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Welcome to my ongoing thoughts on AEW's Forbidden Door 2025!
The SAP Center looks to be packed.
They unveiled a new circular cage for the main event between Team Briscoe and Team MJF. It looked pretty impressive just hanging at the top of the venue and we'll see how it comes into play.
fast-paced, crowd-pleasing, big spot opener. Mistico was the most over guy in the match, but the fans cheered for everyone and all the wild spots. Under different circumstances, I’d question whether they did too many big spots in the opening match, but I think this show appeals to a lot of fans who enjoy the balls-to-the-wall approach from start to finish.
Drilla Moloney vs. Daniel Garcia (with Marina Shafir) was first, an unannounced addition. Walker Stewart joined the usual AEW crew and it seemed to throw off the usual flow at first. This was a solid bout. Moloney getting the win had to be seen as a minor surprise.
Skye Blue vs. Maika was a good debut for Maika. I had no idea she was trained by the great TAKA Michonoku. You could see the crowd getting more into her over the course of the match. Maika paid tribute to TAKA with a Michinoku Driver. Short but fun.
Divine Dominion vs. Thunder Rosa & Olympia. This was a fast-paced, action-packed tag team match that benefited from not being the usual five minute deal with the Tag Champions. This was probably one of the better showings for Rosa in a bit and Olympia was very good. Very enjoyable from bell to bell.
The PPV proper opened with The Young Bucks vs. Shingo Takagi & Titan vs. the new ROH Tag Team Champions Sky Team, Mistico & Mascara Dorada. You knew what you were getting here before the bell rang and it delivered those expectations, being more of an unannounced Tornado Tag match than a traditional tag bout. This was fast-paced, crowd-pleasing spectacle packed with creative sequences and high-impact spots, plus, I know this will shock you, LOTS of superkicks. Mistico was easily the most popular wrestler here but the crowd enthusiastically reacted to and seemed to love everyone involves. Under different circumstances, the amount of big offense in an opener might have felt excessive, but it suited the tone of a product built around nonstop, high-energy action. Even with Sky Team coming off their ROH Tag Team Championship victory, the non-title nature of the match made The Young Bucks the clear favorites, so this wasn't a surprise to see them win.
Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr. was next. They gave this a lot of time and presented it like it was a chess match between two wrestling wizards and it was excellent in that regard from bell to bell. In fact, this may have been one of the better Omega matches in recent years. It was a slower, more methodical style after the opener with lots of strikes and reversals as they took the fight to each other, wearing the other down. It was a phenomenal showcase of professional wrestling at a high level, with Kenny Omega pushed into a serious challenge as he continues his “redemption” narrative. I'd be shocked if he's not challenging for the AEW title in the very near future. Sabre as always is extremely entertaining just by being this unique, fluid technical professional wrestler who stands out against the endless onslaught of flying talents by being a modern day adaption of the ground and pound style. This was just a fun match that rewarded you for paying attention as it played out before Omega scored the win. This was a terrific battle of different styles.
Next was Continental Champion Jon Moxley vs. Bandido. Moxley bullied Bandido for a good part of the early bout, bloodying him, ripping his mask so far apart that his entire face was exposed for a moment, and generally being a destructive jerk. This allowed Bandido to make a comeback to a big reaction. The story highlighted Bandido's fighting spirit and resilience when he kicked out of Moxley's double underhook DDT, which rarely ever happens. By the time Moxley choked Bandido out, it was a hell of a match, built around sustained back and forth action and a series of believable near falls that kept the outcome in doubt throughout. Following the Omega vs. Sabre Jr. level performance is no easy task, but both competitors managed to match that intensity while putting together a different style of bout. The crowd really wanted Bandido to win, so Moxley played a great devil to make him the angel. The last bout felt like a great wrestling bout. This felt like a fight.
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