The John Report: AEW Forbidden Door 2026 Review
This is AEW Forbidden Door, featuring Swerve Strickland facing Will Ospreay, Mercedes Mone against Maya World, a 6-on-6 Steel Cage Tag Team Match, and more.
This is the 5th time AEW will present the Forbidden Door PPV. It was a much bigger deal in past years when the New Japan roster was stronger, and it led to some legitimately great “dream matches” like Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada, and Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay, to name a few. Since then, AEW has signed a lot of the top NJPW talent, so the AEW-NJPW matchups are less interesting. With that said, I still think the AEW roster is as strong as ever and featuring some wrestlers from NJPW, Stardom, and CMLL is certainly fine with me. Do I think some of the stories could be better? Of course, but it’s AEW. They care about the matches more than anything, and those usually deliver.
I’ll do play-by-play for most of the show, but there will be some matches where I go summary style and won’t be as detailed. The analysis will be the same throughout the show.
The pre-show Buy-In matches took place before the main show. I don’t watch the pre-show matches because the main shows are long enough. I’ll put the pre-show match results here.
* Dan Moloney defeated Daniel Garcia by pinfall.
* Maika defeated Skye Blue by pinfall in a TBS Championship Survival of the Fittest Qualifying Match.
* AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championships: Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne and Lena Kross) (c) defeated Thunder Rosa and Olympia by pinfall.
I ordered this show from AEW’s YouTube channel for $64.40 Canadian, including tax. Do I wish it were cheaper? Yes, but I enjoy AEW’s product, and they do produce great PPVs. Let’s get to it.
AEW Forbidden Door
From SAP Center in San Jose, California
Sunday, June 28, 2026
There was an impressive pyro display to start the show. It’s Sunday, and you know what that means. The commentary team started as Excalibur, Walker Stewart from NJPW, and Nigel McGuinness.
The Young Bucks made their entrance first for a three-way tag team match.
The Young Bucks – Matt & Nick Jackson vs. El Sky Team – Místico & Máscara Dorada vs. Unbound Co. – Shingo Takagi & Titán
I missed the first few minutes of this match. Takagi got in there and hit a spinebuster on Dorada, but Dorada came back with a hurricanrana. Takagi hit a shoulder tackle on Dorada. The masked Titan tripped up Dorada, followed by a suplex by Takagi and a springboard splash by Titan. Mistico tagged in with a springboard hurricanrana on Takagi and a flipping armdrag on Titan. The Bucks went into the ring illegally for some double team moves on Mistico. Nick gave Dorada a hurricanrana off the top rope. Titan hit a double hurricanrana on the Bucks. They did a combo spot where Dorada hit a hurricanrana on Titan onto three guys on the floor. It was a bit sloppy, but they got through it okay. Dorada hit a body slam on Titan and Mistico hit a springboard senton splash for two. Matt tagged himself in and did his Northern Lights Suplex spot that he does in every match. Takagi went in illegally and DDT’d Matt. Takagi tagged Dorada to become legal. Titan hit a leg drop off the turnbuckle for two, even though Takagi was legal. The referee has lost control as usual. Matt hit a neckbreaker and a DDT to break free.
Nick Jackson got the tag and was on fire with kicks, a headscissors and an armdrag. Mistico wasn’t near the turnbuckle, but still tagged in because it’s AEW. Anyway, Mistico and Dorada hit 619 kicks that Excalibur called Area Code Shots. I guess that’s a way of saying it. Mistico hit a springboard cross body block. Dorada hit an impressive Shooting Star Press onto the other dudes on the floor. Dorada was in the ring with Titan, so then Nick went into the ring with superkicks and Takagi hit a double clothesline. Takagi hit clotheslines on Matt and Mistico. The four babyfaces all hit superkicks on Takagi and Titan. There were three Canadian Destroyers in a row, and then all six guys decided to sell, so the fans cheered. Takagi hit running splashes and clotheslines. Mistico kick Takagi and hit a Spanish Fly for two. Matt jumped off the top and hit an elbow drop on Mistico, Titan hit a double foot stomp on Matt. Nick hit a 450 Splash and had to lay there like a dumbass, so Dorada hit a Shooting Star Press on two guys. Mistico went for his armbar La Mistica on Takagi, but others in the match broke it up. Takagi and Titan worked over Mistico, with Takagi hitting a clothesline. Titan tagged in (as if that matters) and hit a DDT on Mistico. Takagi hit a sitout powerslam and Titan jumped off the top with a diving foot stomp for two because Nick made the save. Nick tagged in and both Bucks were in the ring (of course) hitting superkicks on everybody. The Bucks hit a double superkick on Takagi. Titan jumped off the top with a cross body block, Matt caught Titan, Nick kicked two guys and Nick jumped off the ropes with the Bucks hitting a TK Driver. Both Bucks covered Titan for the win. It’s illegal to have both guys cover in a regular tag, but it’s AEW, so of course nobody cares. It went about 18 minutes.
