Welcome to an all new edition of Blogs Count Anywhere, the complementary pro wresting blog to the ODPH Podcast and 607TWS (on Twitch and Podcast form). This week’s blog is breaking down the huge weekend for both All Elite Wrestling (AEW) & New Japan Pro Wrestling. On Sunday, June 26th from Chicago, both companies are teaming up for a joint super-card called ”Forbidden Door.” The event can be purchased on Bleacher Report Live, Fite TV for international viewers, and traditional pay-per-view outlets.
Ever since that April AEW Dynamite where “Forbidden Door” was announced, it has been a roller-coaster ride of injuries and excitement with many matches being changed. The moniker “Forbidden Door” was given to AEW & Tony Khan for working with other companies such as Impact Wrestling. That experiment has garnered mixed results from fans on how successful it was for BOTH parties. AEW has pressed forward with working with other companies, one of which has been NJPW who have had some wrestlers come thru for matches here and there but nothing to this level.
With that history, many fans are anxious to see who will be showing up this time. Going into this weekend, there were some answers on who would be there, such as Kazuchika Okada. On the flip side, some of the matches have had to change last minute…as in 48hrs before, so lets check out the latest card and make some predictions, shall we?
Kazuchika Okada
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Buy-In Pre Show 7PM EST:
The DKC, Kevin Knight, Yuya Uemura & Alex Coughlin (NJPW) vs. Gunn Club and Max Caster (AEW)
Prediction: Honestly, nothing concerning a storyline here. Caster will get the crowd amped up with an intro rap and this should be a solid showcase of very talented wrestlers.
Winners: Caster & Gunn Club (AEW)
Aaron Solo & QT Marshall (AEW) vs. Yoshi Hashi and Hirooki Goto (NJPW)
Prediction: Expecting this to be the first win for NJPW
Winners: Yoshi Hashi and Hirooki Goto (NJPW)
El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Shane Strickland and Keith Lee
Prediction: Swerve & Lee have been not on the same page since the battle royal fiasco of a few weeks ago where Swerve eliminated Lee. Expecting more drama here, but seeing this is where Swerve and Lee get back on track with the win.
Winners: Shane Strickland and Keith Lee (AEW)
Malakai Black
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Main Card (8PM EST):
Bullet Club (El Phantasmo & Young Bucks) vs, “Dudes With Attitudes” (Sting, Darby Allin & Shingo Takagi)
Prediction: Hiromu Takahashi was a late scratch from the card due to illness so Hikuleo was pulled from the other team. It’s the Bucks. It’s Pay-Per-View and they lost at Double or Nothing. I highly doubt a repeat here. Besides, we have El Phantasmo in this match and there’s no way “Dudes With Attitudes” is finding the time machine here. Guessing Darby gets pinned here.
Winners: BULLET CLUB (FOR LIFE!)
AEW All-Atlantic Championship: Clark Connors vs. Miro vs. Pac vs. Malakai Black
Prediction: During the build for the PPV, Tony Khan unveiled a new title with a tourney ending with a 4-way battle for the belt. Tomohiro Ishii won his way in but had to back out due to injury. Connors takes his place, but this is all Black’s to lose regardless. He’s long overdue for a championship. It’s time for the House of Black to have some Gold added.
Winner: And NEW! Malakai Black
Wheeler Yuta, Shota Umino & Eddie Kingston vs. Minoru Suzuki, Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara
Prediction: A very random build interrupting a segment for the main event led to a cluster brawl and in the end, this match was made? “Reasons”. With “Blood And Guts” going down on Wednesday, Jericho and his JAS will get a win for some heat to carry into that match.
Winners: Minoru Suzuki, Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara
Zach Sabre Jr.
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Mystery opponent (per Blackpool Combat Club)
Prediction: Bryan Danielson was scheduled for the match with Sabre but had to be removed for injuries. However, Danielson has picked an opponent for this match with ZSJ and Blood & Guts on Wednesday. My original guess was Jon Gresham but he’s now in a match tagging with Lee Moriarty vs. jay Lethal’s faction. Samoa Joe would be my guess but I’m now joining the crowd in saying it’s FKA Cesaro, who will get the debut win.
