AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door aired live from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, featuring the massively anticipated championship match between Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay, as well as 4 title encounters with talents from AEW, NJPW, STARDOM and CMLL

– Zero Hour opened with Jeff Jarrett, Renee Paquette, RJ City and Rocky Romero introducing the show from a panelist’s desk.

– As Kyle Fletcher made his way to the ring, footage of Atlantis Jr beating him for the ROH World Television title on Arena Mexico was shown.

(1) KYLE FLETCHER vs. SERPENTICO

Fletcher knocked Serpentico down with a pump kick and nailed him with a series of stomps to the chest. Sereptnico avoided a clothesline and took Fletcher down with a hurracarrana. Serpentico attacked Fletcher with an uppercut, only for Fletcher to lay him out with a clothesline. Fletcher targeted Serpentico’s mask, but couldn’t follow up with a delayed vertical suplex. Serpentico kicked Fletcher away and nailed him with a thrust kick before receiving a pair of leg lariats into the ropes. Fletcher dropped Serpentico with a belly-to-back piledriver and spiked him with a brainbuster onto the turnbuckle for the win.

WINNER: Kyle Fletcher at 3:10 (*1/4)

(2) HOUSE OF BLACK (Malakai Black & Brody King) vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII & KYLE O’REILLY vs. GABE KIDD (w/Gedo) & RODERICK STRONG (w/Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. PRIVATE PARTY (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)

Kyle swept Black off his feet before they traded kicks to the chest. Ishii shoved Black away and started a forearm strike exchange with King. King missed a shoulder tackle, allowing Ishii to knock him down with a forearm strike. King retaliated with a discus forearm, allowing Kidd and Quen to tag in. Kidd and Strong took care of King with forearms and a dropkick. Quen blasted Strong with a springboard dropkick and pummeled Kidd with a bunch of forearms. Kassidy cracked Kidd with an enzuigiri, followed by a springboard crossbody.

Private Party attacked Strong with a tag team double stomp and dropped Kidd with a double stomp to the abdomen. Kidd clotheslined Kassidy out of the ring, setting him up for a flying knee from Kyle. Kidd nailed Kyle with chops, until Kyle shut him down with chops to the chest. Strong distracted Kyle, allowing Kidd to knock him down with a lariat and a series of chops to the chest. Strong tagged himself in to attack Kyle with chops of his own before starting arguing with Kidd. Ishii got the hot tag to clothesline, Strong, Kidd and Private Party. Ishii took care of Bennett and Taven and put Strong down with another clothesline.

Black caught Ishii with a pump kick, but couldn’t follow up with Dante’s Inferno. Ishii and Kyle nailed King with a double kick and Chasing the Dragon, but Quen broke the pinfall with a Swanton Bomb. Kassidy clocked Kyle with an enzuigiri, only for Strong to plant him with a backbreaker. Kyle and Strong knocked each other down with clotheslines at the same time. Black knocked Quen down with a jumping knee, but Ishii shut him down with a headbutt. 

Kidd floored Ishii with a brainbuster and hit King with a couple of chops, only King shut him down with a double chop. Kidd bit King’s head, until King knocked him out with a slap to the face. Private Party knocked King off the apron and crashed into everyone with stereo Topes con Hilo. King blocked the Silly String, allowing Black to crack Kassidy with a knee strike. Black took care of Quen with The End while King finished Kassidy with the Gonzo Bomb.

WINNERS: House of Black at  8:39 (***1/4)

(3) WILLOW NIGHTINGALE & TAM NAKANO vs. KRIS STATLANDER (w/Stokely Hathaway) & MOMO WATANABE

Statlander shoved Nakano away, only for Nakano to pummel her down with a series of forearms. Nakano evaded a vertical suplex and knocked Statlander away with a dropkick. Willow tagged in to beat Watanabe down with shoulder tackles and a running crossbody. Willow laid Watanabe down with a lariat, followed by a forearm strike from Nakano. Nakano and Watanabe exchanged numerous forearm strikes, until Watanabe gouged Nakano’s eyes. Nakano caught Watanabe with a thrust kick, only for Statlander to drop her with a back suplex. Watanabe clocked Nakano with a Penalty kick, setting her up for a delayed vertical suplex from Statlander.

