Four Questions For Full Gear

AEW Dynamite delivered its go-home episode ahead of Full Gear, which takes place on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. As the final stop before one of AEW’s biggest pay-per-views of the year, the show set the tone of what may unfold on Saturday night.

It was a jam-packed show, with not just Dynamite but Collision airing across this three-hour broadcast. From Adam Page in action to a unification match for the Ring of Honor Women’s Television Championship, the night featured nine matches in total, giving fans plenty to enjoy before Full Gear.

With so much happening, this episode also left a few key questions heading into the pay-per-view:

Is AEW Setting Up A Full-Circle Reunion For The Elite?

It feels like we’re nearing the end of the Young Bucks’ slow-burn babyface turn. From callbacks to their old entrances to this week’s AEW Dynamite highlighting their conflicted reaction to Don Callis threatening Kenny Omega, all signs point toward an imminent turn.

It also doesn’t feel like they’re heading toward joining Callis’ already bloated family. Instead, the story seems designed to continue building sympathy before they possibly realign with Omega to reform The Elite, with Adam Page potentially rejoining as well. It would position all four as faces and deliver the kind of nostalgia jolt AEW has leaned into lately, much like the reformation of Jurassic Express.

Matt and Nick Jackson now head into a Million Dollar Trios match at Full Gear alongside Josh Alexander against Jack Perry, Luchasaurus, and Omega. That match should reveal whether The Elite’s reunion is truly in motion, and if it is, it could deliver one of the pay-per-view’s biggest feel-good moments.

Does Ricochet’s Loss Signal A Misdirection?

AEW set up an interesting opening to the Casino Gauntlet match for the National Championship by having Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin go head-to-head. It isn’t a matchup the audience has been primed for or one built on simmering tension, but for a few minutes, it did put two of the best-presented members of a fun group against each other.

What made the setup more curious was how Lashley even got there: he essentially squashed Ricochet. The leader of The Demand has been a loud, mouthy heel doing some of the best work of his career over the last six months, yet he still hasn’t been fully separated from the Hurt Syndicate. Taking such a quick loss feels off.

Could this simply be misdirection to throw fans off the scent and set up a Ricochet win for the National Championship? With Adam Page and Kris Statlander as the most logical candidates to retain their titles, there’s certainly room for a heel to walk out of Full Gear with gold.

Is Full Gear Jon Moxley’s Swan Song With The Death Riders?

Another potential turn brewing is the Death Riders turning on Jon Moxley, who has increasingly looked like a liability over the last few months by tapping out in multiple marquee matches, including Blood & Guts. Maybe that’s not ultimately the story AEW is telling, but the booking is undeniably painting the leader of this heel stable as the weak link.

It happened again on Dynamite: once Kyle O’Reilly got into the ring, he forced Moxley to submit in quick fashion. Moxley crumbling under duress has become a pattern — a far cry from the bulletproof aura his character carried for the better part of two years. If he loses again at Full Gear to O’Reilly, things get even more interesting.

Could that be the final straw? There hadn’t been much overt tension teased until Claudio Castagnoli looked visibly annoyed when Moxley stole the win from him over Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong. Meanwhile, Pac is getting a top spot facing Darby Allin at Full Gear and has quietly looked like the strongest member of the group over the last month. The rest of the Death Riders have been booked fairly strong too.

Moxley’s time with the faction could end on Saturday, suddenly and out of nowhere, much like Bryan Danielson’s departure. AEW has been laying breadcrumbs, and it feels like the moment is getting close.

Will Mercedes Moné Capture the One Title That’s Eluded Her?

A classic wrestling trope is giving the person who’s set to lose at a pay-per-view a win on the go-home show. It’s essentially 50/50 booking, but it does help give the eventual loser some momentum before taking the fall.

Is that what’s happening with Mercedes Moné heading into Full Gear? She just had a terrific match with Red Velvet for the Unified ROH Honor Women’s Television Championship, added yet another title to her résumé, and now enters Full Gear with real momentum… which traditionally would signal that she’s due to fall to Kris Statlander, right?

The complication is that Moné has already stumbled once in her pursuit of the AEW Women’s World Championship. With her ongoing mission to claim every title she touches, it feels inevitable that she’ll eventually win the “big one.” But is that supposed to happen on Saturday?

At the same time, it feels too early for Statlander to drop the championship. Not every reign has to be long, but considering how long it took Galaxy’s Favorite Alien to reach the mountaintop, dethroning her now feels premature. There’s also a compelling story in Moné not being able to win this one specific title, a setback that wouldn’t hurt her standing but would further elevate Statlander in the process.