AEW Announces Forbidden Door Supershow With New Japan Pro-Wrestling

By Connor Casey

AEW officially announced on this week's AEW Dynamite that it will run a supershow crossover event, Forbidden Door, alongside New Japan Pro-Wrestling on June 26 at the United Center in Chicago. Tony Khan tried to make the announcement midway through the show and brought out New Japan's president Takami Ohbari. However, Adam Cole interrupted Khan and made the announcement while confirming he'd be facing Tomohiro Ishii on this week's AEW Rampage. He then introduced a special guest in Bullet Club member Jay White. White mentioned "selling out" Madison Square Garden when New Japan held its G1 Supercard event in 2019, then promised the show would be all about the Undisputed Elite and Bullet Club.

Many of the young promotion's top stars have roots in New Japan, though AEW didn't have much of a relationship with the promotion during its first year beyond Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley operating in both companies. However, that relationship has strengthened over the past 18 months as stars like KENTA, Jay White, Minoru Suzuki, Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima and Rocky Romero have competed in AEW while Moxley, Eddie Kingston and Lance Archer have all appeared at NJPW Strong events. One of New Japan's titles even changed hands on AEW TV as Archer beat Moxley for the IWGP United States Championship at Fyter Fest last July. 

"It's a great relationship, I really enjoy working with New Japan. It's changed a lot, because when AEW first started off I think they were pretty pissed off with me. As wrestling went on I think they saw that I really wasn't trying to stop them from doing anything and I actually made a lot of friendly gestures along the way," Khan said in a media conference call last November.

"I think they saw this as a good relationship and I have a good reputation for being an honest person," he continued. "So even though I kind of came out of left field and was a new player in the game, I think I raised their antennas early and made them pretty nervous. And then (as) I built up more of a reputation in this sport I think they wanted to work with me. And so now I talk to them on a regular basis and put matches together."

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