The 2023 Forbidden Door was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event and supershow co-produced by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and the Japan-based New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). It was the second annual Forbidden Door and took place on June 25, 2023, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was AEW's first PPV to be held outside of the United States and NJPW's first traditional PPV to be held in Canada.
Fourteen matches were contested at the event, including four on Zero Hour pre-show as well as one dark match. In the main event, Bryan Danielson defeated Kazuchika Okada by submission. In other prominent matches, Will Ospreay defeated Kenny Omega to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship, The Elite ("Hangman" Adam Page, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson), Eddie Kingston, and Tomohiro Ishii defeated Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli), Konosuke Takeshita, and Shota Umino in a 10-man tag team match, Sanada defeated "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, and in the opening bout, MJF defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to retain the AEW World Championship.
Contents
Production
Background
In February 2021, the American professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) started a partnership with the Japanese promotion, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). After a year of AEW and NJPW wrestlers appearing on each other's shows, the two companies co-promoted a pay-per-view (PPV) event titled Forbidden Door in June 2022. The event took its name from the same term often used by AEW when referring to working with other professional wrestling promotions.
On March 15, 2023, a second Forbidden Door event between AEW and NJPW was scheduled to be held on June 25, 2023, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, thus establishing Forbidden Door as an annual event between the two companies. Tickets went on sale on March 24. This marked AEW's first PPV held outside of the United States and also kicked off a month-long tour of Canada for AEW, which included their weekly television programs and house shows.
Forbidden Door was also the first Canadian event co-promoted by NJPW to air on traditional PPV outlets. Prior to its acquisition by Tony Khan, sibling promotion Ring of Honor co-promoted two Global Wars events with NJPW in 2014 and 2015; both of which were held in Toronto and aired live on internet pay-per-view (iPPV). This event also marked the first non-WWE pay-per-view event to be held in Toronto since November 21, 1999, when Mayhem, produced by the former World Championship Wrestling (WCW), took place at what was then called the Air Canada Centre.
Storylines
Forbidden Door featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines.
On the April 26 episode of Dynamite, AEW president Tony Khan announced that tournament matches for the second annual Owen Hart Cup would occur at Forbidden Door. On the June 21 episode, the brackets were revealed, with two matches to be held during the PPV: ROH Women's World Champion Athena facing Billie Starkz in the women's tournament during the pre-show and CM Punk facing Satoshi Kojima in the men's tournament, marking Punk's first appearance on an AEW PPV since All Out, where he main evented before being involved in the legitimate backstage fight.
At NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 17, Kenny Omega defeated Will Ospreay to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. In April, NJPW announced a tournament to determine the new Number 1 contender to Omega's championship, featuring Ospreay, Lance Archer, Juice Robinson, and Hiroshi Tanahashi. However, on April 16 at NJPW's Capital Collision, Robinson was (kayfabe) suspended from NJPW after attacking both Fred Rosser and a referee during a match against Rosser, which ended in a no contest. Soon after, it was announced that Rosser would replace Robinson in the tournament. On April 16 at Capital Collision, Archer defeated Rosser. On May 21 at NJPW's Resurgence, Ospreay defeated Tanahashi to set up the tournament final, which took place on June 4 at NJPW's Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, where Ospreay defeated Archer to become the number one contender for the US title. On June 6, NJPW held a press conference where the match was made official for Forbidden Door.
At Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, Blackpool Combat Club's (BCC) Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli teamed with Moxley's protege Shota Umino to face Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship, but failed to win the titles. After the match, Moxley took to the microphone, presenting a video package for Okada. The video featured fellow BCC member Bryan Danielson, who challenged Okada to a match. Okada responded by claiming that the "forbidden door" would be open, teasing the match taking place at the PPV. On June 6, NJPW held a press conference where Okada accepted Danielson's challenge for Forbidden Door, making the match official.
Following NJPW's All Together Again on June 9, it was hinted that IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Sanada would have an announcement on a future episode of Dynamite regarding his plans as NJPW's World Champion for the upcoming Forbidden Door PPV. The rumours were proven true on the June 14 episode of Dynamite, where Sanada appeared via a video message issuing an open challenge for his title at the PPV. Later on the show, the offer was accepted by "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry, who asked for his tag team partner Hook to be in his corner for the match. Soon after, the match was made official for Forbidden Door. On the June 23 episode of AEW Rampage, Perry defeated Sanada's Just 5 Guys teammate Douki, using Sanada's finisher to win the match, leading to Sanada confronting Perry in the ring, after the match.
Event
Zero Hour
There were four matches contested on the Zero Hour pre-show, with one taped as a dark match. In the opening contest, Mogul Embassy (Swerve Strickland, Brian Cage, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun) (with Prince Nana) faced El Desperado and Chaos (Rocky Romero, Chuck Taylor, and Trent Beretta). In the closing stages, Beretta delivered the Strong Zero on Swerve, but Kaun broke up the pin. As Romero was attempting the Shiranui, Cage and Swerve avoided it and delivered an F-10/DDT combo; Swerve then delivered the Swerve Stomp for the win.
Next, Athena faced Billie Starkz in the Owen Hart Foundation tournament first round match. In the closing stages, as Starkz was attempting a senton on the apron to Athena, Athena evaded the move, allowing Athena to bring Starkz back into the ring and deliver a Dominator to pickup the victory.
