Ricochet Becomes First Ever AEW National Champion in Full Gear Casino Gauntlet

The inaugural AEW National Champion has been crowned, as Ricochet outlasted 11 other wrestlers on Saturday night in the AEW Full Gear Casino Gauntlet to claim the championship.

Ricochet was the third person into the ring after The Hurt Syndicate’s Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin. But rather than face his nemeses two-on-one, Ricochet came prepared. As he stood at the top of the ramp and mocked his opponents, Ricochet’s The Demand teammates, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona, appeared from behind to take out Lashley and Benjamin, as Ricochet took care of MVP on the other side of the ring.

That didn’t mean things were easy on Ricochet. At one point, he had to share the ring with three members of the Death Riders – Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta – along with a handful of other wrestlers who hate him, such as Orange Cassidy. And shortly after Daddy Magic was the last man to enter the ring, both Lashley and Benjamin returned to take out their frustration on Ricochet. But just when it looked like The Hurt Syndicate had the joint upper-hand on Ricochet, the rest of the Casino Gauntlet participants made their presence known, clearing the ring of Lashley and Benjamin.

That gave Wheeler Yuta, Kevin Knight and Orange Cassidy opportunities to claim the first ever AEW National Championship. But while Ricochet took a heap of punishment throughout the match, he was able to claim victory after he sneaked back into the ring and leveled Knight with a Spirit Gun for the three-count.

And with that, it’s official! The first ever AEW National Champion is Ricochet!