Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
AEW Forbidden Door 2025 takes place in London today. Here is our take on what should go down!
Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi), Darby Allin, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Will Ospreay vs. Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley), The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson), and Gabe Kidd - Lights out cage match
Mike: This is going to be all batshit crazy stuff. If Ospreay is going to be out for as long as is believed (and how he's even working is insane to me), then let's let him and his team go out strong and get the big win.
Cory: I could have a long essay here about how this match could be used to set up future feuds, but to be blunt, this will be a car crash, crazy spot, multiple weapons match and I cannot see Tanahashi coming in to be on a losing team. It’s his final match in England, and AEW lets the fan celebrate when someone is retiring, so I see him getting the pin after a bunch of craziness. I am also only 50/50 that Ospreay will BE in the match. They wouldn't fly Bryan Danielson all the way to London to do commentary on Dynamite and the Zero-Hour pre-show.
Richard: AEW presents Blood and Guts without calling it Blood and Guts so they can do a true Blood and Guts match in the future. If the cage is going to be set up like a 'standard' cage match, this could be very claustrophobic with ten men in the match. However, this is pro wrestling where cages are not a way to keep people in. Will these teams have a doctor accompany them around the ring because you have Darby Allin and the hospital all stars on one team and a guy who was forced to miss 9 G1 matches due to injury on the other team. This will be the type of match that AEW fans love. If you look at this logically, an authority figure (stop laughing) should have stepped in and told Ospreay 'YOU ARE NOT CLEARED, WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU THINKING". Darby gets the pin with a coffin drop off the top of the cage (I miss the days of being at shows Darby worked on and looked around the venue to try to figure out 'what insane part of the building is he jumping from').
The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin) (Tag Team Champions) vs. FTR vs Brodido
Mike: I feel like the three way stip is there to protect the champs. It should be Brodido winning but I suspect FTR steal the win.
Cory: This is one of those matches where I am going against what the story has been. The entire story of the Hurt Syndicate is that they are a dominant force that cannot be beat. They have obliterated anyone who has faced them for the title, but they have shown weakness in a few brawls here and there. I think it’s time to have someone else have the title and have Bobby go after the World title with Shelton having banger matches on his own. They are pushing Brodido hard, but since FTR are locked in a feud with Christian Cage and Adam Copeland, use them to get the title to Cope and Cage.
Richard: Did they 'Pearce this up' so the Hurt Syndicate could lose the titles without being pinned? I can see them go with Bandido and Brody since they have a good connection with the crowd. In a world of logic, this match should not be on the show. The FTR/King and Bandido match was 'WINNER faces Hurt Syndicate'. A time limit draw has no winner. Therefore, the tag champs should have the night off or another team should be in this match.
Kazuchika Okada (AEW Unified Champion) vs. Swerve Strickland
Mike: On paper, this is really strong, but we will see which Okada appears. I can Okada retaining here.
Cory: Okada is the longest current champion in AEW, and he rarely defends the title. He has shown he can still go when he wants to, but in most of his AEW matches, he’s putting in about 30% effort. He has also just been floating around since joining the Don Callis Family, which really feels like it happened for shock value, not because of any sort of plan. Swerve is over huge, works hard, and can have any kind of match from high-flying spot fests to ground based mat work. I am hoping we get about 75% effort from Okada, and if so, they can give us a classic. I am thinking Swerve gets the title, so it can be featured more and Okada can start in some kind of direction.
Richard: Which Okada do we get in this match? Do we get 'Best wrestler in the world' Okada or 'I'm not wrestling in Japan so did the check clear' Okada. If we get a motivated champion, this should be a good match. Where does this title stand in the hierarchy? Is it above the TNT title or is it below the TNT title? It would be nice to see Nana swing his arms around and spin holding the title, but I think Okada retains.
"Timeless" Toni Storm (AEW Women’s Champion) vs. Athena
Mike: One of the true main events of the show and I am looking forward to this, absolutely. I think we will see Athena's undefeated streak come to an end here after an awesome bout.
Cory: Storm is the biggest star in AEW, bar none. Her promos, her ring work, her connection to the crowd are all top-notch. Athena has been grinding it out on Ring of Honor as their “forever champion” and has shown with this feud, she can hang with the top stars. I think Storm can still be a major star WITHOUT the title, and Athena winning the title would instantly catapult her to main event status in AEW. I am going with Athena winning the title here.
