AEW/New Japan Pro Wrestling Forbidden Door 6/26/2022
I only skipped 2 matches.
QT Marshall and Aaron Solo vs Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI
QT did a flying space tiger drop here that looked awful and Solo hit a top rope footstomp and a tope con hilo. QT also did an awful handspring into an enzugiri. QT missed a 450 here as well and landed hard. Goto and Yoshi got the win after a double team move on Solo. Probably went around 10 minutes with Goto and Yoshi winning as expected. I'm not real sure if I understand what the deal is with QT, but it seems like he was intentionally doing bad looking stuff.
Nick Comoroto vs Lance Archer
This match was not on any line-ups I saw and I don't know what the deal with it is. Archer did some silly looking cannonball off the 2nd rope to enter. Nick pulled him by the hair on the ropes then shouldered him off the apron into the rails. Nick hit a nice jumping elbow and got rock bottomed. They traded forearms and Lance lariated him. Lance then walked the top rope with a moonsault onto Nick. Nick hit a nice powerslam for 2. Lance then hit his blackout and won.
This was a good hoss match. It was the most I've ever seen Nick get to do and he looked good doing it. He could probably use a couple more moves, but this dude should be on the main roster.
Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland vs El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
The punch ducking spot looked silly. They teased Lee and Swerve having issues. Lee had his knee worked on and did a clever spot where he grabbed Despy while in the figure four and threw him at Kanemaru. Kanemaru spit whiskey in Lee's eyes then Swerve jumped off of Lee's back and kicked Kanemaru. Despy got stuck hanging from the bottom rope and Swerve slingshot double stomped him. Lee then got the win with his fireman's carry into a slam on Kanemaru.
It ran a little longer than it should have but it was the right result.
Hobbs and Starks got on the mic after. They said they call themselves Shaq and Kobe so they said they are Pipper and Jordan. Keith Lee got called a Phillips Banks ripoff and Starks said they will never compare to them.
Gunn Club & Max Caster vs. The DKC, Kevin Knight, Alex Coughlin, & Yuya Uemura
Danhausen appeared on the tron, said something and played an @ss Boys song that was released a while ago. Gunn's kids ran to the back. Max won with a top rope elbow.
The NJPW crew looked like total idiots losing 4v2 to Billy Gunn and Max Caster. Just no excuse for that. Why would NJPW agree to this?
Chris Jericho, Minoru Suzuki, & Sammy Guevara vs. Eddie Kingston, Wheeler Yuta & Shota Umino
Yuta hits Jericho with slaps early then germans him multiple times. Yuta then hit a neat suplex on Jericho. Everyone got in and fought then went to the outside. Yuta got thrown into the stairs as did Eddie as Shota and Suzuki traded forearms. Eddie and Sammy pounded on each other then Yuta got some shots in. Sammy hit a corkscrew dropkick on Yuta then Yuta senton'd him for 2. Sammy was then tripped into a Shota basement dropkick. Jericho got in and Shota forearm flurried him. Eddie then got in and Jericho tagged out.
Eddie and Suzuki traded chest chops and Eddie hit machine gun chops. Suzuki dropped him then Eddie got beat up on in the corner. Eddie hit machine gun chops on Jericho then Suzuki triangle'd Eddie over the ropes. Suzuki kicked his opponents off the apron then kicked Eddie for 2. Suzuki then put Eddie in the octopus and we had a triple submission spot. Sammy came ff the top and ate an exploder from Eddie then got STO'd.
Shota hit a weird move where he picked up Sammy like a slam and just threw him up and dropped him. Shota then basement dropkicked Suzuki and hit a perfectplex on Sammy for 2. Shota dropkicked Jericho then cannonballed him off the apron. Samm ythen did a top rope SSP to the floor on Shota and Yuta tope con hilo'd Sammy. Eddie then tope'd Sammy and Suzuki teased a dive.
Suzuki was thrown into the rails outside then Yuta top rope crossbodied Sammy. Yuta ran into Sammy and took a standing spanish fly then Eddie backdropped Sammy. Eddie then put Sammy in the stretch plum. Eddie uraken'd Suzuki then Sammy double jump cuttered Shota. Yuta then top rope splashed Sammy. Sammy jumping knee'd Shota.
Shota hit a top rope powerslam on Jericho for 2 then Jericho hit him with a jumping codebreaker. Jericho went ofr a lionsault but Eddie hit him while he was on the ropes. Shota came off the ropes and got hit by Sammy with a bat then tornado ddt'd Jericho. He then brainbustered Jericho for 2. Shota then crabbed Jericho. Suzuki then hit a gotch style piledriver on Shota. Jericho then hit a judas effect on Shota and won it.
This was a long opener but it was mostly good. Most trios or big tag matches like this are good if they get enough time, but they often don't get the time. Shota got a lot of the rub here and everyone brought something to the table. The crowd was hot for this.
