‘AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2’ PPV Review
Welcome to this review of All Elite Wrestling’s most eagerly-awaited pay-per-views. Forbidden Door 2 builds on the tremendous original PPV from last June and is riding the coattails of some fantastic teaser matches between AEW and New Japan talent we’ve had on AEW television in recent weeks. We’ve got Taz, Excalibur and the English voice of NJPW, Kevin Kelly on commentary so let’s get into it.
ZERO HOUR
Match #1: Swerve Strickland, Brian Cage & The Gates of Agony (Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun) def. El Desperado & CHAOS (Rocky Romero, Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Gates of Agony double teamed Chuckie T. Trent grabbed a tag and took Toa off his feet with a big body press off the top turnbuckle. Rocky connected with a tope to Brian Cage. Chuck Taylor went over the top and wiped out the Gates of Agony. Trent dropped Toa with his own aerial assault. Toa Liona squashed Trent with a Samoan Drop. Kaun tagged in and worked over Trent, trying to prevent Trent from making the tag. Brian Cage delivered a Death Valley Driver to Trent on the apron. Swerve came in with a diving uppercut to Trent. Desperado tagged in and planted Swerve with a spinebuster for a two-count. Brian Cage powerbombed Desperado and then Swerve nailed Desperado with a kick. Rocky tagged in and took down Cage with a diving hurracanrana. Swerve scored the win after a diving foot stomp on Rocky Romero!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Quarter-Final Match – Athena def. Billie Starkz
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Starkz wasted no time, clobbering Athena with kicks. Athena picked up Starkz and face planted her on the mat. Athena jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Starkz was playing possum, countering with a thrust kick and then a Death Valley Bomb. Athena powerbombed Billie for a near fall. Athena and Starkz exchanged dropkicks. Billie went for a senton on Athena, but she crashed and burned. After driving Starkz down, Athena pinned Billie Starkz.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: El Phantasmo def. Stu Grayson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Grayson grounded and pounded El Phantasmo. El-P and Stu exchanged chops in the center of the ring. It broke down into a hockey fight, but Stu rocked Phantasmo with a jumping knee strike and then a senton on the apron. Phantasmo drove Stu spine first into the guardrail with a tope. He followed up with a lionsault on Stu for a near fall. Stu climbed to the top turnbuckle, but El Phantasmo stunned him with a super hurracanrana. ElP got a near fall after hitting Thunder Kiss ’86. El Phantasmo pinned Grayson after spiking him with a Jody Fleisch-like DDT.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: United Empire (Kyle Fletcher, Jeff Cobb & TJP) def. Los Ingobernables De Japon (BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Jeff Cobb tripped up Bushi and then sent him crashing into the Japanese announce desk. TJP went over the top with a senton on Bushi. Fletcher tagged in and scoop slammed Bushi. Jeff Cobb used a standing moonsault press for a near fall on Bushi. Cobb threw Takahashi over head with a suplex. Fletcher and Shingo tagged in for their respective teams. Fletcher blasted Shingo with a thrust kick. TJP flew in with a forearm off the top turnbuckle. Shingo walloped TJP with a Death Valley Driver. Shingo scored the pin on TJP after the Made in Japan!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
FORBIDDEN DOOR 2
Match #1: AEW World Championship Match – MJF def. Hiroshi Tanahashi
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Tanahashi knocked MJF out of the ring with a shoulder tackle. MJF said he was done and walked up the ramp. Tanahashi encouraged the fans to chant “Coward!” The chants worked because MJF headed back to the ring. MJF hoisted up Tanahashi and then dropped him across the top rope, knocking the wind out of the Ace. MJF locked in a bear hug. He followed up with palm strikes to Tanahashi’s abdomen. MJF applied an abdominal stretch. Tanahashi escaped and got a near fall on MJF after a senton to the champ. Tanahashi took down MJF with a flying crossbody press. Tanahashi threw MJF off the top turnbuckle with a rocket launcher. Tanahashi stunned MJF with a sling blade. MJF rallied back with a superplex on Tanahashi, sending shockwaves through the Ace’s body. MJF used a shoulder breaker on Tanahashi, but MJF immediately came up clutching his knee. Tanahashi built some momentum and hit the Sling Blade. Tanahashi jumped off the top with the High Fly Flow. Max raised his knees, and Tanahashi’s body came down. The move had just as much impact on Tanahashi as it did on MJF. MJF shoved Tanahashi into the referee. As the ref was recovering, MJF KO’ ed Tanahashi with the Dynamite Diamond Ring and then scored the pin.