Swerve vs. Ospreay, Storm vs. Shirakawa, Moxley vs. Naito for IWGP Title, Mercedes vs. Vaquer, Danielson vs. Shingo, TNT Title ladder match

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

AEW FORBIDDEN DOOR PPV REPORT
JUNE 30, 2024
ELMONT, N.Y. AT UBS ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON PPV DISTRIBUTORS

[PRE-SHOW]

Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuiness, Matt Mendard

Panel: Renee Paquett, Jeff Jarrett, Rocky Romero, R.J. City

WATCH OUR LIVE POST-SHOW ANALYSIS ON YOU TUBE HOSTED BY GREG PARKS & BRANDON LECLAIR

PWTORCH VIP MEMBERS AND PATREON SUPPORTERS can be video callers on the post-show by finding the code on the PWTorchVIP.com website in Wade Keller’s report or on the PWTorch Patreon page.

Everyone can watch later on demand on YouTube or listen to the podcast audio-only version by searching “pwtorch” in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any iOS or Android podcast app.

[PRE-SHOW]

Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuiness, Matt Mendard

Panel: Renee Paquett, Jeff Jarrett, Rocky Romero, R.J. City

(A) KYLE FLETCHER vs. SERPENTICO

The announcers talked about this ending a losing stream for Fletcher.

WINNER: Fletcher in 3:00.

(B) MALAKAI BLACK & BRODY KING vs. KYLE O’REILLY & TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. PRIVATE PARTY (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy) vs. RODERICK STRONG (w/Matt Taven, Mike Bennett) & GABE KIDD (w/Gedo)

For the finish, Malakai nailed Kassidy with a knee strike and then Brody landed his Gonzo Bomb leading to the pin.

WINNERS: Malakai & Brody in 9:00.

(C) KRIS STATLANDER & MOMO WATANABE vs. TAM NAKANO & WILLOW NIGHTINGALE

Nakano gave Watanabe a Hammerlock German Suplex for the win.

WINNERS: Nakano & Nightingale in 10:00.

(D) SARAYA (w/Harley Cameron) vs. MARIAH MAY (w/Toni Storm) – Owen Hart Tournament Qualifier

Excalibur sounded like he mistakenly plugged the Forbidden Door line-up as “bloated” rather than “loaded” at one point in this match, but quickly clarified. (It was either a Freudian slip by him ort a Freudian listen by me during this pre-show.) Cameron stood on the ring apron. Storm yanked her to the floor. May looked at Storm at ringside. Saraya then took advantage and scored a near fall, but she made the cover near the bottom rope so May grabbed the bottom rope to force a break. Saraya stomped away at May and slammed her head into the mat. May countered a DDT set up by Saraya with a roll-up three count. Excalibur said she “pulled that win out of thin air.”

During the celebration, Mina Shirakawa ran onto the stage and raised May’s hand. Storm took exception and had words with Shirakawa.

WINNER: May in 9:00.

(E) LUCHA BROS. (Rey Fenix & Pentagon w/Alex Abrahantes) & MISTICO vs. HIROMU TAKAHASHI & TITAN & YOTA TSUJI

Fans chanted “Holy shit!” at the start. Excalibur talked about Chris Jericho attacking Mistico in Mexico last week, noting that it “set up” a future singles match. (That’s a little meta-sounding.) The crowd chanted “This is awesome!” and was eating up the non-stop series of highspots. For the finish, Mistico forced Tsuji to tapout.

WINNERS: Lucha Bros & Mistico.

NOTE: YouTube indicated an audience of 60,000 watching at the end of this match.

[MAIN SHOW]

Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuiness, Taz

-A Forbidden Door graphic aired and then a narrator said AEW and New Japan were presenting the event. Excalibur introduced the show as the camera panned the audience after the most minimal PPV stage-setting video perhaps in history.

(1) HECHICERO vs. MJF

Hechicero made his entrance. Taz said most people know who his opponent is, but he didn’t want to spoil anything. An “MJF!” chant started. MJF’s music played and there was a short burst of cheers. MJF body surfed in the crowd briefly. Odd seeing MJF in an opening PPV match after so much time away. Nigel said the body surfing indicated MJF wasn’t all that concerned with his opponent. The bell rang and MJF acknowledged an “MJF” chant. MJF fended off an early attack by Hechicero. MJF offered a handshake, but then kicked Hechicero during the hand shake. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders When Hechicero did a dropdown, MJF strutted and then poked Hechicero in the eyes. Hechicero hid behind the ref and then threw MJF to the floor by his trunks.

