The AEW World Tag Team Championship clash at Forbidden Door on Sunday evening saw Adam Copeland and Christian Cage successfully defend their titles, but not without a dramatic and unexpected intervention. Their opponents, David Finlay and Clark Connors, collectively known as The Dogs, were confident heading into the bout, believing they held the advantage.
However, Finlay and Connors had not accounted for the return of a major figure in professional wrestling. As the challengers resorted to increasingly underhanded tactics in their pursuit of the championship, including Finlay striking Christian Cage with a shillelagh while the referee was incapacitated, the arena plunged into darkness.
Jay White's Dramatic Return
When the lights flickered back on, a contingent featuring Juice Robinson, Ace Austin, Colten Gunn, and Austin Gunn, known as the Bang Bang Gang, stood at the top of the entrance ramp, appearing poised to confront The Dogs. More significantly, Jay White, who had been sidelined for approximately 15 months due to injury, was now present in the ring. The crowd erupted as White executed his signature Blade Runner maneuver on David Finlay.
Following White's decisive move, he stepped back, allowing Adam Copeland to capitalize on the opportunity and deliver a powerful spear to Finlay. With the referee regaining his composure and returning to the ring, the pinfall was counted, securing the victory for Copeland and Cage. This marked their first successful defense of the AEW World Tag Team Championship.
Rivalry Reignited
The events of the night strongly suggested that the long-standing animosity between Jay White and the Bang Bang Gang on one side, and David Finlay and Clark Connors on the other, was far from over, perhaps even reigniting with new intensity. This rivalry has deep roots, tracing back to Finlay's takeover of the Bullet Club in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, a move that effectively ousted White from the prominent faction.
For the time being, Adam Copeland and Christian Cage can celebrate their successful championship retention. Simultaneously, the dramatic return of Jay White has undoubtedly escalated the tensions and renewed the heated conflict between him and his former Bullet Club associates.
