Hold onto your wrestling tights, folks! The wrestling world just got a major shakeup. The legendary Hiroshi Tanahashi, the former 8-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and current NJPW president, made a jaw-dropping surprise appearance on AEW Collision. Fans were treated to a preview of the upcoming AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view as Tanahashi teamed up with Claudio Castagnoli and Daniel Garcia in a thrilling trios match against Lance Archer and The Righteous.
In true Tanahashi fashion, the Ace of New Japan delivered the goods, sealing the victory for his team with a High Fly Flow that left Vincent seeing stars. This marked Tanahashi’s fifth AEW match and his second showdown on Collision. Last year, he took down Swerve Strickland in the lead-up to Forbidden Door 2023. While Tanahashi’s record at the Forbidden Door events isn’t exactly championship material—having lost AEW World Championship matches to Jon Moxley in 2022 and MJF in 2023—his presence alone amps up the excitement for this year’s event.
Tony Khan, AEW’s head honcho, couldn’t contain his excitement. He tweeted a picture of himself grinning ear to ear next to Tanahashi, both of them decked out in wrestling flair. Khan was sporting a Jushin “Thunder” Liger jacket gifted by Tanahashi, and he thanked the Japanese superstar for coming to Las Vegas to “stand up for AEW vs the hired guns of The Elite.” This appearance adds another layer to the ongoing feud, which will see The Elite and Team AEW clash in an Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing.
While The Righteous, Archer, Castagnoli, and Garcia aren’t currently on the Double or Nothing card, Tanahashi’s surprise involvement hints at even more unexpected twists and turns as the road to Forbidden Door heats up. Wrestling fans, buckle up—it’s going to be a wild ride!