FTR vs Roppogni Vice vs Jeff Cobb and Great O'Khan
Dax shouldered Trent down early and they traded headscissors before doing a stand off. Cobb got in and shouldered over Dax then Rocky was tripped into an elbow drop by Dax. Dax then held his arm off of it and was helped to the back. Rocky hurricanrana'd Cash then Khan sat on Cash's head on the top rope. Cobb hit a stiff short arm clothesline on Cash then stood on his back.
Cash had to hot tag Trent in since Dax was out then Trent half-nelson suplexed Khan. Trent then got deadlift suplexed by Cobb and Rocky top rope hurricanrana'd Cobb. They went outside and Trent hit a running knee off the apron then speared Cobb on the floor. Khan hit a stiff claw slam on Rocky on the apron. Khan was then hung on the ropes and Rocky top rope dropkicked him. Cash was held by Cobb and Khan elbow sliced him. Rocky got pushed out hard.
Dax returned and got tagged in and hit a big lariat on Khan. Dax german suplexed Cobb then Cobb took a double superplex. Cash then frogsplashed Cobb for 2. Khan took a spike piledriver then Rocky hit a sliced bread on Cash. Cobb took a jumping double knee then Rocky plancha'd Cash. Cobb powerbombed Trent and standing moonsaulted Rocky. Trent then got chokeslam thrown into a Cobb german for 2. Rocky topped Khan and Dax then Cobb took a storm zero + top rope dropkick combo. Rocky took a big rig from FTR and FTR got the win.
It was a good match but it was long and they probably did do too much. I kind of picked Vice to win as they were being protected for some reason, but I figured they would be involved in the pinfall one way or the other. Like most three-ways, it eventually ended up getting spotty.
Juice Robinson and Jay White did an interview. Juice said the OC/Will match was just a #1 contenders match for his title tonight. Jay said he would beat Okada, Cole and Page at the same time tonight and said this is the Switchblade Era.
AEW All-Atlantic Title - Miro vs Pac vs Clark Connors vs Malakai Black
Black was lariated over the top by Pac then Miro pounded on Clark. Clark hit chops on Miro and took a big slam. Clark shouldered Miro to the floor then Miro caught his plancha and slammed him on the floor. Pac is on the top and Black uses the ropes to pump kick him. Black then does a nice roll into a kneebar on Clark. Miro pulls Clark out by his hair.
Miro catches Pac's springboard and fallaway slams him. Miro lariats Clark and gutwrench throws him. Miro and Black double stomp Pac. They eventually start arguing and trade shots. Miro then flapjacks Pac. Pac superkicks Miro then Clark takes a bad bump to the outside. Pac then does a corkscrew dive over the top onto Clark and top rope dropkicks Miro.
Black takes a rebound german from Pac then Clark germans him. Black facekicks Miro then pulls a table out. Miro puts him into the post then catches Pac's plancha. Pac pushes him into the post then Clark spears Miro into a table. Clark and Black trade shots then Clark spears Pac. Clark then hits a high uranage on Pac then Miro dishes out a tower of doom spot on everyone.
Miro has Pac in the camel clutch and Black mists him. Black tries to flying armbar Clark then Pac 450's both. Pac then puts Clark in the brutalizer and wins it.
It was a spotfest as most of these matches are. Someone would hit something, get hit then go away and it would repeat with some big spots thrown in.
Claudio is the surprise guy here. He is officially a Blackpool Combat Club member, which I don't think does much for him or the BCC.
CC rushes him with a euro and neutralizers him for 2. Zack then rolls out. Zack is thrown into the rails then CC running euros him. Zack armwringers CC over the ropes and takes a boot to the face. CC then delay suplexes him. Zack then leglocks him over the ropes and hangs off his knee while CC's legs are hanging from the ring.
Zack armbars CC then twists his arm with his legs. CC accidentally spears the post then Zack hits la mistic and works his arm. CC uranage's Zack over his knee. Zack has CC in a triangle then CC picks him up and they go over the top rope to the floor, where Zack holds on. CC then takes up the steps with him on his shoulder and dumps him in the ring. They go up top and Zack octopus stretches him up there. CC hits some euros up there then gutwrench suplexes him from the top.
They trade running euro's and CC giant swings him. CC can't hang on due to Zack's armwork earlier. CC goes for a sharpshooter but Zack reverses it and grounds him with a heel hook. CC then rolls him into a sharpshooter and Zack tries to fight out but takes a double stomp. They trade euros and CC downs him with one. Zack climbs on his back with a sleeper. Zac k does like a grounded strangle hold alpha and CC hits the ropes.
Zack hits some chest kicks to a downed CC then CC euros and lariats him. Zack then gets a 2 count pin attempt and is popped up into a euro. CC spinning clotheslines him then hits a straightjacket powerbomb to win it.
