Tony Khan Responds To Yota Tsuji Suggesting Boycotting Forbidden Door

Ahead of AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji suggested boycotting the event given how AEW had treated the champion over the years, noting that the title had been defended in four-way matches or against competitors who hadn’t earned a title match.

He also stated that he does like Tony Khan and that they could learn from AEW in their new system.

Speaking at the Forbidden Door media scrum, Tony was asked about Tsuji’s comments regarding not defending the title and boycotting the event.

“I really am a big fan of Yota Tsuji. I have a lot of respect for him and the IWGP World Title. I would love to have him year, and I’ve been a fan of his for many years. There was another side to what he said, and that’s that I’ve always shown great respect to him and the wrestlers. He’s always felt very respected by AEW when he’s come here, and he feels like the New Japan wrestlers get a lot of respect from the company and from me personally. I’m a big fan of his, and I’ve tried to let him know and always make him feel welcome,” he said.

While the IWGP Heavyweight Title was not defended, Shota Umino did defend the IWGP Global Heavyweight Title, and NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi made an appearance.

Fans can find Fightful’s coverage of AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door by clicking here. Check out the post-show podcast for a full review by clicking here.

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