When Hechicero went after MJF at ringside, MJF whipped him into the barricades. He pointed at his head to indicate he outsmarted Hechicero. He then charged and landed a running boot, sending a sitting Hechicero over the barricade.

Hechicero took over in the ring and applied an armbar. Hechicero blocked a Heat Seeker and then slingshot himself onto MJF for a two count. Hechicero stayed on offense and scored another two count. Taz and Nigel joked around about whether Taz had some of Hechicero’s Lucha-style moves in his career. Hechicero landed a running knee into the corner and then mocked MJF by strutting afterward. He gave the fans two middle fingers. MJF backdropped out of Hechicero’s next move. Both were slow to get up.

MJF landed a quick piledriver. Both were down and slow to get up again. An “MJF!” chant started, but nothing too enthusiastic or sustained. Hechicero applied a cross armbreaker mid-ring. MJF leveraged Hechicero’s shoulders down for a two count and then went for a Salt of the Earth armbar. Hechicero escaped and applied his own submission. MJF cried out in pain. A louder “MJF” chant started. MJF put his boot on the bottom rope to force a break. They collided mid-ring with simultaneous clotheslines.

MJF bit Hechicero and then hit a Panama Sunrise followed by a brainbuster suplex for the win. The announcers noted MJF was holding his previously injured arm as he walked to the back.

WINNER: MJF in 10:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: A solid match that felt like an opening match. The crowd did not react to MJF anywhere near his peak in this Long Island arena in the past. A new AEW fan might watch that and think, “This MJF youngster might have a bright future.”)

-A propaganda video aired touting The Elite in a positive light and taking shots at The Acclaimed. It closed with the phrase “Change the World” on the screen.

(2) THE YOUNG BUCKS (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) & KAZUCHIKA OKADA vs. THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) & “ACE” HIROSHI TANAHASHI

The Bucks came out first. Then Okada. Then Takanashi. Caster rapped on his way to the ring. He said he’s going to kill the Bucks like they did Okada’s career. He then broke the Bitch-o-Meter as he turned his attention to Okada and called him “bitch” a handful of times. (It almost felt personal!) Nigel translated “Scissor me, Daddy” in Japanese. Billy Gunn did not accommodate The Acclaimed and Tanahashi to the ring. Some fans briefly chanted “Holy shit!” when Tanahashi and Okada had a staredown. Okada turned and tagged out, prompting boos from the crowd. Excalibur talked about Okada’s six years of dominance in New Japan and also talked about Tanahashi ascending to President of New Japan.

Taz said he was happy Billy wasn’t at ringside since he was never a fan of his. When The Elite cleared the ring of Bowens, Mathew put on headphones and then Okada danced to what he guessed was the beat of the song Matthews was listening to. Nicholas had Caster in a camel clutch and Matthew ran the ropes back and forth, but rather than hit Caster, he just stopped and gave his brother a smooch on the cheer.

A brief mild “C.M. Punk” chant broke out. Caster bit Matthew’s forehead (so forehead bites in each of the first two PPV matches). Matthew let out a Sting yell before charging at Bowens in the corner with a splash. Bowens countered and scored a two count on Matthew, sorta broken up by Nicholas. When Tanahashi and Okada tagged in, that got a decent pop. Tanahashi landed a senton on Okada for a two count. The Acclaimed gave Okada their Arrival and Mic Drop sequence. Tanahashi then climbed to the top rope. The Bucks held his legs briefly. Caster and Bowens pulled them off. When Tanahashi landed the splash, Okada lifted his knees. The Bucks pumped up their sponsored sneakers and rallied. They slingshot themselves onto Caster and Bowens at ringside.

Okada slammed Tanahashi and then landed a top rope elbowdrop. He struck a posee for the crowd rather than go for the pin. Excalibur said he was showing no sense of urgency. Okada then gave a middle finger to the crowd. (That’s two heels doing middle fingers to get cheap heat in the first two matches.) Excalibur chuckled.Okada finally went for a cover, but Tanahashi surprised him with a roll-up. He fended off the Bucks, but then Okada landed a dropkick followed by the Rainmaker for the three count.

