MJF

AEW waved goodbye to 2020 with its last pay-per-view event of the year at Full Gear on Saturday night.

And it sure feels like it waved goodbye to a small era, too.

While AEW has always tried to walk a tightrope of veterans of other promotions like WWE and "homegrown" talent, Saturday night felt like the first time AEW-centric guys really shined brighter than most at a major event.

It started with Kenny Omega and "Hangman" Adam Page partaking in an amazing show-opening bout, the tournament finale for a shot at the company's top title. It's a gritty, personal story sending both guys off in interesting directions.

And the theme only continued with Darby Allin capitalizing on the cockiness of Cody Rhodes, earning the AEW TNT Championship as a prize.

It only escalated further from there, with The Young Bucks seizing tag team gold with a win over former WWE standouts FTR in a match where—much like Cody with AEW's top title in the past—they swore they'd never challenge for the titles again if they lost.

Why stop there, right?

MJF, who has long danced around the outskirts of Jericho's group, The Inner Circle, then took down the legend himself for the right to join that very group. One could see that leading to a long-term angle where MJF tries to assume leadership of the group by taking out its leader in a passing-of-the-torch moment perhaps, but let's not get too ahead of ourselves.

And while Jon Moxley—the man formerly known as WWE's Dean Ambrose—ended up retaining his AEW World Championship, it was very much a showcase match for the challenger Eddie Kingston and one where the spots themselves seemed to overshadow much. Moxley closing the show holding the top title was about as predictable as it gets, but it's the journey, not the destination, more often than not in pro wrestling (hence guys in certain companies losing all steam once they're not in "chase" mode).

While this theme is fun, nobody can carry a company quite like Moxley—but the point is AEW continues to smartly take its time in building up several guys capable of doing it. And with a match looming against Omega, maybe AEW fully embraces the idea at a later date with a title change at the very top.

Finally, gradually transitioning away from the former WWE base of talent now makes plenty of sense. These guys are ready to carry promotions at every level just underneath the very top. In The Young Bucks' case, sort of like Omega, they've steered away from the titles long enough.

In the case of someone like Allin, it just feels like an organic time to have him go over one of the company's biggest names and really establish himself as a headliner. He paid his dues, won over fans and now has that distinct AEW feel.

Former WWE guys carrying the company for a long time made plenty of sense, especially Jericho. His particular set of skills made him a natural champion—he wasn't exactly burning down the building with his wrestling in the ring.

But what Jericho was doing was making guys like MJF and his surrounding stable look like a million bucks. Hardcore wrestling fans knew who those guys were, but newcomers to the AEW product largely didn't.

Now, partially thanks to WWE carryovers like Jericho and mostly because of their own talents, everyone knows who they are.

Rest assured the company has to take this measured approach, too. There were some serious duds along the way while it tried to make AEW talent stand out. Think, the origins of the Dark Order and some of the stumbles the tag and women's divisions made.

The transition to the point where fans won't even make these distinctions anymore isn't so far off. AEW can stop worrying about whether fans will judge it harshly for giving Cody or Omega more title shots at the very top of the card.

Quietly, maybe this is why Full Gear felt like the best AEW pay-per-view to date. The stakes were high, titles changed hands and it's hard to even point to a bad finish. But the fact that some AEW homegrown talent really stepped up and won major matches feels like a huge deal.

In a way, it's somewhat fitting AEW used the final pay-per-view of the year to—intentionally or not—get this transition rolling in...full gear. The company will be better for it in the long term, and while the execution hasn't always been perfect, the further blurring of the lines and elevating of roster depth is what makes AEW arguably the best thing going in pro wrestling today.

This Saturday, Cody Rhodes will defend the TNT Championship against Darby Allin at AEW Full Gear in one of the most anticipated matches of the night. Those in the U.S. and Canada can order the event for $49.99 on B/R Live or through cable providers.

In addition to working as an on-screen talent, Cody also serves as one of the executive vice presidents of AEW in a backstage capacity and has been responsible for recruiting some of the company's most popular stars.

The American Nightmare spoke with Bleacher Report ahead of Full Gear to discuss the pay-per-view, growing up in the business, acting, political aspirations and much more. 

Cody grew up in a wrestling family with both his father and brother, Dusty and Dustin, becoming household names in the industry. 

The '80s and most of the '90s were dominated by Superstars who were larger than life both physically and in terms of their personality. When he was 19, the 6'1" Cody didn't think he was big enough to be taken seriously as a wrestler and had another plan to break into the business.

"My idea was to be in entertainment anyway," Rhodes said. "I wanted to go to L.A. and become a famous actor. This was my legit plan. I figured if I were famous, they would have to take me. Fast-forward to now, and it's funny because I'm one of the bigger guys in the business as far as physicality. It's hilarious."

After working in WWE for 10 years, he decided to see what kind of name he could make for himself in other promotions. He spent some time in Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling before All Elite Wrestling became his home.

