Bryan Danielson Makes Kazuchika Okada Submit At Forbidden Door
Mia Russell When Bryan Danielson left WWE in 2021, he spoke about wanting to take on the best wrestlers in the world. Now at AEW's second Forbidden Door, Danielson got the dream match so many have been wanting to see for years when the American Dragon took on the Rainmaker, Kazuchika Okada. No titles were on the line except for who can argue that they are legitimately the best wrestler in the world.The dream match started with a dream entrance, as Danielson came down to his old "The Final Countdown" theme. The two veterans started out slow, taking in the chants from the crowd and testing each other's strength. Things started to pick up on the outside, where Okada sent Danielson into and over the barricade. Danielson fought back, nailing Okada into the posts and drop-kicking him into the announce table before hitting a driving knee strike. Inside the ring again, the BCC member slowed it down with some submission moves and strikes on the Rainmaker. The two went back and forth with forearms to the face, leading to Okada hitting a flapjack. Danielson then hit a brutal dropkick to Okada's jaw. The two went to the outside once again, flying over the barricade and into the approving crowd.
In the ring, Okada hit a sick neck breaker on the Dragon for a two-count. The two made it to the top rope, where Danielson fought Okada off and landed an impressive missile dropkick. Okada retaliated with a shotgun dropkick, but it had little effect as Danielson hit a German suplex. Okada then impressed with two of the best looking dropkicks you'll ever see. An elbow drop from the top rope turned into a submission move from the Blackpool Combat Club icon. When Okada ended up on the floor, Danielson went for a dive, which Okada caught. He went for a Rainmaker, but Danielson dodged it. Okada tombstoned Danielson on the ramp in a scary move. Both athletes got back in the ring as the former WWE Champion twitched on the mat. Okada hit an elbow drop and called for the Rainmaker. Danielson started convulsing again as the doctor checked on him to make sure he was okay. The crowd went silent, nervous due to Bryan's past, but it was all a ruse, as Danielson then went on the attack.
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Bryan Danielson Beats Kazuchika Okada
The American Dragon hit a knee for a two count then yelled that he was going to kick Okada's head in. He delivered several stomps to the face and another swift kick to the side of the head. He went old school with a YES chant but waited too long. Okada was ready and hit the Rainmaker, though he only got the two-count.
Danielson regained his strength and got Okada in a LeBell lock. He used his legs to then trap Okada's arms behind his back, with Okada's shoulders at an odd and painful angle. It was then that The Rainmaker tapped, shocking the crowd, who surely were expecting the match to go on for a little longer. Still, the two living legends delivered a great dream match. If the question is, who is the best wrestler in the world, tonight anyway the answer was Bryan Danielson.