Hold onto your wrestling boots, folks, because the Forbidden Door between AEW and NJPW has swung open wide, and out comes a surprise that’s as unexpected as a political plot twist!
On a recent episode of “AEW Dynamite,” the wrestling world was rocked when AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks and AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada threw down the gauntlet, challenging The Acclaimed to a trios match at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door event this Sunday. Naturally, The Acclaimed accepted the challenge, but then came the twist—like a sudden change in campaign strategy.
Billy Gunn, the WWE Hall of Famer and The Acclaimed’s mentor, decided to pull a fast one. Instead of teaming with Max Caster and Anthony Bowens, Gunn announced that he’s bringing in the NJPW President and Okada’s long-time rival, Hiroshi Tanahashi, to complete their trio. The announcement was punctuated with a video of Tanahashi hitting his signature High Fly Flow, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The Tanahashi vs. Okada rivalry is the stuff of legend, stretching back to 2012 when Okada first dethroned Tanahashi to become the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Their clashes have headlined numerous Wrestle Kingdom events and IWGP Heavyweight Title matches, defining NJPW’s landscape throughout the 2010s. Tanahashi was also one of Okada’s final opponents during his farewell tour from NJPW earlier this year, with Okada securing a victory over Tanahashi on February 11 in his final NJPW singles match before making the jump to AEW.
This trios match at Forbidden Door is not just a bout; it’s a rekindling of one of wrestling’s greatest rivalries, with a fresh twist that’s sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats.