The planned AEW World Championship match between Darby Allin and Kazuchika Okada has been scrapped due to a legitimate personal situation, with Okada having returned to Japan for family business.
Bryan Alvarez confirmed the situation on Wrestling Observer Radio, shutting down any speculation that the change was part of a storyline angle.
“All I know is that it was actually going to be Okada and Darby. This was not an angle. He did legitimately have to go back to Japan for some family business. And so this was a legitimate change. So that match is off,” Meltzer said.
AEW announced Okada’s absence on Collision, citing family business as the reason for his return to Japan. The match had been set up as the next AEW World Championship defense for Darby Allin before the company shifts more fully into the developing program involving MJF, who is waiting in the wings for his title match opportunity.
In Okada’s place, Darby Allin will now defend the AEW World Championship against Konosuke Takeshita on this Wednesday’s Dynamite.
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