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How AEW Forbidden Door Highlights The Company’s Greatest Strength: Consistency

They attempt to deliver at every show, and it shows.
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AEW Forbidden Door

Wrestling is a unique entity when it comes to sports. Because unlike many, MANY other sports out there, certain countries and continents focus on different things to make wrestling “their own.” Mexico loves high-flying luchadors. The UK loves grapplers with technical expertise. Japan has long been known for its hard strikers and taking lots of big hits. Finally, the US is a “melting pot” of sorts, featuring all sorts of styles. As such, each major wrestling company in the world today has its own “focus.” This past Sunday, AEW Forbidden Door proved that AEW is about having great wrestling, no matter what. For a long time now, they’ve been the dominant force on the PPV and TV scene, and it’s not likely to stop anytime soon.

Where It All Truly Began…

Our story begins…at the end. The World’s End, that is. AEW, All Elite Wrestling, started its run in 2019 and endured early hardship due to the global pandemic, natural “growing pains,” and a locker room that didn’t always mesh with one another. Yet, even back then, they were demonstrating that this company was committed to providing great wrestling week in and week out.

2023 was a year that featured many highs and lows, but the lowest of them all wasn’t a certain fight at a key PPV that people still talk about today. Oh no, the lowest point was the World’s End PPV. I could write an ENTIRE FEATURE about everything that went wrong in the ring and out. It was that numerous, and AEW was reeling in multiple ways. To be clear, the PPV itself wasn’t “bad” in full, as it had numerous memorable matches, but this was a rare case where everything “wasn’t clicking,” and it was as though the universe itself had conspired to screw AEW on this day.

Botches throughout the show. “Scandals” involving certain wrestlers who were performing that night. A wrestler straight-up having their last match in AEW…before jumping over to “the competition,” and so on. They even had a flaming table spot that didn’t go right! When that happens, you know something is wrong.

Even the main event didn’t “resonate” as much as people wanted, and “The Devil” storyline soon fizzled out afterward.

I remember watching that night thinking, “Something has to change if AEW is going to survive.”

Thankfully, it did, and just like you can point out where things went wrong, you can also easily point out where things got back on track.

“Where The Best Wrestle”

Less than three months later, AEW Revolution 2024 happened, and the true “focus” of that night was the retirement match for Sting. However, most AEW fans know that this is where the pivot happened in terms of PPV quality, because on this night, we started to see the origins of the tagline, “AEW Is Where The Best Wrestle.”

Sting’s retirement match was everything it should’ve been and more, and some even labeled it as the “Match of the Year” for 2024. On that same card were other incredible bouts, including Samoa Joe vs. Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Adam Page, and then there was Will Ospreay’s true AEW debut vs. Konosuke Takeshita, which was a 5-star classic and MOTY contender. Eddie Kingston vs. Bryan Danielson was a hard-hitting epic, and there were other great matches on that card as well.

From that moment on, both on television and on PPV, things started to really roll. The phrase “Restore the Feeling” gained popularity among the fanbase at the time, and it became a rallying cry from early 2024 onward. And here in 2025, we know the feeling is back, and some even argue that the feeling never left, but has just been amplified by the WRESTLING that we’ve been able to take in week in and week out.

Every PPV that followed Revolution 2024 was full of epic matches on all sides of the wrestling spectrum: men’s, women’s, tag teams, and even trios. Heck, AEW is so loaded with talent that they make even their PRE-SHOW MATCHES epic and worthy of those who come in early to ensure they don’t miss a thing.

Pretty much every PPV from Revolution 2024 on had a MOTY contender, if not two or more, and I can literally name them all off the top of my head (without research, thank you very much); that’s how impactful they were. Some of them were even on the “Best Free AEW Matches” list I wrote before a certain key PPV in 2025.

And that ties everything back to AEW Forbidden Door this year, because even with some “scheduling issues” that occurred, AEW did what it did best: put great matches on the card for people to enjoy.

Quality Wrestling Every Single Time

One of the reasons that AEW fans have been seriously pumped in 2025 is that after a very slow January, All Elite Wrestling founder Tony Khan went “into the weeds” himself to take over everything and deliver quality products across Dynamite, Collision, and, of course, the PPVs. It was like he was on a mission to make sure every single show was memorable, even when every show was different, and he obviously never knew what the crowd would be “into.”

That’s the key difference between AEW and its “competitor” here in the US. They (you know who I’m talking about) don’t see wrestling the same way that Tony Khan does, or the AEW fans do. The “other guys” see it as something you “can have,” but it’s not the most important thing. AEW sees it as THE most important thing, and then they build things around it. The stories, the promos, and the video packages are all important in their own right, but in AEW, it doesn’t mean anything if the wrestling isn’t there to back it all up.