Winners by pinfall: The Young Bucks – Matt & Nick Jackson
Analysis: ***3/4 It was full of action and chaos. It was also a match with no story. The Young Bucks got the win because they are being built up for an AEW Tag Team Title match (likely at All In London), so of course, they were going to win over two teams who are not regulars in AEW. Mistico and Dorada are great, while Takagi filled his role as the power guy, and Titan was there to lose. My issue with the match is that it had way too many guys in the ring. The problem with a match like this is that there are guys illegally in the ring throughout the match, and it’s annoying.
A video package aired about the Kenny Omega-Zack Sabre Jr. match that is up next.
Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
It was Sabre in control early using his feet to twist the neck and hit a dropkick. Omega hit a hurricanrana to send Sabre out of the ring. Omega did a slingshot cross body over the top onto Sabre. They battled on the floor with Sabre ramming Omega’s right hand into the top of the barricade. Omega sent Sabre’s head into the commentary table a few times. They were on the floor for a couple of minutes, but the referee Bryce Remsburg wasn’t counting because…AEW? Omega went back into the ring and back out to break the non-existent count. Omega slammed a commentary table hood onto Sabre. Omega jumped off the apron with a double foot stomp on the top of the announce table into Sabre’s chest. They battled on the Spanish commentary table where Sabre applied an octopus submission style hold and then they fell off the table. They were back in the ring with Sabre stomping on Omega’s right arm. The pace slowed down with Sabre attacking Omega’s right arm. Sabre hit a Helluva Kick and Omega did a Helluva Kick – hey Sami Zayn. Omega hit a leg drop to the back of the head and a slam dunk into the mat. Omega ran the ropes and hit a somersault over the top onto Sabre on the floor.
Omega connected with a missile dropkick off the top for a two count. Omega suplexed Sabre onto the knee for a neckbreaker. Sabre got a hold of Omega’s right arm, so Sabre wrenched on the arm. Sabre hit some uppercuts, Omega hit a knee and Sabre slapped Omega in the face. Omega hit a Snapdragon Suplex and another Snapdragon Suplex right after that. Omega hit Sabre with knee strikes to the ribs. Sabre countered Omega into a pin attempt. Omega went for an armbar on Sabre, but Sabre blocked it. Sabre kicked Omega in the mouth. Omega blocked another kick and Sabre countered a suplex into an armbar on the right arm, but Omega rolled into the ropes to force a break. Omega hit some lefty chops, so Sabre kicked the left arm and Sabre kicked the right arm too. Omega hit a running knee to the back. Omega tried a lift, Sabre blocked it and Sabre hit two kicks. Omega hit a big clothesline to knock Sabre down. Omega hit a V-Trigger knee to the back. They went up the turnbuckle, Sabre jumped on Omega’s back and tried a Sleeper, so Omega fell back with a piggyback slam into the mat. Omega hit another knee to the face. When Omega went for another knee, Sabre caught the leg and tried an Ankle Lock, but Omega got out of it. Sabre with a kick and Omega hit a knee. Omega hit another knee to the back. Omega hit a Reverse Rana to spike Sabre on his head for a two count. Sabre rolled up Omega and went for a bridging pin, but Omega got out of it. Omega hit a chop, followed by a pulling Piledriver. The fans chanted, “This is awesome” for them. Sabre got another bridging pin for a two count. Sabre hit a sitout Zack Driver for a two count. Omega and Sabre exchanged slaps. Omega hit another Snapdragon Suplex and another V-Trigger knee. Omega went for the One Winged Angel, but Sabre countered it into an armbar. Omega was able to power out of it and hit a Powerbomb. Omega hit another V-Trigger knee. Omega hit the One Winged Angel for the pinfall win after 27 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Kenny Omega
Analysis: ****1/4 A great match that featured a lot of intelligent technical wrestling, and a lot of counters too. It felt like Omega hit about 15 knee strikes in that match. It may not have been many, but it was a lot. Anyway, just like the Young Bucks won, the EVP Omega got the win too. It’s about building up Omega with meaningful singles wins to get him in contention for the AEW World Title in the coming months. I would have rated it higher, but that spot they did early, where they fought on the floor for minutes at a time without any kind of count, was ridiculous, and I think that hurts the match because it ignores logic. I don’t think they really need to go almost 30 minutes on a show that’s going to be 4+ hours long, but AEW loves long matches, and I think Omega is always going to get as much time as he wants. It’s not like there was a great story here that necessitated nearly 30 minutes. They cut some very generic promos going into this match, and I think sometimes going too long can hurt a match. I still enjoyed a lot, and if you like knee strikes, then this is the match for you.
There was a video package for the Jon Moxley-Bandido match coming up next.
AEW Continental Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Bandido
It’s an AEW Continental Title match, so everybody is banned from ringside. Bandido’s ROH World Title is not on the line. I should point out also that they are using English announcer introductions and Japanese announcer introductions, too.
