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Cook’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Review
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Cook’s Buy-In Review
Excalibur is joined by Taz & New Japan’s Kevin Kelly for the Buy-In. Justin Roberts & Takuro Shibata are your ring announcers.
Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. QT Marshall & Aaron Solo: Kevin Kelly tells us that YOSHI-HASHI is the most improved NJPW wrestler over the past three years, so that’s exciting. Solo & HASHI start us off with some headlocks, hairpulling and Ric Flair chops. Dropkick by Solo. HASHI responds with a shoudlerblock, then Marshall & Goto tag in. Fans aren’t exactly behind QT here. Shoulderblock from Goto. QT leapfrogs nothing, then gets chopped. He tags out to Solo, and a distraction gimmick leads to a cheapshot on Goto. QT gets shoulderblocked down, Solo goes to the eyes. Solo gets doubleteamed by Goto & HASHI, then both Factory members get clubbered down. QT hits the QT Special on the floor, then Solo gets a near-fall on Goto with a top rope stomp. Goto gets shoulderblocked down by the Factory for two. Goto blocks the vertical suplex, hits one of his own on Solo. QT cuts off the tag attempt though. Goto clotheslines QT out of his boots, then tags in HASHI. Big ol’ chops from Goto. QT blocks the neckbreaker but gets backdropped. Big clothesline in the corner by HASHI, he goes up top and hits the Headhunter neckbreaker for two. Solo tosses HASHI outside and hits the tope con hero on Goto & HASHI. HASHI gets Diamondcut by QT, but Goto breaks up the count. Solo tags, QT goes up top and misses a 450 splash. Solo misses, HASHI hits a basement dropkick. Goto tags in. Solo blocks a Samoan drop, but gets clotheslined in the corner. HASHI with the superkick. QT gets superkicked into a neckbreaker. Solo gets picked up, Goto & HASHI hit a combination neckbreaker for three.
Winners: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (6:08 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **1/4
Lance Archer vs. Nick Comoroto: Excalibur claims the honor of the Factory is on the line here, which is news to me as I didn’t know they had any honor. Comorto runs into a fist, Archer cannonballs into the ring and throws some strikes in the corner. Big Show chop, Archer misses a second and Comoroto gorilla presses him. Goes nowhere though, Archer hits a big boot. Comoroto knocks Archer off the apron into the barricade. Comoroto slams Archer’s head into the apron and tosses him back inside. Elbowdrop from Comoroto gets a one count. Archer hits some forearms, then gets backbroken by Comoroto. Comoroto says Archer has nothing and hits some punches. Archer seems to be gaining strength by the punch , and he hits a Rock Bottom. The big men exchange forearms, with lots of yaying and booing. Archer with a couple of clotheslines. Comoroto runs into a boot in the corner, then Archer walks the ropes before hitting the moonsault for two. Comoroto fights back, then hits a running powerslam for two. Comoroto vaults upstairs, but Archer hits him with a high knee. Archer finishes Comoroto with the Black Out.
Winner: Lance Archer (6:08 via pinfall)
Match Rating: *
Alex Marvez asks Clark Connors what it would mean to win the All-Atlantic Championship. Connors wishes Big Tom Ishii a speedy recovery, and promises to show everybody why he’s the Wild Rhino, and what it means when he says “Let’s Get Wild”.
Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru: Lee & Kanemaru start and the crowd sings about Lee’s glory. Lee wants a test of strength, Kamemaru goes to the turnbuckle and gets some strikes on Lee. Kanemaru evades Lee, but then gets facepalmed down. Swerve & Desperado tag in. Shoulderblock just leads to some trash talk. Desperado off the ropes, goes for the Numero Dos submission but Swerve finds the ropes. Desperado fights off the sunset flip attempt, gets knocked outside, but trips up Swerve on the apron. Stretches Swerve out with that stretch muffler. Swerve regains the offense back in the ring and tags in Keith. The doubleteam backfires though, and Swerve dropkicks Keith’s knee. Desperado goes for that knee with some offense and tags in Kanemaru. Kanemaru continues working the knee while Swerve gets knocked off the apron by Desperado. Irish whip attempt doesn’t work. An attempted powerbomb on Kanemaru ends in a DDT thanks to help from Desperado. Desperado goes back to the knee, but Lee kicks him off with authority. Swerve tags in and knocks Desperado down a few times. Uppercut in the corner, then one to the back of Desperado’s head. Suplex attempts blocked by both, Swerve hits a brainbuster for two. Desperado with a flash pin for two, they exchange uppercuts then Desperado hits a spinebuster. Kanemaru tags in for the doubleteam, a kick into a side slam gets two. Lee gets crotched on the middle rope. Desperado goes for his finisher, but Swerve fights out of it. Chops exchanged, Swerve hits a backbreaker then gets clotheslined by Desperado. Swerve hits the Paydirt and both men are down. Keith & Kanemaru tag in, and Kanemaru targets the knee again. Kanemaru locks in the figure four on the correct knee! Desperado locks in the Numero Dos on Swerve, and Keith uses his power to break both holds. Kanemaru goes for the sunset flip, Keith lifts him up into position for an assisted Spirit Bomb, but Desperado breaks it up by knocking Swerve off the apron. Satori Surprise by Kanemaru, and the rollup gets two! Swerve kicks Kanemaru down, then doublestomps Desperado to the floor! Keith hits the twisting powerslam and gets the three count!
Winners: Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee (12:04 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***
Will Hobbs & Ricky Starks are up in a skybox claiming to be Jordan & Pippen. Starks wants to know how Swerve & Lee can claim to be the best tag team when they haven’t beat Hobbs & himself. Good question.
Max Caster, Austin, Billy & Colten Gunn (w/Anthony Bowens) vs. Alex Coughlin, Kevin Knight, The DKC & Yuya Uemura: Caster works in a reference to Shibata’s balls, which is always appreciated. The Ass Boys still don’t know where they are. Danhausen appears on the screen and has a gift for the Ass Boys. It’s the Ass Boys song! The Dojo boys attack Caster & Billy while the Ass Boys run up the ramp. Coughlin hits a fallaway slam on Billy, then gutwrench supelxes Caster for two. Knight splashes Caster in the corner, hits a bodyslam for two. Uemura runs into a boot and Caster starts fighting all four off before getting splashed in the corner. Bulldog gets two for Uemura. DKC with some martial art strikes for Caster. Back elbow in the corner, then a snap suplex by DKC. Cover gets two. Knight kicks & punches Caster in the corner. DKC tags in, but the doubleteam backfires. Caster hits the backdrop before finally tagging Billy. Billy with some big ol’ strikes before getting dropkicked, but he gutwrench slams Knight. One & Only on Uemura. DKC gets the Famouser. Tag to Max, and there’s the Mike Drop. Cover gets three!
Winners: Max Caster, Austin, Billy & Colten Gunn (5:34 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **
Max & Billy didn’t need the Ass Boys to take care of business here. Now we finally start the main show!
Cook’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Review
Excalibur, Taz & Kevin Kelly are the main show announce team as well. Guess somebody remembered the last time JR tried to cover NJPW.
Winning Side Gets Advantage at Blood & Guts: Eddie Kingston, Wheeler Yuta & Shota Umino vs. Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara (w/Tay Conti) & Minoru Suzuki: Gonna be tough for the match to top the heel entrances. Yuta & Jericho start things off. Yuta with some slaps, then some rolling German suplexes. Quite a few, in fact! Jericho fights out, then Yuta hits an Angle slam for two. Two count, then a Crossface that gets broken up. All six guys fighting on the outside now. Jericho sends Yuta into the steps, then Sammy sends Eddie into the steps. Unimo & Suzuki trading shots on the outside. Jericho tags Sammy in, who kicks Yuta and soaks in the boos. Eddie comes in to fight Sammy, but Yuta retains his legal status. Dropkick and a bow by Sammy. Sammy misses in the corner, gets slammed & sentoned. Tag to Umino, he dropkicks Sammy’s chest. Jericho tags in and delivers some chops. Shota fights back, forearming Jericho in the corner. Tag to Kingston, who Jericho refuses to fight. He tags Suzuki, and the fans want that even more! Eddie puts his straps down for the ensuing chop exchange, and away they go. Eddie gets the machine gun chops going in the corner, but Suzuki still wants more. Forearm sends Kingston down. Into the corner, and now Jericho tags in to stomp Kingston down. King’s got some chops for Jericho too. Sammy gets chopped off the apron, but Minoru locks in an arm submission! Jericho with a flatliner, then calls Eddie an SOB before locking in the armbar. One of his many holds, as we know. Suzuki tags in, kicks Eddie’s partners off the apron and kicks Eddie down for two. Suzuki locks in the Octopus, Sammy cuts Yuta off and locks in a crossface. Jericho with the abdominal stretch on Shota, but Kingston finds the ropes and all the holds are broken. Sammy goes up top, jumps into an exploder suplex by Kingston. King trips Sammy down and tags Shota. Jericho is sent flying off the apron. Shota drops Sammy, hits a running uppercut and knocks Jericho off the apron again. Suzuki breaks it up, runs into a back elbow and gets dropkicked out of the ring. Shota hits a perfectplex on Sammy for two. Shota dropkicks Jericho down, then hits the Cactus Jack crack smash on the floor. Sammy up top, hits the shooting star to the floor! Yuta with a dive of his own! Eddie with an elbow suicida! Suzuki’s clapping now, but I doubt that’s happening. Shota runs into the ring to get punched down. Yuta whips Suzuki into the barricade, then gets the tag. High crossbody on Sammy, Jericho with the inadvertant elbowdrop. Yuta with the back bridge rollup for two. Sammy with the standing Spanish Fly on Yuta, but King’s legal and hits a backdrop driver. Stretch Plum is locked in, but Suzuki walks up and breaks that up. Backfist to Suzuki, Sammy with the cutter, Yuta with the splash, and everybody’s down! Kingston tags Shota, who gets kneed by Sammy. Jericho tags in, Shota fights out of the Walls of Jericho, but the Codebreaker gets a two count. Jericho goes up top, Shota follows him up and hits a second rope powerslam! Suzuki and Sammy break the count. It’s a scrum on the outside. Sammy takes Yuta out with the GTH, Suzuki & Eddie fight on the outside and it’s Jericho & Umino in the ring. Sammy hits Shota with Floyd, Jericho misses the Judas Effect! Shota with the swinging DDT & brainbuster gets two! Meanwhile Suzuki is trying to break Eddie’s fingers. Shota locks in the Walls of Umino on Jericho! Sammy tries to break it with kicks, evetually does. Suzuki with the headbutt. Eddie eats the Gotch style piledriver from Suzuki. Suzuki & Sammy stomp away on Shota, but Shota’s still fighting. Jericho comes in with the Judas Effect and gets the three count.
Winners: Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara & Minoru Suzuki (18:57 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ****
All killer & no filler in that one. Heck of an opener to the main card.
ROH & IWGP Tag Team Championship Match: Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler (c) vs. Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb (c) vs. Rocky Romero & Trent Beretta: ROH ring announcer Bobby Cruise joins the party for this one, and Caprice Coleman is at the booth. FTR is tremendously over with the Chicago crowd, as one would expect. It’s Dax & Trent to start. Dax with the shoulderblock and headscissors, Trent with a headlock takeover, a standoff and then Jeff Cobb tags himself in. Dax with some chops to Cobb, but Cobb’s power advantage gives him a brief advantage before Rocky tags in. Dax elbows him down and tags in Cash. Drop toe hold into an elbowdrop by Dax. Dax seems to be favoring his right arm after that, and immediately tags out. The doctor checks on Dax while Cash & Rocky go at it. Rocky starts with the forever clotheslines, then a headscissor. Cash seemed to get busted there. Cash gets beat up by Cobb on the outside, and tossed into Khan. Khan pounds Cash down in the corner, and his mouth has been busted open. Khan sits on Cash’s head in the corner, then tags Cobb. Cobb with the surfboard, then a twisting back suplex. Tag to Khan, who slams Cash down and stands on his hand. Cash grabs the braid to break that hold. Tag to Trent, who delivers some shots. Trent with the half & half suplex on Kahn. Swinging DDT, then Cobb comes in. The swinging DDT doesn’t work on Cobb, who suplexes Trent. Rocky comes in with a rana, and Roppongi Vice & United Empire fight on the floor. Cobb eats a flying knee, Trent spears Khan. Kahn is isolated in the ring. A diving knee gets two. Kahn with a backdrop, and