AEW Forbidden Door 2024 is easily the weakest AEW PPV of the year. Expectations for a card of this level were barely met. There weren’t many stories other than this match is cross promotional for the event. Some of the matches had satisfying endings but nothing really to get someone excited for Dynamite other than Britt Baker’s return.
The matches that were really good helped the average rating of the matches stay high enough, but a number of matches struggled to deliver a PPV standard. Once again if AEW cuts the fat it's a signifcantly better show but business wise they have to try to make it enough bang for your buck. The main event is the best match of the night which is should normally be. But the match quality isn’t too consistent was a few dull matches close together especially the semi main event being very weak.
AEW Forbidden Door 2024 brings more companies together. As Stardom and CMLL have some involvement in this years cross promotion event. Marquee matches such as a Champion Vs Champion main event as Swerve Strickland defends the World Championship against Will Ospreay. Toni Storm faces Mina Shirakawa. The IWGP World Championship is on the line as Jon Moxley defends against Tetsuya Naito. Mercedes Mone and CMLL/NJPW’s Stephanie Vaquer have a title vs title match, TBS and NJPW Strong Women’s Champions, both on the line. Bryan Danielson faces Shingo Takagi in a quarter final match for the Owen Hart Cup. Zack Sabre Jr takes on Orange Cassidy. MJF faces CMLL’s Hechicero and a TNT ladder match is set for the event.
AEW Forbidden Door 2024 Zero Hour:
SQUASH Serpentico Vs Kyle Fletcher:
Kyle Fletcher dominates the match. Hits a piledriver and a top rope brainbuster. Why is this on the show.
Results: Kyle Fletcher by Pinfall vIa Top Rope Brainbuster
GOOD Kings Of The Black Throne, Malakai Black and Brody King Vs Private Party, Zay and Quen Vs Gabe Kidd and Roderick Strong Vs Tomohiro Ishii and Kyle O’Reilly:
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.75
This is a fine and enjoyable match. There isn’t much of a story and there is a scary brainbuster from Ishii to Brody. Fine moments and it doesn’t get that chaotic. Handful of nice sequences and the crowd is fairly active unlike the match before. Gabe Kidd got some nice chops throughout the match.
Results: Brody King by Pinfall via Gonzo Bomb on Zay
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.25 Stars
GOOD Willow Nightingale and Tam Nakano Vs Kris Statlander and Momo Watanabe with Stokely Hathaway:
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 0.50
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.50
Relatively fine match here, nothing over the top great about it. For the level of talent it should be better, but it is just fine. They do well with building to Willow and Kris finally getting physical and there is fine tag psychology. A couple rough moments and a fine finish. Tam pins Momo and gets the win for her and Willow.
Results: Tam Nakano by Pinfall via Straight Jacket German Suplex on Momo Watanabe
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.00 Stars
ABOVE AVERAGE Saraya with Harley Cameron Vs Mariah May with Toni Storm – Owen Hart Cup Quarter Finals:
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.50
Innovation: 0.50
Saraya and Mariah May have a fine match. Once again nothing wrong with what is done on this level. Its a pre-show match for a reason. I think the best quality of the match is the fans being for Mariah May. Popping for Toni Storm aiding her. Hating when Saraya had control. Its a basic match but nothing more than that. Mariah May proved she is such a valuable member of the roster still.
Results: Mariah May by Pinfall via Leg Trapped Roll Up
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 2.75 Stars
GREAT Los Ingobernables de Japon, Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi and Titan Vs Mistico and Lucha Bros, Pentagon Jr. and Fenix: AEW Forbidden Door 2024 Zero Hour Highlight
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.75
Clearly the highlight of the Zero Hour. There is great action, great sequences, solid spots and just a fun match. Each star gets their spots and highlights and this is enjoyable from start to finish. Not much of a story but it didn’t need it for the type of match it was.
Results: Mistico by Submission via Fujiwara Armbar
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.50 Stars
AEW Forbidden Door 2024 Main Show:
GREAT MJF Vs Hechicero: AEW Forbidden Door 2024 Opening Match
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 0.50
Once again the highlights of an MJF match are his selling. The crowd is firmly behind MJF as expected and Hechicero got the fans behind his ability by the end of it. Not much of a story, the basic moves from both men. Nothing looked back from a wrestling standpoint. MJF selling the arm and by the end of it he is struggling / is unable to use it. MJF gets a panama sunrise in the match and also wins with a Brainbuster. Solid match but nothing more.
Results: MJF by Pinfall via Brainbuster
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.50 Stars
GOOD The Acclaimed and Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs The Elite, The Young Bucks and Kazuchika Okada:
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.50
Innovation: 0.50
The match does build and play on the history between Tanahashi and Okada. Building to when they finally step in the ring together. The crowd do enjoy most of the match but the majority of the match is rather dull, slow and boring. Okada running from Daddy Ass regardless of his size is shocking after the match. Elite winning was gonna happen regardless and it did.
Results: Kazuchika Okada by Pinfall via Rainmaker on Tanahashi
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.00 Stars
AMAZING Shingo Takagi Vs Bryan Danielson – Owen Hart Cup Quarter Finals Match:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 0.75
Shingo Takagi had to get the crowd invested in him and some of it was playing off of Bryan’s past. Doing the Yes Chants with the fans doing No Chants. He realized he needed to get heat and he did! There is nothing wrong fundamentally from this match. Clearly a reason that both men want to win this match because of the stakes. Danielson enjoys selling his neck and it works well. Always is scary but he is that amazing for a reason. The finish came as Danielson transitioned a triangle into an armbar similar looking to Becky’s Disarmher, probably a little snugger. Shingo verbally taps out and Danielson moves on. Solid match that finally kicked the show into a bit of a next gear.
