the AEW World Championship
Preview: The Joe heel turn after losing to Page at last month’s WrestleDream PPV justifies the rematch here, in my opinion, however, getting here has been a bit clunky. The build has been odd and a bit too cliché before last week’s Blood & Guts Dynamite. I liked the intensity of the Joe/Page interaction at Blood & Guts and I thought that it was clever how they used the B&G cage to introduce the Steel Cage stipulation to their match at Full Gear. I have a hard time imagining Page dropping the belt to Joe here as Page has had a relatively successful run and Joe is 47-years old and this is likely the main event culmination to his career after talking multiple times how this is likely has last contract before a well-deserved retirement.
Prediction: “Hangman” Adam Page (c) defeats Samoa Joe in Steel Cage match to retain the AEW World Championship
Page has a lot left in the tank as a locker room leader in his second AEW title run and the belt is coming off him on Saturday. He will pivot away from Joe and the Opps after Full Gear. I wouldn’t be surprised if his next challenger made his name known, in some capacity, after the Steel Cage match on Saturday whether it be via post-match beatdown or some video segment.
Brodido (Bandido & Brody King) (c) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) (with Stokely) – Tag team match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship
Preview: Brodido has done an excellent job getting over with crowds in a very short period – without a ton of screen team or opportunity to develop full characters/chemistry as a team. They do seem to have a natural charisma together that the crowds eat up. This is in perfect contrast to a great, old-school heel tag team in FTR with their weasely, annoying mouthpiece manager in “Big Stoke”. Nothing FTR does is re-inventing the wheel but the simplicity of their act with Stoke gets monster heat with the crowds, by all accounts. While the angle at Blood & Guts with Ricky Steamboat may have overstayed its welcome – it did a good job in clearly defining the roles of both teams as they had into this championship tag match at Full Gear.
Prediction: FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) (with Stokely) defeats Brodido (Bandido & Brody King) to become the new AEW World Tag Team Champions
I always expect, at least, one title change on an AEW PPV and this will check the box. Copeland and Cage are still looming in the background – and I believe that Tony Khan has plans for a big blowoff to their long-established rivalry with FTR – perhaps as early as World’s End at the end of December. I believe that Khan will want the Tag Titles involved in the culmination of that feud. I think FTR wins at Full Gear at Copeland/Cage make their return after the match to beat down the unlikable duo along with Stoke.
Kenny Omega & Jurassic Express (“Jungle” Jack Perry & Luchasaurus) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) & Josh Alexander – The winners will receive a $1,000,000 cash prize
Preview: Omega has been feuding with Don Callis and the Callis Family for, seemingly, a few years now and Josh Alexander seems to be the Callis Family representative of the month doing Don’s bidding in this match. Don has also been recruiting the Young Bucks to join his family through several devious methods and “negotiated” this million-dollar match with Tony Khan to help get the brothers out of their debt and their funk since losing their EVP titles at All In: Texas after losing to Swerve and Ospreay. Jack Perry, since returning, has been at odds with the Bucks, who he deemed “abandoned him”, so he recruited his former tag partner Luchasuarus to reunite the Jurassic Express and team with Omega at Full Gear.
Prediction: Kenny Omega & Jurassic Express (“Jungle” Jack Perry & Luchasaurus) defeat The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) & Josh Alexander and win a $1,000,000 cash prize
I think that the main purpose of this match is the slow burn, babyface turn trajectory of the Bucks in re-joining their old friend, Kenny Omega. That can’t happen with Don Callis and family looming in the background – so – from a booking perspective – it is necessary for the heel team to lose this this match. Callis freaks out on the Bucks and blames them for the loss. The Bucks aren’t having any of it. The Family beats down the Bucks who are saved, post-match, by the face team that just defeated them and we are closer to a reunion.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Casino Gauntlet match – For the inaugural AEW National Championship
Preview: – Confirmed participants include: Lashley & Benjamin as the #1 and #2 entrants, respectively & “The Demand” (Ricochet & Bishop Khan & Toa Liona) & “JetSpeed” (“Speedball” Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight) (rest of the field TBA). I fully expect that this new, unrequested National Championship was created purely because Tony Khan loves pro wrestling history and Lashley likely wants more attention both backstage and onscreen they’re going to give him this trinket to placate him. It should be a fun match with several high-flyers and strong, base wrestlers already confirmed. There are usually a few surprises included in this match, as well, so that is something to keep an eye on.
Prediction: Lashley wins the Casino Gauntlet match and is crowned the inaugural AEW National Championship
The purpose of this match is to get a belt on Lashley so I feel very confident that will happen. I suppose that there is a small, outside chance that a debuting or returning wrestler might come from nowhere and use the new title as an immediate push – but that certainly surprise me.
Kyle Fletcher (c) (with Don Callis) vs. Mark Briscoe – No Disqualification match for the AEW TNT Championship (If Briscoe loses, he will be forced to join the Don Callis Family)
Preview: Fletcher and Briscoe have had many matches against one another during their tenures in AEW and, for the most part, it has been a very enjoyable series. The stipulation in this match intrigues me because I could see an unwilling Briscoe sabotaging the Callis Family from the inside dynamic being very entertaining. I must balance that with my displeasure at yet another Callis Family member being added (although I would have to imagine that this would be a very short-lived pairing).
Prediction: Kyle Fletcher (c) (w/Don Callis) defeats Mark Briscoe in a No Disqualification match for the AEW TNT Championship and Mark Briscoe must join the Don Callis Family
I’m very excited about the next month or two of the Briscoe/Callis Family segments, vignettes and, overall, weekly interactions. I think that it will be must-watch TV. As I mentioned in my preview, I think that the stipulation will be short-lived (most likely at World’s End) but I think that it will serve an ultimate purpose – perhaps causing some fractions in the Family before Briscoe’s eventual exit.
