13 Match Star Ratings For AEW Full Gear 2022
3. Toni Storm Vs. Jamie Hayter - AEW Interim Women's Title Match
Within the opening minutes, the tone was set for something special.
There was an urgency to the early exchanges. If the person avoiding the strikes didn't evade them quickly enough, they were going to get blasted full-force in the face, and these near-misses early conveyed a threat of danger and realism. This was a super close battle between two powerhouse athletes in cracking form, and when they eventually did smash one another's faces in, the crowd was drawn into this more than perhaps any other women's match in AEW history. There was such a snug, committed quality to the work. They clearly wanted this to be a career high point, and the fans responded in kind. Everything looked like it hurt.
On an aural level, this was beautiful stuff. The thudding impact got the blood pumping. On a visual level, it was almost impossibly good at one point: when Storm borrowed Hayter's ripcord lariat, it looked like a terrifying knock-out blow. The bump was sensational. It was elevated to possibly the greatest women's match in company history - though Riho Vs. Nyla Rose II was exceptional too - through the incredible drama generated by the final stretch.
The chicanery helped for once, where it so often has been a hindrance of late, and every last near-fall got bought following a tidal wave of them because the execution of each signature and finisher attempt was so brutal-looking. This was Hayter's night, but Storm's use of body language here was incredible.
It was no token NXT Face b*llocks, either; she sold the title slipping away as if in grief. She couldn't have done a single thing more to put over the importance of the match.
As dramatic as it was physical, it was an irresistible pro wrestling match universal in its appeal.
Star Rating: ★★★★¼