Nakano countered a back suplex with a crossbody and low-bridged Statlander, only for Statlander to pull Willow off the apron before a tag. Watanabe hit Nakano with a Penalty kick to the back, but she was able to fire up and crack Statlander with a roundhouse kick. Willow got the hot tag to pummel Statlander with a barrage of forearms, forcing her to tag Watanabe in. Willow crushed Watanabe with a corner splash and knocked her off her feet with a big boot, followed by a spinebuster. Watanabe caught Willow with a roundhouse kick, setting her up for a discus clothesline from Statlander for a two count. Stalander missed a diving back elbow, allowing Willow to shut her down with a missile dropkick.

Nakano missed a high crossbody, but was able to counter a Chaos Theory German suplex with a roll-through. Nakano laid Statlander out with a bridging German suplex for a nearfall. Statlander threw Willow’s body into Nakano, allowing Watanabe to drop her with a uranage. Nakano caught Statlander with a Tiger suplex while Willow flattened Watanabe with an avalanche Death Valley Driver for a close two count. Watanabe countered a powerbomb with a sunset bomb, but she kicked out at two. Willow pounced Watanabe away and took care of Statlander with a dropkick from the apron. Nakano put Watanabe down with a Straight Jacket bridging German suplex for the victory.

WINNERS: Willow Nightingale & Tam Nakano at 10:18 (***1/4)

(4) MARIAH MAY (w/Toni Storm & Luther) vs. SARAYA (w/Harley Cameron) – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinals Match

May quickly took Saraya down with a roll-up before clobbering her with a knee to the face. May blasted Saraya with a series of corner uppercuts, followed by a spinning side slam and a basement dropkick for a two count. Before Saraya could react, May nailed her with a double chop to the chest and an avalanche hurracarrana. May knocked Saraya off her feet with a missile dropkick, but she managed to kick out at two. Saraya evaded the hip attack and pulled May’s head into the top rope. They traded strikes atop the turnbuckle, until Saraya pulled May face-first into the ring post.

Saraya smashed Storm’s head into the apron and tried to win via Count Out. Back in the ring, Saraya stomped May down and pressed her boot on May’s head. May evaded a ripcord move and cracked Saraya with a headbutt. They traded forearm strikes, until May caught Saraya with the corner hip attack. Cameron distracted the referee, until Storm pulled her off the apron. Saraya nailed May with a thrust kick and dropped her with the Page Turner, but she managed to grab the ropes. May managed to block the Scorpion Cross Lock and shock Saraya with a bridging inside cradle for the win.

WINNER: Mariah May at 8:31 (***)

– After the match, Mina Shirakawa and Toni Storm argued while trying to celebrate with Mariah May.

(5) LOS INGOBERNABLES DE JAPÓN (Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi & Titán) vs. MÍSTICO & LUCHA BROTHERS (Rey Fénix & Penta El Zero Miedo w/Alex Abrahantes)

Fenix and Titan exchanged a pair of chops before Fenix crushed Titan with a corkscrew splash. Titan avoided a clothesline and went for a Tornado DDT, but Fenix landed on his feet. Tsuji stopped Penta’s taunt, only for Penta to catch him off-guard with a kick to the abdomen. Penta nailed Tsuji with an enzuigiri and an elevated corner dropkick. Tsuji dropped Penta with a flatliner and a Curb Stomp, followed by a chop to the chest. Tsuji and Penta started trading chops, until Tsuji caught Penta with a pump kick. Penta evaded a suplex and sent Tsuji out of the ring with a dropkick.

Mistico and Hiromu tagged in, only for Hiromu to attack Mistico with a thrust kick and try to take his mask out. Mistico knocked Hiromu down with a headscissors takeover and a top rope arm drag, but Titan and Tsuji shut him down with kicks. Mistico crashed into Hiromu with a slingshot Tornillo while the Lucha Bros took care of Tsuji and Titan with a double thrust kick and tag team splash. The Lucha Bros nailed Hiromu with a double thrust kick, setting him up for a Swan Dive from Mistico. Titan and Tsuji took care of the Lucha Bros with stereo suicide dives while Hiromu floored Mistico with a sunset flip powerbomb on the floor.

Tsuji smashed Mistico’s head into the turnbuckle before Titan cracked him with a thrust kick. LIJ knocked Mistico down with a series of kicks to the head, followed by a corner clothesline from Titan. LIJ crushed Mistico with a bodyslam, a splash and a springboard splash for a two count. Mistico caught LIJ off-guard with a thrust kick, a hurracarrana and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, reaching Penta for the tag. Penta nailed Titan with a thrust kick, setting him up for a top rope Penalty kick and a high splash for a nearfall.

