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With the highly anticipated event this Saturday, AEW Full Gear 2020 has to be considered a stacked lineup from top to bottom. After a polarizing All Out pay-per-view in September, AEW has crafted a card for their November mega-show that rivals any card that the company has produced in its first two years of existence. From huge title matches to deeply personal rivalries, this event has it all.
Last year's AEW Full Gear event was considered a strongly built show on the back of a double main event that produced strong television in the lead-up. Chris Jericho against Cody for the AEW World Championship and Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega in a Lights Out Match both delivered on their stellar buildups and made the 2019 show a hit. With that legacy established, the 2020 edition looks to exceed those expectations.
Fans have seen friends turned foes, long-built feuds finally come to the forefront and intriguing stories take shape on the road to this Saturday. Here, we rank the buildup to every match on the AEW Full Gear 2020 card.
AEW Full Gear 2020 Buy In: Serena Deeb vs. Allysin Kay for the NWA Women's World Championship
Only being announced on Wednesday by AEW President Tony Khan, the most recent addition to the AEW Full Gear 2020 show will be a NWA Women's World Championship match. Following her victory to win the title from Thunder Rosa on UWN Primetime Live, Serena Deeb will make her second title defense, against former NWA Women's World Champion Allysin Kay.
Deeb is one of the newest signings to AEW and has delivered some good encounters on Dynamite against Rosa and Leyla Hirsch over the past few months. On the other hand, Kay will be making her AEW debut following publicly announcing her free agency after leaving NWA earlier this week. The platform of the AEW Full Gear 2020 Buy In pre-show gives both ladies a huge opportunity.
There is no question that this match will be a solid affair between two of the most skilled and experienced women in professional wrestling today. The lack of buildup on Dynamite with this contest just being added is the only reason why this ranks lowest among the AEW Full Gear 2020 lineup.
AEW Full Gear 2020: Orange Cassidy vs. John Silver
Before the previously announced encounter, the AEW Full Gear 2020 Buy In match was scheduled to be Orange Cassidy versus John Silver of The Dark Order. This contest was made after Silver interfered in the TNT Championship Lumberjack Match between Cassidy and Cody. The Dark Order member came in and hit a pump kick on Orange, which cost him the title match.
This is a huge opportunity for Silver who has been somewhat of a hidden gem in the revitalization of The Dark Order that has transpired over the past few months. Whether it be on Dynamite or his hilarious segments on Being The Elite, John Silver has been the unsung MVP of anything he has been involved in. Pairing him with the aloof Orange Cassidy character at AEW Full Gear 2020 presents a very interesting bout.
These two should give us a nice mixture of humor and engaging wrestling in the ring. It should also present another chance for Silver to stand out on the biggest stage yet in his career at AEW Full Gear 2020.
AEW Full Gear 2020: Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose for the AEW Women's World Championship
Back at AEW Double Or Nothing 2020, Hikaru Shida became the AEW Women's World Champion by defeating Nyla Rose in an awesome No Disqualification, No Count-Out match. These two women outperformed a number of matches on that night and set the bar high for their upcoming rematch at AEW Full Gear 2020.
However, the buildup to this encounter has left a lot to desire. The much-maligned AEW women's division has lacked the in-ring and storytelling time of every other division regularly on Dynamite. This AEW women's title defense at Full Gear was only made official two weeks ago in an under-a-minute backstage promo from the champion.
Shida has been a consistent worker as champion, but she has been devoid of any storylines surrounding her defenses. On the other hand, Nyla Rose was placed with Vickie Guerrero as her manager, but was left off TV for months. This lack of attention has made this a cold AEW Women's World Championship match. Hopefully, the two ladies will outperform their booking heading into Full Gear 2020.
