AEW President Tony Khan spoke with SI.com about the upcoming AEW/NJPW Forbidden Door PPV event on Sunday, June 26th:
“It would have been unfathomable to collaborate on a pay-per-view when AEW first started, but a lot has changed since then in the world of wrestling,” said Khan. “I believe we’ve earned their trust. We started working closely together last year. The more we’ve collaborated, the better the relationship has become and the more trust we’ve built. It’s culminating at this huge event on pay-per-view with the stars of AEW and the stars of New Japan Pro-Wrestling colliding at Forbidden Door.”
“It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. Many of our top stars in AEW have wrestled in New Japan and held titles there. A lot of the biggest names from New Japan have never been to AEW, and there are a lot of great wrestlers here that have been in the ring with Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Kota Ibushi, and Hiroshi Tanahashi, and so many others. I’m excited for fans to see matches they’ve always wanted to see.”
NJPW President Takami Ohbari also commented on the event:
“The theme of our 50th anniversary year has been not just to celebrate alongside our fans, but to give something back to everyone who has supported us over the decades. Especially as we bounce back from the effects of the global pandemic, I feel we really have to go the extra mile. It’s on us to make those dream matches and situations come true, to bring the power of professional wrestling to the people, and emerge into a bright new era. At this point in time, with AEW and their tremendous talent getting increasing notice around the world, including among Japanese fans, they make the ideal partner for us to do just that and to unite fans worldwide.”
“AEW has undergone tremendous growth in a very short timeframe. From a fan’s perspective that has a lot to do with meeting the ‘unmet needs’ of the consumer. Creative matchmaking and exciting wrestling have been able to satisfy fans who had been left disillusioned by the American wrestling landscape. From a business standpoint, for a new entrant into the field to be able to leverage a fresh identity and sculpt such an effective media strategy, it is very impressive.”
