Behind The Scenes: Original Plans For AEW Forbidden Door ’24 World Title Match Revealed

One Big Thing

Yota Tsuji, not Will Ospreay, was originally planned to challenge Swerve Strickland for the AEW World Championship at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door ’24.

Why It Matters

This revelation shows AEW’s strategic booking decisions and their commitment to building long-term storylines that address fan concerns.

Key Details

• Fightful Select reports Tsuji was the initial choice for the title match
• AEW switched to Ospreay to counter criticism of Strickland being a “placeholder” champion
• The change led to a highly-praised match between Strickland and Ospreay
• Tsuji instead competed in a six-man tag match on the “Zero Hour” preshow

By The Numbers

• Tsuji won the 2024 New Japan Cup
• Ospreay went on to win the AEW International Championship at All In
• Strickland’s title reign ended at All In against Bryan Danielson

Current Status

• Ospreay leads the Gold League in the Continental Classic tournament
• Kyle Fletcher tops the Blue League standings
• Tsuji will challenge David Finlay for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 19

The Bottom Line

This booking change shows how AEW adjusts its plans based on fan reaction and business strategy, leading to significant impacts on multiple wrestlers’ career trajectories.

What do you think about AEW’s decision to change the challenger? Was Ospreay the right choice over Tsuji? Share your thoughts in the comments below.