Will Ospreay Fires Back at Yota Tsuji After Suggesting Forbidden Door Boycott

Yota Tsuji regained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship when he defeated Callum Newman on Sunday at NJPW Dominion, but he appears to be in no hurry to turn around and defend it later this month.

The annual AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view is coming up on Sunday, June 28, from The SAP Center in San Jose, California. The IWGP Heavyweight Title has been defeated at every iteration of this show since its inception, but Tsuji says he is ready to sit this one out.

"I believe we must firmly protect the things New Japan Pro-Wrestling must not lose," Tsuji said while speaking with Tokyo Sports. "Look back at the past. Four-way matches, open challenges, retired wrestlers challenging for the title… Do you really think I’d participate in an IWGP match that’s treated this way at the FD? As the man who revived the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, I have to protect its value.”

AEW star Will Ospreay fires back at Yota Tsuji

Will Ospreay is a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion and someone who has never shied away from expressing his opinions on a particular subject.

Upon reading Tsuji's comments about Forbidden Door, Ospreay took to social media Monday morning and suggested that the new champion, essentially, nut up or shut up.

"Or maybe have some pride in representing your company as the top lad.

When I held any IWGP championship I wanted to travel the world calling out the best to show them all New Japan is the better.

Obviously his home market is Japan & he has done great job in the top spot to me this screams ' insecure.'"
Will Ospreay

Or maybe have some pride in representing your company as the top lad.

When I held any IWGP championship I wanted to travel the world calling out the best to show them all New Japan is the better.

Obviously his home market is Japan & he has done great job in the top spot to me… https://t.co/gwFS4NzjgN
— Will Ospreay • ウィル・オスプレイ (@WillOspreay) June 15, 2026

"The roster clearly isn’t as driven as the guys I was once surrounded by.
Just big belly boys wanting to keep playing “Free Play”

Grow a sack, fill it with some nuts, call out the BITW & show the world how good New Japan is….

Just my thoughts."
Will Ospreay on X.

The Aerial Assassin is already on the card for Forbidden Door. After knocking off Samoa Joe and Mark Davis in the earlier rounds, Will Ospreay will take on Swerve Strickland in the finals of the Men's Owen Hart Tournament. The winner will move on to challenge for the AEW Men's World Championship at All In London.

A shot at the AEW Women's World Championship will also be on the line June 28, when the finals of the Women's Owen Hart Tournament take place. Mercedes Moné, ROH Women's World Champion Athena, Hazuki and Maya World have advanced out of the first round, with the semifinals scheduled for this week.

Other matches booked for Forbidden Door thus far include Thekla defending her AEW Women's World Championship against Stardom's Starlight Kid, Kenny Omega facing off against Zack Sabre Jr and Team MJF versus Team Mark Briscoe inside a steel cage.

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