KAIRI Names The AEW Stars She Wants To Wrestle At Forbidden Door
When the inaugural edition of AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door took place last June, the IWGP Women's Championship had yet to be created, meaning there was a bleak chance for crossover match-ups pitting women's wrestlers from AEW against their counterparts from the Far East.
However, all that is set to change this year, as the partnership between NJPW and STARDOM continues to prosper, to the point where reigning IWGP Women's Champion Mercedes Mone and IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada were heralded as "the ultimate dream team" by NJPW's announcers earlier this year.
While KAIRI is no longer in possession of the IWGP Women's Championship, she is widely expected to wrestle at the Forbidden Door 2 pay-per-view in June. In a recent interview with WrestlingNewsCo, KAIRI was asked to pick between AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill and AEW Women's World Champion Jamie Hayter as potential opponents at the event.
"Let's go!" KAIRI responded with a thumbs-up gesture, indicating that she'd love to wrestle for either of AEW's women's titles.
When the interviewer insisted that KAIRI vs. Hayter would be "a banger" of a match, the STARDOM star said, "I hope so," while adding that she'd love "to challenge" Hayter for her title.
Elsewhere, IWGP/STARDOM wrestlers are set to square off against IMPACT stars at the upcoming Multiverse United pay-per-view on March 30. With Knockouts Champion Mickie James still to be booked on the card, KAIRI was asked about the possibility of an impromptu match between her and James at the Los Angeles event.
"I love her. I respect her," KAIRI said. "I want to wrestle her again," she added, referencing her previous run-ins with James in the WWE.
Will fans be treated to KAIRI vs. Hayter at Forbidden Door 2? A lot can happen from now until the event. In the meantime, Mone will defend her IWGP Women's Championship against Hazuki and AZM at NJPW's Sakura Genesis event on April 8. If Mone were to retain her title, there's a possibility of "The CEO" walking through the Forbidden Door this summer.