10 Best Matches From The Short History Of AEW Full Gear

7. Young Bucks vs. Santana & Ortiz – Full Gear 2019

The Young Bucks sure know how to open a pay-per-view. A brilliantly fun match between the Super(kick) Troopers and Santana and Ortiz got Full Gear 2019 started on a very good note.

A fairly straightforward tag match, both teams put on a series of fun spots while telling a simple but effective story.

Add in the Rock n’ Roll Express watching from ringside and getting involved after the match and this was a party in a ring.

This was during the time when the Young Bucks were determined to do the job for everyone else which feels as odd now as it did then.

Regardless, this was a strong first pay-per-view match for Santana and Ortiz who haven’t gotten many wins on pay-per-view since.

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6. Darby Allin vs. Cody Rhodes – Full Gear 2020

Darby Allin’s quest to defeat Cody Rhodes remains one of AEW’s most effective storylines, getting a young talent over with the help of an established star.

After failing to beat Cody in three straight singles matches, Darby finally challenged him for the TNT Championship at Full Gear 2020.

Cody told Darby that he wasn’t the guy TNT wanted to represent them and Darby was determined to prove him wrong. In short, he did.

Full Gear 2020 was a great card highlighted by completely distinct matches. This was a perfect example of this, as Cody and Darby worked an old-school match with Cody playing the veteran who finally falls to the young upstart.

The two saved their best match together for last with one of Full Gear 2020’s best.

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5. Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston – Full Gear 2020

When 2020 started if you said Eddie Kingston would be main eventing a major pay-per-view by year’s end you would have gotten many funny looks.

However, truth is indeed stranger than fiction as Kingston challenged Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship in an I Quit match at Full Gear 2020.

The build for this match made Kingston a made man. His promos were otherworldly and many wondered how this match could possibly end.

Would Kingston actually quit? Would there be a shmoz with no winner? No. In the end, Moxley locked in the bulldog choke with barbed wire wrapped around his arm and forced Kingston to submit.

A fantastic battle and something completely different from everything else on the card once again.

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4. Hangman Page vs. PAC – Full Gear 2019

Hangman Page had a very turbulent 2019 but someone who was always there to tear him down was PAC.

After failing to capture the AEW World Championship at All Out, Page turned his attention to the man he was supposed to face at Double or Nothing, PAC.

Now competing in AEW full time, PAC had proven himself more than capable, beating Kenny Omega clean at All Out.

At Full Gear 2019, the two clashed in a wonderful clash of styles. PAC is one of the most dynamic performers in wrestling with his explosive moves and no wasted motion.

This mixes well with just about anyone but especially with Page whose old-school babyface tendencies made him a perfect opponent for the angry PAC.

This win was a bright spot for Page at the time, something he wouldn’t have many of for a while.

• Young Bucks
• ftr
• Full Gear
• AEW

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