2024 AEW Full Gear results, recap, grades: Jon Moxley defends title and avoids car crash in chaotic finale

Saturday's main event was preceded by two Match of the Night contenders: Mercedes Mone vs. Kris Statlander and Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher

Jon Moxley is still your AEW world champion but has a big target on his back after AEW Full Gear. Several of All Elite Wrestling's top stars crossed paths with the Death Riders immediately after Orange Cassidy's failed title bid on Saturday.

Moxley vs. Cassidy was a bloody battle playing on weeks of turmoil. Cassidy fell short in protecting AEW from Moxley and the Death Riders but gave a spirited effort. Moxley won't have long to recuperate after crossing paths with Darby Allin, Christian Cage and more new enemies post-match.

If you need to prioritize matches from AEW Full Gear, there are two matches you cannot miss. TBS champion Mercedes Mone gave arguably the best account of herself in AEW against Kris Statlander; meanwhile, Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher put on a classic.

CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Jon Moxley outlasts Orange Cassidy in a bloody battle

AEW World Championship -- Jon Moxley (c) def. Orange Cassidy via pinfall to retain the title. The typically unbothered Cassidy was all business on Saturday. "Freshly Squeezed" interrupted the champion's ring introduction, crushing him with three Orange Punches and a suicide dive. Cassidy's aggression might have caught Moxley off guard but also played into Mox's preferred style. Moxley quickly took control of the brawl, beating the challenger ringside and in the crowd. Moxley busted open Cassidy before long and drove him head-first into steel steps with a Death Rider. Moxley's blood lust was insatiable. The champ sprawled Cassidy across the announcers' table, raking his chest and biting at his open wound. Cassidy's efforts to fight back were labored and largely ineffective. Moxley responded to the crowd's support for Cassidy with a pair of middle fingers. 

The challenger finally rallied with two DDTs, one off the top rope and another spinning out of a tilt-a-whirl. From there, Moxley and Cassidy traded big moves. Moxley intercepted Cassidy with a cutter and a King Kong lariat. Cassidy landed four Orange Punches, punctuated by a Beach Break for a near count. All hell broke loose from there. Claudio Castagnoli and PAC, fearing the match was slipping from Moxley, contemplated interfering. Before they could, the Conglomeration evened the odds. In the closing moments, Cassidy cracked Moxley with the champion's briefcase but only scored a two-count. Wheeler Yuta entered the fray and hit Cassidy with a Busaiku Knee behind the referee's back. Moxley capitalized with one more Death Rider to retain his title.

Post-match, Yuta and Moxley poured cleaner fluid into Cassidy's open wound. "Hangman" Adam Page surprised everyone by whacking Yuta with a steel chair. A face-off between Moxley and Page was interrupted by Christian Cage, who dropped Moxley with a Killswitch. Cage hoped to cash in his contract stipulating a title shot at any time, but Jay White -- who Cage previously feuded with -- dropped him with a Blade Runner. PAC subsequently attacked White before the Death Riders fled to the back.

Things somehow only grew more chaotic from there. A mysterious driver T-boned the Death Riders' escape vehicle as Moxley and company stole another escape vehicle. Darby Allin emerged from the wreckage as the show went off the air.

Darby Allin is HELLBENT on taking out the Death Riders!

Order #AEWFullGear on PPV right now!https://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj@JonMoxley | @BASTARDPAC | @ClaudioCSRO | @MarinaShafir | @WheelerYuta | @DarbyAllin pic.twitter.com/NrapRD1EFW

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 24, 2024

Moxley and Cassidy put together a fantastic match. Cassidy's aggression is impactful because his character is so often lackadaisical. Some elements were grotesque, sure, but if it's consistent with Moxley's character, so be it. The post-match antics were overkill but at least AEW tried to tie some of their more popular stars into the title scene. The match was certainly better than what came after. Grade: B+

2024 AEW Full Gear full results

• AEW World Championship -- Jon Moxley (c) def. Orange Cassidy via pinfall after landing the Death Rider.
  
• Bobby Lashley def. Swerve Strickland via submission with the Hurt Lock.
  
• AEW International Championship -- Konosuke Takeshita (c) def. Ricochet via pinfall to retain the title.
  
• TNT Championship -- Daniel Garcia (c) def. Jack Perry via submission with the Dragonslayer to win the title.
• Kyle Fletcher def. Will Ospreay via pinfall after spiking him with a turnbuckle brainbuster.
• Jay White def. "Hangman" Adam Page via pinfall after hitting the Blade Runner.
  
• TBS Championship -- Mercedes Mone (c) def. Kris Statlander via pinfall with a victory roll to retain the title.
  
• MJF def. Roderick Strong via submission with the Salt of the Earth armbar. Post-match, MJF brutalized Strong's arm with a steel chair. Adam Cole made the late save and was confronted by Kyle O'Reilly.
  
• AEW Tag Team Championships -- Private Party (c) def. The Outrunners, Kings of the Black Throne and The Acclaimed via pinfall catching Max Caster with Gin and Juice to retain the titles.
• *"Big Boom" A.J. (with Big Justice) def. Q.T. Marshall via pinfall after hitting his Powerboom finisher. The Rizzler served as guest timekeeper.
• *Buddy Matthews def. Beast Mortos, Dante Martin and Komander via pinfall after curb stomping Martin.
  
• *Anna Jay def. Deonna Purrazzo via pinfall.
  

*Pre-show match