SEScoops

Category: NJPW

  • Tony Khan Rules out Location for Future AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door Events

    Tony Khan Rules out Location for Future AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door Events

    Last month, AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling hosted their Forbidden Door Pay Per View, which proved to be a hit with fans.

    The show saw Jay White retain his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, while Jon Moxley captured the Interim AEW World Championship.

    Unsurprisingly, the show’s success has led to talks of subsequent Forbidden Door shows,

    Location, Location, Location

    Forbidden Door took place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, despite a ton of talent coming from New Japan Pro Wrestling.

    Of course, only one country could host Forbidden Door, and on this occasion, that was the U.S.

    While speaking to the New York Post about the future of the show, Tony Khan vowed that despite New Japan’s influence, Forbidden Door will never go overseas.

    “The idea of doing an event over there with AEW stars and New Japan stars is very potentially interesting, but if it happens it won’t be Forbidden Door. Forbidden Door is gonna stay in North America. It wouldn’t make sense with the time zones, the revenue.”

    Khan has vowed that Forbidden Door will become an annual event.

    Exceeding Expectations

    It should come as no surprise that Khan is already making plans for a second Forbidden Door Pay Per View.

    Speaking on the post-Forbidden Door media scrum, Khan said the show was a financial hit, exceeding over $1.1 million in ticket sales.

    Khan also said that surpassing 100,000 Pay Per View buys, which he believes happened, is a success for the show.

  • Kota Ibushi’s Shoulder Injury Is Getting Worse

    Kota Ibushi’s Shoulder Injury Is Getting Worse

    Kota Ibushi is struggling with the rehabilitation of his shoulder injury and may be a long way from returning.

    Ibushi & NJPW

    Ibushi has been out of action since the G1 Climax Finals in the Fall of 2022. In his match against Kazuchika Okada, he suffered a shoulder injury. Kota was announced for the New Japan Cup, but was pulled from the tour.

    In May, Kota took to social media to speak out about his frustrations with NJPW management. This led to NJPW holding a press conference addressing the comments and announcing punishments dealt to Kota and others involved.

    Ibushi Injury Update

    Though it is unknown when Ibushi will make his in-ring return, he did take to social media (translations via @thfeelite) to address his current injury.

    When speaking about his shoulder injury, Kota said, “Sadly, my shoulder [injury] is getting worse. I have done my rehab according to the instructions and guidance [of my doctors and trainers] too. I’m not risking anything this time. 

    Physically, it’s been 8 months and I still can’t do a single push-up, so. I’m making a calm decision. I’ll say it again and again, but I’m not giving up.”

    Ibushi shared that his shoulder won’t move at all, and he “probably overdid it for many years.” Unfortunately, Kota also stated that he was doing better in December than he is now.

    “If I wrestled now, [my shoulder] would dislocate in less than a minute. I’m sorry that it’s gotten worse and made daily life difficult, instead of having rested again for a little under a year. I will do everything I can to take care of my mother,” he added.

    Kota Speaks On NJPW

    Kota also made sure to once again express his issues with NJPW and the promotion’s handling of him. He says that the company announced that he would return on March 1 knowing it would be “impossible” for him to return so soon, labeling the move as a “scam.”

    He also added that he never spoke to President Takami Ohbari. He also said that he thought it was “shady” of NJPW to upload photos of him while things are bad between them.

    You can view the entire translated thread of Ibushi’s posts by clicking here.

  • NJPW Superstar Tetsuya Naito Unhappy He Was Left Off Forbidden Door Card

    NJPW Superstar Tetsuya Naito Unhappy He Was Left Off Forbidden Door Card

    Tetsuya Naito has written a new blog post stating that he is unhappy to have not been included on last Sunday’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view card.

    The NJPW superstar and former multi-time IWGP heavyweight champion has not been involved in any cross-promotional storylines with AEW since the company formed back in 2019. Naito has spoken publicly about potentially working with AEW, but nothing has come to fruition as of late.

    Naito says he has yet to watch any footage of the event, which took place from the United Center in Chicago Illinois. His reason is that since he was not asked to compete he feels frustrated as if both NJPW and AEW thought he was “not needed.”

    “Unfortunately I was not invited to the “AEW x NJPW” show that is being talked about all over the place. Not invited = not needed. Right?”

    The leader of LIJ (Los Ingobernable de Japon) adds that he is genuinely upset about the situation.

    “Because of that frustration, I haven’t watched any footage of this show. I’m genuinely upset about it.”

    It is not known if Naito, who is a fan-favorite in NJPW and loved by American fans, was even available for Forbidden Door. This potentially could be him playing up a future angle for Forbidden Door II, an event that NJPW President Takami Ohbari wants to hold in Japan.

    Naito’s full blog can be found here (membership required).

  • Forbidden Door Early PPV Estimate Revealed

    Forbidden Door Early PPV Estimate Revealed

    An early estimate for the AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door buyrate has been revealed.

    Forbidden Door went down inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois this past Sunday night (June 26). The event featured top AEW and New Japan Pro-Wrestling talent.

    Jon Moxley defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to become the interim AEW World Champion. Jay White successfully retained the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Kazuchika Okada, Hangman Page, and Adam Cole.

    The show was heavily praised for the quality of the matches but how about the PPV buys?

    Forbidden Door Exceeds Expectations

    (via United Center)

    AEW President Tony Khan spoke to media members during the Forbidden Door post-event scrum. He revealed that early numbers indicate that the PPV garnered over 100,000 buys.

    “The show was a big success. We had ticket sales of over $1.1 million. I think it will be within literally thousands, just behind Double or Nothing, but right there, both over $1.1 million live ticket sales. The pay-per-view, I said if we hit 100,000 worldwide buys, I would feel it’s a big success and I feel very comfortable now, based on the early digital numbers, saying we did 100,000 buys and more. I feel great about that,” Khan said.

    It’s quite the victory for AEW and NJPW if the final PPV numbers are indeed over 100,000. There were some on social media skeptical about the success of the PPV going in but early signs indicate the event did quite well.

    Khan has said he hopes there are more Forbidden Door shows in the future. Given the success this event had, it’s hard to imagine AEW and NJPW passing up on another opportunity.

    Quotes via Fightful.

  • Okada Teases We Haven’t Seen The Last of Him in AEW

    Okada Teases We Haven’t Seen The Last of Him in AEW

    Kazuchika Okada walked through the Forbidden Door at Sunday’s historic AEWxNPJPW pay-per-view from Chicago, IL.

