Forbidden Door Predictions: 2023

This Sunday, live from the Scotiabank in Toronto, Ontario Canada the stars of All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling will collide. This will be the second straight year the two companies will get together to put on the pay-per-view event entitled Forbidden Door. Last year’s event was well received despite circumstances causing many stars to miss the show. It has undoubtedly become one of the most anticipated crossover events in the business. The only crossover with more anticipation is when Mike and Adam of Talent Alone go head to head to make match predictions, and that is precisely what we are here to do. Here’s the score following WWE’s Night of Champions and AEW’s Double or Nothing.

I jumped out to a nice lead thanks, in part to going a perfect 7 and 0 on my Night of Champions predictions. Also, as people who read those predictions might recall, Adam owes me a Tim Hortons coffee. But enough bragging, let’s get to predicting the outcomes of the ten matches taking place at Forbidden Door.

*Editor note: This article was written before Collision and the only major change was the announcement of Niato as the partner for Sting and Darby Allen. We decided that it didn’t change anything so we stuck with the previous version of this article.

Bryan Danielson vs Kazuchika Okada

Mike: Oh boy, The American Dragon vs The Rainmaker! This match alone sold this PPV for me. You ask me to name the greatest wrestlers of the past 20 years and these two will be the first names out of my mouth. On top of that, both men are still performing at a prime level. If there was ever a time for AEW to throw out the overused term “dream match”, it’s this.

With that said, picking a winner here is a real toss-up. I’ve decided I’m going to pick this one just as a fan, and as a wrestling fan, I have one simple motto. Okada over everyone!  I remember after Wrestle Kingdom 12 there were a lot of fans upset that Okada beat Naito. I (metaphorically) walked around to all those fans, flipping them the bird, and spraying champagne while smoking a cigar shirtless. I’m going with the 7-time world champ, the master of wrist control, and the greatest wrestler in NJPW history! The RAINMAKER OKADA KAZUCHIKAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Kazuchika Okada

Adam: Well since Mike took up the whole character count in this section I’ll make this short. One of these guys still has a career where wins and losses matter and one guy doesn’t.

Kazuchika Okada

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship:

Kenny Omega(c) vs Will Ospreay

Adam: People have been calling Omega/Ospreay I the match of the year and it’s not even close. I’ll take their word for it because I haven’t watched it. Omega has lost a step but is still, arguably, one of the best to lace them up, but Ospreay is just built different. I think we get an Ospreay win here to set up the rubber match at a different NJPW pay-per-view that I also wont watch.

Will Ospreay

Mike: Don’t listen to the jabroni above me. Ospreay vs Omega at this year’s Wrestle Kingdom is still in the lead for MOTY. It showed Omega can still turn it on and go to that level we got used to seeing in NJPW. My heart says one thing, but my mind says another. I’ll listen to my brain and say Ospreay regains the title. The only question is if Don Callis gets involved.

Will Ospreay

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship:

Sanada(c) vs “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry

Mike: Not much mystery here. A young AEW star in Jungle Boy puts up a strong fight against the IWGP champ before taking the L. Best case scenario something happens to give Perry some character development.

Sanada

Adam: Sanada doesn’t know who the fuck Jack Perry is and thinks AEW is dogshit. Okay maybe that’s a little bit of a paraphrase but I don’t think Jungle Boy is walking out with the IWGP World Title

Sanada

AEW World Championship:

MJF(c) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

Adam: Similar to the Sanada/Jungle Boy match, what would have to happen here for Tana to go over? Maybe Adam Cole gets involved? Maybe Tony Kahn is under threat of execution by the Yakuza? Short of one of those I don’t see a title change here

MJF

Mike: Always fun to get to the Ace of New Japan, and while I hope we still get some post-match air guitar from Tana, no way I see him winning this match.

