Whether it is the AEW locker room or wrestling fans, according to AEW President Tony Khan, CM Punk’s return to the promotion has been a massive success.
“So far, it has been a positive experience…It was great to have CM Punk make a surprise return to Dynamite in Chicago. I know the live fans really enjoyed that and thought it was a really positive thing…The locker room was a positive experience at Collision so I feel everything has been off to a great start especially for the really positive numbers we got for the first Collision,” he said in a Forbidden Door media call today.
Punk hasn’t been seen on AEW television in approximately nine months after suffering a triceps injury which required surgery and rehabilitation. And, there was that backstage but very public run-in with AEW’s EVPs, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. Still, Khan says it has been smooth sailing.
“We are very excited to have CM Punk back in AEW. The debut episode of Collision was a great success for us as a huge live event and as a great television premiere on TNT. I think it bodes really well for Saturday night wrestling,” he said.
In his much-anticipated return on Collision last weekend a fired-up Punk cut an impassioned promo mentioning the Young Bucks and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Zaslav, in the same sentence.
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“You know what David Zaslav calls me? One Bill Phil. That’s because I am the one true, genuine article in a business full of counterfeit bucks,” he said.
Asked about the promo Khan not only revealed that he loved the reference to the days of WCW but also that it was very appropriate as it was Zaslav himself who wanted a new Saturday night wrestling show.
“It was a throwback in many ways to the wrestling I grew up on. I remember being a teenager, watching wrestling on TNT and a seeing a huge wrestling star of the time come out and reference Ted Turner. I thought it was pretty cool to turn the clock forward to the present day and have a big wrestling star of the moment referencing Mr. Zaslav, especially given the way this show come to be. It was in the nineties when Ted Turner said he wanted to give a slot on Monday nights on TNT, to pro-wrestling and here we are in 2023…and now with wrestling on Saturday nights again, this was Mr. Zaslav’s idea. He was the one who said give two hours every Saturday night to AEW and we created Collision. I thought it was very fitting to see Phill (Brooks, CM Punk) give a shout-out to Mr. Zaslav,” said Khan.
Punk himself will be facing off against NJPW legend Satoshi Kojima at Forbidden Door to kick off this year’s Owen Hart Tournament.
Kojima had this reaction to the news on social media:
is this a dream?
Now I'm eating bread and looking at this information.
But it must be real.
I'll do my best thank you.#AEWxNJPW #ForbiddenDoor pic.twitter.com/3WP2f8i24C— 小島 聡【SATOSHI KOJIMA】 (@cozy_lariat) June 22, 2023
Khan is thrilled to be bringing the match-up to fans.
“I think this is a great hard-hitting match and this is the match I want to see. This is the most stars we have had on any pay-per-view. It is such a star-studded show and I thought it was very fitting that one of the most decorated champions in the history of Japan, Satoshi Kojima, come here and wrestle one of the most decorated wrestlers in America, CM Punk. Kojima for us is an amazing ‘get’ and someone I was really excited to have,” stated a proud Khan.
Of all the matches on the card one would be remiss not to mention the genuine dream match of Bryan Danielson meeting Kazuchika Okada. Khan sees it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not only as a booker and businessman but as a fan too.
“I believe it is one of those wrestling dream matches that goes back many years. It has never happened before and in recent weeks we have really tried to build anticipation for it…It is certainly one of the most anticipated matches for me personally and in my lifetime. I believe for a lot of fans that match is one of the true dream matches in wrestling and it certainly ranks near the top for me. I am very, very excited for that match on Sunday,” he said.
One promotion Khan wishes could be involved in Forbidden Door is NJPW’s sister company, Stardom. Unfortunately, Stardom’s upcoming Sunshine 2023 event falls on the same night as Forbidden Door.
“With Stardom having their own event scheduled the same day as Forbidden Door it was very challenging for them to participate in the show and I completely understand as a promoter myself. In the future, I would love to work with Stardom more,” said Khan.
One of the big surprises at Forbidden Door is who Sting and Darby Allin have picked to team with them against the Le Suzuki Gods in Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Minoru Suzuki. One name that has floated around is none other than Bill Goldberg. Khan wouldn’t confirm or deny who Sting and Allin have chosen preferring fans to find out by tuning into the show and seeing the reveal for themselves.
“I have had nice conversations with Bill (Goldberg) about being involved in AEW at times. It is a good thought. I don’t know if it would be the perfect fit for Sting and Darby to bring this weekend but I want to leave all the door open for them. I think it would ideally be someone that would step in and be a good fit for the Forbidden Door show. Goldberg is a legend in pro-wrestling. He was one of the biggest names in the sport. As for who Sting and Darby are bringing in this weekend there have been a lot of guesses and more in line with NJPW’s biggest names but Goldberg has gone over and competed in Japan,” said Khan keeping his booker cards close to his chest.
Forbidden Door airs on pay-per-view this Sunday live from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario.
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