Dave Meltzer has given his star ratings for AEW x NJPW’s Forbidden Door 2024.
This year’s edition also featured stars from Stardom and CMLL, making it one of the biggest wrestling shows of the year.
The event took place on Sunday 30th June 2024. It was held at the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, the home of AEW star MJF.
With a main event of Swerve Strickland vs Will Ospreay, as well as bouts featuring stars like Kazuchika Okada and Bryan Danielson, the show had all the potential to be a five-star event.
Let’s see how they did.
AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 Star Ratings
Here are the star ratings for the event. We’ve also included the crowdsourced ratings from Cagematch.net, as well as our own star ratings here at Atletifo.
Kickoff: Kyle Fletcher defeated Serpentico
The kickoff show opened with Kyle Fletcher facing off with Sepentico. The Australian hit his opponent with a corner brain buster to take home a win on the pre-show.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 3 Stars
Kickoff: House of Black defeated Private Party, Roderick Strong & Gabe Kidd and Kyle O’Reilly & Tomohiro Ishii
A four-way tag match followed the opening match. House of Black, Private Party, Roderick Strong & Gabe Kidd and Kyle O’Reilly & Tomohiro Ishii competed in the typical AEW mental tag match. Bodies were flying everywhere, and future bouts were teased, including Ishii vs Brody King.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 2.5 Stars
Kickoff: Tam Nakano and Willow Nightingale defeated Kris Statlander and Momo Watanabe
Next, the women tore the house down. Tam Nakano pinned Momo Watanabe with a straight jacket suplex to end a fantastic bout. The crowd started out cold, but the great work of the Joshi wrestlers and the rivalry between Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander soon got them on their side.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 3.5 Stars
Kickoff: Mariah May Defeated Saraya
Mariah May made her way through the Owen Hart Cup’s first round, with a win over Saraya. She made up for her loss to the English wrestler some weeks ago, rolling her up with a bridged pin to book her place in the next round.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 2 Stars
Kickoff: Mistico & The Lucha Bros Defeated Titan, Hiromu Takahashi & Yota Tsuji
In the final kickoff match, the dream team of Mistico, Penta and Rey Fenix teamed together for the first time. This put the CMLL and AAA legends on the same team, as they beat the LIJ trio in a match that will have convinced many fans to buy the PPV.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 3 Stars
MJF Defeated Hechicero
Hometown hero MJF opened the Forbidden Door main show to a huge reception from the Long Island crowd. Despite hilariously failing to crowd-surf, he had the undying supporting against the Mexican Hechicero.
The local lad played to the crowd enormously. He got complacent as he chased their cheers, which allowed Hechicero to take advantage which some impressive, and brutal looking, technical wrestling moves.
MJF soon began to take things seriously. He won a fun match with a Panama Sunrise, following by a BrainBuster. It was a good opening match, and helps continue to ease MJF back into wrestling following a lengthy injury.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 3.5 Stars
The Elite Defeated The Acclaimed & hiroshi Tanahashi
Before they defend their AEW tag team titles against The Acclaimed, the Young Bucks teamed with Kazuchika Okada to defeat Bowens, Caster and NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi.
The Bucks and Acclaimed did the bulk of the work, with Okada ducking Tanahashi throughout the match. Nick and Matt did some fantastic work with their rivals, and now I’m really looking forward to their title match on Dynamite.
Okada won the match for his team by pinning his long-time rival Tanahashi with a Rainmaker.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 3 Stars
Bryan Danielson Defeated Shingo Tagaki
In what was one of the matches of the night, Bryan Danielson came one step closer to winning the Owen Hart Cup.
Danielson’s masterful selling made you think the ref was going to call off the match at any second. Luckily, he took all of Shingo’s punishment and came out of the match as the winner, and a semi-finalist in the Owen Hart tournament.
He forced “The Dragon” to tap out, after Shingo kicked out of the running knee earlier in the match.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 4 Stars
Toni Storm Defeated Mina Shirakawa
In a match that ended in a three-way kiss (no, really), Toni Storm retained her AEW Women’s title against Mina Shirakawa.
Mariah May evoked Miss Elizabeth at ringside, and struggled to pick sides between her two mentors. Storm retained her belt, but the three women left the arena together, still friends.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 3 Stars
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Orange Cassidy
In what was generally a very good match, Zack Sabre Jr defeated Orange Cassidy. The Englishman used his technical wizardy to tie up the former International Champion in knots, leaving him no choice but to verbally submit to the referee.
The bout did drag at points in the middle. They kept building up to a spot, before continuing the build as the fans were ready to explode. Despite that, it was still a great match in front of a crowd who appreciated it.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 3.5 Stars
Hook, Samoa Joe & Katsuyori Shibata Defeated Chris Jericho, Big Bill & Jeff Cobb
In the usual six-man tag match with little rules, Hook pinned Chris Jericho after a Judas effect. It was fine.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 1.5 Stars
Jack Perry Wins TNT Championship Ladder Match
“The Scapegoat” Jack Perry took the TNT Title almost of of Mark Briscoes hands, as he won his first title since losing the FTW Championship at All In.
In a fun match, he attacked Briscoe with a ladder and chair to take him out of action. He then climbed the ladder and grabbed the belt, starting his first reing as TNT Champion.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 3 Stars
Mercedes Moné defeated Stephanie Vaquer
Mercedes Mone forced Stephanie Vaquer to tap out to win a decent match. The crowd turned on Mone midway through, and began chanting against Boston sports teams.
After the match, Dr Britt Baker DMD returned to a huge pop to challenge the TBS Champion.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 3.5 Stars
Tetsuya Naito defeated Jon Moxley
In a disappointing match, Tetsuya Naito reclaimed the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from Jon Moxley. Naito put in a lazy performance, and didn’t seem to be giving it his all. It wasn’t the match most expected, and ends a poor title run for Moxley.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 1.5 Stars
Swerve Strickland Defeated Will Ospreay
Will Ospreay lost his first match in AEW since going full-time. He refused to cheat to win, which gave Swerve the opportunity to take advantage and take home the win.
It was an incredible match. It was one of the best matches of the year. It is a five-star classic, as Will Ospreay adds another five-star match to his incredible canon of work.
- Dave Meltzer’s Star Ratings:
- Cagematch Rating:
- Atletifo Rating: 5 Stars