AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door in London, England, UK | August 24th, 2025 | Pay-Per-View Event — The Show Recap:

Adam Copeland and Christian Cage, after their match against the Matriarchy, as they tagged together for the first time in a decade, and are finally back together. (Photo by AEW)

AEW Pay-Per-View Event | AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door Zero Hour — The Match Results:

The Opening Match on Zero Hour: El Desperado, Paragon (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) & Yuya Uemura defeated CRU (Action Andretti & Lio Rush) & The Don Callis Family (Hechiceo & Josh Alexander) (with Lance Archer & Rocky Romero) in an Eight-Man Tag Team Match | via Pin-Fall — (12:13)

The 2nd Match on Zero Hour: Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) & Ricochet defeated JetSpeed (Kevin Knight & Mike Bailey) & Michael Oku (with Amira Blair) in a Six-Man Tag Team Match | via Pin-Fall — (09:54)

The 3rd Match on Zero Hour: Megan Bayne & Triangle Of Madness (Julia, Skye Blue & Thekla) (with Penelope Ford) defeated Harley Cameron, Kris Statlander, Queen Aminata & Willow Nightingale in an Eight-Women Tag Team Match | via Pin-Fall — (11:17)

The Main Event Match on Zero Hour: The Opps (Katsuyori Shibata, Powerhouse Hobbs & Samoa Joe) (c) defeated BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Robbie X) (with Gedo) in an AEW World trios Title Match | via Pin-Fall — (10:00)

AEW Pay-Per-View Event | AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door — The Match Results:

The Opening Match: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage defeated The Matriarchy (Killswitch & Nick Wayne) (with Mother Wayne) in a Tag Team Match | via Pin-Fall — (13:46)

The 2nd Match: Kyle Fletcher (c) defeated Hiromu Takahashi in an AEW TNT Title Match | via Pin-Fall — (15:27)

The 3rd Match: Mercedes Moné (c) defeated Alex Windsor vs. Bozilla and Persephone in an AEW TBS Title Four-Way Match | via Pin-Fall — (15:31)

The 4th Match: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) defeated Nigel McGuinness (with Daniel Garcia) in an IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match | via Pin-Fall — (17:01)

The 5th Match: Brodido (Bandido & Brody King) defeated The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) (c) and FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Hardwood) (with Stokley) in an AEW World Tag Team Title Three-Way Elimination Match | via Pin-Fall — (16:05) — TITLE CHANGE!!!!

The 6th Match: Kazuchika Okada (c) defeated Swerve Strickland in an AEW Unified Title Match | via Pin-Fall — (16:41)

The 7th Match: Toni Storm (c) defeated Athena in an AEW Women’s World Title Match | via Submission — (15:16)

The 8th Match: Adam Page (c) defeated MJF in an AEW World Title Match | via Pin-Fall — (31:38)

The Main Event Match: Darby Allin, Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi), Hiroshi Tanahashi & Will Ospreay defeated Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley), Gabe Kidd & The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) in a Lights Out Steel Cage Match | via Pin-Fall — (32:25)

My Thoughts on the AEW Pay-Per-View Event — AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door:

My Thoughts: This year’s Forbidden Door Pay-Per-View marked AEW’s weakest installment since the event's inception in 2022. While many matches were solid, only two or three truly stood out as exceptional. The event notably lacked the New Japan wrestlers who have made it special in the past, featuring instead a mix of CMLL, Stardom, and some New Japan Pro-Wrestlers. To enhance the event's appeal, it should exclusively showcase AEW and NJPW wrestlers competing against each other to determine which company possesses the superior talent. The conclusion, wherein Will Ospreay was eliminated to write him off, felt poorly executed. Furthermore, the scene involving Marria Shafir climbing while chaos unfolded outside lacked alertness and focus. Overall, the show was merely adequate and failed to evoke the usual excitement associated with AEW events. It felt weak for a Forbidden Door presentation, and I hope that next year will restore the spark that fans expect.

