AEW Forbidden Door 2023: A perfect reflection of modern wrestling

Dream matches, In-ring feats, Hardcore fans vs Casuals. This is wrestling

The Forbidden Door is a truly unique and polarizing PPV. It highlights the clear division between hardcore/internet wrestling fans and the more casual viewers. Debates arise about whether a PPV like this should even exist. It primarily focuses on delivering exceptional in-ring quality, catering less to presentation, personal feuds, and stakes. It may require fans to look up unfamiliar wrestlers, some of whom that AEW won’t announce until just a week before the PPV. The storytelling, which many people hold in high regard (sometimes even above the wrestling itself), remains present but takes on a different form.

This PPV lacks extensive build-up, relying instead on the allure of witnessing New Japan Pro Wrestling talent face off against some of the finest Western wrestlers in the world. It’s a thrilling experience for Western fans to witness Japanese legends and top wrestlers from Japan live and in person. In my opinion, the Forbidden Door serves as a fascinating microcosm of the wrestling landscape, not only as a topic of discussion but also in the ring and the stories it hopes to tell. Now, let’s delve into a review of Forbidden Door 2023.

(I didn’t get a chance to see the pre-show matches so they will be omitted from this review)

Match #1 MJF Vs Hiroshi Tanahashi for the AEW World Championship

Maxwell Jacob Friedman, the AEW World Champion, faced off against New Japan legend Hiroshi Tanahashi in an intriguing matchup. Opening the show with the AEW World Champion may raise eyebrows, but matches like Okada vs Danielson and Omega vs Ospreay are considered the more highly anticipated ones. However, if you want to be pessimistic, it can also be interpreted as a sign that MJF lacks the same level of excitement. Personally, I believe this match was appropriately placed.

The match primarily revolved around MJF and Tanahashi engaging with the crowd. At 46 years old, Tanahashi’s physical limitations from over 20 years in the ring were evident, but he still excelled at the subtle psychological aspects of wrestling. MJF matched him with a slower-paced style and his usual heel tactics. Both men executed their signature offense, and MJF even involved the referee in his schemes. MJF aimed to wear down the Japanese legend, while Tanahashi focused on targeting MJF’s leg and knee. Ultimately, MJF secured the victory through a cheap shot, utilizing his diamond ring when the referee was not looking.

From an in-ring perspective, neither man delivered their best performance. Fortunately, the lively crowd helped compensate for the lackluster nature of the match. However, there isn’t much noteworthy to mention here. It could be considered acceptable for a TV match, but it falls short of the expectations typically associated with a PPV encounter.

Rating: 2.75/5

Match #2 CM Punk vs Satoshi Kojima.

This match was truly surprising. CM Punk made his return to AEW programming after a 9-month hiatus due to a tricep injury, facing off against Japanese legend Satoshi Kojima, renowned in New Japan, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and All Japan Pro Wrestling. This marked Punk’s first singles competition since the All Out incident. As anticipated, the crowd primarily showed their disapproval towards Punk, but he fully embraced it.

The match commenced with both men testing each other’s abilities. Punk and Kojima exchanged fierce chops while Punk consistently engaged with the crowd, intentionally provoking boos, while Kojima received cheers. CM Punk cleverly incorporated various callbacks throughout the match, including a reference to Hulk Hogan, counting in Japanese during his punches, and even alluding to an interview he conducted 20 years ago with Samoa Joe regarding Kojima. The match showcased all the signature moves of both competitors, such as the Koji Cutter and CM Punk’s elbow drop. After approximately 14 minutes, the match concluded.

The only minor drawback of this match was the potential lack of drama and tension, as the outcome was never in doubt. Nevertheless, it proved to be an incredibly enjoyable match, allowing me to overlook some of its shortcomings. With both wrestlers being legends in the twilight of their careers, this solidly wrestled encounter exceeded expectations and delivered an ample amount of fun. It unquestionably deserved its place on a PPV card.

3.25/5

Match #3 Orange Cassidy vs Zack Sabre Jr vs Katsuyori Shibata vs Daniel Garcia for the AEW International Championship

A match featuring three current champions: Zack Sabre Jr., the New Japan TV Champion; Katsuyori Shibata, the ROH Pure Champion; and Orange Cassidy, the current AEW International Champion. Daniel Garcia, although not a current champion, has his own championship resume. They all come together to challenge Orange Cassidy for his coveted title. This match showcased the incredible talent of these four wrestlers.