Winner: Debuting FKA Cesaro
AEW Women's World Championship:
Toni Storm vs. Thunder Rosa (Champion)
Prediction: This has all the potential for Match of The Night if they get enough time. Rosa has (finally) momentum going into this match. storm is a new contender so hoping this goes in the way of Rosa to build on a memorable title run.
Winner: And STILL! Thunder Rosa
Orange Cassidy vs. Will Ospreay
Prediction: The match was basically made at random. It will be entertaining, but IMO, Ospreay should have gotten the TNT Champion and Cassidy should be the one facing ZSJ. It didn’t fall that way. In the end, the Billy G.O.A.T. will be walking out of this one with the W. Could be a sleeper match for this card as well.
Winner: Will Ospreay
UNITED EMPIRE (Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb)
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
IWGP & ROH WORLD TAG TITLES ALL ON THE LINE:
UNITED EMPIRE (Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb) vs. Roppongi Vice vs. FTR
Prediction: This will be an excellent match. There is no tag team more over right now with fans than FTR. They come into this match with a TON of fan support. Having just won the IGP titles at NJPW Dominion, it’s a quick turn-around defense for the belts, which only adds to this match. One of Roppongi Vice is taking the pin here. The only question is who but for my money, always bet on the Top Guys!
WINNER: (See Picture Below)
FTR
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
And Now, to the co-main events:
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship:
Kazuchika Okada vs. Adam Cole (Bay Bay) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page vs. “King Switch” Jay White (Champion)
Prediction: White defeated Okada at NJPW Dominion to become new IWGP champion. In doing this, it threw off Page’s call-out of Okada for the belt. Jay Whiye came to Dynamite and sent the message Page wasn’t getting the shot… neither was Adam Cole, who eluded to him getting one being “Bullet club for Life.”
This past week’s Dynamite, Okada debuted in an AEW ring and sent his message by throwing his name into the mix for White’s possible opponents and by the end of the night, the 4-way was set.
This will be an incredbile match but I feel there’s no way Okada is getting pinned here, being THE guy in NJPW. I also feel White isn’t getting pinned here either. No way does the IWGP champion lose like that on such a grand stage. Cole could get pinned here but my guess is Page does get pinned by the only one who can survive such a threat for his belt.
WINNER: IT’S STILL HIS ERA! (picture below)
Jay White
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Last but not least to close the show,
AEW INTERIM WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP:
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jon Moxley
Hiroshi Tanahashi
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Jon Moxley
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Prediction: Originally, CM Punk was supposed to face Tanahashi for the AEW title here. Due to a foot injury, Punk was ruled out. Moxley was thrown in via defeating Kyle O’Reilly on an AEW Dynamite while Tanahashi defeated Hirooki Goto at NJPW Dominion to main event the joint promotion card. There’s been one promo segment and one “tag team” match to build into this. It didn’t need much of a build but the ramifications are still big.
For Moxley, he would become the first 2x AEW champion. Pending on when Punk is due back, that could also lead to an interesting story-line. However that all depends on when Punk is back and would Moxley keep the belt until then?
For Tanahashi, the G1 is about to start. Would AEW allow their champion to be off AEW TV that long? And if so, would Punk challenge for the belt at NJPW wrestle Kingdom as stated on 607TWS? Both have intersting directions to go.
At the end of the day, I feel there’s only one way this match ends…. Welcome to the Mox era 2.0.
Winner: AND NEW! Jon Moxley
It should be a fun night of pro wrestling action and an opportunity for New Japan to get some new fans watching their product. For all the setbacks this card has had, there is much to check out during this show. Don’t miss it on Sunday night and expect a full recap on all the 607 podcast network of shows this week.
Hit me up on Twitter and let me know your predictions for AEW x NJPW “Forbidden Door”. Thanks For Reading.
