Predictions for AEW Full Gear: Is it Kyle Fletcher's Time to Become AEW World Champion?

Kyle Fletcher has always dreamed of becoming a world champion, and that dream could very well become a reality this Saturday night.

The Protostar will challenge longtime rival Will Ospreay for the AEW Men's World Championship at AEW Full Gear. Will Fletcher finally win the big one, or will he suffer yet another heartbreaking defeat at the hands the Aerial Assassin?

The AEW Women's World Championship will also be on the line as Mercedes Moné defends her title against Marina Shafir, the AEW World Trios Titles will be up for grabs inside Texas Death, and The Death Riders and Conglomeration are preparing for Anarchy in the Arena against the new dangerous alliance known as The Cut.

Tommaso Ciampa, Kazuchika Okada, The Young Bucks and The Brawling Birds will all be defending their respective championships as well, but who is at the biggest risk of losing their gold?

Rick Ucchino, Zack Heydorn and Blake Lovell are back to offer their final thoughts and predictions for every match that will take place inside the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

You can check out The Takedown on SI's All Full Gear 2026 prediction video above for more in-depth analysis, or you can read our abbreviated picks below.

AEW National Championship Match: Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Ilja Dragunov

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Ilja Dragunov | All Elite Wrestling

This is a match that was written in the stars from the moment that Ilja Dragunov stepped foot in All Elite Wrestling, but it's been booked at a time when neither man can ill afford to lose. The Mad Dragon is just starting to build momentum with his first victories coming against "Speedball" Mike Bailey and The Beast Mortos, while Tommaso Ciampa is less than a week into his reign as National Champion. We don't anticipate a non-finish, and we're split on who leaves Phoenix with Ciampa's precious Ruby.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: Tommaso Ciampa
Zack Heydorn: AND NEW!... Ilja Dragunov
Blake Lovell: AND NEW!... Ilja Dragunov

AEW Women's World Tag Team Championship Match: The Brawling Birds vs. Wrathlander

After months of domination by Megan Bayne and Lena Kross, The Brawling Birds have stepped up nicely as the new faces of the AEW Women's Tag Team Division. Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor knocked off Divine Dominion to win the world tag titles at All In: London over the summer, and while the oddball pairing of Kris Statlander and Harley Cameron work incredibly well together, it just doesn't feel like now is the right time to take the belts off The Birds.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: The Brawling Birds
Zack Heydorn: The Brawling Birds
Blake Lovell: The Brawling Birds

AEW Men's World Tag Team Championship Match: The Young Bucks (c) vs. Davis & Doyle

The Young Bucks vs. Davis & Doyle | All Elite Wrestling

Mark Davis and Jake Doyle have all the momentum heading into this one. The Don Callis Family is fresh off a win inside Blood & Guts, and just a few weeks prior, Davis and Doyle decimated The Young Bucks in an AEW Men's World Tag Team Title Eliminator Match. The seeds of doubt about whether Matt and Nick Jackson can climb this mountain of adversity have been firmly planted. Will they overcome the odds? Yes, but only after several minutes of making Davis and Doyle look like absolute monsters.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: The Young Bucks
Zack Heydorn: The Young Bucks
Blake Lovell: The Young Bucks

Texas Death Match for the AEW World Trios Championship: "Hangman" Adam Page, Brody King (c) & Bandido vs. Swerve Strickland & The New Level

"Hangman" Adam Page, Brody King & Bandido vs. Swerve Strickland & The New Level | All Elite Wrestling

Swerve Strickland and "Hangman" Adam Page are certainly no strangers to Texas Death, but now they've dragged their respective teammates into their seemingly never-ending blood feud. Kofi and Austin Creed have never seemed completely on board with the idea of competing in a Texas Death Match, and their reluctance may prove to be the deciding factor. Are Kofi and Creed willing to rise to a new level of violence required to win this type of match? If the answer is no, then the trios champions will retain.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: "Hangman" Adam Page, Brody King & Bandido
Zack Heydorn: "Hangman" Adam Page, Brody King & Bandido
Blake Lovell: "Hangman" Adam Page, Brody King & Bandido

AEW International Championship Match: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Adam Copeland

Kazuchika Okada vs. Adam Copeland | All Elite Wrestling

The fact that these two men have somehow found themselves on the cusp of a rather odd dream singles match in late 2026 is a testament to how beautifully unpredictable professional wrestling can be. We know the clock is ticking down to the end of Adam Copeland's career, and the big question is just how much he has left in the tank to compete with the most elite of All Elite Wrestling. Cope is dealing with a lack of confidence following Blood & Guts, and Okada has to be considered a heavy favorite, but Rick is riding with Cope as his upset pick of the night.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: AND NEW!... Adam Copeland
Zack Heydorn: Kazuchika Okada
Blake Lovell: Kazuchika Okada

Anarchy in the Arena: The Death Riders & The Conglomeration vs. The Cut

With Anarchy in the Arena happening on the same night as a Texas Death Match, it's going to be very interesting to see how company president Tony Khan goes about differentiating them from each other. This match may be a little more on the hokey side, especially with The Conglomeration involved, but at the end of the day, the goal should be to establish The Cut has the new big threat in All Elite Wrestling. Jay White will pick up a big win ahead of his potential involvement in the Continental Classic.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: The Cut
Zack Heydorn: The Cut
Blake Lovell: The Cut

AEW Women's World Championship Match: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Marina Shafir

Mercedes Moné vs. Marina Shafir | All Elite Wrestling

Mercedes Moné has put together a spectacular 2026, and we don't expect that her momentum will come to an abrupt stop at Full Gear. There is a time and place in the not too distant future where we could see The Problem emerge with the AEW Women's World Championship around her waist, it's just not going to be this weekend. This will be a great showcase match for Marina Shafir, and we know that Mercedes will make her look like a million bucks, but the Moné train will ultimately keep rolling right along.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: Mercedes Moné
Zack Heydorn: Mercedes Moné
Blake Lovell: Mercedes Moné

AEW Men's World Championship Match: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher

Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher | All Elite Wrestling

Kyle Fletcher has suffered multiple heartbreaking losses to his old friend and tag team partner, Will Ospreay, and we see another one in his future. While there's a decent portion of the AEW audience that's been underwhelmed with Ospreay's reign as the AEW Men's World Champion, the complaints stem from the stories he's been tasked with telling and not his performances as champion. Regardless, it's too soon to pull the plug. Fletcher's day will come, it just won't be Saturday night in Phoenix.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: Will Ospreay
Zack Heydorn: Will Ospreay
Blake Lovell: Will Ospreay

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