The first couple of minutes featured no physicality with some taunting by both guys and avoiding moves. Moxley and Bandido took turns chopping eachother. Bandido hit a running dropkick. Moxley dropkicked the left knee and hit a suicide dive onto Bandido on the floor. Moxley sent Bandido into the ring, so Bandido jumped over the top with a somersault dive onto Moxley. Just saying. Moxley got his boots up to knock Bandido down. They left the ring as Moxley connected with a Piledriver onto the steel steps. Moxley did that very safely with his butt taking the full bump. Bandido was bleeding from under the top of his mask. Moxley gouged at the cut a bit. Moxley ripped part of Bandido’s mask and the fans booed that. Excalibur claimed that would be instant disqualification in Mexico, but it’s not part of the rules in AEW. Yes, we have to pretend they have rules. Anyway, Bandido slapped Moxley in the face, so Moxley hit him with a lariat. Moxley hit Bandido with punches and elbows to the forehead. Moxley punched Bandido in the head while they were by the turnbuckle, so Bandido hit a running Powerbomb to get out of that situation. Bandido with strikes, Moxley did some head biting and then Bandido came back with a twisting cross body block off the top. Bandido worked over Moxley with punches. Bandido hit a dropkick.
Bandido connected with a knee strike to the head for two. It looked like Moxley may have been bleeding near his left eye, but it also could have been Bandido’s blood. Bandido picked up Moxley and hit a press slam. Bandido went up top and went for a Frog Splash, but Moxley got his knees up to block. Moxley and Bandido took turns hitting boots to the face. I don’t think Bandido’s kicks even connected. Bandido hit a superkick and a German Suplex. Moxley came back with a lariat to knock Bandido down. Moxley hit a double underhook Death Rider (lifting DDT) for a two count. Moxley went to the turnbuckle, Bandido went after him with some head biting and Bandido hit an impressive Fallaway Slam off the top for two. Moxley avoided a 21 Plex and Moxley applied a Sleeper, but Bandido countered it. Moxley applied the Bulldog Choke submission that he likes to use. Bandido tried to get out of the Bulldog Choke by falling to the mat with Moxley on his back, but Moxley held on. Bandido passed out, so the referee, Aubrey Edwards, called for the bell to give Moxley the win. It went about 18 minutes.
Winner by submission: Jon Moxley
Analysis: ***3/4 It was yet another Jon Moxley win to retain the AEW Continental Title in what has become a typical Moxley match. Bandido got plenty of offense, nearly won a few times and put up a fight, but he couldn’t hit his 21 Plex for the win. Moxley winning was the result I expected for this match because Bandido just didn’t seem like the right guy to take the title.
After the match, Brody King went to ringside to check on Bandido. Moxley put the Continental Title down, picked up Bandido, and they shook hands.
The match between Shota Umino and Pac is up next, so there was a video package. There’s not much of a story here.
IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Shota Umino vs. Pac
The challenger, Pac, was in control early on. When Pac hit a boot to the face, Umino no-sold it and hit a dropkick. Umino and Pac exchanged strikes, with Umino winning that exchange. Umino trapped Pac against the ropes and jumped over the top with a DDT on the ring apron. Pac got in the ring, then left the ring, and Umino hit a running dropkick into the apron. Umino hit a draping DDT from the barricade to the floor. After a few minutes of Umino in control, Pac hit an overhead suplex into the turnbuckle to take control. The announcers mentioned a 20-count in NJPW matches as if the referees count on this show. They rarely do. Anyway, Umino set up a table on the floor. Pac hit an impressive springboard moonsault onto Umino on the floor. Pac connected with a suplex off the top. Umino fought back with a stiff forearm to the jaw. Pac hit two German Suplexes in a raw and Pac hit a Powerbomb over the top through the table on the floor. That was a brutal bump. It led to DQ…just kidding. It’s AEW. Pac followed up with a 450 Splash off the top for two. Pac applied the Brutalizer submission and Umino was able to get to the ropes. Umino hit a running knee for two. Pac hit a Reverse Rana and a superkick, but Umino came back with a lariat and Pac did a great flip bump to give Umino a two count. Umino hit a Paradigm Shift DDT and a Northern Lights Bomb for the pinfall win. It went about 17 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Shota Umino
Analysis: ***1/2 An even matchup most of the way that was done to put the younger guy, Umino, over the veteran Pac. I don’t think the table spot was necessary in the match, but other than that, I liked most of it. Umino won clean and decisively. I would have liked to see Pac cheat more in the match. The New Japan wrestlers were losing all over this show, so they needed to win a match on this show. It made sense for the champion, Umino, to get the win.
After the match, the mentor Jon Moxley got in the ring with the protégé Shota Umino.
The AEW President Hiroshi Tanahashi made his entrance, so Moxley left the ring while Tanahashi was in the ring with Umino. Tanahashi put the IWGP Global Title on Umino’s waist.
The AEW Women’s World Championship match was next, with Thekla defending the gold against Stardom’s Starlight Kid.
AEW Women’s World Championship: Thekla vs. Starlight Kid
I don’t know much about Starlight Kid, but she’s obviously talented and going for the title here. Tony Schiavone joined commentary, so there were four announcers.