    Okada competed in the fatal 4-way match with Jay White’s IWGP World Heavyweight championship on the line.

    Switchblade emerged victorious in a match that saw an abrupt finish due to an injury sustained by Adam Cole.

    AEW President Tony Khan addressed Adam Cole’s condition during the post-PPV media scrum:

    “He’s gonna be okay long term, but probably if he couldn’t continue wrestling it made sense [to end the match]. I think if you can’t keep fighting there’s discretion is a better part of valor. I think long term he’ll be okay.”

    Okada’s Future in AEW

    Okada Forbidden Door
    Kazuchika Okada at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door

    On Monday, Kazuchika Okada addressed his future with All Elite Wrestling.

    The Rainmaker thanked AEW, as well as the city of Chicago. The rowdy crowd nearly lost it at the sight of Okada in an AEW ring and showered him with praise and appreciation.

    Okada wrote, “The door is closed. But I’ll open the door again. See you next time.”

    It remains to be seen when we’ll see the likes of Okada, Tanahashi and White back in AEW. However, all indications are that Forbidden Door was a huge success We already know the event grossed over $1 million in ticket sales and sold over 100,000 PPV buys.

    With so many of AEW’s top stars unable to compete at Forbidden Door, it’s just a matter of time before we Okada and more cross paths with the likes of Kenny Omega, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.

    Original Forbidden Door Plans For Jon Moxley
  • FTR Reacts To Winning The IWGP Tag Team Championships

    FTR Reacts To Winning The IWGP Tag Team Championships

    FTR is having an incredible year and things only got better for them at Forbidden Door. The AEW stars won a three-way match to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions. The duo were interviewed backstage after their big win. They first claimed that they will make the Japanese people fall in love with them, the same way as America.

    FTR then went on to explain that this win makes them one of the greatest tag teams in the history of the business. Now their names should be written beside teams such as The Hart Foundation and The British Bulldogs:

    We’re Gonna Make New Japan Our House

    “We’re coming New Japan. We’re gonna make New Japan our house. We’re gonna make it our house because we are the absolute best tag team on this planet. As we have been here in America, we’re gonna make you Japanese people fall in love with us. You know why? Because we love you. We’re bringing our fighting spirit, FTR’s fighting spirit to Japan.”

    “I think now here in America they could put our names beside the Midnight Express. Now they could put our names beside the Hart Foundation, The Bulldogs, Demolition. The list goes on and on. But now we’re coming to Japan. Now we’re coming to New Japan and we’re bringing these [titles] with us.

    “You can write our names on the same notepad as Muta and Hase. You can write our names on the same Notepad as Bam Bam Bigelow and Vader. You can write our name on the same notepad as the Steiner Brothers. Because right now I’m telling you, none of those three teams can measure up to the greatest tag team of all time – FTR.”

    You can check out their reaction in the video below:

  • NJPW Star Out Of Forbidden Door Due To Fever, Updated Card

    NJPW Star Out Of Forbidden Door Due To Fever, Updated Card

    The curse continues.

    AEW announced this afternoon that top NJPW star and former multi-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion Hiromu Takahashi is dealing with a fever, and will be unable to travel to the United States for tomorrow’s AEW/NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view event.

    This news comes days after fellow NJPW star Tomohiro Ishii had to be pulled due to injury, one of many changes that have occurred since the show was announced, which includes AEW world champion CM Punk missing the show due to a broken foot. Takahashi was set to team with Shingo Takagi, Sting, and Darby Allin an eight-man tag team bout against The Bullet Club (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) and The Young Bucks.

    With the Timebomb out the match will now be a six-man tag. Hikuleo will still accompany his team, but will no longer wrestle.

    Check out an updated look at the Forbidden Door card below.

    • Interim AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
    • IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Adam Cole vs. “Hangman” Adam Page
    • AEW Women’s World Championship: Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Toni Storm
    • AEW All-Atlantic Championship: PAC vs. Miro vs. Clark Connors vs. Malakai Black
    • IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Orange Cassidy
    • ROH & IWGP Tag Team Championship: FTR vs. United Empire vs. Roppongi Vice
    • Zack Sabre Jr. vs Replacement for Bryan Danielson
    • Bullet Club (Young Bucks, El Phantasmo) vs. Sting, Darby Allin, & Shingo Takagi
    • Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Minoru Suzuki v. Eddie Kingston, Wheeler Yuta, Shota Umino
    • Gunn Club & Max Caster vs. NJPW Dojo (Buy-In Show)
    • Aaron Solo & QT Marshall vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (Buy-In-Show)
    • Keith Lee & “Swerve” Strickland vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado (Buy-In-Show)
  • AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door Predictions

    AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door Predictions

    This Sunday, All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling join forces to present the historic AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view.

    Many of the top stars from AEW and NJPW are currently out of action due to injuries, but that hasn’t stopped the companies for putting together a card featuring surreal match-ups that fans never thought they’d see.

    SEScoops correspondents Andrew Ravens, Joey G and I got together and run down the card for AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door.

    Here are our official Forbidden Door predictions:

    The Buy-In: Max Caster & Gunn Club vs. LA Dojo (Yuya Uemura, Alex Coughlin, Kevin Knight & The DKC)

    Joey G: Max Caster will cut an epic rap, then get the absolute piss kicked out of him by the LA Dojo boys. (Prediction: LA Dojo)

    Andrew Ravens: The match is fine and will be a fun match. I don’t see why the NJPW guys would go over and AEW needs to do a better job protecting The Acclaimed as they’re clearly over with the fans. (Prediction: Max Caster & Gunn Club)

    Michael Reichlin: I’m a big fan of Max Caster whole act and the Gunn Club is good in the ring, but I see LA Dojo getting a win for ‘Team NJPW’ – although there has been no mention of formally keeping score of wins for AEW or New Japan. (Prediction: LA Dojo)

    Consensus: LA Dojo

    Zack Sabre Jr. vs. TBA

    Joey G: This will be hard to pick. I presume Danielson would have defeated ZSJ, but since that match hasn’t happened yet it feels like the Brit has to win to eventually build to that. Although, why would a mystery man be brought in just to lose? Too many questions, so instead of a winner I’ll pick who I think the surprise is. Many will guess Claudio (Cesaro), ROH champion Jonathan Gresham, or Johnny Gargano. But me? I think it’s time for a hero. (Prediction: Chris Hero)

