Forbidden Door III - 6/30/2024

[NikoBaltimore]

I think I heard Excalibur call it that on one of Ospreay's recent matches.  So yeah, sounds like it's still a thing to me and thank goodness for that.  And the names for ZSJ's moves are always comical as I can imagine the announcer every time going "Oh, FFS!" when having to read those.

As for the show I saw what I could at a friend's house but the O's were on so I was distracted.  But I did manage to see in full the Toni match (the fellas sure loved that one and I don't need to say why)  But aside from that it was really good.  I also saw the ladder match in full which was a fun use of all involved.  I did at least see the finishes for the matches though will need to watch damn near everything again.  Between that plus Collision and Zero Hour there's a lot of awesome wrestling to catch up so I'll need to watch it throughout the week to avoid burnout.

[Curt McGirt]

Re: The Danielson selling, yeah it's consistent with the story (and yes I think they will end up having a match with him and Nigel, which will hopefully get Nigel off commentary), but it 1. has become too familiar and 2. still scares people even so. So it's a kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. 

4 hours ago, For Great Justice said:

I’m not going to hate on the main because wrestling is a three ring circus and I get that Star Wars Movie Lightsaber Dual Stunt Coordinators is a style. It ain’t for me though 

Thank you! This is what I was getting at, just snarkier. 

As much as I bitch and moan I always have fun watching (or half-watching) these PPVs in the chat with everyone. Can't deny I was disappointed, but that's okay.

[Curt McGirt]

Also, after watching almost all of Collision and the ZSJ/Hechicero match I was a little burned out. Plus nothing was gonna top ZSJ/Hechicero, not even ZSJ/Orange. I mean did you SEE that frickin' thing?!?!?!

[Salads]

5 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

Also, after watching almost all of Collision and the ZSJ/Hechicero match I was a little burned out. Plus nothing was gonna top ZSJ/Hechicero, not even ZSJ/Orange. I mean did you SEE that frickin' thing?!?!?!

FYI they've just announced a rematch for this year's Rev Pro anniversary show.

[AxB]

Lio Rush was injured in the ladder match and has cancelled his indie bookings for this week.

[Brandon Bones]

Loved the show.  A lot.

 

JR had me howling when he called the Destino a “reverse backflip DDT thing”.  He was lots of fun in his cameo.

Mońe has pretty much answered my questions over whether she can thrive outside of the system that produced her.  La Primera was chefs kiss.

Osprey/Swerve was a classic.  Will probably be even better on rewatch.

It’s a bummer that Bryan’s injury selling rubs people the wrong way.  I get it though.  It gives me the ick too.  But for me that’s part of the ride.  Also I’m feeling like it’s part of a continual story thread.  Good match but I vaguely recall the Dragon Gate USA match being an epic.  
 

Okada

 

[COLETTI]

I thought that Danielson injury was very obviously a work considering the move that came before it. It was still sold as legit but I thought they did a good enough job introducing it via kayfabe. 

Had to tap out after OC vs ZSJ but up until that point I was happy I made the last minute decision purchase the show. 

Edited July 1 by Coletti

[The Natural]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2B0p7nfyJzs

[Craig H]

That show was too. fucking. long. Enough. I hopped in about an hour and a half after it started and had to finish it this morning. That’s the first time I’ve ever done that. These marathon shows have to stop.

That said, it was really good except for a few things. Loved Ospreay vs Swerve the most. That ruled. For a minute I thought they were going to steal the Ilya vs Trick finish. Glad they didn’t.

Second favorite match was probably ZSJ vs OC. Loved them busting out some wild submissions. Can’t believe OC is in his 40s.

Third favorite was Danielson vs Shingo, but like everyone else said, I’m beyond tired of Danielson faking an injury. The boy has cried wolf one too many times now.

I thought the ladder match was good with some cool spots. If there was a moment for an audible, it would have been having Takeshita win instead of Jack. Jack is good and this gimmick is good, but Takeshita was super over and that Blue Thunder Bomb off the ladder through double tables to get the sweet tables exploding visual ruled. Definitely up there with my favorite ladder match spots. I can’t believe that barely a month after Cope busted his leg on a poorly executed “dive” that Mark did the EXACT same thing. Thankfully he’s ok.

