Before and during Wrestle Kingdom 14, talks heated up that AEW and NJPW could be forming a working relationship thanks to Chris Jericho and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Had Tanahashi defeated Jericho, he would have received an AEW World Title match. Jericho brought the AEW World Title to the Tokyo Dome and AEW was referenced multiple times by the NJPW commentary team.
However, Jericho tapped out Tanahashi and the "forbidden portal" was thus shut.
Speaking to ESPN West Palm, The Young Bucks confirmed that there are no immediate plans for a AEW-NJPW relationship.
"That was just a rumor. Nothing is happening. I think [Chris] did that to get the internet to talk a bit more about the situation. The door has not opened up at all. We wish them luck in what they're doing. A lot of our friends work in NJPW and if something came along, we'd be open, but nothing is happening right now," said Nick Jackson.
Jericho noted in his post-match interview that the two parties need to put aside hurt feelings and egos in an effort to open the "forbidden portal."
The Young Bucks have previously stated that they felt betrayed with how NJPW handled their departure in 2019. You can view their full comments by clicking here.
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