    Michael Reichlin: It’s unfortunate that Bryan Danielson is out of this one due to injury, but he’s promised a replacement that fans will be excited about. The replacement will be the newest member of the Blackpool Combat Club and will also take Bryan’s spot in Blood and Guts on Wednesday. Who else could it be, but Cesaro? These two will put on a technical classic that will showcase what sets AEW and NJPW apart from the rest. Cesaro (well, Claudio Castignoli) returns and begins the best run of his career. (Prediction: Cesaro)

    Andrew Ravens: The mystery opponent has to be Cesaro. He goes back with Bryan Danielson and would fit well in the group. He’s also someone that the fans will be behind in this role and would be a welcome addition to the AEW roster. It would be odd for AEW to beat this mystery person on their first night with the promotion so I’ll side with the mystery opponent who I think is Cesaro. (Prediction: Cesaro)

    Consensus: Cesaro

    Fatal Four-Way to Crown the First AEW All-Atlantic Champion: Pac vs. Miro vs. Malakai Black vs. Clark Conners

    Andrew Ravens: It comes down to one man and one man only for me and that’s Miro. He’s been away for a while and has been booked strongly since coming back. Sure, you can make the case for the other guys, but it’s pretty obvious who should win the title here. (Prediction: Miro)

    Joey G: All options are good options in what is sure to be an underrated gem. Ishii going out means the young Clark Conners gets a chance to prove himself on a big stage, and PAC, Miro, and Malakai have all gotten very over to the AEW faithful. Miro feels like he’s ready for to enter the world title scene, and while PAC would be great holding gold, Malakai could kickstart a dominant run for the House of Black by capturing gold here. I’m going Malakai. (Prediction: Malakai Black)

    Michael Reichlin: I won’t get into the debate surrounding AEW adding another mid-card championship belt, or the specifics of what makes an “All-Atlantic” champion. I do like the idea of stars like Pac, Miro and Black having a reason to face each other and this match is over-stuffed with talent. I’m a huge Miro guy and he had a memorable run as TNT Champion. Between these four, I see Miro as the best choice to be champion. (Prediction: Miro)

    Consensus: Miro

    Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara & Minoru Suzuki vs. Eddie Kingston, Wheeler Yuta & Shota Umino

    Joey G: This will most definitely be a lot of fun, but the heels seem destined to take this one. Kingston seeing blood will distract him from going for the win, and while Yuta and Umino are great, Suzuki is evil and Jericho and Guevara are as thick as thieves. Jericho and company get the W here. (Prediction: Jericho, Guevara & Suzuki)

    Andrew Ravens: This could be a toss-up as it’s just a match on the card with some history. Jericho has been getting the upper hand a lot on Kingston so I will side with the babyfaces here and Suzuki taking the pinfall loss. (Prediction: Jericho, Guevara & Suzuki)

    Michael Reichlin: This could easily be one of the most enjoyable matches of the night. I expect a bunch of crazy spots, including Sammy or Yuta jumping off something high. Kingston always delivers, Jericho adds star power and Suzuki will get violent. (Prediction: Jericho, Guevara and Suzuki)

    Consensus: Jericho, Guevara & Suzuki

    IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay vs. Orange Cassidy

    Michael Reichlin: Cassidy can go, so don’t write this off as just a comedy match. Ospreay is one of my favorites and I still can’t believe he’s been gracing an AEW ring. I hope we get to see more from him over the next few months, if they could negotiate him doing a tour in the US. The crowd will each this one up and Ospreay will have another showcase performance. (Prediction: Will Ospreay)

    Andrew Ravens: It doesn’t make much sense for Cassidy, a comedy guy, to win an NJPW title and then defend it in Japan where they book strong-style wrestling. This could be one of the better matches on the card as Ospreay will be able to tell a great story around Cassidy’s gimmick. (Prediction: Will Ospreay)

    Joey G: A match that will exceed all expectations both due to Ospreay’s incredible in-ring agility and Cassidy’s even better character work and sloth-style. However, as much as OC is loved he’s gonna get destroyed by the Aerial Assassin’s Hidden Blade. (Prediction: Will Ospreay)

    Consensus: Will Ospreay

    AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa vs. Toni Storm

    Joey G: Rosa and Storm on paper are perfect opponents for one another, so the real hope is that the match is as great as the talent in the ring. Only bad thing about this is that Rosa is still early on in her reign so the outcome is all but determined. (Prediction: Thunder Rosa)

    Andrew Ravens: AEW has built up Storm very well in this role and it’s been a fun feud to follow along with. Thunder is still way too early in her title reign to lose the title here and I think that may hurt the crowd reactions to the match. (Prediction: Thunder Rosa)

    Michael Reichlin: If you remember what I wrote about Thunder Rosa before Double or Nothing, my opinion hasn’t changed much for this latest match. Her title reign is underwhelming and she hasn’t risen to the occasion as someone who can carry the division, but they haven’t built up her challenger enough to warrant a title change yet. (Prediction: Thunder Rosa)

    Consensus: Thunder Rosa

    Winner Takes All: ROH World Tag Team Champions FTR vs. IWGP World Tag Team Champions United Empire (Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan) vs. Roppongi Vice

    Joey G: This feud has seemed weird from the start, but that won’t stop me from enjoying three very different tag teams tying it up in what should be another fun contest. The most exciting path is that of FTR, because if they grab all the gold that sets up a potential rubber match with the Young Bucks as the main event of ALL OUT 2022 for everything, including the AEW belts. That’s too good of a story to pass up on. (Prediction: FTR)

    Michael Reichlin: FTR are the top tag team in the world, but I don’t see them putting another pair of belts on them. That gets complicated, as we saw with Belt Collector Kenny Omega. Cobb and O-Khan retain by pinning one of the members of Roppongi Vice. (Prediction: United Empire)

    Andrew Ravens: I believe AEW is heading towards a Young Bucks vs. FTR feud eventually whether that be as early as All Out or at a later date so I do expect them to lose the titles here. It’s a toss-up as to who will win the match, but I’ll side with Jeff Cobb and Great-O’Khan going over as they can always lose the ROH titles whenever needed. (Prediction: United Empire)