Darby Allin vs. Pac
Preview: The Darby/Death Riders feud has been raging for almost a year now and Darby has gone through the entire faction, in some capacity. The ultimate purpose to this feud, I believe, is to oust a flailing Mox from the Death Riders and insert PAC as the new leader of the faction. This match will serve that purpose, but I will get to that in my prediction. This match will certainly see some high-spots, violence, interference and, likely, blood as is custom with most Darby matches.
Prediction: Pac defeats Darby Allin
Pac must defeat Darby here (something that Mox has continually failed to do) to assert his dominance as new leader of the Death Riders. Darby can certainly take the loss and, I believe, that much like Kyle O’Reilly, the company feels a shake up is needed at the top of the card and they want to give Pac an opportunity to prove himself credible for that spot.
Babes of Wrath (Harley Cameron & Willow Nightingale) vs. Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart & Skye Blue) vs. Timeless Love Bombs (Mina Shirakawa & “Timeless” Toni Storm) vs. Marina Shafir & Megan Bayne – The winning team chooses the stipulation for their semifinal match in the inaugural AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship tournament
Preview: This seems like a thrown together match to check the box of multiple women’s matches on the PPV proper and the stipulation to name a future stipulation feels a bit weird, as well. That being said – I really like the mix of all four teams in this match and the coming semifinals to this women’s tag tournament feels very material and worthwhile. I feel as though Tony Khan intends to treat the Women’s tag titles as very Important in the AEW ecosystem which is more than I can say for all his titles.
Prediction: Marina Shafir & Megan Bayne defeats Babes of Wrath (Harley Cameron & Willow Nightingale) & Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart & Skye Blue) & Timeless Love Bombs (Mina Shirakawa & “Timeless” Toni Storm)
It generally makes more sense when a heel team gets to choose the stipulation for a future match, creating an unfair barrier for the face team to overcome. I think, of the heel teams, the badass, true fighting nature of both Shafir and Bayne make it likely that they will choose some sort of “No DQ” stipulation.
Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O’Reilly – No Holds Barred match
Preview: Moxley has been on an unprecedented slide since his loss to Hangman Page at All In last July. Probably the biggest of his career across all promotions. The story is that he is losing his edge and his grip as leader of the Death Riders and everyone, including his faction, is taking notice. KOR forced Mox to quit in the Blood & Guts match on the penultimate Dynamite to Full Gear. KOR was certainly an interesting pick to finish the match and many, including myself, believe that Tony Khan is considering giving KOR a rather large push in the second half of his career. I might be in the minority, but I believe that there is more juice to squeeze from the KOR act, as well.
Prediction: Kyle O’Reilly defeats Jon Moxley in a No Holds Barred match
It’s simple – KOR is on the way up and Mox is on the way down. I believe that this PPV is Mox’s last gasp as leader of the Death Riders and that KOR will get a World Title program (even if it’s only for a named TV event) in early 2026. Much like any Darby Allin match – this Mox match is sure to contain violence, blood and some gruesome spots.
PRE-SHOW: AEW Tailgate Brawl for Full Gear – Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max
Boom & Doom (“Big Boom!” A.J. & Q. T. Marshall) (with Big Justice) vs. RPG Vice (Rocky Romero & Trent Beretta)
Preview: The Costco Boys are back, and this match is purely to glom onto the TikTok clout that the group brings (not that it is necessarily a bad thing). This will be quick, fun and a feel good as I imagine that Big Justice will get involved in the comeback series to help his Dad to victory
Prediction: Boom & Doom (“Big Boom!” A.J. & Q. T. Marshall) (with Big Justice) defeats RPG Vice (Rocky Romero & Trent Beretta)
The Costco boys are there to live out their fantasy wrestling dreams and entertain their sizeable TikTok following in the process. Nothing much more to this match.
Max Caster & Anthony Bowens vs. Bang Bang Gang (Austin Gunn & Juice Robinson) vs. Big Bill & Bryan Keith vs. The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) – The winners will receive a $200,000 cash prize.
Preview: While not quite a $1 Million cash prize, $100,000/wrestler is nothing to sneeze at! I feel as though that this match’s purpose is to establish the next tag title contenders to either Brodido or FTR (in the interim).
Prediction: Max Caster & Anthony Bowens defeat Bang Bang Gang (Austin Gunn & Juice Robinson) vs. Big Bill & Bryan Keith vs. The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd and receive a $200,000 cash prize
While it hasn’t been great – the most compelling story amongst this teams is the awkward potential reunion of Caster and Bowens as “The Acclaimed”. I truly don’t know if this reunion is going to happen or if this is some vessel to an attempt at elevating this two as solo stars, once again, but perhaps we’ll learn more upon the conclusion of this match.
El Sky Team (Máscara Dorada & Místico & Neón) (c) vs. Don Callis Family (Kazuchika Okada & Konosuke Takeshita & Hechicero) – CMLL World Trios Championship
Preview: This match is purely a vehicle to further the tension between Okada and Takeshita. This could arguably be AEW’s top story and feud heading into 2026 and it isn’t one they can afford to botch. I expect a great amount of granular attention to be paid to this build, and I think that they have done an excellent job earmarking every spot along the way to this point.
Prediction: El Sky Team (Máscara Dorada & Místico & Neón) (c) defeats Don Callis Family (Kazuchika Okada & Konosuke Takeshita & Hechicero) to retain the CMLL World Trios Championship
A loss is required for the Okada and Takeshita tension to continue. It’s as simple as that.
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