One of the biggest dream matches of all time has been announced, as Bryan Danielson takes on Kazuchika Okada at Forbidden Door.
After Kazuchika Okada pinned Shota Umino in a six-man tag team match, also involving the Blackpool Combat Club, to retain the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championships, a challenge was issued on the screen to Okada.
Jon Moxley focused everyones attention to the screen, where Bryan Danielson appeared to a huge pop. He challenged Kazuchika Okada to a singles match at Forbidden Door, much to the delight of everybody.
In the video package played to the live audience (and Okada), Bryan Danielson challenge Kazuchika Okada by saying,
“For the last 10 years, I’ve heard people talk about how great you are. About how you’re the best wrestler of this generations.”
“I’ve also heard in interviews that you want to wrestle me – that you want to fight me.”
“Watching you – you’re good. I know you’re good. But I am the litmus test of great. You want to wrestle Bryan Danielson? You call yourself The Rainmaker?”
“You step into the ring with me, and you’re getting into the f****** dessert!”
“And there ain’t going to be no rain.”
Danielson has spoken fondly about wanting to wrestling in NJPW. It was one of the reasons he left WWE in 2021, opting to sign for AEW due to the freedom they had in the company.
Sadly, he has been unable to work in Japan at all since then, with key dates lining up with times he was needed in AEW. He even missed last year’s Forbidden Door, missing out on a match with Zack Sabre Jr due to a concussion.
The match is scheduled for Forbidden Door, the AEW vs NJPW pay per view set to take place in Toronto, Canada on June 25th, 2023.
Another match set to be included on the show is Will Ospreay vs Kenny Omega, in a rematch for their bout at Wrestle Kingdom 17.
No other matches are confirmed for Forbidden Door, although there will be dream matches for the likes of MJF and CM Punk soon announced for the show.
