8 Match Star Ratings For AEW Full Gear
7. Shawn Spears Vs. Joey Janela
In something of an indictment of the result, Joey Janela was the clear star of the match, and everything interesting about it was clearly consistent with his artistic choices.
Jim Cornette calls him 'Jelly Janela' as part of his crusade to make AEW better/remain relevant, and it's clearly meant as an insult, but it's as if he actually is made of jelly: he can't have a spine anymore, but he used what is left of it to put Spears over in a very selfless, committed, unhinged performance that might ultimately prove pointless: Spears wasn't received as a star. This was no carry-job - Spears performed well here, working in harmony with the story - but the best moment of the match saw Tully Blanchard assist with the spike piledriver. Joey Janela Vs. Tully Blanchard was more interesting than Joey Janela Vs. Shawn Spears.
Janela is a great babyface with old school instincts and new school ideas - the tag rope hair spot was creative as hell - and Spears' reliance on cheating helped put that role over. If he was such a garbage wrestler, he could have put him away cleanly.
A very solid, well-worked, well-told styles clash elevated by Janela's ingenuity (and insanity).
Star Rating: ★★★