Despite his best efforts, “Hangman” Adam Page just couldn't get himself a singles match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at AEW‘s Forbidden Door.
He tried asking for a match versus Kazuchika Okada, then asked for one against Jay White, who beat “The Rainmaker” for the belt at NJPW Dominion, and even after taking a debuting Silas Young to task in the former ROH Television Champion's AEW debut, the prospects of Page securing a title match was once again dashed, as his long-time rival Adam Cole again took to the mic and talked down his former Bullet Club faction mate.
And yet, in a true moment of deja vu, Cole too had his prospects of a co-main event bout for Forbidden Door seemingly dashed as well, as the “Switch” himself, Jay White, the “Catalyst of Professional Wrestling,” hit the ring to inform Mr. “Baybay” that he too wasn't worthy of a title shot, as he couldn't even beat Page, let alone the top belt holder of NJPW.
So, if neither Adam, Cole or Page, was worthy of a spot in the ring with White, who could earn the honor? Was it going to be Kenny Omega, many a fan's dream opponent for “King Switch?” Or how about Jungleboy, fresh off his rejection by Christian Cage? Could it be… Scorpio Sky, who hasn't been in an AEW ring since he suffered a leg injury in Southern California?
Nope, none of the above; Jay White's opponent at Forbidden Door isn't going to be Adam Cole or Adam Page but Adam Cole and Adam Page… and Kazuchika Okada too.
Yes, you read that correctly, “The Rainmaker” is coming to Forbidden Door.
The sound of that coin drop can only mean one thing: it's #TheRainmaker himself Kazuchika Okada (@rainmakerxokada) here at #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/l9INNq15Fo
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 23, 2022
AEW fans are in for a treat with the debuting Kazuchika Okada.
Though Hiroshi Tanahashi may be known as the Ace of New Japan Pro Wrestling, Kazuchika Okada has been arguably the promotion's most consistent performer since Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks, and Cody Rhodes “Hangman” Adam Page left the promotion back in January of 2019. He's held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on five separate occasions since 2012, with a combined title run of an astounding 1,790 days, and, from January through June, Okada held his signature belt's predecessor, the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, for 159 days, until Jay White stole it away at NJPW Dominion.
He's had title matches against Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, and AJ Styles, wrestled in every premier arena, stadium, and hall Japan has to offer, and has even racked up 22 matches with a grade of five stars or higher on the Dave Meltzer scale, including a three-match program with Omega that many consider to be one of the best trios of matches in wrestling history.
Though fans won't be treated to Omega-Okada 4 at Forbidden Door – which would actually be Omega-Okada 5, but I digress – there's little reason to believe “The Rainmaker” won't turn in a fantastic effort in the co-main event of Forbidden Door, as his pedigree as one of the best bout machines in the world of professional wrestling world is very much accepted fact.
Best bout machine huh? Well, at least one best bout machine will be on the show.
While a four-way bout between Okada, Page, Cole, and White may not have been on every fan's Forbidden Door Bingo card, and feels a tad thrown together at the last minute due to the availability of the debuting superstar, the four-way should still go down as one of the signature matches on the card, as the history between Okada and White, and Page and Cole should meld together into one big, exciting match for the biggest honor in NJPW.
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