Hiromu floored Fenix with the Dynamite PLunger before receiving a Destroyer from Hiromu. Tsuji hit Penta with a Falcon Arrow, only for Mistico to crush him with a springboard crossbody. Titan took Mistico out with a thrust kick and obliterated Fenix with two thrust kicks. Fenix blocked a power move and sent Titan out of the ring with a thrust kick before low-bridging Tsuji. Fenix launched Místico into a Tornillo on Tsuji and Titan. The Lucha Bros spiked Hiromu with the Fear Factor while Mistico forced Titan to tap out with La Mistica.

WINNERS: Místico & Lucha Brothers at 12:01 (***3/4)

– The main show officially started.

(6) MJF vs. HECHICERO

Hechicero picked MJF’s leg mid-air and nearly put him in a cross armbreaker. MJF shook Hechicero’s hand before kicking his stomach and mocking him by doing the strut over his body. MJF mocked Hechicero with an eye poke, only for Hechicero to send him out of the ring. At ringside, MJF Irish-whipped Hechicero into the barricade twice and launched him over the barricade with a running big boot. Hechicero pulled MJF’s arm into the top rope and put him in a sleeper hold.

Hechicero blocked the Heat Seeker and crushed MJF with a slingshot Tornillo for a two count. Before MJF could react, Hechicero swung his body while in a hammerlock and dropped him into a backbreaker. Hechicero cracked MJF with a pump knee to the face before mocking MJF’s strut. MJF put Hechicero down with a back body drop and caught him off-guard with a piledriver. Hechicero nailed MJF with a dropkick to the knee and trapped him in an armbar with a monkey flip.

MJF put Hechicero in the Salt of the Earth, only for Hechicero to trap bot of his arms in a modified Rings of Saturn. MJF barely reached the ropes with his foot before both men took each other down with running clotheslines. Hechicero missed a pump knee into the turnbuckle, allowing MJF to smash his head into the corner, pummel him with right hands and bite his head. MJF spiked Hechicero with the Panama Sunrise and spiked him with a Brainbustre for the victory.

WINNER: MJF at 9:51 (***1/4)

– A video package portraying the Young Bucks as benevolent EVPs and The Acclaimed as depraved wrestlers was shown.

(7) HIROSHI TANAHASHI & THE ACCLAIMED (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) vs. THE ELITE (Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson)

Okada immediately nailed Tanahashi with a forearm strike, angering him into tagging in. Okada teased fighting Tanahashi, only to give Nicholas the tag. Tanahashi put Nicholas in a headlock and crushed him with a corkscrew crossbody. Bowens caught Nicholas with a pair of kicks to the abdomen, followed by an Oklahoma Roll for a two count. The Acclaimed clobbered Nicholas with a pair of back elbows, followed by stereo bodyslams on the Bucks. Tanahashi scared Okada away while Bowens nailed the Bucks with a double Scissor Me Timbers. Caster knocked Nicholas down with a clothesline, setting him up for a triple kick from The Elite.

Okada dropped Caster with a neckbreaker into his knee while the Bucks knocked Bowens and Tanahashi off the apron. Matthew teased attacking Caster with a running kick, only to kiss Nicholas on the cheek and mock Tanahashi’s air guitar. Okada nailed Caster with a basement dropkick while Nicholas sat Caster atop turnbuckle. Caster crushed Nicholas with a high crossbody while Okada knocked Tanahahsi off the apron. Caster hit Okada with a jawbreaker and Matthew with a back body drop, reaching Bowens for the hot tag. Bowens took the Bucks and Okada down with a barrage of right hands.

The Bucks missed corner splashes, allowing Bowens to drop them with a thrust kick and an inverted Olympic Slam. The Bucks and The Acclaimed knocked each other off their feet, reaching Okada and Tanahashi for the tag. Tanahashi put Okada down with forearm strikes and a bodyslam, setting him up for the somersault senton and a two count. Tanahashi hit Okada with a dragon screw and put him in a Cloverleaf, until Nicholas broke the hold. Caster took Nicholas down with a sling blade before receiving a DDT from Matthew. Bowens clocked Matthew with a discus elbow drop, only for Okada to send him out of the ring with an uppercut.

Bowens put Okada down with the Arrival, setting him up for Caster’s Mic Drop. The Bucks stopped Tanahashi atop the turnbuckle, until The Acclaimed pulled them away. Okada blocked the High Fly Flow with his knees while The Bucks sent The Acclaimed out with stereo superkicks. The Bucks put Tanahashi down with superkicks and crushed The Acclaimed with stereo Pescados. Okada hit Tanahashi with a body slam and an elbow drop before giving the crowd the middle finger. Tanahashi shocked Okada with an inside cradle, following it with a shot to the head on Nicholas and a dragon screw on Matthew. Okada blated Tanahashi with a dropkick and knocked him out with the Rainmaker.