    Consensus: United Empire

    IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Hangman Page vs. Adam Cole

    Michael Reichlin: Okada is finally wrestling in an AEW ring and that’s just crazy to me. The dream matches that are now possible should make for some special events in the year ahead. As for the match at hand, I don’t see an AEW wrestler winning the IWGP championship and then going to Japan to defend it regularly. Between White and Okada, I think White retains and these two continue their feud. (Prediction: Jay White)

    Joey G: Tony Khan said on the Forbidden Door media call that Okada wasn’t available for AEW television until this past week, so the build of this match was very scattered. That aside, all four competitors are very unique and VERY OVER, so this contest is sure to be red-hot. However, we know whose era this is. (Prediction: Jay White)

    Andrew Ravens: White just won the title and it doesn’t make much sense to have AEW talent go over to defend a title in Japan. I see White retaining here and beating either Page or Cole so that still sets up a future White vs. Okada match. (Prediction: Jay White)

    Consensus: Jay White

    Bullet Club (Young Bucks, El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) vs. Dudes with Attitudes (Sting, Darby Allin, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi)

    Joey G: This might be the match I’m most excited for even though it was only announced last week. If you’ve never seen Hiromu Takahashi in action you are in for a treat. My main prediction? Sting will jump off of the top of the United Center. (Prediction: Dudes With Attitudes)

    Andrew Ravens: I see this as being a pick-em type of match as either team could go over. I side with Dudes with Attitudes just because some NJPW need to go over on this show and with Allin and Sting being on the team, it makes even more sense. (Prediction: Dudes with Attitudes)

    Michael Reichlin: This is another match that seems thrown together but will probably rule. With the grab-bag of competitors involved, how could it not? The Bucks are the AEW World tag team champions, but Sting and Darby are a special act that knows how to get the job done. (Prediction: Dudes with Attitudes)

    Interim AEW World Championship Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jon Moxley

    Andrew Ravens: Moxley wins it here. I would be shocked to see Tanashi pick up the win. AEW doesn’t have short-term champions so it wouldn’t make sense for an interim champion to have a short reign as the purpose is to fill the role until the actual champion comes back and then the two champions fight. (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    Michael Reichlin: This might be a surprising pick, but I’m giving this one to Tanahashi. This is a dream match with two of the top pro wrestlers in the world, no question. At the end of the day, I think this comes down to politics. More specifically, I could see Tony Khan putting the Interim AEW World title on Tanahashi, as a gesture of good faith towards New Japan, setting up the eventual Tanahashi vs. CM Punk unification match. Maybe we do see Moxley vs. Punk in a few months, but I don’t see AEW pulling the trigger on that match just yet. (Prediction: Hiroshi Tanahashi)

    Joey G: While not the original main event for this first ever dream card, no star has carried the spirit of AEW like Moxley has, and him getting the opportunity to go up against one of the greatest of all-time in Tanahashi has made this substitute feel like a big deal. Moxley gets the win and gets to actually defend the company’s top belt in front of fans, something he was denied during his first reign. (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    Consensus: Jon Moxley

    There you have it, our AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door predictions. Check back after the event for our Results and news coming out of the show.

  • Major Star Off AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door Show

    Major Star Off AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door Show

    One big star has now been removed from the upcoming AEW-NJPW crossover event, Forbidden Door.

    The wrestling industry has been hit with a wave of injuries as of late. For AEW, the current string of injuries is at an all-time high. In this case, however, it was actually an NJPW star who has gone down with an injury.

    As a result, this performer has been removed from a big title match.

    Tomohiro Ishii Out of Forbidden Door

    Tomohiro Ishii NJPW Resurgence
    (via NJPW)

    NJPW and AEW have announced that Tomohiro Ishii has suffered a left knee injury. As a result, he will no longer be able to compete in the four-way match with Miro, Malakai Black, and PAC for the AEW All-Atlantic Championship.

    Ishii has been replaced by Clark Connors.

    Forbidden Door will be held inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois this Sunday night (June 26). It’ll feature an interim AEW World Title match between Jon Moxley and Hiroshi Tanahashi.

    The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will also be on the line. Titleholder Jay White will look for a successful defense against Kazuchika Okada, Hangman Page, and Adam Cole.

    Keep it locked on SEScoops as we’ll provide live coverage of Forbidden Door this weekend. We’ll keep you up to speed with results and video highlights throughout the event.

  • Top Free Agent Will be in Chicago this Sunday

    Top Free Agent Will be in Chicago this Sunday

    AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door is happening this Sunday, but the show will have to go on ahead without some major names.

    AEW World Champion CM Punk, Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson are all off the show due to a series of injuries that have derailed some of Tony Khan’s plans.

    In the case of Danielson, there will be a replacement for his match against Zack Sabre Jr., though AEW has yet to reveal who that will be.

    Gargano in Chicago

    One name that fans would love to see replace Danielson is Johnny Gargano, who will be in the area this weekend.

    On Twitter, the former NXT Champion announced earlier today that he will be attending The Chicago Card Show in the Windy City this Sunday, the same city where Forbidden Door will take place.

    Unsurprisingly, this got fans speculating that he will be the one to face Sabre Jr. though Gargano tried to dispel these ideas.

    In a follow-up tweet, he said that the timings were “ridiculously coincidental” and that he’ll only be in Chicago for eight hours.

    Gargano did admit that he estimates five percent of people will believe that he isn’t showing up at Forbidden Door, and joked that this is what he wants people to believe.

    Other Options

    Gargano may (or may not) be appearing this Sunday, but there is one other option fans are considering.

    Claudio Castignoli, aka Cesaro, hasn’t wrestled since his departure from WWE earlier this year and doesn’t have a non-compete clause to his name.

    Some have speculated that given William Regal’s connection to the Blackpool Combat Club, that Cesaro (Regal’s final opponent) will be the one who answers the call.

    Johnny Gargano Reveals Original Creative Plans for The Way in WWE NXT
  • AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door 2022 Final Match Card

    AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door 2022 Final Match Card

    This Sunday, All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling will team to put on Forbidden Door 2022 at the United Center, in Chicago, Illinois.

    The event will be the first crossover show of this magnitude for both promotions, and Tony Khan has said he has plans for future Forbidden Door shows.

    Final Match Card

    With this week’s AEW Dynamite and Rampage being taped, here is the final match card for the highly-anticipated show.

