Forbidden Door 2023 Previews
AEW and NJPW Forbidden Door 2023 Predictions
My only real exposure to NJPW, or Japanese wrestling in general has been what I’ve seen in the lead up to the pay-per-view, or short clips of Americans wrestling in Japan. I know very little about the performers, their backgrounds, and styles. I have very little to back up my predictions, but here goes…
Athena vs. Billie Starkz, Women's Owen Hart
Cup Tournament first round match
I get the feeling they are going to be pushing Athena to go against Kris Statlander. My reasoning or evidence for this, none.
Winner: Athena
Kenny Omega (c) vs. Will Ospreay, for the
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship
I don’t see how Will Ospreay doesn’t win here. He seems to be the one driving the story / angle and this would free up the title to return to Japan. I’m sure the match will be littered with high spots, but I’m fearful or the inevitable screw job ending.
Winner: New IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, Will Ospreay
Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada
Danielson getting the win will solidify his “best wrestler in the world” character hyperbole, but it seems unlikely given how popular Okada seems. I’m sure it will be a great technical match with lots of opportunity for each wrestler to demonstrate their prowess in-between the ropes. I think that Okada will get the win here, but in such a way that Danielson can claim it was a fluke. They did something similar with Jericho and Adam Cole at Double or Nothing with the referee stoppage. There was a time limit draw in a match just last week, so that also seems unlikely. Maybe, it is something akin to the referee not seeing Bryan having a foot on the rope or getting his shoulder up in a double pin situation.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada
Sanada (c) vs. "Jungle Boy" Jack
Perry (with Hook) for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
The Jack Perry / Hook relationship makes no sense to me. You just got Perry out of a tag team to begin a singles run, and now he is hanging around with Hook, who needs no help getting over with the fans. Unless the plan is to turn the Cold Hearted Handsome Devil Heel, I don’t understand this pairing at all. I’ll go with Hook doing something that inadvertently costs Perry the match.
Winner: IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Sanada
MJF (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the AEW World Championship
There is no way Tony Kahn is letting his world champion lose on his company’s world title on his own PPV. I’m sure it will have a number of close calls, but this is MJF all day.
Winner: AEW World Champion, MJF
This is such a waste. Jericho and Sting have never wrestled each other, and the first time they are going to do so is in a six-man tag match with no stakes at all? That doesn’t make sense to me. I’d have Jericho ambush Sting before the match, forcing Darby to find a new partner for the match. Sting vows revenge, and you have a one on one confrontation at All In at Wembley. Anyway, Guevara and Jericho have had tension building for a while now. When they lose, I’m sure it will be the result of, or lead to, a confrontation between them. Jericho will be humiliated in some form or fashion, leading to the eventual match between Sammy and Jericho.
Winner: Sting, Darby Allin, and Tetsuya Naito
The Elite have been on the receiving end of nothing but abuse since their return from suspension. They HAVE to get some measure of revenge against the BCC, maybe Kingston is the one to push them over the edge here.
Winner: The Elite ("Hangman" Adam Page, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson), Eddie Kingston, and Tomohiro Ishii
It’s hard not to look ahead and think they are booking CM Punk vs Samoa Joe in the second round of the tournament. I don’t know anything about Kojima, so Punk it is.
Winner: CM Punk
I incorrectly picked Orange Cassidy to lose at Double or Nothing, but I won’t make that mistake again. I don’t see Garcia winning the belt here, and I don’t think Tony wants to ship his International Championship off to Japan.
Winner: AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy
While Willow is really becoming popular with the fans, I don’t think it is her time yet. Toni is really just getting started in her run as champion.
Winner: AEW Women's World Champion, Toni Storm
I don’t know ANYTHING about this match at all. The easy pick is Adam Cole to win, but I’ll go with Lawlor due to some MJF shenanigans
Winner: Tom Lawlor
I get the feeling they are going to be pushing Athena to go against Kris Statlander. My reasoning or evidence for this, none.
Winner: Athena
I don’t see how Will Ospreay doesn’t win here. He seems to be the one driving the story / angle and this would free up the title to return to Japan. I’m sure the match will be littered with high spots, but I’m fearful or the inevitable screw job ending.
Winner: New IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, Will Ospreay
Danielson getting the win will solidify his “best wrestler in the world” character hyperbole, but it seems unlikely given how popular Okada seems. I’m sure it will be a great technical match with lots of opportunity for each wrestler to demonstrate their prowess in-between the ropes. I think that Okada will get the win here, but in such a way that Danielson can claim it was a fluke. They did something similar with Jericho and Adam Cole at Double or Nothing with the referee stoppage. There was a time limit draw in a match just last week, so that also seems unlikely. Maybe, it is something akin to the referee not seeing Bryan having a foot on the rope or getting his shoulder up in a double pin situation.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada
The Jack Perry / Hook relationship makes no sense to me. You just got Perry out of a tag team to begin a singles run, and now he is hanging around with Hook, who needs no help getting over with the fans. Unless the plan is to turn the Cold Hearted Handsome Devil Heel, I don’t understand this pairing at all. I’ll go with Hook doing something that inadvertently costs Perry the match.
Winner: IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Sanada
There is no way Tony Kahn is letting his world champion lose on his company’s world title on his own PPV. I’m sure it will have a number of close calls, but this is MJF all day.
Winner: AEW World Champion, MJF
This is such a waste. Jericho and Sting have never wrestled each other, and the first time they are going to do so is in a six-man tag match with no stakes at all? That doesn’t make sense to me. I’d have Jericho ambush Sting before the match, forcing Darby to find a new partner for the match. Sting vows revenge, and you have a one on one confrontation at All In at Wembley. Anyway, Guevara and Jericho have had tension building for a while now. When they lose, I’m sure it will be the result of, or lead to, a confrontation between them. Jericho will be humiliated in some form or fashion, leading to the eventual match between Sammy and Jericho.
Winner: Sting, Darby Allin, and Tetsuya Naito
The Elite have been on the receiving end of nothing but abuse since their return from suspension. They HAVE to get some measure of revenge against the BCC, maybe Kingston is the one to push them over the edge here.
Winner: The Elite ("Hangman" Adam Page, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson), Eddie Kingston, and Tomohiro Ishii
It’s hard not to look ahead and think they are booking CM Punk vs Samoa Joe in the second round of the tournament. I don’t know anything about Kojima, so Punk it is.
Winner: CM Punk
I incorrectly picked Orange Cassidy to lose at Double or Nothing, but I won’t make that mistake again. I don’t see Garcia winning the belt here, and I don’t think Tony wants to ship his International Championship off to Japan.
Winner: AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy
While Willow is really becoming popular with the fans, I don’t think it is her time yet. Toni is really just getting started in her run as champion.
Winner: AEW Women's World Champion, Toni Storm
I don’t know ANYTHING about this match at all. The easy pick is Adam Cole to win, but I’ll go with Lawlor due to some MJF shenanigans
Winner: Tom Lawlor
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