Scrapped AEW Forbidden Door 2026 Plans Revealed

AEW

A number of absent stars were originally set for AEW Forbidden Door, only for plans to change ahead of the recent pay-per-view.

Taking place on June 28, AEW Forbidden Door is now in the record books, with the Owen Hart Cup winners revealed for the men’s and women’s tournaments.

During a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, the conversation between Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez turned to the stars who were set to feature, only to be dropped from the line up.

Meltzer would name Tomohiro Ishii, Gabe Kidd, Callum Newman and Sareee has names who were on the card until they weren’t, saying:

“The original card, the guys that were on the card that did not do the card were Ishii… Ishii was gonna be in but he did not get cleared in time…

“Gabe Kidd was gonna face Umino… Of course Gabe can’t get in the United States for a while…

“Callum Newman was gonna be on the show, but (he got) injured.”

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Alvarez would share his belief that Newman was to feature in a match with Jon Moxley match, with the Death Riders’ leader retaining the AEW Continental Championship against Bandido.

Addressing this, Meltzer would indicate that he had been told the same by others, stating:

“Ok well, that confirms what I was pretty much told too, by other people, but not him.

“And then Sareee. I think the tournament was gonna go down to Willow and Sareee and it ended up taking a different turn.”

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Kidd has previously stated he is a member of Death Riders, having made a return to NJPW at Dominion. Not being able to “get in the United States for a while” is due to visa issues also affecting Beast Mortos, Komander, Mark Davis and Hechihero, as confirmed by Tony Khan during the Forbidden Door media call.

Rolling With The Punches

Visa issues and injuries are largely out of the hands of the stars themselves and the company they are working for.

For AEW Forbidden Door, a crossover show with NJPW, CMLL and Stardom, the opportunity for stars of these international promotions to be showcased is a big one, and to miss it can only be a disappointment, especially if it’s bureaucracy that has got in the way of plans.

While the other names are related to other promotions, for Kidd it is another hurdle for him to overcome, having signed with AEW in March of this year, only to suffer an injury the following month and be well on his way to being able to make an in-ring return.

There’s little for creative but to roll with the proverbial punches, changing plans to fit what is available instead of lamenting what might have been.

Whether it’s AEW, WWE, TNA Wrestling or any number of international promotions, big and small, losing a star temporarily is unfortunate, but the plans will change and whatever follows is no doubt going to be just as entertaining.

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• AEW
• Forbidden Door

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