11 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Dynamite (Jun 14 - Review)
6. Nightmare For MJF Sets Up Another Forbidden Door Dream Match
AEW/NJPW
Hiroshi Tanahashi was so charming in his video messaging challenging MJF for Forbidden Door.
'The Ace' was as endearing as always, making the match even more appealing before the 'Salt Of The Earth' even had time to reject it.
The AEW Champion's unfiltered disdain for New Japan Pro-Wrestling has been a joyous character detail for years, and his worked shoot absence last summer left the bit untouched for the inaugural pay-per-view. A completely different proposition to the Will Ospreay/Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada/Bryan Danielson encounters, this third main event tier outing could and should be a psychological masterclass and inch-perfect portrayal of how best to do hero vs villain in 2023.
Tanahashi's amazing body of work has caught up with his actual body over the last few years, and it's that degradation that disgusts MJF so much in the first place. He already holds one of the most beloved wrestlers in the world in contempt and they've not even locked up. Pro wrestling magic resides here, and MJF trying to break the spell before its even been cast in the build will only strengthen the bout on the night.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