WINNERS: The Elite at 13:01 (***1/4)

– After the match, Kazuchika Okada tried to take Hiroshi Tanahashi down with another Rainmaker, until Billy Gunn ran down for the save.

– A video package, recapping Bryan Danielson’s story ahead of the Owen Hart Foundation tournament was shown.

(8) BRYAN DANIELSON vs. SHINGO TAKAGI – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinals Match

Takagi put Danielson in a wrist lock, only for Danielson to put him in a Death Lock and drop on his back to add pressure. Danielson trapped Takagi in a Romero Special, transitioning it into a dragon sleeper. Takagi knocked Danielon off his feet with a shoulder tackle, followed by an elbow drop and a senton. Danielson clobbered Takagi with forearm strikes, but Takagi shut him down with chops to the chest. Danielson knocked Takagi down with a running clothesline, followed by a dropkick. Takagi blocked a suicide dive and spiked Danielson with an Anarchy suplex on the floor.

Danielson struggled to return to the ring before receiving another suplex for a two count. Takagi crushed Danielson’s damaged neck with a knee drop to the back. Danielson blocked a backslide, only for Takagi to lay him out with a back elbow and a lariat. Danielson avoided a sliding clothesline and cracked Takagi with a roundhouse kick. They traded chops and uppercuts, until Danielson landed on his feet off a German suplex and planted Takagi with a German suplex. Danielson caught Takagi with a dropkick on the corner, but Takagi stopped him atop the turnbuckle with chops.

Danielson tripped Takagi atop the turnbuckle and pummeled him with the anvil elbow strikes, setting him up for an avalanche back suplex. Before Takagi could get up, Danielson attacked him with kicks to the chest. Danielson slapped Takagi and countered a forearm strike with an armbar. Danielson transitioned the hold into a Triangle Choke, until Takagi managed to lift his body and drop him with a powerslam. Takagi clobbered Danielson with a corner clothesline and laid him out with a superplex. Takagi nailed Danielson with a sliding Pumping Bomber, but he managed to kick out at two.

Danielson blocked Made in Japan, but missed a corner dropkick, allowing Takagi to hit him with the Pumping Bomber and Made in Japan for a close nearfall. Takagi cracked Danielson with a sliding knee strike, following it with anvil elbow strikes. Danielson countered the sliding Pumping Bomber with an arm lock, but couldn’t lock Takagi in the LaBelle Lock. Takagi nailed Danielson with a jab, but Danielson shut him down with a roundhouse kick and a fisherman back suplex. Danielson clobbered Takagi with the Busaiku Knee for a shocking nearfall. Danielson stomped Takagi’s head and pummeled him with elbows while in a Triangle Choke. Takagi managed to lift Danielson, but Danielson shocked him with a deep seated Fujiwara Armbar for the victory.

WINNER: Bryan Danielson at 20:19 (****1/2)

– A video package recapping the rivalry between Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa was shown.

– Toni Storm had a special entrance dressed as the Statue of Liberty. Before the match, Mariah May gave both Storm and Mina Shirakawa flower bouquets.

(9) TONI STORM (w/Mariah May & Luther) vs. MINA SHIRAKAWA (w/Mariah May) – AEW Women’s World Championship

Shirakawa avoided a clothesline and taunted Storm, only for Storm to clobber her with a hip attack. Storm blasted Shirakawa with a double chop to the chest before receiving a dropkick to the leg. Shirakawa stomped Storm’s legs and dropped her knees-first on the mat. Shirakawa smashed Storm’s leg into the ring post and trapped her in a Figure 4 Leg Lock using the ring post. Back in the ring, Shirakawa attacked Storm with a dropkick to the knee but Storm retaliated with a backstabber and fisherman suplex. Storm knocked Shirakawa off the apron with a running hip attack, only to miss a second one into the steel steps.

Shirakawa crashed into Storm and Luther with a top turnbuckle crossbody. Back in the ring, Shirakawa caught Storm with another dropkick to the knee before receiving a spinebuster for a two count. Shirakawa hit Storm with a dropkick to the knee and floored her with an elevated facebuster. Shirakawa put Storm in a Figure 4 Leg Lock, until she was able to reach the ropes. They started exchanging forearm strikes, until Shirakawa clobbered Storm with a discus elbow strike. Shirakawa dropped Storm with an avalanche DDT and an Impaler DDT for a close two count.

