Forbidden Door 2023: Omega-Ospreay and Danielson-Okada Make the Crossover Feel Mythic

Tom Lawlor (with Royce Isaacs) defeated Serpentico (with Luther) by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 4:10. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is mixed: the purpose is understandable, yet the material never consistently becomes compelling viewing. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 5.4 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Mogul Embassy (Swerve Strickland, Toa Liona, Brian Cage, and Bishop Kaun) (with Prince Nana) defeated Chaos (Rocky Romero, Chuck Taylor, and Trent Beretta) and El Desperado by pinfall. The match is framed as Eight-man tag team match and runs 12:30. As a pre-show match, it has to create momentum before the pay-per-view proper while still feeling worthwhile on its own. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the urgency or escalation needed to reach the top tier. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 6.3 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Athena defeated Billie Starkz by pinfall. The match is framed as Women's Owen Hart Cup Tournament First Round match and runs 7:50. As a pre-show match, it has to create momentum before the pay-per-view proper while still feeling worthwhile on its own. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the urgency or escalation needed to reach the top tier. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 6.6 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

El Phantasmo defeated Stu Grayson by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 7:15. As a pre-show match, it has to create momentum before the pay-per-view proper while still feeling worthwhile on its own. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the urgency or escalation needed to reach the top tier. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 6.2 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi, Bushi, and Hiromu Takahashi) defeated United Empire (Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher, and TJP) by pinfall. The match is framed as Trios match and runs 7:30. As a pre-show match, it has to create momentum before the pay-per-view proper while still feeling worthwhile on its own. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the urgency or escalation needed to reach the top tier. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 6.8 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

MJF (c) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match for the AEW World Championship and runs 15:30. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is strong rather than transcendent: its structure is convincing and its flaws never take over. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 7.6 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

CM Punk defeated Satoshi Kojima by pinfall. The match is framed as Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament First Round match and runs 13:40. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is strong rather than transcendent: its structure is convincing and its flaws never take over. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 7.4 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Orange Cassidy (c) defeated Zack Sabre Jr., Katsuyori Shibata, and Daniel Garcia by pinfall. The match is framed as Four-way match for the AEW International Championship and runs 11:15. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. Cassidy, Sabre, Shibata and Garcia turn four contrasting wrestling identities into a compact title match without losing the championship thread. The finish protects everyone enough to continue their stories while still making Cassidy's escape feel earned. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 8.4 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Sanada (c) (with Douki) defeated "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry (with Hook) by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and runs 10:45. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the urgency or escalation needed to reach the top tier. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 6.5 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

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 by pinfall. The match is framed as 10-man tag team match and runs 21:25. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The ten-man match has enough overlapping history to make chaos meaningful. Kingston's divided loyalties, Elite-BCC hostility and the presence of Ishii and Takeshita give the match multiple emotional routes instead of relying only on fast tags. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 8.8 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Toni Storm (c) (with Ruby Soho and Saraya) defeated Willow Nightingale by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match for the AEW Women's World Championship and runs 10:30. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is strong rather than transcendent: its structure is convincing and its flaws never take over. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 7 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Will Ospreay (with Don Callis) defeated Kenny Omega (c) by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship and runs 39:45. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. Omega and Ospreay produce an extraordinary sequel built around escalation, accumulated damage and the feeling that each man is trying to prove something about an entire wrestling philosophy. The violence is extreme, but the match never loses the championship or the rivalry underneath it. The title change gives the result lasting consequence beyond the immediate match. At 9.9 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Sting, Darby Allin, and Tetsuya Naito defeated Le Suzuki Gods (Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, and Minoru Suzuki) by pinfall. The match is framed as Trios match and runs 15:10. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is strong rather than transcendent: its structure is convincing and its flaws never take over. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 7.3 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Bryan Danielson defeated Kazuchika Okada by submission. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 27:40. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. Danielson and Okada wrestle with the patience of a dream match that knows the audience is already invested. Danielson's broken forearm changes the closing stretch, yet the improvised submission finish gives the match a decisive historical result rather than a compromised escape. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 9.4 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside Forbidden Door 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.