The Year of the Other Forbidden Door
AEW has teamed up with IMPACT Wrestling and NJPW. However, 2024 has shown that the WWE Forbidden Door is wide open
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has been no stranger to opening the “Forbidden Door” of working with other major promotions. They frequently collaborate with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and previously had a working relationship with Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling, when the brand was known as IMPACT Wrestling.
For years, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) stayed away from working with other promotions. Although they have worked with other promotions in the past (such as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the 90’s), for the better part of the last two decades, WWE has stayed within its own brand.
With the exception of its developmental brand NXT briefly working with Evolve Wrestling before Evolve’s sized operations in 2020 as WWE absorbed it, WWE has largely played in its own sandbox. This has greatly shifted this year. WWE has worked with multiple promotions in the first six months of 2024. Some were advertised, and some were total surprises such as the recent appearance of Jordynne Grace in NXT.
Although it wasn’t the first time a TNA wrestler has appeared at the Rumble, it marked the beginning of more collaborations, whereas in previous years the appearances were a one-off.
Let’s examine how the WWE Forbidden Door has been kicked open in 2024, and what could be coming down the line WWE and other promotions it has collaborated with.
The Opening of the WWE Forbidden Door in 2024
The Royal Rumble
The door was kicked open early in 2024. On January 27th, 2024, during the annual Royal Rumble event, TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace entered the Women’s Royal Rumble match in the fifth slot. Grace competed in the match for almost 20 minutes before being eliminated by Bianca Belair.
Although Grace didn’t eliminate anyone in the match, the TNA Knockout looked impressive as she competed against the best of the WWE Women’s Division. This was not the last time we saw Grace in a WWE ring in 2024.
GCW Collective: Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X
WWE’s marquee event - WrestleMania traditionally takes place in March or April every year. Known as the biggest event in professional wrestling, the event attracts fans from all over the world. Many events take place around WrestleMania and many promotions run shows throughout the weekend.
One of the better known events is hosted by Game Changer Wrestling (GCW). The promotion runs a series of shows over the weekend known as The Collective with each having its own theme. One of which is Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport. The event focuses on shoot-style wrestling, with each match designed to look like a legitimate mixed martial arts (MMA) bout.
One of the matches saw WWE’s own Shanya Baszler, who is a former mixed martial arts fighter, take on Lindsay Snow. Baszler was accompanied by Zoey Stark and Snow was accompanied by Grace.
Other members of WWE including the President, Nick Khan, current wrestler CM Punk, and others were present for the event. GCW was even acknowledged on WWE live commentary during the buildup to WrestleMania and the Bloodsport match. That alone would have been unthinkable just a couple of years ago.
Grace’s Appearance in NXT
Fans were in for a surprise on the May 28th edition of NXT. As NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez waited in the ring for her opponent for NXT Battleground to be revealed, Perez and fans were shocked when Grace entered the arena to answer the call.
Grace had her first official match in an NXT ring the following week on the June 4th edition of NXT. She defeated Stevie Turner in just over three minutes, making her in-ring debut a success.
The two will meet with Perez’s title on the line on June 9th in Las Vegas. The event will take place at the UFC Apex, a first for WWE. The two companies merged under the same parent company TKO Holdings in September of 2023.
The Future?
What could happen next for the “Forbidden Door”? Bloodsport XI is scheduled for July 28th in New York City. Could we see another appearance of a WWE wrestler at the event? With the show taking place less than a month before the marquee SummerSlam event, we could see another WWE wrestler enter a GCW ring.
On the TNA side of things, Grace has issued an open challenge for her Knockouts Championship at Against All Odds on June 14th in Chicago. It seems very possible that a WWE wrestler will answer the challenge.
There is no shortage of WWE roster members with ties to TNA. AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley, Chelsea Green, Drew McIntyre (Drew Galloway), Joaquin Wild (DJZ), Karl Anderson/Luke Gallows, Karrion Kross (Killer Kross), LA Knight (Eli Drake), Michin (Mia Yim/Jade), MVP, R-Truth (Ron “The Truth” Killings), Robert Roode, Scarlet (Scarlet Bordeaux), Shotzi Blackheart, Wes Lee (Dezmond Xavier), Xavier Woods (Consequences Creed), and others all have a history with the promotion. McIntyre has already been vocal on X (formerly known as Twitter) about being ready to open to head back TNA.
The possibilities feel virtually endless for working with TNA and other promotions. This can lead to fresh matchups and feuds and an element of surprise for the fans watching live in the arena and at home.
How do you feel about WWE working with other promotions? Sound off in the comments below.
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