CM Punk vs. KENTA was the reported planned direction for AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door, but that match will not take place.
The two have a long history together, as KENTA invented the GTS, which Punk adopted when he joined WWE. KENTA pushed for the match for years, but in recent weeks stated that he doesn’t want it unless he is paid a lot of money.
According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, “KENTA and CM Punk are no longer facing each other at NJPW Forbidden Door.” The report added, “KENTA expressed to NJPW and AEW that he isn’t facing CM Punk at the Forbidden Door show, as word started to make way around Collision this past week. As of the first episode of Collision, AEW was considering who CM Punk should face at Forbidden Door, or if he’ll even be wrestling on the show.”
As of last Saturday’s Collision premiere, AEW was still deciding on an opponent for Punk at Forbidden Door, as well as whether or not he should wrestle at the event.
The reason for the bout’s being pulled was not given, but by the time KENTA tweeted that it would never happen, “that was in response to him actually being out of the match.”
Punk was open to the idea of the match, and other options were being considered for him as of Saturday.
