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AEW FORBIDDEN PPV PREVIEW & PREDICTIONS
AUGUST 24, 2025
LONDON, ENGLAND AT O2 ARENA
LIVE ON PPV (including PPV.com)
*This article is as of 8/22/2025. This doesn’t include any potential Zero Hour matches to be added on the 8/23 edition of Collision
Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi) & Darby Allin & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Will Ospreay vs. Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley) & The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson), & Gabe Kidd – Lights Out Steel Cage match
Preview: Jon Moxley’s Death Rider’s have been wreaking havoc on AEW for nearly a year now. After Mox’s AEW Title loss to Hangman Page at All In – the Death Rider’s have pivoted to feuding with Darby Allin. They also have a history with brutal attacks on Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay (the latters injury could be a varying level of kayfabe Vs. reality). The other participants are tied together in various ways and have a lattice of storyline connections (including a necessity for the “Forbidden Door” concept). I expect this match to be the 2025 version of Blood & Guts and this could very well be the final nail in the coffin for the Death Riders as a faction (pun intended).
Prediction: Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi), Darby Allin, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Will Ospreay defeat Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley), The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson), and Gabe Kidd in a Lights Out Steel Cage match
The faces will win this match and this will lead to Jon Moxley putting his leadership of the Death Riders faction on the line when he challenges Darby Allin to a one-on-one match at All Out in September (which will have some wild stipulation, I’m sure). I actually hope that the Golden Lovers remain a team for a while after this match as they could be a huge shot in the arm for the AEW tag division and neither Omega or Ibushi have a ton going on as singles stars right now. I expect Will Ospreay to get herniated disc surgery after this match – likely putting him out 12-15 months.
The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) (c) vs. Brodido (Brody King & Bandido) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) – Three-way tag team elimination match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship.
Preview: Brodido is very much an exciting team that seems to be very popular with the crowd and chemistry that grows week-by-week. They’re essentially what JetSpeed was a month or two back – except I expect them to get a stronger and more sustained push. The Hurt Syndicate has been rather absent from TV in recent weeks since their sudden and jarring breakup with MJF. FTR is in a situation in which they’re feuding with Copeland and Christian yet they are also seeking the tag titles.
Prediction: Brodido defeats FTR and Hurt Syndicate to win the AEW Tag Team Titles.
The AEW Tag Division needs a feel good, credible tag team on top of the division at the moment and I think that Brodido fits the bill. I expect them to get the win to the fury of Hurt Syndicate – leading to a rematch in a team Vs. team match at All Out. FTR is clearly being positioned to feud with Copeland and Christian at All Out in the latter’s hometown of Toronto and a match of that history and caliber doesn’t need the titles – in my opinion. However, I could see Tony Khan putting the titles on FTR to give the match even that much more juice.
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Swerve Strickland in a Singles match for the AEW Unified Championship:
Preview: After Okada’s big win over Omega at All In – he immediately pivoted to Swerve – which makes a ton of sense in that a big heel like Okada needed a credible challenger to his title and Swerve is a popular face who didn’t really have anything to do in the interim. This is sure to be a great match but has lacked much intrigue in the build. I did enjoy the Don Callis video package on this week’s Dynamite hyping up Okada but more could have been done in previous weeks – in my opinion.
Prediction: Swerve Strickland defeats Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Unified Championship.
Okada has held the newly coined Unified Title for quite some time and has wrestled an array of challengers. I think that it is time for a face to hold the title for a while and, right now, there likely isn’t a stronger or more credible face than Swerve to hold the title. Freed from the Unified Title – Okada would be a very credible next challenger for Hangman Page’s AEW World title.
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) vs. Athena for the AEW Women’s World Championship (This is Athena’s Casino Gauntlet championship contract match):
Preview: Athena has been on the rise in ROH, much of the time as ROH Women’s Champion, for a few years now. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been incredibly well articulated on AEW proper. She does bring with her a strong presence and is very strong in-ring. Those attributes are apparent. It’s obviously that Tony Khan feels that now is time to give Athena a strong push. Unfortunately, Toni Storm is on arguably one of the greatest runs, men or women, in AEW history. I don’t think you want to take the title off of her at this point but I also think it’s a tough decision to stunt Athena, two times at this point, on her very short stay on the AEW roster to both Mone and now potentially Storm.
Prediction: “Timeless” Toni Storm defeats Athena for the AEW Women’s World Championship
Toni Storm has too much momentum to cut her entertaining reign off. Much like an athletic wrestler – her charisma and promo ability creates proverbial “movement” for any heel that she is standing in opposition of. Also – she is a true face that gets enormous support which can be hard to capture in wrestling today. Athena needs to maintain her momentum so I predict that she will move on to feud, again, with Mercedes Mone and finally be the one to dethrone her of her TBS title at some point before the end of 2025.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Alex Windsor vs. Persephone vs. Bozilla in a four-way match for the AEW TBS Championship:
Preview: I admittedly don’t know a lot about the two “Forbidden Door” entrants in this match being Persephone and Bozilla. I think that is an indictment on the thrown together nature of this match. That being said – I expect this match to be an in-ring spectacle and the interactions between Moné and Windsor should be fun. After this match – I predict that Money and Windsor will continue their feud to All Out and possibly beyond.