AEW Pay-Per-View Event | AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door — The Match Ratings:

The Opening Match: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. The Matriarchy (Killswitch & Nick Wayne) (with Mother Wayne) in a Tag Team Match | The Match Rating: ***.50 — This was the first tag team match of Adam Copeland and Christian Cage in a decade. This was a very solid opener as Killswitch replaced Nick Wayne, who sustained a broken foot, but this was a very fun opener to get the crowd going, in which it did its job, as the crowd was going insane when Adam Copeland and Christian Cage got the win. After the match, I laughed when Christian Cage didn’t want to be hugged and wanted a firm handshake, baby steps before we get the old goofy and fun Christian Cage, but this was fun stuff. What a way to open the Main Card up, and the crowd is electric in the O2 Arena.

The 2nd Match: Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi in an AEW TNT Title Match | The Match Rating: **** — This was a hell of a bout. Hiromu Takahashi looked amazing in this match. This match was filled with everything you need for a mid-card title match: the near-falls, the chaos, and I loved the back-and-forth action during the closing moments of this match. Kyle Fletcher his imporvement as a whole has been amazing he is a future AEW World Champion and this title reign with the AEW TNT Title is going to help him build more of his stock but this was a very enjoyable match and Hiromu Takahashi and Kyle Fletcher did their job because I wish this match could of went on a little bit longer because it was that damn good.

The 3rd Match: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Alex Windsor vs. Bozilla vs. Persephone in an AEW TBS Title Four-Way Match | The Match Rating: ***.75 — This was a very enjoyable Four-Way Match for the AEW TBS Title. My highlight from this match was Bozilla; she's amazing. I have heard a lot about her as she's one of the few talents a lot of people expect to jump ship to one of the two biggest wrestling companies in the world in AEW and WWE. Alex Windsor was super awesome in this match since she has been in AEW.. She has been one of the few women wrestlers who have been booked really well. Persephone was awesome. I wasn't familiar with her, but she was very good. Mercedes Moné found a way to retain and win this match and continue to be the AEW TBS Champion.

The 4th Match: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness (with Daniel Garcia) in an IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match | The Match Rating: ****.50 — What an amazing technical match. I loved the vignette before the match with Johnny Saint, and Nigel McGuinness was a great touch to add for this match. The match was amazing, Nigel McGuinness was having himself a match. Zack Sabre Jr., the IWGP World Champion, was putting on great technical action. The crowd and the atmosphere were great. The England crowd was rooting for the two great European Wrestlers. At the end, we saw Zack Sabre Jr. retain and get the win. Afterwards, I thought Daniel Garcia was going to turn heel, but it was a little tease; he embraced Nigel McGuinness, and the crowd gave him a warm reception after a great technical title match.

The 5th Match: The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) (c) vs. Brodido (Bandido & Brody King) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Hardwood) (with Stokley) in an AEW World Tag Team Title Three-Way Elimination Match | The Match Rating: ***.25 — This was a very interesting match because The Hurt Syndicate didn't even take the pin to lose the titles; they got beaten up by Gates of Agony & Ricochet, and they took Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin out of the match. Brodido and FTR were having a great battle in the ring. The ending seemed botched because I think Dax Hardwood missed his cue, but regardless, Brodido are the new AEW World Tag Team Champions. This was the only title change that occurred on the show, but I thought this was a smart decision as Brodidio can really bring a true spark back to the AEW Tag Team Division. Now we see FTR moving along to Adam Copeland and Christian Cage. I need a Brodido and JetSpeed Title Feud immediately.

The 6th Match: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Swerve Strickland in an AEW Unified Title Match | The Match Rating: ***.75 — This match was good, but it could have been better but I know Swerve Strickland is dealing with a tear in his knee that dates back to 2019. So I could tell he was about to be written off to get surgery. Kazuchika Okada and Swerve Strickland, towards the end, were shifting it up a notch, but it ended after a Rain-Maker to Swerve Strickland. After the match, Kazuchika Okada took out Swerve Strickland's knees, causing the write off to happen, but something else happened as Wardlow is back in AEW after being gone for almost a year and a half. He is aligned with the Don Callis Family, and he attacked Prince Nana. I have no words for Wardlow, just wait a wait-and-see what happens with him, because since 2023, he has been in a lot of start-and-stop pushes that haven't gone anywhere, so let's see what happens. But to Swerve Strickland, hope his surgery goes well and his knee gets better, and wish a speedy recovery.

