The highly anticipated showdown between AEW World Champion MJF and Hiroshi Tanahashi took place at the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view event, hosted at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena in Ontario, Canada.
From the opening moments, MJF dictated the pace of the match, engaging with the crowd and skillfully controlling the tempo. However, Tanahashi displayed his resilience and fought back, delivering a breathtaking dive from the top rope that nearly secured him the victory with a two-count.
Undeterred, MJF ascended the turnbuckle in an attempt to gain an advantage, only to be forcefully shoved off by Tanahashi, who swiftly retaliated with a devastating sling blade move, once again coming close to a pinfall.
In a surprising turn of events, MJF executed a powerful superplex, but the toll on his left knee was evident as he sold the pain. seizing the opportunity, Tanahashi unleashed a sling blade of his own and prepared to soar from the top rope. However, MJF cunningly protected himself by raising his knees, thwarting Tanahashi’s aerial assault.
Desperate to claim victory, MJF sought to utilize his belt as a weapon, but the referee intervened, preventing him from doing so. Seizing the moment, Tanahashi swiftly rolled MJF into a pinning predicament, but it yielded only a two-count.
As tensions escalated, MJF resorted to his infamous diamond ring. With a single, impactful right hand strike, MJF capitalized on this illegal advantage, securing the victory for himself.
Both paid for it extensively in your #AEW World title match!
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🔗: https://t.co/SWp7bcLK64@The_MJF | @tanahashi1_100 pic.twitter.com/UYmAWyYis0— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 26, 2023