Prediction: Mercedes Moné (c) defeats Alex Windsor and Persephone and Bozilla in a four-way match for the AEW TBS Championship
Moné retains her title in an entertaining match that, honestly, will be a vehicle to create and then extend the looming Moné Vs. Windsor feud. Outside the in-ring fued and future feud building – there won’t be much consequence here.
Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi in a singles match for the AEW TNT Championship:
Preview: Fletcher is a young AEW star on the rise that needs careful direction and molding to reach his full potential (which is very high). This is a true “Forbidden Door” match thus leaving the build to Fletcher Vs. Takahashi rather short. Should be a very good in-ring match that, if done correctly, should leave Fletcher looking like a million bucks. I expect that Fletcher may be in the World title scene by as early as the beginning of 2026.
Prediction: Kyle Fletcher defeats Hiromu Takahashi in a singles match for the AEW TNT Title.
The outcome of this match has very little doubt. I’d prefer that Fletcher look dominant but that isn’t how AEW typically operates and AEW does have to show some consideration to NJPW in how the booking of this card is constructed. Fletcher wins a well wrestled, competitive match. I very much look forward to the inevitable in-stable feud between Fletcher and recently reigning GI Climax champion Konosuke Takeshita,
Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness (with Daniel Garcia) in a singles match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship:
Preview: The first story of this match is semi-retired Nigel McGuinness returning for a “technical spectacle” match with NJPW star Zack Sabre Jr which has the potential to be an all-time great match. The second story is what is brewing between McGuinness and Daniel Garcia. Garcia’s impending heel turn was more than foreshadowed when McGuinness requested that he be in his corner against Sabre in McGuinness’ home country of England.
Prediction: ZSJ defeats Nigel McGuinness (with Daniel Garcia) for the IWGP World Heavy Heavyweight Championship.
ZSJ defeats McGuiness as the result of Daniel Garcia betraying McGuinness in brutal fashion. NJPW isn’t putting the IWGP title on McGuinness who might wrestle once a year, at this point, and Garcia needs a strong genesis for a pronounced heel turn. I actually really like this idea since McGuinness and Garcia have been tied together since their tag match against FTR at this year’s Double or Nothing.
Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. Kip Sabian & Killswitch in a tag team match:
Preview: My theory is that Killswitch (the former Luchasaurus) was set to return while interfering in this match at Forbidden Door. The unexpected Nick Wayne injury accelerated Killswitch’s return on this week’s Dynamite. Cage needs to close the door on his feud with the former Patriarchy in preparation for a transition to addressing Cope’s feud with FTR, presumably at All Out in Toronto. Their relationship should evolve in the process and I expect aspects of this to manifest during this match at Forbidden Door. Is it possible that FTR interferes, regardless of match order? I’m also excited at the prospect of Nick Wayne returning after a few weeks to rule his own faction.
Prediction: Cope and Christian defeat Kip Sabian and Killswitch in a tag team match.
Cope and Christian need to close this chapter and gain credibility moving into their feud with FTR. The “new” Patriarchy is just starting out and should have no problem taking the loss here as the leader, Nick Wayne isn’t even wrestling. In a way – the injury actually happened at a relatively convenient time based on the pace of the storyline.
“Hangman” Adam Page (c) vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman in a singles match for the AEW World Championship (If Hangman is counted out or disqualified, he will lose the title.)
Preview: Even if I choose to look past the ridiculousness of the “burn a man alive” angle from this week’s Dynamite between Hangman, MJF and Mark Briscoe – I still hate the idea of the recently added stipulation. Why wouldn’t MJF immediately disqualify Hangman by having himself beat by outside forces – like a heel would? Looking at the build from the macro – I do like the idea of MJF getting the title shot while retaining his Casino Gauntlet automatic title shot. They just added 2-3 unnecessary window dressings to get there. MJF is a great foil for Hangman and a strong opponent for his first title defense in his second reign. I do think that his feud has several tentacles to grab at to last well into the Fall or early Winter.
Prediction: “Hangman” Adam Page defeats MJF to retain the AEW Men’s World Championship
Hangman can’t lose his title this quickly after the multi-month culmination in defeating Mox for the Title at the biggest show of the year at All In. MJF has all the ability in the World to take a loss and then immediately get his heat back with a strong promo or two. I very much doubt that this is a one-off feud. I also have a sneaking suspicion that MJF’s Casino Gauntly automatic title shot may play a factor in the match and/or post-match. Even if he doesn’t directly cash in the opportunity within the moment. I’m also curious if the Hurt Syndicate somehow plays a role in Hangman retaining as a way to satisfactorily tie-up the loose ends on the sudden MJF/Hurt Syndicate breakup.
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