Results: Bryan Danielson by Submission via Seated Fujiwara Armbar
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.25 Stars
GREAT Toni Storm Vs Mina Shirakawa – AEW World Women’s Championship Match:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.50
From what happened it was a good enough match. Good work, I can mention some of the near falls especially how Mina combo’ed a super DDT and a normal one. The crowd almost struggled to get into it but were good for it. Toni’s hip attack looked vicious as always. Definitely more enjoyable than DON and Revolution’s Toni defenses.
After the match, Mariah gets Toni and Mina to hug and they share a 3 way kiss. Respect was earned from Toni to Mina. Fine angle but I expected more from Mariah.
Results: Toni Storm by Pinfall via Storm Zero Piledriver
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.50 Stars
AMAZING Orange Cassidy Vs Zack Sabre Jr.:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 0.50
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 1
Definitely a shocking match for a lot of people I think. Cassidy ended up hanging technically in a match with Zack Sabre Jr. Its an enjoyable match from the small taunts to each other, but there is great striking, great technical exchanges and solid sequences. The crowd wasn’t too into the match and there wasn’t much of a story, everything else is perfect though.
Results: Zack Sabre Jr. by Submission via Double Fujiwara Armbar and Cloverleaf
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.00 Stars
AVERAGE The Learning Tree, Big Bill and Chris Jericho, and Jeff Cobb Vs Samoa Joe, Hook and Katsuyori Shibata:
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 0.50
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.25
Innovation: 0.50
Gosh, this was dull. Its a very safe and an average match. Learning Tree get their heat as the heel group. Cobb gets enjoyable moments. Jericho briefly acknowledged the please retire chants before the match started. Samoa Joe has the crowd behind him for when he gets his spots. Match went way too long and is just rough.
Results: Hook by Pinfall via Judas Effect
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 2.25 Stars
MUST WATCH Konosuke Takeshita Vs Mark Briscoe Vs Jack Perry Vs El Phantasmo Vs Dante Martin Vs Lio Rush – TNT Championship Ladder Match: AEW Forbidden Door 2024 Second Best Match Of The Night
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 1
Finally a match that over delivers. This is pure carnage, great spots that look dangerous. ELP hits the UFO neckbreaker through a ladder. Takeshita brainbusters Dante on the frame of the ladder, and blue thunder bombs Phantasmo through two tables. Mark Briscoe gets his insane spots. Dante Martin even sells his ankle which he destroyed in his last ladder match. Everyone gets a good spot in this match and it really is the second match to truly have a PPV feel on this show.
Results: Jack Perry by Championship Retrieval via Unhooking The Championship
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.50 Stars
AMAZING Stephanie Vaquer Vs Mercedes Mone – NJPW Strong Women’s and AEW TBS Championship, Title For Title Match:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 0.75
Vaquer and Mone have a really good match where Mercedes does her best to get Vaquer a star making performance. Mone sells her ass off for Vaquer, to make her stuff look amazing. Mone was being boo’ed because of being from Boston and the Celtics got chants directed to them. This definitely took Mone and Stephanie off guard but they worked while with transitioning. The crowd were very much getting behind Vaquer in the second half. Mercedes wins after doing a Mone Maker facebuster instead of the DDT and into the crossface. Solid finish but it was a predictable result.
Results: Mercedes Mone By Submission via Bridging Crossface
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.00 Stars
GOOD Jon Moxley Vs Tetsuya Naito – IWGP World Championship Match: AEW Forbidden Door 2024 Semi Main Event
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.75
The redeeming qualities are the few nearfalls, the work with Moxley and Red Shoes. Its a rough match on all cylinders especially in the later portion. Naito does well with selling though and they make an effort to get some innovative counters. Naito wins with a Destino but I would have enjoyed seeing Moxley have a run in the G1 again.
Results: Tetsuya Naito by Pinfall via Destino
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.25 Stars
MUST WATCH Swerve Strickland Vs Will Ospreay – AEW World Championship: AEW Forbidden Door 2024 Main Event
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 1
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 1
Enjoyable match from start to finish. There are some issues regarding some of the nearfalls and it got excessive. The crowd is very hot for the main event, about time its a great crowd. The story of Ospreay struggling to pull the trigger and Swerve having the instinct was told. The Don Callis run-in helped and worked in this match. Great sequences and exchanges. The JML driver gets the win for Swerve and it makes sense. Only issues was some of the psychology of the match.
Results: Swerve Strickland by Pinfall via JML Driver
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.75 Stars
AEW Forbidden Door 2024 Overall…
AEW Forbidden Door 2024 is easily the weakest AEW PPV of the year. Expectations for a card of this level were barely met. There weren’t many stories other than this match is cross promotional for the event. Some of the matches had satisfying endings but nothing really to get someone excited for Dynamite other than Britt Baker’s return.
The matches that were really good helped the average rating of the matches stay high enough, but a number of matches struggled to deliver a PPV standard. Once again if AEW cuts the fat it’s a signifcantly better show but business wise they have to try to make it enough bang for your buck. The main event is the best match of the night which is should normally be. But the match quality isn’t too consistent was a few dull matches close together especially the semi main event being very weak.
Matches: 0.75/1 Stars
Show Structure: 0.75/1 Stars
Atmosphere…: 0.75/1 Stars
Storytelling: 0.75/1 Stars
Production/Theme: 1/1 Stars
Overall Rating. 4.00/5 Stars
Photo Credit: AEW -June 30 2024
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