Although CM Punk vs. KENTA was the reported planned direction for AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door, that match is not happening.
The two stars have a long-standing history as KENTA originally used the GTS, a move Punk started to use when he went to WWE. KENTA pushed for the match for years, but in recent weeks noted that he doesn’t want the bout unless he’s paid big bucks.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that as of this past weekend, “KENTA and CM Punk are no longer facing each other at NJPW Forbidden Door.” The report added, “KENTA expressed to NJPW and AEW that he isn’t facing CM Punk at the Forbidden Door show.”
As of last Saturday’s Collision premiere, AEW was still considering an opponent for Punk at Forbidden Door or if he should be wrestling at the event.
There wasn’t an exact reason given as to why the planned bout was nixed, but by the time KENTA had tweeted the bout was never going to happen, “that was in response to him actually being out of the match.”
Punk was open to the idea of the bout, and there were other options being evaluated for him as of Saturday.
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