Category: NJPW News & Results

Spider-Man spinoff film had reportedly circled Mercedes Moné for role

Before Sony removed the film from its calendar, Mercedes Moné was eyed for a role alongside Bad Bunny.

Since departing WWE, Mercedes Moné‘s star power has risen, and she has evidently been planning something else to further boost her profile.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Spider-Man spinoff film, “El Muerto” had eyed Moné for a role alongside its star, Bad Bunny (also of recent WWE fame). While Sony circled Moné for the film, Sony had not officially cast for it.

“El Muerto” was scheduled to release on Jan. 12, 2024, but Sony recently removed the film from its calendar due to the ongoing writers’ strike. Additional edits were needed for the script, but it could not be completed.

Strike aside, THR’s report noted that Bad Bunny’s touring schedule impacted when the movie could begin production. With a full slate, it is unknown if the film will move forward with him attached.

Sony had set Bad Bunny to star as the titular character, El Muerto, in Marvel’s first live-action film featuring a Latino character in a starring role. Based on the comic book, El Muerto, a luchador, inherits his father’s mask, granting him superpowers.

Perhaps the movie happens at some point, but if not, Moné will find other opportunities outside the ring. She appeared in Disney’s “The Mandalorian” television series as Koska Reeves in five episodes and will also play a part in the 2023 movie “The Collective,” alongside Ruby Rose and Tyrese Gibson.

Meanwhile, Moné remains out with an ankle injury suffered at NJPW STRONG Resurgence in May, when she lost the inaugural NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship match to Willow Nightingale. According to Fightful Select (subscription required but recommended), AEW wanted Moné at Sunday’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view, but obviously, the injury eliminated that possibility.

Either way, Moné will return to a ring or other entertainment platform at some point to build on the momentum she created after departing WWE in 2022.

How to watch Forbidden Door 2023: PPV, theaters, live stream

Everything you need to know to watch AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023 this weekend.

For the second consecutive year, AEW and NJPW will host the Forbidden Door pay-per-view. This brings dream matches and title matches to the forefront at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada on Sunday, June 25.

As with the 2022 event, year’s Forbidden Door show will feature the top talents from both companies, including world champions. In some cases, championships will even be up for grabs.

MJF will put his AEW World Championship on the line against Hiroshi Tanahashi. While a title change is not expected, this pits arguably the face of NJPW of the last two decades vs. AEW’s top heel and champion in what should be a fantastic match.

NJPW’s top title will also be contested as “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry, with Hook at his side, faces Sanada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Bryan Danielson and Kazuchika Okada will face off, and Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay will have a rematch on this card full of intriguing bouts. No matter which match it is, elite pro wrestling talent is all over this.

The action goes down on Sunday evening. Here’s everything you need to know to watch Forbidden Door:

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023

United States and Canada

  • Cable TV: Available on all major U.S. & Canadian providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, Fios, U-verse and Optimum, among others (U.S.); Rogers, Bell, Shaw, SaskTel and TELUS (Canada)
  • Satellite TV: DIRECTV and DISH
  • Digital Streaming: Bleacher Report (Web, Mobile, Roku, Xbox, FireTV,  Apple TV)

Bar & Restaurant locations

  • Select Dave & Buster’s locations
  • Select Tom‘s Watch Bar locations

Theater locations

  • Select Regal Cinemas
  • Select Cinemark Theaters
  • Select AMC Theaters
  • Select Emagine Entertainment Theaters
  • Select Galaxy Theaters
  • See Joe Hand Promotions for participating theater nearest you

International Markets

  • Cable/Satellite providers in Canada
  • FITE​​.TV
  • YouTube (Canada, Mexico, Germany, Italy, France, UK, South Korea)
  • PPV.com (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK and Ireland)
  • SKY Germany – (Germany)
  • SKY Italia – (Italy)
  • DAZN (UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Mexico, Brazil, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Bulgaria)

Report: CM Punk-Kenta not happening at Forbidden Door

Kenta apparently wasn’t kidding when he said on social media he wasn’t going to wrestle CM Punk at Forbidden Door.

It looks like the battle over who gets to “claim” the Go to Sleep isn’t going to happen this weekend after all.

Fightful Select (subscription required) says it learned Kenta “expressed to NJPW and AEW that he isn’t facing CM Punk at the Forbidden Door show,” and that word began making the rounds last weekend at the premiere episode of AEW Collision.

Kenta has been pretty adamant on social media that he had no plans to wrestle CM Punk at the show in Toronto, so on one hand, this shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Still, many fans hoped it was all part of the build when Kenta tweeted that Tony Khan would need to pay him a ton of money to appear, and that things would trend in that direction this week.

