Forbidden Door 2024 is just about to be busted wide open as AEW Dynamite 6/26/24 featured a number of cross-promotional matches to hype up Sunday’s PPV.
Kicking off with a fiery promo featuring MJF and Daniel Garcia. A lot of appreciation is shown towards the Buffalo native. Garcia puts over MJF and discusses their match about a year ago, where Garcia acknowledges the loss. MJF then seems to reciprocate the vibes and puts over Garcia as a new pillar of AEW and remarks how he has grown exponentially. MJF then issued a challenge to face Garcia at All In at Wembley Stadium. However they were interrupted by Will Ospreay who extended a challenge for next week on Dynamite, to defend both the AEW International and World Championship?! MJF appears nonplussed as the segment closes.
Clearly this is building towards Ospreay vs. MJF at Wembley. I know they pushed for Garcia, but something tells me this is leading towards something bigger, much bigger.
Backstage, Swerve questions why Ospreay assumes he will be champion next week.
I do worry this is foreshadowing. Swerve is still freshly champion, to see him lose so soon doesn’t seem like a wise call.
Los Ingobernales de Japon defeated the Blackpool Combat Club – by Disqualification
A rare but understandable finish which I can understand. BCC doesn’t fall by pin or submission, but LIJ still gets put over. This breaks down into a brawl which brings out Naito who will face Mox for the IWGP Championship. You don’t need to be a fan of NJPW or CMLL to have enjoyed this. Segments like this are simply fun and don’t require any scientific breakdown. Just sit back and enjoy the damn show. Get a bunch of great wrestlers in the ring and watch the fun.
Jay White defeated Rey Fenix to advance in the 2024 Owen Hart Memorial
What a wild match. Could have gone either way. White won clean. Damn entertaining match. Funny moments at the beginning where both Bang Bang Gang along with Penta and Alex Abrahantes were all ejected by the ref.
After the match, Bullet Club Gold celebrations were cut short as Christian Cage and the Patriarchy came out to remind them they are coming for the Unified Trios Championships.
Backstage: The Jacksons let it out that the “Wild Card” in the Owen Hart Memorial is one of their buddies. Now we’re all expecting “Hangman” Adam Page to face Jeff Jarrett in the first round. If this is the case, and Jarrett loses, then why the hell would they hype an emotionally charged Jarrett to simply lose in Round One, effectively ending some fresh emotional investment.
The Acclaimed came out to address the EVPs and issued a warning they would challenge for the titles on their terms. The Elite came out in which Okada threatened them, but Billy Gunn instead called in one of his higher up friends, who turns out to be NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi as their partner for Forbidden Door. It will be The “Scissor Aces” (or something like that) against The Elite.
Cool.
Backstage: Another freaking hilarious promo from The Conglomeration (Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, and Kyle O’Reilly). O’Reilly and Briscoe are fantastic, with Mr. OC being left speechless.
Please keep these guys together. Please.
AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm, Mina Shirakawa, and Mariah May defeated Saraya, Anna Jay, and Harley Cameron
Probably one of the best women’s team matches I’ve seen in a long time. Shirakawa is made for television. Her antics and energy are perfect. The drama with Storm and Mina fighting over and trying to lure Mariah is fantastic work. Following the victory, they drank champagne together, however Mina had other plans! A swing and a miss, she breaks it over Mariah’s head. Oops!
Mina and Toni nearly tear each other to pieces.
Sunday is going to be great.
The Learning Tree TV Time
Oy, this is so terrible, it is starting to get good. Damn that Jericho! He talks about being in AEW “for the young guys” and if you haven’t been under a rock in the last 24 hours, then you know exactly what that jab was in reference to. If not, go figure it out. Since the attack by Joe’s Gym Club, Bryan Keith is “injured” and unable to compete. However, Jericho reveals on the big tron his Forbidden Door recruit, Minoru Suzuki.
However, things don’t go exactly to plan. “Murder Grandpa” instead completely trashes Jericho and his Learning Tree gimmick, ultimately declining, harshly, the invitation, instead challenging Jericho to defend the FTW Championship at Forbidden Door. It did not seem clear, but this was the impression I had.
Samoa Joe, Hook, and Shibata come to the ring, have a laugh at Jericho’s expense, then beat them all up.
If this turns into one of those bits where Jericho always gets his ass kicked yet seems to hold the title, I can get behind it.
Spoiler Alert, the Collision tapings reveal there will still be a trios match between The Learning Tree and Joe’s Gym. Jericho finds another partner to even out his team.
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Kyle O’Reilly
Match of the night, possible Match of the Year Candidate. Not kidding. Edge of my seat enjoyable. The finesse and grace in which each flawlessly and with fluid motion counter and reverse each other’s holds was a thing of beauty. A display of pure wrestling, a technical masterpiece painted on the ring canvas. Better not be the last time these two compete.
Two things to point out, Gabe Kidd was seated with Undisputed Kingdom and seemed just a tad too hyper.
Second, they played an O’Reilly Auto Parts ad during picture-in-picture.
After the match, Orange Cassidy came to the ring from the announce desk, where he and Taz had some of the best comedic banter, to check on Kyle while ZSJ and his buddies threatened them. It seemed a brawl was going to break out, but Tomohiro Ishii came out and stood side-by-side with Mr. OC.
Main Event of AEW Dynamite 6/26/24: AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland and AEW International Champion Will Ospreay defeated Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona)
Fantastic main event, but didn’t hold a candle to Kyle vs. ZSJ. Swerve and Ospreay worked very well together, until a few “accidents” seemed to stir things up. I really thought Kaun and Liona would get the W in order to further hype the rivalry between the champions, but in the end the champs managed to work together for the win. Post-match, Ospreay again grabbed the World Championship, only to get cracked in the head with the House Call. Some boos are thrown towards Swerve’s direction.
This one is too close to call. I have a hard time believing they are rocketing Ospreay all the way to the World Championship so soon, and for Swerve to lose after such a big freaking deal was made about Swerve finally capturing the big one after so many obstacles in his path had to be dealt with. If “Hangman” really does return and participate in the tournament, he could win, then challenge Swerve for the title he desperately tried to stop him from winning. However, once Forbidden Door is over, every minute is going to push All In at Wembley Stadium.
I really wish the trolls and tribalism would take a damn breath and chill. You might actually enjoy something different for a brief moment. I’m enjoying AEW, and that’s all there is to it.