MJF

Le Suzuki Gods (Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, & Minoru Suzuki) vs Sting, Darby Allin, & TBA*

*TBA Turned out to be Tetsuya Naito

Mike: Looking forward to the wild speculation on the identity of Sting and Darbys partners leading up to the announcement on Collision. My bets are on either Tetsuya Naito or The Boogeyman. Whoever it is I’m taking Sting, his son, and the legendary veteran TBA.

Sting, Darby, and TBA

Adam: Sting, Darby, and Goldberg? Sign me up

Team WCW

Mike: I’d be less surprised to see Gillberg show up than Goldberg. 

Adam: Who the hell is Gillberg

Mike: This is Gillberg. He’s exactly like Goldberg but he hasn’t injured as many wrestlers.

Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, & Claudio Castagnoli), Konosuke Takeshita, & Shota Umino vs The Elite (Hangman Adam Page & The Young Bucks), Eddie Kingston & Tomohiro Ishii

Adam: Can’t really call this one Elite vs BCC. I think this match exists for 2 reasons:

1. To Show that The Elite and CM Punk are physically able to occupy the same building without a fistfight or a muffin-fueled rant
2. To set up something for Eddie Kingston

The question is how will they set up something for Kingston? I think they’ll go either Kingston vs Mox or Kingston vs Hangman. Either way, I bet Kingston eats the pin here

BCC

Mike: Eddie Kingston with Bucks just feels weird, but I’m glad to see him back. I’ll say the Elite get their win back from Double or Nothing. 

The Elite, The The Elite

Owen Hart Cup 1st Round Match:

CM Punk vs Satoshi Kojima

Mike: If AEW doesn’t have someone good lined up for CM Punk’s first program back, him making a run in the Owen Hart Cup could be fun. Also, who had CM Punk vs the legendary Satoshi Kojima on their 2023 pro wrestling bingo card? I have my guard up for Jay White interference costing Punk the match, but for now, I’m going with Ole’ One Bill Phil, the best in the world, CM Punk.

CM Punk

Adam: Wait, why isn’t this against the guy he stole the GTS from? Anyway, obviously this is a Punk win or much much much more likely, a Punk injury that sidelines him for 11 months, allowing us to WILDLY speculate on his employment status.

CM Punk

Mike: All jokes related to CM Punk getting injured or leaving wrestling again are hereby: Not Funny.

AEW International Championship 4-Way:

Orange Cassidy(c) vs Zack Sabre Jr. vs Katsuyori Shibata vs Daniel Garcia

Adam: Here is the TOUGHY of the night. You can make cases for a lot here. Orange has steadily become the new workhorse for AEW (despite his theme song getting worse). Daniel Garcia seems like the work rate champion that can run with a belt (e.g. his Pure title run). ZSJ is a popular wrestler and they’re still selling tickets at Wembley. And Shibata is in this match too! I’ll go with “by default” here since I don’t have a strong feeling, so by default:

Orange Cassidy

Mike: The Juice is loose and Cassidy’s run continues

Orange Cassidy

*Editor Note: Mike texted me to change his official pick to-

Daniel Garcia

AEW Women’s World Championship:

Toni Storm(c) vs Willow Nightingale

Mike: AEW Women’s Title scene really isn’t interesting to me now. It would be fun to see the Cinderella run of Willow Nightingale continue with another surprise title win. Sadly, that’s not in the cards.

Toni Storm

Adam: Low-key wish that both belts were on the line. It would at least add some suspense. I like Willow Nightingale and I think she’ll be money in maybe just a few years but I think they have something more with Toni right now than they would with a title change

Toni Storm

Adam Cole vs Tom Lawlor

Adam: Wait, what? Why? When? Is this for anything? Is this just for MJF to get involved? Is this at least pre-show?

Adam Cole

Mike: In a similar vein to Adam’s confusion I’ll say, um, Adam Cole? I guess?

Adam Cole

Editors Note* Apparently this match was canceled per Tony Kahn due to illness