Mandy Rose to reunite with former Diva, Ricochet to crash the main event? - 5 things Tony Khan should do at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door III
AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door is set to emanate from the UBS Arena in New York on Sunday, June 30, 2024. The upcoming event will be the third edition of the annual crossover pay-per-view between AEW and NJPW.
The previous installment of Forbidden Door was headlined by the classic encounter between Will Ospreay and Kenny Omega. After conquering The Cleaner last year, The Aerial Assassin will return to Forbidden Door 2024 to battle AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland. The show will also feature a high-stakes six-man Ladder Match to crown the next TNT Champion.
Aside from the title matches, several inter-promotional encounters will also take place during the show. Performers from NJPW, CMLL, and STARDOM will knock down The Forbidden Door to face AEW stars in a battle of supremacy.
In this article, let's look at five things Tony Khan should do to make the Forbidden Door 2024 PPV a memorable event:
#5. Mandy Rose joins The Outcasts at Forbidden Door 2024
Since her shocking WWE release, Mandy Rose has not yet returned to the squared circle. Her last in-ring appearance came on NXT in December 2022, where she dropped the NXT Women's Championship to Roxanne Perez.
Fans have been waiting for God's Greatest Creation to grace their television screens for a long time. If Mandy Rose intends to return to the pro wrestling arena, she might have the perfect storyline ready for her in AEW.
Tony Khan could create a lot of buzz by bringing back the Toxic Attraction leader at AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door. The 33-year-old would be a solid addition to the budding AEW Women's Division, which has recently recruited some massive names.
At Forbidden Door, Rose could join forces with her former leader, Saraya, who took The Golden Goddess under her wing on the WWE main roster in 2017. A possible alliance with God's Greatest Creation would be beneficial for The Outcasts faction, which has struggled to get over with the audience.
#4. Ricochet debuts in AEW to confront Will Ospreay
Will Ospreay is all set to take on Swerve Strickland for the latter's AEW World Championship at Forbidden Door 2024. Having been undefeated in singles competition, The Aerial Assassin will likely leave the UBS arena as a double champion. If Ospreay prevails over The Killshot at the Forbidden Door PPV, he may be confronted by a ghost of his past.
![Ricochet might be on his way to All Elite Wrestling. [Image credits: The stars' Instagram handles]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/06/20daa-17194164206992-1920.jpg?w=500)
Ricochet could send shockwaves across the wrestling industry by making his historic AEW debut at Forbidden Door. The former Prince Puma could come face-to-face with The Commonwealth Kingpin after the latter dethrones Swerve Strickland. It will be the first time the duo will meet each other since their last encounter in 2017.
The confrontation could lay the seeds for the much-anticipated rivalry between Ricochet and Ospreay, possibly leading to a match at AEW All In.
#3. Ricky Starks returns from his three-month-long hiatus
Ricky Starks has inexplicably been absent from AEW television since March 2024. With the rumors of Starks' alleged controversial behavior behind the scenes, it has become necessary for The Absolute One to clear the air for his fans.
Forbidden Door 2024 might be the perfect place for Ricky Starks to make his much-awaited comeback to in-ring competition. From entering the Owen Hart Cup to answering Jeff Cobb's open challenge, there are several ways for The Stroke Daddy to appear at the crossover pay-per-view.
After years of inconsistent booking, the former FTW Champion could finally begin his ascent to the top at Forbidden Door 2024. It would be the perfect opportunity for Tony Khan to create some buzz around Ricky Starks, who has recently lost a ton of momentum.
#2. Crowns Jack Perry as the next TNT Champion
Jack Perry has emerged as a much-improved performer since aligning himself with the New Elite. The Scapegoat has left behind the horrors of All In 2023 to become one of the most despicable heels in All Elite Wrestling.
At Forbidden Door 2024, Perry will compete in a six-pack TNT Championship Ladder Match, also featuring Konosuke Takeshita, Mark Briscoe, Dante Martin, Lio Rush, and a mystery competitor. With victories over Bryan Danielson and Dustin Rhodes, the former Jurassic Express member has great momentum heading into the pay-per-view.
Tony Khan should pull the trigger and crown Jack Perry as the new TNT Champion at Forbidden Door 2024. The move will be a reward for The Scapegoat's recent growth as a solo performer. Moreover, it would bring more championship gold to The Elite, helping them cement their dominance over the Jacksonville-based promotion.
#1. Claudio Castagnoli costs Jon Moxley the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
During last week's episode of AEW Dynamite, Claudio Castagnoli lost to PAC in the Quarterfinal of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament 2024. After the match, The King of Swing had a staredown with Bryan Danielson, possibly teasing a breakup with The Blackpool Combat Club.
Since losing the ROH World Championship, Castagnoli has appeared as the weakest link of the dominant faction. Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley have overshadowed Castagnoli in recent months, much to the dislike of The Swiss Superman.
At Forbidden Door 2024, Castagnoli could finally embrace his dark side by betraying his fellow stablemate, Jon Moxley. The King of Swing could cost The Deathrider his match against Tetsuya Naito to fully cement his heel turn.
An infuriated Moxley going up against an evil version of Claudio Castagnoli would be a great singles feud ahead of AEW All In 2024. It would be the perfect breakup storyline for the Blackpool Combat Club, which has been an invincible unit since 2022.