AEW Full Gear 2025 results, grades, awards: Samoa Joe stuns Hangman Page in gruesome upset; Swerve Strickland returns
AEW Full Gear 2025 delivered plenty of noteworthy and surprising results Saturday with its loaded slate of professional wrestling action in Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center. This year’s version of the annual pay-per-view featured a nine-match main card with five championship matches.
In the night’s main event, “Hangman” Adam Page stepped into one of the most dangerous title defenses of his AEW World Championship reign — and stunningly failed to come out on top. His budding rival Samoa Joe brought the bloody violence to the now-former champ in quick order, eventually winning with the aid of The Opps and new heel Hook. (No pun intended.) A Muscle Buster onto the world title specifically led to the pin.
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The match was a plodding, violent one overall, but had some really high highs. The biggest issue may have been Hangman losing somewhat easily compared to what he fought through to seize the title against Jon Moxley in July. At the same time, all the damage he’s accrued since then could be argued as the easy-out rationale for that, which AEW’s commentary team alluded to. Plus, the loss plays into a much bigger, deeper story, which saw the return of Swerve Strickland immediately afterward. Saturday’s broadcast ended with Strickland standing side-by-side with his forever-rival. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Elsewhere on the card, AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander stunned her rival titleholder, AEW TNT Champion Mercedes Moné, with a Night Fever to retain. The chase continues for Moné, who can’t seem to claim the big title for her ever-growing belt collection. The result also gave Statlander a chance to finally overcome her old kryptonite with the biggest spotlight possible on her, defending her unlikely throne. This match was awesome, and arguably suffered from its co-main event slot, feeling a bit shorter than it could have been. However, it clearly may not be the last time we see these two collide.
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The tag-team division didn’t take a back seat either, as the dominant Brodido duo of Bandido and Brody King saw their AEW World Tag Team Championship run come to an end against the all-timers, FTR. As anyone with brains should have expected, the match was a certified slapper and delivered on all fronts.
Cash money took center stage as well when Kenny Omega teamed with Jurassic Express — Jack Perry and Luchasaurus — against The Young Bucks and Josh Alexander, with the latter trio coming away with the match’s $1,000,000 prize money. More importantly, The Young Bucks turned back to their face ways and hugged it out with Omega after their win, helping to fend off The Don Callis Family. It’s been a good while since The Elite was a thing in AEW, so the timing feels right to bring back literally one of the reasons this company exists. Their chemistry is still unmatched across any department, and it’ll be fun to see what they produce after yet another great match together.
Also, AEW’s newest championship found its owner at Full Gear, when Ricochet outlasted a plethora of unique opponents in the AEW National Championship Casino Gauntlet. His feud with The Hurt Syndicate doesn’t appear over just yet, but that match was a whole lot of fun — as all the Casino Gauntlets are.
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AEW’s pay-per-views have set the bar so impossibly high that anything less than pure brilliance feels like a slight letdown at this point. And that’s the feeling with this show — but by no means was it a bad time. It was a great time, actually; AEW has just delivered all-time caliber quality in 2025. But even still, Full Gear was a pivotal point in the calendar for long-term story progression.
I give AEW Full Gear 2025 a crown score of: 👑 8/10. 👑
AEW Full Gear 2025 Uncrowned Awards
MVP of the Night: Swerve Strickland
Strickland’s presentation was incredible for his return. The timing of his injury was unfortunate, but he feels like the missing puzzle piece. As mentioned in our Uncrowned live blog, this was a rare time where a return delivered a level of chills typically reserved for big-name debutants. Strickland has been money, and his reinjection into the world title scene needs to culminate with another reign. Sorry, Carmelo Hayes. Swerve is “Him.”
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Uncrowned Gem of the Night: Pac vs. Darby Allin
It happens a lot on these lengthy AEW pay-per-view where an opener match gets overshadowed simply by being the opener. But make no mistake — Pac vs. Allin was a blast, if only somewhat soured by its interference finish. Everything outside of that, though, was magnificent, and where Pac goes from here is intriguing.
Match of the Night: FTR vs. Bandido
This is the match where, if you’re reading and haven’t already, stop now and go watch it. (Then, by all means, come back and finish.) These two teams were entirely set up to succeed with such a unique dynamic, which generally happens with FTR against anyone. But Brodido has been the perfect blend of athletic big man and nimble high-flying luchador. Pitting all their elements together created a delight of match.
