Here’s an updated look back at Full Gear 2021 from Minneapolis. Curious how we rank matches? We’ve got a rubric for that.

MJF def. Darby Allen: ★★★★ 1/4
Lucha Bros def. FTR to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championship: ★★★
Bryan Danielson def. Miro: ★★★
Christian Cage and Jurassic Express def. SuperKliq: ★★★
PAC and Cody def. Andrade El Idolo and Malaki Black: ★★
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. def. Tay Conti to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship: ★★★
CM Punk def. Eddie Kingston: ★★★★ 1/4
Inner Circle def. Men of the Year and American Top Team: ★
Hangman Adam Page def. Kenny Omega: ★★★★1/2

Show Highlight—

Hangman wins the AEW title. We’ll see how AEW retells their own history in the years to come, and what they’ll deem the beginning and end of eras, but one could argue this was the culmination of the first phase of the promotion, the storyline they’ve been building to since its inception, the redemption of the anxious millennial cowboy. Hangman getting the nod from the Bucks and turning down the beer from the Dark Order were perfect touches to wrap up the first act of his career, and the act of AEW.

What Worked—

MJF/Darby. Depending on your vantage point, this was arguably the match of the night. MJF’s goal was to pin Darby with a side-headlock takeover, and of course he did by using the Dynamite diamond ring. The high spot of the match, and arguably the most memorable spot of the night, was when MJF hurt his knee after a sick-as-fuck powerbomb of Darby onto MJF’s own knee.
Jungle Boy’s chairshot. Oh, back then, we thought we were the only ones who said after hitting the chairshot, Jungle Boy transitioned to Jungle Man. Didn’t exactly turn into a transformation for Jack Perry as expected. But at least another pillar was featured as the future.
Eddie Kingston’s backfirst. The match itself was great and Punk’s first undisputed classic since his return, but this was a shocking start that you felt as the viewer, Kingston had been waiting for for a decade plus. Eddie Kingston sold it brilliantly and cackled to the sky in delight of humiliating Punk.

What Didn’t Work—

Minneapolis Street Fight. This felt incredibly redundant after the SuperKliq hardcore match and the Dan Lambert experience, as he has since admitted, had run its course a long time ago.

Show Cringe—

Cody and PAC vs. Andrade and Black. What a miss-match and misuse of Andrade and Black when they had the most momentum and potential they arguably ever had. The Cody-verse swallowed everything nearing its orbit and this was a monolith of awkward with the crowd rejecting everything he did and he was too cute in trying to have it both ways.

AEW Full Gear 2021 Match Ratings and Commentary

AEW Full Gear 2022 Match Ratings and Commentary