Cash tags in. He goes after Cobb & Khan, but they fight back with an assisted claw slam. Khan shoudlerblocks Rocky out of the ring. We’re hearing its a dislocated or separated shoulder for Dax Harwood. We hear this just in time for Dax to make his way back to the ring with some tape. Dax tags in, and he delivers some punches & chops with his good arm. Dax clotheslines Khan down, then hits some German suplexes on Cobb. Hard to do that even with two good shoulders. Cobb with the shoulderblock, both men climb the turnbuckle. Trent follows them up, and there’s a double suplex on Cobb. Cash tags in, hits the top rope splash on Cobb for two! Great-O-Khan kicks some people down, then claws Cash to the top. Rocky tags in, he & Cash combine for a spike piledriver on Khan. Rocky with a cutter on Cash. Double knee strikes on Cobb. Trent goes for Strong Zero, but Cobb reverses into a powerbomb. Khan with a flatliner on Dax. Cobb smacks Rocky down and hits a standing moonsault. Claw into a suplex on Trent gets two. Tag by Rocky, Dax takes Khan outside, both men gets splashed by Rocky on the outside. Trent has Cobb up, Rocky off the top rope, the assisted Strong Zero gets a two count. Dax tags Cobb, gets rolled up for a two count. Rocky with a series of cradles, but Dax won’t stay down. Rocky with some kicks to the shoulder, then to the face. Rocky off the ropes, FTR hits the Big Rig! That’ll get the three count!
Winners: Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler (16:21 via pinfall
Match Rating: ***1/2
FTR adds the IWGP Tag Team Championship to their expanding collection. Hopefully Dax is ok though, it’d be awkward to have interim IWGP, ROH & AAA champions for them to face at some point.
Tony Schiavone is with Juice Robinson & Jay White. Juice claims that the match later with Will Ospreay & Orange Cassidy is a #1 contender match. Jay White talks about how he’s the catalyst for everything going on and will retain his title later.
AEW All-Atlantic Championship Match: PAC vs. Miro vs. Clark Connors vs. Malakai Black: Did Bryce just toss the belt down to the mat like it was nothing? That’s a good-looking strap, man. Show some respect! Connors is happy to stand back and let the three AEW guys go at each other, then he tries to chop Miro. Whoops. Miro with some shots on Connors in the corner. Miro sent to the floor, Connors gets caught on the tope and slammed on the floor. Black kicks Miro to the floor, PAC with a kick of his own, but Black answers. Black flips out of the sunset flip powerbomb attempt, then hits a knee strike. Black with some kicks to Miro, Miro strikes him down. Black with a moonsault off the middle rope. Connors runs into a knee strike from Black, Black locks in a kneebar. Miro pulls Connors out of the hold by his hair. Miro runs into a boot in the corner. PAC gets caught and fallaway slammed by Miro. Connors with some forearms to Miro, who wants more forearms. Miro tosses him down too. Miro whips Connors hard into the corner. Miro clotheslines Connors down. Black & PAC re-emerge, and Black & Miro stomp PAC down. Some discontent between Black & Miro. They can’t agree on what to do with their opponent, so they start going at it. Miro runs into a shoulderblock, but PAC gets Samoan dropped on the flip side for two. Miro’s motioning for the Game Over, but he gets superkicked down. Connors gets tossed to the floor, then PAC hits a tope onto Black. Stomp to Connors, PAC goes up top and hits the shotgun dropkick. Big knee strike from Black, here comes Connors to get clotheslines down. Black smacks Miro down for a one count. He goes outside, looks under the ring and finds a table! I guess tables are legal in All-Atlantic Championship matches. He props the table on the barricade and tries to send Miro through it. Miro blocks, then Black blocks. Black gets sent into the steps. PAC is caught on the dive, but manages to slip out and send Miro into the ringpost. Connors spears Black through the table! Fans seem into Clark’s act. Connors clotheslines Black down a couple of times, then hits the powerslam. PAC with some shots to Connors, but Connors comes back with the spear. The Trophy Kill (standing Blue Thunder powerbomb) gets a two count! PAC slips out of the back suplex and superkicks Connors. He goes upstairs for the Black Arrow, but Black breaks that up. The three men end up in perfect position for Miro to do the Tower of Doom gimmick. Miro tosses Black & Connors out, and hits the kick on PAC. Time for the Game Over! Miro can’t get it all the way locked in though, so he takes it to the center of the ring. Black walks up and mists Miro! Connors comes in, Black locks in a flying cross awmbreaker. PAC goes up top, he hits the Black Arrow on both Black & Connors. Connors gets locked in the Brutalizer and taps out!