Storm blocked the Glamorous Driver and planted Shirakawa with a release German suplex. Storm cracked Shirakawa with a running hip attack for a close two count. Shirakawa caught Storm off-guard with a pinning combination, a backfist and a discus elbow strike, setting her up for the Glamorous Driver and a nearfall. Shirakawa cracked Storm with a roundhouse kick before receiving two back-to-back headbutts. Storm dropped Shirakawa with a German suplex and immediately knocked her out with Storm Zero.

WINNER: Toni Storm at 11:42 (Still AEW Women’s World Champion) (***3/4)

– After the match, Toni Storm helped Mina Shirakawa up and Shirakawa offered to shake her hand. Mariah May convinced them to hug each other before forcing them to kiss each other.

– A video package recapping the story between Orange Cassidy and Zack Sabre Jr was shown.

(10) ORANGE CASSIDY vs. ZACK SABRE JR

ZSJ dropped Cassidy with a waist lock takeover before they traded wrist lock attempts. ZSJ put Cassidy in a Straight Jacket Lock, adding pressure with his knees. Cassidy managed to turn the hold around before trapping his legs in a Deathlock. Cassidy surprised ZSJ by putting him in a grounded abdominal stretch before putting him in a crossface. Both men tried to go for roll-throughs, until ZSJ caught Cassidy with a neck twist. ZSJ knocked Cassidy off his feet with an uppercut, setting him up for a Boston Crab.

ZSJ transitioned into a headscissor lock and mocked him up with low-effort kicks, followed by a Penalty kick. Cassidy withstood a pair of kicks and caught ZSJ with a dropkick to the knee, followed by a dragon screw. Cassidy blasted ZSJ with a suicide dive and put him down with two back-to-back dragon screws. Back in the ring, Cassidy went for a high crossbody, only for ZSJ to put him in a Crabate. Cassidy broke the hold with another dragon screw, but ZSJ blocked Stungdog Millionaire with a sleeper hold.

Cassidy dropped ZSJ with a Michinoku Driver and a diving DDT for a close two count. ZSJ blocked the Orange Punch and stomped Cassidy’s elbow before snapping his fingers. ZSJ blocked the Beach Break and put him in a double arm lock, until he was able to reach the ropes. Cassidy knocked ZSJ off his feet and pummeled his damaged leg, setting him up for a Sharpshooter. Cassidy countered an arm lock with Beach Break for a two count.

ZSJ withstood an Orange Punch and clobbered Cassidy with a Penalty kick. Cassidy managed to kick out of an O’Connor Roll and put ZSJ down with one of his own for a nearfall. ZSJ trapped Cassidy in a Rear Naked Choke before kicking out of an European Clutch. ZSJ clocked Cassidy with uppercuts before countering the Mouse Trap with a double arm lock and double leg lock at the same time for the submission win.

WINNER: Zack Sabre Jr at 16:22 (****1/4)

– A video package recapping the rivalry between Samoa Joe, Hook, Katsuyori Shibata and Chris Jericho was shown.

(11) SAMOA JOE, HOOK & KATSUYORI SHIBATA vs. CHRIS JERICHO, BIG BILL & JEFF COBB

Bill shoved Shibata away, only for Shibata to attack him with forearms and uppercuts. Bill knocked Shibata off his feet with a big boot, followed by a vertical suplex. Jericho attacked Shibata with chops to the chest, until Shibata knocked him down with a barrage of chops of his own. Hook and Shibata walked away from a springboard dropkick from Jericho, allowing Hook to pummel Jericho with a load of body shots. Cobb and Joe tagged into exchange shoulder tackles, until Joe knocked Cobb off his feet. Joe clocked Cobb with an enzuigiris and a series of body shots before receiving a uranage and a falling forearm strike.

Cobb knocked Shibata and Hook off the apron while Bill pummeled Joe down. Joe swept Cobb off his feet, reaching Hook for the tag. Hook clocked Jericho and Cobb with a flying clothesline before throwing Bill over the top rope. Bryan Keith showed up to distract Hook, allowing Cobb to clobber him with a chop to the chest and a body slam. Jericho nailed Hook with knees to the back and a back suplex. Bill dropped Hook with a bodyslam, setting him up for a series of elbow drops. Cobb flattened Hook with a bodyslam and a standing moonsault, but he kicked out at two.

