5 Bryan Danielson dream matches for AEW × NJPW – Forbidden Door event

AEW President Tony Khan made another huge announcement on this week's Dynamite, fresh off announcing his recent purchase of Ring of Honor last month. Halfway through Wednesday's program, Khan brought New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) President Takami Ohbari to the entrance stage.

Former NXT Champion Adam Cole then barged in on the screen, proclaiming AEW and NJPW will promote an upcoming supershow called 'Forbidden Door' on June 26 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

It brought out current Bullet Club leader Jay White, who bragged about main eventing NJPW's last big event at Madison Square Garden. The monumental news was made official immediately after the segment when the two wrestling companies put out a joint statement:

“As the world continues to reopen, I’m making sure the Forbidden Door follows suit and we can finally give fans the dream events they’ve always imagined,” said Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW. “The United Center was home to one of AEW’s biggest events of all time, The First Dance, where CM Punk made his return to wrestling after a seven-year hiatus. This summer, fans of AEW and NJPW can expect the unexpected during this extraordinary, first-of-its-kind pay-per-view between our two incredible companies.”

“As we have done for more than 50 years, the power of pro-wrestling can energize people by fulfilling their dreams,” said Takami Ohbari, President of NJPW. “Now, it’s quite an important mission for us, the pro-wrestling industry as a whole. We are not only opening this door. We will show you NJPW’s genuine Strong-Style beyond the Forbidden door.”

Rumblings of a star-studded supercard between AEW and NJPW felt like an inevitability ever since Kenny Omega opened the Forbidden Door shortly after winning the AEW World Championship back in 2021. Since then, NJPW stars such as KENTA and Minoru Suzuki have appeared on Dynamite, while Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley have wrestled in NJPW.

One star who's made no secret of his ambition to wrestle in Japan is Bryan Danielson. It seems Danielson will be able to make this dream a reality through the upcoming AEW x NJPW supershow. Here, we look at five potential dream matches for The American Dragon at the upcoming Forbidden Door event.

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#5. Bryan Danielson (AEW) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW)

Bryan Danielson and Zack Sabre Jr. are the two technical wrestling masters of the modern era. The American Dragon has had a resurgence in AEW, proving he's one of the best wrestlers in the world.

But before his stunning comeback in WWE and reinvention in AEW, he relinquished that title to the Englishman, at least when it comes to technical abilities. In an interview with Barstool Rasslin', Danielson mentioned how the NJPW star has been winning the Best Technical Wrestler award from The Wrestling Observer for years during his forced retirement from wrestling:

"It's probably the most well-known wrestling journal, The Wrestling Observer Newsletter by Dave Meltzer right? And after I was forced to retire, he renamed the Best Technical Wrestler the Bryan Danielson award because I had won it so many years in a row. Well now, Zack Sabre Jr. has won it seven years in a row. So some of those years I was in retirement, but even since I've come back, he's still winning the Best Technical Wrestler."

The American Dragon said one of the reasons he wanted to sign with AEW was the freedom of wrestling in other promotions if he chose to do so. He'd even want to have this proposed dream match in Zack's home country of the United Kingdom.

Zack Sabre Jr., to his credit, hasn't backed down from the challenge. During a post-match media conference at last year's G1 tournament, he mentioned Danielson as a potential future opponent:

"When I'm on form, no one can touch me. Nobody has got the tekkers. Well, I'll leave it there for now. So in summary, that's the Japanese Dragon done, I wonder where the American Dragon is? I wonder where that ******** is?"

It's a mouthwatering match-up that'll excite fans who enjoy a wrestling clinic, especially if it takes place at the Forbidden Door event.

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#4. Bryan Danielson (AEW) vs. Kota Ibushi (NJPW)

Kota Ibushi is one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of this generation and the first IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Earlier, Ibushi defeated Tetsuya Naito to win the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships at Wrestle Kingdom 15. It was the culmination of a long journey to the top of the New Japan mountain.

Sadly, The Golden Star's reign was cut short due to injury. While he'd recover in time to participate in last year's G1 Climax, Ibushi suffered another injury in the tournament's finals against Kazuchika Okada. Ibushi attempted a Phoenix Splash, but Okada rolled out of the way, and Ibushi landed on his shoulder.

An agonizing setback caused the wrestler to miss this year's the Wrestle Kingdom. However, it's believed Ibushi is on the comeback trail and aims to be back for the G1 Climax in mid-July. But could he surprise fans and appear for the Forbidden Door show in June?

Imagine a dream scenario where Bryan Danielson and Kota Ibushi clash in the middle of the ring in front of a raucous audience at the United Center. Two of the best technical wrestlers who employ hard-hitting strikes would make a fascinating match-up. Kota Ibushi has the accolades, experience, skill, and intensity that make him a perfect match for this version of The American Dragon.

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#3. Bryan Danielson (AEW) vs. Naito (NJPW)

Tetsuya Naito is one of the most beloved wrestlers in NJPW right now. The Los Ingobernables de Japon leader has an underdog story that mirrors Danielson's "Yes! Movement" run in WWE.

His popularity in Japan would rival Bryan's, and the in-ring work would be superb. While Naito isn't well-known outside Japan, a classic battle with The Blackpool Combat Club founder could introduce the former IWGP Intercontinental champion to a whole new audience in the US and beyond.

Speaking of factions, it'd be interesting to see if Los Ingobernables and the rest of the BCC could get involved to aid their respective teammates. What's guaranteed is an entertaining bout between two highly respected individuals who are major stars of their companies.

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#2. Bryan Danielson (AEW) vs. Okada (NJPW)

Kazuchika Okada is the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and the perennial face of NJPW. He's one of the few homegrown stars who has transcended Japan and become a recognizable star throughout the wrestling industry. It was due to his series of classic matches with former AEW Champion Kenny Omega which put him on the map.

Earlier this year, The Rainmaker sat down with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated and expressed his desire to step into the ring with several AEW stars, including CM Punk and Bryan Danielson:

"Danielson and Punk would make for some incredible matches. A lot of those dream match scenarios are about getting excited for the possibilities.... So it's important to keep that excitement and anticipation, I think. Still, if we wait too long, they’ll both retire eventually, so I want to face them both while they’re still active."

Okada vs. Bryan Danielson or Okada vs. CM Punk can easily headline the Forbidden Door supershow, but we're leaning towards a potential banger between The Rainmaker and The American Dragon.

Both are at the top of their game and have proven to be the best in their respective companies. Danielson, in particular, has unleashed a violent side that can match Okada's Strong Style. It's a scintillating proposition that can draw even casual viewers to check out the event if this match were to headline the card.

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#1. Bryan Danielson (AEW) vs. Will Ospreay (NJPW)

Perhaps an even greater potential match than Danielson vs. Okada is Danielson vs. Will Ospreay. The American Dragon is keen to wrestle the top NJPW star and former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

According to Andrew Zarian of Mat Men podcast, Bryan considers a match with Ospreay a "big thing," and he's actively looking forward to wrestling the Aerial Assassin:

"I know that Daniel Bryan really wanted to work with Will Ospreay. I know that, for Bryan, that's a big thing."

With the confirmation of the Forbidden Door supershow, it's no wonder fans are over the moon over the prospect of seeing Will Ospreay and Daniel Bryan share a ring. Bringing together two of the greatest wrestlers of each generation could be a great way to introduce the British wrestler to American audiences.