Winner: PAC (15:05 via submission)
Match Rating: ***1/2
Nobody knows the Atlantic Ocean as well as PAC, so this is a good title for him to hold.
Tony Schiavone joins the announcers for the next match because IT’S STIIIIIIIIIIINNNNGGGG
Darby Allin, Shingo Takagi & Sting vs. The Young Bucks & El Phantasmo (w/Hikuleo): Is it Sting? Sting doesn’t appear during his entrance. The lights go out during the Bucks’ entrance, and we see Sting in the rafters! He dives off the entrance tunnel onto the Bullet Club! Darby takes out Hikuleo with his skateboard, so it’s a 3 on 3 brawl to start. Shingo & Nick Jackson start off. Shingo suplexes Jackson and goes to an armbar. Tag to Sting, he & Shingo with the double shoulderblock. Elbows and senton splashes by Shingo & Sting! Fistbump! Tag to Darby, who slips out of a slam attempt and hits an armdrag, but Matt tags in for the doubleteams. Some classic Bucks offense with the dive onto Darby. Matt tags Nick, they hit the ol’ back/neckbreaker combo. Phantasmo with some fancy rolling around before the back rake! The dermis destroyer, it’s called. Matt with some flips & cartwheels…….BACK RAKE! Darby is put in the tree of woe, and all three Bullet Club guys hit dropkicks. Some standing on the nuts, but Darby counters with a spider German suplex. Hikuleo yanks Sting off the apron and sends him into the barricade. Darby with the Code Red on Phantasmo. Shingo wants the tag. He tags in, hits some shots in the corner. Bucks’ doubleteaming goes nowhere, Shingo hits the Yukon lariat on Nick. Twisting snap suplex by Shingo gets two. Nick with some corkscrew kicks, but he gets death valley driven into the mat. Tag to Sting, who has some punches for the Bucks. Phantasmo’s double axehandle gets no-sold. Titty Twister gets no-sold as well. Stinger Splashes for everybody! Hikuleo’s distraction stops the Deathlock, and Sting gets low-blowed. Darby with the Stunner, Bucks with double superkicks for everybody. Sting no-sells! Double clothesline for the Bucks! Sting sells after that burst of energy. Tag to Darby, whose Coffin Drop meets knees. More Bang For Your Buck! Phantasmo with the Thunderkiss ’86 gets two! Tandem topes by the Bucks leave Sting with Phantasmo. Nah, Phantasmo hits a moonsault onto the crowd. Sting runs into a triple superkick instead of doing a dive, enraging the crowd. Bucks set up the BTE Trigger, but Sting ducks. Double scorpion death drop! Phantasmo seems stunned. Sting with the titty twister on Phantasmo, then the low blow! THAT’S MY PURSE! Darby coffin drops Hikuleo, then Shingo forearms Phantasmo. Shingo lariats Phantasmo out of his boots for a two count. Shingo goes for Made in Japan, hits Last of the Dragon instead and gets the three count!
Winners: Darby Allin, Shingo Takagi & Sting (12:59 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ****1/4
I don’t usually go as high on Bucks matches as most, but adding Sting to the party made it one heck of a good time. I’m sure some sticks in the mud won’t like Sting doing sentons and nipple-based offense, but it was good stuff in my book.
Tony Schiavone is with Shota Umino, but Chris Jericho & 2.0 want some words with him instead. Well, 2.0 wants some words. Jericho has a fireball for him! Because he’s a wizard!