Hook knocked Cobb off his feet with a flying lariat, reaching Shibata for the tag. Shibata knocked Bill off the apron and cracked Cobb with a boot to the face. Shibata pummeled Cobb with a barrage of chops and punches, following them with a dropkick. Hook and Joe crushed Cobb with corner splashes, setting him up for Shibata’s Hesitation dropkick. Shibata hit Cobb with a suplex, setting him up for Joe’s senton for a two count. Cobb launched Shibata away with a Fallaway Slam, but Shibata blocked Jericho’s Lionsault with his knees. Bill knocked Joe off the apron and threw him into the barricade before receiving a diving axe handle from Hook.

Keith distracted the referee, allowing Jericho to hit Shibata with a low blow and put him in the Walls of Jericho. Hook and Joe hit Jericho with corner splashes before Bill dropped Joe with a chokeslam. Shibata swept Bill off his feet, only for Joe to lay him out with the Spin Cycle. Cobb missed a corner splash, allowing Hook to drop him with a T-Bone Suplex. Jericho immediately nailed Hook with a Codebreaker for a two count. Hook put Jericho in the Redrum while Shibata and Joe put Bill and Cobb in sleeper holds. Hook laid Jericho out with a T-Bone suplex and finished him with a Judas Effect.

WINNERS: Samoa Joe, Hook & Katsuyori Shibata at 14:02 (***)

– A video package recapping the qualifier matches was shown.

(12) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA vs. MARK BRISCOE vs. JACK PERRY vs. DANTE MARTIN vs. LIO RUSH vs. EL PHANTASMO – AEW TNT Championship Ladder Match

Everyone chased Perry, until Takeshita cracked him with a forearm strike. Everyone else swarmed Takeshita and attacked him with chops. Briscoe, ELP, Rush and Dante nailed him with corner clotheslines and an enzuigiri. Briscoe, ELP, Rush and Dante introduced ladders into the ring and threw them into each other before starting a brawl. Dante and ELP brawled while Briscoe threw a chair at Rush’s head. Briscoe caught Rush with a lariat mid-air and knocked Dante off his feet with a chop. Briscoe started setting up a table, until Rush knocked him down with a clothesline.

Perry set up a ladder and started climbing, until Ruhs pulled him down. Perry set up a ladder in the corner, only for Rush to drive him into the ladder and take him out with a cyclone kick. Rush knocked Briscoe off the apron with handspring kicks into a ladder before setting up a ladder. ELP whacked Rush with forearm strikes to the back and put him through a ladder with an over-the-shoulder spinning neckbreaker. Dante caught ELP with a jumping knee and climbed the ladder, until Takeshita pushed the ladder down, making him crush ELP with a crossbody.

Takeshita cracked Dante with the ladder and set up the ladder sideways, setting him up for a brutal brainbuster on it. Briscoe took Takeshita down with a ladder and hurled it into Rush’s head. Briscoe knocked Takeshita down with a dropkick through the ropes, laid him on the table, laid a ladder on top of him and crushed it all with a Tope con Hilo. Rush pulled Perry off the ladder, only for Perry to nail him with the ladder. Perry smashed Rush’s head into a ladder bridge and climbed the ladder, only for ELP to walk on the ladder bridge and attack Perry. ELP twisted Perry’s nipples to knock him down the ladder before exchanging strikes with Dante.

Perry shoved Dante and ELP off the ladder and set up a table at ringside. Rush avoided a powerbomb, but Perry shut him down by pulling his head into the ropes. Dante caught Perry with a dropkick through the turnbuckle while Briscoe rammed Takeshita into the corner with a ladder. Briscoe set up a ladder on the apron before Rush took Takeshita down with a suicide dive. Dante laid Perry on a table, setting him up for a diving splash from Briscoe which didn’t break the table. Dante and Rush climbed to the top of the ladder, until Takeshita attacked them both. Takeshita laid Dante out with a powerbomb and put Rush through a ladder with another powerbomb.

Takeshita climbed to the top of a ladder, only for ELP to leap into the ladder and knock him down. ELP knocked Takeshita off the ladder before receiving a knee to the face. ELP cracked Takeshita with two Sudden Deaths, but Takeshita blocked the CR2. Takeshita clobbered ELP with a forearm strike and a pump knee, setting him up for a Blue Thunderbomb off the apron through two tables. Briscoe attacked Takeshita with a chair shot to the back  before spiking him with a J-Driller onto a ladder. Perry knocked Briscoe off the ladder by throwing another ladder at him and pummeled him with a chair before unhooking the belt for the victory.

