While AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling started out by existing in very different libraries, it did not take long for these two industry leaders to get on the same page. NJPW’s relationship with Tony Khan’s upstart promotion come its launch in 2019 was significantly strained after AEW snatched up a number of NJPW’s top stars, namely Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. New Japan originally had plans for Omega to retain the IWGP World Championship at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13 and go on to headline G1 Supercard in April 2019 against Kazuchika Okada, but it was scrapped after Omega made it clear that he was AEW bound.
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Time heals all wounds, and come March 2021, the “forbidden door” between Jacksonville and the Far East had been unlocked. Today, AEW and New Japan co-produce the annual AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view, a crossover event that pits the best of each company against one another.
This year’s Forbidden Door was headlined by Bryan Danielson taking on Okada in a first-time-ever encounter, one which ended with Danielson getting the victory at the cost of a legitimate broken arm. Okada came to the states for that initial bout, and now for the rematch, Danielson is coming to him.
Two AEW Stars Scheduled For NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18
The American Dragon is heading to the land of the rising sun.
Following his challenge on Saturday, NJPW has made Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 official. This will be the second singles match between the two and Danielson’s first match inside a New Japan ring since 2004.
Danielson is not the only AEW star making the trip to Japan in January. Blackpool Combat Club stablemate Jon Moxley is set challenge IWGP United States Champion Will Ospreay in a three-way title bout that also includes Bullet Club’s David Finlay. This will be Moxley’s second NJPW Wrestle Kingdom as he previously competed at the 2020 iteration, successfully defending the IWGP United States Championship in back-to-back nights against Lance Archer and Juice Robinson.
This will be Moxley’s third time sharing a ring with Ospreay. He previously defeated the Aerial Assassin in a singles capacity at NJPW Windy City Riot in April 2022. They shared the ring again in May 2022 in a four-way bout that was won by Juice Robinson.
Danielson and Moxley are the only AEW stars announced for Wrestle Kingdom thus far. Last year, Kenny Omega and FTR competed at the event.
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 goes down on January 4th, 2024.
