Major plans for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023

Last year’s Forbidden Door show managed to be one of the best of the entire year, despite some serious injury cursing going on.
Even this year’s event has already been struck with a devastating injury bug, namely for one specific speculated match.
That being said, we have two matches that are set for the show as of this writing, and we honestly don’t need a whole lot else.
But, it’s time to step through the Forbidden Door, and look at more potential matches for both AEW and NJPW’s top stars.
Starting off with a match we know is happening, the biggest match of them all.

BRYAN DANIELSON VS. KAZUCHIKA OKADA
I don’t like to throw around the term ‘dream match’ often. There are a lot of matches between current wrestlers that I would love to see, and think would be awesome, but the ‘dream match’ label seems like a stretch.
Not here. Not here at all. This is a dream match in every sense of the word.
Arguably the two best wrestlers in the world right now, and arguably two of the top five wrestlers of all time, this match is going to be something to behold.
What’s crazy though is that I can’t even outright say it will steal the show, because based on evidence, there is another match set that could do just that.

IWGP UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP – KENNY OMEGA (C) VS. WILL OSPREAY
Arguably a lot of people’s match of the year happened just 4 days into 2023, when Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay tore up the Tokyo Dome at Wrestle Kingdom.
This past weekend, Ospreay defeated Lance Archer to earn a shot at the IWGP United States Championship, setting up a rematch with Omega at Forbidden Door.
It is likely impossible to top their match from Wrestle Kingdom, but if they even come close, we are in for something special.
With those two matches out of the way, its time to look at some other matches that have not yet been set up, but could take place on the show.

AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – MJF (C) VS. HIROSHI TANAHASHI
How do you fantasy book a person who canonically despises New Japan?
Why, against the Ace of course.
We now know that Okada is occupied on the show, so the NEVER Six-Man Tag Team titles aren’t going to be defended, so Tanahashi is also free.
MJF cheating to beat the Ace to prove he’s better than New Japan, and you know it, makes natural sense.

IWGP JR. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – DARBY ALLIN VS. HIROMU TAKAHASHI (C)
Everyone is pitching for this match to open up the show, and I am in 100% agreement.
Hiromu and Darby are two sides of the same crazy coin, and they were actually slated to team up together at last year’s Forbidden Door.
Hiromu retaining the Jr Heavyweight title against Master Wato at Dominion also allows this to be a match for Hiromu’s title, which would make it even more fun and exciting.
It would be a battle to see which man has more disregard for their body.

JAMIE HAYTER VS. MERCEDES MONE
Here’s the match I mentioned earlier that has been terribly stricken by injury.
It seems like neither of these women are going to be healthy in time for the show, which is a major gut punch.
As the only women’s star signed to NJPW, Mercedes was one of the only ways that a Forbidden Door women’s match could have been featured, and it seems that’s not possible anymore.
Of course, there is another way.

IWGP WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP – MAYU IWATANI (C) VS. HIKARU SHIDA
While Mayu Iwatani is signed to Stardom, she currently holds the IWGP Women’s Championship, which is a Bushiroad property.
That can effectively mean Mayu could appear on Forbidden Door as a surrogate of NJPW, which I think would be fun.
As for her opponent, the obvious choice jumping out at me would be Hikaru Shida, a fellow Joshi wrestler, but definitely someone closely affiliated with AEW.
The match would rock and expose the title to a wider audience.

AEW OR IWGP WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – FTR (AEW) VS. BISHAMON (IWGP)
Prior to Mark Davis’ Torn Meniscus injury in early May, it seemed as if AEW and NJPW were gearing up for a match between AEW Tag Champs FTR and former IWGP Tag Champs Aussie Open.
However, following Aussie Open forfeiting both their IWGP and NJPW STRONG Tag Titles, new champions were crowned at NJPW Dominion as Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) became new double champs.
This clearly leaves Bishamon as the most likely candidate to square off with FTR at Forbidden Door II.
A match that would allow FTR some revenge following their defeat to Bishamon at January’s WrestleKingdom 17.

THE ELITE (MATT JACKSON, NICK JACKSON & ADAM PAGE) VS. LOS INGOBERNABLES DE JAPON (TETSUYA NAITO, SHINGO TAKAGI & YOTA TSUJI)
With Kenny Omega set to face off against Will Ospreay, the other three members of the Elite will most certainly need their own Forbidden Door plans.
And right now there are few better trios options on the table in NJPW than Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsugi).
Tsuji in particular has tremendous upside and may in fact eventually lead the faction upon Testuya Naito’s eventual retirement.
Seeing the group work with The Elite at Forbidden Door II would provide an excellent contrast in styles and undoubted excitement.

JON MOXLEY VS. KOTA IBUSHI
While NJPW and Kota Ibushi aren’t on the best terms following his departure in January, there are too many exciting opportunities on the table for some kind of truce not to be agreed.
With the Blackpool Combat Club and The Elite continuing to be at odds Ibushi seems destined to be reunited with Kenny Omega, something Omega alluded to following Double or Nothing.
Omega will be busy with Ospreay, but who’s to say that he couldn’t call on his former Golden Lovers partner to lend a hand and take out the BCC’s Jon Moxley in his stead.
Ibushi and Moxley have never faced off before, making this a dream match on every conceivable level and something that must happen at Forbidden Door II.

CM PUNK VS. KENTA
With CM Punk now officially set to make his AEW return at the debut broadcast of Collision on June 17, the next immediate question will be in regards to a potential match at Forbidden Door II.
While Punk will likely have many suitors from NJPW there are none more blatant than current NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion KENTA.
KENTA has often made his displeasure for Punk known via social media and even responded to the announcement of Punk’s return with a challenge to the former AEW World Champion for June 17.
The match writes itself due to Punk’s past admitted theft of KENTA’s Go To Sleep finisher, so perhaps on June 25 we can get our answer as to who executes the iconic move best.

CM PUNK & FTR VS JAY WHITE, JUICE ROBINSON & EL PHANTASMO
Now, this could easily include Ricky Starks in Punk’s stead given the ongoing rivalry between Bullet Club Gold and Starks and FTR.
However, due to Punk and FTR’s friendship as well as Punk’s reported interest in working with ‘Switchblade’ Jay White, this trios contest would be an easy one to book for Forbidden Door II.
As for why White and Robinson would recruit El Phantasmo, similarly to White, Phantasmo was kicked out of Bullet Club at the hands of current leader David Finlay, so a reunion in AEW makes much more sense than other current members.
With Punk returning just over a week before Forbidden Door II there is little time to build to a proper program, so instead Punk can be eased back in via a tag angle that will also allow him to shake-off his ring rust with reduced pressure.