AEW Full Gear preview, predictions: Can Hangman Page finally dethrone Kenny Omega?
By Byron Smith
Lucha Brothers vs. FTR – AEW Tag Team Championship
This program came together very quickly last month but has been extremely effective. FTR steals the AAA tag titles as Andrade El Idolo’s mystery tag team. Both teams get involved with the messy Cody/Black/Idolo/Pac program and get combative through that.
Does this feel like maybe it should have been a no disqualification match or maybe a ladder match? Absolutely. Does that make the match less exciting? No.
FTR is a brilliant tag team, the Lucha Brothers are a brilliant tag team. The Lucha Brothers are fighting on behalf of the honor of Lucha Libre while FTR is riding the high of several recent victories.
Despite the Lucha Brothers becoming champions just two months ago, this is the championship most likely to switch hands at the event. The way FTR has been winning recently has not been dealt with via stipulation, and that makes the decision lean towards FTR. That does not seem like a very AEW decision, but it is the one consistent with the booking thus far.
Prediction: FTR def. Lucah Brothers
Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Tay Conti – AEW Women’s World Championship
Tay Conti and Britt Baker both deserve the “most improved wrestlers of 2021” award and have been central to AEW’s rebuild of their women’s division this year. They deserve better than the unfortunate circumstance this match was built under.
The TBS Championship Tournament was announced the same week as this match, causing this program to struggle to get off the ground from the start. From there, Conti and Baker have been background characters in the tournament matches, attempting to build their feud through their proxies.
However, that does not mean that this match will not deliver. Britt Baker’s rude and crushing character will force Conti down and keep her from gathering the momentum. Conti will eventually get loose and go off and get the fans rowdy. There also appears to be some tension between Rebel and Baker that may finally pay off during this match, marking the beginning of the end of Baker’s reign.
Baker’s reign is far from over, though, and this will be another win for the doctor. Hayter may or may not get involved, since she does have a pre-show match. However, Baker will find a way to squeeze out a win and start the build to Thunder Rosa.
Prediction: Britt Baker def. Tay Conti