Pouring one out for the booking sheet

AEW just announced that Dios Azul is the official tequila partner for Forbidden Door 2026. Because nothing says professional wrestling like a stiff drink while you try to figure out why the mid-card is currently suffering from a severe identity crisis. I’m all for having a good time at the AEW Forbidden Door 2026 event, but usually, you want a coherent storyline to pair with that margarita.

We are just days away from June 28th and I am still staring at this card wondering if Tony Khan is playing a complex game of 4D chess or just throwing spaghetti at the wall. The move to partner with a spirits brand is fine, but it feels like putting a fancy garnish on a sandwich that hasn’t been toasted yet. If you want to keep fans hooked, you need heat, not just a brand activation.

The crossover confusion

Remember when Forbidden Door was the holy grail of dream matches? We had Okada versus Danielson, and the atmosphere was electric. Now, we are looking at a lineup that feels more like a random grab bag from a gacha machine. You can toss all the tequila you want at the audience, but it doesn't change the fact that the booking has felt shaky since the AEW Dynamite in Rio Rancho segment last week.

At that show, the lack of momentum was screaming at us from the cheap seats. You cannot expect people to pay premium price for a crossover pay-per-view when the build-up feels rushed and disjointed. It is not enough to just bring in talent from NJPW or CMLL and hope for the best. You need a narrative to anchor these bouts, or it is just guys in trunks trading chops for fifteen minutes until the crowd gets bored.

The Performance Center shadow

If you need proof that the back-office is struggling to find a groove, look no further than the recent WWE EVOLVE broadcasts. Being relegated to a tape-delayed format on Tubi is its own kind of purgatory, but at least those guys have a clear mission statement. They are clearly developmental pawns. AEW, on the other hand, claims to be the premier destination for serious wrestling, yet they treat their momentum like it is a hot potato.

Bringing in outside partners for the PPV is smart business on paper, but it is a massive gamble if the stories behind the matches aren't clicking. I want to see technical mastery. I want to see a 20-minute iron-man match pushed to the limit of human endurance. What I don't want is a confusing card where half the audience can't name the guys wrestling in the third match.

Final call before the PPV

Look, I will be watching on Sunday like the rest of you masochists. My bar stool is reserved. I will probably even try the tequila. But I’m hoping to see a change in pace. If we get another round of directionless brawls, this partnership with Dios Azul might be the most memorable thing on the entire broadcast.

The promotion needs a win here. They have the roster depth to put on the best show of the year, but the disconnect between the booking room and the screen remains an issue. Stop overthinking the gimmicks for five minutes and focus on the bell-to-bell action. It is only about 72 hours until the first match kicks off, and the clock is definitely ticking.