Am I the only one that thought not only did Mox vs Naito suck, but Naito looks absolutely horrible? I haven’t seen any Naito matches in awhile because I canceled NJPW World, but he was openly whiffing on a ton of strikes and of a lot the strikes he did land they looked softer than a chairshot from Hulk Hogan. I know Naito’s knees are fucked, but that guy just looks so washed right now.

[The Natural]

16 minutes ago, Craig H said:

That show was too. fucking. long. Enough. I hopped in about an hour and a half after it started and had to finish it this morning. That’s the first time I’ve ever done that. These marathon shows have to stop.

That said, it was really good except for a few things. Loved Ospreay vs Swerve the most. That ruled. For a minute I thought they were going to steal the Ilya vs Trick finish. Glad they didn’t.

Second favorite match was probably ZSJ vs OC. Loved them busting out some wild submissions. Can’t believe OC is in his 40s.

Third favorite was Danielson vs Shingo, but like everyone else said, I’m beyond tired of Danielson faking an injury. The boy has cried wolf one too many times now.

I thought the ladder match was good with some cool spots. If there was a moment for an audible, it would have been having Takeshita win instead of Jack. Jack is good and this gimmick is good, but Takeshita was super over and that Blue Thunder Bomb off the ladder through double tables to get the sweet tables exploding visual ruled. Definitely up there with my favorite ladder match spots. I can’t believe that barely a month after Cope busted his leg on a poorly executed “dive” that Mark did the EXACT same thing. Thankfully he’s ok.

Am I the only one that thought not only did Mox vs Naito suck, but Naito looks absolutely horrible? I haven’t seen any Naito matches in awhile because I canceled NJPW World, but he was openly whiffing on a ton of strikes and of a lot the strikes he did land they looked softer than a chairshot from Hulk Hogan. I know Naito’s knees are fucked, but that guy just looks so washed right now.

Tetsuya Naito has more misses than hits the past couple of years. The dodgy knees, eye and too Tranquilo literally.

[Log]

2 hours ago, Technico Support said:

Watching AEW and then complaining about spotfests is like watching German porn and complaining about too much poop.

Can this please be the subheader on the AEW forum here?

[The Natural]

2 hours ago, Technico Support said:

Watching AEW and then complaining about spotfests is like watching German porn and complaining about too much poop.

 

4 minutes ago, Log said:

Can this please be the subheader on the AEW forum here?

Second this!

[JLowe]

13 hours ago, The Natural said:

Thought this thread would be busier like they usually are straight after an AEW PPV.

I went straight to bed

[MoeCristyV.1.6]

1 hour ago, Log said:

Can this please be the subheader on the AEW forum here?

I vote NO! 

[Curt McGirt]

I want to say one more thing and one thing only about the main event. 

Using so many finishers (and super finishers and multiple finishers at this point) and false finishes in a match, period, either devalues every other match on the card for doing less, or puts the main and its participants so high in supposed talent above the others on the roster that it is detrimental to the whole. 

That is as succinct as I can put my criticism.

[Technico Support]

In kayfabe, these guys are awesome athletes who dig deep and find another gear when fighting for the world title.  Like maybe when you're in a prelim match or maybe just going for the TNT title, you're like "fuck it, my head hurts and I'm tired of fighting."  But when the biggest championship in your company is on the line, you fight a bit harder.  You find the will to kick out of a finisher.  Maybe a few times, even.  That's the beauty of fake fighting, you can come up with logic for this goofiness. 

[Phantom Lord]

I thought the show was good last night. Too long as usual, but good none the less.

I loved Bryan vs. Shingo, Toni vs. Mina, Cassidy vs. ZSJ, and Osprey vs. Swerve. Mone vs. Stephanie was pretty good as well. There really wasn't a bad match on the show, just too many of them. This doesn't even include the preshow which had a couple of really good matches too.

