MJF challenges NJPW star Ryohei Oiwa for AEW championship

Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) issued a direct challenge to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) star Ryohei Oiwa during the Road to King of Pro Wrestling event. Appearing via a pre-recorded video message, the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star criticized NJPW, labeling the promotion second-rate and expressing a desire to ‘close the Forbidden Door’ by defeating its talent.

MJF proposed a match against Oiwa with his own ‘Triple B’ championship on the line, asserting that he remains the ‘one true champion’ of AEW. The challenge also included a personal element, with Friedman seeking to prove he is the superior master of the ‘headlock takeover’ technique. This confrontation follows a period of social media tension between the two wrestlers following Oiwa’s G1 Climax victory.