For years AEW stars like Chris Jericho have referenced the forbidden door: the tantalizing idea that All Elite Wrestling could work with New Japan Pro Wrestling, one of the biggest promotions in the world. That dream becomes a reality on Sunday with the aptly named Forbidden Door pay-per-view, which will see the biggest stars of AEW clash with New Japan’s top talent.
The main event is for the interim AEW Championship. With current champion CM Punk temporarily out with a foot injury, New Japan legend Hiroshi Tanahashi will face Jon Moxley for the strap. Presumably, the winner will face off with CM Punk on his return. New Japan’s top title — the IWGP, or International Wrestling Grand Prix title — is up for grabs in a Fatal Four Way featuring Adam Cole, Hangman Page, Kazuchika Okada and champion Jay White.
Bryan Danielson was scheduled to face Zack Sabre Jr. at the show, but Danielson is also out with an injury. Danielson and AEW have teased a big surprise replacement, so that should be fun too. As with every AEW pay-per-view card, the show is stacked. It also has a match to determine the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion, an AEW Women’s Championship bout and bouts featuring Jericho, The Young Bucks and FTR.
Wrestling nerds love New Japan Pro Wrestling for its hard-hitting “strong style,” and many of AEW’s top stars, like Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks, gained their fame performing for the brand.
Full card
- Interim AEW Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi.
- IWGP Championship: Jay White (c) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Adam Cole vs. Kazuchika Okada.
- Zack Sabre Jr. vs. mystery opponent.
- AEW Women’s Championship: Thunda Rosa (c) vs. Toni Storm.
- AEW All-Atlantic Championship: Malakai Black vs. Miro vs. Clark Connors vs Pac.
- Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Minoru Suzuki vs. Eddie Kingston, Wheeler Yuta and Shota Umina.
- Winner-take-all Ring of Honor and IWGP Tag Title match: FTR vs. Roppongi Vice vs. United Empire.
- Will Ospreay vs. Orange Cassidy.
- The Young Bucks, El Phantasmo and Himuleo vs. Sting, Darby Allin, Shingo Takagi and Hiromu Takahashi.
- Kickoff show match: Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee vs. El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
- Kickoff show match: QT Marshall vs. Hiroki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi.
- Kickoff show match: Max Caster and the Gunn Club vs. Yuya Uemura, Alex Coughlin, Kevin Knight and The DKC.
How to watch AEW Forbidden Door, start times
The main show kicks off at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET Sunday, with a preshow starting an hour before that. For grappling fans in the UK, AEW Forbidden Door’s main show begins early Monday at 1 a.m. GMT (midnight preshow). Down Under, the show begins at 10 a.m. AEST on Monday (9 a.m. preshow).
AEW Forbidden Door is available via PPV at $50, but it’s also available on streaming services. If you’re in the US, it’ll be $50 through Bleacher Report. You can watch through the app or the website. In the UK and Australia, you’ll instead watch it through Fite TV, where it costs $20 (£16, AU$28).
