AEW Should Make the 2021 Full Gear World Title Eliminator Tournament Bracket Huge
It's Wednesday, but there's no AEW Dynamite tonight. That bums me out more than it should. So, like any other well-adjusted 40 year old with a wife and child, I've been thinking a lot about the upcoming AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament. This could be a big opportunity of AEW to really showcase some great matches.
Last year, AEW did an eight-man tournament, but I feel like they could go 16 this year. The roster is bigger and, even if it means having the semifinals and final at Full Gear, I think it's worth it.
So here's how I'd book it:
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Darby Allin ------
VS ------
Miro ------
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Jon Moxley ------
VS ------
MJF ------
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Malakai Black ------
VS ------
Christian Cage ------
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Bryan Danielson ------
VS ------
Lance Archer ------
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Chris Jericho ------
VS ------
Jungle Boy ------
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Adam Cole ------
VS ------
Pac ------
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Andrade El Idolo ------
VS ------
Orange Cassidy ------
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CM Punk ------
VS ------
Eddie Kingston ------
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First of all, yes, it's basically all main event level guys. I doubt AEW will do this, but I think it could work and I think it could be huge. The AEW roster is incredible right now and this tournament should showcase that. It should be the best of the best battling for a shot at the world title. It makes the whole thing feel like the most important thing in the world, and it makes the title feel like the ultimate prize, which is what AEW needs right now.
Second, yes, this would call for some big names to lose relatively early. I think that's fine. If a big name loses to another big name in a big tournament, there's no real issue if the matches are competitive, and they would be.
So here's how I'd book this:
FIRST ROUND
Darby Allin VS Miro
Miro should win. First of all, he's coming off losing the TNT title. Second, he beat Allin for that title before, so it makes sense that he could win again. Would this hurt Darby? He recently lost to CM Punk as well, so having him take another big loss isn't ideal, but I think he'll remain popular no matter what.
Jon Moxley VS MJF
This is another match that has happened before, but I think it would be a good one. I'd have MJF win this time.
Malakai Black vs Christian Cage
Malakai Black's AEW domination continues here and he wins.
Bryan Danielson VS Lance Archer
Bryan Danielson always has good matches against big guys. Well, he always has good matches against anyone, to be honest, so this would be good. Danielson wins.
Chris Jericho VS Jungle Boy
Jungle Boy wins in what the announce team could consider an "upset."
Adam Cole VS Pac
Adam Cole is victorious here.
Andrade El Idolo VS Orange Cassidy
Andrade gets the win. He could use a big win and Orange is another guy who will always be over no matter what.
CM Punk VS Eddie Kingston
CM Punk in a hard-fought match. Add Eddie Kingston to the list of guys who "will be over no matter what."
SECOND ROUND
The second round is where things get tough. There are quite a few guys who I wouldn't want to lose, but someone obviously needs to lose in each match. Hopefully the tournament is so prestigious after a star-studded round one, that losing in the second round isn't seen as a bad thing.
Miro VS MJF
Perhaps the toughest match in round two to pick a winner. I'd go with Miro.
Malakai Black VS Bryan Danielson
Okay, no, THIS is actually the toughest match. I want Bryan Danielson to win, even if that means having Black suffer his first loss. We could have Cody cost him the win if we wanted to end it on a screw job.
Jungle Boy VS Adam Cole
They've faced off before and it was awesome, so of course it would be awesome the second time. Jungle Boy wins this go-around.
Andrade El Idolo VS CM Punk
CM Punk is victorious again, but is the grueling tournament catching up to him?
ROUND THREE
I'd have the semifinals and final both happen at Full Gear. First, it would build hype for the show. Second, it makes things more unpredictable. Third, it would highlight just how tough it is to win this tournament.
Miro VS Bryan Danielson
This would be a hell of a match. Now, here's the thing: Miro wins. Yes, Danielson loses his first AEW match, but that's okay. Plus, it positions Miro as an unstoppable monster going into the final.
Jungle Boy VS CM Punk
Did I tease a Danielson/Punk final and not deliver? Kind of, but that's what makes tournaments fun! Also, did you notice something about the final four? Three out of four of the guys in the tournament are "ex-WWE guys." I'd want the internet to be yelling about how AEW is showcasing these former WWE guys at the expense of their homegrown talent! I want people "obviously" predicting a Punk/Danielson final. I want all of that. And then Jungle Boy wins this match.
ROUND FOUR
The final of the 2021 AEW Full Gear World Title Eliminator Tournament should be Miro versus Jungle Boy. It would be a great story. The tough, dominating Miro against the young, tenacious Jungle Boy. Neither man has even held a world title in a major promotion. This will be a coming out party for both of them.
Miro VS Jungle Boy
After Jungle Boy wins, the story becomes about two guys who have been with AEW from the start. Hangman Page and Jungle Boy were both supposed to be big stars in this company. Everyone said that. And maybe it took a while, but here they are. Despite everything, the pandemic, the influx of new talent, their own setbacks, they're both here in the main event for the title. Despite being a face versus face match, Jungle Boy vs Hangman Page for the AEW World Title could be huge. I'd have Hangman retain, but it would firmly cement Jungle Boy as a top tier guy.
What do you think? Who do you think will win the real tournament?
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