Cody has had a lot of special moments in AEW, such as facing his brother in one of the bloodiest matches in recent memory at Double or Nothing 2019 and winning the TNT Championship twice.

When asked about his favorite moments so far, he had two events in mind:

"One of them was the very first Dynamite when I was coming up on the Codyvator, the little elevator they have for me. I'm usually a master of all facets of what we are doing, but in that case, I felt completely out of control, and it was Brandi standing next to me saying, 'Can you believe this?' The next thing I know, we have already cleared the stage and are in the ring in front of 14,000 fans.

"Juxtapose that with the moment of me standing in front of absolutely nobody at the start of the pandemic talking to the hard cam almost like it was a State of the Union. The reason I love those two moments is because the heart of the show never changed. We have never thought of any of the shows we are doing as a soft show. Every show aims to be better than the week before, even with long-term booking in mind. That's what makes me proud and lets me know we are going to be around for years and years to come."

This weekend, Cody will battle Allin for the TNT title. These two have had three matches before Full Gear. Two of them have ended with The American Nightmare victorious, and the other was a draw.

While they have served as rivals most of the time, Cody was instrumental in bringing him into the company.

"I watched him wrestle Ethan Page at EVOLVE and I just knew there was something special about him," Rhodes said. "His business demeanor is nothing to write home about. He doesn't wear a suit, he doesn't interview well and he's a little bit closed off, but that is never a reason not to consider somebody. He is very special. There was such a curiosity but also trepidation about him here that the only way I could agree to get him on the show was if I wrestled him myself. I did, and it was great."

When he left WWE, Cody famously created a list of people he wanted to wrestle. He was able to cross most of those names off and has since begun thinking about whom he wants to face in AEW.

"Angelico from TH2 is someone I want to test myself against," Rhodes said. "I've never actually had a singles match with 'Hangman' Adam Page. I think a match we wanted to happen so many times but was hurt by the pandemic was Pac. We've both grown so much from Neville and Stardust and to be able to show the world that would be really special."

In addition to wrestling and working behind the scenes, Cody has also done some acting, most notably on television. He had a one-episode guest spot on the Syfy show Warehouse 13, but his most famous non-wrestling role was as Derek Sampson on Arrow.

Cody had a few fight scenes with star Stephen Amell, but their relationship did not end there. They have also worked together in both WWE and at the All In PPV, where Amell faced Christopher Daniels.

Now, Amell is about to feature in a Starz series, titled Heels, about the pro wrestling industry. He will portray one of two brothers who grew up in a pro wrestling family in Georgia, a story that is very similar to Cody's. 

"I think everyone I know in Hollywood sent me the treatment for Heels," Rhodes said. "If you know anything about two brothers from a wrestling family in Georgia, it starts to sound very familiar. I think anything Stephen touches turns to gold. He was an inspiration to me when I got to see him on Arrow. When he came to work with us at All In and prior to that in WWE, he came in with his ears open and he was exposed to this new bubble.

"I will always be there if he needs help. I love wrestling, and I would love for it to be presented the way it really is. It's special to a lot of people, and if you do a show about wrestling and don't get the wrestling right, you might not get the audience. I think if anyone can do it, Stephen can."

The American Nightmare continues to have the itch to act, but that is not his only goal. In addition to wanting to help grow AEW, the field of politics is something he has his eye on as a potential career when he eventually retires. 

A few other wrestlers have dipped their toes into the pool of politics before; Jesse Ventura was the governor of Minnesota, and Glenn "Kane" Jacobs is the current mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. 

"I have a ton of desire to do more acting so long as it doesn't conflict with my job here," Rhodes said. "I'm 35, and I said I only wanted to wrestle for five more years. I have political aspirations. I would love to run for the Senate in the great state of Georgia. I want to help with the sphere of influence I have created. I always say if you do the work, it will pay off. That is why I love Brandi. She is so incredibly hardworking, and we have to remind each other to be present often, but when we are it's very special."

With a packed lineup and several big matches, Full Gear may be the most important AEW PPV to date. We will get the payoff to a few major storylines and see the show continue to drive others. When asked to sum up his thoughts on Full Gear and why people should tune in, Cody had this to say:

"I think this could end up being the PPV that defines us. The Bucks vs. FTR is a match that has been building for many years. Page and Omega are two of the best bell-to-bell wrestlers ever. You have Jon Moxley with Eddie Kingston. You have John Silver vs. Orange Cassidy for that meta-loving fan. I think everyone has the intention of stealing the show.

"With everything that is going on, you are guaranteed some sort of satisfaction. The one thing pro wrestling can always provide, which sports like boxing and MMA can't always provide, is a payoff to what we are doing. You will absolutely fall in love with somebody. You don't have to love wrestling, but there will be a wrestler that you will fall in love with and you should absolutely give it a try."

All Elite Wrestling's biggest event of the fall is set for Saturday, as every major championship in the company will be on the line at AEW Full Gear.

