8 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Full Gear 2020

1. Women's Title Match Wobbles

Hikaru Shida
AEW

This is such a shame, because Nyla Rose and Hikaru Shida were working a good Women's World Championship match until Vickie Guerrero whiffed her second interference spot. Rose's manager was supposed to hook Shida's leg as she ran the ropes, turning the tide, but missed completely, triggering a series of mistakes and other sloppy moments that brought the match down a couple of levels.

While not quite on the same level as their Double Or Nothing ripper, the match's first two acts were hot. Rose and Shida fired right into at the bell. The champion, in particularly, was more aggressive than ever before, looking genuinely furious as she stormed Rose, while 'The Native Beast's' control segment brought the ruthless, effective destruction of the champion's knee. Flipping the rope-hang knee drop to hit that joint rather than the neck was a particularly great spot.

Rose vs. Shida II kicked into a different gear when Shida mirrored Rose's earlier actions by pulling out of what looked like a surefire pinfall, but that's when things started going wrong. Lackadaisical near-falls and slow-mo execution hampered the final few minutes before Shida emerged victorious.

A harmful post-match angle firmly thrust this into the negative side of the ledger, as Vickie screamed herself hoarse, spitting rage at her defeated charge before slapping her across the face. Guerrero stormed off, leaving 'The Native Beast' enfeebled after offering nothing in response.

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Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.