In the world of professional wrestling, the anticipation of matches can often stir up as much excitement as the events themselves. Such was the case for the highly anticipated AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023 event, which was slated to feature a litany of dream matches. A headline-grabbing encounter was the much-hyped CM Punk vs. KENTA match. Unfortunately, to the dismay of many fans, this duel has been reportedly scrapped’‹.
According to Fightful Select, the idea of a Punk-KENTA face-off is now off the table. There has been some debate over the extent to which this match was ever seriously considered.
KENTA has publicly stated that he sees no compelling reason for the match unless certain conditions were met – a reference, it seems, to financial considerations. Whether this was merely a front for a match he knew wouldn’t occur remains a matter of speculation.
Regardless, by the time KENTA tweeted about a match between him and Punk “never happening,” the wrestling community was already mourning the loss of what could have been a spectacular showdown’‹.
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The Future of CM Punk and KENTA
With the Punk-KENTA matchup off the table, questions abound regarding the future of both wrestlers in the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door event.
The wealth of top talent from NJPW has reportedly been scheduled for their own matches, leaving few openings for a reschedule of the Punk-KENTA bout’‹.
This situation leaves Punk’s role at the Forbidden Door event uncertain. Potential alternatives are being explored, but the placement of the returning former AEW World Champion on the card would require significant reshuffling.
The question also arises whether KENTA will have any involvement in this year’s cross-promotional super-show at all’‹.
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The Remaining Card and Future Announcements
Despite this setback, the Forbidden Door event remains a highly anticipated affair. Already confirmed matches include “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry challenging SANADA for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title and MJF defending the AEW World Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi, although there are rumours that MJF may not show up for the match’‹.
More matches for the Forbidden Door event are expected to be announced on AEW Dynamite, and possibly later in the week on AEW Rampage and AEW Collision.
Wrestling fans will undoubtedly be watching these announcements closely, eager to see if there are any surprise twists in store and how the card will shape up in the absence of the scrapped Punk-KENTA match’‹.
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