STARDOM To Be A Part Of AEW Forbidden Door

By: Maggie Austen

The 2024 edition of All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling’s joint event, Forbidden Door, will emanate from Long Island, New York’s UBS Arena on June 30th, and from the sounds of it that forbidden door will be opened a bit wider this go around. In a recent interview with Fightful, Rocky Romero, who is a Vice President with both organizations, alluded to as much:

“I think the Forbidden Door concept embodies that. It means anybody from anywhere can show up. It will always stay as an AEW and New Japan official promoted show, both companies together. Using those resources and their connections, bringing in other promotion like STARDOM. STARDOM will definitely be part of Forbidden Door this year. It’s very likely CMLL will have participation in Forbidden Door, and then, who knows. The sky is the limit.”

This is good news for fans of STARDOM, the joshi promotion that has been working on gaining a foothold in American markets, particularly after co-creating the IWGP Women’s Championship with New Japan Pro Wrestling. At the Ring of Honor Supercard of Honor event last month, Mei Seira joined forces with Empress Nexus Venus’ Maika and Mina Shirakawa to defeat Tam Nakano and Queen’s Quest’s Saya Kamitani and AZM, and the show’s Zero Hour pre-show ended with STARDOM alumni Mariah May beating Momo Kohgo. Both matches received warm reviews from fans.

As well, AZM recently faced off against AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm in a barnburner of a match on AEW Collision. Storm, a former World of Stardom Champion and SWA World Champion, has also been heavily involved with an intriguing love triangle with Mariah May and Mina Shirakawa in a story that has played out on multiple episodes of AEW television.

As for who might appear at Forbidden Door from STARDOM, it is really anyone’s guess, but the seeds have been laid for a potential big-time match involving Toni Storm, Mariah May, and May’s Rose Gold partner Mina Shirakawa. One other juicy storyline that could come together would be a program between Mercedes Moné and the current IWGP Women’s Champion, Mayu Iwatani. Iwatani ended Moné’s 64-day reign as IWGP Women’s Champion and a rematch did not happen before Mercedes suffered an ankle injury at the 2023 Resurgence event. Hopefully, STARDOM plays a major part in the Forbidden Door plans, as this would be their largest platform to make a mark on international audiences.