Kyle Fletcher walked out of AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2025 with the belt still on his shoulder and a few new scars to prove it. In a fast, punishing fight on August 24, he defeated New Japan standout Hiromu Takahashi to keep the AEW TNT Championship—his second successful defense since prying it from Dustin Rhodes in a bloody Chicago Street Fight last month on AEW Collision.
This one had all the ingredients you expect from Forbidden Door: a clash of styles, layered in-ring storytelling, and a finish that rewarded patience. Takahashi, the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion known for turning pain into fuel, pressed the gas early. Fletcher, “The ProtoStar,” had to absorb a lot before finding the answer.
Inside the match: surges, survival, and a razor-thin finish
Takahashi set the tone with stinging chops that echoed around the arena, then went after Fletcher’s base with a sharp dragonscrew legwhip. That choice wasn’t random; taking out the legs dulls the champion’s power game and slows the explosive pivots he leans on. A tight German suplex followed, planting Fletcher and forcing the champion to respect the pace and positioning.
Fletcher answered by changing levels. He caught Hiromu flush with a Michinoku Driver to claw back momentum, then stacked heavy moves to test the challenger’s threshold. The sequence got nastier: an avalanche back suplex that bent Takahashi’s landing, then a Liger Bomb that typically ends nights. Hiromu kicked out of both, and the crowd felt the swing—Fletcher was doing the right things, but the door was still open.
The most jaw-dropping moment came when Fletcher drilled a jumping Tombstone Piledriver. Nine times out of ten, that’s the exclamation mark. Not here. Takahashi survived again, and Fletcher’s body language flashed frustration. He sprinted corner-to-corner with a pair of high kicks to try to crack the code, but Hiromu’s ring sense never disappeared. A sudden roll-up nearly stole the title, forcing Fletcher to yank himself free on pure instinct.
That scare triggered the finish. The champion immediately spiked Takahashi with a brainbuster to end it clean. No referee shenanigans, no interference—just one decisive shot after a high-wire sprint. Post-match, word circulated that Fletcher required stitches, which tracks with the way both men landed on several exchanges. The bumps were high and the margin for error thin.
For fans tracking this reign, the Forbidden Door defense fits a pattern. Fletcher isn’t just winning; he’s holding serve against specialists from different ecosystems. Before Hiromu, he turned back Tomohiro Ishii on Collision—another NJPW veteran with a completely different toolkit. Ishii tries to grind your chest into dust. Takahashi tries to pull you into chaos. Fletcher adjusted to both.
Here’s the short arc of his month-long run so far:
- Won the TNT title from Dustin Rhodes in a Chicago Street Fight on AEW Collision, bleeding and brawling his way to the finish.
- First defense against Tomohiro Ishii, answering the forearm-and-headbutt war with pace changes and precision.
- Second defense at Forbidden Door against Hiromu Takahashi, surviving leg work and high-risk counters to close with a brainbuster.
Two key threads held the match together. First, Takahashi’s commitment to the champion’s legs shaped almost every transition—when the challenger needed breathing room, he went back to that well. Second, Fletcher’s decision-making after near-falls improved as the bout wore on. Early on, he stacked moves in search of the three. Late, he used Hiromu’s rush against him and picked a single shot to end it.
That pacing matters for a title like the TNT championship, which often lives week-to-week on television. The belt has a history of showcasing different styles—flyers, bruisers, tacticians—and amplifying whoever can adapt fastest. Fletcher’s proving he can switch lanes without losing himself.
What the win means for AEW, NJPW, and the road ahead
Forbidden Door exists for nights like this. AEW and NJPW bring their best, mash up their rosters, and ask champions to defend against specialists they don’t face every week. It’s a measuring stick for individuals and for the partnership itself. Fletcher’s win keeps AEW’s secondary men’s singles title in-house, but the match still delivered on the cross-promotional promise: a former NJPW junior ace nearly took the belt by forcing the champion into deep water.
For Takahashi, the effort reinforces a familiar theme. He isn’t a “junior” in spirit or danger. He bullied the leg, walked through heavy drivers, and nearly flipped the match with a slick cradle. He didn’t need smoke and mirrors—just timing and toughness. That plays anywhere, any ring.
For Fletcher, this defense expands the profile of his reign. He’s approaching a month as champion, with his body already telling stories—stitches after Forbidden Door, bruises from Ishii, and a Chicago Street Fight on the books. He’s got the TV-friendly intensity AEW likes in this slot and the durability that keeps challengers lining up.
Don Callis has been loud in his praise, calling Fletcher “the greatest TNT Champion of all-time.” Hyperbole? Maybe. But it’s smart framing. The TNT title has been a proving ground since day one, with names like Darby Allin and Miro adding layers to its identity. If Fletcher keeps stacking defenses across styles, the case gets stronger on its own.
The next challenger is still a mystery. A Dustin Rhodes rematch isn’t happening—he’s sidelined after knee surgery—so the lane is open for a fresh matchup. AEW often stress-tests this belt with quick-turn defenses, open challenges, and rankings logic. That means anyone on a hot streak with a microphone can make noise fast. The win over Takahashi will only raise that target on Fletcher’s back.
The bigger takeaway sits with the partnership. AEW and NJPW didn’t book a title match as window dressing. They gave Fletcher and Takahashi a runway to change minds and raise stakes. No interference, no overbooking, just two wrestlers trying to solve each other in real time. That’s the best version of Forbidden Door—dream matches that feel like they matter the second the bell rings.
And if you’re keeping score: one champion tougher than he looked a month ago, one challenger who left with nothing but respect, and a belt that feels a little heavier today. Stitches or not, Fletcher got what he needed—another defense, and another night that makes the reign mean more than the number.