WINNERS: The Bucks & Tanahashi in 13:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Entertaining and good athleticism, but it didn’t feel particularly serious at any point or consistently intense like the stakes were high.)

-Okada lifted Tanahashi for another move, but Billy Gunn ran out for the save. Matthew said afterward they were just there to have fun. Billy helped Tanahashi out of the ring.

(3) BRYAN DANIELSON vs. SHINGO TAKAGI – Owens Hart Tournament match

A video package aired before ring introductions with Danielson talking about this Owen tournament being his chance to get back on track as his last year as a full time wrestler was nearing an end. Nigel called Danielson “Brittle Bryan.” As Danielson came out, it noted he is 13-2 in his last 15 matches. Excalibur said Danielson hasn’t been right since the Tiger Driver ’91 by Will Ospreay. Excalibur plugged All In early in the match.

Excalibur noted the winner faces Pac on Dynamite on Wednesday. When Danielson dove through the ropes at Shingo, Shingo caught him and drove him head-first into the mat with a brainbuster. Danielson clutched his right shoulder and neck area after that and the ringside doctor checked on him. Back in the ring, Shingo suplexed Danielson. As he stayed on offense, he gave the “up yours” arm gesture to the crowd. (So three matches in a row with that type of gesture by a heel.)

Danielson showed sings of life and landed on his feet on a back suplex attempt by Shingo. He followed with a snap suplex and the charged and landed a corner dropkick. Shingo elbowed Danielson as he set up a top rope move. He played to the crowd and then went for a superplex. Danielson reversed positions and dropped some elbows and then back suplexed Shingo off the top rope. Both were down and slow to get up. Danielson climbed over and scored a two count. After a cradle suplex by Shingo, Danielson continued to clutch his right shoulder and neck area. Nigel predicted this could be the end of his career. Shingo landed a top rope superplex and a running clothesline for a two count. Danielson continued to clutch his neck. Danielson blocked a Shingo move and went for a dropkick in the corner, but Shingo avoided it and then took Danielson down hard with a lariat. Shingo landed his Made in Japan finisher for a near fall.

Nigel said Danielson should just stay down. Shingo drove elbows down onto Danielson, but Danielson countered into an armbar and torqued Shingo’s wrist. They headbutted each other. Danielson escaped Shingo’s grip and landed a high kick. He came back with a Yes Kick for a near fall. He followed with a series of body stomps and then a triangle mid-ring and eventually got the tapout win. Taz wondered if Shingo tapped or verbally indicated he was submitting. The doc checked on Danielson in the ring afterward as he continued to hold his shoulder and neck in pain.

WINNER: Danielson to advance in the Owen Hart Tournament.

(Keller’s Analysis: Really good match, with the drama early of Danielson being too hurt to pull out the expected win. Everything was intense and executed well. The crowd was into it. The biggest pop of the night so far, according to Frank Peteani in the arena, came when the finally played the in-ring action on the scoreboard screens during this match. Fans had been chanting for that all night up until that point.)

(4) TONI STORM (w/Luther) vs. MINA SHIRAKAWA – AEW Women’s Title match

Storm came out dressed as the Statue of Liberty. The bell rang 11 minutes into the second hour. A few minutes in they were battling at ringside. Storm went for a hip attack, but Shirakawa moved and Storm hit the stairs hard. Shirakawa then leaped onto Storm and Luther. Back in the ring, Shirakawa applied a figure-four. Storm reversed it, but Shirakawa rolled back into control. Storm grabbed the bottom rope to force a break.

Storm landed a hip attack minutes later. Shirakawa came back with a leverage near fall and then a spinning backfist. She let out a yell and then landed a Glamour Driver for a near fall at 10:00. Storm came back with a Storm Zero a minute later for the clean win.

WINNER: Storm in 11:00 to retain the AEW Women’s Title.

-Afterward, Storm helped Shirakawa up. Shirakawa shoved her, but then offered a handshake. Storm shook he hand as May encouraged a hug. They hugged and the crowd popped. (So glad Excalibur didn’t go into the “you’ve gotta give the people what they want” bit there.) Then all three smooched on the lips at once. Excalibur joked that was what they did in the production meeting. They cut to Nigel at ringside who was mock-crying and standing and applauding.

(Keller’s Analysis: Solid match. The crowd didn’t seem super-invested, likely because they like Storm, Shirakawa feels like a visitor, and the storyline wasn’t as much a threat to Storm’s title reign as it was about Mariah May.)

