AEW owner Tony Khan’s latest “huge announcement” has the wrestling world buzzing, as he and NJPW (New Japan Pro Wrestling) president Takami Ohbari came together onto last night’sAEW Dynamiteprogram to announce that the two promotions will be hosting a joint PPV titledAEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door, taking place on June 26 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
AEWand NJPW’s groundbreaking announcement comes just over a month followingKhan’s acquisition of Ring of Honor(ROH) and all its assets, and a little under three weeks removed from his first successful ROH productionSupercard of Honor, which saw a number of the promotion’s major titles switch hands and appearances from numerous ROH alumni, including Jay Lethal, the Young Bucks, new ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta, and the surprise return of newly-minted ROH Hall of Famer Samoa Joe.
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It perhaps should be clarified that while Khan and Ohbari did ultimately make the announcement of the cross-promotion supershow on social media via press release, it was in factcurrent AEW megastar Adam Colewho made the formal announcement onDynamitewith the two executives present on the stage. Cole made a point to tout himself as someone worthy of making such a grand announcement, being one of the biggest stars in modern-day Japanese wrestling history (a not-so-veiled dig at the currently-absent Kenny Omega), and proceeded to announce the name, date and overall purpose of the show, as well as provide a taste of future attractions with an upcoming cross-promotional match on Friday’sAEW Rampagepitting himself against NJPW’s “Stone Pitbull” Tomohiro Ishii.
Cole would cap off the announcement with the reintroduction of a “special friend” in NJPW’s ‘Switchblade’ Jay White. The NEVER Openweight Champion came onto the stage and took to the mic to make it clear that the event wasn’t merely about NJPW or AEW, but about reminding the wrestling world that it is “STILL the era” of the Bullet Club and Undisputed Elite factions. There have been glimpses of AEW and NJPW’s working relationship since AEW first touched down in 2019, with Khan’s promotion playing host to a number of former NJPW talents such as Omega, the Young Bucks, and Lance Archer, as well asappearances by New Japan Pro Wrestling veteransKENTA, Yuji Nagata and Minoru Suzuki in recent months, and the NJPW US Title being defended several times on AEW programming. None of that, however, has approached the magnitude of a full-blown crossover like the upcoming summer supershow, and now it’s all been made official.
One can’t help but be excited at all the potential “dream matchups” that could become a reality come June 26. It will be thrilling to seethe very best of AEWand NJPW come together to not only put on the best show possible, but to re-energize wrestling fans' enthusiasm for the genre.
AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Doorairs live on Sunday, June 26 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 6 at 10am CT / 11am ET.
