AEW have cancelled the planned KENTA vs CM Punk match at Forbidden Door, despite CM Punk being open to wrestling the Japanese star.
According to a recent report by Fightful Select, an anticipated showdown between KENTA and CM Punk at the Forbidden Door event is no longer in the works.
Last weekend, KENTA conveyed to both New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) that he would not be facing CM Punk at the Forbidden Door show, causing word to spread throughout the Collision community.
This revelation has left fans wondering if CM Punk will even be wrestling at the highly anticipated event.
Sources within NJPW confirmed to Fightful that KENTA and CM Punk had indeed been planned for the event. However, the reasons behind the cancellation remain unknown.
The sources revealed that by the time KENTA tweeted, “Kenta vs Punk is never going to happen,” he was responding to being excluded from the match.
Despite this setback, CM Punk reportedly expressed his willingness to participate in the match. As of Saturday, alternative options were being evaluated for the former WWE superstar. It should be noted that although several top NJPW talents were already booked for other opponents, these matchups have yet to be officially announced.
As the Forbidden Door event approaches, wrestling enthusiasts eagerly await further updates regarding the lineup and potential replacements for the highly anticipated KENTA vs. CM Punk bout.
CM Punk vs KENTA Was Rumoured For Forbidden
CM Punk vs KENTA is one of the rumoured matches for Forbidden Door, with Tony Khan rumoured to be keen on having the two former WWE stars facing off against one another
The pair have teased a match against one another on multiple occasions, including at last years Forbidden Door event.
2023 could finally be the year we see the two legends of the ring face off against one another, proving once and for all who is the true master of the GTS.
In a recent report for Fightful Select, Sean Ross Sapp confirmed that there were talks regarding a CM Punk vs KENTA bout, and that the match was set to take place at Forbidden Door.
This came after statements from both men, claiming they would not want to face off (although that simply could have been to build up to the eventual match up).
Since this report was made, KENTA responded humerously on Twitter. Adding to a previous Tweet where he claimed he didn’t care who he faced, he just wanted the money, he responded by saying, “Oh hell no Tell Tony Khan GIVE ME THE BAG”
With CM Punk’s return to wrestling on June 17th, for the debut of AEW Collision, there is little time for him to build up to a dream match for Forbidden Door.
A bout with KENTA would require little build, with a built-in story around his use of KENTA’s Go To Sleep finishing move.
KENTA Teased A Match With CM Punk For Collision Debut
After CM Punk was announced to be part of the debut of AEW Collision, KENTA has once again teased a match against the former AEW Champion.
CM Punk has been absent from wrestling since All Out 2022, following an injury and backstage fight against The Elite.
With doubts Punk would ever return to wrestling, the crowd cheered when Punk was revealed by Tony Khan to be part of the new Saturday evening show’s debut episode.
One man who has commented on this return was NJPW’s KENTA. The former Hideo Itami, who is a part of the legendary Bullet Club stable, took to social media to talk about this return, indicating he wants a bout with Punk.
After Tony Khan announced CM Punk’s return for the June 17th, 2023 debut of AEW Collision, KENTA took to Twitter and replied to the official announcement by AEW.
KENTA tweeted in reply to CM Punk’s return “I’m free on June 17th” – the first time he’s commented on the new AEW Collision show.
This is a clear challenge to CM Punk. The pair have feued on social media for years, mainly over Punk “stealing” the GTS – a finishing move innovated by KENTA.
This is not the first time the challenge has been put out by KENTA, who has never had the chance to set foot in the ring with CM Punk.
KENTA Teased CM Punk Match At Forbidden Door
CM Punk vs KENTA has once against been teased to take place in an AEW ring, this time by NJPW wrestler KENTA.
The Bullet Club member has called out CM Punk for a match multiple time since his return in August 2021, namely over the use of the KENTA-created finishing move, the Go-2-Sleep.
On his Instagram account, KENTA called out CM Punk for a match at Forbidden Door, as the first of the AEW vs NJPW matches to take place at the event. On his Instagram Story, KENTA teased a match vs CM Punk, saying “GIVE ME BEST IN THE WORLD” before adding “I AM BEST IN THE GALAXY”, over the top of the Forbidden Door poster.
CM Punk vs KENTA
KENTA vs CM Punk is a dream match for many, that is 15 years in the making. CM Punk used KENTA’s Go-2-sleep since joining WWE in 2006, whilst KENTA was wrestling for promotions like NOAH and ROH.
While KENTA did sign for WWE in 2014, he never faced off with CM Punk. CM Punk’s last match was in early 2014, when KENTA was still in NXT, so the pair never crossed paths.
Whilst we never saw CM Punk vs KENTA in WWE, the stage is set for the match in AEW. Especially after KENTA already wrestled in AEW, against Lance Archer and Jon Moxley while teaming with Kenny Omega.
With KENTA already wrestling for AEW in the past, it is likely the Bullet Club member will take part in the AEW vs NJPW match at Forbidden Door.
KENTA also previously wrestled in WWE as Hideo Itami, although he left under a cloud after five disappointing years in NXT.
Unfortunately, CM Punk claimed he did not want a match with KENTA, in an interview with ComicBook.com.
Would you like to see CM Punk vs KENTA at Forbidden Door? Let us know in the comments or click below to read more
Hamish is a writer and podcaster and wrestling fan who is a key part of the Atletifo team.
After playing countless hours of WrestleMania X8 on the Gamecube, he discovered Rey Mysterio getting his head crushed by The Great Khali, and thus a love for professional wrestling was born.
He is also a Media Graduate, as well as writing for multiple sites about Premier League football and the culture of Wales – his home country.
