Ladies and gentlemen, wrestling fans far and wide, prepare yourselves for a clash of titans that promises to be as emotional as it is explosive. As we inch closer to the third annual Forbidden Door pay-per-view, the anticipation for the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament is reaching a fever pitch. One of the marquee matchups features none other than Bryan Danielson squaring off against Shingo Takagi—a collision of AEW and NJPW heavyweights that has everyone talking.
These two warriors have crossed paths once before, way back in 2010 at a Dragon Gate USA event. Back then, the “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson emerged victorious. Fast forward to today, and Takagi has risen to become one of the most formidable forces in Japanese wrestling, even holding the prestigious IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Despite years of mutual respect, recent events have left Danielson less than impressed with Takagi’s actions on AEW television. The tension reached a boiling point when Takagi refused to shake Danielson’s hand on “AEW Rampage” and took things too far with Wheeler Yuta during a trios match on “AEW Dynamite.” The AEW cameras captured the aftermath, revealing a Bryan Danielson who is more than ready for a showdown on June 30.
In an emotional promo, Danielson didn’t hold back: “Shingo, you want to try and take out a guy who just came back from injury, who’s part of the BCC, who I personally took under my wing? He’s like my child, he’s like my son … and you want to try and take him out just to get at me? Guess what, this Bryan Danielson who’s just going out there and happy to just compete and wants to wrestle the best wrestlers, that’s not the guy you’re going to see on Sunday.”
Danielson’s words cut through the air like a hot knife through butter, dripping with frustration and determination. He made it clear that the disrespect and the failures to secure major wins have been festering wounds. “All my frustrations will be taken out on Takagi,” he vowed, signaling that this match is personal and the stakes are higher than ever.
Mark your calendars for June 30. Forbidden Door promises to be a night where the past and present collide, where respect is earned the hard way, and where Bryan Danielson aims to settle the score once and for all.