Jay White Retains IWGP World Title vs. Okada, Page, Cole at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door

Jay White beat Kazuchika Okada, "Hangman" Adam Page and Adam Cole in a four-way match to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door on Sunday night.

At the time Forbidden Door was announced, Okada was in the midst of his sixth IWGP world title reign, which led to the assumption that he would defend at the pay-per-view, but things changed shortly before the event.

White defeated Okada at NJPW's Dominion to become the new IWGP world heavyweight champ, meaning he would be the one to defend at Forbidden Door.

Even before that happened, Page was appearing on AEW programming and lobbying for an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match after dropping the AEW Championship to CM Punk.

That seemed like the setup for Page vs. Okada, but when White beat Okada for the title, he was the one who stepped up to Hangman.

At the same time, Cole was trying to inject himself into New Japan's world title picture by interrupting and attacking Page, which was a continuation of the feud they had when Page was AEW world champion.

The story appeared to be angling toward a three-way match at Forbidden Door, but that all changed on the final episode of Dynamite before the event.

With Page getting beaten down by both White and Cole, Okada made his surprise debut on AEW programming and saved Page.

That resulted in The Rainmaker getting added to the match to make it a four-way between four of the best wrestlers in the world.

There was some thought that Okada would take the title back from White by pinning one of Page or Cole, but instead, it was White who prevailed and maintained his place atop New Japan.

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