Welcome to another edition of AEW Heat Index, wherein we discuss the interest level for the various feuds heading into the pay-per-view events. This time around, we’re focusing on Full Gear 2019 coming this Sunday night.
The way this works is a pretty simple three-way breakdown of Hot, Lukewarm and Cold. If you like something and you’re very interested in how AEW is setting up the program, it’s Hot (aka Good). If you’re a bit on the fence about it and see some problems, but it’s not awful, then it’s just Okay or Lukewarm. The ones that are the most problematic that you have no interest in are Cold (aka Bad).
Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section to let everyone know what your thermometer reads for each feud as I tell you what my thoughts are below!
Without further ado, let’s get started!
AEW World Championship Match: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Cody = Hot
I’m nervous this whole judges thing is going to make this needlessly overbooked. I’m also a little hesitant to think this will be the match of the night. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be a bad match or that I can’t be excited for it, either.
I really hope this is more along the lines of a WWE-style match but without the restraints, rather than an AEW-style match. We’ll see enough of those on this card like we always do and I don’t think Cody and Jericho have it in them to out perform The Young Bucks in their style, for instance.
Prediction: Chris Jericho wins.
Lights Out Match: Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega = Hot
There’s no way this isn’t the match of the night, right? These two are top notch performers in the right circumstances and they have the benefit of No Disqualifications.
I’m very curious who wins this, too. It’s a cop-out to have it not count toward the win-loss record, which makes me think Moxley is losing. However, Omega’s had a little bit of a running gag of underperforming, so maybe they’ll continue that.
Gun to my head, I’m going with Omega, but I’m not confident in that prediction, which makes the match even more interesting to me.
Prediction: Kenny Omega wins.
Proud-N-Powerful (Ortiz and Santana) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) = Lukewarm
My ignorance of not having followed Ortiz and Santana is precisely why I’m not Hot for this. I simply don’t know what there is to look forward to.
That could mean I’m in for a very pleasant surprise and that this will be my favorite match of the night. Or, glass half empty, I could be left wondering what the big deal is about these guys and be disappointed.
I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that they’ll most likely have a good match, though, so this goes to Lukewarm rather than leaning toward Cold.
Prediction: Proud-N-Powerful wins.
“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Pac = Lukewarm
We already saw it and I don’t feel any clamoring to revisit it this soon. There isn’t anything on the line and I almost feel like Pac is only feuding with Page as a placeholder before he moves on to a true Omega or Moxley storyline.
Still, though, they’re two of the upper-echelon talents. At the very least, for the fact that AEW is still so new, I’m curious what they try to do to steal the show. They may fail at that, but I know they’ll try.
Prediction: Pac wins.
Buy In: Britt Baker vs. Bea Priestley = Lukewarm
I really wish I could be Hot about this, but to be honest, the women’s division in AEW has left me underwhelmed. No match yet has wowed me and plenty of them have come off botchy and overrated.
With that track record, I’m not able to look at this and think it’ll be amazing. Of course, it could be, and I sure hope I’m wrong in that they do a fantastic job. I just don’t have all the faith in the world that will happen.
Baker needs to win to just end this story, as I don’t think it has legs to go further than this.
Prediction: Britt Baker wins.
Shawn Spears vs. Joey Janela = Lukewarm
I can’t get behind Janela. Something about him just doesn’t connect with me and make me want to see him. I do like Spears, though, and I’m hoping he has a decisive victory. He could use another win to start building a better record.
If this were a hardcore match, which is more of Janela’s bread and butter, I think they’d pull it off more. Since it isn’t, I’m not expecting too much, so I’ll just go Lukewarm.
Prediction: Shawn Spears wins.
Women’s World Championship Match: Riho (c) vs. Emi Sakura = Cold
Riho hasn’t impressed me to a level that I would be excited for any match of hers. Emi Sakura hasn’t even impressed me to Riho’s level. The women’s division as a whole has been underwhelming and I can’t get invested in this match that I feel will eat up 15 minutes or so of my time and I’ll wish I could have just gone to bed earlier or something.
Prediction: Riho wins.
World Tag Team Championship Match: SoCal Uncensored (c) vs. Lucha Brothers vs. Private Party
= Hot < Lukewarm
I don’t expect any championships to change hands this fast, which hurts this match and the others. I also feel like there’s a good chance I’ll think after this match that I’ve already seen it, as the style of it might be too close to everything else in AEW.
There’s a lot of potential that this will be great, though. I’m almost Hot on it, but I have to lean a little more toward Lukewarm than I’d want to, ultimately because I think it’ll be forgettable.
Prediction: SoCal Uncensored wins.
Those are my thoughts, but how do you feel about these particular feuds? What’s hot and what’s cold in your mind? Fill us in on your point of view in the comments below!