This went long and I didn't think it was that great. They spent most of the matck working holds and then didn't really finish it with one. They worked well together through as expected but this was a lose-lose as someone was losing on their debut.
IWGP United States Heavyweight Title Match - Will Osperay vs Orange Cassidy
Will throws OC hard into the buckles then puts him in an abdominal stretch. He puts his hand in OC's pocket then pulls his middle finger out. OC top rope crossbodies Will and then OC takes a wild fall when Will counters his satellitle headscissors attempt. Will does a top rope diving forearm then stands on his face. Will has OC by the hair and OC puts his hands in his pockets like a moron then shotgun dropkicks him.
OC does slow motion Kawada kicks and Will forearms him for it. OC then does faster ones. OC turns a suplex into a cutter then hits a michinoku driver for 2. Oc springboard moonsaults Will then spins it into a ddt and topes him. Aussie Open tries to interfere then OC corkscrew moonsaults them off the 2nd rope. OC then comes off the top and ddt's him on the way down. OC runs at Will and takes a spanish fly.
They both go up top and Will has his head banged off the camera on the post. Will his a running ssp then OC gets his knees up on his corkscrew moonsault. OC then hits a beachbreak for 2. Will hits a cutter then an Os cutter for 2. Will goes for a powerbomb type of move and OC hurricanrana's him. Will flips him with a clothesline then hits his hidden blade forearm to the back of the head. Will then wins with his stormbreaker.
I hated this. This is a title match and OC is goofing around. Will then did little to make him pay for goofing around and it made them both look bad. The sad thing is that it would have been good without it but indy guys gotta do indy stuff.
IWGP Title - Jay White vs Kazuchika Okada vs Adam Cole vs Adam Page
Cole puts out Page early and Okada facekicks White. Cole tries to get White to work with him on the outside then Okada and Page attack. Page topes Cole into the rails then White gordbusters Okada on the apron. Cole and White then double suplex Page on the stage. Cole and White double team Okada for a bit then White is thrown into the steps. Page springboard lariats White on the apron then fallaway slams Cole and plancha's White. Page does a top rope moonsault and Cole superkicks him during it.
Okada fights off another Cole/White double team then Okada dropkicks Cole as he is sat on the top rope. Okada facekicks White over the rail then jumps over it and crossbodies him, nailing White as well. White backdrops Okada. White flatliners Page on the inside the Page reverses a White pin and Cole superkicks him. Cole turns on White and backstabber him then brainbusters him over his knee. White then uranage's Cole.
White hits some suplexes on people and Page hits a discus lariat. All 4 men trade forearms then Page ligerbombs White. Page top rope moonsaults on his opponents outside then Gedo grabs his boot. Page hits a samurai driver on White then buckshot lariats him. Okada and Page trade forearms and Page germans him. Page then hits a spinning lariat and is thrown into the post by Cole. Cole superkicks Page and Okada.
Okada dropkicks Cole then does it again. White bladerunners Okada then randomly pins Cole and wins it.
The ref messed up the finish here as White won after nothing. It was later explained that Cole got a concussion, but it was messed up. I wasn't too into this match. It went too long and was spotty as all four ways are.
AEW Interim Title - Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Jon Moxley
They get off to a slow start. Tana twisting crossbodies Mox off the 2nd buckle then they trade forearms. They trade more forearms and chops. They go up top and Mox rakes his back then double arm suplexes him. Mox then piledrives him and hits a reverse curb stomp. Mox then puts him in a texas cloverleaf.
Tana flipping sentons Mox from the 2nd rope. Mox tries to throw Tana over the top, but he pulls himself back up then is thrown out. Tana is thrown into the rails then uranage'd through a table. They get back in and Tana hits some reverse curbstomps on him then Tana slingblades him. Mox somehow gets busted open after the slingblade. Mox rolls out and Tana high fly flows him from the top to the floor. Tana hits some twists and shouts on Mox then Mox release germans him. Mox is standing and Tana high fly flows him. Tana then hits another high fly flow for 2.
Mox bulldog chokes Tana and hits a big lariat. Mox sleepers him then wins it with a paradigm shift ddt.
The blood was random but did make for good visuals. I didn't think it was a classic or anything but it was fine. AEW had every excuse to give Tana the belt here but ultimately opted not to. It wouldn't have been great for business, but it might have made NJPW happy and wouldn't have disrupted things too much. But people don't like to job out their guys or give other companies their titles.
There was a big brawl after with Eddie, Cesaro, the JAS, Santana and Ortiz, JAS's crew was run off after jumping Mox and Tana to build to Blood and Guts.
Overall thoughts: I skipped two matches here. It was a long show and very wrestling heavy with over 3 hours of in-ring wrestling. Interpromotional shows are tough because there's not a ton of storylines at play, there's political issues and a lot of the matches are just kind of matches for matches sake. It was good for what it was but nowhere close to best of all-time status.
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