Will Ospreay has publicly challenged IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji. He responded sharply after Tsuji suggested he may skip AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. His reasoning is to “protect the value” of New Japan’s top championship. Tsuji made the comments to Tokyo Sports following his title win at NJPW Dominion. He said the IWGP belt has been mishandled at past crossover events.
AEW Forbidden Door takes place June 28 in San Jose. So, a very short time for anyone to convince NJPW to make Tsuji come to California. Or even to convince Tsuji himself to want to come to the United States.
Tsuji: Forbidden Door Doesn’t Show Respect
Tsuji criticized the way the championship has been presented in previous AEW/NJPW collaborations. He pointed to multi‑man matches and non‑traditional defenses. He told Tokyo Sports: “As the man who revived the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, I have to protect its value.” Tsuji said he does not want the title “lost in the shuffle” on a card built around inter‑promotional showcases.
Ospreay Responds: Represent New Japan, Don’t Hide From It
Ospreay fired back on social media. He accused Tsuji of lacking confidence and failing to embrace the responsibility of being a champion on a global stage. He wrote: “When I held any IWGP championship, I wanted to travel the world calling out the best… To me, this screams insecure.”
Ospreay then escalated: “Grow a sack… call out the BITW (Best in the World) and show the world how good New Japan is.”
Will Ospreay is already locked into AEW Forbidden Door as a finalist in the Men’s Owen Hart Tournament. The winner earns an AEW World Championship match at AEW All In: London.
Forbidden Door Continues to Build Around AEW/NJPW Tension
The event currently features:
- Owen Hart Tournament (Men’s Final): Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland
- AEW Women’s World Championship: Thekla (c) vs. Starlight Kid
- Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- Team MJF vs. Team Mark Briscoe in a Steel Cage
Whether the IWGP Heavyweight Championship appears on the card now depends entirely on Tsuji’s stance.
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