5 Things subtly told at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door – Cesaro debuts and teases a decade-old feud; Jon Moxley's dream title match with former WWE star in works
Jon Moxley stood tall with the interim world title to close out the company's first-ever joint pay-per-view with New Japan Pro-Wrestling: AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door.
The show is officially in the history books but delivered some unforgettable moments fans will remember for years.
The sold-out crowd at the United Center in Chicago remained electric throughout the historic night that witnessed some rampant barnburner contests.
Both the promotions were cursed with a slew of injuries. Hence, the expectations weren't through the roof this time around.
Yet the two companies set the bar high by swerving their audience with shocking surprises on every front.
We'll now dive into five subtle things fans may have missed during AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door last night.
#5. Claudio Castagnoli (fka Cesaro) is All Elite, but his arrival ripped up old sores with Eddie Kingston
Welcome to the team, @ClaudioCSRO!
Claudio Castagnoli is ALL ELITE!
See you this Wednesday Night for #AEWDynamite #BloodAndGuts!
Thank you to everyone all around the world who watched #ForbiddenDoor tonight! https://t.co/dlzNwOwdoH
Claudio Castagnoli (fka Cesaro) shockingly turned out to be Bryan Danielson's mystery replacement for a singles match against Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door.
The former WWE Superstar received a loud reception and stole the show with his breath-taking winning performance against ZSJ in his in-ring debut.
The Swiss Cyborg has joined The Blackpool Combat Club, which didn't seem to sit well with Eddie Kingston.
The two men have had real-life heat that transitioned into a social media rivalry in recent years.
Kingston and Cesaro exchanged a war of words after the latter aided Jon Moxley and co. from a beatdown at the hands of Jericho Appreciation Society in the main event.
The two foes clash on a personal level. Now that they've rekindled a decade-old feud days before their impending Blood and Guts match against JAS, fans shouldn't expect them to be on the same page anytime soon.
#4. Jon Moxley vs. CM Punk is destined to happen for the Undisputed AEW World Championship down the road
Jon Moxley vs. CM Punk.
Headlining All Out 2022 for the AEW World Championship. I can’t wait.
#AEWForbiddenDoor https://t.co/TMUP4Yj0ZI
Jon Moxley defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi in a grueling match to become the Interim AEW World Champion at Forbidden Door last night.
The Purveyor of Violence will carry the company while CM Punk is on the sidelines.
But rest assured, Punk and Moxley will be on a collision course to unify the titles down the road. The two men have fought multiple times during the height of their careers in WWE.
Interestingly, Mox has never defeated Punk in a singles match. However, a lot has changed since the last time the two clashed.
Jon Moxley vs. CM Punk for the Undisputed AEW World Championship could arguably become the biggest box-office clash for the company.
Should The Second City Saint return in the next few months, the two men could headline the All Out pay-per-view this year.
#3. PAC became the inaugural All-Atlantic Champion; could Malakai Black and Miro be in line for another title shot?
After experiencing hard luck for the better part of his rivalry against The House of Black, PAC finally fulfilled his prophecy of becoming the inaugural All-Atlantic Champion last night.
He defeated Malakai Black, Miro, and Clark Connors in a thrilling four-way encounter. PAC was long overdue for a title run in AEW.
The company didn't tease any immediate challengers for him, but Miro and Black would be a safe bet for potential title contenders.
The House of Black leader spat black mist into The Redeemer's eyes, costing him an opportunity to become the inaugural champion.
The Bulgarian star must be riding high on revenge, which makes it apparent that he will collide with Black for PAC's All-Atlantic title shot down the road.
#2. Sting and Darby Allin are in a position to stake their claim at The Young Bucks' AEW World Tag Team titles
Last night, Sting, Darby Allin & Shingo Takagi joined forces to defeat The Young Bucks & El Phantasmo in a hard-hitting trios match.
Even though Matt & Nick Jackson didn't take the pinfall, they suffered a crushing loss at the hands of the babyface team.
Having scored an upper hand over The Young Bucks, Sting & Darby Allin can stake their claim at their AEW World Tag Team Championships.
The face-painted stars are on a 6-0 winning streak in the tag team division. Should they set their sights on The Young Bucks' gold, their fairytale run with the title could be in jeopardy.
#1. Is Jay White vs. Adam Cole in the works?
A bizarre finish to the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match saw Jay White retain his title against Adam Cole, Kazuchika Okada, and Hangman Page.
During the closing moments, White planted Okada with The Blade Runner. He surprisingly picked up a pinfall victory over a worn-out Cole instead of Okada, whom he hit with his signature maneuver.
The Panama City Playboy and The Switchblade have portrayed a close on-screen friendship. But White's action on Sunday night suggested the two could soon ignite a feud for the coveted prize.
The two men have only clashed once in singles competition, with Cole winning. The Kiwi star pinning Cole could be his way of avenging that loss.
The company can also book a faction rivalry between The Undisputed Elite and The Bullet Club, especially after the staredown White had with the UE after the match.
It'll be interesting to see how the saga between Cole and White unfolds.