Tony Khan, Jay White, Jon Moxley, Kazuchika Okada, Claudio Castagnoli, Thunder Rosa and FTR spoke to the media after AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.
Below are notes and quotes from the press conference.
**********
Tony Khan
Khan spoke about the success of Forbidden Door and said that anything bought over 100,000 pay-per-view in the world would be considered a success, and that he felt confident based on streaming figures that the show was on track to reach that value.
As for putting together the series, Khan said he is more proud of Forbidden Door than any show since Double or Nothing 2020 and praised NJPW as a partner.
“Aside from early closure, wrestling in isolation in 2020, this is probably the biggest creative challenge I’ve ever faced, but I think we went through and made a great show,” he said. “Probably since Double or Nothing 2020, I can’t remember being so proud of something that came together so quickly and changed a lot … So it was pretty special.”
Khan said he approached Claudia on June 2 about the possibility of coming to work for AEW or debut in ROH at their next pay-per-view on July 23rd.
“I called on June 2 and there must have been mutual interest. But I wasn’t sure if he would come here, or [ROH] Death Before Dishonor, July 23, ”Khan said.
“I asked him about coming in before I knew for sure it was Bryan [Danielson] was out, but I had a pretty good idea [CM] Punk would be out … We already had a lot of injured people, I had no idea we would have even more of them in the race for the show, ”Khan said.
Khan said he spoke to Danielson last weekend, and Danielson said he doesn’t feel 100 percent, citing Castagnoli as a potential replacement. Khan said he then told Danielson that he had Castagnoli under contract and that Danielson was the first person he told. Khan said he invited Danielson to the show last weekend.
Jay White
White answered questions in the character and spoke briefly about his career accolades.
Jon Moxley
Moxley said he currently feels absolute joy in wrestling.
“That feeling, when you’re doing what you’re set on earth for, like, the absolute pleasure of being invited and the pleasure of wrestling … there’s no drug that can compare to this. What a feeling it is to just be there with Tanahashi,” Moxley said.
Kazuchika Okada
Okada appeared and spoke mostly through translator Chris Charlton.
Okada said the crowds in Chicago were big and he hoped the same atmosphere would return with the easing of restrictions on crowds in Japan.
Okada said that there is no language barrier in professional wrestling, as long as he can say “Let it rain”, that communication between wrestlers and the audience is the language of professional wrestling.
Okada jokingly said that in addition to Tony Khan, it is up to the audience to ask who he wants to see him with at AEW.
Claudio Castagnoli
Castagnoli said his knowledge of much of the AEW list and circumstances made this the right time for his debut at AEW.
“Sometimes the stars come together for the perfect moment, and that happened tonight. I hope Bryan [Danielson] “Okay, I know he’ll be back, but this is just perfect,” he said.
Asked about potential opponents, Castagnoli said he was excited to face anyone and everyone.
“I’m always looking for new challenges. Here at AEW, I’m like a kid in a candy store,” Claudio said.
“There are so many guys I’ve known for years. Orange Cassidy is one of them. The most important thing to me is that the fans are excited. Who is my dream opponent? I don’t care. Who will want to see me wrestle? And here at AEW. , all these things can happen. “
Grom Rosa
Thunder Rosa appeared and gave a few comments in the character of Jade Cargill. She also talked about her choice of equipment, and how she chooses different equipment or makeup based on different cosplay elements.
Rosa stressed the importance of a different look in order to be able to make different action figures for more income. Khan mentioned that he asked Rosa to wear green for the episode of Dynamite on St. Patrick’s Day. Patrick.
She also spoke about the influence of Dustin Rhodes on her career, that he called himself his wrestling daughter, and that he allowed her to use some of his moves.
FTR
Both Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler have spoken out about their hopes of defending the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team titles in the NJPW, that they’ve been watching this for a while, but now it seems like it’s a reality with the opening of travel restrictions.
Harwood said he was grateful for the opportunity to secure his family in wrestling. He said that every week when he goes to work he uses it as an example to his daughter that she can be anything she wants.
Wheeler said he wants to have an “FTR run” with AEW Tag titles, for years to come.
They talked about their musical change and how they managed it. Harwood said Khan was a wrestling genius and that the change in music Khan proposed affected the improvement of FTR’s presentation as babyfaces.
Khan said FTRs have become better and safer wrestlers since CM Punk arrived at AEW.
Harwood and Wheeler talked about their individual match and said that, apart from one or two videos, any video dedicated to Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart was subconscious and they didn’t want to rob anyone.
You can see the full video of the scrum below.
#AEW #NJPW #Forbidden #Door #scrum #note #Tony #Khan #Claudio #Castagnoli #FTR #Figure #Online