MJF tapped out Roderick Strong to win their grudge match at AEW Full Gear, following up on the victory with a post-match beating that drew Adam Cole out to make the save. Strong earned his shot at absolution against MJF at Saturday's event as he was the first between him and Cole to reach three consecutive victories, a stipulation laid out by MJF in order to determine his opponent, against Shane Taylor, The Beast Mortos, and Lance Archer. But it would not work out the way he intended, going at his opponent viciously as the starting bell rang Strong was lulled into chopping the ring post. MJF took advantage of the mistake, zeroing in on the injured hand as he sandwiched it between the rod of a turnbuckle and wrenched on it.
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That damage to his hand became Strong's undoing as he sought to endure through to victory, landing a running knee for what looked like the winning move before draping the injured limb over his opponent in the pinfall attempt, thus allowing MJF to snap in the Salt of the Earth armbar and tap his opponent out. Not content with the victory, however, MJF grabbed a steel chair after the match and snapped it over the injured hand. Cole came out to make the save as MJF retreated, but the damage had been done and Strong was helped out of the ring by an arriving Kyle O'Reilly; O'Reilly shoved Cole out of the way, outwardly believing this to have been a consequence of his vendetta with MJF.
