AEW staged its penultimate pay-per-view of 2023 Saturday evening with Complete Equipment, headlined through international champion MJF protecting in opposition to “Switchblade” Jay White.
That blockbuster major match capped off a exhibit that noticed each and every main identify within the promotion at stake, the fruits of a number of distinguished feuds, and the divulge of a brand new signing:
Who signed at the dotted line, which championships modified palms and was once MJF ready to triumph over the entire fresh adversity he has encountered through maintaining his identify?
To find out with this recap of Complete Equipment, whole with grades and research for each and every of the evening’s suits.
Introduced prematurely of Saturday’s exhibit had been:
- AEW Global Championship: MJF (c) vs. Jay White
- Global Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jon Moxley
- AEW Tag Staff Championship Ladder Fit: FTR vs. Los angeles Facción Ingobernable vs. Kings of the Black Throne vs. Giant Invoice and Ricky Starks (c)
- AEW Ladies’s Global Championship: Hikaru Shida (c) vs. “Undying” Toni Hurricane
- TBS Championship: Kris Statlander (c) vs. Skye Blue vs. Julia Hart
- Texas Demise event: “Hangman” Adam Web page vs. Swerve Strickland
- Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho vs. The Younger Dollars
- Adam Copeland, Darby Allin and Sting vs. Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Nick Wayne
- Ring of Honor Global Championship: Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Jay Deadly (0 Hour)
- Ring of Honor Global Tag Staff Championship: MJF and Samoa Joe (c) vs. The Gunns (0 Hour)
- Claudio Castagnoli vs. Good friend Murphy (0 Hour)
Eddie Kingston defended the Ring of Honor Global Championship in opposition to Jay Deadly to kick off the night’s 0 Hour pre-show.
With Stokeley Hathaway gazing from the statement place, Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh, Karen Jarrett, and Sonjay Dutt all made their presence felt at ringside, and not using a repercussions.
Deadly managed the tempo and ruled the motion, however the gritty Kingston by no means gave up, preventing his long ago into the bout. Simply because it appeared as regardless that Jeff Jarrett’s trademark guitar would play an element into the ultimate moments of the competition, Ortiz gave the impression and blasted Dutt with it.
The distraction allowed Kingston to rock Deadly with a again fist and ranking the a success identify protection.
It was once a just right sufficient event to begin the exhibit, with an excessive amount of consideration paid to these at ringside, Hathaway’s intensifying vendetta in opposition to the champion on statement, and Ortiz reuniting along with his buddy following the conflict.
Kingston has earned higher than to have his ROH identify reign wasted within the opening event of kickoff displays in entrance of half-empty arenas, too.
End result
Kingston defeated Deadly to retain
Grade
C+
Best Moments and Takeaways
- “What can I do?” Stokeley Hathaway of the Ring of Honor Board of Administrators stated when pressed through Tony Schiavone about permitting interference from Deadly’s teammates at ringside.
- Ortiz gave the impression, grabbed hang of Jarrett’s guitar, and blasted Dutt with it. He looked as if it would reunite with Kingston following the event.
- Kingston commandeering a are living mic is at all times a amusing enjoy, irrespective of the environment. He did so right here after his win.
If you are taking two wrestlers the caliber of The Area of Black’s Good friend Matthews and Blackpool Fight Membership’s Claudio Castagnoli and put them within the ring and not using a frills or out of doors interference, you’re environment your exhibit up for some rattling superb in-ring motion.
Neither guy dissatisfied Saturday evening, handing over a just right, hard-hitting event that noticed each males bruised and welted however through which Castagnoli in the long run received with the Sharpshooter.
The event did not anything to additional any sick will between the BCC and The Area of Black, but it surely did supply fanatics a preview of items to come back later at the major exhibit with nice in-ring motion and a high quality win for Castagnoli, even supposing Matthews will have used the victory extra.
End result
Castagnoli defeated Matthews
Grade
B+
Best Moments and Takeaways
- “We would like Mami” chants aren’t precisely what you hope for when a man as proficient as Good friend Matthews is within the ring. This is an indictment at the inventive for now not giving fanatics a explanation why to care about Matthews sufficient out of doors of his spot in Area of Black.
- Matthews used a jackhammer. The thriller signing is unquestionably Goldberg.
- The physicality of the event was once obvious on Castagnoli, who sported cuts and scrapes at the proper facet of his head and left shoulder.
AEW Global Champion MJF sought after anything else to do with teaming with Samoa Joe to protect the Ring of Honor Global Tag Staff Championship in opposition to The Gunns Saturday evening and it was once obvious on a lot of events all over the event.
