9 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Full Gear 2022

6. Saraya’s Emotional Comeback

AEW Full Gear 2022 Saraya
AEW

Sweet emotion.

Look, Saraya's first match back after a five year layoff was never going to be a classic. It was a midcard attraction hinging on fan passion, and the Brit had a sh*t ton of ring rust to shake off. Smartly, Saraya and Britt Baker went for a slower pace that heaped nightmare fuel on thoughts that Saraya's neck might give out.

Having her family/friends at ringside added even more emotion to the situation. Kudos to AEW's director for zooming in on Saraya's brother at the right moments too; he was shown a handful of times, then again following the finish. That was enough. Viewers didn't need some split screen action, or anything.

It's clear there's more to come from Saraya once she has another few matches under her belt. Those tears were definitely real, and seeing her sidestep down to ringside like the Paige of old was a genuinely lovely moment for the pay-per-view.

This match had its place.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.