For the fourth year in a row, All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling are teaming up to bring us Forbidden Door. This year’s cross-promotional supershow comes to us from London’s 02 Arena on Sun., Aug. 24, 2025.
After a free streaming “Zero Hour” pre-show which starts 90 minutes earlier, the event begins at 1PM Eastern, Forbidden Door London will also feature wrestlers from NJPW’s sister promotion Stardom and Mexico’s CMLL. It has a little bit of everything, from unsanctioned multi-mans to
technical wrestling dream matches, and six bouts for AEW titles with one for New Japan’s World championship! It’s a lot to process, so we’ve assembled our motley crew of pro wrestling blowhards to give thoughts & predictions on everything booked the show!
Let’s get to it.
Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi), Darby Allin, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Will Ospreay vs. Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley), The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) & Gabe Kidd in a Lights Out Steel Cage match
Sean Rueter: Because they have more big names who took Ls at All In Texas, and because I think Allin and The Lovers will get more definitive wins over Mox and The Bucks (respectively) down the line… Pick: The Riders, The Bucks & Kidd
Claire Elizabeth: Will Ospreay is putting his neck and his life on the line in his home and when a guy who has gone as all out as he has in his career says he’s giving it his all, I believe him. Is it gonna be enough against the combined might of the Death Riders A-Team, TALENT NAME, and Gabe Kidd? I’m not making promises, but with Hiroshi Tanahashi also ready to show out for his final match in the UK, Darby Allin’s own daredevil nature, and the sheer homoerotic power of Golden Lovers all also at his side, I’m not willing to bet against him Pick: Darby Allin, Golden Lovers, Hiroshi Tanahashi, & Will Ospreay
Cain A. Knight: Will Ospreay is going out with a bang, and hopefully nothing worse than that. Pick: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Darby Allin, Will Ospreay & Golden Lovers
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Happy ending. Pick: Super friends
Kyle Decker: Looking at this I wonder “Who actually needs this win?” and the answer really is “Almost none of these guys.” The older team of the Golden Lovers, with their health/injury history doesn’t. Tana doesn’t. Ospreay is probably taking time off soon. The Bucks are still part of their humiliation ritual. The Riders have enough enough winning the last year. And Gabe Kidd just shows up every couple months. That leaves Darby, who just returned and has a score to settle with Moxley (who stole his title shot). So I’m picking his team. Pick: Darby’s team
Hangman Adam Page (c) vs. MJF for the AEW World championship
Sean Rueter: My champion wasn’t redeemed simply by ending Moxley’s reign to start his second. He needs a substantial run with it while playing the best version of himself. Only then can we all move on of from what his first stint as champ ended up mostly being remembered for. This prediction encompasses any Casino Gauntlet contract shenanigans after the initial match ends. Pick: Hangman Page
Claire Elizabeth: MJF is a cheat and a coward, heartless scum so low he couldn’t even manage to get along and be a team player with the Hurt Syndicate long enough to secure their assistance in this match, but in no small part because of that he’s a real threat to “Hangman” Page’s young title reign. But Hanger’s got more heart in his little finger than Max has in his entire body, and I don’t think he’s losing the day here. Pick: “Hangman” Adam Page
Cain A. Knight: MJF will win the title when he cashes in the Money in the Bank Casino Gauntlet contract like a scumbag. He’s not doing that here, so he’s taking the L. Pick: Hangman Page
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Keeping the contract buys time for MJF to extend this feud. Thus, the cowboy keeps gold, and the villain lives to fight another day. Pick: Hangman Page
Marcus Benjamin: Hangman is finally acknowledged as AEW’s main character. While I wouldn’t make MJF his first challenger given MJF’s status as the territory’s top villain (as of now), there’s enough backstory and emotion between the two to warrant it. This isn’t the moment for him dropping the championship. This story is just beginning. Pick: Hangman Page
Kyle Decker: In essence, Page has to possibly beat MJF twice since MJF isn’t using his contract here. That all said, I don’t think that the man who ended Mox’s reign of terror should lose yet. Pick: Hangman Adam Page
Timeless Toni Storm (c) vs. Athena for the AEW Women’s World championship
Sean Rueter: Booking theory 101 tells us that AEW should have big pans for whoever does eventually dethrone the Timeless champion, and outside of the Fallen Goddess there’s only one other member of their woman’s roster who’s both ready to be a regular main event-er and still needs a bit of a rub to be seen that way is one of wrestling’s best babyfaces (talking about Willow Nightingale here, btw). Not gonna be shocked if they go another way, but if I had the pencil I’d do the change her. Pick: Athena