Fightful Select’s sources say that was indeed the plan, “but as of this weekend, it wasn’t happening.” That would seem to suggest Kenta won’t be on the card at all.

As for Punk, it would be a bit strange for AEW to make such a big deal about his return on Collision and then leave him out of a big event immediately in its wake. Fightful’s report noted that “there were other options being evaluated” for him; commenters on the article thought that perhaps the storyline with MJF threatening to no-show the event would play out and leave Punk to face Hiroshi Tanahashi — a match that was supposed to happen last year at Forbidden Door before Punk was injured.

Considering that Punk was protected on Collision by working in a six-man tag match, it also wouldn’t be a shock if AEW continued to be cautious and worked up another multi-person match for him — NJPW wrestlers are well accustomed to being part of six- and eight-man tags. That won’t quite have the same impact as Punk vs. Kenta would have for some hardcore wrestling fans, but just seeing Punk at Forbidden Door at all should be fine for the masses.

Forbidden Door 2023 betting odds: MJF to stem NJPW tide?

The AEW World Championship should remain with MJF, but oddsmakers like NJPW talent to win several big matches at Forbidden Door 2023.

MJF made it clear he’d rather not compete at Forbidden Door 2023, and especially not against someone from NJPW. The bad news for the AEW World Champion is that he got matched up against one of the company’s icons, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and despite his bluster, is likely going to have to wrestle the Ace in Toronto.

The good news is that he’s widely, widely expected to win. Betfair has MJF as a huge favorite at the moment, sitting at -2500 in American odds.

It makes sense as it would be surprising indeed to see Tanahashi sporting the AEW world title at this stage of his career. But his New Japan counterparts are expected to do better, with oddsmakers favoring Will Ospreay to win his highly anticipated rematch against Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada to prevail in a dream match against Bryan Danielson.

IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Sanada is also close to MJF levels as a favorite against “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry.

As always, we don’t endorse wagering on pro wrestling matches given that someone already knows the outcomes, but we enjoy examining the betting lines as a way of determining critical consensus on what will happen on upcoming cards.

We’ll update this post as more matches are confirmed for Forbidden Door, which is a near certainty as the week progresses. For now, here’s a look at what’s already been announced, converted into American-style lines.

(Latest update: June 20, 2023, 12:45 p.m. ET)

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023 betting odds:

AEW World Championship match
  • MJF (c): -2500
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi: +700
Singles match
  • Kazuchika Okada: -175
  • Bryan Danielson: +125
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship match
  • Will Ospreay: -275
  • Kenny Omega (c): +175
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match
  • Sanada (c): -1425
  • “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry: +500

Rocky Romero says the idea for Forbidden Door started with a single text to Tony Khan

Rocky Romero discusses his role in helping AEW and NJPW come together for Forbidden Door on the latest Under the Ring podcast.

AEW and NJPW are less than two weeks away from their second annual Forbidden Door supercard, this time in Toronto. But before that door could be opened for the first time, Rocky Romero had to help will it into existence.

The 40-year-old American has wrestled all over the world, but has been a regular in New Japan Pro-Wrestling since 2010. Fans have seen him win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, tag team gold a number of times — including with AEW star Trent as Roppongi Vice — and much more.

Yet his most important role these days may be as a liaison between AEW and NJPW, a force for getting things done behind the scenes. And it was wearing that hat that Romero helped turn the first Forbidden Door from a dream to a reality, as he recently told Under the Ring host Phil Strum.

“It all started out with a text that I sent [AEW CEO and GM] Tony [Khan],” Romero said. “I think I was traveling or something and I kept thinking like, ‘man, I think it would be cool if we tried to do something, and I think that we could pull it off.’

“So I sent a text to Tony about, ‘Do you think that we could pull off a supershow type of thing?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, I would love to,’ and he starts sending me back ideas for matches and stuff.”

Romero said the idea was that not every match on what would become Forbidden Door needed to be a crossover, and that both companies could continue telling their own stories on the show. The collaboration was the most important part.

“So I went back to New Japan, and I talked to them, and I said, ‘hey, I talked to Tony and there’s this crazy idea and I think that we can do this. Let’s see if we can iron it out.’ The lawyers were able to pull it together, and now here we are.”

Listen to Romero’s full episode above to hear more on:

  • Why AEW and its fans make such a good match for NJPW
  • How difficult it is to produce crossover shows
  • Whether Romero thinks more all-star shows are destined to be part of the future of pro wrestling
  • If Romero himself enjoys crossover shows as an in-ring performer
  • What is most appealing about New Japan to the American wrestling fan
  • Stories from throughout his career, including his run as Black Tiger and his CMLL program with Volador Jr.