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With that said, I must at least shout out Briscoe vs. Fletcher for being maybe my favorite match overall on Full Gear. … OK, scratch that. My favorite, along with Statlander vs. Moné.
Best Spot of the Night: Hangman Page’s Buckshot Lariat in the steel cage door
I don’t know how it completely slipped my mind that Hangman couldn’t do the Buckshot Lariat in a cage. Especially since he’s been in a cage match before. There were plenty of great spots on Full Gear, but it was brilliant to have Joe’s allies open the cage to allow Hangman the ability of his finisher. It would’ve been better had he won, but alas, it was genius.
AEW Full Gear 2025 full card results and highlights:
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AEW World Championship Steel Cage Match: Samoa Joe def. “Hangman” Adam Page (c.)
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AEW Women’s World Championship: Kris Statlander (c.) def. Mercedes Moné
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$1,000,000 Trios Match: The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) & Josh Alexander def. Kenny Omega & Jurassic Express (Jack Perry & Luchasaurus)
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AEW TNT Championship No DQ Match: Mark Briscoe def. Kyle Fletcher (c.) (with Don Callis) — If Briscoe lost, he would have joined The Don Callis Family
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No Holds Barred Match: Kyle O’Reilly def. Jon Moxley
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Casino Gauntlet Match for the inaugural AEW National Championship: Ricochet wins, pinning Kevin Knight
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AEW World Tag Team Championship: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (with Stokely Hathaway) def. Brodido (Bandido & Brody Lee) (c.)
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Timeless Love Bombs (Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa) def. Babes of Wrath (Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron), Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart & Skye Blue), Megan Bayne & Marina Shafir — Winner chooses semifinal stipulation
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Zero Hour Tailgate Brawl Pre-Show
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CMLL World Trios Championship: El Sky Team (Místico, Máscara Dorada, & Neón) (c.) def. The Don Callis Family (Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita, & Hechicero)
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Hook & Eddie Kingston def. The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)
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Boom & Doom (“Big Boom!” A.J. & Q. T. Marshall) (with Big Justice) def. RPG Vice (Rocky Romero and Trent Beretta)
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Bang Bang Gang (Austin Gunn & Juice Robinson) def. Max Caster & Anthony Bowens, Big Bill & Bryan Keith, The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) — $200,000 prize
AEW World Championship Steel Cage Match: Samoa Joe def. “Hangman” Adam Page (c.) – 👑 Match Crown Score: 3.75/5 👑
AEW Women’s World Championship: Kris Statlander (c.) def. Mercedes Moné – 👑 Match Crown Score: 4.25/5 👑
The Young Bucks & Josh Alexander def. Kenny Omega & Jurassic Express – 👑 Match Crown Score: 4/5 👑
AEW TNT Championship No DQ Match: Mark Briscoe def. Kyle Fletcher (c.) – 👑 Match Crown Score: 4.25/5 👑
No Holds Barred Match: Kyle O’Reilly def. Jon Moxley – 👑 Match Crown Score: 4/5 👑
Casino Gauntlet Match for the inaugural AEW National Championship: Ricochet wins, pinning Kevin Knight – 👑 Match Crown Score: 4/5 👑
AEW World Tag Team Championship: FTR def. Brodido (c.) – 👑 Match Crown Score: 4.75/5 👑
Timeless Love Bombs def. Babes of Wrath, Sisters of Sin, Megan Bayne & Marina Shafir – 👑 Match Crown Score: 3.5/5 👑
Pac def. Darby Allin – 👑 Match Crown Score: 4/5 👑
Recap of AEW Full Gear 2025 with Uncrowned’s live blog below:
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Drake Riggs
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Drake Riggs
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Drake Riggs
The tease was presented for Strickland to go in — and seemingly kill an already dead Hangman — but instead attacked and took out all of the Opps Dojo. It was pretty cool to see a non-big guy like Swerve being treated as such a monster, able to take out a large group of people.
In the end, Hangman rose to his feet to take out the final lacky, standing side-by-side with his mortal forever enemy. Hangman is simply the center of all the long-term storytelling. What a scene.
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Drake Riggs
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Drake Riggs
The lights went out after Joe’s win, displaying a burning house on the tron before Prince Nana came out, prompting the return of one Swerve Strickland. That was so well presented that it was chilling, despite not being some kind of epic debut.