WINNER: Jack Perry at 16:56 (****1/4)

– A video package recapping the story between Mercedes Mone and Stephanie Vaquer was shown.

(13) MERCEDES MONE vs. STEPHANIE VAQUER – AEW TBS Championship & NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship

Vaquer immediately nailed Mone with a headbutt before they traded monkey flips and pinning combinations. They attacked each other with running clotheslines, until Mone caught her with an enzuigiri and a headscissors takeover. Vaquer launched Mone across the ring with a top rope arm drag before receiving a pair of chops and an arm drag. Mone tried to put Vaquer in a crossface, but Vaquer was able to roll out of the ring. Mone knocked Vaquer off her feet with a hurracarrana, followed by a Meteora for a nearfall.

Vaquer blocked a Tornado DDT and rammed Mone into the apron. Mone clocked Vaquer with a spinning kick to the head, only for Vaquer to respond with Soul Foot and a diving knee drop. Vaquer crashed into Mone with a springboard crossbody on the floor. Vaquer pummeled Mone with a couple of kicks and a knee drop to the face. Mone managed to start the Three Amigos, only for Vaquer to shock her with a modified headscissors lock and armbar. Vaquer smashed Mone’s head into the mat with her legs, only for Mone to stop her atop the turnbuckle. Mone blocked a diving splash with a dropkick mid-air.

Mone crushed Vaquer with a corner double knee strike and a rebound Tornado DDT for a two count. Vaquer blocked the Money Maker and dropped Mone with a DDT, followed by a leg drop for a two count. Mone avoided a leg drop, as she and Vaquer attempted to go for backslides. Mone blocked a double underhook piledriver before she and Vaquer knocked each other down with running clotheslines. Both women struggled to get up and started exchanging forearm strikes. Vaquer caught Mone off-guard with a crossface, until Mone managed to counter into a pinning combination.

Mone put Vaquer in the Bank Statement, until Vaquer lifted her body and hit her with a gutbuster. Mone nailed Vaquer with two backstabbers to surprising boos from the crowd. Vaquer blocked a Frog Splash with her feet, followed by a dragon screw and a double knee strike in the corner for a nearfall. Mone put Vaquer in the Bank Statement once again, but Vaquer countered it with a jackknife pinfall. Vaquer avoided a powerbomb and the Money Maker, only for Mone to beat her with the Money Maker into the Bank Statement.

WINNER: Mercedes Mone at 16:51 (Still AEW TBS Champion & New NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion) (****1/4)

– After the match, a returning Britt Baker showed up to have a face-off with Mercedes Mone.

– A video package was shown announcing the announcement of Wrestle Dynasty on January 5, featuring talent from AEW, ROH, STARDOM, CMLL and NJPW.

– A video package recapping the rivalry between Jon Moxley and Tetsuya Naito was shown.

(14) JON MOXLEY vs. TETSUYA NAITO – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

Naito avoided Moxley’s clotheslines, spit on his face and taunted him with his Tranquilo pose. Moxley threw a pair of chairs into the ring, only for Naito to sit on it. Naito pummeled Moxley, until Moxley responded with body shots and dropped him on the top rope. Moxley smashed Naito’s legs into the ring post and cleared the Spanish announce table. Moxley hit Naito with a back suplex onto the table, following it with a load of right hands. Back in the ring, Naito spit on Moxley’s face before receiving a punch to the face. Moxley put Naito in an STF, forcing him to crawl for the ropes.

Moxley spiked Naito with a delayed piledriver, but he managed to kick out at two. Before Naito could react, Moxley took him down with a bunch of blows to the head and a Saito suplex. Naito surprised Moxley with a couple of slaps, only for Moxley to sit him atop the turnbuckle and rake his back. They traded headbutts atop the turnbuckle, until Naito shoved Moxley off the top turnbuckle into the floor. Naito tackled Moxley into the barricade and pummeled him with a piece of barricade protection. Back in the ring, Naito hit Moxley with an atomic drop and a basement dropkick, followed by a hanging neckbreaker.

Moxley dropped Naito with an Xplex and clobbered him with a running knee. Naito surprised Moxley with an inside cradle, following it with a series of elbows to the head. Moxley countered an avalanche hurracarrana with an avalanche powerbomb for a close two count. Naito blocked the Death Rider and spiked Moxley with a Tornado DDT. Naito dropped Moxley with a diving flipping cutter, only for Moxley to trap him in a sleeper hold. Moxley couldn’t fully lock up the Rear Naked Choke, allowing Naito to plant him with Destino.

