Kyle Fletcher survived a physical 15-minute battle against NJPW star Hiromu Takahashi to keep his reign as TNT Champion alive on Sunday night.
Fletcher’s win was part of AEW x NJPW’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view card at The O2 in London, England.
The title contest saw Fletcher have to score a long series of hard-hitting moves to wear down the Japanese vet. The match teased a finish a few minutes in after the defending champ scored an Avalanche Back Suplex and then a Liger Bomb.
Takahashi started to mount a comeback just past the 10-minute mark of the match, scoring a DDT on the ring apron, then a powerbomb onto the floor, earning him a near fall. Takahashi continued to be on a roll in the ring, connecting with a Death Valley Driver at one point, but it wasn’t enough to stop the champ.
Fletcher reversed a move from Takahashi into a tombstone piledriver, getting the champ back into the fight. He followed up by landing a pair of running head kicks in the corner, then a brainbuster in the middle of the ring for a pinfall win.
Fletcher has held the TNT Championship since late July, when he dethroned Dustin Rhodes in a 16-minute Chicago Street Fight. He defended his title for the first time on an episode of Collision earlier this month, going into deep waters against NJPW talent Tomohiro Ishii before finding a pinfall win.
Takahashi was gunning for his first-ever AEW title, adding to a collection which already includes five reigns as the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Sunday marked Takahashi’s third appearance on the Forbidden Door AEW x NJPW card, but the first-ever time he competed on the show’s main card.
Zero Hour results
- Yuya Uemura, El Desperado, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong def. Action Andretti, Lio Rush, Hechicero & Josh Alexander (12:13)
- Ricochet, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona def. Michael Oku, Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight (9:56)
- Megan Bayne, Julia Hart, Skye Blue & Thekla def. Harley Cameron, Kris Statlander, Queen Aminata & Willow Nightingale (11:15)
- Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata & Powerhouse Hobbs def. Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Robbie X (AEW World Trios Championships) (10:00)
Forbidden Door Main Card results
- Adam Copeland & Christian Cage def. Killswitch & Kip Sabian (13:46)
- Kyle Fletcher def. Hiromu Takahashi (TNT Championship) (15:27)
- Mercedes Moné def. Persephone, Alex Windsor & Bozilla (TBS Championship) (Four-Way) (15:30)
- Zack Sabre Jr. def. Nigel McGuinness (IWGP World Heavyweight Championship) (17:00)
- Bandido & Brody King def. Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood, Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin (AEW World Tag Team Championships) (Three-Way) (16:04)
- Kazuchika Okada def. Swerve Strickland (AEW Unified Championship) (16:38)
- Toni Storm def. Athena (AEW Women’s World Championship) (15:15)
- Hangman Adam Page def. MJF (AEW World Championship) (31:38)
- Hiroshi Tanahashi, Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi & Darby Allin def. Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Gabe Kidd, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson (Lights Out Steel Cage Match) (32:26)