He didn’t need to tag Joe, even became his again on him at one level, however in the long run discovered he would want the beef up of The Destroyer if he sought after to retain the titles.
Joe equipped simply that, rolling overdue within the event as he took the combat to the challengers. When Austin and Colten Gunn were given the most efficient of him, Adam Cole made a marvel look that equipped a distraction and allowed Joe to attain the win with a Coquina Grab.
After the event, the heels beat down MJF and destroyed his knee with a metal chair, developing doubt about his talent to protect the AEW Global Championship in opposition to “Switchblade” Jay White later within the evening and offering a cliffhanger on the conclusion of the 0 Hour exhibit.
A forged event, sturdy storytelling, and an ideal attitude helped make this the most efficient a part of the kickoff exhibit.
End result
MJF and Samoa Joe defeated The Gunns to retain the titles
Grade
B+
Best Moments and Takeaways
- MJF wore a red and yellow gown to the hoop with “365” written throughout its again. Excalibur referred to as him out for being presumptuous making an allowance for his 365th day as international champion isn’t till day after today and he nonetheless has a primary match in opposition to Jay White slated for later within the exhibit.
- “I do not want your assist,” MJF instructed Joe, then became his again at the former ROH TV champion as he unloaded on Austin Gunn.
- Cole’s sudden look drew a monster pop, which will have to squash any considerations that he would someway lose recognition or momentum because of his damage.
Sting’s ultimate event within the state of California kicked off Complete Equipment and noticed him spouse with Darby Allin and “Rated R Celebrity” Adam Copeland to defeat TNT Champion Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Nick Wayne in trios motion.
The event featured a jaw-dropping bump from Allin and each persona paintings and spectacle befitting the mythical competition at play on this event. Was once it an ideal event? No longer through any stretch of the creativeness, even much less so by the point Ric Aptitude were given concerned overdue.
Nonetheless, it was once a amusing opener with substantial power and an acceptable end because the cowardly Cage left his teammates at the back of to combat his fight for him. It didn’t cross so neatly and now, the query turns into whether or not the feud between those two facets will proceed.
End result
Copeland, Allin, and Sting defeated Cage, Luchasaurus, and Wayne
Grade
C+
Best Moments and Takeaways
- A youngsters’s choir sang the heel staff to the hoop as a result of Christian Cage is for the youngsters.
- It will have to now not be misplaced on somebody that Wayne is within the ring with 3 authentic Corridor of Famers. What a time for that younger competitor.
- Allin took a sickening spill over the rope, bumping the apron at the manner down as Steve-O of Jackass reputation watched at ringside.
- Luchasaurus appeared sturdy as he weathered a three-on-one assault and stood tall.
- Cage took off throughout the crowd to steer clear of additional beating, leaving his teammates to undergo the loss.
AEW Global Champion Orange Cassidy beat Jon Moxley as definitively as somebody has thus far within the virtually five-year historical past of the corporate, maintaining his identify and leaving surely as to who the simpler guy is.
Freshley Squeezed absorbed the whole lot Moxley threw at him, bloodied his challenger, and rocked him with six Orange Punches prior to pinning him following Seaside Spoil.
It was once an acceptable conclusion to a tale that has long past on for months and a defining second within the occupation of Cassidy.
Moxley does now not lose like this. He’s so infrequently at the dropping facet of any event, and unquestionably now not this definitively, that it approach extra. It’s extra memorable. Above all, this can be a signal of appreciate from the previous international champion to Cassidy that he could be prepared to place him over to that extent.
A large second for Cassidy, a powerful event with some nice storytelling, and a red-hot crowd helped make this a large win for this exhibit.
End result
Cassidy pinned Moxley to retain the identify
Grade
A
Best Moments and Takeaways
- Tony Schiavone published in a pre-match promo section that MJF is injured and won’t be able to protect the AEW Global Championship later this night. Adam Cole interrupted and volunteered to take action in his position. That is regardless of being injured and having gone through surgical treatment just lately. The reserving is not sensible, it doesn’t matter what giant attitude AEW has deliberate for the primary match section. A big leave out.
- Cassidy and Moxley, on paper, will have to now not have the in-ring chemistry they do.
- Oh, glance, Moxley’s bleeding. A minimum of it is sensible throughout the tale’s context, as he busted Cassidy open in September at All Out and Freshley Squeezed fired up and returned the want right here.
- “The place’s the turnbuckle pad?!” Bryce Remsburg may well be overheard asking, a unprecedented referee who isn’t utterly ignorant of his setting within a professional wrestling ring.