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Quarter-Final Match – CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kojima smashed Punk with forearms and then a hip toss. Kojima chopped Punk, sending Punk flipping over the guardrail. Punk rallied back with a leg drop. Kojima lit up Punk with rapid fire chops in the corner. Kojima crushed CM Punk with a diving elbow from the top turnbuckle. Kojima clocked Punk with a rolling elbow and then a DDT. Punk closed the distance with a running elbow strike. Punk climbed to the top turnbuckle and dropped an elbow across the throat of Kojima for a near fall. Punk transitioned right into the Anaconda Vice. Kojima fought out of it with ridge chops. Satoshi Kojima nailed Punk with the Koji cutter! Kojima went for the lariat, but Punk countered it with a swinging neck breaker. Kojima blocked the GTS and then countered with a brain buster for a near fall on Punk. Punk hit his mark with a roundhouse kick. Punk followed up with the GTS and pinned Kojima.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: AEW International Championship Match – Orange Cassidy def. Zack Sabre Jr., Katsuyori Shibata & Daniel Garcia
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Orange Cassidy tried a DDT on Garcia, but Garcia countered with the Dragon Tamer. Shibata jumped in and applied a submission on Orange until Zack broke it up to apply a leg lock of his own on Orange. Shibata and Zach traded forearms and European Uppercuts. Garcia charged in and took down both men. Orange rolled up Garcia for a near fall. Shibata suplexed Sabre. Orange smashed Garcia with a Stun Dog Millionaire and then a DDT for a two-count. Sabre went after Orange’s damaged right hand. Garcia grabbed a championship belt and rammed it into Shibata’s head for a two-count. Shibata had an onslaught on Garcia. Orange was there to pick up the scraps. Orange rolled up Garcia and pinned him.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #4: IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match – SANADA def. Jack Perry
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Jack connected with a dropkick, sending Sanada to the floor. Jack followed up with a tope. Jack Perry and Sanada traded chops and European Uppercuts. Jack caught Sanada with a back slide for a near fall. Jack Perry locked in the Skull End, Sanada’s own move! Sanada escaped and jammed Jungle Boy with a TKO for a new fall. Jack spiked Sanada with a reverse hurracanrana. Sanada countered a second attempt with a poison rana and then a shining wizard for a two-count on Jungle Boy. Sanada hit the moonsault press and pinned Jack Perry. After the match, Hook helped Jack Perry to his feet. They walked up the ramp and Jack Perry stunned Hook (and the fans) with a lariat to Hook.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: The Elite (“Hangman” Adam Page, Matt & Nick Jackson), Eddie Kingston & Tomohiro Ishii def. The Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta), Konosuke Takeshita & Shota Umino
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Shota used a deep arm drag on Page, but Page retaliated with a big boot. Ishii tagged in and he and Hangman Page used tandem offense on Shota. Takeshita tagged in and he and Ishii blasted each other with forearms. The Young Bucks used tandem offense on Takeshita. Moxley and Kingston tagged in and had a stare down. Mox and Kingston lit up each other’s chests with blistering chops. Claudio came in with a cheap shot to Kingston. Claudio stomped on Eddie Kingston. Wheeler Yuta tagged in and grounded and pounded Kingston. Moxley came in and stopped Kingston from making the tag out to his own corner. Moxley and Kingston clobbered each other