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 Photo Credit: AEW[/caption]
Forbidden Door 2025 is set to be a large one. The annual collaborative show between AEW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, CMLL and Stardom (and RevPro) takes place Sunday August 24, 2025 at the O2 Arena in London England. This event is sold-out and is one of AEW’s largest gates to date and comes on the heels of a red-hot AEW Dynamite at the Hydro in Scotland. You can stream the show on Amazon Prime Video.
Pop Break’s Editor-in-Chief Bill Bodkin mentally goes across the pond to predict the winners of the event.
Zero Hour:
The Triangle of Madness (Thekla, Skye Blue & Julia Hart) and Megan Bayne w/Penelope Ford vs. Queen Aminata, Willow Nightingale, Kris Statlander & Harley Cameron
Thoughts: It’s awesome to see these 8 women who’ve been killing it on TV since All In Texas get a chance to chop it up on the show. However, no international presence in the match is a bit disappointing. Couldn’t add anyone else from Stardom, CMLL or RevPro or Pro Wrestling Eve? That’s a shame. Regardless, this match is going to absolutely slap, and it further gives me fuel to my argument of an all women’s Blood and Guts…AND let’s do this Women’s Tag Tournament.
Prediction: Feel the Wrath of the Babyface.
AEW Trios Title: The Opps (Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs, Katsuyori Shibata) vs. Bullet. Club War Dogs (Drilla Moloney, Robbie X, Clark Connors)
Thoughts: Low key show-stealer. One of my favorite matches in recent memory was The United Empire (Will Ospreay, Aaron Henare, TJP, Francesco Akira, Jeff Cobb) vs. The War Dogs (Moloney, Kidd, Connors, David Finlay, Alex Coughlin) in a Dog Pound Cage Match. The reason being was The War Dogs’ sheer ferocity and intensity. I think it’d be really fun to see the Trios Titles go to the War Dogs and get a run around New Japan … and maybe have The Opps chase them to Japan. It’d make for an actual Forbidden Doors surprise. However, on paper there’s no way The Opps should lose. They’re awesome! However, I’m going to pick with my heart, no my head. Also, the Dogs will drop it back to The Opps at All In in September.
Prediction: “And New” Bullet Club War Dogs
Ricochet & The Gates of Agony (Toa Lioana & Bishop Kaun) vs. JetSpeed (Speed Bailey & Kevin Knight) & Michael Oku
Thoughts: Michael Oku (fka The OJMO) is a rising star, and don’t be stunned when he’s signed to AEW full-time. This match is for him to show out, and putting him with the mega popular Jet Speed is a great piece of business. However, I think given there positioning on the card and how new they are — Ricochet and The Gates of Agony win this one.
Prediction: Ricochet and The Gates of Agony
The Don Callis Family (Josh Alexander & Hechicero) & CRU (Lio Rush & Action Andretti) vs. Paragon (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong), El Desperado & Yuya Uemura
Thoughts: The addition of El Desperado and Yuya to this match, I think that gives the faces an edge here. You want to showcase the New Japan talent, and I can see Action taking the pin here. CRU is cold right now, so losing here doesn’t move them on the card one way or the other. It also doesn’t hurt The DCF if their team loses.
Prediction: Paragon, El Desperado and Yuya Uemura
Lights Out Steel Cage Match: The Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi), “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay, “The Ace” Hiroshi Tanahashi and Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd, The Young Bucks and The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley)
Thoughts: Will Ospreay is the literal poster boy for this show, and has essentially stated this is his last match before surgery. This will also be Tanahashi’s final match in London, a place he’s had a long career at. Darby Allin has just returned. The Golden Lovers returning is a big deal. Simply put — you send the crowd home happy by having the faces win her. None of the faces are above losing, but I think the respect for Tana, the positive send off for Will and forward motion for the other is necessary. Also, the heels will implode and we’ll get Death Riders vs. The Bucks before you know it.
Prediction: Team Ospreay
Adam Copeland and Christian Cage vs. The Matriarchy (Kip Sabian and Killswitch) with Mother Wayne
Thoughts: Cope and Christian will easily win this one because how on earth do you have them lose for their first time tagging in forever? However, they will get jumped by FTR.
Prediction: Cope and Christian
Three-Way Tag Team Elimination Match for The AEW World Tag Team Title: The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) (C) w/MVP vs. Brodido (Brody King & Bandido) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) w/Big Stoke
Thoughts: There’s been a lot made of who The Hurt Syndicate does and doesn’t want to lose too. And I don’t think they’re losing here either. I can see Brodido getting eliminated due to shenanigans from Stoke and FTR. Then FTR gets eliminated thanks to Cope & Christian. This likely will lead to FTR vs. C&C Legend Factory and The Hurt Syndicate vs. Brodido … and Brodido wins.
Prediction: The Hurt Syndicate
AEW Unified Title Match: “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada (c) w/Don Callis vs. Swerve Strickland
Thoughts: Swerve has an ACL injury and Okada is focusing on the leg. This screams injury angle to me. I think we get an excellent match, but it will serve to put Swerve on the shelf.
Prediction: Okada to retain
AEW Women’s World Championship: “Timeless” Toni Storm (c) vs. “The Fallen Goddess” Athena w/Billie Starkz
Prediction: This match is going to be incredible, and the winner here is highly in question. It could easily stay with Toni Storm. She’s one of the top women in AEW, and it makes sense to keep her red hot. But … does a loss to “The Fallen Goddess” hurt her? The answer is absolutely not. The question here is … do you strap up Athena? She certainly deserves it. However, what does this mean for her ROH Title? I think she should have the distinction of being a double champion, and eventually lose the ROH Title (t should be Billie Starkz … but I think that ship may have sailed).
Prediction: “And New” Athena
Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Alex Windsor vs. Persephone vs. Bozilla Four-way match for the AEW TBS Championship
Thoughts: Mercedes just picked up her 9th title this weekend. So, I think she will retain. Why? Because she will face one of these women at Forbidden Door, and I think woman will be Bozilla. This will be a massive showcase for her. She has a Vader in 1990 vibe to her right now, so you gotta show her off. Persephone has had some ROH TV time, but I think she’ll get some moments to shine here as well.
Prediction: “And Still” Mercedes Moné
AEW TNT Match: “The Protostar” Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi
Thoughts:Â This will be a ton of fun, but no way Kyle loses.
Prediction: “And Still” Kyle Fletcher
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness (with Daniel Garcia)
Thoughts: This will be incredible, and Zack will retain. Garcia will turn on Nigel in order to given him something to do.
Prediction: “And Still” Zack Sabre Jr.
AEW Men’s World Title Match: “Hangman” Adam Page (c) vs. MJFÂ
Thoughts: This will be a good match, but, the stipulations might gum up the works here. If Hangman is counted out or DQ’ed — he loses the title. One has to wonder if Mark Briscoe gets involved and costs Hangman the match accidentally. Also, they’ve rescinded Hangman cashing in on his All In won title shot. I think at the end of the day they won’t change the title at Forbidden Door — they’ll do that at All In.
Prediction: “And Still” Hangman Page
