The fourth annual AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view is just a few weeks away, and for the first time ever, the interpromotional extravaganza will emanate from London, England. The card is already loaded with several massive championship matches, as the top stars from All Elite Wrestling prepare to clash with talent from New Japan Pro-Wrestling and other partner promotions at the iconic O2 Arena on Sunday, August 24.
A Look at the Card for AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door
This year’s Forbidden Door continues the tradition of showcasing dream matches and high-stakes championship encounters between some of the best wrestlers in the world. Several major AEW titles will be on the line, and the event will also feature a special farewell for a living legend of NJPW. While the full participation of the New Japan roster is still taking shape due to the ongoing G1 Climax 35 tournament, the card is already shaping up to be one of the strongest of the year.
A Clash for the AEW Unified Championship
In what is expected to be one of the main events of the evening, Kazuchika Okada will make his first defense of the AEW Unified Championship as he takes on his bitter rival, Swerve Strickland. The rivalry between the two top stars began at the All In Texas pay-per-view, where Swerve and Will Ospreay defeated The Young Bucks, costing them their executive vice president titles. Okada, a long-time friend of the Bucks, took exception to this, and he and Strickland have been at odds ever since. After weeks of interfering in each other’s business, Swerve laid down the challenge for a one-on-one match at Forbidden Door, which Okada accepted. The bout will be the first major defense for the new Unified Championship and will serve as a high-profile test for two of AEW’s biggest stars.
Women’s Championships on the Line in High-Stakes Bouts
The women’s division will be heavily featured in London with two major championship matches. In a battle of two of the most dominant women in the company, “Timeless” Toni Storm will defend her AEW Women’s World Championship against the reigning ROH Women’s World Champion, Athena. “The Fallen Goddess” earned this opportunity by winning the women’s Casino Gauntlet match at All In Texas. Since then, she has been taunting the champion, and even scored a pinfall victory over Storm in a recent tag team match. For Storm, who is in her record fourth reign as champion, this will be another chance to cement her legacy against a powerful and dangerous challenger.
The TBS Championship will also be defended in a unique international four-way match. The champion, Mercedes Moné, will put her title on the line against one representative from AEW, one from the Japanese promotion Stardom, and one from the Mexican promotion CMLL. The AEW representative was determined on a recent episode of Dynamite, with England’s own Alex Windsor winning a four-way qualifier to earn a championship match in her home country. Moné, who has held the TBS title for a record-setting reign, faces the immense challenge of a match where she does not have to be pinned to lose her championship.
Tag Team Gold and a Legend’s Farewell
The AEW World Tag Team Championships will also be defended at Forbidden Door. The dominant champions, The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin), will face the winners of the ongoing Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament. The tournament final will see the multi-time former champions FTR take on the formidable duo of “Brodido” (Brody King & ROH World Champion Bandido).
In a special and emotional attraction, the legendary former multi-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and current NJPW President, Hiroshi Tanahashi, will compete in his final match in the United Kingdom as he continues on his retirement tour. His opponent has not yet been announced, but his farewell to the UK fans is sure to be a memorable moment.
Event Details
- Date: Sunday, August 24, 2025
- Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. BST
- Location: The O2 Arena in London, England
- How to Watch: Prime Video, PPV.com, Fubo, and YouTube in the United States and internationally on Triller.
Announced Card
- AEW Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm (c) vs. Athena
- AEW Unified Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Swerve Strickland
- AEW World Tag Team Championships: The Hurt Syndicate (c) vs. Winner of FTR vs. Brodido
- TBS Championship 4-Way Match: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Alex Windsor vs. TBD vs. TBD
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. TBA (Tanahashi’s last UK match)