All Elite Wrestling and NJPW held their joint Forbidden Door Event last June 26, with a number of big matchups taking place on the show such as Gunn Club (Billy Gunn, Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn) teaming with Max Caster to face NJPW’s L.A. Dojo (The DKC, Kevin Knight, Alex Coughlin and Yuya Uemura) in an 8-Man Tag Team Match to headline the Forbidden Door Buy-In Pre-Show and Jon Moxley facing “The Ace Of NJPW” Hiroshi Tanahashi in an Interim AEW World Championship Match to headline the Forbidden Door PPV Event.
Forbidden Door is reportedly one of the most successful PPVs in professional wrestling history as AEW President and CEO Tony Khan revealed on his Twitter a couple of weeks ago that the Forbidden Door PPV drew more than $6 million in total revenue, a total of $1 million in ticket sales and a total of more than $5 million in PPV buys.
The Forbidden Door PPV was so successful that NJPW President Takami Ohbari has his sights already set on a second Forbidden Door Event, which he talked about with Tokyo Sports. According to Ohbari, there are still several wrestlers and matches he would like to see, which he hopes can happen at the second Forbidden Door Event and he would like to see the second Forbidden Door PPV Event take place in Japan during the time of the promotion’s 50th anniversary.
This is what Takami Ohbari said:
“In my opinion, there are some wrestlers who were unable to come (to the U.S.) at the last minute. There are still wrestlers and matches I would like to see. I would like to see a continuation of this event.” “I think there is a need to see this event in Japan. The 50th anniversary year is a good opportunity to make it happen. I think there are some (AEW wrestlers) who would like to compete in front of Japanese fans.”
AEW President and CEO Tony Khan recently spoke with the New York Post’s Joseph Staszewski on the idea of a second Forbidden Door PPV Event and that it should take place in Japan. According to Khan, doing an event in Japan with AEW and NJPW Stars is very interesting, but if it does happen, then it will be a different event and not Forbidden Door 2 as Forbidden Door should stay in the U.S. and it would not make any sense for Forbidden Door 2 to take place in Japan due to the time zones and the revenue.
This is what Tony Khan said:
“The idea of doing an event over there with AEW stars and New Japan stars is very potentially interesting, but if it happens it won’t be Forbidden Door.” “Forbidden Door” is gonna stay in North America. It wouldn’t make sense with the time zones, the revenue.”
Tony Khan also talked about the Royal Rampage Matchup and how innovative it was and well regarded and how AEW Rampage is really important to them as a lot of big moments have happened on the show.
This is what Tony Khan said:
“It was very well received, the Royal Rampage.” “It was innovative and it was well regarded. Rampage is important. I don’t want to create the perception. I really want to do great stuff on that show because it has a lot of potential for us. A lot of the biggest moments in AEW have happened on Rampage.”
Brody King ended up winning the Royal Rampage Match and earned an opportunity to challenge Jon Moxley for his Interim AEW World Title on the July 6 episode of AEW Dynamite, but Brody King came up short.
You can check out AEW President and CEO Tony Khan’s comments at this link.
