Kenny Omega Believes Forbidden Door Concept Isn’t as Special Anymore

Kenny Omega sat down for an insightful interview with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, now available on their YouTube channel, where he shared his thoughts on the evolution of the Forbidden Door concept.

While the idea of the Forbidden Door initially created excitement around cross-promotional matches, Omega admitted it might have lost some of its uniqueness over time due to how frequent these crossovers have become. However, he emphasized that the increased accessibility has elevated the level of competition across the wrestling world.

“I think that the concept of the Forbidden Door now, now that sort of the door’s been booted wide-open… the way that I used to picture the Forbidden Door, you know, you picture the cartoony door at the pearly gates, you know what I mean? It’s like you need that special permission to open that thing up. Now I just feel like it’s a revolving door,” Omega explained.

He added that while the concept may have lost “a smidge of specialness,” it has also forced wrestlers to evolve, raising the bar in global competition. “If you aren’t a complete athlete, if you aren’t a complete wrestler, you just can’t hang. 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 highlighted the pressure to excel in multiple markets and how the “revolving door” allows only the most passionate and skilled wrestlers to thrive. “It’s made the competition that much stiffer and 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.”

Omega has been out of action since late 2023 due to health issues, including surgery for diverticulitis. Fans are eagerly awaiting his return to the ring and are curious to see how his absence will impact the evolving wrestling landscape.