In the penultimate match of the Zero Hour, El Phantasmo took on Stu Grayson. In the end, Grayson delivered a Pele Kick and a 450° splash for a two-count. Phantasmo delivered an avalanche hurricanrana and the Thunder Kiss '86 for a two-count. As Grayson was attempting the Skyfall, Phantasmo escaped and delivered the Jodi Flysch S-DDT and the CR II for the win.
In the Zero Hour main event, Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi, and Bushi) squared off against United Empire (TJP, Kyle Fletcher, and Jeff Cobb). In the closing stages, Takahashi delivered a superkick and Takagi delivered a Death Valley Driver and a lariat to TJP, but Cobb broke up the pin. Takahashi delivered a dropkick to Cobb on the outside, while Bushi delivered a suicide dive to Fletcher also on the outside, allowing Takagi to deliver the Made in Japan on TJP for the win.
Preliminary matches
In the opening contest, MJF defended the AEW World Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi. In the opening stages, Tanahashi delivered a flying forearm, a middle-rope senton and a diving crossbody for a two-count. Tanahashi then delivered a sling blade, but as he was attempting the High Fly Flow, MJF prevented it and delivered a double underhook shoulder breaker for a two-count. Tanahashi then locked in the Texas Cloverleaf, but MJF escaped. As Tanahashi was attempting another High Fly Flow, MJF got the knees up. As MJF was attempting to use the title belt on Tanahashi, the referee prevented it and tossed the title away. Tanahashi then delivered a schoolboy to MJF, but the referee was distracted, allowing MJF to hit Tanahashi with the AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring to retain the title.
Next, CM Punk went one-on-one with Satoshi Kojima in the Owen Hart Foundation tournament first round match. In the closing stages, Punk delivered a diving elbow drop for a two-count. Punk then locked in the Anaconda Vice, but Kojima escaped and delivered a clothesline. As Punk was attempting the GTS, Kojima escaped and delivered the Koji Cutter and a brainbuster for a two-count. As Kojima was attempting a lariat, Punk countered it into the GTS for the win.
In the next match, Orange Cassidy defended the AEW International Championship against Daniel Garcia, Katsuyori Shibata and Zack Sabre Jr. In the opening stages, Sabre Jr. locked in an Octopus stretch, but Garcia broke up the submission. Shibata then rolled up Garcia for a two-count. Cassidy then delivered a tornado DDT to Garcia for a two-count. Garcia then hit Shibata with the Pure title belt for another two-count. Shibata then delivered the Kawada Kicks and the Orange Punch to Cassidy, but Sabre Jr. locked in the Ode to Jim on Cassidy, but Garcia broke up the submission. Cassidy then delivered the Stundog Millionaire and the Satellite DDT to Garcia for another two-count. Shibata then locked in the RNC, but Sabre Jr. countered it into a European Clutch. Garcia then delivered a piledriver to Sabre Jr., but Shibata immediately delivered the PK to Garcia, then Cassidy pushed Shibata to the outside and delivered a crucifix pin on Garcia for the win.
In the next bout, Sanada (with Douki) defended the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry (with Hook). In the closing stages, Jungle Boy delivered a superkick and a tiger bomb for a two-count. Jungle Boy then locked in Skull's End, but Sanada reached the ropes and delivered the TKO. As Sanada was attempting the Moonsault, Jungle Boy escaped and delivered a superkick and a poison Rana. Sanada then delivered a Shining Wizard, another Poison Rana and a Moonsault to retain the title. After the match, Jungle Boy launched an attack on Hook, turning heel for the first time in his AEW career.
Main event
In the main event, Bryan Danielson faced Kazuchika Okada. In the opening stages, Okada delivered a sliding dropkick and a big boot, but Danielson then delivered a diving knee strike from the apron to the outside. Okada then delivered a flapjack, a DDT and an Air Raid Crash neckbreaker for a two-count. Danielson then locked in the Cattle Mutilation, but Okada escaped the submission attempt. Danielson then delivered Hammer and Anvil elbow strikes and a shotgun dropkick. As Okada was attempting the Rainmaker, Danielson escaped it into a dropkick. Danielson then locked in the LeBell lock, but Okada reached the ropes. Danielson then delivered a Penalty Kick and a Busaiku Knee to Okada on the outside. Okada then delivered a tombstone piledriver on the ramp to Danielson. As Okada was attempting the Rainmaker, Danielson dodged it into the Busaiku Knee. Danielson then delivered a roundhouse kick, but Okada immediately delivered a Michinoku Driver and the Rainmaker for a two-count. Okada then delivered a diving elbow drop onto Danielson's arm, legitimately fracturing it. Danielson then delivered the Busaiku Knee, but Okada responded with a dropkick. Danielson then delivered an omoplata into the LeBell lock, forcing Okada to tap out.
Reception
The event received widespread acclaim, particularly for the IWGP U.S. Championship match between Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay with many hailing it as one of the best wrestling matches of all time. Critics also praised the International Championship match, the 10-man tag team match, and the main event between Danielson and Okada.
Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter rated the AEW World Championship and the AEW Women's World Championship bout both 3.25 stars; the International Championship match and the Punk-Kojima match both 4 stars; the IWGP World Championship match 3.75 stars, the 10-man tag team match and the main event 4.75 stars, the IWGP US Championship match 6 stars (the highest rated match on the card) and the Le Suzuki Gods-Sting, Allin and Naito match 3 stars (the lowest rated match on the card).