Forbidden Door 2025: London’s Cross-Promotion Supercard — Full Preview, Match Card, Start Time & What Matters Most
For the fourth straight year, AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door kicks open the gates between two powerhouses—only this time the party moves to London. The O2 hosts a stacked Sunday slate featuring championship fights, dream pairings, and a 10-man Lights Out Steel Cage built for chaos. With names like Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Toni Storm, Mercedes Moné, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, “Hangman” Adam Page, MJF and more, this is as close as wrestling gets to an all-star game with real consequences.
Heads up: Links in this article may earn us a commission—always at no cost to you.
When, Where & How to Watch
- Date/Time: Sunday, Aug. 24 — 1:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: The O2 Arena, London
- Watch (U.S.): Prime Video (PPV) - Prepurchase Now via our Amazon Affiliate Link.
- Forbidden Door Zero Hour Preview - 11:30am ET - Free on YouTube
Full Card (Projected Match Order — subject to change)
- TBS Championship – Four-Way: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Alex Windsor vs. Persephone vs. Bozilla
- AEW World Tag Team Championship – Three-Way Elimination: The Hurt Syndicate (c) vs. FTR vs. Brodido
- TNT Championship: Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness
- AEW Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm (c) vs. Athena
- AEW Unified Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Swerve Strickland
- Tag Showcase: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. Killswitch & Kip Sabian
- AEW World Championship: “Hangman” Adam Page (c) vs. MJF
- Lights Out Steel Cage – 10-Man: Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Darby Allin & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jon Moxley, The Young Bucks, Claudio Castagnoli & Gabe Kidd
What to Watch Closely
“Hangman” Adam Page (c) vs. MJF — AEW World Championship
A fresh program with old history. Page goaded MJF into cashing his guaranteed shot, and Max responded by brutalizing the champion on Dynamite, promising to reclaim the belt he once held for 406 days. Expect Page’s volume striking and lariat game vs. MJF’s tempo control, limb work, and big-moment opportunism. The O2 crowd should be split but loud; first PPV defense for Hangman since winning at All In adds weight.
Lights Out Steel Cage — Ospreay/Omega/Ibushi/Allin/Tanahashi vs. Moxley/Bucks/Castagnoli/Kidd
AEW’s first five-on-five cage war is tailor-made for story and spectacle. With Ospreay openly acknowledging he’s “compromised” going into surgery, the emotion writes itself. Omega/Ibushi bring Golden Lovers chemistry; Moxley/Bucks bring mayhem; Tanahashi wrestling his last UK match turns this from big to historic. No rules, no limits—expect blood-feud beats, tandem poetry, and a finish that reverberates post-PPV.
Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. Killswitch & Kip Sabian
For the first time since 2011, Copeland & Cage ride again. The rekindled friendship meets Christian’s past in the form of Killswitch (the rebranded Luchasaurus) and the ever-slippery Sabian. Nostalgia is real, but so is Copeland’s late-career sprint; anticipate veteran timing, double-teams you haven’t seen in a decade, and a crowd primed for a “greatest hits” closer.
Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness — IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
A technical fever dream with legacy attached. ZSJ has evolved into a control-room champion; Nigel returns to big-fight stakes with bruising precision and cunning. Expect chaining, counters, and long traps where a single escape pops the O2. If the pace is slow early, it’s by design—one mistake changes everything.
Toni Storm (c) vs. Athena — AEW Women’s World Championship
Timeless vs. relentless. Storm thrives in big-room dramatics and sneaky setups; Athena has quietly built one of the most violent résumés in the division. If this gets time, it could be the show’s in-ring dark horse.
Mercedes Moné’s Four-Way — TBS Championship
Moné keeps collecting moments; a four-way adds volatility. Alex Windsor brings UK pedigree, Persephone and Bozilla add wild-card offense. Moné’s advantage is timing—disappearing when the chaos spikes and reappearing for the decisive cover.
Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi — TNT Championship
This is pace vs. pace. Fletcher has leveled up into a TV-title metronome; Hiromu is a chaos merchant who turns sprints into marathons. If they hit second gear early, clear the lane.
World Tag Titles — Hurt Syndicate (c) vs. FTR vs. Brodido (Elimination)
Elimination favors conditioning and ring IQ—advantage FTR—but the champs’ power and Brodido’s opportunism can flip orders quickly. Expect isolation stretches, one hot save, and a final fall that feels like a mini main event.
🎙️ Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
Forbidden Door has matured from “dream card” to narrative engine. London’s installment blends legacy (Nigel, Tanahashi), prime-time killers (Ospreay, Omega, Moxley, Okada, Swerve), and a women’s slate strong enough to headline any other night. The cage match is the emotional anchor, Page–MJF gives AEW’s world title a fresh spark, and ZSJ–Nigel is a love letter to technique with real top-belt stakes. Expect fewer disposable multi-mans and more finish that matters. If AEW and NJPW stick the landings, this becomes the signature Forbidden Door.
