AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door: Two World Championship Matches Added on This Week's AEW Dynamite
AEW and New Japan Pro-Wrestling beefed up the card for Forbidden Door 2023 on this week's AEW Dynamite, getting both of their respective world champions on the card. Fresh off his eliminator match with Adam Cole ending in a time-limit draw, AEW World Champion MJF was challenged to a match by former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. However, Friedman said he plans to no-show that match as he views New Japan as a low-ranking Japanese "indie fed."
"Do I have to wrestle at Forbidden Door? F— that. Oh god, it's a f—ing indie fed, dude. I don't know, man. Jesus Christ. Look, with all due respect, their greatest legend probably couldn't lace my boots," Max said during the Double or Nothing post-show media scrum. "I think I would make anybody on that roster look silly, and I don't want to waste my time. I'm a very busy man," he said. "I think New Japan Pro Wrestling sucks. Except for that Great-O-Khan guy, he f—ing pops me. I like him. But everyone else there is the drizzling s—s. I don't know. It reminds me of just like a local indie fed."
#NJPW's Master of the Century @tanahashi1_100 has challenged #AEW World Heavyweight Champion @The_MJF at #ForbiddenDoor!!! Will #MJF accept?#ForbiddenDoor on Sunday, June 25th LIVE on PPV! #AEWxNJPW@njpwglobal pic.twitter.com/gilKCbCR5p
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 15, 2023
Elsewhere, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Sanada issued an open challenge for his title after his successful defense at Dominion. Surprisingly, "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry stepped forward as the challenger. Other matches like NJPW TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr vs. AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and NJPW Strong Women's Champion Willow Nightingale vs. AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm were also teased throughout the show, though nothing was confirmed.
The Summer of #JungleHook Is in full swing with @boy_myth_legend accepting #NJPW World Heavyweight Champion @seiyasanada's open challenge at #ForbiddenDoor with @730hook in his corner!#ForbiddenDoor on Sunday, June 25th LIVE on PPV! #AEWxNJPW pic.twitter.com/06JiVwBjBR
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 15, 2023
AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023 Card (As of Now)
- AEW World Champion: MJF vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
- IWGP United States Championship: Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Sanada vs. "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry
- Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada
AEW Collision Full Card (June 17, 2023)
- CM Punk & FTR vs. Samoa Joe, Jay White & Juice Robinson
- AEW TNT Championship: Wardlow vs. Luchasaurus
- Andrade El Idolo vs. Buddy Matthews
- Skye Blue & Willow Nightingale vs. Toni Storm & Ruby Soho
- Miro vs. TBA