One of wrestling’s biggest dream matches becomes a reality this weekend. AEW’s Bryan Danielson is set to face New Japan’s Kazuchika Okada at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door in contest that has been years in the making. Both Danielson and Okada have been considered the best in the world at different points throughout their respective careers, but never have the two been able to test their skillsets against one another. During the height of Okada’s run in NJPW, Danielson was in WWE. When the first Forbidden Door show came around, Danielson was injured.
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“I wanted this match for so long without ever thinking it was a possibility,” Danielson told SI. “I started watching him while I was in WWE, but there was no place to go work where that match would ever be possible. Then AEW started. That’s why this is so special to me. I wanted it for so long, and it’s now actually going to happen.”
Unlike most pay-per-view matches, Danielson vs. Okada has had minimal build, with most of the generated hype for the contest coming in promo packages.
“I have respect for him. There’s no hate here. I think that’s the appeal—just pure, competitive wrestling,” Okada said via a translator. “I want fans to be excited to see how great professional wrestling is. It’s cool to know that there are still world-class dream matches like this that bring everyone together.”
This will be Danielson’s first match against a New Japan opponent since signing with AEW. When he first inked with Tony Khan’s promotion in Summer 2021, Danielson emphasized his desire to return to competing in promotions like Seattle’s DEFY Wrestling and tournaments like NJPW’s G1 Climax. Knowing how many stars have to align for events like this weekend’s to happen, Danielson emphasized that he is soaking it all in as it is happening.
“I tell myself to enjoy it when it’s happening. It’s better when people love the match, and of course that is important, but when I do things now, I do it because I enjoy it,” Danielson said. “I’m telling myself to enjoy this moment, one I thought would never happen. Now I can do it in front of a passionate wrestling crowd in Toronto, and I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”
AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door goes down this Sunday.
