Several big matches announced for the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door PPV
Several top matches have been announced for the upcoming AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view.
— This week’s Road Rager edition of AEW Dynamite saw IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay defeat AAA & ROH World Tag Team Champion Dax Harwood in singles action. Ospreay, who is also the RevPro British Heavyweight Champion and the Warrior Wrestling Champion, finished Harwood off with the Hidden Blade after a very strong back & forth bout.
After the match, United Empire members Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan and Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher, Mark Davis) joined Ospreay in the ring for a beatdown on Harwood. Cash Wheeler, Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero made the save as a big brawl broke out. Orange Cassidy’s music then hit to a pop as he made his return to Dynamite, facing off with Ospreay in the middle of the ring. The United Empire re-grouped at ringside as Cassidy, Trent, Romero and FTR stood tall together in the ring to end the segment. AEW then announced Cassidy vs. Ospreay for Forbidden Door with the IWGP United States Heavyweight Title on the line.
While Cassidy made a few brief appearances on Dark and Rampage in March, April and May, he has not wrestled since suffering a shoulder injury in the Face of The Revolution Ladder Match at AEW Revolution on March 6. The injury occurred when Cassidy was launched out of the ring by Keith Lee, onto Christian Cage and FTW Champion Ricky Starks. It was reported then that Cassidy’s injury was significant, and while he did not need surgery, he would be out of the ring for a while. This will be Ospreay’s first title defense of the IWGP United States Heavyweight Title. He won the vacant title back on June 12 at NJPW Dominion, by defeating Sanada. The title had vacated due to Juice Robinson being unable to travel to Japan for the Triple Threat title defense because he was recovering from appendicitis.
— Miro has earned his spot in the Fatal 4 Way to crown the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Title at the upcoming Forbidden Door pay-per-view.
This week’s Road Rager edition of AEW Dynamite saw Miro defeat Ethan Page in a qualifier for Forbidden Door. Miro now joins PAC as confirmed entrants for the Fatal 4 Way at Forbidden Door. PAC defeated Buddy Matthews on last week’s show to qualify.
The third AEW participant and the final competitor in the Fatal 4 Way will be determined on next week’s Dynamite as Malakai Black takes on Penta Oscuro. The only NJPW competitor will be determined on the Monday, June 20 and Tuesday, June 21 New Japan Road shows. The June 20 event will feature Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Clark Connors vs. Tomoaki Honma. The June 21 show will then feature Ishii or Kanemaru vs. Connors or Honma, with the winner joining the three AEW stars at Forbidden Door.
— The AEW Women’s World Title match is also now official for Forbidden Door.
This week’s Road Rager edition of AEW Dynamite saw Toni Storm defeat Britt Baker in singles action. Rebel and Jamie Hayter interfered for Baker early on, but AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa came out and chased Hayter to the back. Storm later finished Baker off with Storm Zero for the win. After the match, Rosa came back out and posed with the title as Storm celebrated. AEW then confirmed Storm vs. Rosa for the title at Forbidden Door.
This will be Rosa’s fourth title defense since becoming champion at St. Patrick’s Day Slam on March 16 by defeating Baker in a Steel Cage. Since then she retained over Nyla Rose at Battle of The Belts II on April 16, retained over Serena Deeb at Double Or Nothing on May 29, and retained over Marina Shafir on last week’s Dynamite. Storm has worked seven singles matches since signing with AEW in March. She defeated The Bunny in her debut, Gigi Rey on Dark in mid-April, Diamante on Dark in early May, Hayter on the May 11 Dynamite, Zeda Zhang on Dark this month, and Baker on last night’s show. Her one singles loss was to Baker on the May 25 Third Anniversary Dynamite.
— Finally, a big six-man tag team match was also announced for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door on last night’s Road Rager Dynamite.
Dynamite featured an in-ring face-off between Jon Moxley and Hiroshi Tanahashi to hype their match for the Interim AEW World Title at Forbidden Door. Moxley talked about how he’s been chasing Tanahashi for a long time, and how his time in NJPW has always been about Tanahashi. Moxley then said Tanahashi won’t be “Ace” for too much longer as he, Moxley, is the best wrestler on Earth, and there’s more on the line at Forbidden Door than the Interim AEW World Title.
That’s when Chris Jericho interrupted with Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti by his side. We noted earlier at this link how Guevara dressed as Fuego Del Sol to help Jericho defeat Ortiz in the Hair vs. Hair opener at last night’s Road Rager show. Now Jericho threatened to burn Moxley’s face for taking his spot against Tanahashi. Jericho also reminded everyone how he defeated Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 14, but Tanahashi told him to shut up. Jericho then called for Jericho Appreciation Society members (Jake Hager, Daniel Garcia, Angelo Parker, Matt Menard) to come out and attack, while El Desperado and Lance Archer of Suzuki-gun also came out. Jericho introduced Guevara and Conti as the newest members of The JAS, and said the Suzuki-gun members were on loan from Minoru Suzuki.
It was then announced that Forbidden Door will feature Jericho, Suzuki and Guevara vs. Eddie Kingston, Shota Umino and ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta. Kingston, Yuta, Santana and Ortiz came out and cleared the ring of The JAS and the Suzuki-gun members. The segment ended with Tanahashi hitting a Slingblade on Desperado, then facing off with Moxley in the middle of the ring.
— The inaugural AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view is scheduled for Sunday, June 26 from the United Center in Chicago, IL. Below is the current card with related clips from Dynamite:
Interim AEW World Title Match
Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Winner faces injured AEW World Champion CM Punk at a later date.
Fatal 4 Way for the Inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Title
Miro vs. PAC vs. Malakai Black or Penta Oscuro vs. Tomoaki Honma or Clark Connors or Tomohiro Ishii or Yoshinobu Kanemaru
AEW Women’s World Title Match
Toni Storm vs. Thunder Rosa (c)
IWGP United States Heavyweight Title Match
Orange Cassidy vs. Will Ospreay (c)
Chris Jericho, Minoru Suzuki and Sammy Guevara vs. Eddie Kingston, Shota Umino and ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta
IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match
Adam Cole and/or Adam Page vs. Jay White (c)
Rumored and teased but unconfirmed.
.@ringofhonor & AAA World Tag Team Champion @DaxFTR, of #FTR, faces @njpwglobal’s IWGP United States champion @WillOspreay at #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/FHNUS38Mxv
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@ringofhonor & AAA World Tag Team Champion @DaxFTR, of #FTR, faces @njpwglobal’s IWGP United States champion @WillOspreay at #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/eZ1Z34sOMA
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Two of the most decorated professional wrestlers in the world are going at it in the #AEW ring right now! It's @DaxFTR vs. @WillOspreay on #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/G78yszPc7r
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Huge back bodydrop by @DaxFTR! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/DagR2lJAkk
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Shotgun dropkick into the metal steps by @WillOspreay! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/nKMVjB5yh2
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Five consecutive German Suplexes by @DaxFTR! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/KP7LZKQGba
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@WillOspreay takes flight! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/8drXaXWk5K
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
An incredible series of counters between @DaxFTR and @WillOspreay! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/erpI4jPzWT
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@WillOspreay wipes out Dax on the floor! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/KcIYrz1KZ5
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Slingshot Liger-bomb by @DaxFTR but @WillOspreay won't give up! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/Abx7GJuH8H
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@WillOspreay with the incredible counter! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/9t2ji9igC9
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
And @WillOspreay gets the victory after an incredible battle with @DaxFTR! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/Kco8zLmxvm
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Look who's back! It's #FreshlySqueezed @orangecassidy! #ForbiddenDoor can't come soon enough! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/DGRMoobvUB
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
The All-Atlantic Championship Tournament continues with @OfficialEGO facing @ToBeMiro LIVE on #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager RIGHT NOW on @TBSNetwork, to see who will advance to the #ForbiddenDoor PPV for a chance to be crowned the first All-Atlantic Champion! pic.twitter.com/zagXb5BWvu
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
The All-Atlantic Championship Tournament continues with @OfficialEGO facing @ToBeMiro LIVE on #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager RIGHT NOW on @TBSNetwork, to see who will advance to the #ForbiddenDoor PPV for a chance to be crowned the first All-Atlantic Champion! pic.twitter.com/Ql533gHnHF
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@OfficialEGO assaulting @ToBeMiro in the opening minutes of this All-Atlantic Championship qualifying match! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/gjDFA8ktXO
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Big lariat by @ToBeMiro! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/3LBlXgRuwG
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@ToBeMiro tosses @OfficialEGO! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/jYQ5bg7s2e
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Diving tackle by @OfficialEGO takes @ToBeMiro off his feet! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/7GB4096EZr
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@ToBeMiro has had enough of #DanLambert! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/jSBRpC03fG
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Game Over for @OfficialEGO and @ToBeMiro advances to join @BASTARDPAC at #ForbiddenDoor LIVE on PPV! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/NSUWT28We0
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
Diving crossbody by #ToniStorm! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/bHztXGxhC9
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@jmehytr and @RebelTanea are trying to distract the ref, but #AEW Women's World Champion @thunderrosa22 isn't about to let that happen tonight! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/nNtBjQAkQ6
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
#ToniStorm with a series of DDTs! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/Sxp8ELetvz
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
High velocity hip attack by #ToniStorm! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/WpiLyMkXj1
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
#ToniStorm counters the LockJaw and lands the Storm Zero for the win! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/cd9GNWnKJ0
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@JonMoxley makes his way to the ring to stand face-to-face with Hiroshi Tanahashi, ahead of their battle for the #AEW Interim World Championship at #ForbiddenDoor LIVE on PPV! #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager is LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/GYCm0rzGuP
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
It's #TheAce @tanahashi1_100 from @njpwglobal here at #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager! We are LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/WLbFGSkW9d
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
"I've been chasing you for a long time" @JonMoxley finally gets to stand face-to-face with the man they call #TheAce @tanahashi1_100! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/lidkEb3SlA
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@JonMoxley delivers @tanahashi1_100 a serious message! Watch #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork right now! pic.twitter.com/cRiN7isFLs
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022
.@IAmJericho decides now is an appropriate time to introduce the new members of the #JerichoAppreciationSociety, @sammyguevara, @tayconti_, @lancehoyt and @ElDesperado5, and makes a challenge for #ForbiddenDoor LIVE on PPV! It’s #AEWDynamite: #RoadRager LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/vkWBVyUBy2
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 16, 2022