Under the Ring drops new episodes every week, with Strum utilizing contacts gleaned from years of pro wrestling fandom and coverage to have an in-depth conversation with a wrestler or other notable personality. Recent guests have included co-creator of Vice’s acclaimed “Dark Side of the Ring” series Evan Husney, recent Crockett Cup winner and former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Trevor Murdoch, and NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton.

To make sure you don’t miss an episode, subscribe to Under the Ring on Apple Podcasts or your podcast provider of choice, or check out the Under the Ring YouTube channel to see all of the interviews in video form.

Tony Khan: In a WWE-UFC merger world, AEW partnership with NJPW ‘more imperative than ever’

Tony Khan would like to see NJPW talent on another big upcoming AEW show after Forbidden Door.

AEW and NJPW have already seen the benefits of working together, including last year’s successful Forbidden Door supercard in Chicago. But there’s something on the horizon that could mean continued cooperation will be even more important.

At least that’s what AEW CEO and GM Tony Khan believes. Speaking to Reuters, he said the impending merger between WWE and UFC — which will become a new, publicly traded entity under current UFC parent company Endeavor — is the kind of impetus that make it even more vital for the No. 1 pro wrestling promotion in Japan and the No. 2 promotion in the U.S. to keep collaborating.

“In a world where the proposed merger happens, as it is suggested on paper, then I would believe the AEW, New Japan Pro Wrestling partnership is more imperative than ever before,” Khan said.

There’s already a Forbidden Door follow-up coming up soon in Toronto later this month. Several high profile matches for that card have already been revealed, and while logistical issues make cross-promotion of the show tricky, it’s expected that more NJPW stars will appear on AEW TV over the next two weeks.

And that’s only one event on a very aggressive AEW schedule for the summer. The company is also launching a new Saturday night prime time show, AEW: Collision, on June 17, and holding its biggest event ever, All In London at Wembley Stadium, in August.

While All In hasn’t been pushed as a crossover show, the need for bigger than usual attractions to help fulfill expectations (and sell more tickets in massive Wembley Stadium) is obvious. Could that include more participation from NJPW talent?

Khan hopes so, saying “it would be a huge benefit to AEW if there is participation from New Japan Pro Wrestling and some of their top stars in the event.”

NJPW president Takami Ohbari told Reuters his company would consider sending some wrestlers if AEW reached out, and agreed that continued cooperation would be in both promotions’ best interest.

“It’s really mutually beneficial in terms of the global expansion for New Japan and also for AEW,” he said.

Two companies a world apart geographically but united in common goals sounds a little too good to be true for wrestling fans, but that was before Forbidden Door opened eyes to what’s possible. It’s an idea too good for everyone involved to not continue to pursue.

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023: Date, start time

When is Forbidden Door 2023? We get you set for the second annual AEW x NJPW pay-per-view supershow from Toronto.

It’s almost time for the door to open wide again — the Forbidden Door, that is.

The first jointly produced card between AEW and NJPW proved a success last summer in Chicago, so a sequel just seemed like the right thing to do. That made it no surprise when both promotions announced that Forbidden Door 2023 would indeed become a reality this June.

What raised some eyebrows was the location: Toronto. Forbidden Door will be the first ever AEW pay-per-view to take place north of the border and its first ever outside the U.S. (though it will be followed in short order by All In London, which looms as its largest event to date). That will allow a whole new group of fans to enjoy the card, which has already revealed a pair of dream matches.

Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay met in a highly regarded bout at Wrestle Kingdom earlier in the year, with Omega winning and claiming the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. Ospreay will have a chance to avenge that loss and reclaim the gold in one fell swoop if he can win in Toronto.

And in a meeting that AEW has billed as the best wrestler of all time vs. the best in the world right now, Bryan Danielson will take on Kzuchika Okada in the first ever match between two men who have helped define the art form over the last 10-15 years.

Considering that last year’s show featured nine matches (with four more on the pre-show), there’s bound to be plenty more added as the time draws closer. AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2023 goes down on Sunday, June 25. The main card will have a start time of 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on PPV, though it’s expected to once again have a pre-show with additional bouts that should start one hour earlier.

Is Kenta vs. CM Punk finally going to happen at Forbidden Door?

CM Punk and Kenta might be meeting at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door in a battle of the Go to Sleep masters.

Who is the true master of the Go to Sleep? It sounds like we’ll find out at Forbidden Door. Maybe.