The match kicks off with Orange Cassidy delivering his trademark sloth-style kicks to all three challengers, before quickly escalating into an intense battle. Bodies fly as all four men engage in relentless action. Each of them locks Orange Cassidy in submission holds. Meanwhile, Zack Sabre Jr. and Katsuyori Shibata, who share a long history, exchange devastating blows in the center of the ring. Despite Daniel Garcia’s attempts to interfere, they continuously shut him down, even during his awkward dancing. The match features remarkable highlights, including striking exchanges, submission holds, and well-coordinated moments of fun.

Typically, fans may not consider submission holds as thrilling wrestling maneuvers, but Zack Sabre Jr. delivers a masterclass performance with his seamless transitions from one submission to another. Fans were left in awe as he contorted and bent Orange Cassidy’s limbs. Every competitor receives significant moments to shine, and the ending sequences are executed flawlessly. Shibata lands his Penalty Kick (also known as the PK) on Daniel Garcia, while Orange Cassidy seizes the opportunity to push Shibata out of the ring and secure the three-count victory.

As the champion, Orange Cassidy continues his storyline of being a hardworking titleholder, constantly battered and nursing back, neck, and hand injuries. The commentators deserve praise for highlighting the origins of each injury and emphasizing that this match marks his 25th title defense. Despite these challenges, Orange Cassidy proves himself to be a resilient champion, consistently finding ways to win despite his health concerns. This was an outstanding match that, upon rewatching, elevated my rating. Undoubtedly, one of the best fatal four-way matches of the year.

Match Rating: 4/5

Match #4 Sanada vs Jungle Boy for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

The IWGP Champion, Sanada, issued an open challenge that was answered by Jungle Boy Jack Perry, leading to this match. With neither man considered a dream match candidate, this match didn’t generate much hype among fans. The commentary team even mentioned an interview where Sanada acknowledged why someone like Jack Perry would challenge him, and Perry returns the sentiment.

The match begins with Sanada and Jungle Boy cautiously feeling each other out. Jungle Boy manages to lock Sanada in his finishing move, the Snare Trap (an STF submission hold), forcing Sanada to reach for the ropes to break the hold. Jungle Boy, the underdog, fights from the bottom, while Sanada exudes confidence as the champion. Throughout the match, Jungle Boy consistently surprises Sanada with his moves, strikes, and counters, testing Sanada’s resilience. To add to the surprise factor, Jungle Boy even employs Sanada’s own Dragon Sleeper submission hold against him.

However, Sanada eventually takes control and secures victory over Jungle Boy with a combination of the Dragon Sleeper and a Moonsault, in a somewhat anticlimactic finish. The most shocking twist comes after the match, as Jungle Boy decides to attack his tag team partner and friend, HOOK, displaying an unexpected turn of events. The match ending feels abrupt, as both competitors seemed capable of elevating the intensity to another level. While the match was well-wrestled by both wrestlers, it lacked that extra gear. Considering their past performances, we have witnessed better matches from both men, so this encounter ultimately falls into the category of being just okay.

Rating 3/5.

Match #5: The Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, & Claudio Castagnoli) + Shota Umino + Konosuke Takeshita Vs The Elite (Hangman Adam Page, Nick, and Matt Jackson) + Eddie Kingston + Tomohiro Ishii

It’s another ten-man tag match! Seems like big tag matches are a recurring theme for me this weekend, and this one is a goodie. The animosity between the Blackpool Combat Club (BCC) and the Elite is palpable. Konosuke harbors hatred for the Elite, while even the Elite’s own tag team partner, Eddie Kingston, holds animosity toward them. However, his disdain for ROH champion and BCC member Claudio Castagnoli is even stronger.

As the match begins, it appears that we’ll witness a clash between Kingston and Claudio, but Claudio quickly tags out to New Japan’s Shoto Umino, and Kingston tags in Adam Page. The intensity of the match escalates when Konosuke Takeshita enters the fray. Prior to this PPV, Takeshita betrayed the Elite and aligned himself with Don Callis and the BCC. He engaged in a fierce strike exchange with New Japan’s Tomohiro Ishii, igniting the crowd. He also went head-to-head with Adam Page, who delivered a thunderous rolling elbow that had the entire audience on their feet.

The match unfolds with everyone getting involved at various points. Kingston and John Moxley eventually become the legal men, unveiling another layer of the story. Although Kingston and Moxley share a friendship, they now find themselves on opposite sides in this match. This leads to moments of surprise when Moxley hesitates to strike Kingston and Kingston willingly takes punishment for Moxley. Kingston becomes the focal point of the match as he endures relentless attacks from the members of the BCC team.

Other match highlights include Takeshita landing a monstrous blow on Ishii that nearly knocked him out, an unexpected tag team maneuver between Shota and Takeshita, Takeshita suplexing both Jacksons simultaneously and Adam Page executing a shooting star press from the top rope onto Takeshita, who was hanging onto the apron. The match culminates in a chaotic sequence that concludes with Ishii delivering a vertical brainbuster to Wheeler Yuta and securing the pinfall.

Overall, this was an exceptional 20-minute multi-man match that kept the crowd on their feet and the additional elements of storytelling, elevating its impact.

Rating: 4/5

Match #6 Toni Storm vs Willow Nightingale for the AEW Women’s World Championship

Unfortunately, I don’t have much to type or say about this match. Toni Storm and her faction, the Outsiders (featuring Ruby Soho and Saraya), have been feuding with some variation of Willow and Skye Blue for months now. This prolonged rivalry has left me indifferent toward this match because there’s no reason for me to believe that Willow can or will emerge victorious. As a result, it feels predictable and unoriginal. Although they did eliminate Saraya and Ruby from the match, it didn’t improve or impact the overall experience.

While this is a decent wrestling match, it lacks the tension, compelling storyline, and investment that would make it truly engaging. It’s disappointing, but neither wrestler is at fault for this. AEW needs to improve the booking and investment in the Women’s Division to create more compelling stories and matches. Despite Willow being a talented wrestler, I had no reason to believe she could win this match. However, I must admit that it’s still better than the MJF and Tanahashi match.

Rating: 2.75/5

Match #7 Will Ospreay vs Kenny Omega for IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship

Oh boy, there’s a lot to unpack here. Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay are undoubtedly two of the best professional wrestlers in the world. They faced each other earlier this year at New Japan’s top PPV, Wrestle Kingdom, where Omega emerged victorious in a brutal match that many considered a candidate for Match of the Year. With Omega’s departure from New Japan, Ospreay has been striving to fill his shoes but has yet to reach the same level of excellence. Their history set the stage for their encounter at Forbidden Door.

The crowd’s anticipation for this match was off the charts, hoping for an all-time classic. The match started with some technical wrestling, showcasing their command of transitions, locks, and holds. Omega began gaining the upper hand, delivering his trademark offense. However, the first major moment occurred when Omega’s dive was interrupted by his former manager, Don Callis, who had previously betrayed him. The crowd erupted as the referee ejected Callis from ringside, but Ospreay took advantage of the distraction and launched a counter-attack. This led to a series of intense exchanges in the center of the ring. Ospreay’s athleticism was on full display as he executed a breathtaking shooting star press onto Omega, who was draped over the ropes.

The match took another turn when Ospreay viciously slammed Omega’s face repeatedly into the announce table, reminiscent of what Omega had done to him in their previous encounter. Omega was left bloodied, and Ospreay took it a step further by disgustingly licking the blood from his own arm, a tactic aimed at generating heat from the crowd. Omega fought back, but Ospreay maintained control. Utilizing Omega’s knee strike, known as the V-Trigger, Ospreay continued with his despicable heel tactics, wiping himself vulgarly with the Canadian flag reminiscent of Shawn Michaels. He also had heat from applying the submission hold of Canadian wrestling legend Bret Hart, The Sharpshooter. Omega retaliated by choking Ospreay with the flag, hitting a V-Trigger on the outside, and driving Ospreay’s face into the steel steps, leaving him busted open.

Entering the third phase of the match, both competitors had been wrestling for about 25–30 minutes. Bloodied and exhausted, they exchanged hard-hitting strikes while the crowd fervently cheered. Omega gained control with more V-Triggers and Snap Dragon Suplexes. Near falls added to the suspense, and as Omega attempted a One-Winged Angel from the top rope, Ospreay countered and knocked him off. Ospreay then came off the top turnbuckle with a breathtaking Sky Twister Press to the outside. Back in the ring, the match seemed to be reaching its peak until… Don Callis returned to ringside.

Ospreay found himself on the receiving end of Omega’s brutal knee strikes, with Callis pleading for mercy and trying to intervene. This led to a controversial moment where Callis handed Omega a screwdriver, which Ospreay used to prevent Omega from executing his One-Winged Angel. This particular segment became overwhelming for me. Ospreay delivered his finisher, the Stormbreaker, and Omega executed a perfectly timed rope-break moment, which generated an explosive reaction from the crowd. Ospreay then unleashed a knee strike called the Kamigoye, a move associated with Omega’s close friend Kota Ibushi, and followed it up with Omega’s own One-Winged Angel, adding insult to injury. Amazingly, Omega kicked out at one! The battle between Ospreay and Omega continued until Ospreay connected with a devastating Tiger Driver ’91, a move famously used by the late Japanese legend Mitsuharu Misawa. Finally, after a grueling 40 minutes, Ospreay secured the victory with another Stormbreaker.

