For the second time, AEW and NJPW collaborate to put on a major event! With Bryan Danielson meeting up with Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay getting his second match with Kenny Omega in a rematch for the IWGP United States championship. CM Punk faces Satoshi Kojima in an Owen Hart Cup Quarter Final. Challenging MJF is The Ace for New Japan, Hiroshi Tanahashi. All that and much more.
Zero Hour Results:
El Desperado and Roppongi Vice Vs Mogul Embassy, Swerve Strickland, Brian Cage, Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun:
Results: Swerve Strickland by Pinfall via Swerve Stomp On Rocky Romero
Billie Starkz Vs Athena – AEW Owen Hart Cup Quarter Final:
Results: Athena by Pinfall via Dominator GTS
El Phantasmo Vs Stu Grayson with The Righteous:
Results: El Phantasmo by Pinfall via CRII (Double Hammerlock Inverted Front Slam)
Jeff Cobb, TJP and Kyle Fletcher Vs Los Ingobernables de Japon, Shingo Takagi, Bushi and Hiromu Takahashi:
Results: Shingo Takagi by Pinfall via Made In Japan (Pumphandle Leg Drop)
Main Show Review:
AMAZING MJF Vs Hiroshi Tanahashi – AEW World Championship:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 0.50
The match did a better job at hiding Hiroshi Tanahashi’s age and limited ability in the ring by making the match about MJF’s reign. MJF was all about in the build up being that NJPW is a indie company and was doing his best to outwork Tanahashi. The crowd was amazing for both MJF and Hiroshi. And both men were doing great with the selling. Thats the high points of the math where everything looked good and the story was great and nothing incredibly innovative from the match.
Results: MJF by Pinfall via Dynamite Diamond Ring Punch
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.00 Stars
GREAT Satoshi Kojima Vs CM Punk – AEW Owen Hart Cup Quarter Finals:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.50
This was a match that could have been enjoyed more than the opener. But the match didn’t have as good of selling or as good of a storyline. I will give credit, Punk is drinking in the boos and working with the crowd. Satoshi looked good in the match and it was overall just a solid match but nothing above that.
Results: CM Punk by Pinfall via GTS
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.50 Stars
AMAZING Katsuyori Shibata Vs Zack Sabre Jr Vs Daniel Garcia Vs Orange Cassidy – AEW International Championship:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 1
Things picked up with this match that everything was done phenomenally, the story of Orange Cassidy’s body taking more and more damage. The match got very competitive by the end of it and the smart decision with the championship defenses is Orange Cassidy just getting the victory. Everyone in the match had nearfalls and the crowd was great for it.
After the match, Zack and Shibata exchange staredowns with Cassidy indicating they are not done with the International champion.
Results: Orange Cassidy by Pinfall via Crucifix Roll Up
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.25 Stars
GOOD Jungle Boy with Hook Vs Sanada – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.50
Innovation: 0.75
There is nothing to complain about this match because this was just a solid match. This match didn’t have a story to it and the psychology was alright. The match was alright for what it was but nothing special. It sucks that this was the IWGP World Heavyweight championship match because it was just there.
Results: Sanada By Pinfall via Moonsault
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.25 Stars
AMAZING The Elite in Hangman Adam Page and the Young Bucks, Tomohiro Ishii and Eddie Kingston Vs Blackpool Combat Club in Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley, and Wheeler Yuta, Shota Umino and Konosuke Takeshita – AEW/NJPW Star Studded Tag Match:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.75
This was just a fun and entertaining match. It wasn’t rushed and wasn’t too long. The right amount of time. Everyone looked good in the match. Aside from the springboard cutter to Yuta, there weren’t any botches. There’s some sequences that were fresh but the ending wasn’t perfect. And The crowd was electric for the match.
Results: Tomohiro Ishii by Pinfall via Elevated Brainbuster
Ben Allison’s WR Star Rating – 4.25 Stars
GREAT Toni Storm Vs Willow Nightingale – AEW World Women’s Championship Match:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.50
This was an overall solid and good match. Nothing over the top amazing about it but it was a safe and solid showing from both women’s champions. The lowest quality was innovation, there wasn’t anything out there but the match was good for what it was. A safe but well performed match.
Results: Toni Storm By Pinfall via Storm Zero
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.50 Stars
PERFECT Kenny Omega Vs Will Ospreay – IWGP United States Championship:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 1
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 1
The one thing I can say is the ending could have easily hurt the match with the nearfalls and the kick out at one. But the match was still compelling by the end of it. I was going to mention the Canadian flag as something that didn’t cause a DQ but they cleared it up. Since the match was for a NJPW championship, it was under their rules so it was Referee’s discretion. Will had a very deep cut for when he was bleeding. But like I said, aside from the nearfalls closer to the end of the match it was very much a 5 star match. Although they completely avoided the concept of less is more. Great entrance for Ospreay as well.
Results: Will Ospreay by Pinfall via Storm Breaker
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 5.00 Stars
ABOVE AVERAGE Sting, Darby Allin and Tetsuya Naito Vs Le Suzuki Gods, Minoru Suzuki, Sammy Guevara and Chris Jericho – AEW/NJPW Trios Match:
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 0.50
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.50
Innovation: 0.75
After a match that stole the show, this match was not that good. It was alright for what it was but there were some good spots like the judas effect counter to Darby’s dive. The match is not memorable like last year’s Le Suzuki Gods’ match. We saw Jericho pinning Naito at one point with Sting going to his corner ignoring the pin.. It was odd and not a great showing for anyone.
Results: Tetsuya Naito by Pinfall via Jackknife Roll Up On Minoru Suzuki
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 2.75 Stars
AMAZING Bryan Danielson Vs Kazuchika Okada – AEW/NJPW Dream Match: See Bryan’s Entrance HERE
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 0.75
This match was just another really solid match. The crowd was not on fire for the match like they were for Omega. The crowd was not receptive with the finish of the match. I can truly say this match is not going to be remembered for the story they told but the great technical wrestling within the match. As well as the fact that this match happened. Personally this should not have been the main event.
Results: Brian Danielson by Submission via Leg Assisted Double Armbar
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.25 Stars
Overall…
AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door was a show that was stacked more than it was than last year’s event. At the same time it might have hindered them. The wrong match main eventing in Okada Vs Danielson, and the crowd failing to recover after Omega Vs Ospreay, proved the show structure could have been better. While there were several must watch matches on the show, matches such as the co-main between Team Sting and The JAS, just halted the show from getting the very prestigious full star match rating on our scale. A few storylines were advanced well during the show, such as the intriguing Jungle Boy heel turn, Don Callis/Kenny Omega, a tease of Orange Cassidy vs Shibata vs ZSJ, and the Outcasts vs Originals, but it did lack stories being told to an advanced level.
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. 4/5 Stars
For inquiries about the rating criteria check out the article announcing the new system here:
