Things are certainly hotting up for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.
After a multitude of never-seen-before matches were added to the upcoming PPV on the June 21st episode of Dynamite the taping of Rampage also followed suit.
During Dynamite, there was a segment in which MJF and Adam Cole got into a verbal back-and-forth over the result of their 30-minute draw last week. Cole demanded a rematch, but the champion refused. It was then revealed the duo were drawn as partners in the Blind Tag Team Eliminator Tournament.
As both competitors reeled from the announcement, Tanahashi appeared on the screen and once again called out the champion. Cole then proceeded to goad him into officially accepting the match.
.@tanahashi1_100 wants his match with @The_MJF at #ForbiddenDoor. Will MJF accept?
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!o pic.twitter.com/lsfkO7a6J8
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 22, 2023
The duo continued their angle on the Rampage taping, which airs on Friday, June 23rd. The show featured Freidman’s first-ever appearance on Rampage. The champ was involved segment that saw him interrupt a Cole promo to reveal that he would be facing the debuting “Filthy” Tom Lawlor at the PPV.
Filthy Tom Lawlor vs. Adam Cole Set For AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door
According to those in the arena, Freidman demanded Tony Khan book the match, before instructing the former NJPW STRONG Champion to attack Cole.
The addition of this bout takes the total number of matches to eleven with more expected to be announced.
At the time of writing the Forbidden Door card is as follows:
- Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada
- Kenny Omega (c) vs. Will Ospreay – IWGP United States Championship
- MJF (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – World Championship
- Sanada (c) vs. Jungle Boy Jack Perry – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
- The Blackpool Combat Club w/ Konosuke Takeshita and Shota Umino vs The Elite w/ Eddie Kingston and Tomohiro Ishii
- CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Cup
- Toni Storm (c) vs. Willow Nightingale – Women’s World Championship
- Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jnr vs. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia – International Championship
- Filthy Tom Lawlor vs. Adam Cole
- Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Minoru Suzuki vs. Sting, Darby Allin and a partner TBA on Collision
- Athena vs. Billie Starkz – Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Cup