When the card for Forbidden Door was taking form, it was announced that the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship would be defended. SANADA is proving himself in his first reign, having won the 2023 New Japan Cup and took the belt from Kazuchika Okada, and has managed two successful title defences.
Because of this, when he set up the open challenge – he hoped for a major star, but got the unproven Jack Perry instead. Perry was able to defeat DOUKI on AEW Rampage, and came face to face with SANADA, who is no more confident in his ability to remain champion.
SANADA Puts Jack Perry In A Dark Place After Tough Loss
SANADA would force Perry onto the ropes as the match began, but allowed a clean break. Shoulder tackle would follow, with Perry being dropped.
Thinking fast, Perry would quickly apply the Snare Trap – but SANADA got the bottom rope. Perry was sent off the ropes, and SANADA got the double leapfrog before a dropkick, with Perry rolling to the floor.
While trying for the dive, SANADA was stopped by Perry, who would hit the dive of his own. Back into the ring, SANADA would take Perry down to the mat and apply the Paradise Lock – letting Perry stew before setting him free with a dropkick to the rear. A cocky pinfall would follow, with Perry about to kick out.
Perry would hit a dropkick, following up with a Tiger Driver for a two count. SANADA would be able to avoid a suplex and set up the Magic Screw Neckbreaker.
Choosing to trade blows with Perry in the middle of the ring, SANADA would test the resolve of Perry, only to be snuck into a backslide pinfall.
A Crucifix was blocked into a TKO attempt – with Perry able to counter and apply SANADA’s own submission finisher of Skull End. SANADA fought free but took a reverse rana, but ducked the back elbow smash. Perry was swung around in the Skull End – but was still able to block into a pinfall.
SANADA would hit a Reverse Rana of his own, before the Shining Wizard. Moonsault Press followed, and SANADA got the victory.
This is eight single wins in a row for SANADA, as he enters the G1 Climax as champion. After the bell, Perry would snap – and attacked his tag team partner and close friend HOOK.
Ten Man Warfare From The Elite & Blackpool Combat Club
The Elite & Blackpool Combat Club are still at war – and tonight, The BCC thought they were outsmarting The Elite. Challenging Hangman Page & The Young Bucks to a ten man tag team match, with Shota Umino & Konosuke Takeshita filling out their ranks.
Kenny Omega is busy with Will Ospreay, putting them at three men. However, Eddie Kingston would join up with The Elite due to his hatred for Claudio Castagnoli, and brought Tomohiro Ishii to their side as well.
Kingston would look to start with Castagnoli, who immediately tagged out to Umino. No interest in that fight, he’d tag Page – who would take an arm drag.
Umino tried for the sliding dropkick, but Page avoided this and nailed a big boot. Ishii got the tag, and would meet the hard hitting Takeshita in the ring as both men swung for the fences with their strikes.
Neither man would look to give up ground, and Young Bucks would hit the ring to pick up the pace instead. Yuta would try to assist Takeshita, but were run down. Kingston & Moxley would come face to face in the middle of the ring, and the crowd went wild for this confrontation.
Moxley & Kingston would trade chops in the middle of the ring, with Nick & Yuta getting involved and being chopped away. A brawl broke out around them, but Moxley & Kingston kept the chops coming. Page would moonsault to the floor, and the chops kept coming in the middle of the ring, a pure showcase of their fighting spirit.
Castagnoli would put an end to this, attacking Kingston from behind and stomping him into the mat. Takeshita would step in and get the Camel Clutch applied, with Ishii trying to stop him – before a knockout blow of a forearm rocked The Stone Pitbull.
Kingston Makes An Odd Choice
Kingston would be mocked by Moxley, who formed a wall between Kingston and his allies. They’d trade more chops, before a double down with lariats.
Yuta & Ishii got tags, with Ishii running Yuta down with ease. Castagnoli would take the place of Yuta, and tried for a Suplex only for Ishii to block into the brainbuster.
Takeshita & Umino would pick Ishii apart with a Helluva Kick into a reverse DDT. Ishii would still kick out, ducked a King Kong Lariat from Moxley, before a set of back suplexes for Moxley & Umino. Takeshita & Page found tags, but the Takeshita Line would see him shot out of the sky with a rolling elbow.
Fallaway Slam would follow, sending Takeshita to the floor. The Young Bucks held him up for the running Shooting Star Press, before a diving lariat in the ring for a near fall.
Young Bucks would use their tag team playbook to break Takeshita down, but the BTE Trigger was avoided – and Takeshita hit a German Suplex on the brothers.
Bucks would find their feet and invited the BCC to a superkick party – but Kingston would save Moxley and took a superkick meant for him.
Matt took the Death Rider & Blue Thunder Bomb, but was able to kick out. Takeshita would hit a piledriver into a German Suplex, before Yuta hit a suplex of his own for a near fall.
Tomohiro Ishii Won’t Be Denied
Hart Attack would be hit by Moxley & Umino, before Castagnoli would spin Matt into a dropkick from Yuta. Everyone still standing would help Matt stay in the match, and Nick saved Matt from the Fast Ball Special. Ishii would hit the ring and caught Yuta with a superplex, before working with Kingston to sandwich Yuta with lariats.
Takeshita would take out Matt with a big lariat, before eating a pop up powerbomb. Page hit a big lariat before taking an uppercut from Castagnoli.
Kingston hit the Uraken on Castagnoli before taking a Cutter from Moxley. Ishii would be left alone with Yuta, and hit a huge lariat and Sheer Drop Brainbuster for the victory.
What comes next from Kingston & Moxley? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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