We recap the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view, discuss the Timberwolves’ extending Naz Reid, and explain how the Wolves managed to ace the draft despite holding only the 53rd overall pick. Also, NBA Draft and offseason winners and losers.
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Who Won AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door?
- We all won as a result of the best AEW wrestling pay-per-view of the year, especially the almost 15,000 fantastic fans of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- I had five people over to watch, none of whom were into wrestling, but everyone enjoyed what they saw, and one match in particular got the party (and the dancing) started.
- “There’s the dance that split his pants on Wednesday” as Taz so eloquently said of Daniel Garcia’s dancing
- I had five people over to watch, none of whom were into wrestling, but everyone enjoyed what they saw, and one match in particular got the party (and the dancing) started.
- Orange Cassidy vs. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Daniel Garcia vs. Katsuyori Shibata fought for the AEW International Championship
- SPOILER ALERT: For me, the biggest winner at Forbidden Door was actually a loser
- Zack Sabre Jr.’s mat prowess, stretch ‘em technique, and attention to detail was on display and played so well on television
- I saw him live from the cement floor at a Game Changer Wrestling event in Las Vegas, but you really need the closeup shots to appreciate what he does in the ring
- While the NJPW World Television Champion didn’t win, he and his opponents gave the fastest, funnest, and funniest performance of the night, and I suspect he’ll benefit most from his performance, and deservedly so
- “You’re a lucky boy, aren’t you?” he said to Orange after defending the AEW International Championship he’s held for more than 254 days
- Expect a rematch between those two
- Zack Sabre Jr.’s mat prowess, stretch ‘em technique, and attention to detail was on display and played so well on television
- SPOILER ALERT: For me, the biggest winner at Forbidden Door was actually a loser
- Every pay-per-view needs a surprising heel turn, and Forbidden Door was no exception
- It was reported that the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Sanada, didn’t know who Jack Perry was
- He got to know him a little, then, SPOILER ALERT, finished him quick, as Hook remained hooded and subdued ringside, letting his sometime tag partner fight his own battle, and then helping him up the ramp
- After Perry fell to a knee, Hook pulled him up, raised his arm to cheers from the crowd, and those cheers quickly turned to boos
- SPOILER ALERT: Jungle Hook is no more, as Jungle Boy delivered a giant lariat that severed their partnership and nearly the handsome head of Hook
- Should make for a great storyline and an even better match for the FTW Championship
- Rumors are that WWE is very interested in signing Hook, so don’t be surprised if Perry is the next FTW Champion
- He got to know him a little, then, SPOILER ALERT, finished him quick, as Hook remained hooded and subdued ringside, letting his sometime tag partner fight his own battle, and then helping him up the ramp
- It was reported that the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Sanada, didn’t know who Jack Perry was
- Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay Part 2 SO lived up to hype
- I almost bought the first one and regret not doing so
- SPOILER ALERT: We finally got PPV blood, and plenty of it!
- Also, the single biggest eruption I’ve heard occurred in this match when, SPOILER ALERT, Kenny Omega kicked out of HIS finishing move at ONE!
- Later his face received the entirety of a, SPOILER ALERT, Tiger Driver 91! There were about a dozen moments that just made you put your hands on your head and scream “OH!”
- All I’ll say is order the replay and watch it. And please give us a trilogy. It was the most competitive and electric match of the night, which is surprising given the dream match that was the main event, which didn’t really have a chance to follow Omega/Ospreay.
- Only complaint: more women, please, especially NJPW women
- Willow Nightingale might be the NJPW Strong Champion, but she shouldn’t be the sole female representative of the promotion given her AEW contract
Timberwolves Re-sign Naz Reid for 3 Years, $42 Million
- The contract includes a player option and allows Minnesota to avoid the struggle of matching contract offers in free agency that would have been granted in less than a week
- What does it mean for the future of the Timberwolves given their cap woes?
- Minnesota has one more season to run it back before hard decisions have to be made on Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert
The Wolves Managed to Ace the 2023 NBA Draft
- Despite trading all their draft picks for Rudy Gobert and holding New York’s (formerly Charlotte’s) 53rd overall selection
- Traded for San Antonio’s 33rd pick to get a top-30 player in Leonard Miller, an 18-year-old, 6-foot, 10-inch forward out of Canada
- They grabbed UCLA shooting guard, Jaylen Clark, with the 53rd pick