AEW Full Gear 2020: Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara in an Elite Deletion Match
At AEW's last pay-per-view All Out 2020, the show came to a screeching halt after the concussion suffered by Matt Hardy in his Broken Rules Match against Sammy Guevara. The company was heavily criticized for allowing Hardy to continue performing after his fall from an elevated scaffold with his head hitting the concrete. At AEW Full Gear 2020, Hardy and Guevara look to have a do-over in a safer, cinematic environment.
Broken Matt Hardy was a revelation in IMPACT Wrestling and created a buzz around that promotion with his Final Deletion showcase against his brother Jeff at the Hardy compound. Matt returns to the compound here at AEW Full Gear 2020 in a battle titled "The Elite Deletion" to finally settle the score with Sammy Guevara.
Following Matt Hardy taking time off, he was attacked backstage ahead of a match between his friends Private Party and the team of Chris Jericho and Jake Hager of The Inner Circle. Although it seemed Jericho was behind the attack, it was later revealed that Guevara was the one responsible, which set the stage for one final showdown.
After multiple incidents including Matt being split open with an errant chair shot, fans have to be hoping this will finally put a bow on this longstanding rivalry. This feeling of apathy towards the feud is the reason why it ranks so low among the buildups for AEW Full Gear 2020. With this new setting and the history of creativity at the Hardy compound, the Elite Deletion will be a fun finale to the rivalry.
AEW Full Gear 2020: Cody vs. Darby Allin for the AEW TNT Championship
Since his AEW debut, Darby Allin has been one of the fastest rising stars in the promotion. His rise began with a captivating 20-minute time limit draw against Cody at AEW Fyter Fest 2019 last year. The two men have battled twice since then with Cody narrowly pulling out the victory on both occasions. At AEW Full Gear 2020, they meet again with the TNT Championship on the line.
Although the history between Cody and Darby is rich and certainly delivered entertaining bouts, they have not been in opposition to one another during the buildup to AEW Full Gear 2020. Darby Allin has been feuding with Brian Cage and Ricky Starks of Team Taz for months, while Cody has been busy in a bitter war with Brodie Lee and title defenses against Orange Cassidy.
This limited interaction keeps this buildup in the middle of the pack among the lineup for AEW Full Gear 2020. However based on their previous meetings, fans can look forward to an engrossing battle that will either see Darby fall short again or finally get the big win that has been built to over the past year.
AEW Full Gear 2020: FTR vs. Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championships (if the Bucks lose, they will never compete for the titles again)
The AEW Tag Team Championship match at AEW Full Gear 2020 is one of the most anticipated tag team contests in professional wrestling over the past four years. FTR and the Young Bucks have long been talked about being among the best tag teams of their generation. After FTR's rise through the ranks of WWE NXT and Young Bucks conquering ROH and NJPW, these two teams have been looked at as the perfect combatants for one another.
However, a simple storyline of "who is the best" has been convoluted over several weeks due to a botched heel turn of sorts ahead of Full Gear. Following FTR manipulating Hangman Page to cost the Young Bucks the No. 1 contendership before All Out 2020, Matt and Nick Jackson went on a spree of Superkick attacks on innocent bystanders, such as referees and Tony Schiavone.
Instead of The Young Bucks seeming like frustrated babyfaces showing an edge, they took things too far and came off as heels picking on those weaker than them. This has damaged what should have been a superb buildup to AEW Full Gear 2020. It was further hurt with a confusing tumbler-chosen No. 1 contenders Fatal Four Way that the Bucks won to qualify for this championship contest.
The last chance stipulation has not benefitted this build as much as it should have either. One year after Cody made a similar proclamation, The Young Bucks have said they will never go after the AEW tag team titles if they lose at AEW Full Gear 2020. With all these things wrong, though, these four men should put on an excellent bout that exceeds what has been a lackluster lead up to their first-time matchup.
AEW Full Gear 2020: Chris Jericho vs. MJF (if MJF wins, he joins the Inner Circle)
Coming off a loss in the main event AEW World Title Match at All Out 2020, MJF made it clear that he needed to join a stable to get ahead in AEW. After interactions with Chris Jericho, MJF let it be known that he had contemplated joining his Inner Circle faction. Over the weeks ahead of AEW Full Gear 2020, the exchanges have gotten more outrageous, yet also inventive and creative.
