It looks like NJPW’s IWGP World Heavyweight Title will be defended at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door after all.
Tonight’s AEW Dynamite saw “Hangman” Adam Page defeat NJPW star David Finlay, with Adam Cole on commentary. After the match, Hangman said he had a lot to get off his chest about the AEW World Title situation, and he wasn’t in “the little Battle Royal” held earlier, but he will address it another night.
Page then said he knows there’s not just one World Title in pro wrestling, so at Forbidden Door he wants IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada.
Cole then interrupted from the stage and said it could end up being Jay White who is champion. This was a reference to Okada defending against White at NJPW Dominion on June 12. Cole then taunted Page for losing the AEW World Title to CM Punk at Double Or Nothing, while bragging about how he won The Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament. Cole said no one can stop him, and he should get the shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Title at Forbidden Door because he is the franchise player of AEW, and AEW is all about him.
It was originally reported that AEW had Hangman vs. Okada planned for Forbidden Door on an internal listing, but the source, Dave Meltzer, issued a correction and said the list wasn’t finalized. It looks like they may still do Hangman vs. Okada, or perhaps a Triple Threat with Cole involved.
It’s likely that the IWGP World Heavyweight Title match won’t be confirmed for Forbidden Door until after Dominion on June 12.
For those who missed it, you can click here for details on the new AEW All-Atlantic Title.
The inaugural AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view is scheduled for Sunday, June 26 from the United Center in Chicago, IL. Below is the updated card, along with footage of Cole and Hangman from Dynamite:
Interim AEW World Title Match
Jon Moxley or Kyle O’Reilly vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi or Hirooki Goto
Fatal 4 Way for the Inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Title
PAC vs. Malakai Black or Penta Oscuro vs. Miro or Ethan Page vs. NJPW star TBD
IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match
Adam Cole and/or Adam Page vs. Jay White or Kazuchika Okada (c)
