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At AEW Full Gear, it happened. After two years of long-term storytelling, Hangman Page finally won the AEW World Championship. The world needed Millennial Cowboy as its champ, and All Elite Wrestling delivered.
Full Gear was another wonderful show in a strong 2021 for AEW. The loud Minneapolis crowd was rewarded with a plethora of truly memorable moments. We had a great opening match, a brutal Falls Count Anywhere, a surprising crowd reaction towards CM Punk, and a fan favorite finally winning the AEW World Championship. AEW is well-positioned for an exciting 2022.
As we still try to figure out why AEW uses ring apron spots so much, we should try to distract ourselves and present the list of the top five most surprising moments of AEW Full Gear 2021.
#5. Jungle Boy wins the Falls Count Anywhere Match at AEW Full Gear 2021
At AEW Full Gear, Adam Cole made his AEW pay-per-view debut. Cole and The Young Bucks have been dominating in trios matches in recent months. They were fighting Jungle Boy, who had lost a majority of his major matches in AEW.
Jungle Boy has been called one of the "Pillars" of AEW but was lacking a major pay-per-view victory. It seemed likely his losing streak would continue. That finally changed at AEW Full Gear.
The Falls Count Anywhere Match was a wild one. It was filled with believable near falls and creative moments. Seeing someone the size of Luchasaurus doing a Shooting Star Press off the ramp is impressive. Using thumbtacks on the knee pads? Unexpected. The ending was the most surprising moment of the match.
Christian Cage was going to hit a Conchairto on Matt Jackson but was stopped by Jungle Boy. Jungle Boy, truly out of character, wanted to do the vicious attack instead. He did and quickly picked up the pinfall. Jungle Boy was in desperate need of a huge victory. It was a surprise that it happened against The Elite on Saturday night.
#4. Tay Conti impresses at AEW Full Gear 2021
At AEW Full Gear, Tay Conti got a huge opportunity. The 26-year-old has quickly built an impressive resume. This allowed her to become the number one contender for the AEW Women’s Championship. It was her first pay-per-view singles match. Could Tay Conti deliver on the big stage at Full Gear?
It seems Conti was ready on Saturday night. She hit a lot of big moves on Baker. She had a lot of believable near-falls. She even showed a lot of athleticism. It seemed fitting that the match would end with a quick cradle pin for Baker. Conti looked good in defeat, and the AEW Women’s Division seems to have been building a lot in late 2021. The AEW Women’s Division seems well-positioned for its best year yet. After Full Gear, Tay Conti will be part of the story going forward.
#3. CM Punk was booed at AEW Full Gear 2021
At AEW Full Gear, CM Punk fought a brutal singles match against Eddie Kingston. It's impressive how quickly this feud became so personal after they traded insults at Rampage just a few weeks ago. Could they live up to that hype at Full Gear? The answer was a resounding yes with a surprising twist as well.
The match was a physical brawl. They had a clear exchange of stiff punches and kicks. They had a lot of foul language and middle fingers directed at each other. Eddie Kingston was cheered, and CM Punk was booed. Did anyone expect Punk to be booed within three months of his return? It was a shocking moment, to say the least.
CM Punk was able to hit the GTS and pick up the victory. Will there be a rematch? Will CM Punk addresses the boos he heard at Full Gear? It seems clear this feud isn’t over.
#2. Jay Lethal Debuts at AEW Full Gear 2021
The Forbidden Door opened a lot wider at AEW Full Gear in Minneapolis.
Jay Lethal, a 20-year veteran, officially joined AEW before the main event. Lethal has proved himself to be one of the best in-ring talents throughout his long and storied career.
Lethal immediately challenged Sammy Guevara for the TNT Championship. That will be a huge debut match for Jay Lethal on AEW Dynamite. Can the 36-year-old Lethal defeat the 28-year-old Guevara? It's hard to say for sure, but we know that both will bring their high flying best on Wednesday night.
Jay Lethal will bring a much-needed veteran presence to AEW going forward. Fans will only benefit from more talent joining the company. It will be exciting to watch AEW grow in the months to come.
#1. The Young Bucks don’t interfere as Hangman Page wins the AEW World Championship at Full Gear 2021
At AEW Full Gear, it was finally time. Hangman Page went through two years of close calls and disappointments. Could he finally overcome his former friend Kenny Omega? The AEW World Championship main event was delivered to wrap up a wonderful AEW Full Gear.
The twenty-five-minute match was filled with memorable moments. Kenny Omega and Don Callis tried to cheat their way to victory. Page was able to overcome distractions and resist the temptation to try and win the match by underhanded means. The ending, however, had one more surprise involving The Young Bucks.
The Young Bucks could have changed the outcome of the match. Both Matt and Nick Jackson could have cost Page his victory. But both of them decided to let the match play out to a clean outcome. After two Buckshot Lariats, Hangman Page finally won the AEW World title. It was a special and well-deserved moment.
What will be the impact of The Young Bucks’ decision? Is there trouble in The Elite? Who will be Hangman Page’s huge next feud? All Elite Wrestling has set itself up for an exciting next few months with lots of great storyline possibilities.