The masked Kid hit a dropkick that sent Thekla out of the ring. When they went back into the ring, Kid unloaded on Thekla with punches. The announcers tried to tell us about the history between these two women. The Stardom President Taro Okada was at ringside. Kid dropkicked Thekla out of the ring, but then Thekla was there to trip up Kid on the apron. Kid connected with a moonsault and some other moves, but Thekla was back up to stop more offense. They were on the turnbuckle, so Thekla hit a Spider Suplex. Thekla celebrated way too long, which led to Kid dropkicking Thekla to the floor. While on the apron, Thekla went running right into a knee by Kid. Thekla hit a body slam style move onto the apron. Back in the ring, Kid hit a Fisherman’s Suplex. Kid went for a moonsault off the top, Thekla avoided it and Thekla hit a Spear. Thekla went for The Stomp, Kid avoided it and Kid hit a dropkick to the back. Kid worked over Thekla with punches. Thekla hit a missile dropkick. Thekla did her upside-down crawl, and Kid dropkicked a knee to avoid a Spear. Kid spun around Thekla while applying a submission pulling on the limbs, and Thekla got to the ropes to break the hold. Kid hit her Divine Punishment slam like a Michinoku Driver for a two count. Kid went up top and hit a moonsault for two. It looked like Kid’s legs smashed Thekla hard on that landing. Thekla nearly won after going for a bridging pin. Thekla ducked a move and hit a Spear for two. Thekla hit The Stomp, yelled at Kid and Thekla hit The Stomp a second time for the pinfall win. It went about 19 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Thekla
Analysis: ***1/2 I thought it was a competitive match with a lot of counters throughout the match. Kid had an impressive showing by hitting some cool moves throughout the match and some submissions too. Once again, it was a match with a predictable result because it’s not like a Stardom wrestler is going to win the AEW Women’s World Title from Thekla. It probably could have been a bit shorter, but everything is getting a lot of time on this show.
After the match, Thekla was joined by the Triangle Madness’ Julia Hart and Skye Blue. Thekla was given some scissors and took off Kid’s mask. Referee Rick Knox prevented Kid’s face from being shown. Thekla spit on Kid’s mask and then put it in Taro Okada’s face. Poor Okada sold it in a way that almost made me laugh because of how over-the-top it was.
Analysis: Thekla is a great heel. She proved it again there.
The AEW World Tag Team Title match was next with Cope & Cage defending the gold against The Dogs. A video aired about that.
AEW World Tag Team Championships – Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. The Dogs – David Finlay & Clark Connors
The Cope & Cage boys were in control early on with a double team sidewalk slam. I missed a few minutes to start due to a bathroom break. It’s a LONG show, my friends. Cage charged at Clark, who moved and Cage bumped to the floor. Cage was selling the left wrist injury since he had a fake cast on it. Clark sent Cage into the ring post. Finlay worked over Cage with some knee drops. The announcers kept talking about David’s dad, Fit Finlay, who works for WWE. Clark tagged in with a stomp on Cage’s left arm. Clark continued working on Cage’s arm with a single arm slam into the mat. Finlay tagged in, so Cage hit a back body drop. Finlay wrenched on Cage’s left arm to keep him down. The referee’s back was turned, so Clark lit a match and put it against Cage’s forehead. Cage knocked both guys down to try to make a tag, but Clark pulled Cope off the apron to stop a tag. Finlay rammed Cage’s left arm into the steel steps. They tried to step on the steps with Cage’s arm under it, but Cope saved his partner by taking out the heels. Cage hit a thumb to Finlay’s eyes. Cope got the hot tag with a back body drop and a boot to the face. Cope hit an Impaler DDT on Finlay for a two count. Cope charged, Finlay jumped over him, and Finlay/Clark hit a double shoulder tackle to knock Cope down. Both Dogs were in the ring, so Cage pulled Clark out of the ring and Cope knocked Finlay down. Cage was in the ring illegally to step on Finlay’s back and Cope hit a cross body block to Finlay’s back. Clark and Finlay hit a high/low Spear/chop block combo on Cope for a two count. The Dogs went for a tag team move, but Cope suplexed Finlay into the turnbuckle, knocking Clark to the floor. Cope charged, Finlay hit him with a knee, Cope launched Finlay into the knee and Cage hit a Spear on Finlay for two because Clark shoved Cage into referee Stephon Smith to stop the count.
Cope and Clark charged at eachother and did a double Spear spot, so all four guys were down, and the referee was down too. Finlay had the wooden shillelagh in his hand and he hit Cage in the head with it. The lights went out in the building as Finlay tried to do a move. It was The Gunns, Juice Robinson and Ace Austin. Jay White was also in the ring, making his return, and the fans popped huge for that. White hit a Bladerunner on Finlay. Excalibur said it was over a year away from the ring for White. Cope hit a Spear on Finlay, White put the referee into the ring and Cope covered Finlay for the win. Cope spoke to Finlay after making the cover. It went about 14 minutes.