AEW Women’s World Championship Match: Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Toni Storm: Code of Honor is adhered to. Storm & Rosa exchange armbars and headscissors as the crowd tries to pick a favorite. Rosa twists out of an armbar and delivers some shoulderblocks while Storm’s in a wristlock. Rosa & Storm exchange near-falls. Rosa with a snapmare, misses the kick. Rosa with a boot and a punch. Chops from Rosa. Storm with a bow & arrow. Storm goes for a suplex, but Rosa blocks it with an inside cradle. Slaps & forearms are exchanged as tempers are flaring. Rosa hits a Stunner, sending Storm into the corner. Rosa with the Miz clothesline in the corner, then double knees. Dropkick to Storm’s spine, then to her chest. Northern Lights suplex gets two. Rosa hits a double stomp for two. She tries to lock in some type of submission but Toni’s too close to the ropes. Toni tosses Thunder outside, but gets Northern Lights suplexed on the floor for her troubles. Storm shoulderblocks Rosa, goes up top but gets cut off. Thunder goes for the DVD on the apron, Toni slips out and hits a German on the apron. Swinging DDT on the floor. Storm hits a hip attack in the corner, and another swinging DDT gets a two count. Uppercuts from Storm, Rosa with an armbreaker and a running knee strike. DVD by Rosa. Fire Thunder Driver right on Toni’s head only gets two. Rosa with some kicks to the shoulder, and she’s getting angry. Toni blocks the PK, hits a German suplex. Storm goes for the Storm Zero, Rosa blocks and twists Storm’s arm down to the mat. Rosa hits the Final Reckoning and that gets the three count!
Winner: Thunder Rosa (10:40 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***
Strong effort for the time allotted to it. Kind of a random finish, but Thunder using Dustin Rhodes’s moves seems to be a thing they’re doing.
Jim Ross is here because he is to Orange Cassidy what Tony Schiavone is to Sting.
IWGP United States Championship Match: Will Ospreay (c) (w/Aussie Open) vs. Orange Cassidy: The AEW announcers aren’t really having any of Kevin’s explanation of the story of Juice Robinson maintaining possession of the US championship belt. OC’s got his hands in his pockets, then mocks Will’s posing after the sequence. OC headscissors Ospreay outside, teases a dive but Will’s a little too far away. More Ospreay-style posing from OC. Ospreay back in the ring, drops OC on the ropes and hits a big boot. Will runs around the ring, Aussie Open assists him in running over Cassidy. Back in the ring, Ospreay silences the crowd for about a second, then delivers a chop. Ospreay gets his situps in. Lifts Orange up, does a spinning backbreaker for two. Boot choke in the corner, then Ospreay whips Orange into the opposite corner. JR goes in on people releasing their Irish whips halfway across the ring. Will locks in the abdominal stretch and puts his hand in Orange’s pocket! Middle finger for the crowd! Orange hip tosses out of it. Cassidy with the Flair flip onto the apron, then he rams Will’s head into the turnbuckles. Crossbody by Cassidy, he gets tossed off a headscissors attempt by Ospreay. Ospreay with a back handspring into a twisting kick on Orange. Ospreay hits a diving elbow to a standing Orange for a two count. Will pets Orange, then sets him up for the Hidden Blade. Cassidy limply falls out of line of the potential move. Will with some soccer kicks to OC’s head. Cassidy powers out of Ospreay’s foot on his head, then puts his hands in his pockets. Ospreay gets dropkicked. OC with the kipup. Cassidy with some lazy Kawada kicks! Now he’s got some legit ones. OC avoids the Os Cutter, then gets a pin attempt for two. Cassidy hits the Stundog Millionaire, then the Michinoku Driver for two. Ospreay avoids Cassidy in the corner, but OC responds with a swinging DDT and a tope suicida. Aussie Open getting involved, then dove onto. Top rope DDT by Cassidy gets two. Ospreay responds with the C-4. Big superkick in the corner to OC. They climb the ropes, and Will’s head gets introduced to a camera. OC lies down in the ring and starts selling, leading Will to believe he can do something. Ospreay eventually does hit something after a series of flips, but OC responds with Beach Break for 2.999. Orange sets up for his punch, but Ospreay answers with a cutter. Os Cutter off the ropes gets 2! Ospreay misses the Hidden Blade, goes for the Stormbreaker, Orange turns it into a rana for two! Ospreay hits a clothesline and then the Hidden Blade gets two! Stormbreaker finally puts Orange down!
Winner: Will Ospreay (16:44 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ****
I was hoping for big things from this one and got them. That Ospreay kid’s become a pretty competent rassler through the years. He’s more than flips now!
