MJF is the new AEW World Heavyweight champion thanks to some outside help from William Regal in the main event at AEW Full Gear from Newark, New Jersey.
Moxley brought the violence to MJF right out of the gate, but as the top contender for the main title evaded attacks, he showboated his way around the ring. About midway through the match, the tide began to turn in MJFβs direction with a slew of old school moves. After setting up a table on the outside, Moxley made MJF pay for not striking while the champ was down. Moxley put MJF on his back and continued to pepper him with stomps on the ground. On the apron, MJF reversed a piledriver into a tombstone only to get a two count. Back on the apron, Moxley was able to piledrive MJF through the table.
This #AEW World Championship match is underway! @JonMoxley vs. @The_MJF on #AEWFullGear LIVE on PPV right now!
πhttps://t.co/ufkkXQTkk6 pic.twitter.com/zqlrlij5m6
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 20, 2022
.@The_MJF with the tombstone right onto the apron but did his knee pay the price?!
Watch #AEWFullGear LIVE on PPV right now
πhttps://t.co/ufkkXQChi6 pic.twitter.com/I7yHVnKAml— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 20, 2022
MJF made his way back into the ring before the count of 10, when Moxley landed the Paradigm Shift and then a figure four leglock. Back on their feet, Moxley dropped MJF with an avalanche Paradigm Shift off the top rope, getting a two count before MJF grabbed the bottom rope.
.@JonMoxley with the avalanche Paradigm Shift!
Watch #AEWFullGear LIVE on PPV right now
πhttps://t.co/ufkkXQTkk6 pic.twitter.com/NDNxjjnW0E— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 20, 2022
In the middle of the ring, Moxley and MJF traded big shots when MJF pulled the referee into the path of Moxley to gain an advanage. MJF pulled the Dynamite Diamond Ring out of his trunks when William Regal walked down to the ring and told him to put it down. MJF obliged and Moxley locked in a bulldog choke. MJF walked up the turnbuckle for a pin attempt, but Moxley locked it in again to get the tapout, but the referee was knocked out. Regal passed brass knuckles to MJF, who dropped Moxley and earned the pinfall victory.
Is @The_MJF going to do the right thing here?
Watch #AEWFullGear LIVE on PPV right now
πhttps://t.co/ufkkXQTkk6 pic.twitter.com/81vFoNSLJ5— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 20, 2022
Wait, what just happened?
Watch #AEWFullGear LIVE on PPV right now
πhttps://t.co/ufkkXQTkk6 pic.twitter.com/YnqHgrmS3J— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 20, 2022
Moxley won the AEW heavyweight belt over two months ago after he was called back from vacation early in the aftermath of CM Punkβs reported backstage brawl with The Elite. Moxley responded by running through the AEW Grand Slam Tournament of Champions and defeating fellow Blackpool Combat Club colleague Bryan Danielson in the finals to win back the championship heβd lost just days earlier.
While Moxley has been at the top of the card for much of the last year, it was MJF who was clawing his way to the top against the more established stars. Following a three-month absence from the promotion, MJF made his surprise return at All Out, winning the Casino Ladder match to claim a guaranteed title shot. Instead of cashing it in against a downed champion, MJF opted to hold the chip and cash in for a main event title opportunity, taking his shot against Moxley at Full Gear.