(5) ORANGE CASSIDY vs. ZACK SABRE JR.

The bell rang 29 minutes into the hour. Cassidy regrouped at ringside after an early exchange, casually strolling around ringside. ZSJ opened the ropes for him. Taz said ZSJ is a cocky guy who’s been around a long time. ZSJ settled into some mid-ring matwork. ZSJ went into slo-mo kicks and then landed a hard kick. Cassidy came back with a Dragon Screw. Cassidy stood and fans clapped enouragement. ZSJ caught Cassidy with a guillotine, but Cassidy countered into a Michinoku Driver for a two count. Cassidy leaped off the top rope for a DDT for a two count. ZSJ snapped Cassidy’s arm to take control. Fans chanted “You suck f—!”

When ZSJ slapped Cassidy, Cassidy fired up and went for a leglock. ZSJ tried to upkick out of it, but Cassidy instead flipped ZSJ over into a modified sharpshooter. ZSJ wriggled out and then slammed ZSJ to the mat and scored a near fall. Cassidy hit an Orange Punch, but ZSJ fired back with a kick. They each engaged in leverage pins and reversals. Cassidy leveraged back with his hands on his pockets, but ZSJ powered out. Cassidy did it again, but again ZSJ powered out. ZSJ then applied a submission hold, torquing Cassidy’s ankle, and got the tapout win.

ZSJ handed Cassidy his sunglasses afterward. Taz said that might be a show of respect. Excalibur said Cassidy might’ve shown ZSJ more than he expected in that match.

WINNER: ZSJ in 17:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Lots of compelling exchanges. The crowd seemed steadily into it, but in a low-key way.)

(6) SAMOA JOE & HOOK & KATSUYORI SHIBATA vs. CHRIS JERICHO & BIG BILL (w/Bryan Keith) & JEFF COBB

The bell rang 52 minutes into the second hour. Jericho said he knows the fans don’t really want him to retire. He claimed he is from Long Island. Taz said Jericho did live as a young kid in the arena. After some Shibata-Jericho action, the early minutes were mostly Joe and Cobb going at it in a hoss fight that Jim Ross would’ve loved. Hook tagged in and tossed Jericho and Bill around. Bryan Keith distracted Hook from the ring apron, giving Cobb an opening to take over. Hook eventually hot-tagged in Shibata.

Shibata went on the attack against Cobb. Hook, Joe, and Shibata took turns attacking Cobb in the corner rapid-fire. Jericho tagged in against Shibata and went for a Lionsault, but Shibata lifted his knees. Hook leaped off the top rope with a forearm to Bill at ringside who fixed his hair in his face as he took his bump. Back in the ring, Jericho applied a Walls of Jericho.

Wrestlers took turns entering the ring and landing moves on each other. Hook landed a T-Bone on Cobb, which Taz popped for. Jericho took over, but Hook countered and applied a sleeper mid-ring. Shibata cut off Big Bill’s interference. Joe had Cobb in a Coquina Clutch at ringside. Hook then took Jericho down with a Judas Effect for the win. They showed Taz standing and applauding at ringside. Nigel asked Taz if he was going to cry and Taz said he doesn’t cry. They cut away from the celebration rather abruptly to play the video package for the next match.

WINNERS: Joe & Hook & Shibata in 14:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Solid match start to finish with some distinct chapters that each told separate mini-stories. Glad to see Jericho putting over Hook clean. It feels more genuine than Hulk Hogan putting over Billy Kidman.)

(7) JACK PERRY vs. EL PHANTASMO vs. DANTE MARTIN vs. MARK BRISCOE vs. LIO RUSH vs. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA – Ladder match for the TNT Title

Perry came out wearing a goat head, playing off of being the scapegoat. The bell rang 12 minutes into the third hour. Several minutes in, Takeshita gave Dante a brainbuster onto a ladder. Dante sold it big. Briscoe threw a ladder at a charging Rush. Briscoe ran and leaped over the top rope and crashed onto a ladder at ringside that was over Takeshita as he lay on a table at ringside. Perry climbed the ladder, but Rush yanked him down.

ELP bridged a ladder from the top turnbuckle to a ladder mid-ring and battled Perry. He yanked on Perry’s nipples and knocked him to the mat. Excalibur asked if it was a Storm match. Dante leaped over Perry to battle ELP on the top. Perry tipped the ladder over and both crashed to the mat. Dante grabbed his previously injured ankle in pain. The announcers talked about Dante suffering a serious leg break in his last ladder match.