Claire Elizabeth: Wrestling is a mean business, and titles even meaner, a swirling hot wet vortex of doom that you have to get on your knees and open your mouth to crawl through, struggling to take every last inch of territory as you fight and scrape your way to the maelstrom’s heart. And once you get to the center and claim the prize those winds keep buffeting you but in reverse, hammering your backside, pounding, trying to beat you off, and the longer you go, the harder it is to stop from coming to the inevitable conclusion, to be forced to let go and be swept away with the tide. Toni’s reign is getting long and her fights harder, and this might be its final day, but I cannot drop solidarity with my fellow queer blonde who dresses like she came from before color TV. Pick: Toni Storm
Cain A. Knight: Athena never should have given the champ advance notice about cashing in her Casino Gauntlet contract. Pick: “Timeless” Toni Storm
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Athena’s dominance in ROH hasn’t carried over to big matches in AEW. Pick: Toni Storm
Marcus Benjamin: Toni truly is timeless. So much so that she rises to the top even without that championship. This is the time to truly make Athena into what it looked like she might be the minute she stepped into AEW’s doors. And Toni’s so over that it’s hard seeing a babyface take the championship from her, so why not give it to one of the company’s biggest heels? Pick: Athena
Kyle Decker: I think it’s time. It’s time for Athena to win non-ROH gold and it’s time for Toni to suffer a loss and explore that journey. The last time she lost, she was a different person for a month! Pick: Athena
Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness for the IWGP World Heavyweight championship
Sean Rueter: Claire is about to do a much more entertaining job of marking out for the match itself in a second, so I’ll leave that to her. But know I’m similarly giddy that we get to watch these two British masters perform for us, even at the understandably diminished level McGuinness is capable of given his age and lengthy layoff. Prediction-wise, there’s not much to say. Can’t see New Japan taking even a momentary detour from their Wrestle Kingdom plans for a Nigel IWGP run, cool as it might be. Pick: Zack Sabre Jr.
Claire Elizabeth: Oh sweet lady Satan what a treat! There are a handful of “what if Nigel McGuinness unretired” dream matches that I’ve been dreaming about for years and years and this is right at the top of the list, next to a Tim Thatcher match. I am honored and delighted to get to call this but while Nigel is a crafty vet who has the advantage of years and years of rest on a worn body, Zack is hot, he’s fresh, and he’s gonna pick McGuinness apart. Pick: Zack Sabre, Jr.
Cain A. Knight: Nigel McGuinness is a commentator. He’s definitely not an IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, even if Daniel Garcia has to turn on him to ensure that’s the case. Pick: Zack Sabre Jr.
Manolo H. Pizzazz: This is more about the Forbidden Door dream match aspect than the result, which is obvious. Pick: Zack Sabre Jr.
Marcus Benjamin: It’ll be fun seeing Nigel back in the ring but this is a forgone conclusion. Pick: Zack Sabre Jr.
Kyle Decker: Cannot imagine a world they do a change here Pick: Zack Sabre Jr.
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Swerve Strickland for the AEW Unified championship
Sean Rueter: There are two matches with a rumor or rumors hanging over them on this card. Not sure I believe either outcome will be affected by them, though. No one said Swerve needs time off for his six-year-old meniscus injury. I saw Okada needs to drop these belts asap and start evolving into something more than the “Bitch”-saying cowardly heel who sometimes flashes the in-ring skill we New Japan fans pitched our non-sicko friends on for years. Pick: Swerve Strickland
Claire Elizabeth: This really feels like a toss-up to me. We’ve got word that Swerve has been dealing with a knee injury for literally years, and in those years he’s seen great success, but still that’s a target on him and a situation where one false move could lose him the match or worse. Okada has the champion’s momentum AND he has might of the Callis Family behind him, but those advantages stacked up could lead to overconfidence. All in all I think the coin favors the Rainmaker here. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Cain A. Knight: Okada’s extended run with championship gold isn’t very exciting and should probably end, but it’s not happening here thanks to Swerve’s bad knee. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Manolo H. Pizzazz: If not for the knee injury, Swerve would be my pick. After Okada’s epic win over Kenny Omega, it would be a blunder to lose the title then have the possibility that it could be quickly vacated due to injury. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Marcus Benjamin: I was ready to pick against my second favorite wrestler in the world until I read Sean’s logic. This is why Sean is one of my best friends. Yes, Swerve is injured but apparently he’s wrestled with that injury for a bit. Will he need time off? Not sure. I’m not a doctor nor do I play one on television. But with Swerve doing so much press prior to this event and recognizing himself as one of AEW’s pillars, why not give him this new championship? Pick: Swerve Strickland
Kyle Decker: Not sure about this one. Okada has had the title for awhile and a change could be in order. But that title defines Okada in AEW where Swerve just doesn’t need it. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi for the AEW TNT championship
