Okada vs Danielson, Omega vs Ospreay set for Forbidden Door June 25

A special impromptu press conference on June 6 saw the first two matches made official for Forbidden Door on June 25 in Toronto, and Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada deliver messages to their opponents in the Scotiabank Arena.

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Confirmed after Will Ospreay defeated Lance Archer at Dominion on June 4, the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship will be on the line in a rematch from Wrestle Kingdom. Delivering a video message to the press conference, Ospreay stated the following:

‘What people need to understand is what this match actually means to me. 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’. 

In response to a video challenge from Bryan Danielson, Kazuchika Okada will go one on one with the American Dragon in Toronto. Appearing at the press conference, Okada stated ‘Last year I wrestled at Forbidden Door, but it was against Jay White, Adam Cole and Hangman Page, people I’d wrestled before. this time, it’s against someone new, and a big AEW star, so I’m looking forward to it. But this is a battle of NJPW vs AEW, so I plan on carrying NJPW on my shoulders and winning for the company and the New Japan fans.’

–Bryan Danielson was provocative in his video, but also recognised your ability. How do you respond to him?

Okada: I’m flattered, a little. To have the wrestling I’ve done be recognised by someone I’ve never wrestled before is nice. So, please, take it all in, first hand. I’ve got plenty for him to experience, and I plan on him experiencing Kazuchika Okada to the fullest.

–The tweet showing Danielson’s challenge quickly got over 2 million impressions, which shows how this is quite a dream match to fans around the world. 

Okada: 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.

–What do you respect the most about Danielson?

Okada: To be honest, I haven’t really taken in Bryan’s work in AEW or WWE, so I’m not sure I can say with certainty exactly the kind of wrestler he is. But that’s why I’m looking forward to this.  I know that he isn’t the tallest guy, isn’t the biggest either, but he’s been able to be a big star in those companies, and be right at the top as a champion. So that shows how good he is in the ring, and how much charisma he has to boot. In Osaka Jo Hall, there were those ‘yes’ chants that showed how far his name has travelled. Fans who don’t watch American wrestling still know who he is, and that says a lot. I’m looking forward to facing him, and I look forward to getting the win. 

Okada left one more message in English, saying ‘I officially accept Bryan Danielson’s challenge. Bryan, let’s see who is the real Best In The World at Forbidden Door’.