with simultaneous lariats. Ishii tagged in and ran through Wheeler Yuta. Ishii planted Claudio with a brain buster. Takeshita and Umino used a powerbomb-reverse DDT combo on Ishii. Moxley jumped in, looking for the King Kong lariat, but Ishii suplexed him to the mat. Hangman Page tagged in, and he and Takeshita collided in the center of the ring. Page intercepted the Takeshita-line, with Page dishing out a wicked forearm. Page hit a running shooting star press off the apron onto Takeshita. Nick Jackson superkicked Takeshita. The Bucks tried for the BTE Trigger, but Takeshita dodged it. Takeshita double suplexed the Bucks. The Bucks answered with superkicks. A conflicted Kingston pushed Moxley out of the way of superkicks from the Bucks. Takeshita smashed Matt Jackson with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two-count. Moxley ran into Matt Jackson with a running lariat. Claudio put Matt in the Giant Swing and then Yuta dropkicked him. Ishii hoisted Yuta onto the top turnbuckle. Ishii superplexed Yuta. Hangman Page powerbombed Takeshita. Moxley saved a cutter for Kingston. The Bucks superkicked Moxley. Page went for a Buckshot Lariat, but Yuta was ready for it. Yuta countered with a suplex. Ishii ran in and clotheslined Yuta. Ishii followed up with a brain buster on Wheeler Yuta and scored the pin.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #6: AEW Women’s World Championship Match – Toni Storm def. Willow Nightingale
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Ruby held Willow’s legs and Toni Storm hit the hip attack on Willow. The NJPW Strong Women’s Champ splashed Toni in the turnbuckles. Toni absorbed a boot from Willow. Willow planted Toni with a Death Valley Driver on the apron, and then another inside the ring for a near fall. The referee ejected the Outcasts from ringside when he saw their can of spray paint. Toni rolled out of the way of a moonsault press. Toni charged at Willow with a hip attack and followed up with a DDT for a two-count on Willow. Willow walloped Toni with a spinebuster. Willow applied an Indian Death Lock on Toni. Willow let go of the hold after Toni chomped down on Willow’s leg. Willow pounced Toni Storm. Toni rolled out of the ring to create some distance. Willow charged in with a lariat to Toni in the corner. Toni gouged the eyes of Willow and then spiked her with Storm Zero for the pin!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #7: IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship Match – Will Ospreay def. Kenny Omega
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Omega went for a snap dragon suplex, but Ospreay landed on his feet! Ospreay thumbed Omega in the eye. Omega used a hurracanrana and then a moonsault for a near fall on Will. Don Callis grabbed Omega’s leg. Omega went outside the ring, but the security stood in his way. Ref Paul Turner ejected Callis from the ringside area. Ospreay threw Omega shoulder-first into the ring post. Ospreay nailed Omega with a backbreaker for a two-count. Omega dropkicked Will’s kneecap. Omega dunked Ospreay’s head onto the mat. Ospreay kicked Omega and then balanced Omega on the top rope. Will connected with a shooting star press to Omega’s spine. Will walloped Omega with an Os-Cutter on the apron. Ospreay slammed Kenny’s head against the broadcast table! Kenny’s forehead was busted wide open. Ospreay licked Omega’s blood off his arm. Ospreay knocked down Omega with a rolling elbow. Will slammed into Omega’s head with a running knee strike. Ospreay grabbed a fan’s Canadian flag at ringside and disrespected it. Omega used a running clothesline on Will. Omega crushed Ospreay with a V-Trigger against the barricade. Omega rammed Ospreay’s head against the steel ring steps. Will’s forehead was busted open! Omega DDT’ed Will on the ring steps. Omega mounted Ospreay and began to punish him with open palm strikes. Omega put on an arm lock and then looked for a triangle on Will. Ospreay grabbed Kenny’s arm, lifted him up and then powerbombed him! Ospreay sent Omega flying with a German Suplex. Omega fired back with one of his own. Will shocked Kenny with a Spanish Fly out of nowhere for a near fall. Ospreay put Omega in the Sharpshooter. Ospreay transitioned to a cross face submission on Omega. Kenny managed to crawl to the ropes to force the