On Sunday, June 25th AEW and NJPW team up once again to treat wrestling fans to the second inter-promotional supershow Forbidden Door.
The first event took place on June 26th 2022 and featured stars of both promotions going head-to-head in never-seen-before matches such as Claudio Castagnoli vs Zack Sabre Jnr, Will Ospreay vs Orange Cassidy and Jon Moxley vs Hiroshi Tanahashi.
The first show was a huge success and it was no surprise that the two companies confirmed the second instalment was taking place but the lead-up to this year’s event has upped the ante with several genuine dream matches happening at the event.
The full card is as follows:
- Stu Grayson vs. El Phantasmo – Zero Hour Buy In
- United Empire Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher, and TJP vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, and BUSHI – Zero Hour Buy In
- Mogul Embassy Swerve Strickland, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona vs. CHAOS Rocky Romero, Trent, and El Desperado – Zero Hour Buy In
- Athena vs. Billie Starkz – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Cup – Zero Hour Buy In
- MJF (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – World Championship
- Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevera and Minoru Suzuki vs. Sting, Darby Allin and Tetsuya Naito
- Filthy Tom Lawlor vs. Adam Cole
- Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jnr vs. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia – International Championship
- CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Cup
- Sanada (c) vs. Jungle Boy Jack Perry – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
- The Blackpool Combat Club w/ Konosuke Takeshita and Shota Umino vs The Elite w/ Eddie Kingston and Tomohiro Ishii
- Kenny Omega (c) vs. Will Ospreay – IWGP United States Championship
- Toni Storm (c) vs. Willow Nightingale – Women’s World Championship
- Bryan Danielson vs. Kazichuka Okada
With a total of fourteen, yes fourteen matches on the show, let’s pick our winners…
Stu Grayson vs. El Phantasmo – Zero Hour Buy In
This match was announced on AEW Collision as a last-minute addition to the already stacked card and despite no storyline, these two high-flyers will be looking to kick off the shoe with a bang.
Prediction: Since returning to AEW, Grayson has mostly appeared on ROH TV and will no doubt use this opportunity to remained viewers just how good he is against an opponent the calibre of El Phantasmo. Grayson wins.
United Empire Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher, and TJP vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, and BUSHI – Zero Hour Buy In
Another last-minute addition sees two of NJPW’s top factions clash in trios action. Fans of hard-hitting heavyweight encounters will especially be looking forward to the Jeff Cobb and Shingo Takagi interactions.
Prediction: The result could see either faction get the victory as they both have the means to do so, but with that being said, expect to see Los Ingobernables de Japon as the winner. LIJ win.
Mogul Embassy Swerve Strickland, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona vs. CHAOS Rocky Romero, Trent, and El Desperado – Zero Hour Buy In
The former multi-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champions Roppongi Vice reunite alongside El Desperado to face the Mogul Embassy in the
Prediction: Coming off his loss to Hiroshi Tanahashi on AEW Collision Swerve Strickland will be looking to get back to winning ways. Mogul Embassy wins.
Athena vs. Billie Starkz – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Cup
As announced on Dynamite the ROH Women’s World Champion Athena will go up against newcomer Billie Starkz in the first round of the Owen Hart Cup.
Prediction: As much as a Starkz will give it a good go it’s hard to see anyone other than Athena pick up the decisive win and progress to the next round of the tournament. Athena wins.
MJF (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – AEW World Championship
The Ace of NJPW has declared to win the AEW World Championship after missing out on it at last year’s event against Jon Moxley and called out MJF to do so. After initially disregarding Hiroshi Tanahashi’s challenge, MJF was goaded into accepting it by Adam Cole on the June 21st edition of Dynamite and two of both promotion’s top guys go head-to-head in what promises to be a stellar outing.
Prediction: For years MJF has called himself the best and now he gets the chance to prove it against one of the greatest wrestlers to ever do it. MJF’s youth and penchant for breaking the rules give him a clear advantage over the veteran, but the match will undoubtedly be a sleeper match of the night. MJF wins.
Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevera and Minoru Suzuki vs. Sting, Darby Allin and Tetsuya Naito
Amazingly this is the first time in wrestling history Chris Jericho and Sting will face each other in battle, which gives the match a higher level of interest. The addition and debut of Tetsuya Naito also ups the ante due to his history with Jericho plus his one-on-one interaction with Sting will be a great piece of history.
Prediction: This match should give fans several exciting moments between the competitors, but it will all be about the Jericho and Sting interaction, which, plus the result will lead to a one-on-one matchup between the two at All In London. Sting, Allin and Niato win.