Winners by pinfall: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Analysis: ***1/4 A good match, but not at the level of their previous matches with FTR. I just couldn’t get into it as much with The Dogs being a team that is capable, but they had no shot to win. I think they could have done a better job of making it look like they had a shot. Jay White making his return to cost The Dogs is fine if you know their history, but a lot of fans likely have no idea, so it will be important for AEW to tell that story in the weeks ahead. Anyway, I thought Cope and Cage winning was the biggest lock on this show. They are going to hold the titles until All In London where they face The Young Bucks, but there could be other teams in the match too.
After the match, Jay White handed the AEW Tag Team Title to Cope and Cage. Cage didn’t seem interested in thanking him.
Jay White celebrated with the Bang Bang Gang if you want to call them that.
Analysis: Welcome back, Jay White, after missing a year of action. The Bang Bang Gang is another stable in a company full of stables, so maybe they’ll have some success as a group again now that White is back in action.
There are three more matches left with Excalibur claiming it’s a triple main event. The Women’s Owen Hart Cup Finals match is next, with Mercedes Mone facing Maya World. A video aired about that with the story being that World idolized Mone and studied her career. World’s brother died earlier this month, so it’s been tough for her, but she’s been able to succeed in the ring.
Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals: Maya World vs. Mercedes Mone
The winner of the match wins the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament and earns a shot at the AEW Women’s World Title at All Out London on August 30.
World was doing a good job of mocking Mone by doing some of her dance moves. World sent Mone to the floor and World jumped off the apron with a somersault attack to knock Mone down. Mone spun around the apron and kicked World to knock her down. World hit an impressive move after rolling through and hitting a suplex. Mone slammed World onto the ring apron and Mone hit a double knee attack on the apron. Mone hit another double knee attack on the floor. Mone hit a third street double knee attack (Meteora) for a two count. There was a fourth Meteora by Mone, who tossed World out of the ring. The referee Aubrey Edwards left the ring likely to help World with her wardrobe since the camera didn’t show World for about a minute. Mone mocked a ten count by a referee, who didn’t count at all and then tossed World into the ring. Excalibur tried to cover for the terrible refereeing that doesn’t include countouts. World countered a move and got a sunset flip for two. Mone got a hold of World, but World slipped out of that and Mone stomped on World’s stomach for a two count. Mone trash talked World saying you will never beat her. World hit an up-kick and a double foot stomp on the ribs. World hit an enziguri kick and a running kick. World jumped off the ropes and hit a Cutter for two. World hit a Shining Wizard knee without a pin attempt because Mone was by the ropes. Mone sent World throat first into the ropes. Mone hit the Three Amigos suplexes. Mone took way too long going up top, so of course World got here knees up to counter a Frog Splash attempt. World got a rollup for two. Mone applied the Statement Maker submission, which is like a Crossface. World crawled to the ropes and got a jackknife pin attempt for two. World hit a bridging suplex for two and World did it again. World gave Mone a fallaway slam through the ropes to the floor. World ran the ropes and hit a suicide dive onto Mone on the floor.
World went up top and hit a Swanton Bomb for a two count. World trapped Mone’s head against the turnbuckle and hit a superkick. Mone broke free and tried a lifting move, but then they couldn’t do the spot, so Mone just sent World into the turnbuckle. Mone charged and hit the Sunset Bomb into the turnbuckle. Mone hit the Meteora knees for a two count. Mone and World fought over pin attempts. Mone put World on her back and hit a Mone Maker for a two count. Walker said that World waited a decade to kick out of that move. Mone has not been doing that move for a decade, but Walker is a cliché announcer guy. The fans were chanting for both women. Mone went for a move again, World got out of it and did a bridging pin for two. Mone hit a knee to the face. World sent Mone to the apron. World hit a Sunset Flip Powerbomb on the floor. World hit a springboard moonsault onto Mone on the floor. Back in the ring, World hit a moonsault for two because Mone got her left arm up. Mone tried a rollup, but it only got two. Mone applied the Statement Maker submission move. It was more like a reverse chinlock. Mone got to the ropes. World rolled to the center, Mone got out of the hold and Mone locked in the Statement Maker submission. Mone continued to apply the Statement Maker, then World nearly got to the ropes and Mone got a rollup for two. World got a rollup for two. Mone hit a Backstabber and World was holding onto her head. Mone applied the Statement Maker and pulled back even more, so World tapped out. This went about 24 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Mercedes Mone
Analysis: ****1/2 Awesome match. I admit I haven’t watched a lot of Maya World matches, but that girl can really go in the ring, and obviously, we know Mercedes Mone can perform at a high level in the ring. I felt bad for World having to adjust her outfit throughout the match, but she was able to get through it. It was a longer match, and perhaps it didn’t need to go as long as it did, but I think they managed to keep it entertaining the whole way. Mone does a terrific job of giving World a lot of offense and I thought there were a few times where World could win. I’m not saying I expected World to win, but I think they did well to make it seem like it was a possibility. Great job, ladies.
Mercedes Mone celebrated the win by applauding for Maya World in the ring. Mone won the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament for the second year in a row, so she posed with the title created for it. Mone will challenge for the Women’s World Title at AEW All In London.
Analysis: Mercedes Mone has never been AEW Women’s World Champion, so I think she should win at All In.
