Multiple Top AEW Stars Reportedly Off Forbidden Door

In the early hours of Monday morning, AEW star Andrade El Idolo got fans speculating that he would not be appearing at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door, while blaming lucha promotions AAA and CMLL. This would lead to a response from AAA booker Konnan, a deleted tweet from Andrade implying AAA hadn't paid him, and no clarification on his Forbidden Door status. Well, at least until this afternoon.

According to sources close to luchablog, the premiere blog for lucha libre news in the US, Andrade will not be appearing at Forbidden Door later this month, despite initially being booked for the show. He is not alone; luchablog also confirmed that the Lucha Brothers, Penta Oscuro, and Rey Fenix, would also not be appearing on Forbidden Door.

Though it was not outright stated in luchablog's report, CMLL's working relationship with New Japan appears to be responsible for the reason all three luchadores are being left off Forbidden Door. As previously noted, Andrade, Penta, and Fenix are all associated with AAA, the rival promotion of CMLL in Mexico, although Andrade's status with AAA now appears up in the air given his deleted tweet.

This would indicate that, despite the growth in the AEW/NJPW relationship, the CMLL/NJPW relationship, which dates back to 2008, remains as strong as ever. It would also suggest the rivalry between AAA and CMLL, which dates back to AAA's formation in 1992, remains as hostile as ever.

While Andrade was reportedly booked for Forbidden Door and Penta Oscuro is scheduled to face Malakai Black for the chance to join the fatal four-way match for the AEW All Atlantic Championship, it appears AEW may have known Fenix would be unavailable for some time. The AAA/AEW star is scheduled for AAA's next Showcenter event on June 26, the same day as Forbidden Door. It is now likely he will make that show after all.

Though it is unknown if they too will be affected at this time, it appears unlikely that FTR, the current AAA World Tag Team Champions, will be removed from Forbidden Door should they be booked. The duo has been feuding with Will Ospreay's United Empire on AEW TV, and it is rumored they will be wrestling UE's Jeff Cobb and Great O'Khan, who attacked FTR on "AEW Dynamite" last month.