Kenny Omega: Maybe The Forbidden Door Has Lost A Smidge Of Specialness, But It's Made Competition Tougher

Kenny Omega was a big proponent of the Forbidden Door concept as he was often involved with NJPW talent when they would come to AEW, and he was the first member of The Elite to return to NJPW as a member of AEW.

The concept of the Forbidden Door has grown over the years with AEW working with multiple companies, and WWE even working with independent promotions and TNA Wrestling.

WWE SmackDown (11/22/2024) Results: Kevin Owens & Cody Rhodes Face-to-Face, Women's US Title Tourney

“I think that the concept of the Forbidden Door now, now that the door’s been booted wide open, it’s less of a…the way that I used to picture the Forbidden Door, you picture the cartoony door at the pearly gates, it’s like you need that special permission to open that thing up," Omega told NJPW.

"Now, I just feel like it’s a revolving door. But you go out one end, you don’t come back the other, unless you have that passion because it’s opened the talent pool so wide, and it’s made our roster so diverse with so many options that if you aren’t a complete athlete, if you aren’t a complete wrestler, you just can’t hang. So is it special? Maybe it’s lost a smidge of specialness by being able to cross over that plane. But it’s made the competition that much stiffer, and it’s made the competition that much tougher. You can’t succeed now unless you’re absolutely, not only the best in America, but the best in England, the best in Australia, the best in New Zealand, the best in Japan. You have to be one of the world’s best athletes to succeed now in today’s global wrestling climate, and I think the Forbidden Door helped facilitate that."

Omega has been sidelined since December with diverticulitis. It is unknown when he will return to the ring.

He is set to make a special appearance at NJPW Power Struggle.

If you use any of the quotes above, please credit and link to the original source with a h/t and link back to Fightful for the transcription.

Get exclusive pro wrestling content on Fightful Select, our premium news service! Click here to learn more.