In what was one of the most thrilling matches so far on AEW Full Gear, Darby Allin defeated The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes to become the new AEW TNT Champion.
The match began of course with the introductions of the two wrestlers, with Darby Allin coming out in his wrecked car and Cody Rhodes being introduced as 'The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes', despite reports suggesting that he would not be using the 'Rhodes' name in professional wrestling.
Darby Allin took a beating but showed his caliber in the end
This match was a gruesome one, which saw Darby Allin take a beating and a severe one at the hands of Cody Rhodes. It truly was a tale of two sides, with Allin giving his all on one-side and Rhodes putting in at times somewhat of a cocky and half-hearted performance in the match.
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However, this is not to take anything away from what was a beautifully executed and technical match between Darby Allin and Cody Rhodes, which saw both competitors make some daring moves. This included a kick-out from Cody after a 'Coffin Drop' from Darby and on the otherside, and Darby who had his hand underneath the rope after Rhodes had performed an 'Avalanche Cross Rhodes'.
The match ended when the two began to exchange a flurry near-falls and roll ups, only for Darby Allin to win out in this contest when he successfully pinned the Prince of Wrestling to become the third ever AEW TNT Champion. Cody Rhodes was honourable in defeat, even presenting the championship to Darby Allin on one knee, only for this moment to be interrupted by Taz and the team of Brian Cage and Ricky Starks.
This led to an onslaught from the duo who targetted the new champion Darby Allin, and threatened to break his arm by jamming it in Allin's car door. However, this was quickly and thankfully broken up by Will Hobbs. At the end of the day, despite the interference, this was a beautiful match and we congratulate Darby Allin and wish him a successful reign.