In the main event of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling Forged in Excellence, Konosuke Takeshita beat Josh Alexander to retain the AEW International Championship. He started to attack Alexander after the match, but Ricochet ran in for the save and took the fight to him. Ricochet stood tall and posed with the title. He then shook hands with Alexander.
Ricochet previously challenged then-champion Will Ospreay for the AEW International Championship on the October 2 episode of AEW Dynamite. Takeshita interfered and attacked both men. He then won the gold in a three-way match at AEW WrestleDream. On the October 19 episode of AEW Collision, Ricochet beat AR Fox and targeted Takeshita in a post-match promo.
Takeshita was not the only AEW star who competed at Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling Forged in Excellence. QT Marshall, Rocky Romero, Harley Cameron, and Athena also wrestled at the show.