Richard: This is going to be a very good match because of the two women in this match. I want this to be the 'pure' wrestling match on the show where two talented wrestlers can showcase their talents and provide a very entertaining match for the people in the arena and watching all over the world. PLEASE DO THIS. The Toni character makes it seem like we will get a bit of overacting, but it won't be enough to affect the match in a detrimental way (sorry, still not into the character after all of these years). I want no interference in this match. This is a coin flip match and I think they have done a smidge more with Toni so I think she retains. Please do this match many more times over the next year.
Mercedes Moné (AEW TBS Champion) vs. Alex Windsor (AEW) vs. Persephone (CMLL) vs. Bozilla (Stardom)
Mike: I am excited to see Bozilla here. The daughter of Ulf Herman is pretty damn imposing. I don't see Mone losing here but I do see Windsor getting the shine. Mone pins Persephone is my prediction. This could be really fun.
Cory: Mone has not been on AEW TV much due to competing all over the world and having about 37 belts. As much as I think Windsor would be a great champion, it’s not time yet. Mone has the star power, and when she loses the belt, it should be a one on one match to make a star. Mone retains.
Richard: New opponents for Mone and other than Windsor, none of them are on AEW TV. This would seem like the perfect formula for Mone to retain. With this being a four way match, will we see the dreaded 'distractiference'? Is it necessary for this match? Mone retains and I am waiting for someone to finally ask 'How does she go to the bathroom with all that gold?'
Kyle Fletcher (TNT Champion) vs. Hiromu Takahashi (NJPW)
Mike: Unless Hiromu is coming in regularly, this will be about Fletcher having a strong match and win.
Cory: I expect this to be a solid match where Kyle retains since it’s his first PPV defense of the title.
Richard: I love Hiromu, but there is no way he is beating Kyle Fletcher. I hope the match is good but it feels like even though Hiromu has been on TV for a few weeks, it is an afterthought. At least it isn't EVIL.
Zack Sabre Jr. (IWGP Champion) vs. Nigel McGuinness (AEW) (with Daniel Garcia)
Mike: YES. This should be a ton of fun, the style of wrestling I always enjoy the most and a legit dream match in my opinion. I don't see a title change.
Cory: As much as we all love Nigel, New Japan is NOT going to let an announcer win the World title. The big thing in this match is probably Daniel turning heel after everything that was said and done in the Technical Spectacle.
Richard: If this show was not in the UK, would Nigel be facing Sabre, much less for the IWGP World Title? With this being in the UK, it makes this a dream match for two top British wrestlers. This will be twenty (or more) minutes of good mat wrestling, submissions, near falls, and counters that will entertain the crowd a lot. Nigel is a legend but there is no reason why he should win this match.
"Hangman" Adam Page (AEW World Champion) vs. MJF
Mike: So many stips that put the champ behind the ball. Page needs to win here.
Cory: Page is not going to lose the title on his first PPV defense. The whole story with MJF feels super rushed and not the normal path they take for his feuds, and I wonder if the abrupt ending of the story with him and Hurt Syndicate had a part in this match. Either way, Page retains and MJF is moved to another feud.
Richard: Now this match is for the NWA World Championship because the title can change on DQ or count out. Will MJF use chicanery to get DQed and then he can use the contract that he used to get this match and then got the contract back because after burning down someone else's house, he doesn't want another person set on fire? Page should retain and he will. Will MJF try to get someone to 'accidentally' get Page DQed, but then the 'omnipresent and selectively involved' authority figure says it was not a 'legitimate' DQ so the match continues and Page gets the win?
Adam Copeland and Christian Cage vs. Killswitch and Kip Sabian
Mike: Edge and Christian.
Cory: They are teasing that Cage isn’t completely on board with Copeland, but since Copeland has been giving interviews that he can see the end of his career soon, AEW has a history of treating people well on their way to retirement. Having Christian and Cope together as uneasy allies where Cage slowly either is won over by Cope or Cage turns on Cope.
Richard: Some have said that it was a mistake to have Cage and Cope reunite in their first match in forever in a place other than Canada, but that should be their match against FTR where they can have the 'Shaun of the Dead . . . You've Got Red on You' Match. The return of Killswitch should benefit this match. The father/son dynamic with him was better than the one with Nick. Edge and Cope win and then they set their sights on FTR in Toronto.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
