Backstage News On Hirooki Goto Facing Hiroshi Tanahashi At NJPW Dominion

The upcoming match to crown a number one contender for the interim AEW World Championship between Hirooki Goto and Hiroshi Tanahashi was a New Japan Pro Wrestling call according to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of "Wrestling Observer Radio."

Goto and Tanahashi will be going one on one at the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dominion show on June 12 in Osaka Jo Hall in order to earn a place at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door event. While AEW had to agree to things, the decision to make this match was down to New Japan, with the company wanting it to happen.

Originally, Tanahashi was going to be competing for the AEW World Title at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, as he confronted CM Punk on "AEW Dynamite" last week in order to set up the encounter. However, on "AEW Rampage" last week, Punk revealed he has suffered a foot injury and will be requiring surgery, which saw that plan changed.

That match has now been shelved, but Tony Khan has not taken the AEW World Title away from Punk though, and instead, an interim champion will be created until he returns in order to crown the undisputed champion. This has all ended up being a last-minute call due to the unexpected injury.

The winner of that encounter will go on to face the winner of AEW's side of the interim bracket breakdown in order to compete for the Interim AEW World Championship after Punk's recent injury news. Jon Moxley will be facing the winner of an upcoming battle royal which takes place on "AEW Dynamite" this week, and whoever wins that subsequent singles match will face either Goto or Tanahashi.

Neither Goto nor Tanahashi were originally expected to be part of the NJPW Dominion card prior to this situation taking place, but they have now been added. When it comes to the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door event, no matches are currently announced for the PPV, which will take place on June 26 at the United Center in Chicago.