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Exclusive: How Big Boom AJ vs QT Marshall Match Got Made For AEW Full Gear

A long road for Big Boom AJ and QT Marshall to get to AEW Full Gear.

Steven Muelhausen

All Elite Wrestling Twitter

Not every wrestling match is created equal. There's different ways to get to the desired destination.

In the case of the match taking place during AEW Full Gear Zero Hour between Big Boom! AJ and QT Marshall, they took the alternate route to become arguably the most talked about match on the show by using social media.

AJ, real name, A.J. Befumo, is part of the Costco Guys fame alongside his son Big Justice. They have become TikTok sensations with over 2.3 million followers.

Before Marshall and Befumo became famous, they knew each other from the independent wrestling scene in New Jersey. In 2005, Befumo, then known as The American Power Child, decided to step away from the business as his body was starting to break down and went into the mortgage banking industry. Marshall was on the rise after training at the famed Monster Factory on the East Coast.

"I've known AJ since 2005," Marshall admits to The Takedown. "The first ever independent wrestling show I wrestled for was a place called National Wrestling Superstars. That was like the indie of all indies.

"But AJ was on his way out. The promoter set us up and introduced me to him. AJ, I guess just wanted to feel me out because he was retiring and wanted to pass the torch to somebody that he could trust that was going to be like the ultimate babyface. Boy, was he wrong."

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"When I was getting ready to step out of the ring, I found a young wrestler that I thought could carry the torch that looked very heroic, that was dressed in the American flag," Befumo also told The Takedown. "At the time he was beloved. I handed him my American flag. I brought him out to the ring, and I said, 'Look, it's time for me to step away. But this industry needs a hero, and I'm giving you the flag. It's up to you now'.

"I guess he wasn't able to carry that flag the way I do. So now it's time for me to come back in, and it's time for me to show him how it's done, and it's time for me to bring the BOOM!"

Despite Befumo taking his wife Ashley and son, Big Justice, down to Florida, the two had stayed in touch throughout the years.

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"I always stayed in touch with him," Marshall said. "Then when AEW started he reached out to me saying just like, 'Hey, congratulations. That's so awesome. I've been following what you're doing, but this is really cool'. Then we kind of settled off a little bit, and every now and then we'd send a text to each other.

The wheels got set in motion during the summer off a conversation Marshall had with AEW talent and executive Sonjay Dutt. AEW showcases some of the premiere matches in the world. But Marshall had an idea of doing something out of the box, and bringing in Befumo was what the doctor had ordered. The courtship began by AEW inviting Befumo and the family to All Out at the beginning of September.

"Sonjay Dutt and I were talking about what can we do that's bigger than just what we do every week. We're not going to go bigger than the greatest wrestling matches that you're ever going to see. What else could we do? And with the success of Logan Paul, there is that part of the industry that does bring new eyes on the company. I know AJ doesn't have the following as Logan Paul, but the guy was just on Jimmy Fallon. We spoke about it. They (AEW) brought him to All Out. He did some TikToks. He sat front row with with Big Justice. They had a great time."

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"QT and Sonjay Dutt had a plan," Befumo stated. They reached out to me and they said, 'Hey, why don't you and Big Justice come out to All Out. Do some behind the scenes stuff. Bring your bring your double chunk chocolate cookies'.

"I love pro wrestling. (I said) Let's do it, so we come out there. Now, the one thing I should have realized is they said to me, 'Oh, by the way, bring your gear. We're going to take some pictures'. So we have a good time. So after All Out, it gets a great reaction, and there's a lot of comments out there saying, 'Hey, when is Big Boom AJ getting in the ring?'"

Now, the next phase of the plan was about to commence. But it was a little difficult for Marshall to reel Befumo in.

MORE: Costco Guy AJ Explains Why He's Coming To AEW Dynamite

"I sent him a text, 'Hey, I have a wild idea. Give me a call back'. He did but it took a lot of convincing," Marshall said. "I had to put my salesman hat on and really go to work because he was not about it at all. I thought it would be the complete opposite.

"But it was just like, 'Man, I was at the show last night. I saw Will Ospreay versus PAC. I can't do that. I'm not going to be able to do that, especially 20 years out of the ring. I've only had one match'. I just said, 'Well, we could team together, and I'll do most of the lifting'. But in my head, I knew that I was going to go one-on-one against him, because there's no way that you're going to put one of the most beloved people out there. Then you see me, and I'm just one of the most notoriously hated people in AEW. I knew we weren't going to team, but I told him we would. He spoke to his wife and then he said ok."

Marshall got Befumo to take the bait of agreeing to come in for a one-match deal. Now, it was time to reel in the fish. At the beginning of October, Befumo, Big Justice, and Marshall were at the Barstool Sports studio so the former could sign his AEW deal. However, after all the fanfare, Marshall dropped Befumo into reality by telling him the contract isn't for them to team up but in a singles match during the Zero Hour at AEW Full Gear.

EXCLUSIVE: Big AJ Befumo & #BigJustice travel to Barstool Sports to make a huge announcement. What does QT Marshall think about this? #BOOM

Posted by All Elite Wrestling on Saturday, October 5, 2024

"When we went to barstool to announce it, that's where I kind of laid the heavy on him," Marshall proudly said. That it was going to be me versus him. And we set it up."

"So we get to Barstool Sports. We're about to sign my contract," Befumo said. And then QT turns the tables. He says, 'I brought you in to get you back in the ring'. So I said, 'Great, we're gonna team up. We're bringing the boom'. He goes, 'No one-on-one'. Then he threw the double-chunk chocolate cookies. I know what I got to do now. The world knows what I got to do now."

Since then, the feud has commenced on social media, along with an appearance by Befumo and Big Justice on The Jimmy Fallon Show, and a recent confrontation where Befumo delivered a special powerBOOM! to Marshall at an independent wrestling show in October.

Now, we are at Full Gear week and things have continued to heat up. Marshall took to social media on Monday and released a diss track about AJ and Big Justice.

The script got flipped a little bit when Befumo and Big Justice did a backstage interview on Wednesday's AEW Dynamite, where they announced The Rizzler would be with them at Full Gear. While wrestling fans have gotten upset because they don't understand the value The Costco Guys bring, people are watching as that segment has drawn nearly 10.5 million views on Twitter alone.

"I think already it's outdone everything that we've planned," Marshall said. "Him being on Jimmy Fallon and mentioning AEW and QT Marshall by name. That was more than any interview I could do. So it's been doing really well. I think it has gotten a lot of traction. I know our fans don't love it right out of the gate but all I ask is just see it through."

Everything comes down to the Zero Hour at AEW Full Gear. Both guys are ready to go and put on a show for the fans watching inside the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and for those watching at home.

"I just got my weight belt with the Doom logo on the back," Marshall said. So he's bringing the Boom, and I'm bringing the Doom."

"I know what I gotta do now," Befumo said. "The whole world knows what I got to do now. There's no power behind the Doom like there's power behind the boom. And I'm bringing the BOOM!"

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Steven Muelhausen
STEVEN MUELHAUSEN

: Steven Muehlhausen is a veteran combat sports writer for various outlets including Sporting News and Yahoo Sports. He can be reached at stevemuehlhausen@yahoo.com and followed on Twitter @SMuehlhausenJr.

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