Shibata wants to challenge for IWGP World title at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door

Katsuyori Shibata dreams of challenging for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door this summer.

While speaking with Tokyo Sports, Shibata stated his desire to challenge either Hirooki Goto or Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Goto is the current champion, recently winning the belt from Zack Sabre Jr. at the New Beginning in Osaka. His first title defense will be against Tanahashi at NJPW’s 53rd Anniversary show this Thursday.

Goto and Shibata have been friends since high school, and the two were once IWGP Tag Team Champions together. Shibata told Tokyo Sports that he and Goto have always envisioned themselves facing off for the IWGP World title. Now that Goto is champion, this is the time that dream can become a reality.

“It’s probably only possible at this point in time that Goto has. If there is a possibility, it would be Forbidden Door and if he could hold it to that point, the possibilities would come all at once,” Shibata said. “I don’t want to give up on my dream, because my dream is to make it come true. The rest depends on Goto’s efforts.”

Forbidden Door 2025 is taking place in London on Sunday, August 24. It’s the fourth straight year that AEW and NJPW have collaborated together for the pay-per-view.

A member of the NJPW roster for more than two decades, this is Goto’s first reign as IWGP World Champion. Shibata has never held the title before. His most recent time challenging for IWGP gold was against Kazuchika Okada in 2017, when Shibata suffered a life-threatening subdural hematoma during the match.

Shibata is now signed to AEW and competes in both AEW and ROH. He’s part of a trio called The Opps with Samoa Joe and Hook.

In an interview with NJPW’s website after winning the IWGP title, Goto was asked if he had heard from Shibata.

“Just ‘I’m waiting in America!’ [laughs],” Goto responded. “I got a few messages from other wrestlers, foreign wrestlers over there I wrestled before. I was surprised how happy so many foreign fans were for me.”

Yuji Nagata has also challenged Goto to a future title match if he’s successful in his defense against Tanahashi.