The “other guys” are fine with doing PPVs that cost a LOT to be there live, and you’ll get five to six matches at most, and the matches won’t be as long as they should be, nor the quality that they should be. Now, in contrast, take a look at the card for AEW Forbidden Door this past Sunday:

That’s nine matches, and every single one of them, before they even rang the bell, was believed to be a can’t-miss match in one form or another. And then, on the pre-show, they had these matches:

Don't miss the #ForbiddenDoor Zero Hour, with Bryan Danielson joining @rjcity.bsky.social, Renee Paquette, and Jeff Jarrett to kick off the action before the PPV!Streaming FREE on Prime Video, YouTube, X & Facebook starting at 4:30pm BST/11:30am ET/8:30am PT, TODAY!▶️ youtube.com/live/_MH4rs_…

— All Elite Wrestling (@allelitewrestling.com) 2025-08-24T12:30:07.239Z

That’s thirteen matches combined, and do you want to know what the shortest match was? It was the trio’s title match, which lasted just under 10 minutes. On the main card, as highlighted by Cagematch, the shortest match was just under 14 minutes, and the final two matches (the dual main event) were both about 32 minutes long. The total match time for the main card was about 175 minutes, on a show that went just about 270 minutes. That’s a lot of wrestling! Plus, that less than 100 minutes that WASN’T wrestling was dedicated to entrances, certain video packages to get the “final hype” going, and the natural post-match stuff.

Oh, and there was the return of Jamie Hayter and Wardlow, both of which was given a good amount of time so fans could revel in their return. There was no “filler” here; everything mattered to the AEW Forbidden Door card, which is something you come to expect with AEW nowadays…and don’t expect from their competition, who fill up the gaps between matches with MANY other things that don’t really have to do with wrestling at all.

And just as important to note here is that at AEW Forbidden Door… EVERY. MATCH. WAS. GOOD!!!! 13 matches on the full card, and there wasn’t a dud to be had! 62 wrestlers were in action on this card, all told. That’s insane! And some of you out there might think, “Why did AEW, New Japan, and CMLL have so many people on this card?”

Because they could.

They set a world record at the O2 for the biggest wrestling crowd at JUST UNDER 19,000. Seriously, they were eight off. That’s over 1000 above the previous record, and they all came to the 02 in London to see people wrestle!

The TBS title match was a great example of “coming to see something special,” as it featured three different brands coming together to fight for the TBS championship, currently held by Mercedes Mone. For many people, including myself, this was the first chance to see Bozilla from Stardom in action, and MANY people have been talking about her and her potential wrestling future since the match ended.

Or, how about the Lights Out Steel Cage Match that ended the night? That was one of the last matches put on the card, and given all that happened, it’s one we should be grateful we got, not the least of which was for this epic babyface team that we’ll LITERALLY never see happen again:

Did they NEED to do this match? Maybe not. Did they NEED to go this hard with both teams? Maybe not. But they did it because they knew the crowd would appreciate it, especially with this being the last UK match for Hiroshi Tanahashi, who got the victory with his High Fly Flow at the end. A memorable moment to add to the “last ride” of Japan’s Ace.

AEW Forbidden Door had something for everyone, regardless of whether you liked certain members of the AEW, New Japan, or CMLL rosters. We had a true “technical spectacle” with Nigel McGuinness and Zack Sabre Jr. We had a fun three-way match for the tag titles that ended in a surprise victory via Brodido getting the belts! MJF vs. Hangman was my “Match of the Night” because of all the antics that MJF tried to do to get the win, while our dear “Anxious Millennial Cowboy” was able to hold firm and get the victory in spite of them.

All three women’s matches were great, the return of Cope and Christian Cage as a tag team was fun, and the list goes on and on.

AEW wants to deliver the best wrestling possible every night you watch, because they KNOW you watch for the wrestling. A great example can be found in the Glasgow go-home show, Dynamite on the 20th, where they only had three matches the whole night…but their match times almost went to a full hour, including a 30-minute time limit draw and a 16-minute women’s tag team main event match!

Why go full-tilt that much on a go-home show…? Because they could. Or, how about in the follow-up AEW Dynamite that happened last night? Tony Khan waited until Tuesday night to start announcing matches, and when one of his own wrestlers pointed out the fun that was to be had, TK made it clear why he was doing what he was doing:

Emotional, Fun, And Non-Patronizing

Here’s the thing, there are some that would argue that we “know too much” about what happens “behind the curtain” and that it “ruins the illusion” of what wrestling is. At times, you could make that case. However, I truly believe that being honest with the fans and building upon what’s really there to encourage real reactions from the wrestlers and those watching is the best way to go. And yes, AEW Forbidden Door highlighted that in various ways. For example, when Nigel McGuinness had his intro to his title match against Zack Sabre Jr., he had a video package with legendary British wrestler Johnny Saint, who was also in the crowd for the match.

