Hiroshi Tanahashi Pitches NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Match With CM Punk

Hiroshi Tanahashi wants to give fans the match they were expecting to see at the AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view event where he was supposed to wrestle AEW World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk.

Last week on Dynamite, the match was revealed for this upcoming show, but was nixed once Punk revealed he had an injury that will result in him getting surgery. Punk will not be able to compete at Forbidden Door.

While speaking to Tokyo Sports (translation via golden_kuma), Tanahashi threw out the idea of Punk competing at Wrestle Kingdom in January against him.

“1.4 Wrestle Kingdom. Punk owes me one. I’d like to invite him to Japan. I’ve been to the US a lot, so come here with a special price. Tokyo Dome is a prestigious stage,” he said.

Tanahashi also talked about the decision that Punk would not give up the title, but instead, an interim AEW World Title will be made while he’s out of action, which will be decided at Forbidden Door with a tournament.

“I think it’s overprotective,” Tanahashi said of Punk not relinquishing the title. “If it were in Japan, you would give up the belt normally. Or maybe he will come back in a short period of time.”

Tanahashi has a chance to compete in the tournament as he will wrestle Hirooki Goto at NJPW Dominion. The winner of that bout will advance to the finals at Forbidden Door to meet Jon Moxley or the winner of a battle royal.