    • Interim AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
    • IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Adam Cole vs. “Hangman” Adam Page
    • AEW Women’s World Championship: Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Toni Storm
    • AEW All-Atlantic Championship: PAC vs. Miro vs. Tomohiro Ishii vs. Malakai Black
    • IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Orange Cassidy
    • ROH & IWGP Tag Team Championship: FTR vs. United Empire vs. Roppongi Vice
    • Zack Sabre Jr. vs Replacement for Bryan Danielson
    • Bullet Club (Young Bucks, El Phantasmo, Hikuleo) vs. Dudes with Attitudes (Sting, Darby Allin, Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi)
    • Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Minoru Suzuki v. Eddie Kingston, Wheeler Yuta, Shota Umino
    • Gunn Club & Max Caster vs. NJPW Dojo (Buy-In Show)

    Notable Absences

    While Forbidden Door will be a stacked show, featuring major stars from both promotions it will go ahead without some top names.

    AEW World Champion CM Punk is out of action, with no timeline for when he will be back, and Bryan Danielson confirmed on this week’s Dynamite that he is not medically cleared to compete.

    Kenny Omega is still recovering from multiple injuries, that have kept him out since November 2021.

  • Juice Robinson Stripped Of IWGP US Championship

    Juice Robinson Stripped Of IWGP US Championship

    New Japan Pro Wrestling has confirmed that Juice Robinson has been stripped of the IWGP United States Championship ahead of Sunday’s Dominion PPV.

    The now-former champion was first pulled from Best of Super Junior Finals at the Nippon Budokan last week because of appendicitis. He was supposed to take on Tomoaki Honma at the show.

    The Japanese wrestling promotion then announced late Friday that the Bullet Club member is being stripped of the US title because of his inability to compete:

    Robinson was scheduled to defend the championship against Will Ospreay and SANADA in a triple threat match at the Dominion PPV.

    NJPW has confirmed that the PPV will now see Orpreay and SANADA going up against each other for the vacant title instead.

    Juice Robinson had only returned to NJPW during Wrestling Dontaku on May 1. He won the US championship a couple weeks later in a four-way match at Capital Collision. The match saw him defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi, Will Ospreay, and Jon Moxley.

    The video released by NJPW indicates that the American pro wrestler will require surgery. There is no word on how long he is expected to stay out of action. We will keep you posted on his condition.

  • Don’t Expect to see Forbidden Door Title Match Teased on AEW Dynamite

    Don’t Expect to see Forbidden Door Title Match Teased on AEW Dynamite

    ‘Hangman’ Adam Page isn’t expected to face Kazuchika Okada in singles action at the upcoming Forbidden Door event, despite calling him out on this week’s AEW Dynamite.

    On last night’s show, Page defeated New Japan’s David Finlay and in a post-match segment, said he does not expect to get an AEW World Championship rematch anytime soon.

    Instead of challenging for AEW’s top prize, Page challenged Okada, the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, to a title match at Forbidden Door.

    On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that there are no plans for a singles match between Page and Okada at the crossover event on June 26.

    While Meltzer had previously reported that this match was on the card, he later corrected himself, stating that the actual match card is being kept top secret.

    It is believed that Meltzer was deliberately given a faked line-up for the Chicago-based event.

    AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door: What do we know?

    AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door won’t see Page and Okada face off in singles action, but the card is coming together for the show.

    As confirmed on last night’s Dynamite, the first AEW All-Atlantic Champion will be crowned at the show, with a tournament already underway.

    Last night’s show saw PAC defeat Buddy Matthews to advance to the semi-finals.

    Forbidden Door will also see the crowning of an interim AEW World Champion while CM Punk recovers from his recent surgery.

    Last night’s show saw Jon Moxley defeat Kyle O’Reilly, who had won a battle royal earlier in the night, to qualify for the title match.

    Moxley will face either Hiroshi Tanahashi or Hirooki Goto at Forbidden Door, with his opponent to be determined at NJPW’s Dominion event.

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi Pitches NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Match With CM Punk

    Hiroshi Tanahashi Pitches NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Match With CM Punk

    Hiroshi Tanahashi wants to give fans the match they were expecting to see at the AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view event where he was supposed to wrestle AEW World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk. 

    Last week on Dynamite, the match was revealed for this upcoming show, but was nixed once Punk revealed he had an injury that will result in him getting surgery. Punk will not be able to compete at Forbidden Door. 

    While speaking to Tokyo Sports (translation via golden_kuma), Tanahashi threw out the idea of Punk competing at Wrestle Kingdom in January against him. 

    “1.4 Wrestle Kingdom. Punk owes me one. I’d like to invite him to Japan. I’ve been to the US a lot, so come here with a special price. Tokyo Dome is a prestigious stage,” he said.

    Tanahashi also talked about the decision that Punk would not give up the title, but instead, an interim AEW World Title will be made while he’s out of action, which will be decided at Forbidden Door with a tournament. 

    “I think it’s overprotective,” Tanahashi said of Punk not relinquishing the title. “If it were in Japan, you would give up the belt normally. Or maybe he will come back in a short period of time.”

    Tanahashi has a chance to compete in the tournament as he will wrestle  Hirooki Goto at NJPW Dominion. The winner of that bout will advance to the finals at Forbidden Door to meet Jon Moxley or the winner of a battle royal.

  • NJPW Announces Kota Ibushi’s Punishment

    NJPW Announces Kota Ibushi’s Punishment

    Kota Ibushi remains with New Japan Pro Wrestling and has not been fired, but he is being punished for being vocal about his issues with the promotion of late via social media.  

    Ibushi has stated that was going to expose the “cheaters-gun and sexually harassing bosses.” He also shared conversations between himself and New Japan higher up Yusuke Kikuchi.

    One included a conversation with Kikuchi about him returning from a shoulder injury he suffered in the G1 Climax Final last August. Ibushi called the company out for abusing its power because they wanted him to return before he felt ready.  He also shared that Kikuchi chewed him out for making an appearance at a Just Tap Out event where Kikuchi indicated that NJPW could potentially release Ibushi because his appearance was a breach of his exclusive contract.

    He wants his release from the company and he doesn’t feel he can go back following his recent comments.

    NJPW Reveals Ibushi’s Punishment

    NJPW sent out the following statement on Sunday night: 

    “During a press conference on May 27 2022 regarding events concerning Kota Ibushi and a member of NJPW staff (henceforth “The Official”), it was announced that both Mr. Ibushi and The Official would be subject to penalties as a result of their actions. Upon consideration, these penalties have been determined, and in the interest of transparency, are outlined below. 

