The fans start a “holy s–t” chant before the match even officially get underway, so psyched to see these two in the ring together. Bryan Danielson returned to “The Final Countdown” for his entrance, which was fun.
As they go through their initial lockups, the crowd switches to an “Okada” chant for the Rainmaker. Kazuchika Okada almost ends up in an inverted surfboard, but Danielson dishes out some punishment instead and plays to the crowd.
Okada runs over Danielson and runs the ropes multiple times before hitting a lariat. A sliding dropkick catches Danielson on the ear, but the American Dragon gets the momentum back on the floor and knocks Okada into the announce table before dropping a running knee off the apron.
From the top rope, Danielson lands on Okada’s right arm, then covers for a quick two. The American Dragon knees Okada in the back and torques the right arm. Hammer and anvil elbows are dropped, and Danielson transitions to the cattle mutilation. Okada’s shoulders are on the mat, forcing him to kick out at two.
A series of strikes land on Okada’s chest, but they only seem to anger the Rainmaker. Okada tries for forearm shots but sells the previous damage to his right arm, so he opts for a flapjack instead.
A big boot drops Danielson as Okada gets some momentum going. A DDT scores too and leads to a two count. A dropkick knocks Danielson to the floor, then Okada puts him into the crowd for his trademark cross body over the barricade.
They fight back to ringside, and Okada resets the 10 count. Back to the ring they go, where Okada applies the Money Clip. A neckbreaker is next, and Danielson has to kick out again.
Both men end up on the top turnbuckle, where Danielson uses a flurry of strikes to set up a missile dropkick. With both men on the canvas, the ref is counting, but Danielson leads them up and into an exchange of strikes. The European uppercuts are flowing both ways.
A shotgun dropkick from Okada breaks the chain, but Danielson responds with a German suplex. Danielson launches into two running corner kicks but takes a dropkick back. There’s another lovely one from Okada after Danielson evades a Rainmaker.
Okada tries a top rope elbow, but Danielson sees it coming and works some submissions. He gets the LeBell Lock applied, meaning Okada must use his legs to reach out for a rope break.
On the outside again, Danielson takes control by the ramp, finally hitting his trademark kicks. Okada finds an awesome answer in a Tombstone on the ramp.
They slowly both make it back to the ring, where Okada hits his top rope elbow this time. Okada strikes the Rainmaker pose, but the ref stops him and calls for the ringside doctor. Okada shakes off the doc, but it looks like Danielson was baiting his foe as he hits a busaiku knee.
Who can get up first? Okada takes wrist control but ends up eating another busaiku knee for a two count. Danielson says he’s going to “kick his f–king head in” and stomps Okada in the face. The LeBell Lock actually gives Okada a chance to try for a pin, getting another two.
Danielson hits a spinning kick and leads some “yes” chants, but he runs into a dropkick and a landslide. The Rainmaker finds the mark, but Danielson kicks out at two.
Maintaining wrist control, Okada keeps beating on his foe. An exchange of counters finds Danielson dragging Okada to the ground even though he’s heavily favoring his left arm. There’s a LeBell Lock again as the fans try to rally Okada.
Danielson uses his legs to trap Okada’s arms behind his back, improvising like crazy. In a crazy predicament now, Okada can’t get to the ropes, and he ends up tapping out.
Click here for full Forbidden Door 2023 results from Toronto.