Tossing Salt Presents:
AEW Full Gear 2023 PPV
Thoughts & Predictions
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

Tomorrow night in Los Angeles, live on PPV, it’s AEW Full Gear, and you know what that means. It’s prediction time. Let’s roll.

AEW Champion MJF vs. Jay White.

So the champion, MJF, is wrestling twice in this PPV event? Talking about overexposure. I’m sure that in the first match, a handicap match against the Ass Boys, aka The Gunns, he’ll find an ally and do okay in the defense of the ROH Tag Team Championship titles. But then, at the end of the night, he’s got Jay White and this is where he may encounter some problems. I smell a roll of quarters, some Bullet Club interference, and a title change.

Winner and NEW AEW World Champion: Jay White

AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida vs. Toni Storm.

Toni Storm might be timeless, but she’s not unbeatable. Shida is keeping that title belt around her waist.

Winner and STILL AEW Women’s Champion: Hikaru Shida

Sting & Darby Allin & Adam Copeland vs. Christian Cage & Luchasaurus & Nick Wayne.

Is it too soon for Adam Copeland to turn on Sting and rejoin his best friend as one of the greatest tag teams of all time? Yeah, it’s probably too soon. Luckily, we have Nick Wayne there to take the fall.

Winners: Adam Copeland, Darby Allin & Sting.

AEW Tag Team Champions Ricky Starks and Big Bill vs. Brody King and Malakai Black vs. FTR vs. Rush and Dralistico.

So do the champs retain, do the former champs get their titles back, or does the House of Black finally get their just dues? This match will be an absolute cluster of a match, but at least there’s some intrigue. I would love to see FTR get those titles back and cement their legacy as the best team currently in AEW, but I don’t think it will happen. I keep hearing rumors of Enzo Amore so maybe that’s Tony Khan’s big surprise? No, I don’t think so and Starks/Big Bill don’t need him. I think the champions will retain.

Note: As part of AEW Rampage, this match has been changed to a Ladder Match instead of just the regular Fatal-4way Match. It doesn’t change my prediction though, as I still think the champions will retain.

Winners and STILL AEW Tag Team Champions: Ricky Starks & Big Bill.

AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy vs. Jon Moxley.

This is probably best biggest match on the card with the most questions. Will Orange finally embrace a full heel turn? How long will it take for Moxley to get busted open? I’m thinking about two minutes. And who will walk out with the much-valued International Championship? I’m torn on this one because I’m honestly not crazy about either of them wearing gold at this point. But that being said, I’m wearing an orange shirt, so Orange Cassidy it is.

Winner and STILL AEW International Champion: Orange Cassidy

ROH Tag Team Champion MJF vs. The Gunns.

So does MJF have a partner? Will Adam be there? I think there is a 300lb Samoan who will step up and lend aid to Maxwell so I don’t think the ROH Tag Team Titles are in jeopardy yet. Max will still have gold when he leaves the arena tomorrow night. I don’t think he’ll be keeping all of his gold, but those tag team belts are safe.

Winner and STILL ROH Tag Team Champion: MJF

Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland.-Texas Death Match.

Shouldn’t it be an LA Street Fight? They’re not in Texas. Page used to be a big name for AEW, but honestly, now, he’s just kind of there. Maybe if he listened to the veterans sometimes? Oh well, this should be a decent match. And Swerve is the new flavor in town. The new kid wins.

Winner: Swerve Strickland.

Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho vs. The Young Bucks – If the Bucks win, Omega and Jericho split as a team. If the Bucks lose, Omega and Jericho gain their AEW Tag Team title shot.

If the Bucks win, it’s business as usual and AEW is throwing a lot of money away with the Jericho/Kenny partnership. If Kenny/Jericho wins, we tease tension within The Elite, sell a lot of merchandise and t-shirts, and shake the entire tag team division up for a bit. I prefer the latter.

Winners: Kenny Omega & Chris Jericho.

AEW TBS Champion Kris Statlander vs. Skye Blue vs. Julia Hart.

I like Kris and I think she’s an excellent choice to represent AEW as their TBS Champion, so of course, that ensures that she’s going to lose that title. I’m not feeling Skye Blue and Julia Hart is getting a decent push right now. I think Julia will be walking away with the gold.

Winner and NEW AEW TBS Champion: Julia Hart.

Buddy Matthews versus Claudio Castagnoli

Added to Full Gear via AEW Collision, it’s two of the most underrated and talented guys on the AEW Roster as the man formerly known as Cesaro, Claudio Castagnoli, takes on the real-life romantic partner of Mami, the one and only Buddy Matthews. Forget anything that I said earlier. This will probably be the best match of the night and is one that I would truly love to see in person. Buddy, surprisingly, got a clean win over Wheeler Yuta as part of AEW Collision and that brought him to Claudio’s attention. I’d love to see this as the beginning of a strong push for Matthews. He deserves it and Mami would be so proud. But that being said, Claudio recently lost the ROH Championship to Eddie Kingston, so can he afford to take another loss this soon? I think he can. Let’s make Mami happy. Matthews wins.

Winner: Buddy Matthews

And there you go with my predictions for AEW Full Gear, tomorrow night live on PPV. So what do you think? Am I right? Am I wrong? Let me know, along with your predictions, thoughts, comments, and any questions. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe. Remember, I do all of this for you.

And with that, let’s wrap things up. Take care and be well, my friends. Stay good and watch out for foreign objects. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!