Briscoe stood on top of a tall ladder and leaped onto Perry on a table at ringside. Briscoe came up a bit short and his chest hit the edge of the table. Dante surveyed the scene and entered the ring and battled Rush. He set up a ladder and climbed it. Rush rushed to the top to meet him. They each looked up at the belt and reached for it. Takeshita intervened and slammed Dante to the mat. He then went after Rush and powerbombed him onto a ladder leaning in the corner. Takeshita smiled and looked up at the belt hanging above the ring. Excalibur noted fans were cheering him.

ELP springboarded onto the ladder and knocked Takeshita down. Takeshita yanked ELP down and kneed him in the jaw on his way down. ELP then battled Takeshita on the ring apron. Takeshita kneed him and then leaped off the ring apron with a Blue Thunder Bomb through two tables. Fans popped big and chanted “Holy shit!” Takeshita then climbed the ladder, but Briscoe hit him across the back with a chair. Briscoe gave Takeshita a J-Driller onto a ladder leaning in the corner. He then climbed the ladder. Perry jabbed him with a ladder and then smashed him over and over with a chair. Perry climbed the ladder and grabbed the bvelt to win.

WINNER: Perry to capture the TNT Title.

(Keller’s Analysis: With all of those big spots, and there were a lot of them, Perry win felt a bit out of nowhere. I think the match delivered what people were looking for out of it.)

(8) MERCEDES MONE vs. STEPHANIE VAQUER – AEW TBS Championship and New Japan Strong Women’s Champion match

Vaquer came out first. Then Mercedes to a mild reaction, but she looked like a star. As the ref gave pre-match instructions, Vaquer attacked Mercedes. The ref, of course, rewarded the pre-match attack by immediately calling for the bell, rewarding Vaquer. (Imagine if MMA fights officially started after one fighter attacked another before the match officially began and that was just standard practice.)

A few minutes in, Mercedes got the better of Vaquer at ringside, but Vaquer took over when Mercedes tried to re-enter the ring. Vaquer landed a springboard crossbody off the top rope onto Mercedes at ringside. Vaquer settled into a chinlock mid-ring.

Mercedes made a comeback and hit two suplexes but didn’t land a third before Vaquer took over. Vaquer applied a submission hold, wrapping up Mercedes mid-ring. Mercedes battled out of it, but was slow to get up.

Mercedes smiled when a group of fans starting chanting “Stephanie! Stephanie!” A small counter-chant of “CEO” briefly and faintly could be heard. They collided mid-ring with simultaneous clotheslines. Both went down and some applause came from the crowd.

They stood and exchanged strikes mid-ring. Mercedes got the better at first, but Vaquer took Mercedes to the mat with a crossface. Mercedes leveraged Vaquer’s shoulders down for a two count. Mercedes applied a crossface. Fans began chanting “F— the Celtics!” Excalibur said that’s because Mercedes is from Boston. Taz said someone was wearing a Cetics t-shirt. Mercedes fired up and landed two back stabbers. Vaquer came back with a Dragon screw and then running double-knees in the corner leading to a two count.

They countered each other mid-ring leading to Mercedes setting up her finisher and eventually hitting the Moné Maker for the tapout win.

The ref presented her with the New Japan Strong belt and she looked it like her baby was pure human and not a hybrid. She stood and held up both belts to a mixed response from the crowd. A “CEO!” chant started, but then was countered with boos.

WINNER: Mercedes to retain the TBS Title and capture the New Japan Strong Title.

-After the match, Britt Baker walked out. She eyed Mercedes in the ring as she held both belts up.

(Keller’s Analysis: That came across as the biggest pop of the night. A loud “DMD!” chant broke out.)

-A commercial aired hyping that next January 4, WrestleKingdom takes place on Jan. 4 next year and then AEW Dynasty on Jan. 5, both in the Tokyo Dome.

(Keller’s Analysis: Excalibur’s response after the reveal video just took the air out of that entirely. He just robotically said, “WrestleDynasty and Tokyo Dome, but we’re not there yet.”)

(9) JON MOXLEY vs. TETSUYA NAITO – IWGP Title match

Jim Ross joined the announcers on commentary for this match.