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Drake Riggs
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Drake Riggs
Joe may be genuinely starting to lose his consciousness a bit from blood loss because he’s slowing down a lot and is losing plenty of blood. That cut was right at the beginning of the match.
They work toward the corner where Joe wants the Muscle Buster. Page fights him off, biting and striking at Joe’s back. Page sets him up for a big Sunset Flip Powerbomb. Outside the ring, Katsuyori Shibata starts to climb the cage with the AEW World title. Eddie Kingston comes to the rescue, leading to a Deadeye in the ring for Page — but a ref bump knocked Paul Turner out of commission. Now Powerhouse Hobbs is out and ripped the chain off the cage door, entering with the AEW title. Page low blows Hobbs and sends him into the wall. Joe locks on the Coquinha Clutch amid Page’s distractions. With the door open, Page was able to land the Buckshot Lariat! Wow. Talk about a brilliant spot for that.
All for Hook to arrive and reveal himself as an Opps member and strike Hangman with the title. Joe sets up the Muscle Buster and drops Page on the title for the win! Wow. Oh my God. Get that bloody man stitched up immediately. Wow. What a scene.
👑Match Crown Score: 3.75/5👑
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Drake Riggs
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Drake Riggs
Page starts looking to knock Joe down with a barrage of clotheslines, but gets countered into the cage wall. Now Page has some color, and started to eat some downward elbows from his challenger. Trapped between the ropes and cage, Page takes some striking offense from Joe, including a hard enzigueri kick.
Going back to my comment on Joe’s blade job, it has, indeed, caused quite a mess. The man is covered in plasma.
Joe starts punching away at a downed Page, who stands to his feet to exchange. Joe tries to end the sequence with a German Suplex. Page jumps through it and crashes Joe back into opposite ends of the cage walls.
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Drake Riggs
Quick note. Hangman is wrestling in literal cowboy boots. That’s literal “cowboy s***” all right.
Anyway, the match started right away with Joe kneeing Hangman’s injured ribs. Joe ran into the cage wall, and Page tossed him in again right after. And what do you know? Joe is already busted open. That looked like a rough, deep blade job at first glance. We’ll see how it progresses.
Page climbs the corner to hit a moonsault onto the standing Joe. He kicks out at one. Speaking of those cowboy boots, Page removed one, using it as a weapon. That was not something I expected to see in this match. He went as far as to even run and bash it into Joe in the corner.
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Drake Riggs
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Drake Riggs
Main event time. Hangman Adam Page and Samoa Joe are no strangers to a steel cage match. This time, Hangman’s title is on the line, in what should be a final installment of Full Gear violence. Buckle up, folks. We have one last ride here tonight.
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Drake Riggs
Okada will defend his title throughout the epic AEW tournament this year — and Takeshita will also be involved, setting up a clear, but awesome, final. Oh, Kyle Fletcher will also be a part of the fun. This thing rules, but talk about a perfect way to hype up for this must-see match.
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Drake Riggs
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Drake Riggs
Mone gets Stat in position for the Moneymaker. She counters it for the Tombstone! They go back and forth! Mone looks again for the Moneymaker. Stat fights it off by slamming Mone into the corner face-first. Stat counters the faceplant, catching Mone to set up the Night Fever! Stat gets the win! She successfully defends! Wow! The chase continues for Mone.
👑Match Crown Score: 4.25/5👑
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Drake Riggs
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Drake Riggs
Mone goes for an in-ring Meteora but gets caught and flipped around to land a Poisonarana into a Meteora on the bottom rope! Stat kicks out!
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Drake Riggs
Stat rolls over Mone in a North-South position to seemingly set up the Tombstone. Mone counters to bring her down and into a Statement Maker. She counters with a seatbelt pin, they roll and trade, Mone kicks out! She gets caught in a package Piledriver! Mone grabs the rope to escape!
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Drake Riggs
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Mone survives the 10-count to re-enter the ring and Sunset Flip Stat into the corner. She goes for a running strike and takes a massive Disqus Lariat mid-air. A Stat Belly-to-Belly lands its mark, then she locks on the Statement Maker! Mone attacks the damaged arm of Stat, locking on her move that she just escaped. Stat attempts to roll out of it, but stands through to climb the buckles in the corner. Stat turns her back to give up her neck. She props Mone into a Fireman’s Carry position to land an avalanche rib-breaker — what an insane move.
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