With the annual AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view now taking place in August for the first time, a new report has shed light on some of the unique booking challenges this year’s event is facing. The scheduling of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s signature tournament, the G1 Climax, will reportedly prevent NJPW’s top stars from appearing on AEW television until just days before the big show.
Forbidden Door Build May Come Down to the Wire
According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, none of New Japan’s top talent will be available for AEW programming until the television tapings on Wednesday, August 20, in Glasgow, Scotland. This is because the grueling G1 Climax 35 tournament is currently ongoing and will not conclude until August 17. The Forbidden Door pay-per-view is scheduled for just one week later, on Sunday, August 24, at The O2 Arena in London. This compressed timeline means that a significant portion of the card for the co-promoted event may not be built or announced until the final week of television leading into the show. This is a departure from previous years, when the event was held in June, allowing for a longer, more traditional build on AEW programming.
Ticket Sales Remain Strong Despite Limited Card
Despite the potential for a last-minute build, ticket sales for the event in London have been very strong. The report notes that the event has already sold 13,281 tickets for The O2 Arena. According to the latest update from WrestleTix, the current setup for the venue is approximately 16,160, meaning the show is already over 82% sold and is on pace to be a sellout or very close to it by the time of the event. This strong advance sale demonstrates the power of the Forbidden Door brand and the excitement of the UK fanbase for the historic co-promoted event.
Several Marquee Matches Already Announced
While many of the NJPW-centric matches will be announced late, AEW has already put several major matches in place for the card. The main event will see AEW Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada defend his title against his long-time rival, Swerve Strickland. In the AEW Women’s World Championship scene, “Timeless” Toni Storm will defend her title against the reigning ROH Women’s World Champion, Athena. It has also been announced that NJPW legend Hiroshi Tanahashi will be in action, though his opponent has not yet been named. The finals of the ongoing AEW World Tag Team Title Eliminator tournament will also determine who will challenge the reigning champions, The Hurt Syndicate, at the event.
While the booking for this year’s Forbidden Door may come down to the wire, the combination of a hot London crowd and the star power of both promotions is sure to create another memorable night of dream matches.
