The rivalry between Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay has been reignited, after Ospreay defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW Resurgance 2023.
The Englishman defeated The Ace of the Universe in the final of the tournament to decide the number one contender for the IWGP United States Championship.
This is the same title that Kenny Omega beat Will Ospreay for at Wrestle Kingdom 17, in what some have called the “greatest match ever”.
Kenny Omega vs Will Ospreay 2 has now been set up, with Ospreay now determined to get revenge against his Canadian rival. They have only wrested once, but it has been a feud that has been brewing for years.
The pair traded barbs on social media for years, following Omega leaving NJPW in 2019. Ospreay took the mantle of the top gaijan (foreigner) in NJPW following his absence, becoming the first British IWGP Heavyweight Champion in the process.
However, it finally came to a head at Wrestle Kingdom 17, where Omega took the victory after a dominating performance.
This looked certain to build to a rematch, although it was unknown what venue would be big enough to hold such an incredible spectacle.
Forbidden Door 2 is that venue, when the event comes to Canada later that year.
Will Ospreay vs Kenny Omega at Forbidden Door
Will Ospreay vs Kenny Omega is set to be the main event of Forbidden Door 2, according to various reports.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there are plans for a match between Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay at the event.
Will Ospreay was rumoured to face Kenny Omega at least years Forbidden Door, although the Canadian eventually missed the show due to injury.
With this years NJPW/AEW crossover event on the horizon, it seems like the perfect venue for the rematch.
In the Wrestle Kingdom bout, Will Ospreay, both men were on neutral ground. They are beloved by the Japanese fans, who were awed by the spectacle of these two wrestling giants to be concerned about “faces” or “heels”.
It has been noted how crowds (or the lack thereof) affected Will Ospreay during the pandemic, so it made sense the less-than-positive atmosphere cost him the match against Omega.
The sequel in an AEW ring would be on Kenny Omega’s home turf, and would likely see him pick up another victory over his nemesis. Forbidden Door 2 will be the venue for Kenny Omega vs Will Ospreay 2, but I don’t think that will be the last time the pair face off.
No, a third match will need to be on Will Ospreay’s home turf – and that is why he is booked for All In in the UK later this year.
AEW look set to sell out Wembley Stadium for their second “All In” event, which looks set to host the third and final encounter between Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay.
With CM Punk’s status in AEW up in the air, the rumoured match with Kenny Omega looks to be nothing but a pipe dream for the fans, who instead could be treated to one of the best matches ever.
90,000 fans could see Will Ospreay beating Kenny Omega in Wembley Stadium would be one of the all-time greatest moments in wrestling history, as his hometown crowd cheer on in the biggest wrestling event in British history.
AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2 will be AEW’s third PPV Event of 2023. It will also be the second event in the Forbidden Door series. The event is scheduled for June 25th, 2023 at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
While the card for Forbidden Door 2 has yet to be announced, there are many matches that are rumoured to take place at the event. Click down below to read about the potential Forbidden Door 2 match card.
