Swerve Strickland is still the owner of AEW after successfully defending his title against Will Ospreay in Sunday’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.
Ospreay’s first loss in a promotional contest since joining the company officially earlier this year. The AEW International title of Ospreay was not at stake.
Strickland caught a severely weakened Ospreay as he was staggering around the ring. He attempted a weak Hidden Blade, but Strickland had him. He paced around the ring, then hit his House Call kick and then his Big Pressure (JML driver) for the pin.
What preceded this was a wild few moments with a multitude of big moves and close falls galore.
Ospreay fought back with a series Os Cutters, and back heel kicks after a vicious-looking Swerve from the top rope on a prone Ospreay laying on the announcers table. He then followed this up with a piledriver atop the ringside barrier and a falcon’s arrow to bring him back into the ring. Strickland raised his forearms to block the Hidden Blade. Strickland countered a Os Cutter, and went for his arm snapper. Ospreay rallied to tease a Tiger Driver ’91 but hit a stormbreaker for a near-fall.
Strickland then countered a second Tiger Driver ’91 to continue the storyline that Ospreay didn’t want to use it by hitting his own Hidden Blade. He missed a Swerve Stomp, and Ospreay accidentally nailed referee Paul Turner using his Hidden Blade. Strickland immediately struck a reverse rana, which Ospreay followed with a Hidden Blade for a visual pinfall.
Don Callis appeared and gave Ospreay the screwdriver he was to use against Strickland. Ospreay was reluctant, and then Prince Nana confronted Callis by shoving him to the ground. Ospreay threatened to hit Nana with a screwdriver, but decided against it. Strickland returned to the ring, and he hit a Drive By and a Swerve Stomp. This was another close nearfall.
Strickland wasted little time and pulled off his arm snapper and hit another Drive By, but Ospreay kicked at the last moment to the surprise and delight of the Long Island fans. Ospreay had a large red mark under his eye at this point.
Strickland’s fourth successful title defence in his two and a half month reign as World Champion was a result of the finish mentioned above.
Ospreay will now defend the International title on Dynamite this Wednesday against Daniel Garcia while Strickland waits for his next opponent and program, which is presumed to be against Owen Hart Foundation’s tournament winner which concludes in a few short weeks. Garcia and MJF watched the match from different locations.
Ospreay paid tribute to Hayabusa by wearing a mask to enter the ring, and a sash as well as a hand wrap in the fight. Strickland wore different gear that looked more like boxing trunks than wrestling trunks.
Will Ospreay suffers first loss in promotional contest at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. in todays Wrestling news, Chatalong Chatbox, Results will be Hidden inside a spoiler Button so you will not bet spoiled about direct results.
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