Naito went for a second one, but Moxley blocked it with a Death Rider. They got into a forearm strike exchange, until Moxley turned Naito inside out with a lariat. Moxley spiked Naito with the Death Rider for a close two count. Moxley picked up a chair and set it up in the ring, only for the referee to take it away. Naito blocked a second Death Rider with a modified neckbreaker, followed by a brainbuster. Naito immediately dropped Moxley with Destino to pick up the win.

WINNER: Tetsuya Naito at 17:04 (New IWGP World Heavyweight Champion) (***)

– A video package recapping the rivalry between Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay was shown.

– Will Ospreay made his entrance with a vignette and ring gear inspired by Hayabusa.

– Jim Jones introduced Swerve Strickland to the ring.

(15) SWERVE STRICKLAND (w/Prince Nana) vs. WILL OSPREAY – AEW World Championship

Swerve pushed Ospreay to the ropes, only for Ospreay to clobber him with a forearm strike. They started trading forearms, until Ospreay clocked Swerve with a forearm strike. Both men landed on their feet after a hurracarrana and a headscissors takeover, until Ospreay caught Swerve with a hook kick. Ospreay blasted Swerve with a couple of chops to the chest before receiving a chop to the back. Ospreay kipped up before Swerve could go for a diving uppercut to the back. Swerve nailed Ospreay with a kick to the head, but Ospreay shut him down with a big boot to the face. Ospreay crashed into Swerve with a Pescado and beat him down with a pair of forearms.

Ospreay nailed Swerve with a drive-by dropkick and maintained control over him with chops. Swerve swept Ospreay off the top turnbuckle and clocked him with a diving uppercut to the back. Swerve put Ospreay down with two neckbreakers and a third one into the ropes. Ospreay caught Swerve with a back elbow and a handspring enzuigiri. Swerve avoided a Pescado and swept Ospreay off the barricade. Ospreay shocked Swerve with a hurracarrana off the barricade, followed by a springboard clothesline for a two count. Swerve blocked a big boot and planted Swerve with a backbreaker before trapping him in a modified armbreaker.

Swerve mocked Ospreay with kicks to the chest, until Ospreay started a forearm strike exchange. Ospreay missed an enzuigiri and the Hidden Blade while Swerve missed the House Call. Ospreay caught Swerve with a powerbomb, followed by the Styles Clash for a nearfall. Swerve stopped Ospreay before he could go for the OsCutter with a Swerve Stomp on the middle rope. Swerve attacked Ospreay with a couple of kicks to the chest before receiving a Penalty kick from the apron. Ospreay climbed the top turnbuckle, only for Swerve to lay him out with an avalanche Olympic Slam.

Ospreay blocked a power move on the apron and cracked Swerve with a hook kick. Swerve evaded the OsCutter, making Ospreay crash back-first onto the apron. Swerve immediately climbed the top turnbuckle and nailed Ospreay with a Swerve Stomp onto the Spanish announce table. Before Ospreay could react, Swerve spiked him with a piledriver onto the barricade and an elevated reverse DDT in the ring for a nearfall. Ospreay tripped Swerve atop the turnbuckle and dropped him with a springboard avalanche cutter, followed by an OsCutter for a close two count.

Swerve managed to block the Hidden Blade with his forearms, only for Ospreay to hit him with two hook kicks. Swerve avoided another OsCutter, but couldn’t snap Ospreay’s arm. Ospreay hit Swerve with an OsCutter and planted him with a Storm Breaker for a shocking nearfall. Swerve blocked another Storm Breaker, only for Ospreay to clock him with a headbutt. Swerve countered the Tiger Driver 95 with a roll-through before nailing Ospreay with a Hidden Blade. Ospreay avoided the Swerve Stomp and accidentally killed the referee with a Hidden Blade.

Swerve spiked Ospreay with a poison rana, but Swerve immediately shut him down with a Hidden Blade. Don Callis showed up to give Ospreay a screwdriver, only for Nana to shove him down. Ospreay threatened to attack Nana before throwing the screwdriver away. Back in the ring, Swerve nailed Ospreay with a House Call and a Swerve Stomp for a close two count. Swerve immediately snapped Ospreay’s arm and clobbered him with the House Call for a shocking nearfall. Ospreay struggled to stay on his feet, allowing Swerve to finish him with the House Call kick and Big Pressure.

WINNER: Swerve Strickland at 27:06 (Still AEW World Champion) (****3/4)

– After the match, Swerve Strickland and a couple of referees checked on Will Ospreay.