Swerve Strickland, the reigning AEW World Heavyweight Champion, went head-to-head with Will Ospreay at the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2024 pay-per-view event on Sunday night at the UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. It saw Ospreay put over the champion in the headliner.
As reported by Sean Ross Sapp from Fightful Select, Ospreay, who has a history with Strickland as friends, was determined to prove that Strickland’s championship reign was not merely a temporary position until he could claim the title at All In in August. Ospreay proposed to AEW management the idea of putting Strickland over at Forbidden Door to emphasize the importance of supporting the World Champion for the overall benefit of the company.
This decision was seen as a way to demonstrate that success in AEW required a team effort and that individual egos should not get in the way of the company’s goals. Ospreay’s willingness to support his fellow wrestlers and his commitment to the promotion’s success have been praised by those within the company.
