Fantasy booking: Into the Forbidden Door

This weekend we get our second installment of the New Japan and All Elite super show known as Fobidden Door.

Honestly, I love the idea of super shows. It’s fantasy booking at its finest. So far there are four matches booked as I type this.

The main event in my mind is Omega vs Ospreay 2. The Wrestle Kingdom match in my eyes stole the show.  Massive storytelling by both competitors.  The champ fighting any and all that came forward.  The returning challenger who had a long and storied career in New Japan, comes to get rid of the biggest menace in wrestling.  This will be the best match of the night.  Mark my words…

Okada vs Danielson is very interesting as I feel as though this might be Danielson’s last trip around the block so he is trying to check off as many boxes as he can.  Okada is still trying to find his way without a singles belt.  He is currently one-third of the NEVER Openweight 6-man tag team champions with Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Iishi.

MJF and Tanahashi is just like the Sanada vs “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry patch.  Very interesting booking that I really don’t understand.

Tanahashi is the ace (think John Cena, the top of the company that everyone respects regardless of championship stature) of New Japan, and MJF is the champ.  Now with MJF saying he is going to no-show and the match being made, there is a story.

Next up is Sanada vs Jack Perry.  While I feel that Jack Perry will be a star one day, Sanada is the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.  There is no way in hell that Perry snatches that belt.  Just 5 Guys is finally getting over in Japan, and New Japan is strapping a rocket to Sanada.

Which beings me to the meat and potatoes of this piece.  What are my top 5 matches I want to see at Forbidden Door.

Im going to start with my honorable mentions first.  I love a good comedy match in the buy in.  I would take Danhausen in either a match with Toru Yano or Ryusuke Taguchi.  That would be amazing as both Yano and Taguchi does comedy differently.  Yano uses sight gags and does it well.  Taguchi’s move set and mannerisms would play off of whatever Danhausen does.  They don’t call him the king of strange style for nothing.

Big Bill vs Hikuleo would be a good big man match, no build required.  They are just big and nasty.

At Number five, I have Bullet Club Gold against Bullet Club Prime.  This can go any direction, singles (Jay vs Finley), tag (Finley and any of his new recruits against Jay and Juice) or more.  I could even see El Phantasmo jumping in as part of BC Gold to get back at Finley.  There are so many good combos.  The Gunns have been teased as jumping into BC Gold.  Like I said endless…

Number four, Orange Cassidy against YOH seems like a match in styles…YOH is a little bit high impact and speed and has the showman ship of Cassidy.  They are technically stablemates as they are both in CHAOS.  I just feel like this is the best fit.  And I know they could both make it work.

At number three, FTR against Aussie Open.  File this under wish list as far as I know Mark Davis is still out with his injury.  I’m holding out hope that at some point Fletcher and Davis get an AEW title shot since they are officially contracted with All Elite.

At number two, House of Black against House of Torture.  I can see this getting all sorts of ugly.  Especially if the house rule that HoT picks would be everything is legal.  House of Torture cheats to win.  Whatever isn’t bolted to the floor they will use it.  They would be a legit threat to the trios titles.  And I would love to be ringside for it.

Now of course if we couldn’t have that match we could have it splintered off to just a match with Evil against Miro (first choice) or Keith Lee, and it would be just as entertaining.

Numero Uno would be KENTA and CM Punk.  Too much history to mention but it goes all the way back to KENTA being in NXT long ago.  He claims that Punk stole his finishing move.  Later, Punk admitted he stole KENTA’s finishing move Go To Sleep.  In an interview none the less.

Since then, KENTA has been trying to corner Punk for a match.

With more matches to be announced tonight on Dynamite, on Friday with Rampage, and the go home show for Collision, this card should be a total banger across the board.

If you have any questions or comments about this or any of my articles, you can reach me at HotTakesMailbag@gmail.com