     KOTA IBUSHI: A ten percent (10%) reduction in pay for the three month period between July and September 2022 as a result of a breach of contract.

    Representative Director TAKAMI OHBARI: A ten percent (10%) reduction in pay for the three month period between July and September 2022 as a result of executive responsibility.

    THE OFFICIAL: A ten percent (10%) reduction in pay for the three month period between July and September 2022, as well as a transfer to a different position as a result of inappropriate comments toward a wrestler representing a breach of duty.

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling would like to once again apologise for the concern and inconvenience caused by these events, and humbly ask for your continued support.”

  • Juice Robinson Not Expected To Work NJPW Dominion, Ace Austin Responds

    Juice Robinson Not Expected To Work NJPW Dominion, Ace Austin Responds

    Juice Robinson is not expected to work the June 10th NJPW Dominion pay-per-view.

    The NJPW superstar and current IWGP U.S. Champion was unable to compete at Friday’s Best of the Super Junior finals due to a battle with appendicitis. Despite being was announced for Dominion a new report has surfaced revealing that the new Bullet Club member will be unable to compete at the show, where he was set to defend the title in a triple threat against Will Ospreay and SANADA.

    According to Wrestling Inc., Juice is not expected to be recovered from his appendicitis, and his match will no longer be on the card. New Japan has yet to officially confirm this news, but it apears to be accurate as IMPACT star and current reigning X-Division champion Ace Austin, who just competed for NJPW in the BOSJ tournament, tweeted out that they should replace the U.S. title match with an X-Division title match.

    Austin, who also just joined Bullet Club, writes, “If Juice can’t defend at Dominion maybe there should be an X Division title match instead I’m willing to defend my title & my spot in Ultimate X at #Slammiversary.”

    We’ll keep you updated on Juice’s condition. See Austin’s tweet below.

  • Juice Robinson Struck With Appendicitis, Misses Today’s NJPW Event

    Juice Robinson Struck With Appendicitis, Misses Today’s NJPW Event

    Juice Robinson is battling appendicits.

    The NJPW star and current IWGP United States champion missed today’s BOSJ (Best of the Super Juniors) finals from Nippon Budokan due to his condition, where he was scheduled to face Tomoaki Honma. The promotion made an official announcement on their website, which revealed that Robinson would be replaced by Ryohei Oiwa.

    “Juice Robinson, who was scheduled to face Tomoaki Honma in a singles match at tonight’s Best of the Super Jr. final in the Nippon Budokan, has been struck with appendicitis, and will be unable to appear as planned. We deeply apologise to fans looking forward to seeing Juice wrestle, and appreciate your understanding.”

    The appendicitis diagnosis derails some heavy momentum made by Robinson, who earlier this year had told the pro-wrestling media that he was not planning to renew his NJPW contract, only to later join the company’s top faction, The Bullet Club.

    At NJPW STRONG’s Captial Collision event in Washington D.C. Robinson won a fatal-four way bout featuring himself, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Will Ospreay, and top AEW talent Jon Moxley, to become IWGP U.S. champion for the third-time in his career, which ties a record for reigns.

    As of now NJPW has not provided any timetable for Robinson, but appendicitis typically takes up to four weeks to recover from, not including surgery. We’ll keep you updated on his condition as more details emerge.

  • Rumor Killer on AEW X NJPW Title Match

    Rumor Killer on AEW X NJPW Title Match

    UPDATE: Dave Meltzer has retracted his claim that Kazuchika Okada vs. Hangman Page is being planned for Forbidden Door

    ORIGINAL:

    A big-time championship match for the AEW-NJPW crossover show may have been revealed.

    Forbidden Door will be taking place on June 26. The special PPV event will see the biggest stars from AEW and NJPW collide. The action will be held inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

    AEW has already teased Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan of NJPW faction United Empire having a presence at Forbidden Door. The two interrupted an ROH Tag Team Title match between champions FTR and Roppongi Vice.

    On the June 1 edition of Dynamite, the seeds were planted for an AEW World Title match between champion CM Punk and NJPW legend Hiroshi Tanahashi.

    One major title match that hasn’t been hinted at on AEW TV may have been leaked.

    Kazuchika Okada vs. Hangman Page?

    Kazuchika Okada Hangman Page
    (via NJPW)

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio has reported that an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match between titleholder Kazuchika Okada and Hangman Page is internally listed for Forbidden Door.

    The other match listed was indeed CM Punk vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the AEW World Championship.

    There is a bit of history between Okada and Hangman. The two competed in NJPW’s G1 Climax back in 2018. Okada picked up the win.

  • Update on Will Ospreay’s Health

    Update on Will Ospreay’s Health

    There is some good news regarding the health of NJPW star Will Ospreay.

    The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion has been out of action as of late due to a nasty kidney infection. He was said to be in horrible shape just one week ago but things are going much better now.

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer reports that Will Ospreay has been released from the hospital and is doing considerably better.

    Numerous big names in the wrestling industry sent their well wishes to Ospreay. Even Minoru Suzuki sent Ospreay a “take care” message, followed by a “f*ck you,” naturally.

    There’s no word on when Ospreay will be back in action at this time.

    Will Ospreay On Who He Would Like To Face At Forbidden Door
  • NJPW’s Kazuchika Okada is Going to Become a Father

    NJPW’s Kazuchika Okada is Going to Become a Father

    Reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada is soon to be adding a new accolade to his name as he is set to become a father later this year.

    It was confirmed by Yahoo Sports Japan that Okada and his wife, voice actress Suzuko Mimori, are expecting their first child this August.

    Speaking earlier this year, Okada was asked about possibly becoming a parent and said he would not stop his child from wanting to be a wrestler.

    “I can’t say anything because it’s a little ahead of the story …” I was allowed to do what I wanted to do, so I don’t think I can say “Pro-wrestling? No.”

    Okada on whether he’d allow his child to be a professional wrestler.

    Okada captured the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in January 2022 at Wrestle Kingdom 16 (Night One), defeating Shingo Takagi.

    On the show’s second night, he retained the title against the returning Will O’Spreay, who had vacated the gold in May 2021 due to a neck injury.