Filthy Tom Lawlor vs. Adam Cole
After MJF set up the match on Cole’s behalf, the debuting Tom Lawlor attacked Cole on Rampage. Lawlor is a former NJPW STRONG Champion and one tough customer with a legitimate shoot-fighting background. Something that Cole is going to find out firsthand on the show.
Prediction: This is another chapter in the Cole vs MJF feud and despite being thrown together last minute this match will be good fun. As well as being a legit shooter Lawlor has a wild personality so expect to see some excellent and off-the-wall exchanges on the way to a Cole victory. Adam Cole wins.
Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jnr vs. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia – International Championship
After the chaotic ending of the tag team match that involved all four competitors, it was quickly announced they will all compete for the Intercontinental Championship in a Four-Way match.
Prediction: Despite successfully holding on to the title after several gruelling matches Orange Cassidy may have met his match here. His opponents, especially Shibata and ZSJ are highly-skilled wrestlers and strikers with a gift for inflicting the maximum amount of pain upon their opponents. Both could easily win the title at the PPV, but the British loud-mouth ZSJ makes the most sense and could take the title to Japan and England, where he wrestles regularly reinstating the international meaning of the title’s purpose. ZSJ wins, new champion crowned.
CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Cup
This is certainly not the match most wanted to see CM Punk in at the show, but here we are. It was widely expected that he would face KENTA in a battle of the GTS finisher move, however, that outing doesn’t seem to be one that will ever happen and now he faces Satoshi Kojima in his first singles match since All Out 2022.
Prediction: Satoshi Kojima is a former two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a solid competitor who will no doubt take it to Punk, but there is simply no way he beats Punk. CM Punk wins.
The Blackpool Combat Club w/ Konosuke Takeshita and Shota Umino vs The Elite w/ Eddie Kingston and Tomohiro Ishii
The BCC called out the Elite to another match between the factions at the PPV. But with Bryan Danielson facing Okada, the BCC brought in the help of Konosuke Takeshita and NJPW’s Shota Umino while the Elite minu Kenny Omega brought in Eddie Kingston and Tomohiro Ishii.
Prediction: This match will be another chaotic brawl similar to their Anarchy in the Arena outing at Double or Nothing with mayhem and violence galore. However, the outcome of this specific war will see the Elite emerge as the winner thus setting up a third and final battle between the groups further down the line. The Elite win.
Sanada (c) vs. Jungle Boy Jack Perry – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
On the June 14th edition of Dynamite, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA appeared in the show via video to call out anyone on the AEW roster to step up and challenge him and Jungle Boy Jack Perry was the one to do it. Since then SANADA has publically expressed his disappointment that someone like Perry was one to do it, but could be underestimating the youngster who still has a lot to prove.
Prediction: Despite sensationally defeating Okada for the prestigious title SANADA still needs to establish himself as champion and a victory over the tenacious Perry could further his journey while another big loss for Perry will add a further reason for him to turn heel. SANADA wins.
Kenny Omega (c) vs. Will Ospreay – IWGP United States Championship
Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay will meet in another eagerly awaited matchup. The duo met earlier this year at Wrestle Kingdom 19 in a stellar outing that wowed audiences across the wrestling world. Following the loss, New Japan announced a tournament to establish Omega’s next challenger. The Brit defeated Tanahashi and Lance Archer to stamp his way into title contention and set up the hotly-anticipated rematch. Since the match was confirmed Ospreay sent Omega a message with a nasty hook kick before siding with the Cleaner’s former friend, Don Callis adding further het to this already boiling hot feud.
Prediction: After another, brutal and intense match, expect to see Ospreay reclaim the title and set up a third match between the two at All In London at Wembley Stadium. Ospreay wins, new IWGP US Champion crowned.
Toni Storm (c) vs. Willow Nightingale – Women’s World Championship
The long-running rivalry between Toni Storm and Willow Nightingale goes to the next level as they will clash at Forbidden Door for the AEW Women’s World Championship.
Prediction: These two have fought previously in singles matches with Storm getting the victory both times and despite Nightingale’s best efforts it will be the same outcome at the PPV. Storm wins.
Bryan Danielson vs. Kazichuka Okada
This match is just what the pay-per-view was created for as two of the best wrestlers of our generation meet in a dream match for the ages. The highly-anticipated outing came about when at NJPW Dominion Danielson called out the Rainmaker in a video in which he threatened the drag him into the desert. Following the call-out, New Japan organised an impromptu press conference where Okada officially accepted the American Dragon’s challenge to see who really is the best wrestler in the world.
Prediction: It is safe to say that the expectations for this match are extremely high but if there are any two people who can over-deliver it is Danielson and Okada. So good is this matchup it requires nothing more than two legends of the ring battling it out for supremacy. Okada wins