New Japan Pro-Wrestling held an impromptu press conference earlier today making two matches official for AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2.
One of those matches will see Kenny Omega put his IWGP United States Championship on the line against Will Ospreay. The two men have exchanged barbs in various interviews, and have occasionally mixed it up in the ring, as well. The last time they went heads up in a singles match was earlier this year at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17, with Omega coming out on top. Ospreay earned his rematch against Omega at NJPW: Dominion this past weekend, defeating Lancer Archer for the opportunity.
“What people need to understand is what this match actually means to me,” Ospreay said at the press conference. “At the Tokyo Dome, I got embarrassed, humiliated, by the returning prodigal son. You have no idea what that did to me. My family was at home watching me being desecrated by you. This is about redemption, this is about revenge. In Toronto, your home country, home soil, I’m going to do to you exactly what you did to me.”
The other hotly anticipated bout that was made official at the press conference is Bryan Danielson vs Kazuchika Okada. The two have been top draws in their respective markets for more than a decade now, and the idea of a match between them has always been something hardcore fans have salivated over. With that in mind, Danielson channeled his inner Pavlov and rang a bell that got fans’ tounges wagging when he released a video at Dominion calling Okada out for a match.
“There have been a lot of dream matches over the years, but not many that can truly capture fans the world over. I’m happy to be half of a dream match that can do just that. The world will be watching, and some of those people might not know Kazuchika Okada as well, but I feel like, if not a representative of my country, but a representative of Japanese professional wrestling. I want to show people with this match just how good Japanese wrestling can be.”
“I officially accept Bryan Danielson’s challenge. Bryan, let’s see who is the real Best In The World at Forbidden Door.”