Kenta was the man who first popularized one very specific way to introduce someone’s face to your knee, but the move became much more well known as the finisher for CM Punk. It’s not like Punk didn’t acknowledge he “borrowed” the maneuver — he’s always admitted as much, and that by not renaming his version, it was an homage of sorts.

Yet the two men have had something of a social media rivalry over the years over it, leading fans to wonder if they’d ever settle Go to Sleep custody in the ring. Now that possibility appears closer than ever, with Fightful Select (subscription required) reporting that “the working plan” is for Kenta to have a match at Forbidden Door.

We’ll give you two guesses who the opponent would be.

For his part, Kenta still says he needs a boatload of money to face Punk, which is what he’s been tweeting even before this most recent report.

The two men have never faced off in a match, much less one on one, so there would be a natural level of intrigue from hardcore wrestling fans to see them do battle. Of course, Punk is arguably AEW’s most reliable mass appeal draw too, so finding a place for him on the Forbidden Door card is simply good business sense — particularly with AEW pushing him heavily as the anchor of AEW: Collision, which will debut in Chicago the weekend before Forbidden Door.

The card for the June 25 show has only two official matches announced so far, but they’re both dream bouts for many fans: a rematch between Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay, and the first ever meeting between Bryan Danielson and Kazuchika Okada. Punk-Kenta could arguably be just a tad below those two, but there’s no denying it would be an attractive addition if it comes together.

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023 card: All the matches set for Toronto

Take a look at the full AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023 card ahead of this year’s event in Toronto.

Wrestling fans enjoy fantasy booking just about any big card in their heads as a matter of habit, but Forbidden Door lends itself to that pastime more than any other show. The first AEW and NJPW co-branded event in 2022 was a big hit, which only kicked the anticipation up even higher for the follow-up this year.

Of course, both companies had their own big events to get through first. But as soon as Double or Nothing was in the rear view mirror come the beginning of June (and with the very real added twist of AEW: Collision launching just a week before Forbidden Door and including the return of CM Punk), thoughts started turning toward the card in Toronto.

NJPW Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall started laying some of the foundation for Forbidden Door in earnest, turning two dream matches into reality: one a rematch of a highly praised bout at Wrestle Kingdom in January, and the other featuring two of the best wrestlers in Japan and the U.S. over the past two decades.

If last year’s event is any guide, there will likely be championship and multi-person matches added before June 25 arrives. There’s also an interesting question about whether the card will feature more women’s wrestling than the single match in 2022 given NJPW’s increasing (though still small) steps toward incorporating women into their promotion.

We’ll update this post as more matches are made official. For now, here’s what been revealed for Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

(Last update: June 14, 2023, 9:40 p.m.)

AEW Forbidden Door 2023 card:

G1 Climax 33 participants: Who’s in the 2023 field?

See all 32 wrestlers entered in the 2023 G1 Climax 33 tournament NJPW is holding this summer.

Along with a full night of championship bouts and other intrigue, one of the fun parts of NJPW Dominion 6.4 in Osaka on Sunday was the announcement of the G1 Climax 33 field. All 32 participants were revealed about halfway through the card, including a pair of fun entrants from outside NJPW.

One of them will be very familiar to North American wrestling fans: the Mad King himself, Eddie Kingston. He hasn’t been appearing much on AEW television as of late, but will be plenty busy in New Japan’s summer tournament.

The other outsider is Pro Wrestling Noah star Kaito Kiyomiya. The two-time GHC Heavyweight Champion will undoubtedly be in some dream matchups for fans of Japanese wrestling as the G1 plays out.

Here’s a look at the entire field in the order it was announced; no blocks have been revealed as of yet. Anyone marked with an asterisk is a first-time G1 Climax entrant.

G1 Climax 33 participants:

  • Kazuchika Okada
  • Tetsuya Naito
  • SANADA
  • Will Ospreay
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • David Finlay
  • Shota Umino *
  • Shingo Takagi
  • Tomohiro Ishii
  • Tama Tonga
  • Tanga Loa
  • Hikuleo *
  • Hirooki Goto
  • YOSHI-HASHI
  • Toru Yano
  • KENTA
  • Zack Sabre Jr.
  • Taichi
  • Eddie Kingston *
  • El Phantasmo
  • Ren Narita *
  • EVIL
  • Chase Owens
  • Jeff Cobb
  • Great-O-Khan
  • Aaron Henare
  • Gabriel Kidd *
  • Alex Coughlin *
  • Shane Haste *
  • Mikey Nicholls *
  • Yota Tsuji *
  • Kaito Kiyomiya *

The 2023 G1 Climax tournament begins on Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16 in Hokkaido. The semifinals are set for Saturday, Aug. 12 and the final on Aug. 13 at Sumo Hall in Ryogoku.