MJF and Chris Jericho have had the heavily-praised and criticized Le Dinner Debonair and a Town Hall Meeting before deciding that the two men would meet at AEW Full Gear 2020 with MJF joining Le Champion's group if he wins. This encounter of two of the biggest heels in the promotion will deliver a fascinating contrast from any other contest on the night.
MJF has made it clear that he will do anything to gain the victory and join The Inner Circle. On the other hand, Jericho has questioned if MJF has a killer instinct to fit in with his mischievous band of rotten individuals. Whichever outcome we get at AEW Full Gear 2020 will have an immense impact on The Inner Circle and the company as a whole.
AEW Full Gear 2020: Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston in an I Quit Match for the AEW World Championship
When it comes to deeply personal and intense rivalries, nothing comes close to the buildup for the AEW World Championship I Quit Match at Full Gear 2020. Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston are two of the greatest talkers in the wrestling business today and have delivered a masterclass in promoting a money title fight over the past four weeks.
The two men battled in an impromptu AEW world title contest on the September 23rd Dynamite after Lance Archer was pulled from the episode, in which Moxley was victorious due to referee stoppage. Following the champion's successful defense over Archer on the One Year Anniversary edition of Dynamite, Eddie Kingston attacked and laid out Moxley, proclaiming that he never quit.
Over the weeks since, Moxley and Kingston have crafted a story of two friends who have turned foes over different philosophies and a desire to be champion ahead of AEW Full Gear 2020. Kingston has expressed bitterness over Jon leaving the independent scene behind and becoming a star in WWE, while Moxley has said he is disgusted by Eddie's jealousy and who he has become due to it.
Both men capped off this marvelous buildup on the go-home to Full Gear on Dynamite with a fantastic face-to-face confrontation. The intensity shared between Moxley and Kingston was palpable, real and tremendous. Fans have been treated to enthralling promo work from both and gifted with one of the best built AEW World Championship matches in the company's short history.
This entire feud has given Moxley another surprise smash hit of a feud in his run and elevated Kingston to a bona fide main eventer on the biggest stage of his 18-year career. Their I Quit Match will be a surefire highlight of this card. Although this buildup to Full Gear has been nothing short of amazing, there has been one feud built for longer and provided us with just as great of a lead-up.
AEW Full Gear 2020: Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Page in the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament Finals
For the entire duration of 2020, the team of Hangman Page and Kenny Omega have been at the center of the most well-layered storyline in professional wrestling. From unlikely partners to the longest-reigning AEW Tag Team Champions in company history, these two men delivered Match of the Year candidates and memorable moments all year. At AEW Full Gear 2020, this all comes to a head when Omega and Page meet in the AEW World Title Eliminator Finals.
The AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament saw Hangman going through Colt Cabana and Wardlow in hard-fought contests on his way to the finals. On the other hand, Omega met replacement opponents in Sonny Kiss and Penta El Zero M. Over the course of the tournament ahead of Full Gear, Kenny has shown a change of attitude, seeming more like his overconfident Cleaner persona.
Following their loss of the AEW Tag Team Championship to FTR at All Out 2020, Hangman wanted to continue their partnership, while Omega decided that it was time to go off on his own. Their mentality heading into Full Gear 2020 has matched this with Omega undermining Page and feeling cocky that he will obviously win, while Hangman has seemed nervous to face his former partner.
This Saturday, fans will either witness Page redeem himself for losing the first AEW World title match against Chris Jericho back at All Out 2019 or Kenny Omega finally reach his main event potential to get his first World Championship shot. There is little doubt that Hangman and Omega will give us a terrific encounter to pay off this splendid buildup. After a year of impressive storytelling, this is the best buildup of any match on the AEW Full Gear 2020 card.