All they did was discuss technical wrestling, play chess, and encourage Nigel to do his best in the upcoming match. That simple video did so much for the crowd because it highlighted how AEW was honoring wrestling OUTSIDE ITS OWN BORDERS and showing that there is a history that fans should look into, so that they know who inspired the wrestlers they are watching now. And if you think I’m “waxing poetic” about that, check out this BTS video after the match between those two and the ones who inspired them:

And then…there was this video package for when Will Ospreay came to the ring…

…I cry every time I watch that. I’m not afraid to admit that. The reason that particular video package matters is that it’s REAL. Alex Windsor and Will Ospreay are engaged, and Will is set to undergo surgery on his neck to address some injuries, which will keep him out of action for a while in AEW. That package wasn’t about a wrestler cheering on another, like with McGuinness and Johnny Saint; it was about a partner pouring out her heart for the man she loved, saying that no matter what happens, she’ll be there for him in the times to come. Who wouldn’t want to hear their partner say something like that for them on a night such as that in front of their hometown crowd?

I know Ospreay felt that way about Windsor, because on Twitter, he quoted the video and poured his heart out for her:

In a time where I’ve been so in my head about if I’ll ever be the same again. She makes me feel like I’m indestructible. Love you Al.

That’s as real as it gets, ladies and gentlemen, and AEW didn’t shy away from allowing that moment to happen.

Then…on the other side of the spectrum…there was this just a few minutes later:

Yep. They got the rights to “MMMbop” just to troll the Young Bucks even further on their “downslide arc” that they’re in. Did you hear the crowd singing along with them? That’s a common thing in AEW. The crowd LOVES when AEW brings the fun and encourages an interactive experience of sorts.

Oh, and Kenny Omega dancing and singing during it? That was just the cherry on top.

The point is that AEW loves to give the fans moments to remember, regardless of whether it’s a fun sing-along, an emotional rollercoaster of a video, or a match, showcasing history that deserves to be remembered, and so on. Some companies prefer to be rather…to be blunt…patronizing…to those in attendance. Basically saying to them, “You’re getting this and you’ll like it,” even though they won’t, they don’t, and then the company doesn’t learn its lesson because they think they can do anything without consequences.

In contrast, AEW goes all out (pun intended) for its audience, regardless of where they are or who’s in attendance. That way, no matter what happens, they can say they gave their all, and that’s why their fanbase is so loyal to them, because they love that they’re doing so much for the AUDIENCE WATCHING, and not just for money.

When The “Floor” is Higher Than Certain Ceilings

Alright, so, we’re 2300 words into this piece, and obviously…I should finish up soon, right? But what’s a piece like this without a “shocking hot take” that no one is expecting? If you were to ask me if I enjoyed AEW Forbidden Door, I’d tell you “absolutely” without hesitation. If you asked me if I thought it was the “Best AEW PPV of the year,” I’d tell you…that wasn’t in my top 3.

To be clear, I maintain that AEW All In Texas is the best PPV I’ve ever seen. To best sum up my feelings on AEW Forbidden Door, I point to this post I found on Blue Sky:

Forbidden Door was a fun show, and seems to indicate the floor for AEW PPVs this year too which is a hell of a baseline. I enjoyed it all despite there not being a lot that will stick with me. That main event had some moments that will though. Plus, they gotta get Danielson on full-time comms asap.

— Dom Delonge (@domdelonge.bsky.social) 2025-08-26T15:46:00.223Z

That mostly embodies what I felt. As I mentioned earlier, all the matches were well done. Some were great, and two I found to be truly awesome. But, when I think about the other PPVs from this year, like Revolution, Dynasty, Double or Nothing, and, of course, All In Texas, those shows had an “extra level” of sorts that pushed my love of them higher than this PPV did.

To be clear, that’s not an insult, because AEW Forbidden Door was great and memorable in various ways. The “problem,” if you will, is that AEW set the bar so high that inevitably, there would be shows that some people, like myself, feel that they didn’t reach that bar. The irony, though, is that I talked with other people on Blue Sky and Twitter who LOVED AEW Forbidden Door more than I did, and one dude thought it was MUCH BETTER than All In Texas! Go figure.

The point here is that even when AEW doesn’t do an “all-timer PPV” or Dynamite or Collision that “shakes the wrestling world,” you KNOW that they’re going to do something great regardless, because that’s what they do. And their “floor” for quality is definitively higher than their rivals’ ceiling in most cases, because AEW treats every show and PPV as vital, while their competition…doesn’t.

AEW is growing this year in various ways, including attracting new people to their fanbase who are finally giving it a shot. And what are they saying after viewing a show or PPV? They love the WRESTLING! They love that on any Wednesday, Saturday, or whenever AEW has a PPV, they can expect fun matches with some of the best wrestlers in the world, regardless of style, gender, and experience.

All Elite Wrestling has been consistently great for a long time. For their PPVs? Since March 2024. For their weekly products? You can argue the start point, but 2025 has definitely been a high point for Dynamite and Collision. Tony Khan KNOWS that this is the kind of product they need to be to be true to the fanbase, to the wrestlers, to those behind the curtain, and those who just simply enjoy wrestling.

Will their “streak” end one day? Inevitably. But not right now. Why? Because AEW is the home of professional wrestling, and it’s going to take a lot to change that, ladies and gentlemen.

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A self-proclaimed Nintendo fanboy, born, bred, and Mushroom fed! He’s owned every Nintendo handheld and every console since the SNES. He's got a degree in video game development, is a published comic book writer and an author of several novels!