Jon Moxley is headed back to Japan, and bringing someone from his past with him

It looked to us like AEW and New Japan Pro-Wrestling were building to a singles match between Jon Moxley and Kazuchika Okada for June 25’s Forbidden Door. But they went a different way, and we’re certainly not complaining about Bryan Danielson vs. Okada.

We still don’t know what he & the rest of Blackpool Combat Club will be doing in Toronto in a two-and-a-half weeks, but we do know when Mox is headed back to Japan.

Set-up for his next NJPW match started yesterday (June 6). Junior Heavyweight legend El Desperado spent last weekend working for indie GCW, which reminded him of his love of hardcore wrestling — which reminded him of Moxley, and their no disqualification match at New Japan’s Nashville show last SummerSlam weekend that Mox won by referee stoppage.

Despy knew it wouldn’t talk long for Mox to respond, and he was right. Since his new Japanese Resident Card says he can come & go whenever he wants, Moxley is coming to Tokyo for the NJPW Strong brand’s in-country debut on July 4-5. He wants a tag match with Desperado and a partner of his choosing. Mox is bringing his old CZW foe, the Notorious 1-8-7 Homicide!

We don’t know on which of Independence Day’s two nights this match will happen. But it’s the third announced for Strong’s stint in Korakuen, joining Francesco Akira & TJP defending the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag titles against Clark Connors & Dan Maloney on July 4, and Eddie Kingston challenging KENTA for the Strong Openweight belt on July 5.

Sound like a pleasant way to spend a holiday?