The ROH Women’s World Champion Athena was interviewed by Renee Paquette. Athena said that the better woman won. Athena trashed Maya World for thinking she’s championship material just because she beat Athena. Athena told Maya to keep fighting the big fight and told her that she belongs at the back of the line.
Analysis: I assume that means Maya World will be the one to end Athena’s long ROH Women’s World Title reign.
A video package aired about Team MJF against Team Mark Briscoe in a 6-on-6 Steel Cage Match.
The AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman made his entrance first and hugged Don Callis. MJF’s teammates were Kazuchika Okada, Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, Andrade El Idolo and Jake Doyle. The babyface team was next with Darby Allin (congrats on the marriage) up first, followed by Konosuke Takeshita, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly and Mark Briscoe, who is the captain of this team.
Steel Cage Match: Team DCMJF (MJF, Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, Jake Doyle, Kazuchika Okada, and Andrade El Ídolo) vs. Team Briscoe (Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Konosuke Takeshita, and Darby Allin)
There was a huge circular steel cage surrounding the ring. Anything goes in this match and the first pinfall or submission wins. Last month at Double or Nothing had a 14-man Stadium Stampede Match and now there’s a 12-man Steel Cage Match.
Don Callis joined commentary. It was a crazy match as soon as the bell rang and guys had to lay out on the floor while the others were in the ring doing spots. Fletcher sent Mark off the top onto some thumbtacks that were dumped into the ring. Allin knocked Fletcher out of the ring. MJF battled with Allin and MJF gave him a back body drop onto the thumbtacks, so Allin took a huge bump. MJF got a two count out of it. MJF has a lot of tape on his left knee because he’s been nursing an injury. MJF cleared the ring of the thumbtacks, so Orange hit MJF with a low blow. Orange opened up a bag from Willow Nightingale featuring orange slices, so The Conglomeration had orange slices. O’Reilly and Fletcher were both bleeding and they put some orange juice onto the cuts on Fletcher’s cuts. Ouch. Andrade and Okada saved Fletcher. Okada faced off with Takeshita as they exchanged forearms and the other 10 guys were just chilling on the floor doing nothing. Takeshita worked over Okada with punches. Takeshita reached in a bag and did a middle finger salute to Okada, who likes to do that. Fletcher went after Takeshita and hit a snap suplex and a running kick. Takeshita shoved Okada into Fletcher. Okada and Takeshita countered eachother and Fletcher superkicked Okada by accident when Takeshita moved. Takeshita hit a double German Suplex on Fletcher and Okada.
Allin and Knight had their turn fighting in the ring while the other guys lay on the floor. Knight worked over Allin with kicks. Allin hit a shotgun dropkick and a Code Red. Allin went up top, so Doyle stopped that and tripped up Allin. Doyle hit Allin with a chair to the back. Doyle held a chair against Allin’s face, so Knight hit a Coast to Coast dropkick into the chair into Allin’s face for a two count because Mark made the save. Mark hit an overhead suplex on Knight. MJF was back in the ring to toss a chair at Mark’s head. MJF was gouging the bloody forehead of Mark, who bleeds at nearly every AEW PPV. Okada sent Orange into the cage. There was a bag in the ring at ringside, so it was opened and Lio Rush was in the bag. Rush bit Okada’s finger. Rush avoided moves by Knight and hit a spin kick. Rush and Andrade faced off so Andrade could ask, “How you know?” Rush hit a springboard Stunner on Andrade. Rush hit a suicide dive on Knight into the cage. MJF had the Dynamite Diamond Ring on his finger and Rush wants it, but MJF wouldn’t give it to him. Okada hit a Rainmaker lariat on Rush. Doyle and Knight packed Rush into the hockey bag. Jake pushed the bag with Rush in it under the ring. Mark was all alone in the ring and he knocked down all the heels. Mark brought out a ladder and used it as a weapon. Mark crushed Andrade with a ladder shot to the head.
Mark faced off with MJF and wanted a Jay Driller, but MJF was saved. O’Reilly hit a knee on Doyle to send Doyle on the apron. Strong gave Doyle an Olympic Slam off the apron and through two tables. Andrade kicked O’Reilly into the turnbuckle. Andrade hit a running knee into the chair into O’Reilly’s face. Takeshita was back in with a reverse hurricanrana and Okada connected with a dropkick. Takeshita hit a back body drop on Okada. Takeshita hit a running knee on Okada. Fletcher superkicked Okada while on the apron. Takeshita gave Fletcher a Blue Thunder Bomb through a table that was on the floor. After MJF decked Orange with a forearm, Allin hit a Scorpion Death Drop on MJF. Allin went up top and hit a Coffin Drop on MJF. Knight hit a Frog Splash on MF because Allin moved out of the way. Knight jumped off the ring post and grabbed a hold of the cage. Knight climbed the cage, so Allin went up to climb the cage too. Knight had a bag that was booby-trapped, and Knight went crashing through a table on the floor. Allin jumped off the cage and onto a pile of dudes on the floor.