break. Will cracked Kenny with Kawada-style kicks. Kenny countered an Os-Cutter with a knee strike. Kenny served up Snap Dragon suplexes on Ospreay. Omega spiked Ospreay with a piledriver for a two-count. Omega planted Will with a neck breaker. Omega continued to dish out the punishment with a V-trigger. Ospreay trapped Kenny’s head under the turnbuckle and then scored with a thrust kick. Ospreay nailed Omega with a Sky Twister Press. The fans gasped at the sight of it. Omega dodged the Hidden Blade from Ospreay. Ospreay dropped Kenny with a Liger Bomb. Ospreay connected with a top rope Os-Cutter for a two-count. Omega wrecked Ospreay with two V-Triggers. Don Callis jumped on the apron to shield Ospreay. Callis distracted the ref and handed off a screwdriver to Will. Ospreay spiked Kenny in the skull with it. Ospreay rocked Omega with the Storm Breaker. Ospreay covered Omega but Kenny got his foot on the rope just before the ref could count to three! Ospreay hit the One-Winged Angel on Omega, but Omega kicked out at the one-count! Omega smashed Will with a brain buster. Ospreay impaled Omega with a Tiger Driver ’91! Kenny somehow managed to kick out of the pin attempt. Ospreay clobbered Kenny with the Hidden Blade and then the Stormbreaker. Ospreay pinned Omega and became the new IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion!
My Score: 5 out of 5
Match #8: Darby Allin, Sting & Tetsuya Naito def. Le Suzuki Gods (Chris Jericho, Minoru Suzuki & Sammy Guevara)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Sammy backflipped over Naito and connected with a corkscrew dropkick. Darby and Suzuki tagged in. Darby dished out forearms and challenged Suzuki. Minoru was happy to oblige, rocking Darby with a stiff forearm. Sting tagged in and he and Suzuki stared at one another. Jericho begged to be tagged in and Suzuki granted Jericho his wish. Jericho attempted a Stinger Splash, but the Icon dodged it. Sammy jumped off the top rope with a cutter on Sting. Darby grabbed a tag and went over the top with a Code Red on Sammy. The “Spanish God” answered with a Spanish Fly on Darby. Naito baited Jericho in, spitting on him, and then rocking him with a neck breaker. Darby used a cannonball tope on Suzuki. Darby went for another, but this time Jericho countered with the Judas Effect. Jericho pulled a table out from beneath the ring. Jericho insisted that Sammy put Sting through the table. Sammy obeyed, diving off the top turnbuckles and landing onto Sting with a 630 Splash! Naito ran into Suzuki with a sliding lariat and pinned him, after some help from Sting!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #9: “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson def. “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Okada used his speed to take down Danielson with a back elbow. Okada caught Danielson on the ear with a dropkick. Danielson rammed Okada into the ring post, aiming to neutralize Okada’s arms. Danielson connected with a diving knee strike to Okada. Danielson and Okada traded forearms. Okada planted Danielson with a flapjack. Okada got a near fall on Danielson after a neck breaker. Danielson nailed Okada with a missile dropkick. Danielson baited Okada in and rocked him with a running knee strike. Danielson nearly decapitated Okada with a kick. Okada dropkicked Danielson, followed up with the landslide and then the rainmaker. Danielson kicked out of Okada’s pin attempt. Danielson forced Okada down. Danielson trapped Okada in the Lebell Lock. Danielson rained down on Okada with elbow strikes. Danielson locked in the Lebell Lock even tighter, modified it, and Okada tapped out!
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
The best pay-per-view of the year, so far. From any wrestling company. ANY. Without a shadow of a doubt. Packed with dream matches, matches that went for the fun angle, matches that went for serious drama and matches that just thrilled. Forbidden Door 2 had everything you could want from a PPV. The presentation was tight, the audience were involved and active and the commentary team were on point (Kevin Kelly REALLY adds a lot to the mix, he really does). This is one PPV where you should sit and watch every match, from the opening of Zero Hour to the final seconds of the show… Unmissable seems like an understatement.
