Tony Khan Announces ‘Forbidden Door,’ Winners On 4/20/2022

AEW Dynamite featured Tony Khan’s big announcement, which is a Forbidden Door event on Sunday, June 26. Tickets for the supershow go on sale Friday, May 6, 2022. Khan’s announcement, as expected, will make a lot of hardcore fans happy as New Japan Pro Wrestling’ brand has taken a hit domestically amid staunch restrictions at New Japan Pro Wrestling shows that continue to this day.

AEW also featured the Dynamite debut of Hook, two Owen Hart Foundation Tournament qualifying matches and CM Punk vs. Dustin Rhodes in a hot opener.

Last week’s broadcast of AEW Dynamite garnered an average viewership of 977,000 viewers.

• April 13, 2022—977,000
• April 6, 2022—989,000
• March 30, 2022—979,000
• March 23, 2022—1.046 million
• March 16, 2022—993,000

• AEW Dynamite Venue: Peterson Events Center (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
• AEW Tickets Distributed: 5,683
• AEW Tickets Available: 633

Grading Scorpio Sky’s TNT Title Run (Pro Wrestling Bits)

AEW Dynamite YouTube Viewership Last Wednesday: 4,713,423 (Down from 4,819,774)

• Most-Viewed: Satnam Singh Debut (961,200 views)
• Least-Viewed: Marina Shafir vs. Skye Blue (246,729 views)
• Median Viewership: 614,227 views

AEW Dynamite Results | April 20, 2022

CM Punk def. Dustin Rhodes

Dustin Rhodes tried a very risky Cross Rhodes, and rushed to the next spot before the crowd even had a chance to chant “Cody.”

Punk vs. Hangman didn’t feel like that big of a match on paper, but all I needed to see was the visual of CM Punk and Hangman Adam Page, and the subsequent crowd reaction, and now I’m all in.

CM Punk continued to paid homage to Bret Hart, not only with his pink and black gear, but also with the finish where he beat Rhodes with a cradle pin a la British Bulldog vs. Bret Hart at SummerSlam 1992.

Blackpool Combat Club def. Lee Moriarty, Dante Martin and Brock Anderson

Wheeler Yuta’s blood-stained Blackpool Combat Club tights are such an improvement over his old gear. He looks more like Ricky Steamboat than ever.

For the second straight week, a Black man was the most popular star in a crowded ring. After Ricky Starks’ homecoming in New Orleans last week, this Pittsburgh crowd gave Lee Moriarty a hero’s welcome.

The more this be came a high-flying match to fit the styles of Lee Moriarty and Dante Martin, the more exciting this match became.

Tony Khan Announces AEW vs. NJPW in “The Forbidden Door”

These fans gave a very warm response to Tony Khan, chanting wildly for him.

Tony Khan didn’t make this announcement about himself. He didn’t even make the announcement. The segment immediately threw to Adam Cole, who announce the AEW vs. New Japan Pro Wrestling “Forbidden Door” event.

Jay Light came out to tease a Bullet Club-Undisputed Elite alliance. I feel like this announcement would have been so much bigger pre-pandemic. It’ll excite an audience who already watches AEW, but it will not grow that audience.

Wardlow def. The Butcher

MJF made Wardlow walk out to no music, but I thought that was polite for MJF, who I expected to make Wardlow walk to the ring to pig noises.

As soon as Tony Schiavone and Excalibur said The Butcher was “not here to win a match,” it made me think this could be a rare disqualification.

The Butcher may have legitimately screwed up a power bomb, but it really played into the story of this match of Wardlow being the master of the power bomb.

Why doesn’t MJF just instruct Wardlow to lay his shoulders down on the mat?

Kyle O’Reilly def. Jungle Boy—Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Qualifier

This match was the quintessential “professional wrestling” technical showcase. The commentary was filled with words like “fundamental” and the match was a real buzz kill on 4:20.

What this match had in “professional wrestling,” it lacked in charisma.

Kyle O’Reilly pulled off the victory and will advance to the tournament and I’m shocked. After the match, Christian came out to console Jungle Boy, so maybe a Jungle Boy feud with Christian is the long-term plan.

Hook def. Anthony Henry

Hook was very popular with this crowd and did a good job milkng them for their reactions.

Danhausen appeared ringside and Hook became one of the first babyfaces in the history of modern wrestling to be unbothered by a ringside distraction and just go about his business the way any professional should.

This crowd popped huge for a potential Hook vs. Danhausen match.

Scorpio Sky Calls vs. Sammy Guevara TNT Title Ladder Match Announced

Scorpio Sky abruptly turned babyface in a backstage segment opposite Frankie Kazarian. Moments later, Sammy Guevara walked out in his heel jacket.

Scorpio Sky cut a very good promo on Sammy Guevara, and Ethan Page followed up with a spirited great promo. Dan Lambert closed things out and cut an incredible promo.

Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti got so much heat every time their lips came even close to touching. No surprise there.

Britt Baker def. Danielle Kamela

Danielle Kamela is the former Vanessa Borne.

Britt Baker’s homecoming featured Steelers fantasy football studs Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth. In addition to the Pittsburgh tie-in, she’s even more of a babyface because she walked out with two players who won a lot of fantasy football leagues.

Kamela received massive heat for desecrating a Terrible Towel. Britt Baker gave her comeuppance by using Lockjaw wit ha Steelers glove.

Baker sounded blown up in her post-match promo after several weeks away from the ring. Baker called out Toni Storm, Ruby Soho, Jade Cargill and Red Velvet in a solid, but not perfect, post-match promo.

Darby Allin def. Andrade El Idolo—Coffin Match

There was an excellent sequence where Sting was in a disguise before revealing himself and helping Allin in a brawl.

All Darby Allin and Andrade dl Idolo do is have awesome matches. I’d much rather see a match between the two with not as much plunder, but this was certainly a crowd-pleaser.

The Hardys appeared after the match, and Jeff Hardy curiously sold his shoulder while doing a “delete” chant.