AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2023 Predictions & Preview: Match Card, Logo, Matches, Location, Date
BY SACNILK
The Forbidden Door, a highly anticipated annual professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event and supershow, is returning for its second edition in 2023. This year, the event is being co-produced by All Elite Wrestling (AEW), an American promotion, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), a Japan-based organization. ##
The event is scheduled to take place on June 25, 2023, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Forbidden Door is known for its unique concept of bringing together wrestlers from different promotions and countries, and this year's event promises to be no different. ##
Starting in February 2021, the American professional wrestling promotion, All Elite Wrestling (AEW), entered into a partnership with the Japanese promotion, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). This collaboration led to wrestlers from both promotions making appearances on each other's shows over the course of the year. As a culmination of this partnership, AEW and NJPW co-promoted a pay-per-view (PPV) event in June 2022, called Forbidden Door, which took its name from the term frequently used by AEW when referring to working with other professional wrestling promotions. ##
On March 15, 2023, it was announced that a second Forbidden Door event between AEW and NJPW will take place on June 25, 2023, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This annual event will further solidify the partnership between the two organizations. Tickets for the event were made available for purchase on March 24, 2023. ##
In addition to the PPV event, AEW will embark on a month-long tour of Canada, featuring their weekly television programs and house shows. The Forbidden Door event will mark the beginning of this tour, promising to bring some of the biggest names in professional wrestling to Canadian fans. Fans of both promotions are eagerly anticipating this event and the continuation of this successful partnership. ##
AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2023 Confirmed Match Card ##
Kenny Omega (c) Vs. Will Ospreay: IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship Match ##
Will Ospreay has earned a rematch with Kenny Omega for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship at Forbidden Door. ##
Ospreay had originally lost the title to Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 17, but he has been on a tear since then, defeating Lance Archer in the finals of a tournament to become the number one contender. ##
The match between Ospreay and Omega is sure to be a classic, as both men are known for their high-flying, acrobatic style. It will be Ospreay's first chance to reclaim the title he lost at Wrestle Kingdom, and he will be looking to make a statement in front of a North American audience. ##
Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada: Singles match ##
Bryan Danielson has challenged Kazuchika Okada to a match at Forbidden Door. The two men have been on a collision course for months, ever since Danielson joined the Blackpool Combat Club (BCC) and Okada began teasing a move to the United States. ##
At Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, the BCC teamed up to challenge Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. Although they were unsuccessful in winning the titles, the match served as a preview of what is to come at Forbidden Door. After the match, Danielson took to the microphone and issued a challenge to Okada. In a video package, Danielson called Okada out as the "best wrestler in the world" and said that he wanted to prove that he was the better man. ##
Okada responded by claiming that the "forbidden door" would be open, teasing the match taking place at the PPV. On June 6, NJPW held a press conference where Okada accepted Danielson's challenge for Forbidden Door, making the match official. This is a dream match for many fans, and it is sure to be one of the most anticipated matches of the year. Both Danielson and Okada are masters of their craft, and they are sure to put on a show for the ages. ##
Sanada (c) vs. "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry (with Hook): Singles match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship ##
"Jungle Boy" Jack Perry has challenged SANADA for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Forbidden Door. Perry, who is one of the rising stars in All Elite Wrestling, has been on a tear lately, defeating top stars such as Kenny Omega and Adam Cole. He is now looking to make the biggest statement of his career by challenging for the most prestigious title in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. ##
SANADA is one of the most dominant champions in wrestling today. He has held the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship since last year, and he has defended it against some of the best wrestlers in the world. He is not going to be an easy opponent for Perry, but the young star is confident that he can pull off the upset. ##
MJF (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi: Singles match for the AEW World Championship ##
Tanahashi, who is one of the most decorated wrestlers in the world, has been on a tear lately, defeating top stars such as Kenny Omega and Jay White. He is now looking to make the biggest statement of his career by challenging for the most prestigious title in All Elite Wrestling. ##
MJF is one of the most controversial wrestlers in the world. He is known for hisbrash and arrogant attitude, and he has been feuding with Tanahashi for months. He has also been critical of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, claiming that it is an inferior company. ##
However, MJF has claimed to have no interest in defending the belt against Tanahashi, claiming NJPW to be an inferior company, whilst also hinting no-showing the PPV. This has led to speculation that MJF may be planning to turn heel and join forces with his former manager, Tony Khan. ##
Six-man tag team match: Jericho Appreciation Society (Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara) and Minoru Suzuki vs. Sting, Darby Allin, and TBA ##
Darby Allin & Sting accepted a challenge from Chris Jericho, Minoru Suzuki, and Sammy Guevara on Dynamite after the latter team defeated Action Andretti, AR Fox, and Darius Martin. The match was set for Collision, a new pay-per-view event from AEW on Saturday, June 25. ##
Allin & Sting made their intentions clear: they were going to take down the Jericho Appreciation Society. But they also had a surprise up their sleeve. ##
Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli), Konosuke Takeshita, and Shota Umino vs. The Elite ("Hangman" Adam Page, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson), Eddie Kingston, and Tomohiro Ishii ##
Eddie Kingston has assembled a dream team of his own to take on Jon Moxley's dream team at Collision. ##
Kingston, the Young Bucks, and Hangman Page will team up to face Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Shota Umino, and Konosuke Takeshita. The match was made official on Dynamite after Kingston agreed to team with The Elite. ##
Four-way match for the AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia ##
Orange Cassidy will defend his AEW International Championship in a four-way match against Daniel Garcia, Zack Sabre Jr., and Katsuyori Shibata at Collision. ##
The match was made official after Garcia & Sabre defeated Shibata & Cassidy on Dynamite. After the match, all four men grabbed the International title, with Cassidy yanking the title away from Shibata's grasp. ##
Toni Storm (c) vs. Willow Nightingale: Singles match for the AEW Women's World Championship ##
Toni Storm will defend her AEW Women's Championship against NJPW Strong Women's Champion Willow Nightingale at Collision. ##
The match was made official on Dynamite after Storm defeated Nightingale in a non-title match. After the match, Storm challenged Nightingale to a title match, and Nightingale accepted. ##
Adam Cole vs. Tom Lawlor: Singles match ##
During the latest episode of AEW Rampage on Friday, an announcement was made regarding Adam Cole's participation in the upcoming AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door event on Sunday. ##
Cole is slated to face off against the former NJPW Strong Champion, Tom Lawlor, in a highly anticipated match at the pay-per-view, set to take place in Toronto, Canada. ##
In the midst of a promo delivered by Cole, he was unexpectedly interrupted by his recent rival and prospective tag team partner, MJF. The reigning AEW World Champion revealed that he had conversed with Tony Khan, leading to Cole's booking against Lawlor for the upcoming event on Sunday. ##
Subsequently, Lawlor and Royce Isaacs launched an ambush on Cole from behind, while MJF slowly made his way to the ring, seemingly feigning assistance. Once MJF eventually arrived, Lawlor and Isaacs promptly departed. Notably, Lawlor did not make an appearance at last year's Forbidden Door, making this his inaugural venture into an AEW ring. In contrast, Cole previously participated in a four-way match for the IWGP World title at the Forbidden Door event, where he suffered a concussion, keeping him sidelined until March of the following year. ##
CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima: Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament first round match ##
Athena vs. Billie Starkz: Women's Owen Hart Cup Tournament first round match ##
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