Aussie Open rips at Orange’s pockets and try to set something up, but Roppongi Vice come down to keep that from happening. They get diverted and OC is still in trouble, but here comes KATSUYORI SHIBATA! Aussie Open is easily disposed of and Shibata faces off with Ospreay. Pump kick from Shibata, and some elbows in the corner. Dropkick in the corner! Shibata tries to choke Ospreay out and Aussie Open pull him away. Cassidy & Shibata face off, & OC gives Shibata his sunglasses! Excalibur tries to pull away from happenings in the ring, but we need to see Shibata give Orange his respect.
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Claudio Castagnoli: The fans completely lose their minds upon Claudio’s entrance, as one would expect. Claudio stands next to the mysterious masked cameraman that many suspected was him. Claudio runs over Sabre with an uppercut and immediately hits the Neutralizer for a two count. ZSJ rolls outside to make this last longer than a minute. Claudio whips Zack into the barricade and does a running uppercut. Claudio misses on the other side, hitting the barricade. Back in the ring, uppercuts are exchanged. Sabre targets the arm of Castagnoli, but Caludio’s still landing shots. Delayed vertical suplex! Sabre responds with an armbar, then a lebgbar hanging off the apron. Claudio with a gutwrench, but Savbre fights out. Sabre with the Disarmher, and he manipulates those fingers. Sabre with some kicks to Claudio’s back, which serves to piss the big guy off. Claudio ends up shoulderblocking the ringpost, Sabre hits La Mistica and targets both shoulders now. Then Sabre targets the ankle. Sabre with some strikes, Claudio hits a backbreaker, then an uppercut in the corner for two. Claudio lifts Zack up into the waterslide, but Zack slips out and goes for an armbar. Claudio powers out, but Sabre hangs on even as they both go over the top rope. Claudio walks up the steps with Sabre on his arm! Powerbomb back into the ring! Time for a big swing? No, ZSJ transitions into a guillotine. Claudio powers out of it, crotching Zack up top. Sabre locks in an octopus hold up top. Claudio slips out and hits an uppercut. Gutwrench suplex off the middle rope by Castagnoli. Claudio & Zack go back and forth. An uppercut from Claudio gets two. Now it’s Swing Time! Not one of Claudio’s longer ones thanks to that shoulder work though. He goes for a Sharpshooter, but Sabre kicks his way out. Sabre transitions into a heel hook. Claudio tries to kick his way out. He eventually twists out into that Sharpshooter, then a double stomp gets two. An uppercut sends Sabre down. Another one has the same effect. Sabre with another armbreaker, then a sleeperhold into a double armbar. Sabre with some kicks, and Castagnoli wants some more. Claudio answers with an uppercut and clothesline for two. European Clutch gets a two count for Sabre. Super uppercut from Claudio, big clothesline, and an Ricola Bomb! That’ll end it.
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli (18:28 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ****
Talk about two skilled practitioners of the pro wrestling. Gonna be interesting when Claudio & Eddie Kingston end up inside the Blood & Guts cage at the same time as theoretical partners.
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match: Jay White (c) (w/Gedo) vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Adam Cole vs. Adam Page: That new IWGP belt is so meh. Reminds me of the old Divas belt. All four men square off for a second before White rolls outside. Cole follows him out like the walk-behinder he is. Page & Okada are men, so they’ll try & face off until Cole & Page break it up. White & Okada go at it in the ring. Okada & Page with a double back elbow on White. Cole tries to talk White into an alliance, then Okada & Page attack. Page hits the tope suicida on Cole. White sends Okada into the apron, then front suplexes him on it while Cole crawls up the ramp. White attacks Page from behind. Page gets double suplexed on said ramp. Back in the ring, Cole hits a neckbreaker on Okada & White joins him for the doubleteam. Chops from White. White gets whipped into the steps, but can still help Cole out in the ring. Page with some offense for White & Page, then a tope on White. Page gets a two count with a top rope clothesline on Cole. Then some chops for the Bay Bay. Cole hits a superkick onto a moonsaulting Hangman. Okada faces off with Page & White. Okada dropkicks Cole off the turnbuckle to the floor. A boot sends White over the barricade. Cole joins him in the front row, then Okada