AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2025 — Match Card & Storylines

Event Details:

Date: Sunday, August 24, 2025

Venue: The O2 Arena, London — the first Forbidden Door event held outside North America, and the first in August instead of June

Confirmed Matches:

1. Hangman Page (c) vs. MJF — AEW World Championship

2. Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness (with Daniel Garcia) — IWGP World Heavyweight Championship; McGuinness is a hometown favorite in England

3. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. Nick Wayne & Kip Sabian — First tag match for the legendary team since 2011

4. Toni Storm (c) vs. Athena — AEW Women’s World Championship

5. Mercedes Moné (c) vs. AEW, CMLL & Stardom challengers — AEW TBS Championship in a four-way match

6. Swerve Strickland vs. Kazuchika Okada — Despite not being fully confirmed, this high-profile singles match is shaping up

7. Lights Out Steel Cage Match

Team Will Ospreay: *Will Ospreay, Darby Allin, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Golden Lovers (Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega)*

vs. The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli), The Young Bucks, and Gabe Kidd

Additional developments:

AEW Tag Team Championship Eliminator tournament final (Brodido vs. FTR) scheduled on Dynamite to determine challengers for The Hurt Syndicate

Predictions: Who Comes Out On Top?

Drawing from buzz and speculative booking:

Hangman Page vs. MJF – Expect Page to retain. The narrative momentum favors the tenacious cowboy hanging on after his All In victory .

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Nigel McGuinness – Saber Jr. likely retains. A possible heel turn from Daniel Garcia post-match adds intrigue .

Edge & Christian (Copeland & Cage) vs. Wayne & Sabian – A sentimental win for the reunited duo feels right .

Toni Storm vs. Athena – Toni Storm to retain, continuing her dominant run .

Mercedes Moné’s Four‑Way – Hard to call; her multi-brand presence makes her a solid candidate to retain, though a dark horse could seize the moment.

Okada vs. Swerve – Swerve might fall short again; Okada holds the upper hand .

Lights Out Steel Cage – Team Ospreay’s alliance plays better in story; they’re predicted to win this chaotic spectacle .

Cool Trivia & Comparisons

First Forbidden Door outside North America — London marks a major expansion, shifting from prior June editions on home soil .

August Timing — First time the event lands in August, aligning with the UK Bank Holiday weekend .

Tag Team Return from the Ages — Edge & Christian reunite after nearly 14 years — their last team match was in 2011 .

Multi‑Promotion Representation — Similar to 2024, this year again involves AEW, NJPW, Stardom, and CMLL — maintaining that global, inter-promotional vibe .

Hometown Hype — McGuinness vs. ZSJ takes place in England, upping the stakes in a rare singles matchup featuring both Brits .

AEW–NJPW Partnership: 2025 in Review

Origins & Growth – AEW and NJPW began collaborating in February 2021. Forbidden Door launched in 2022 and grew to include Stardom and CMLL by 2024 .

Annual Tradition – This is the fourth annual Forbidden Door. Previous main events:

2022: Moxley vs. Tanahashi

2023: Danielson vs. Okada

2024: Swerve vs. Ospreay .

Global Expansion – After eastward ventures to Canada (2023) and New York (2024), Forbidden Door now goes European — London in 2025 .

Wrestler Exchanges – Stars like Tanahashi, Ospreay, and others bolster shared storylines and reinforce the ongoing, dynamic exchange .