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| AEW × NJPW |
On April 20, 2022, during an episode of AEW Dynamite, Tony Khan (AEW President) appeared in the ring alongside Takami Ohbari (NJPW President) to officially announce the long-awaited partnership between AEW and NJPW under the banner AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door.
The live crowd erupted with excitement, as this announcement was a huge statement against AEW’s main rival in the United States, WWE, a company known for monopolizing the wrestling industry and refusing to collaborate with other promotions.
Rumors and Early Connections.
Back in 2019, when All Elite Wrestling (AEW) officially launched, they signed major stars like Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, and Hangman Adam Page.
Since many of these stars had deep roots in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), fans immediately started speculating about a possible partnership between the two companies.
It was only a matter of time before AEW and NJPW began working together, especially since NJPW had already lost some of its top talent to AEW.
Jon Moxley Opens the Door
The first big step toward the partnership happened on June 5, 2019, at the Best of the Super Juniors 26 finals, when Jon Moxley made his NJPW debut, defeating Juice Robinson to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.
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| Jon moxly |
At that time, no NJPW stars had officially appeared in AEW yet, so Moxley’s debut in Japan was the first real spark for future cross-promotional collaboration.
He continued to wrestle for NJPW in key events like:
Dominion 6.9 (June 9, 2019)
Wrestle Kingdom 14 (January 4–5, 2020)
NJPW Stars Appear in AEW
The relationship became more visible when NJPW stars began appearing in AEW. One of the most notable moments came at All Out 2021 (September 4), where Satoshi Kojima faced Jon Moxley in a hard-hitting match.
Moxley won, but immediately after, the arena exploded when Minoru Suzuki’s iconic music hit. Suzuki attacked Moxley, leading to a dream match between the two on the next episode of AEW Dynamite.
This increased fan anticipation and excitement for a full partnership, which finally happened on April 20, 2022, with the official announcement of AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door.
Why the AEW–NJPW Partnership Happened?
1. Wrestlers Exchange.
Dream matches featuring stars like Minoru Suzuki, Satoshi Kojima, Jon Moxley, and others, which would never happen in WWE.
2. Expanding Fan Bases.
AEW gained more followers in Japan, while NJPW reached a larger American audience.
3. High-Level Talent Collaboration.
Matches like Moxley vs Suzuki, Will Ospreay vs Kenny Omega, and Bryan Danielson vs Zack Sabre Jr. raised the bar for in-ring quality.
4. Challenging WWE’s Monopoly.
Both companies wanted to prove that wrestling can thrive without being under a single company’s control.
5. Creating Forbidden Door.
A yearly supershow featuring top AEW and NJPW stars in one card.
Success of the Partnership
The partnership has been highly successful. It boosted ticket sales, increased TV ratings, and gave fans matches they could only dream of.
It also helped AEW establish itself as a global wrestling company, not just a U.S.-based promotion.
The Biggest Beneficiary
While both companies have benefited, AEW, led by Tony Khan, arguably gained the most.
AEW signed major NJPW stars such as Will Ospreay, Jay White, Zack Sabre Jr., and the biggest deal of all — Kazuchika Okada, reportedly on a $13.5 million deal for three years.
Will the Partnership Continue?
As long as the shows continue to draw strong numbers and the matches keep fans engaged, the AEW–NJPW partnership is likely to continue.
It also keeps the competition with WWE alive, which benefits wrestling fans around the world.
From Jon Moxley’s debut in NJPW to Minoru Suzuki’s shocking AEW appearance, the seeds for the AEW–NJPW partnership were planted long before the official announcement in April 2022.
Now, with Forbidden Door becoming a yearly tradition, fans can expect more dream matches and historic moments in wrestling.