Sean Rueter: Never turn down a chance to hang with Hiromu (all the Yezka/Demonito stuff in the other fed had made me nostalgic for some of Daryl’s Mexican tours), but Fletcher is the future. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Claire Elizabeth: It feels pretty bad to count Hiromu out but Kyle Fletcher is firing on all cylinders and I don’t think he’s likely to make a wrong move here even before you consider the Don Callis factor. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Cain A. Knight: Takahashi undoubtedly has nicer balls than Fletcher, but that probably won’t be good enough to win the TNT title. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Say his full name. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Marcus Benjamin: Kyle Fletcher has a bright future so there’s no need to darken it a tad by taking the championship from him. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Kyle Decker: I think Fletcher is champion for a long time. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Alex Windsor vs. Persephone vs. Bozilla for the TBS championship
Sean Rueter: There’s like a 1% chance Windsor gets an upset win in front of her people. Tops. Pick: Mercedes Moné
Claire Elizabeth: Four-way math always favors the champion and while it would be a pleasant and delightful surprise for one of these girls to step up and have the performance of her life, I don’t think the Mone Train is making a stop here. Pick: Mercedes Mone
Cain A. Knight: Mercedes is collecting belts, not losing them. Pick: Mercedes Moné
Manolo H. Pizzazz: The Moné train is full steam ahead. Pick: Mercedes Moné
Marcus Benjamin: The woman just picked up another championship en route to Forbidden Door. She’s not losing one. Pick: Mercedes Moné
Kyle Decker: No reason to think that Mercedes is losing the title in a fatal 4-way where I had to google half the names. Pick: Mercedes Moné
The Hurt Syndicate (Shelton Benjamin & Bobby Lashley) (c) vs. Brodido (Bandido & Brody King) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) for the AEW Tag Team championship
Sean Rueter: Again with the rumors say… Maybe Seth Rollins broke my brain, but what if it’s all a smokescreen to take our eyes off the obvious Hurt Syndicate/Cope & Christian feud that’s right in front of us? Meanwhile, they really should be pushing Brodido. Pick: The Hurt Syndicate
Claire Elizabeth: All this talk of the Hurt Syndicate being hard to work with seems like a load of bunk to me. No, what the Hurt Syndicate are is scary to work with. They hurt people! They break one of the simple most normative rules of professional wrestling as a sport, and they enter each match intending hurt, wrench, maim, injure, debilitate. This match has a lot of variables, but I don’t think either other team, as they stand today, can beat the Hurt Syndicate straight on, and given that they went to a time limit draw I’m not sure Brodido or FTR can beat each other, either. Pick: The Hurt Syndicate
Cain A. Knight: Dax and Cash are walking out with the belts after they pin the team that doesn’t currently hold them, because that’s what happens when egos run wild. Pick: FTR
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin have had a mediocre title run due to AEW not booking them against the best of the best yet. Losing the belts before they face big-time competition one-on-one (not a multi-team match) would be disappointing. Pick: Hurt Syndicate
Marcus Benjamin: I’m torn here. Rumors aside, I know Hurt Syndicate wants to do the favors to an up and coming team. And a feud between them and Edge & Christian doesn’t need a championship. BUT, FTR vs. E&C for a championship? That sounds so sweet. Pick: FTR
Kyle Decker: Even before the rumors, it made perfect sense that FTR would have the titles for an E&C feud. Pick: FTR
Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. Luchasaurus & Kip Sabian
Sean Rueter: He’s my asshole too, Cope. And as a long-time, card-carrying Coalition member and proud Peep, it pains me to say that The Patriarchy split has been very disappointing so far, and I’d like it to be over soon. Pick: Christian & Cope
Claire Elizabeth: Here’s how I’m wired, I cried when Christian made the save and reunited with Copeland even though I wasn’t watching when they were an active tag team and had barely been watching a year when Adam had to retire. Anyway, I think Cage means it when he says despite everything he’s going to be the best partner Copeland can have, and I don’t think Kip Sabian should be allowed to vote. Pick: Edge & Christian Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Cain A. Knight: This is the obvious win for E&C before they have to tangle with FTR in Toronto next month. Pick: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Manolo H. Pizzazz: If Nick Wayne was still in the match, I could maybe buy into a story angle loss for Cope and Christian. Without Wayne, there is a less than zero chance of failure from Cope and Christian. Pick: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Marcus Benjamin: I mean. Come o. Pick: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Kyle Decker: I actually could see a world where Cope & Cage don’t win because they’re not where they need to be as a team, but it’s not going to be in a match where Kip Sabian is right there to eat a pin. Pick: C & C
That’s who we’ve got. Who are you taking, Cagesiders?
