Tony Khan Confirms He Had Plans for Former IWGP Champion at Forbidden Door

12 matches that ran for three hours and 58 minutes of in-ring match time, and somehow there wasn't space for two major New Japan Pro Wrestling stars.

At NJPW Dominion this past June, Callum Newman marched into Osaka-Jo Hall as the youngest world champion in NJPW history. Then, Newman lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship back to the man he captured it from, Yota Tsuji.

The rising English star put up a valiant effort against Tsuji in a 24-minute match, especially considering Newman dislocated his shoulder while taking a belly-to-belly suplex into the turnbuckles.

Before the injury, Tony Khan had plans for Newman to be involved in the 12-match cross-branded super card. In an interview with Q101's Case Lowe, he also revealed another NJPW fan favorite was left out of the card due to injury, despite having plans for him as well.

Callum Newman is the 2026 New Japan Cup winner. | New Japan Pro-Wrestling

Callum Newman and the United Empire were slated for Forbidden Door

The unfortunate reality of pro wrestling is that it's dangerous, with small margins for error and devastating injuries that happen. Luckily for Newman, he should be set to recover before the end of 2026, but Khan revealed that had it not been for Newman's injury, he would've been involved in the show alongside his United Empire teammates.

"There were plans to use Callum Newman and the United Empire, and when Callum Newman got injured, they held him back from the show. That was a major change and we made the best of that. Whether it was injuries with Callum Newman or Tomohiro Ishii, who I would’ve loved to have participate in the main event. I originally slotted Ishii to participate in [Death’s Door cage match],"
Tony Khan to Q101 Radio

Who their opponents would've been is unclear. The card was stacked with four team matches. Khan also had plans for six-time NEVER Openweight champion Tomohiro Ishii to be in the Death's Door match between the Don Callis Family and Team Briscoe.

Tomohiro Ishii is also dealing with an injury

Kazuchika Okada and Kyle Fletcher attacked Tomohiro Ishii weeks prior to AEW Forbidden Door to ensure he'd be absent. In reality, Ishii has been dealing with a neck injury since earlier this year, and that was how AEW chose to write him off television. Ishii would've been on Team Briscoe to get retaliation against the Don Callis Family.

Team Briscoe ultimately secured the win in Ishii's absence, avenging the Don Callis Family's backstage attack on the "Stone Pitbull."

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