AEW Forbidden Door 2025 – Predictions
The Forbidden Door.
The Door That is Forbidden.
No door in all of London, England, is more Forbidden than this one.
That’s right, folks, it’s AEW PPV time, and this time we go across the pond to Jolly Ole England (side note, why have none of these events been in Japan?). This Sunday at Noon Central, All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling will lock up, and we at Talent Alone will be here to predict EVERY match on the card.
Coming out of SummerSlam, Mike went 10-1 because he is very dumb and thought Lyra Valkyria was going to win over Becky Lynch. Fucking idiot. On the other hand, Adam went 7-4 for a respectable 64% winning percentage, which is equivalent to winning 52 games in an NBA season!! So far on the year, Mike has a score of 28-10, and Adam is 20-18. With that, we have (in typical AEW Fashion) 9 matches to predict, so let’s get to it.
AEW Forbidden Door Predictions
Lights Out Steel Cage Match:
The Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi), Darby Allin, Hiroshi Tanahashi, & Will Ospreay VS The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley), The Young Bucks, & Gabe Kidd
ADAM: The big question mark in this match is Gabe Kidd, I mean, what is he? Should I recognize him? The second and much less important piece of news is that Will Ospreay is wrestling through a back injury (2 herniated disks) and will have surgery after the PPV. I doubt we see any major bumps from him, or if we do, I’ll cringe so hard you’d think I was paying attention to millennial internet content. Tana is too old to really do much, so a lot of the big bumps will be on Darby and the Bucks, with Mox blading on his way into the ring just for the sake of time.
TEAM GOLD MOUNTAIN (+HIROSHI TANAHASHI….AND WILL OSPREAY)
MIKE: In a similar vein to what Adam pointed out, it’s pretty wild that Darby is going to do some insane coffin drop off the ceiling, into the cage, and through the ring mat, yet he is the least likely person on his team to come out of this match injured.
The Death Riders spent the last year on top in AEW, with Mox losing the belt; now’s the time for the fall. If I’m being honest, I hope this match leads to the group quietly going their separate ways for a while. The act just feels stale. That includes Mox, who is awesome, but could benefit from a little vacation and returning with a fresh direction.
THE GOLDEN LOVERS, STINGS KID, THE PRESIDENT OF NEW JAPAN, AND ASSASSIN’S CREED GUY.
ADAM: Just realized we never addressed the lights-out aspect of this match.
AEW World Championship:
“Hangman” Adam Page (C) VS MJF
MIKE: I was looking forward to this match. Hangman is the hot new babyface champ, MJF is one of the company’s top heels, and they can both talk on the mic and go in the ring. I had no complaints…until this week’s episode of Dynamite. Now, I have some complaints. First of all, they overbooked the match by adding unnecessary stipulations, and dumb ones at that. We can all agree that if you apply logic to the idea of the “champions’ advantage,” it makes no sense. It only started back in the day as a way for a champion from one territory, usually a heel, to go wrestle in another and not drop the belt. The champ would get themselves disqualified or counted out, thus keeping the title. Meanwhile, that territory’s top babyface would still technically win the match and also beat up the heel to send the crowd home happy. In today’s wrestling landscape, it’s dumb and something that should only be used on the rarest of occasions. As wrestling fans, we turn our brains off to some extent when it comes to the little pro wrestling things that are kind of silly if you stop and think about it. By adding the match stip that the title can change hands on a DQ or count out, you are making it impossible for us not to stop and think about it. For example, one thought might be, “Why doesn’t MJF just pay someone to rush the ring once the bell rings and hit him so he wins?” Matches with this kind of gimmick and a babyface champion always go the same way. The cowardly dastardly heel does everything he can to get the champ to snap and do something to get disqualified, but in the end, he fails to do so. I’ve seen that match before, multiple times, and each time it sucks. I also have to gripe over how they made this happen by having MJF threaten to set a person on fire. Once again, I can turn my brain off and immerse myself in pro wrestling until you do something so ridiculous that I get pulled out. It just screamed, “We couldn’t think of an interesting or logical way to get to this, so we’re just going to do something way over the top to shove it in there.” Lastly, there’s the wrinkle of MJF’s Casino Gauntlet match contract. This was either them tipping their hand that Page is retaining and a rematch is coming, or to throw us off the scent that the belt is changing hands. My money’s on the tipping of the hand theory.
“HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE
ADAM: There’s a theory that Frodo doesn’t know Legolas’ name because they rarely interact and Frodo never says his name. I kind of think that’s going on with Mark Briscoe and Hangman. Like, does Hangman know who Mark Briscoe is in kayfabe? Did he think they picked up a homeless hitchhiker? I think I’m onto something here.
I think it would be really cool if they flip the belt here because they never do that, and it stands out when they do something like that (e.g., the Punk/Mox match).
“HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE
AEW Unified Championship:
Kazuchika Okada (C) VS Swerve Strickland
ADAM: *as Mike* Oh, hi, I’m Mike, and Kazuchika Okada is going to win because he’s the bestest in the world, and I don’t even care about Prince Nana.
SWERVE STRICKLAND
MIKE: Contrary to Adam’s snarky commentary, I am not picking Okada just because I’m a massive mark for him. I’m picking him because of his superior ability to gain wrist control. This match could steal the show for sure, but the ending is obvious. Swerve’s eating the pin after taking a total of three RAAAINMAKEEEEERS!!
OKADA KAZUCHIKA
AEW Women’s World Championship:
“Timeless” Toni Storm (C) VS Athena
MIKE: I’m fine with Tony Khan keeping the Timeless train rolling by having Toni Storm retain, but I do prefer that they do a title change. Partly to avoid Athena getting sent back to the void between space and time that is ROH. Storm is basically Teflon at this point. She loses nothing by dropping the belt here, especially if it’s the result of Athena cheating using heel tactics.
ATHENA
ADAM: It makes sense to move the belt to Athena and give her the main roster rub. TK has done a good job of keeping Athena away from the main roster so long that when she showed up at All In, my first thought was “Oh, yeah, she’s part of this company,” which leads to this match feeling special. I’m not sure where Toni Storm goes if she loses. There isn’t a natural feud for Storm, and the title feels more special on her or Mercedes right now but I would be surprised if the Clipboard™ doesn’t cash.
ATHENA
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship:
Zack Sabre Jr. (C) VS Nigel McGuinness
ADAM: It’s a good thing there isn’t a record of my old Zack Sabre Jr hate because I have been brushing up on my ZSJ for this match, and fuck can that white boy work. I think it’s good to get a Brit v Brit match in this Japan vs North America PPV, and I’m happy to see Nigel McGuinness dust off the boots for one more go, but this one ain’t hard to pick.
ZACK SABRE JR
MIKE: This match is for all the real graps fans out there. Get ready for roughly 20 minutes of technical wrestling, submissions, and a whole lot of joint manipulation! I can totally understand why ZSJ’s style of match isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but I dig it. The man has an amazing ability to twist an opponent in a way that makes it appear he’s applying serious torque and tearing every ligament in their body. It’s also always cool to see McGuiness get back into the ring on a bigger stage after the way his in-ring career got derailed. This match should be a lot of fun, even if it’s one of the bouts where there is no doubt in the outcome.
ZACK SABRE JR.
AEW TBS Championship:
Mercedes Mone (C) VS Alex Windsor VS Persephone VS Bozilla
MIKE: I understand that on the surface level, Persephone being the “Queen of the Underworld” in Greek mythology makes it seem like a bad ass ring name, but when you know the whole story, is it really that cool?
Persephone was abducted by her uncle Hades, taken to the underworld, and forced to marry him. Don’t worry, though, her dad, Zeus, gave his bro Hades the okay. Seems messed up, but who am I to tell someone how to raise their kids? Fast forward, Persephone’s mother, Demeter, eventually finds out what happened to her daughter and is not happy about it. This obviously put Zeus in the dog house with the ole ball and chain (by which I mean his sister Demeter), so he told Hades he had to bring her back. Hades was all like, “Yeah, sure, totally bro,” but before he did, he tricked Persephone into eating Pomegranate seeds, which were the food of the underworld. Because she ate those sinister seeds, she would be forced to spend four to six months (depending on which version of the myth you read) in the underworld. This is why we have changing seasons. She would return from the Underworld every spring, before eventually having to go back. When she does, Demeter, the Greek goddess of harvest, agriculture, and fertility, gets super sad, causing all the plants to die just like they do in the fall/winter.