    Okada is also a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and holds the record for the longest reign (his fourth) at 720 days, as well as the record for the most title defenses at 12.

    Mimori has worked as a voice actor since 2010 and has worked with several popular franchises including Digimon, Tokyo Ghoul, and Fairy Tail.

    We here at SEScoops would live to wish Okada and Mimori our congratulations on their joyous news.

    Thanks to Yahoo Sports Japan for the transcription.

  • Bryan Danielson Eyeing Dream Matches For Forbidden Door PPV

    Bryan Danielson Eyeing Dream Matches For Forbidden Door PPV

    One of the most anticipated wrestling shows happening this summer will be the June 26th Forbidden Door pay-per-view, which will pit top superstars from AEW against top superstars from NJPW in a number of dream matches that is sure to excite both fanbases.

    Bryan Danielson told Sports Illustrated that he is ecstatic about the marquee event, as getting to face some of Japan’s greatest professional wrestlers has been on his bucket list since his WWE days. When the American Dragon was asked about who he specifically hopes to face at Forbidden Door, he revealed the following:

    “There are a ton of guys I’d like to wrestle. You mentioned Okada, and that’s a match I really want. I would love to wrestle Okada. But in the back of my mind, I’m thinking about Zack Sabre Jr. and wrestling him to see who is the best technical wrestler in the world. We have two very different styles of technical wrestling.”

    Danielson and ZSJ have crossed-paths before back in 2008, an encounter he remembers very well.

    “We wrestled in 2008, and he was just a kid, but I was super impressed with him then. He’s grown into this amazing wrestler, and I don’t ever recall seeing anyone wrestle with his technique.”

    The Blackpool Combat Club member wouldn’t stop there. He would go on to name Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi, KENTA, Katsuyori Shibata, and the great Hiroshi Tanahashi as potential opponents, but ends by saying that he will take on whoever AEW President Tony Khan books him to face.

    “I’m open to whoever Tony [Khan] and New Japan want me to go up against.”

    Danielson will team with Eddie Kingston, Jon Moxley, Santana, and Ortiz to battle Chris Jericho and the rest of the Jericho Appreciation Society at this weekend’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view in Las Vegas.

    Who do you guys want to see Danielson face at Forbidden Door?

  • NJPW and Bushiroad President Address Kota Ibushi Allegations

    NJPW and Bushiroad President Address Kota Ibushi Allegations

    New Japan Pro Wrestling President Takami Ohbari and Bushiroad Founder and President Takaaki Kidani held a press conference earlier this morning to address the ongoing situation with former world champion Kota Ibushi, and his status with the company.

    Earlier this month Ibushi shared a text conversation between himself and NJPW official Yusuki Kikuchi on Twitter, which showed Kikuchi chewing Ibushi out for making an appearance at a Just Tap Out event in March. In the thread Kikuchi also indicated that NJPW could potentially release Ibushi, as his appearance at the event was a breach of his exclusive contract.

    Furthermore…Ibushi exposed some details regarding how NJPW handled his shoulder injury, and called the company out for other abuses of power. The situation became bad enough that Ibushi also revealed that his mother tried to take her own life due to the stress.

    Ohbari began the press conference by going through the events as they happened, and the private conversation he had with Ibushi after he made his Just Tap Out appearance. Obhari states that he did reprimand Ibushi for breaching his contract, but that they were able to hash things out. To summarize…neither Ibushi, nor Kikuchi, are expected to be released from NJPW.

    “Today, on behalf of New Japan Pro-Wrestling I would like to address recent claims made by Kota Ibushi.

    Starting May 10, Kota Ibushi began releasing statements critical of certain members of NJPW staff on Twitter. Firstly I would like to deeply apologise for the concern these comments caused amongst fans and personnel.

    The statements posted on Twitter included screenshots of a text conversation with a member of staff (henceforth “Official”) that included a threat that Ibushi’s contract would be terminated. On investigation, we ascertained from the individual concerned that these screenshots were indeed genuine. I would now like to take a moment to explain the series of events that led up to the aforementioned posts to the extent of our current understanding.

    Kota Ibushi is a wrestler exclusively contracted to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. As such, it is understood that in order to devote full attention to NJPW matches and associated events, he is required to inform, and receive express permission from NJPW before outside appearances.

    On March 4, in breach of the terms of his contract, Mr. Ibushi made an appearance seconding wrestlers at a Just Tap Out event. The aforementioned Official is responsible for contacting various wrestlers contracted to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but also has a long personal history with Mr. Ibushi that extends far before him becoming an exclusively contracted talent.

    The Official contacted Mr. Ibushi in the belief that Mr, Ibushi’s actions in breach of his contract were taken deliberately to persuade NJPW to terminate its agreement with him. Perceiving this as a betrayal of personal trust established over a number of years, his messages were sent in an emotional state as a result.

    When I myself learned of Mr. Ibushi’s appearance in a different promotion, I requested a full status report from the Official. Therefore it is possible that the official’s contact with Mr. Ibushi also involved a desire to find out the exact particulars of the situation to relay to myself. In relaying this report, the Official told me that he thought Mr. Ibushi wanted to leave NJPW.

    Not wanting to lose the services of Kota Ibushi in such a manner, and wanting to find out his true mental state and opinions on this matter, I arranged a meeting with Mr. Ibushi at his personal training facility on March 31.

    In my brief meeting with Mr. Ibushi, we chatted while we conducted some light exercise. As we moved on the mat, and participated in some jump training, I was amazed at his super human physical abilities, yet Ibushi confided that he found recovery from his 2021 shoulder injury was taking longer than he had expected, and that his range of motion was far from ideal.

    After our conversation, Mr. Ibushi took me by car to a restaurant where we continued our conversation. Our conversation was amicable, and Mr. Ibushi explained to me that he had been invited to Just Tap Out by its manager TAKA Michinoku. He also explained that while he was in the dressing rooms, he made an impulsive decision on his own accord to head to ringside and second the wrestlers.

    After receiving Mr. Ibushi’s explanation, I reprimanded him, reminding him that this was a breach of his contract with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, as well as a breach of licensing agreements we hold with other companies. Mr. Ibushi sincerely apologised for his actions. Mr. Ibushi’s penalty for his breach was limited to a reprimand as, on hearing with Mr. Ibushi, it was clear there was no intention to breach the terms of his contract, nor did he believe a breach had taken place because he had not participated in a match.

