Quick Thoughts: AEW Fordidden Door 2026

Forbidden Door season rolls about again. Not in the UK this time we have all in but this show will have UK implications with the finals of both men and women’s versions of The Owen. Slight deviation on normal I’ve been away for the most part so my thoughts on TV may not be accurate for what the show has shown. I’ve not seen everything so you know what can you do. 

Buy In

Drilla Moloney vs. Daniel Garcia 
A match announced while I was sleeping before the show. It should be a fine match but I have nothing but that to say for it. I might hit that Drilla right. This was good enough felt heatless with how late it was announced. Drilla killer is nice. 2.75/5

 

Survival of the Fittest Qualifying Match: Skye Blue vs. Maika 

I’ve really enjoyed the idea of building to the next TBS champion after Willow sadly had to vacate the belt. Build up to it make it seem like everyone wants it and blow that off with a first time gimmick match (in AEW) of Survival of the Fittest. For Forbidden Door we have Stardom’s Maika who is over for this match against Skye Blue. This should be good I would like to see Skye Blue win but Shida to win the TBS title. Surprised Maika won felt Survival of the Fittest needed more heels in it but good for her chance to get over more in America. Match was fine. 2.5/5

 

AEW Women’s World Tag Team Title Match: Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne and Lena Kross) (c) vs. Thunder Rosa and Olympia

Surprised this isn’t a STARDOM team. I dunno there’s history with Megan Bayne and the likes of Maika and HANAKO who were recently over for ROH shows. Has 5 Star Grand Prix started I'm too lazy to look? Either way I think this match should open some interesting spots Olympia she should be able to throw about Divine Dominion. Don’t know what you do between now and Redemption. Maybe Brawling Birds get a shot and then get cheated leading to All In rematch the month after? Apart from that I’m unsure. Really enjoyed this one, the story of the champion being dominant to begin with but teams finding cracks in the armour of them but not enough for the win until a face team puts it all together his strong, something that won't be appreciated until the reign is over. 3.5/5

Main Card

The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs. El Sky Team (Místico and Máscara Dorada) vs. Unbound Co. (Shingo Takagi and Titán)

Pretty sure one of these previews I’ve written moans about real lack of ‘forbidden door’ matches either here or on my previous posts. I’m not looking back I’m on holiday so contradictions are allowed. Now this is an inter-promotional match if I’ve ever seen one. AEW vs. NJPW vs. CMLL and I am ready for when the Young Bucks get the win and we begging more ‘discourse’ on AEW burying their partners. Couldn’t get Mistico last year for Forbidden Door smh. Also good to see El Sky Team win the ROH Tag Titles always a fan of Místico adding to his legacy.  Felt the match might get changed to a title match but I guess not. Match was alright nothing special but still fun was a match for match sake. 3.5/5

 

Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr

Feels like one of two real ‘Forbidden Door’ matches. Love both ZSJ is confirmed for Wembley Arena for RevPro’s anniversary show in August so looking forward to seeing him live again. On paper this is my match of the night we will see if it lives up to that. I enjoyed this was a good match with Sabre working Kenny's arm to stop a lot of his moves. I think others may enjoy this more than me but was very solid. 4.25/5

 

AEW Continental Championship Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Bandido 

Yeah sure? I mean it’s kinda announced I dunno could’ve had Mox face someone from New Japan or CMLL for this. I like Bandido don’t get me wrong but I don’t think he wins here. I dunno don’t see the point in this Mox reign anymore don’t feel it has a purpose or story to it now but give it till All In so I can see the title change live. I really fucked with this match I mean Bandido bladed and his mask was ripped to shreds hell of a gutsy babyface performance I would've had him win but nah bulldog choke (I'm annoyed I called the ending spot) still good but I dunno what we need in this reign anymore. 4/5

 

IWGP Global Heavyweight Title Match: Shota Umino (c) vs. PAC

Gedo said book Shota against that angry British man in the Death Riders but something got lost in translation as that isn’t Gabe Kidd? Look the visa issues suck and do hurt the show but this should be a good match. I’m glad Shota now has a title and can show how he can perform as a champion. And he couldn’t a more solid, spectacular performer than PAC. This should be great and should help Shota in the long term heading into a G1 and the guy with the second top champion for New Japan. This might be my favourite Umino match that was good fun and helped to build for the G1 match with Gabe Kidd. 3.5/5

 