Pretty sure I’ve proved my point as to why Persephone isn’t that cool of a ring name. If not, hopefully I at least distracted you from the fact that I have no input on this match because there’s ZERO chance the belt is changing hands.
MERCEDES MONE
ADAM: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…
MERCEDES MONE
AEW TNT Championship:
Kyle Fletcher (C) VS Hiromu Takahashi
ADAM: That’s ridiculous. There’s no way Kyle Fletcher won the TNT Championship. *Googles TNT Championship* Wait… I think I watched that match when it happened. I think Kyle Fletcher might be my The Silence.
KYLE FLETCHER
MIKE: Why can’t I get into Kyle Fletcher? I feel like a lot of people are stoked on him. What am I missing? He could be great in the ring, I don’t know. Every time I hear his name, or his music hits, and he comes walking out, my brain just shuts off. Before I know it, I’ve been scrolling on my phone for 15 minutes, and the bell is ringing to end the match. The good news is, I should finally have an informed opinion on him after this match, because he’s facing Hiromu Takahashi. When the Ticking Time Bomb comes walking to the ring, I’m always paying attention. Unfortunately, he’s in one of the matches where the winner is obvious, but they booked it because it’s Forbidden Door and there has to be some NJPW vs AEW action.
KYLE FLETCHER
ADAM: Can someone explain what a Protostar is for me?
MIKE:
AEW World Tag Team Championship:
The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin (C) VS FTR VS Brodito (Brody King & Bandito)
MIKE: First things first, if the winner of this match were determined by the coolest team name, Brodito would be a lock. Unfortunately, that’s not how this match works, and that’s the only way King and Bandito had a chance to win. As for the Hurt Syndicate, I’m not entirely sure what’s going on with them. I don’t think the MJF story is done yet, but in the meantime, it feels like the group is in a holding pattern. Honestly, it might not be the worst idea to switch the belts, which brings us to the last team in this match. FTR is still hands down one of the best tag teams in the world, even if TK wasted them when they were at their babyface peak by leaving them in ROH jail. I know, it’s been years, but I’m still not letting it go. Dax and Cash have a showdown with Cope and Cage on the horizon, that match could stand on its own straight up, or you could add some extra heat to it by making it a title match. I vote to turn up the burners and add the heat.
FTR
ADAM: I disagree with Mike strongly here. Yes, the Hurt Syndicate hit a snag with MJF turning his attention to another thing mid storyline, which, sidebar, please, why did he go get other black friends? Why didn’t the Hurt Syndicate help him set Rebel Andy Serkis on fire? Back to the match.
I think TK sees the Hurt Syndicate as money, and I think he’s right.
THE HURT SYNDICATE
Adam Copeland & Christian Cage VS Kip Sabian & Luchasaurus
ADAM: Cope Solo (much better nickname you, IWC marks) and Christian Cage getting laid out on the go-home Dynamite has me leaning Copeland-Cage in traditional WWE Booking, but I can see a world where either the Cage turn happens for real or Luchasa- I mean Killswitch interferes. I think I’ll go with the heels here.
KIP SABIAN & LUCHASAURUS
MIKE: I kept telling myself I wasn’t going to get all nostalgic and giddy at Cope and Cage teaming back up. Then they had their segment on Dynamite, and I got really nostalgic and giddy over them teaming back up. The point of this match is pretty simple. Tell the story of whether or not the old dudes can co-exist and be as good a team as they used to. It’s the appetizer building up to the real, aforementioned money match against FTR. I can’t imagine them losing here, especially to a team that includes Kip Sabian. Also, as a side note, was it just me, or was that Luchasaurus’ return flatter than tits on a bull?
ADAM COPELAND AND CHRISTIAN CAGE
ADAM: HIS NAME IS KILLSWITCH!
There you have it folks, 9 matches and 3 disagreements. If I can I have it my way, I hope Mike goes 6-3. I tried to think of a joke there but that’s just how I feel about it.
Enjoy your early Sunday kick off for AEW Forbidden Door at 1 PM Eastern Time and after you get through the 14 hours of PPV that Toney Kahn loves to put on, call out of work the next day.
See ya’ll next time.