For many, this match will be hailed as the match of the year, an epic encounter, and one of the greatest matches of all time. However, I find myself having conflicting opinions about it. While it possesses elements that could make it one of the best matches of the year, there are aspects that bother me. Callis being ejected only to return to the ring shattered the immersion for me. Furthermore, the last ten minutes of the match, filled with numerous false finishes, pushed the boundaries from greatness to cartoonishness. Both wrestlers had been battling for over thirty minutes, and for Omega to kick out of three devastating moves felt unrealistic. The story elements also left me unsatisfied. The excessive callbacks, insufficient selling of exhaustion, and the abnormal amount of false finishes, particularly the Tiger Driver ’91, were unnecessary in my view. It was a great match that crossed a line I couldn’t fully accept.

Rating: 3/5 (updated every time I watch it dislike it more and more)

Match #8 Sting, Darby Allen, & Tetsuya Naito Vs Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevera, & Minoru Suzuki

After the Omega vs. Ospreay showdown, this match seemed like a breather for the crowd before Danielson vs. Okada. On paper, it didn’t pique my interest, but with legends on both teams, it should deliver a solid performance. Tetsuya Naito’s history with Chris Jericho made him a suitable tag partner for Sting and Darby Allin. The match kicks off with New Japan’s Naito and Sammy Guevara. Sammy initially gains the upper hand, taunting Naito up close. However, Naito swiftly turns the tables, faking an outside dive and striking his famous “Tranquilo” pose.

Overall, the match was competently wrestled, featuring some standout moments. It marked the first-ever face-off between Sting and Minoru Suzuki, as well as Chris Jericho and Sting. Sting endured some intense bumps, taking a Guevara cutter and a 630 splash through a table. There was even speculation about whether Sting was intended to be hit by the aerial 630 splash. It was a treat to witness the legendary Minoru Suzuki and Tetsuya Naito inside an AEW ring. The match ended with Sting and Naito teaming up to disable Suzuki, allowing Naito to secure the three-count with a roll-up. A solid outing, indeed.

Rating: 3/5

Main Event: Bryan Danielson vs Kazuchika Okada

Here we have our main event! Okada from New Japan and Bryan Danielson, a prominent figure in American wrestling since the early 2000s, two of the greatest wrestlers of all time. There were high hopes that this would be an all-time classic, but it faced the challenge of surpassing the Omega and Ospreay match that preceded it. Personally, I had some level of expectations and hope for this match, but unfortunately, to put it briefly, it fell short. One significant factor was Bryan Danielson breaking his arm and having to wrestle the last 10 minutes with the injury. As a result, I am reluctant to fully evaluate and analyze this match, but I will touch on certain aspects.

There were both positives and negatives in this match. Firstly, I believe it should not have been placed as the main event. Following the intense 40-minute Omega and Ospreay encounter, it faced a tough task to recreate the same level of excitement. The crowd was already drained. Secondly, Danielson’s arm injury significantly affected the course of the match. They likely had to adjust their plans on the fly to conclude it. Thirdly, there was a moment where Danielson feigned a convulsion, which, in my opinion, was in poor taste. I love Bryan Danielson, but sometimes tact is important.

On the positive side, the portions of the match that were wrestled were quite good. Okada is accustomed to lengthy matches, and they often have a compelling buildup. Danielson’s offense initially looked sharp and precise as he led the match throughout. The finish elevated the match for me because Danielson achieved something that has only occurred once since Okada became a main eventer. Danielson made Okada tap out to a modified LeBell Lock submission hold. This was genuinely shocking since Okada rarely taps out. It made me believe that they will have a second match, whether in AEW or New Japan.

The circumstances made this PPV conclude on a whimper rather than a high note. I genuinely hope Okada and Danielson get another opportunity to face each other and can deliver a better match.

Rating: 3.5/5

Forbidden Door on paper seemed better than last year but I can’t really say it was that much better. The peaks were better at times but my rating of the Omega-Ospreay contest, the unfortunate situation of the Danielson match, and the lack of high-quality wrestling in the Tanahashi-MJF match limited this to me. It’s a good PPV but not great. Most people will probably rate higher than me but unfortunately, it just didn’t reach the same heights for me as it did and will for many other wrestling fans.

Rating: 7.5/10