The Road to The Forbidden Door Part 2

New Japan wouldn't be New Japan if not for Hiroshi Tanahashi. The man who saved the company when it had been at it's lowest. He had also been in creating or elevating other stars over and over and over again. Tanahashi had more than earned the respect of his peers but he also had great respect for many others. Once such person was Chris Jericho. As 2020 started the two men were set to face off at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on the second night. By this time Jericho was AEW world champion. The match wouldn't be for the AEW title instead it was billed a win by Tanahashi would earn him a title shot. It was lead up the match that the term Forbidden Door was first used. For the match Jericho brought out the AEW belt. Jon Moxley work both nights of Wrestle Kingdom on night one regaining the US title beating Lance Archer (a long time NJPW wrestler who would soon jump to AEW) and ending his feud with Juice Robinson. In February Moxley would defend his title in a memorable brawl with Minoru Suzuki less than three weeks before beating Jericho for the AEW world title.

Just a few short weeks into Moxley's dual title reigns the COVID 19 pandemic fully took hold of the world. AEW would setup shop at Daily's Place in Jacksonville a venue owned and operated by the Khan family. New Japan like all promotions in Japan fully shut down. For both companies this was potentially devastating. NJPW primary source of revenue came from ticket sales while AEW hadn't even reached a full year of operations. The Forbidden Door now how extra locks placed on it as both the US and Japan would enact travel restrictions.

New Japan would eventually return in the summer first with empty arena shows and finally show with limited attendance. For Harold Meij this was bad news. As mentioned attendance was the biggest way New Japan made money. In October 2020 the news broke Meij was out of his role as President of NJPW. While there were attempts to spin his time as a success, at least among the fans I've seen history has cast Meij as a villain. He viewed the Elite as replaceable, he picked ROH to work with over AEW. While I do think Meij played a role at the end of the day he kept the two companies separate with the approval of his bosses in New Japan and Bushiroad. Meij was replaced by Takami Ohbari a long NJPW employee who had been running the New Japan of America project. During the pandemic the American arm had started filming crowd less shows for New Japan World. These shows would eventually evolve in New Japan Strong.

As all this was going on Jon Moxley was still IWGP US champion. During a series of tapings for Strong would hold an American New Japan Cup with the winner being named 1 contender to Moxley. The winner wound up being KENTA. For months the Bullet Club member openly asked where is Moxley? Due holding dual citizenship KENTA could appear in Japan while also appearing on Strong. Some fans including myself wondered if Strong would open the door for Moxley to wrestle KENTA there.  Reports on the internet though made it clear Moxley's deal allowed him to work for New Japan in Japan but in the states wasn't allowed. 2020 ended and New Japan kicked of 2021 with Wrestle Kingdom 15. One of the matches would be KENTA vs. Kojima with the contract for a US title shot on the line. Just before the match which KENTA won Moxley appeared via video standing in the ring used for Strong. It was clear something had changed.

This was confirmed when Moxley attacked KENTA on the January 29th episode of Strong later confirming they would wrestle for the IWGP US title on the February 26th episode. Fans were left wondering what this all meant? Was Moxley able to this  just to drop the belt do someone who could get to Japan? Had Tony Khan made a deal to allow Moxley to work for New Japan in the states? 

Than came the February 3rd AEW Dynamite. Moxley was in a trios tag for the main event. Towards the end of the show Moxley was alone in the ring with his than rival Kenny Omega when suddenly a figure in black from head to toe that attacked him. It was than it became clear the door was now open. The attacked pulled off his hat and mask showing KENTA was standing in the ring. A New Japan contracted talent in an AEW ring. A New Japan wrestler had just played a role in an AEW storyline. Watching this I was amazed. I think most people felt it was coming at some point. The general feeling has been with Meij gone along with issues in ROH that NJPW would be more open to a deal with AEW. There had been the small steps and signs. Plus this is pro wrestling and you never say never when there is money to be made.

Still actually seeing it was mind blowing like knowing a movie of your favorite superhero is being made and than actually seeing it on the screen. And like any great wrestling moment I was left wondering what came next? I and many others didn't have long to wait. A post show video by AEW showed Omega meeting with KENTA with Omega being shocked as "Switch Blade never mentioned this..." and the very next week on Dynamite KENTA teamed with Omega to take on Moxley and Lance Archer in a falls count anywhere match. It was official after all this the two sides had struck a formal deal for a working arrangement. 

Talent such as Yugi Nagata, Rocky Romero, Minoru Suzuki and more began to appear on AEW programming. Meanwhile wrestlers like Moxley, Archer, and Lance Archer began to appear on New Japan shows in the states. Moxley even began defending the US title on AEW dropping it to Archer who dropped it to Tanahashi on a NJPW show in LA. Still though fans were left wondering when we would see the big crossover show like New Japan had done in the past with various companies. And well given I'm writing this you should know all the details. On April 20th Tonky Khan made a rare on camera appearance and would introduce Takami Ohbari there segment would be interrupted by Adam Cole and Jay White. 

If there one thing I hope I have gotten across it's what a long crazy road to the Forbidden Door. What looked to be a lock for before one company even began with a cold war. At times it seemed like it would never happen. Maybe that's why we should just enjoy what happens this Sunday. Because we are finally getting this show