Only thing I didn't like was Jack Perry winning the TNT Title. I was hoping Takeshita would win. But we're getting an Elite want all the gold story whether we want it or not.

[Curt McGirt]

42 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

That's the beauty of fake fighting, you can come up with logic for this goofiness. 

I can't. 

[AxB]

The thing about Bryan selling like he's injured... firstly, Eddie Kingston sells like that too, and I don't see anyone complaining about that. Secondly, his current career arc is telling the story that he's an old and broken down wrestler in his last fulltime year. So showing that wrestling is destroying him on a match by match basis is just a good bit of overarching storytelling. Now obviously having a man (who is younger than a lot of us here) illustrating his fleeting mortality and the depredations of ageing is going to be a little close to the knuckle, but... if he were to read your concerns, he would think that you were complimenting him on the strength of his work.

The one thing I did like, when Ospreay missed the OsCutter on the apron, Prince Nana went over to him and shouted "Stupid Stupid Stupid", making the spot a strange Kofi/Orton tribute.

[Nice Guy Eddie]

I watched the show in one sitting and really enjoyed it. I don't feel like it dragged at all. The only match I didn't like was Moxley/Naito. That was a rough one, especially near the end. I don't really have a MOTN since there were about five matches that could have been match of the night. 

[Technico Support]

38 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

I can't. 

So, honest question, what do you watch and enjoy?  Because I feel like everybody does the "finisher kickout" stye nowadays.  That shit goes back to AJPW/Noah, if not earlier. 

37 minutes ago, AxB said:

The thing about Bryan selling like he's injured... firstly, Eddie Kingston sells like that too, and I don't see anyone complaining about that.

 

There's a difference, though, isn't there?  Eddie didn't have to retire due to concussions and seizures.  People legit worried about Danielson when he came back.  So when he sells by faking a seizure, it's kind of in poor taste.  It would be like Angle faking an OD during his TNA run.

[SovietShooter]

1 hour ago, Technico Support said:

In kayfabe, these guys are awesome athletes who dig deep and find another gear when fighting for the world title.  Like maybe when you're in a prelim match or maybe just going for the TNT title, you're like "fuck it, my head hurts and I'm tired of fighting."  But when the biggest championship in your company is on the line, you fight a bit harder.  You find the will to kick out of a finisher.  Maybe a few times, even.  That's the beauty of fake fighting, you can come up with logic for this goofiness. 

Somewhat of a tangent, but that is kind of my philosophy on how the main singles title for a company should be booked.  The two workers in that match should be leaving everything in the ring when the biggest prize available is on the line.

You can do shenanigans and such in other spots on the card.

[COLETTI]

Finished the show but skipped Jericho's match, ladder match, and Mox/Naito. Moné/Vaquer and Swerve/Ospreay rocked. Something funny, though, regarding both matches and criticisms I've seen:

- lots of people simultaneously saying "that crowd sucked" but then using their "turning" on Mercedes to prove... something?

- lots of people simultaneously saying "that crowd sucked" but then shitting on the main event that the crowd was losing their fucking minds over.

Like hey, I totally understand if people don't like certain things. That's cool, I too don't like certain things. However, I don't present my opinion as objective truth. 

ANYWAYS... all in all very good show that could've used some stuff left off of it! I'm very curious what comes next for a lot of folks on the roster. 

[HarryArchieGus]

Re: Danielson/Injury
I'm not sure I understand this beef with selling to the point of potential injury - is there a tasteful cut off to how much one is allowed to sell the pain of a move/attack? Looking over Cagematch, I can safely say Danielson doesn't do it in every match nor does he do it in even 5% of his matches. I trust the Dragon's instincts and am fine with buying whatever he has to sell. 

Edited July 2 by HarryArchieGus

[odessasteps]

I’d think for most people, in Danielsons case, selling a life threatening injury and/ or playing off his concussion history would be theline not to cross. So, don’t fake being knocked out from a move/chair shot to the heads don’t fake a seizure, etc.