Tony Khan Addresses Visa Issues That Disrupted Forbidden Door Plans, Says Gabe Kidd and Mark Davis Expected Back Soon

With AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door set for June 28th in San Jose, California, Tony Khan took part in a pre-event media call on June 25th and addressed some of the logistical hurdles that complicated the build to this year’s show.

Khan acknowledged that visa issues played a significant role in altering plans during the Road to Forbidden Door. The AEW President also cited injuries as a compounding factor that affected what the promotion had originally mapped out heading into the crossover pay-per-view. While the specifics of which bookings were reshuffled weren’t detailed in his comments, Khan’s candor about the behind-the-scenes challenges offered a rare window into how international co-promotions can be complicated by factors well outside creative control.

On a more optimistic note, Khan indicated that both NJPW’s Gabe Kidd and Australian tag team star Mark Davis are expected to return in the near future. Kidd has been one of NJPW’s most prominent figures over the past year, while Davis — one half of the celebrated tag team Aussie Open alongside Kyle Fletcher — has been sidelined. Their anticipated returns will be welcomed news for fans of both promotions heading into what is traditionally one of the more talent-rich events on the joint calendar.

Forbidden Door has become an annual showcase for the best of both rosters, and despite the obstacles Khan outlined, the San Jose card represents another high-profile opportunity for the AEW-NJPW partnership to deliver on its considerable potential.