Full Gear 2023: Swerve-Hangman Steals a Violent Show from an Overbooked Main Event

Eddie Kingston retained the ROH World Championship by pinning Jay Lethal after a spinning backfist in the Zero Hour opener. Lethal tried to capitalize on Jeff Jarrett's guitar while Karen Jarrett distracted the referee, but Ortiz intercepted the instrument and struck Sonjay Dutt with it. Kingston had countered Lethal's attempted Lethal Injection twice before landing the decisive shot. C (6.3) credits Kingston's resilience amid an unusually busy ringside cast; Ortiz was an intervening ally, not a legal participant, and the ROH title did not change hands.

Claudio Castagnoli defeated Buddy Matthews by submission when he trapped the House of Black wrestler in the Sharpshooter after a Ricola Bomb. Matthews opened with aggressive knee strikes and hammer-and-anvil elbows, but Claudio answered with a European uppercut on the floor and caught a Meteora attempt into the Giant Swing. Claudio also converted a deadlift into a cutter before powering Matthews up for the Ricola Bomb and applying the finishing hold. B- (7.2) captures a compact contrast of strength and striking without mislabeling the final tapout as a pinfall or adding a championship that was never at stake.

Samoa Joe forced Colten Gunn to submit to defend the ROH World Tag Team Championship alongside MJF, filling in for the injured Adam Cole. The Gunns had isolated MJF with frequent tags and nearly pinned Joe after a 3:10 to Yuma, but MJF broke up the cover. Cole's arrival on crutches distracted the challengers long enough for Joe to trap Colten in the finishing hold. C+ (6.6) captures the temporary alliance and precise deciding submission; Cole did not compete, and Joe's later world-title opportunity followed from helping MJF retain these separate tag belts.

Adam Copeland pinned Luchasaurus after a spear, a Darby Allin Coffin Drop and the team's comeback, completing the six-man victory with Sting over Christian Cage's Patriarchy. Christian had isolated Allin, attacked Copeland outside the ring and tried to strike him with the TNT belt, but missed and accidentally hit Luchasaurus. Christian abandoned Nick Wayne and Luchasaurus, leaving Sting and Copeland to hit a tandem Scorpion Death Drop before the final combination. B- (7.4) credits a decisive fall against Luchasaurus rather than suggesting Copeland pinned the departing Christian or that Christian's TNT title was defended.

Orange Cassidy retained the AEW International Championship by pinning Jon Moxley after six Orange Punches and the Beach Break. Moxley had punished the champion with a piledriver, bulldog choke and hard strikes, while Cassidy countered the Death Rider with a Stun Dog Millionaire and repeatedly dived into Moxley at ringside. Cassidy sent Moxley into an exposed turnbuckle before his finishing attacks. B+ (8.4) recognizes an escalating championship defense with a clear pinfall; HOOK and Wheeler Yuta accompanied the opponents but never became legal partners.

Toni Storm defeated Hikaru Shida to win the AEW Women's World Championship after hiding a metal tray in her attire and striking Shida with a hip attack. Luther had handed Storm two shoes, allowing the referee to confiscate one while she concealed another and struck Shida as the official turned away. Shida survived, connected with a Falcon Arrow and attacked Luther with a kendo stick, but Storm recovered to secure the fall. B (7.8) acknowledges the character-driven interference and genuine championship change; Mariah May's flower presentation followed the bell.

Ricky Starks and Big Bill retained the AEW World Tag Team Championship when Starks pulled down the suspended belts in a four-team ladder match. FTR, Rush and Dralístico, and Kings of the Black Throne repeatedly broke up climbs, with Cash Wheeler diving onto Brody King across a ladder and Black striking Dax Harwood with Black Mass near the end. Starks battled Rush high above the ring, then regained control while the other teams were incapacitated and pulled down the titles. B+ (8.0) credits the escalating ladder exchanges and the deciding grab of the belts rather than inventing a pinfall or title switch.

Julia Hart won the AEW TBS Championship by pinning Skye Blue after Kris Statlander had already landed Saturday Night Fever on Blue. Statlander went for the cover, but Hart pulled the champion away and covered Blue herself. Earlier, Blue had nearly beaten Statlander with Code Blue, while Hart tried to submit Blue with Heartless until Statlander broke the hold with a German suplex. B- (7.1) credits the opportunistic title change in a true three-way and identifies Blue as the wrestler pinned, not Statlander.

Swerve Strickland defeated Hangman Adam Page in their Texas Death match after choking Page with a chain stretched around a ring post. Page could not answer the referee's ten-count, giving Strickland a knockout victory rather than a normal pinfall. The two had battled through weapons, tables and repeated escapes; Page also took out Prince Nana when the manager tried to help Swerve. The ending came when Strickland tightened the chain and Page collapsed outside the ring. A+ (9.9) credits the emotionally charged rivalry and exact ten-count finish, not a championship change.

Kenny Omega pinned Matt Jackson with the One Winged Angel to win with Chris Jericho as the Golden Jets against the Young Bucks. Nick Jackson had struck Jericho's injured arm repeatedly, and the Bucks landed a BTE Trigger for a near fall after both teams exchanged finisher counters. Omega survived a One Winged Angel attempted by Matt on him, fought back with V-Triggers and finally delivered his own move to Matt for the decisive fall. B+ (8.2) captures a match carrying future AEW World Tag Team title-shot stakes, not an actual championship defense.

MJF retained the AEW World Championship by pinning Jay White after striking him with the Dynamite Diamond Ring while the referee was recovering. White had controlled the champion's injured leg for much of the match, and Adam Cole arrived on crutches ready to substitute before MJF drove an ambulance back to the arena and insisted on defending. The Gunns were ejected for interference, then MJF prevented White from using the ring and finished him after a low blow. B (7.5) credits the injured champion's last rally and actual deciding fall; Cole did not wrestle or win a different title.