AEW World champion Jon Moxley, TNT champion Cody Rhodes, AEW Tag Team champions FTR and AEW Women's champion Hikaru Shida will all face stiff challenges, while rivalries such as Kenny Omega vs. "Hangman" Adam Page, Chris Jericho vs. MJF and Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara will all carry major stakes as well.

While only a limited number of fans will be in attendance because of the COVID-19 pandemic, those who are present may get to see AEW's best show of the year based on how good the card looks on paper.

Here is everything you need to know about when, where and how to watch AEW Full Gear, as well as a rundown of the full card.

Where: Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida

When: Saturday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. ET (Buy-In preshow at 7 p.m. ET)

Watch: B/R Live or PPV

AEW Full Gear 2020 Card

• AEW World Championship I Quit Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Eddie Kingston
• TNT Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Darby Allin
• AEW World Tag Team Championships: FTR (c) vs. The Young Bucks
• AEW World Championship No. 1 Contender Match: Kenny Omega vs. "Hangman" Adam Page
• If MJF Wins, He Joins Inner Circle: MJF vs. Chris Jericho
• Elite Deletion Match: Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara
• AEW Women's Championship: Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Nyla Rose
• Orange Cassidy vs. John Silver
• NWA World Women's Championship (Buy-In): Serena Deeb (c) vs. Allysin Kay

Top Matches to Watch

Kenny Omega vs. "Hangman" Adam Page

Although there is no title on the line, Omega vs. Page is the likeliest match to steal the show at Full Gear because of the ideal intersection of story and in-ring work.

Omega and Page are the longest-reigning AEW World Tag Team champions of all time, as they held the titles for 228 days before dropping them to FTR at All Out in September. Now, Omega and Page have gone their separate ways into the singles ranks.

Page initially wanted to continue tagging with Omega, but Omega made it clear that he was ready to go off on his own, and he has adopted something of an arrogant, prima donna attitude ever since he and Page broke up.

Both Omega and Page were placed in a tournament to determine the No. 1 contender for the AEW World Championship. Omega beat Sonny Kiss and Penta El Zero M to reach the finals, while Page got past Colt Cabana and Wardlow.

The winner of Saturday's match will go on to challenge Moxley for the AEW World Championship in the future, assuming Moxley wins his I Quit match against Eddie Kingston.

Moxley and Omega have already faced each other once, while Moxley and Page have yet to lock horns. The AEW fanbase would undoubtedly be excited for either bout, which is why Omega vs. Page could go either way.

The unpredictability coupled with the fact that Omega and Page will unquestionably go all out in order to outperform everyone else on the card makes their match the must-see event of the night.

FTR vs. The Young Bucks

If Omega and Page fall short of expectations and don't steal the show, the other match with the best chance to step up may be the AEW World Tag Team Championship bout between FTR and The Young Bucks.

Wrestling fans have talked about the possibility of an FTR vs. Young Bucks match for the past couple of years dating back to when FTR were still part of WWE as The Revival.

FTR were part of some memorable tag team matches in NXT against teams like DIY and American Alpha, and the belief among fans was that their technical, old-school style would mesh well with the fast-paced and athletic style of The Bucks.

It remains to be seen if that will be the case, but one can only assume that the teams will be given all the time they need to make magic since AEW's pay-per-view tag team matches have largely been marathons thus far.

Also, The Young Bucks declared that they will never challenge for the AEW World Tag Team titles again if they lose, so there are some significant stakes attached to the match aside from just the titles.

On top of that, FTR's manager Tully Blanchard will not be permitted to be at ringside, which means FTR vs. The Young Bucks will likely be a straight-up match with no shenanigans.

There is no question that AEW places as much emphasis on tag team wrestling as any company in the world, and if FTR and The Young Bucks truly want to prove that AEW is the pinnacle of tag team wrestling, they'll leave it all in the ring Saturday.

MJF vs. Chris Jericho

It can be argued that no two performers in AEW have been more entertaining since the start of the company than MJF and Jericho.

Because of that, it is fitting that they finally find themselves in a storyline together and are now poised to clash in the ring for the first time.

MJF told Jericho several weeks ago that he had interest in joining the Inner Circle. There has been no shortage of hijinks since then with Le Dinner Debonair, a town hall meeting and countless comedic segments.

Things will finally get serious at Full Gear, though, as Jericho told MJF that he will admit him into the Inner Circle if he wins Saturday.

MJF has grown by leaps and bounds from an in-ring perspective during his time in AEW and Jericho is one of the best ever, so the match has sleeper potential to steal the show just in terms of the work both men figure to produce.

Also, the fact that both wrestlers are heels will make for a unique environment, as those who are in attendance will have to pick a side and cheer for someone they may not normally support.

It can be argued that the result of MJF vs. Jericho is as important as any match on the card as well since MJF and Jericho together in the same stable would guarantee some highly entertaining segments for weeks and months to come.

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