It was Mark facing off with MJF again, and this time, Mark hit the Jay Driller on MJF for two because Jake Doyle saved MJF. Doyle smacked Mark with a steel chair to the back. Doyle smacked Mark with the steel chair a few times. Doyle held Mark so that MJF could attack, but Andrade told MJF to hold Mark instead. Andrade held MJF, then he let him go and Andrade hit MJF with a spinning back elbow to knock MJF down. The fans liked that. Doyle argued with Andrade, so Andrade kicked Doyle in the groin. Andrade was wearing a shirt that said, “F**k Don, F**k MJF.” The shirt was not edited. I edited it. Mark picked up Doyle and hit a Jay Driller for the pinfall win after 31 minutes.
The win by Mark Briscoe’s team means that Briscoe has earned a shot at MJF’s AEW World Title.
Winners by pinfall: Team Briscoe (Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Konosuke Takeshita, and Darby Allin)
Analysis: **** That was nuts. It’s hard to rate a match like that with 12 guys involved and most of them were out on the floor while other guys worked in the ring. I’ll admit that I’m exhausted, and there were times when it felt like nothing was going on and I wasn’t that interested in the match, but then they hit some big moves that got me into it. The main story is that Andrade El Idolo had had enough of the Don Callis Family, and he turned on the team to cost them the win. Briscoe’s team winning was the obvious result for this match. No surprise there.
After the match, Team Briscoe celebrated the win. Orange Cassidy and others carried the bag that Lio Rush was in and they went to the back with it.
A video aired about Willow Nightingale about her comeback after being out with an injury.
Mark Briscoe was interviewed by Lexi Nair backstage. A bloody Mark was fired up, talking and saying he wants his AEW World Title shot this Wednesday on Dynamite. Briscoe said it’s his time. It was made official.
The Will Ospreay-Swerve Strickland Owen Hart Cup Finals match is up next. A video aired about it. Their entrances followed.
Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals: Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland (w/Prince Nana)
It’s 12:14 A.M. ET at the start of this match, meaning it’s 4:14 into the show. I’m tired, but I really like both of these guys and I hope that I can remain focused on the match. It’s not their fault. It’s just been a long show.
The former World Champion Swerve took control after a flatliner. Swerve worked over Will’s neck with two neckbreakers. Swerve put Will onto his shoulders and hit a neckbreaker. Swerve applied a chinlock, Will broke free and hit a jumping kick to the head. Will bounced off the ropes and hit a spinning kick to the head. Will jumped off the top with a phenomenal forearm for a two count. Will jumped off the top again with a forearm, and this time it was to Swerve’s back. Will charged with a Hidden Blade attempt, but Swerve avoided that and Swerve hit a backbreaker. Swerve was trash talking, so Will hit Swerve with two stiff elbows to the jaw. Will hit a third elbow and Swerve got a shot to the ribs. Will bounced off the ropes, did a backflip and Swerve avoided it. Swerve picked up Will and spun him around into a powerslam for two. Swerve was on the apron as he kicked Will on the floor. Swerve took the padding off the bottom turnbuckle, so there were steel bars exposed. Will countered Swerve and sent him shoulder-first into the steel ring post. Will pulled on Swerve’s arm. Will applied a cross armbreaker on the floor and Swerve was tapping out, but you can’t win on the floor like that. Nana threw some coffee on Will. That gave Swerve time to recover, so Swerve hit a Buckle Bomb onto the apron. Swerve did a catapult into the steel bar connected to the turnbuckle.
Will Ospreay was bleeding heavily after being sent into the steel bar. It was clear that Will’s hands hit the steel bar, but the idea was that Will’s head hit the steel bar and cut him open. Swerve was in control of a bloody Will, so Swerve punched him a few times. Will’s entire face was full of blood. Will tried to fight back with punches, but Swerve came back with a suplex for two. Swerve charged at Will, who hit a Spanish Fly. Will countered a Swerve move and was able to hit a Styles Clash for just a two count. Will hit the Hidden Blade elbow, Swerve no sold it and hit his own elbow to the head. Will countered a top rope Powerbomb into a hurricanrana. Will hit a spinning kick to the head for a two count. Will worked over Swerve with kicks to the head. When Will jumped, Swerve caught him and Swerve hit the Deadeye that Hangman Page uses and Swerve got a two count out of it. It was about 20 minutes into the match.
They battled on the apron and then onto the floor where Will spun Swerve around so that Swerve’s head hit the steel steps. That led to Swerve doing a blade job and he was a bloody mess. Will rammed Swerves head (really his hands) into the top of the steel chairs a few times. The fight spilled over to the commentary table where Will gave a bloody Swerve a Styles Clash onto the commentary table. It wasn’t enough to break the table. They were back in the ring with Will hitting an Oscutter for two. Will hit three superkicks to the head and a rolling elbow. Will hit another elbow smash to knock Swerve down. Will hit Swerve with an elbow to the head. The referee, Paul Turner, was checking to see if Swerve moved, so there was a 10-count, and Swerve got back up. Will hit a Hidden Blade elbow for two because Swerve got his right shoulder up. The fight went to the turnbuckle and Swerve hit a Swerve Stomp onto the chest. Swerve tried a move, but Will broke out of it and used his feet to roll up Swerve for two. Swerve hit a House Call for just 1 as Will got up with a Hidden Blade for just 1. Swerve and Will hit eachother with clotheslines and both guys were down again. It was about 30 minutes into the match.
