AEW Full Gear 2023 Notes: MJF Suffers “Injury” & Returns to Defend AEW World Title, Mark Briscoe & Eddie Kingson Enters Continental Classic, New Champs

MJF Suffers Injury at AEW Full Gear 2023, Adam Cole Challenges Jay White for AEW World Title in MJF’s Place, & MJF Returns to Defend Title

Saturday’s AEW Full Gear 2023 event at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California featured MJF suffering an injury and a new main event match of Jay White vs. Adam Cole teased for the AEW World Championship only to change back to White vs. MJF in the end.

Following MJF & Samoa Joe’s victory over The Gunns to retain MJF’s ROH World Tag Team Championship, Joe signaled to MJF that he owes him for helping him keep the ROH Tag titles and left. This opened the door to The Gunns attacking MJF and injuring his ankle and leg while an injured Adam Cole looked on helplessly at ringside. This resulted in MJF being stretchered out and sent to the hospital but before the ambulance drove off, MJF told Cole to promise him that he would not let them take away his AEW World title.

In a follow-up segment, Tony Schiavone called out Jay White and The Gunns to join him on the stage, which led to only White showing up. Schiavone announced that due to MJF’s injury, the main event match for the AEW World title was now cancelled but before he could present the title to White, Cole came out to interrupt. After some words, Cole stated that he was going to keep his promise to MJF and wanted to face White for the title instead. Later in the show, this match was made official for the new main event for Full Gear 2023.

Prior to the start of the main event match, a video aired on the giant screen revealing an ambulance driving back to the arena and MJF as its driver. MJF then hobbled out to the ring while AEW officials tried to stop him only to let him through. MJF then got into the ring and told Cole that he would be able to defend his title despite his injured leg and Cole didn’t need to fight in his place anymore. The ref rang the bell for the change and the match went back to White vs. MJF for the AEW World title, which MJF retained in the end.


Mark Briscoe & Eddie Kingston Announced for Continental Classic & NJPW Strong Title to be Defended During Tournament

Saturday’s Full Gear 2023 event in Los Angeles also featured the official announcement of Mark Briscoe and Eddie Kingston joining the official field of AEW’s upcoming Continental Classic tournament.

In regards to Briscoe, his announcement was made during a video package that aired during the show.

In regards to Kingston, his announcement was made during a backstage interview segment. Kingston stated that he would be competing in the tournament and upped the stakes delcaring that his ROH World Championship and NJPW Strong Openweight Championship would be on the line for every match involving him until he lost. Kingston also stated that the winner of the tournament would also receive both the ROH World and NJPW Strong Openweight titles as a prize to go along with the tournament’s grand prize.

Current field for AEW Continental Classic:

  • Bryan Danielson
  • Andrade El Idolo
  • Mark Briscoe
  • Eddie Kingston

New AEW Women’s World & TBS Champions Crowned at AEW Full Gear 2023

Saturday’s Full Gear 2023 event in Los Angeles also featured two new champions crowned.

The first title to change hands was Toni Storm defeating Hikaru Shida to become the new AEW Women’s World Champion.

The finish to this match involved Storm attempted to strike Shida with a shoe only for Shida to counter with a forearm strike to Storm sending the show flying away and Storm out of the ring. After some more back-and-forth action, Storm stuck a metal tray in her tights while the referee was distracted and tried to hit Shida with a hip attack only to redo her attempt because the tray almost fell off. After readjusting the tray while the ref didn’t see, Storm hit Shida with a hip attack successfully for the pinfall victory to become the new AEW Women’s World Champion. Mariah May then came out and presented Storm with a bouquet in flowers in appreciation of her idol’s victory.

The second title to change hands was Julia Hart defeating Skye Blue and Kris Statlander to become the new TBS Champion.

The finish to this match involved Blue hitting a Code Blue to Statlander for the nearfall leading to Hart kicking Statlander away and locking Blue into a Hartless Lock that was broken up by Statlander. Statlander then hit a series of German suplexes to Blue and Hart followed by a Saturday Night Fever to Blue that was broken up by Hart who tossed Statlander away and pinned Blue to become the new TBS Champion.