While All Elite Wrestling treats a drama-free work environment like its own forbidden door, the actual Forbidden Door event looks to be the best pro wrestling show of the year on paper.
The card has a little bit of everything. It’s got a dream match between Bryan Danielson and Kazuchika Okada. It also features a grudge match between Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay. We’ve even got arguably Japan’s biggest star going against AEW’s young sensation.
And yes, it even has CM Punk, who missed last year’s event due to injury. The show has got it all, and the backstage drama could make an unwanted cameo, too.
With that said, here are my predictions for the event, which emanates from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto:
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Will Ospreay
The first encounter between these two (Wrestle Kingdom 17) was arguably the best match of 2023 to this point, and it took place all the way back on Jan. 4. I have no reservations in believing that they will do everything in their power to top that at Forbidden Door.
As far as a winner, I’m going to go with Ospreay to regain the title he lost back in January. Ever since Omega left New Japan Pro Wrestling and joined AEW, Ospreay has been one of the people in line to replace him as the promotion’s top foreigner. Whether he has succeeded in filling Omega’s shoes is up for debate.
However, Forbidden Door presents an opportunity for Ospreay to not only win back the title he lost at Wrestle Kingdom, but also put the world on notice that he is indeed capable of fulfilling the role Omega once held and thrived in.
By the way, I have a not-so-sneaky suspicion that Don Callis will have some involvement in the outcome.
Winner: Will Ospreay
Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada
If there is one match I have to watch on this show, it’s this one. Before this match was announced, it had never occurred to me that Danielson and Okada never had a match together — and that I also wanted to see it so very badly.
The story tells itself: Danielson is widely regarded as the best technical wrestler in the world. Okada, while not quite as technical as Danielson, can lay claim to being simply the best all-around wrestler on the planet given his classics with Omega and others. These two worlds collide (no pun intended) on Sunday, and it should make for an absolute classic.
So who will win this match? For me, this is one of those proverbial toss-ups. You really can’t go wrong either way, but my gut is telling me that Danielson will pull off the victory.
Winner: Bryan Danielson
AEW World Championship: MJF (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
MJF has had some pretty big matches during his short career, but I believe Hiroshi Tanahashi represents his biggest contest to date.
MJF, as he has reminded everyone on many occasions, has proven that he can hang with the best in the world time and time again. But I’m not sure he has faced someone with both the star power and the longevity like Tanahashi. Yes, MJF has gone up against the likes of Danielson, CM Punk and Chris Jericho, but none of them were the face of a major promotion for as long as Tanahashi was with New Japan.
MJF has many feathers in his cap, but I believe beating Tanahashi will be the biggest.
Winner: MJF
AEW Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm (c) vs. Willow Nightingale
Since Toni Storm recently won the title, I’m going with her to retain. However, I think Willow Nightingale will put on a star-making performance in defeat.
Winner: Toni Storm
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Sanada (c) vs. “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry
No matter who Sanada faced in this match, I was probably going to pick him to retain. Seeing that his opponent was going to be Jack Perry only confirmed my thoughts. Nothing against Perry, who I am a big fan of, but I could not imagine New Japan putting its top title on him at the moment.
Winner: Sanada
Men’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament (Quarterfinal): CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima
According to reports, Punk was originally scheduled to face KENTA in what would have been another dream match over the who is the master of the GTS.
However, that never came to fruition and in steps Satoshi Kojima, who is a tremendous replacement.
Regardless of whether it was KENTA or Kojima, I’m still picking CM Punk to win and advance in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.
Winner: CM Punk
10-man tag: The Elite, Eddie Kingston and Tomohiro Ishii vs. Blackpool Combat Club, Konosuke Takeshita and Shoto Umino
This match feels like it will be pure chaos. When the dust settles, however, I think the bad guys come away with the win mainly because I think AEW wants to maintain the momentum the Blackpool Combat Club has built up in recent months.
Winner: Blackpool Combat Club, Konosuke Takeshita and Shoto Umino
Six-man tag: Le Suzuki Gods (Chris Jericho, Minoro Suzuki and Sammy Guevara) vs. Sting, Darby Allin and ???
As of this writing, it has not been confirmed who Sting and Darby Allin’s partner. However, that will be unveiled on the second episode of Collision Saturday night.
Regardless of who the mystery partner is, I’m going with the good guys with this one.
Winner: Sting, Darby Allin and their mystery partner
AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Daniel Garcia vs. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Orange Cassidy has found miraculous ways to retain his title, and I think his run of good fortune continues at Forbidden Door. Although the outcome feels like more of the same, I believe this is a match that could steal the show.
Winner: Orange Cassidy
Adam Cole vs. “Filthy” Tom Lawlor
SPOILER WARNING IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED RAMPAGE YET …
… but Tom Lawlor shows up on the show and attacks Adam Cole, setting up a match between them at Forbidden Door.
Lawlor is great, but I have no reason to expect Cole to take a loss in this one on his way to getting another match with MJF.
Winner: Adam Cole
Women’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament (Quarterfinal): Billie Starkz vs. Athena
This may be a nitpick in some people’s eyes, but I think it would have been nice to get this onto the main card instead of the pre-show. Obviously, something has to be on the pre-show, but the main card currently features only one women’s match.
Shoving the other women’s match to the pre-show is a move fans lambasted WWE for routinely doing just a couple of years ago.
No one can make the excuse that there just isn’t enough time. AEW’s pay-per-views typically run well over three hours because everyone is trying to have their own mat classic, which can make for a lot of great wrestling, but it typically comes at the expense of the women’s roster.
I feel like AEW’s women’s division is deep enough to have two matches on every pay-per-view, and if that means having a men’s match on the pre-show then so be it. If that meant putting the International title match (for example) on the pre-show, then so be it.
As far as the winner, I’m going to roll with the Ring of Honor women’s champ.
Winner: Athena