The match continued with Will and Swerve standing back on their feet with blood on their faces and they had a long staredown. The crowd came alive for it. Will and Swerve charged at eachother, so Will hit a Hidden Blade. Will hit a Stormbreaker after that for 1…2…no! Swerve kicked out. Will tried a Hidden Blade to the back, Swerve avoided it, Swerve shoved Will into the referee and then Swerve hit a low blow kick that the referee never saw. Swerve hit a Vertebreaker for 1…2…no! Will shot his left shoulder up. Swerve hit his own version of a Hidden Blade running elbow to knock Will down. Swerve hit his sitout Big Pressure slam for a two count because Will kicked out. Jon Moxley and the Death Riders went to ringside to encourage Will. Swerve hit Will with a House Call kick to the head. Will looked at Moxley, who was fired up and Will was back up with a Hidden Blade. Will went to the apron and hit a Buckshot Hidden Blade for 1…2…no. Swerve shot his right shoulder up. Will hit a Paradigm Shift and a Death Rider. Will hit a Tiger Driver for the 1…2…and 3! Will Ospreay gets the win after 36 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Will Ospreay
That victory means Will Ospreay has won the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, and he has earned an AEW World Title Match at AEW All In London on August 30th.
Analysis: ***** That was absolutely f’n incredible. Amazing match. Five stars out of five. I don’t go higher than five stars. I know some people do, but I don’t like going over. I’m just saying it’s certainly worthy of five stars and I can understand if people want to go over that for a match like this. There was so much to this match, with a ridiculous amount of nearfalls since Will and Swerve kicked out of so many big moves throughout the match. There were several instances in the match where I thought the finish was coming, but each man kept kicking out. The blood loss that each man went through certainly added to the match and showed how much they wanted to win because they were both bleeding heavily and kept on fighting. It was cool to see Will and Swerve hitting some different moves throughout the match. Ospreay’s win was the right call. As much as I like Swerve, we’ve seen him as the AEW World Champion before, while Ospreay has never been the champion, so it was the right call to have Ospreay get the win. I went into this match with high expectations, and they absolutely crushed it and lived up to those expectations.
After the match, Will Ospreay spoke to Swerve Strickland in the ring. I couldn’t hear what they were saying because Will’s music was playing. Swerve slowly left the ring.
Will Ospreay posed for the fans while the Death Riders went into the ring to celebrate with him. Will was presented with the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation title belt and the Owen Hart Cup. The pyro went off by the entrance area. Will’s wife, Alex Windsor, went to ringside for a kiss and hug. Alex went to the back while Will saluted the crowd and held up the title. That was the end of the show.
THE BILLY GOAT DID IT! @WillOspreay is headed to the #AEWAllIn London MAIN EVENT to challenge for the AEW World Championship in front of his countrymen!
Watch #ForbiddenDoor LIVE on HBO Max PPV pic.twitter.com/v9dqW3XssC
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 29, 2026
Analysis: I think Will Ospreay winning the AEW World Title at All In London is a lock. It needs to happen, and it will happen.
AEW Forbidden Door had a runtime of 4:55. AEW Double or Nothing in May went 4:12.
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Five Stars of the Show
- Will Ospreay
- Swerve Strickland
- Merecedes Mone
- Maya World
- Kenny Omega
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Final Thoughts On AEW Forbidden Door
It gets a 9 out of 10 from me.
Awesome show. The Ospreay/Strickland main event is one of the best matches of the year in any promotion, and there were several others that I enjoyed as well. Kudos to Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland for that performance. I also want to shout out the Mercedes Mone and Maya World match because it exceeded my expectations. Those ladies crushed it, which may not be a surprise to some because we know how great Mone is. I’m just saying that World certainly held her own as well.
There were plenty of other good matches, with the Kenny Omega-Zack Sabre match sticking out. I didn’t love the 12-man tag team Steel Cage Match as much as some people might, but it was still entertaining and had some fun moments.
A 5-hour PPV on a Sunday night that ended at 1 A.M. ET is pretty late. I know it was only 10 P.M. PT in San Jose (where the show was) when it ended, but if you are going to go 5 hours on a PPV like this, start the show an hour or two earlier. Why not? It’s a tough ask to tell the audience to stay up so late on a Sunday night. While I enjoyed the show a lot, I think the Forbidden Door concept should go away after this year. It feels like a regular AEW show. The NJPW talent was there to lose matches, except for one match with Umino beating Pac. Forbidden Door worked as a concept a few years ago. It’s over now.
Anyway, I enjoyed the show a lot. I have it tied with Revolution as the best AEW PPV this year.
Here are my rankings of the AEW PPVs so far this year:
Revolution – March 15 (9 out of 10)
Forbidden Door – June 28 (9)
Double or Nothing – May 24 (8.5)
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Twitter/X: @johnreport