The 7th Match: Toni Storm (c) vs. Athena in an AEW Women’s World Title Match | The Match Rating: ****.25 — A very solid match, but I was very frustrated because now who is going to beat Toni Storm? I thought this was the best moment to really have someone dethrone her in Athena and have her be the queen of the AEW and Ring of Honor Division, but it didn't happen as we saw. The match itself was very good, had a lot of very solid moments. I was enjoying this match. I came into this match thinking Athena was going to do it, but she lost, and the Casino Gauntlet win has gone to waste, as this year she lost to Mercedes Moné and Toni Storm, so two big losses, but what can you do? I wonder what's next for Toni Storm, as she has beaten almost everyone, so someone we don't expect is going to dethrone her because she is on an all-time run in AEW.

The 8th Match: Adam Page (c) vs. MJF in an AEW World Title Match | The Match Rating: ****.75 — A very overbooked match that went on a little too long. This match was good until it got to a point where it didn't make any sense whatsoever. How does the referee count to three and past out, then gets up to see that the foot of Adam Page is on the ropes and decides not to give the match to MJF? There are a lot of moments that made me question the thought process. But outside of the insane tactics, the match itself was great. If they cut out some of the unnecessary stupidity, this match would've gotten a better score from me. But Adam Page retains, but I feel like MJF will be the one who takes the belt off of Hangman Page eventually, as he is going to execute the Casino Gauntlet Contract and win his 2nd AEW World Title. But when that happens, we'll see, but until then, Mr. Cowboy Shit is still on top.

The Main Event Match: Darby Allin, Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi), Hiroshi Tanahashi & Will Ospreay vs. Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley), Gabe Kidd & The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) in a Lights Out Steel Cage Match | The Match Rating: ****.50 — A very fun and crazy match, we saw a lot of violence and some fun in this match. Jon Moxley was the MVP of this match. He was destructive and disgusting as he tried to rip the ear of Darby Allin off. I do like how Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega worked together again. I missed the Golden Lovers. The Death Riders and Young Bucks with Gabe Kidd were a good force. But they came up short as Hiroshi Tanahashi got the win in one of his final matches of his legendary career. Afterwards, as the show was ready to be done, Will Ospreay was getting his moment in his home crowd, as he will be gone getting neck surgery. But the Death Riders dismantled Will Ospreay, leaving him lifeless, and he was attended to after the Steel Cage was lifted. The ending was very corny because they could have climbed and saved him, but I digress. Overall, solid main event had fun watching.

AEW Pay-Per-View Event | AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door —  The Match of the Night: Adam Page (c) vs. MJF in an AEW World Title Match | The Match Rating: ****.75

AEW Pay-Per-View Event | AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door — The Event Grade: 7/10 (B-) — This was AEW’s weakest Pay-Per-view for Forbidden Door since the creation of the event back in 2022. I thought a lot of the matches were very solid, and only two to three matches were really great. This event lacked a lot of what made the event special, the New Japan Wrestlers. It was a mixture of CMLL, Stardom, and some New Japan Pro-Wrestlers. The show could have been a lot better, and they need to make this just an AEW x NJPW Pay-Per-View because that’s what the event is: AEW and NJPW Wrestlers beating each other up to see which wrestler from what company is better. The end of the show, where Will Ospreay got plummed to write him off, was awful. How is Marria Shafir climbing, and everyone on the outside is arguing and not being alert? It was a very okay show, and it didn’t give me the feels that a usual AEW Event would give me. The majority of the time, this was very weak for a Forbidden Door. Hopefully, next year, the spark for the show can come back.