Swerve Strickland defends the AEW World Championship against Will Ospreay tonight at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door on Long Island, New York.
Toni Storm defends the AEW Women’s World title against Mina Shirakawa while a six-way ladder match will decide the new TNT Champion. TBS Champion Mercedes Mone faces NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer in a title vs. title match while Jon Moxley defends the IWGP World Heavyweight title against Tetsuya Naito.
The show will feature Bryan Danielson vs. Shingo Takagi in an Owen Hart Foundation tournament quarterfinal, MJF vs. Hechicero, and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Orange Cassidy.
Trios matches round the main card with The Elite vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & The Acclaimed, and The Learning Tree’s Chris Jericho, Big Bill & Jeff Cobb vs. Samoa Joe, Hook & Katsuyori Shibata.
The extended Zero Hour pre-show features Mariah May vs. Saraya in an Owen Hart Foundation tournament quarterfinal, Kris Statlander & Momo Watanabe vs. Willow Nightingale & Tam Nakano, the NJPW-CMLL trio of Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi & Titan vs. the Lucha Bros & Mistico, and a four-way tag team match.
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Zero Hour
The WrestleAunts, Renee Paquette & RJ City, along with Jeff Jarrett & Rocky Romero welcome us to Zero Hour as they run down the tonight’s card. Amanda Huber & -1 joined them to talk about the Brodie Lee shoe being released by Reebok tomorrow as well.
Kyle Fletcher defeated Serpentico
Excalibur, Matt Menard & Nigel McGuinness on the call, as Fletcher wasted no time mowing down Serpentico out the gate, turning him inside out with a lariat. Serpentico fought off Fletcher ripping at the mask, but ate a leg lariat to the back of the head, followed by a violent reverse Tombstone. Fletcher opted for a stalling brainbuster in the corner and got the dominating win. Bounce back victory for Fletcher, who just lost his ROH TV Title to Atlantis Jr. in CMLL last night.
Kings of the Black Throne (Malakai Black & Brody King) defeated Tomohiro Ishii & Kyle O’Reilly, Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen), Roderick Strong & Gabe Kidd (w/The Kingdom & Gedo)
Excalibur talked about Buddy Matthews being taken out by Christian Cage a few weeks ago, thus explaining his absence. Technical start by Black & O’Reilly before Ishii & King have an intense face off, as Ishii couldn’t hit the brainbuster. The crowd got behind the hometown Private Party, as Zay & Quen ran wild with double teams before O’Reilly & Kidd broke things up to go at it with each other. O’Reilly went for a home run kick, but Strong yelled his name, enough to run distraction and Kidd to take over with violent chops. Kidd & King started barking at each other, as Strong tagged in and argued who would chop O’Reilly, who dove for the Ishii hot tag. Ishii no sold both men’s chops and ran through everyone before Taven & Bennett tried to get involved, only to suffer the same fate.
Willow Nightingale & Tam Nakano defeated Kris Statlander (w/Stokely Hathaway) & Momo Wantanabe
Statlander & Nakano started off with the power vs. speed matchup, as it was Nakano’s speed winning in the early going. Nightingale made the tag and Statlander immediately bailed, as Wantanabe was flattened with a low cross body. Hard lariat from Nightingale, as Nakano came in and had a hard-hitting exchange with Wantanabe, who went to the eyes, only to eat a thrust kick. Hathaway ran distraction, allowing Statlander to blindside Nakano and keep her isolated. Finally able to fight free, Nightingale made the hot tag and was face to face with Statlander, a preview of this Wednesday at Beach Break. That was brief, as Statlander bailed once more, as Wantanabe was left to eat the offense from Nightingale, including a spinebuster for two.
Nightingale became to preoccupied with Statlander, as Wantanabe hit a high kick and Statlander was there to pick up the pieces. Slugfest ensued, as Statlander missed a diving corner elbow and Nightingale hit a shotgun dropkick. Nakano went for a cross body, but missed, as Statlander wanted Chaos Theory, but Nakano countered into a German suplex for two. Statlander sent Nightingale & Nakano crashing into each other, as Wantanabe planted Nightingale for a near fall. Doomsday Device attempt was blocked by Nakano, who hit a Tiger Suplex on Statlander, as Nightingale hit an Avalanche Death Valley Driver for a close two. Wantanabe countered a Doctor Bomb into a great Storm Zero, but Nightingale fought back with a Pounce. Statlander was sent outside with a dropkick off the apron by Nightingale, as Nakano made the tag and hit the straightjacket German on Wantanabe for the win.
King made the tag and was almost hit with Dante’s Inferno, but O’Reilly made the save and hit a high low with O’Reilly on King before a brainbuster/head kick combo planted King. Fast sequence from O’Reilly & Zay, but Strong broke it up, only to lead to a double down off a Nigel lariat from O’Reilly. Quen was decked with a Black high kick, but Ishii ran in and flattened Black with a headbutt. Kidd connected on a brainbuster on Ishii, but King came in and wiped-out Kidd with a violent slap. With a pile of bodies on the floor, Private Party connected on a double dive. Back inside, King avoided Silly String and lawn darted Zay into an awaiting Black for The End kick. Black kept a lookout as King planted Zay with a Gonzo Bomb for the victory.
