Bryan Danielson Defeats Kazuchika Okada at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023

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Bryan Danielson defeated New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Kazuchika Okada in a highly anticipated dream match at the second annual AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door event Sunday in Toronto.

After a back-and-forth match that will surely be considered an instant classic, Danielson forced Okada to surprisingly tap out to his submission hold.

Forbidden Door was conceived last year with idea of pitting the best of All Elite Wrestling against the best of NJPW, and it can be argued the two promotions achieved that with Danielson vs. Okada.

At NJPW’s Dominion show on June 4, a vignette aired showing Danielson walking through a desert and challenging The Rainmaker to a first-time match at Forbidden Door.

Okada quickly accepted the match, setting the stage for a clash that many fans had been hoping to see since Danielson’s WWE departure in 2021.

Last year, The American Dragon had been scheduled to face Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door in what likely would have been a technical masterclass, but he was injured and was replaced by Blackpool Combat Club teammate Claudio Castagnoli.

Meanwhile, Okada competed in a four-way match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Jay White, “Hangman” Adam Page and Adam Cole, which White won.

Both Danielson and Okada are multi-time world champions and regarded as two of the best in-ring performers in the world, making it a virtual slam dunk for them to face each other at this year’s event.

As Daniel Bryan, Danielson was a five-time world champion in WWE. And while he has yet to win a title in AEW, he is a vital part of the BCC stable.

Okada is perhaps the most popular and successful wrestler in the history of New Japan, as evidenced by his seven world title reigns despite being only 35 years of age.

No championships hung in the balance at Forbidden Door, but both Danielson and Okada looked to back up their claims of being the best wrestler in the world.

Danielson prevailed on Sunday night, giving him bragging rights and a potential claim to deserving an AEW or IWGP world title opportunity in the near future.

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