    At the point of our meeting, I did not know the exact wording or particulars of Mr. Ibushi’s text conversation with the Official and as a result, did not offer a proper apology for the content of the conversation.

    Several weeks later, on May 10, screenshots of the conversation on the LINE service were made public. I have since learned that those tweets were made when Mr. Ibushi was acting in a state of concern for his mother. Mr. Ibushi told me that this situation triggered his mother’s mental distress, leading to a suicide attempt at the start of May in which she suffered a broken bone in her back.

    After the first series of Mr. Ibushi’s tweets were posted, a meeting was held on May 10 including our company’s legal staff in order to understand the particulars of the situation, and to determine the best possible course of action for both New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Mr. Ibushi. We determined that said best course of action would be to directly meet with Mr. Ibushi, to formally apologise and hear one another’s opinions before making a public announcement should one be deemed necessary.

    As a result, there has been no formal announcement from the company on this matter until this time. However yesterday, myself and the company owner Mr. Takaaki Kidani were able to meet with Mr. Ibushi, and discuss this statement to you here as well as our opinions on the matter. Before proceeding I would like once again to sincerely apologise to fans for the concern caused by this series of events.

    I would now like to relay the company’s stance on this situation.

    Mr. Ibushi’s actions in attending an outside event without proper procedure, as well as publicly disclosing internal affairs were actions in breach of his contract, and after consideration of the particulars I previously mentioned, an appropriate penalty for Mr. Ibushi will be determined.

    However, the words of the Official in his text conversation were inexcusable, especially in their direction to a wrestler who risks his life in order to fulfil his role as a professional. It is this mindset that directly led to Mr. Ibushi posting his critical tweets about the company. For the thoughtless content of these messages, we fully and unreservedly apologise to Mr. Ibushi.

    Despite the Official’s lengthy relationship with Mr. Ibushi, the lack of consideration shown to him and by extension our wrestlers at large should also be met with an appropriate penalty.”

    Takaaki Kidani would speak next, apologizing to fans for the way NJPW came off in the allegations, and expressing how important it was that Ibushi, and his mother, were taken care of in the situation.

    “First let me express my sincerest personal gratitude to Kota Ibushi for his contributions to New Japan Pro-Wrestling and his thrilling matches in the ring. It is my sincerest hope that he continues to be connected to NJPW moving forward. However, his utmost priority at this time must be to the care of his mother, as well as full recovery from his injury. It should go without saying that he will remain under contract for as long as that process takes.

    Mr. Ibushi receives so much support from fans all over the world. While it might be difficult for him to perform in the ring, I sincerely hope that he can continue to contribute outside of it, at signings, talk shows, or, and this is my personal wish, to assist in operations at STARDOM. I continue to hold Mr. Ibushi in the highest regard, and if he ever again feels he wants to move away from NJPW, I hope we can have a full and frank exchange of ideas.

    It’s my opinion that Kota Ibushi’s contributions to his company and the world of professional wrestling have been innumerable. I join fans in hoping that he continue to shine as only he can, and take any issues he has outside of the ring as a top priority. I hope with this conference today we can put these issues behind us and move forward together.”

    We will keep you updated on Ibushi’s status following this morning’s press conference.

  • Will Ospreay To WWE Stars: ‘You Guys Aren’t Wrestlers’

    Will Ospreay To WWE Stars: ‘You Guys Aren’t Wrestlers’

    Will Ospreay has been making headlines with his comments about WWE recently. He has now called out WWE stars in a manner that is sure to get some attention.

    The former IWGP heavyweight champion recently appeared on Wresthings podcast. He discussed things such as why he has no interest in joining WWE and more.

    Speaking about WWE stars, Ospreay told them that they aren’t wrestlers. Per the high-flying star, it’s not a dig but the reality of the situation:

    “You guys aren’t wrestlers, you’re actors and you just do wrestling and I don’t think that’s a dig. You guys make way more money than me like, good on you, but I just feel like when I say proudly, ‘That’s a wrestler. I am a wrestler, I am not an actor,’

    But I know you guys can wrestle, you’re just not really allowed to show it, I guess.” said Will Ospreay, “But other than you want to make a lot of money and retire, that’s what WWE is kind of for these days.”

    Apart from this, the NJPW star also talked about the upcoming Forbidden Door PPV. He revealed which AEW star he would like to face on the joint show.

    What do you think about Will Ospreay’s comments about WWE stars? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

  • NJPW Tag Team Invades AEW Dynamite (Video)

    NJPW Tag Team Invades AEW Dynamite (Video)

    Former IWGP Tag Team Champions have invaded AEW.

    During the May 25 episode of Dynamite, FTR put the ROH Tag Team Championships up for grabs against Roppongi Vice. The match did not end with a decisive winner.

    That’s because Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan of the United Empire interfered and attacked both teams. The referee waved off the match but NJPW’s fierce tag team wasn’t done.

    Cobb powerbombed Dax Harwood through a table, while Great-O-Khan slammed Trent Beretta through a table with the Iron Claw slam.

    By the end of the chaos, the United Empire members held up the ROH Tag Team Titles.

    This is the first true hint at what could be in store for the AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door PPV set for June 26.

  • Will Ospreay On Who He Would Like To Face At Forbidden Door

    Will Ospreay On Who He Would Like To Face At Forbidden Door

    Will Ospreay is guaranteed to be featured in a big match at the upcoming AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door PPV. If it’s left up to him, he would like to face someone who is an AEW original at the show.

    The former IWGP Heavyweight champion recently spoke to Wresthings podcast. He mentioned how Bryan Danielson and CM Punk are ‘obvious’ opponents for him.

    Though discussing what kind of opponent he would like to face, Ospreay said that he would like to compete against a homegrown AEW star on the show:

    “I would like a challenge and what I mean by that is I would like a homemade guy, like someone that didn’t come from NXT, that didn’t come from New Japan,

    Because I think that’s the challenge.” said Will Ospreay, “Can I do like a sick match with someone that was born and made in AEW? … Jungle Boy, I’d love to tear it up with him.”

    The NJPW star praised AEW for its product saying that it makes him excited to be a wrestling fan. He then reiterated how he would love to face a ‘grassroots’ AEW name at the PPV event.

    AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door will be taking place from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on Sunday, June 26. No matches have been announced for the event yet but fans expect the show to feature some dream encounters.

    Quotes via Wrestlinginc