AEW World Women’s Title Match: Thekla (c) vs. Starlight Kid 

Thekla and her hatred for a former employer for her experiences there make her the most relatable talent in wrestling. How can I not cheer her? Should be a good match but still really funny the heel of the match is the one I’m sure many people are like yeah I get you Thekla. I really fucked with this match probably the best of Thekla's reign, first time seeing Starlight Kid and she rules and Taro Okada is great in his role of being bullied by Thekla as well. This doesn't feel done I wonder if something gets built for Redemption. 4/5

 

AEW World Tag Team Title Match: Cope and Cage (Adam Copeland and Christian Cage) (c) vs. The Dogs(David Finlay and Clark Connors)

Did somebody say hold over feud before the 3 team (maybe 4, maybe 5) TLC match at All In with FTR, The Young Bucks and maybe more to see who’s the greatest team of all time? Look The Dogs aren’t for me I don’t rate David Finlay to the level many people do. I like Clark but I don’t see him being a major player (maybe for ROH but not AEW). This is filler so fill me up and let’s head onto August. As expected pretty boring didn't really engage with this match which is annoying given how much I enjoyed the tag title match last month. Good to see Jay White back that's about it. 2.25/5

Women’s Owen Hart Cup Final: Mercedes Mone vs. Maya World 

Heartbreak and success for Maya World this month. Thoughts go out to her family over the passing of her brother and now she has her first AEW PPV singles match. While it may end in a lost it is a great spot for Maya to showcase why she is the future of the women’s division against the standard bearer for women’s wrestling in the west in Mercedes Mone. I do expect a Mercedes win does make me wonder how the build to a Mercedes vs. Thekla goes. I assume Mercedes turns face? I dunno could be interesting. Incredible match really Maya World a made women and Mercedes wins it is the right call in an incredible match. Superb stuff that had me biting on every near fall. Give Maya World the world, Mercedes vs. Thekla should be interesting. 4.25/5 (could be 4.5 see how I feel in the morning).

Steel Cage: Team Briscoe (Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, Kyle O'Reilly, Konosuke Takeshita, and Darby Allin) vs. MJF and The Don Callis Family (Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, Jake Doyle, Kazuchika Okada, and Andrade El Ídolo)

Ok how you know? So does Forbidden Door just have multi man cage matches now? Is this what we do? I do like what seems to be the eventual end of the Don Callis Family. Trent seemed annoyed he wasn’t in the cage match which is like your third choice left back asking why he isn’t starting the champions league final. Kyle Fletcher doesn’t like Kevin Knight and Andrade doesn’t like not getting an AEW title shot. On top of this Don Callis has taken a pay day from MJF who Andrade, Kyle and Kevin all hate (it’s mutual) to work together. It’s good shit I love it. This gives a reason why the face team wins because the heel team couldn’t be more dysfunctional if they tried. Should be fun wonder if it’s the bigger cage from last year being used so they can do more weapon spots. Can’t watch should be a real fun turn the brain off type match. Weird ass round cage and now it's called Death's Door so this is a running gimmick for when you don't have the timer for Blood and Guts, I guess now it looks different to the other cage, I dunno need to get use to it. I really fucked with this match superb stuff. I may not like Lio Rush's gimmick but the spot of putting him back in the bag did make me chuckle. Good fun match and Andrade face turn is earned and good going fuck Don and fuck MJF. Good fun paced match every got moment and if this continues as a match type this is a good benchmark. 4/5

Men’s Owen Hart Cup Final: Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland 

Funny how timing works out sometimes. The likely story of Ospreay beating the man he couldn’t beat for the belt to get that big shot at the same PPV name he lost to him is great stuff. I do hope Swerve wins at Wembley this year he’s 0-3 for AEW UK PPV’s regardless. I do wonder if there's a Swerve (pun intended here) as the world title scene this year is one of major flux. I dunno I'm writing this a 5:15AM the sun is up maybe I'm wrong I'm tired. AEW and DC crossover continues with Bane and Lobo I dunno if they were this fast paced in Injustice. Man some gnarly blade jobs in this match Swerve especially, the Muta scale isn't a competition Jesus. I think this went on too long and too many kickouts in the end ngl. I was hooked and then pulled out with how long it was. Right winner maybe didn't need two hours for it. 4/5

 

All in all another great show but that's the standard for AEW. I enjoyed the action as ever some superb matches not really sure how I can end these I don't have anything else to add. 4/5