The Ultimate Collision: Unleashing the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door in 2023

All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling are joining forces once again for the highly anticipated Forbidden Door pay-per-view event, set to take place on June 25, 2023. This year's event will mark the first time that both promotions will be hosting a pay-per-view in Canada, specifically in Toronto, Ontario. Excitingly, the annual tournaments will commence during this event, with the Owen Hart Cup Tournament being the highlight for both the men's and women's divisions. Fans can expect fierce competition as talented wrestlers from both NJPW and AEW go head-to-head over the course of the next few weeks. Additionally, this event will showcase the defending of championships from both promotions and the continuation of intense grudge matches, promising a new chapter of thrilling wrestling action.

Athena v. Billie Starkz

The reigning Ring of Honor Women's World Champion, Athena, is set to go head-to-head against Billie Starkz in the initial round of the Women's Owen Hart Tournament. The victor of this match will advance to the semi-finals, where they will face off against the winner of the Nyla Rose versus Willow Nightingale bout.

CM Punk v. Satoshi Kojima

CM Punk is set to make his return to AEW pay-per-view at Forbidden Door, marking his first appearance since the controversial backstage brawl at last year's All Out. In the opening round of the Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament, Punk will face off against Satoshi Kojima, a two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and seven-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. Prior to his match with Kojima, Punk will also compete on Collision, teaming up with Ricky Starks and the AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR to take on Austin and Colten Gunn, as well as Bullet Club Gold's Jay White and Juice Robinson.

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

The reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Sanada, is set to defend his title against "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry at the upcoming Forbidden Door event. Earlier this year, Sanada emerged victorious over Kazuchika Okada to secure the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and has also held the prestigious IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship in the past. In anticipation of the Forbidden Door, Sanada extended an open challenge to AEW talent, which was promptly accepted by Perry. Additionally, Perry has specifically requested the presence of his tag team partner, HOOK, in his corner for this Sunday's match.

AEW International Championship

At the Forbidden Door event, AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy will be facing tough competition as he defends his title against NJPW World Television Champion Zack Sabre Jr., Ring of Honor Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata, and Daniel Garcia. During a recent episode of Dynamite, Cassidy and Shibata were unfortunately defeated by Sabre Jr. and Garcia, with Cassidy accidentally striking Shibata. While the main focus will be on Cassidy's International Championship, Garcia has his sights set on reclaiming Shibata's Pure Championship and hopes to earn a chance to do so. Additionally, the future of Sabre Jr.'s NJPW World Television Championship is expected to draw attention during this matchup.

JAS and Minoru Suzuki v. Sting, Darby Allin, and ??

Last year, Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, and Minoru Suzuki formed a formidable team at Forbidden Door, showcasing their exceptional chemistry and skills. In a similar vein, Sting, Darby Allin, and Shingo Takagi proved their mettle by defeating The Young Bucks and El Phantasmo at the inaugural Forbidden Door event last year. Building on their past success, Allin and Sting have once again joined forces, teasing the revelation of their mysterious partner's identity at the upcoming Collision event. Allin's objective is to separate Guevara from Jericho, hoping to ignite a new path for his ally, while Sting remains determined to keep provoking and unsettling Jericho.

AEW Women's World Championship

AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm is set to defend her title against Willow Nightingale, the reigning Strong Women's Champion. This will be Storm's second appearance through the Forbidden Door, following her unsuccessful challenge for the AEW Women's World Championship last year. As she enters her second reign, Storm aims to successfully retain her title against Nightingale, who emerged victorious in the Strong Women's Championship tournament at Resurgence. Nightingale secured her place in the finals by defeating Momo Kohgo and ultimately overcame Mercedes Moné to claim the inaugural Strong Women's Championship.

The Blackpool Combat Club, Konosoke Takeshita, and Shota Umino v. The Elite, Eddie Kingston, and Tomohiro Ishii

After joining forces with Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta from the Blackpool Combat Club on The Elite, Konoske Takeshita has formed an unexpected alliance. In their ongoing battle against the Elite, they have also recruited Moxley's protégé, Shota Umino. However, despite his close friendship with Moxley, Eddie Kingston's animosity towards Castagnoli has led him to team up with The Young Bucks and Hangman Adam Page. Kingston, skeptical of their trustworthiness, has handpicked Tomohiro Ishii to join their ranks. The tension between the Blackpool Combat Club and The Elite, Takeshita's partnership with Don Callis, and Kingston's dislike for Castagnoli suggest that the Forbidden Door is unlikely to resolve the underlying issues between these men.

Adam Cole v. Tom Lawlor

Last year, Cole faced a devastating injury at Forbidden Door which forced him to take a break from action for several months. During an episode of Rampage, Cole was unexpectedly interrupted by MJF, his partner in the upcoming AEW Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament. MJF proposed a match between Cole and Tom Lawlor from NJPW at Forbidden Door. In a shocking turn of events, Lawlor, a former UFC Competitor, viciously attacked Cole. Lawlor made his debut in NJOW in 2020 and went on to become the first-ever Strong Openweight Champion, holding the title for an impressive reign of over 380 days.

AEW World Championship

The current AEW World Champion, MJF, is set to defend his title against Hiroshi Tanahashi, an eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Tanahashi initially challenged MJF for Forbidden Door, but MJF showed no interest in accepting. However, on the June 21 episode of Dynamite, Adam Cole managed to provoke MJF into accepting Tanahashi's challenge. Cole, who is also eyeing the AEW World Championship, played a significant role in convincing MJF. Tanahashi aims to secure the AEW World Championship before the start of this year's G1 Climax, adding to his impressive list of achievements.

IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship

Kenny Omega is set to defend his IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against former champion Will Ospreay. Omega claimed the title from Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom 17 in January, putting an end to Ospreay's reign of over 200 days. This marks Omega's second time holding the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship, having initially won it in 2017 as the inaugural champion. Omega has made it clear that if Ospreay fails to defeat him at the Forbidden Door event, he sees little incentive to continue defending the title in NJPW, which could potentially hinder Ospreay's chances of reclaiming the championship while Omega remains its holder.

Bryan Danielson v. Kazuchika Okada

The highly anticipated showdown between Bryan Danielson and Kazuchika Okada has been confirmed for Forbidden Door, marking a clash of two exceptional technical wrestlers. Okada, a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, holds the impressive records for the longest individual reign and longest combined reign. Additionally, he has achieved the status of a two-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and four-time G1 Climax winner. Meanwhile, Danielson's tenure in WWE saw him become a Triple Crown and Grand Slam Champion, as well as a Money in the Bank winner. He has also secured numerous championships in other promotions, including Ring of Honor. Both competitors will aim to settle the age-old question of who truly deserves the title of the best wrestler in the world at the upcoming Forbidden Door event. The highly-anticipated second annual Forbidden Door pay-per-view, jointly hosted by All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, is scheduled to take place on June 25, 2023, at 7 pm Eastern Time in Toronto.