joins them with a running crossbody. Okada locks Cole in the money clip back in the ring, but White breaks it up. White goes for a suplex, Page slips out and gets a nearfall before Cole kicks him in the head. White & Cole Too Sweet, but Cole hits a backstabber and a neckbreaker for two. Cole misses the boom, White hits the urinaki. Cole fights out of a sleeper, White chops him down. White hits a half & half on Cole & Okada. One for Page too, and everybody’s hitting big moves and everybody’s down. Forearms are exchanged between all four. Cole & White go to the eyes, then go at each other for a second before Page & Okada intervene. Page gets a sitout powerbomb on White for two. He goes for the Buckshot, but Cole is there to block it. Page moonsaults Cole & Okada, then Gedo grabs Page’s leg. Big shot for Gedo, then Page misses the Buckshot. He hits the Dead Eye though, and hits the Buckshot Lariat this time! Okada breaks up the count. Okada & Page face off now, and exchange some forearms. Page slips out of the Tombstone attempt, avoids the dropkick, goes for the Dead Eye, finally hits a German suplex & a discus clothesline on Okada. Cole sends Page into the ringpost, heads into the ring, goes for the Panama Sunrise, Okada counters into an Air Raid Crash. Slam, then Okada goes up top. Top rope elbow on Cole! Rainmaker pose! Superkicks for Page & Okada from Cole. More superkicks on Okada get a two count. Okada hits the dropkick. Cole avoids the Rainmaker, hits two kicks. Superkick to Page sends Hangman outside. Okada with another dropkick. Landslide on Cole, Okada misses the Rainmaker, White hits the Blade Runner on Okada and covers Cole for the three count!
Winner: Jay White (21:02 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***3/4
Kind of a random finish there, pretty good action throughout though. The Undisputed Elite hit the ring to check on Cole.
Interim AEW World Championship Match: Jon Moxley (w/William Regal) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi: Some chain wrestling to start, which favors Tanahashi. Working an old school style here. Tanahashi holds onto the headlock. Mox gets upset and forearms are exchanged. Tanahashi dropkicks Moxley’s knee, hits the dragonscrew. Tanahashi with a modified Indian deathlock, Moxley gets to the ropes. Moxley with a cutter outta nowhere. Shots are exchanged. Moxley wins that battle, hits a clothesline in the corner. They go up top, Moxley hits the back rake and then a double underhook suplex. Moxley hits a piledriver for two. Apparently somebody in the crowd messed up and got themselves ejected. Moxley goes to a chin crusher, then decides to stomp Tana’s face in. Mox locks in the Ohio Cloverleaf, transitions to the STF. Tanahashi reaches the ropes. Tanashasi hits an elbow on Moxley, slams him down and hits a somersault senton off the middle rope for two. Tanahashi skins the cat, Moxley clotheslines him over forcefully the second time. Tana is sent into the barricade as Mox tells the folks at ringside to get out of the way. Moxley sends Tanahashi crashing through the table. Looks like his head may have hit the chair as well. Tanashasi breaks the count at nine. Back in the ring, Moxley yells about being the Ace while he hits some Yes kicks. Tanahashi blocks, Moxley turns it into a cross armbreaker. Tanahashi gets out and starts stomping Moxley’s head in. Sling blade by Tanahashi, and Moxley emerges busted open. Did Tanahashi use an actual blade? Tana goes up top, hits the crossbody on the floor! Back in the ring, Moxley goes for the Paradigm Shift, Tanahashi counters into the Twist & Shout. Moxley with the Paradigm Shift, it only gets two. Repeated elbows from Moxley, then Tanahashi knees him down. Tana goes up top, hits the Aces High! Back up top, High…Fly…Flo! Two count, Moxley rolls into the bulldog choke! The fans get behind the Ace, wanting this thing to go on! Tanahashi fights out, but Moxley hits the Death Rider and gets the interim championship!
Winner: Jon Moxley (18:16 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ****
Good brawl here. We can’t celebrate too long, as Chris Jericho & Daniel Garcia appear to beat up Moxley & Tanahashi. Eddie Kingston appears to break it up and more of the Blood & Guts participants come down. The Jericho Appreciation Society seem to gain the upper hand, but Claudio Castagnoli comes down to uppercut Jericho’s head off and wipe out the rest of his group. Giant Swing! Moxley, Santana & Ortiz look happy to see Claudio by their side. Eddie Kingston…not so much.
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