For the second yr in a row, the forbidden door was damaged down as All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Professional Wrestling collaborated for a present for the ages.
The Sunday evening card at Toronto’s Scotiabank Enviornment featured two matches that may stand the take a look at of time, whereas the entire occasion was near excellent.
The primary occasion featured generational skills Bryan Danielson and Kazuchika Okada. Each are legends in America and Japan. Danielson shocked followers when he got here out to “The Remaining Countdown,” a tune acquainted to him from his days in Ring of Honor however which hadn’t been used for years.
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That epic second was an indication of issues to return.
IT’S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!
For the primary time ever, Bryan Danielson takes on Kazuchika Okada in your important occasion on Forbidden Door!Order #AEWxNJPW #ForbiddenDoor on PPV proper now!
🇺🇸: https://t.co/QkT7hO9Xh4
🔗: https://t.co/SWp7bcLK64@bryandanielson | @rainmakerXokada pic.twitter.com/Kkr8Ozy5tJ— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 26, 2023
The 2 went forwards and backwards, buying and selling strikes that introduced a crowd drained from Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay to its ft. At one level, Danielson, who has a historical past of neck points, “seized” within the ring to distract Okada. In a brief match in comparison with most Okada matches, Danielson compelled Okada to faucet out following an revolutionary LeBell Lock together with his legs. It was later revealed that Danielson fractured his proper forearm with ten minutes left to go within the Okada match. He’s anticipated to be out 6-8 weeks.
It was a the primary time since 2015, towards Shinsuke Nakamura, that Okada, the multi-time IWGP world champion, had misplaced by tapping out. Will we get a rematch down the street?
Earlier than that bout, Omega and Ospreay outdid their Match of the 12 months contender at Wrestle Kingdom 17 with a violent traditional. Ospreay, who was crushed badly on the NJPW occasion in January, was a person possessed. He compelled Omega to bleed by bashing his head by means of a desk a number of occasions. Omega returned the favor by utilizing the metal steps. It was a bloody masterpiece and bought higher with every devastating transfer.
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Don Callis, Omega’s former pal, tried to get entangled at a number of factors, even when he bought kicked out of the bout. He gave Ospreay a screwdriver and advised him to make use of Omega’s One Winged Angel towards him. The gang erupted when Omega kicked out at one following the transfer. They weren’t even near being achieved.
OMEGA OUT AT ONE! OMEGA OUT AT ONE! @KennyOmegamanX continues to be in it!! #AEWxNJPW #ForbiddenDoor
➡️ https://t.co/CkfxC2VBqd
🌍 https://t.co/2RPTamuzf4 pic.twitter.com/ZYAaIcvztj— TDE Wrestling (@tde_gif) June 26, 2023
Ospreay lastly took down Omega with a terrifying model of the Tiger Driver ’91 to turn out to be the IWGP United States champion.
If Omega is wholesome after taking all of the brutal strikes, Half 3 is anticipated.
#AndNEW
IWGP US Heavyweight Champion as soon as once more, Will Ospreay.Order #AEWxNJPW #ForbiddenDoor on PPV proper now!
🇺🇸: https://t.co/QkT7hO9Xh4
🔗: https://t.co/SWp7bcLK64@willospreay pic.twitter.com/aXtRE7OpEC— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 26, 2023
The evening began with the polarizing CM Punk beating Satoshi Kojima within the first spherical of the Males’s Owen Hart Cup Match. Punk bought booed in Canada, one of many first locations exterior Chicago he has competed in since his return.
Orange Cassidy, who’s within the lead for Wrestler of the 12 months, retained his AEW Worldwide title towards Zack Sabre Jr., Katsuyori Shibata and Daniel Garcia. A spotlight was Garcia doing numerous “sports activities entertaining” in a bout that includes nice wrestlers.
Cassidy’s reign continues at 250-plus days. Can anybody dethrone him?
Daniel Garcia is TRYING to get into the combination!
Order #AEWxNJPW #ForbiddenDoor on PPV proper now!
🇺🇸: https://t.co/QkT7hO9Xh4
🔗: https://t.co/SWp7bcLK64@orangecassidy | @garciawrestling | @zacksabrejr | @K_Shibata2022 pic.twitter.com/trmDkF9g8j— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 26, 2023
There was pressure within the 10-man tag workforce match centered round The Elite vs. The Blackpool Fight Membership as varied tales got here into play. Eddie Kingston continued his rivalry with Claudio Castagnoli whereas being conflicted about combating his greatest pal, Jon Moxley.
The Elite, teaming with Tomohiro Ishii and Kingston, beat the BCC, Konosuke Takeshita and Shota Umino. The rivalry between the factions is way from over, and there’s an opportunity it would all come to a head in a Blood and Guts match.
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Additionally on the primary card, MJF beat Hiroshi Tanahashi to retain the AEW world title, Toni Storm beat Willow Nightingale to retain the AEW girls’s world title, and Sting, Darby Allin and Tetsuya Naito beat Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Minoru Suzuki.
Lastly, “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry turned heel after dropping to IWGP world heavyweight champion SANADA. Perry attacked HOOK after the match, to the shock and anger of HOOK’s dad, Taz. Perry is specializing in HOOK’s FTW title.
JUNGLE HOOK IS NO MORE!
Order #AEWxNJPW #ForbiddenDoor on PPV proper now!
🇺🇸: https://t.co/QkT7hO9Xh4
🔗: https://t.co/SWp7bcLK64@boy_myth_legend | @seiyasanada pic.twitter.com/PZ0KbUeJuF— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 26, 2023
The outcomes from the Forbidden Door card:
AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023 full card outcomes
- Bryan Danielson def. Kazuchika Okada
- Sting, Darby Allin and Tetsuya Naito def. Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Minoru Suzuki
- Will Ospreay def. Kenny Omega (c) for the IWGP United States heavyweight title
- Toni Storm (c) def. Willow Nightingale to retain the AEW girls’s world title
- The Elite (“Hangman” Adam Web page, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson), Eddie Kingston and Tomohiro Ishii def. Blackpool Fight Membership (Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli), Konosuke Takeshita and Shota Umino
- SANADA (c) def. “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry to retain the IWGP world heavyweight title
- Orange Cassidy (c) def. Zack Sabre Jr., Katsuyori Shibata and Daniel Garcia to retain the AEW worldwide title
- CM Punk def. Satoshi Kojima in a first-round match of the Males’s Owen Hart Cup Match
- MJF (c) def. Hiroshi Tanahashi to retain the AEW world title
- Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi and Bushi) def. United Empire (Kyle Fletcher, Jeff Cobb and TJP)
- El Phantasmo def. Stu Grayson
- Athena def. Billie Starkz in a first-round match of the Ladies’s Owen Hart Cup Match
- Mogul Embassy (Swerve Strickland, Toa Liona, Brian Cage and Bishop Kaun) def. CHAOS (Rocky Romero, Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta) and El Desperado
- Tom Lawlor def. Serpentico