It certainly wasn’t for everyone. But if you don’t mind stories that contain multiple varieties of violence designed to make you uncomfortable even as they entertain, then Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page delivered the match of the night at AEW Full Gear on Saturday night (Nov. 18).
Seeing as it was a Texas Deathmatch, you’d think it would be the end of at least this chapter of the Strickland/Page rivalry. And maybe it is. Swerve now feels poised to take the next step and become one of AEW’s biggest stars. Even in defeat Hangman’s in the best place he’s been since his World title win at Full Gear two years ago.
But we could be in for one more battle before this program wraps up. No rules were broken since there were no rules, but Prince Nana and Brian Cage assisting Strickland could set the stage for some kind of steel cage match to complete the trilogy. If Tony Khan ever wanted to introduce AEW’s version of Hell in a Cell, this would be a good time to do it. Swerve made repeated references to hell in his post-match promo (and closes with him telling Page they better be done... which sounds to me like the kind of thing a heel says when he knows something’s not done):
EXCLUSIVE: Still covered in blood, @swerveconfident gives a statement following his brutal win in the Texas Death Match.
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 19, 2023
Order the #AEWFullGear PPV replay right now!
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“Swerve’s Dungeon” match, anyone?
Hangman doesn’t sound like someone who’s just going to go away. This is a badass-sounding callback to their match’s most controversial moment, but it’s also a way to say “we’re not done”:
You down for Strickland/Page III? Or should they move on for now after their Full Gear classic (or abomination, depending on your tastes)?
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