The Big Picture

Yesterday's AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2026 wrapped up in San Jose with a historic night of championship fights and surprise arrivals. While the SAP Center crowd witnessed Will Ospreay secure his spot at Wembley Stadium after a brutal war against Swerve Strickland, the fallout from the post-show press conference highlighted a promotion still struggling with its own identity. Pacing issues and card bloat threatened to overshadow what was, bell-to-bell, an in-ring masterpiece.

Post-Show Fallout from the Scrum

Ospreay Stakes His Claim for Wembley

The main event saw Will Ospreay win the Men's Owen Hart Cup in a blood-soaked thriller against Swerve Strickland. It was a physical encounter that saw both men bleed profusely. Ospreay eventually finished Strickland off with a devastating combo of a Hidden Blade, the Death Rider, and a Tiger Driver for the pin.

The win means Ospreay heads to Wembley Stadium for All In in August. During the post-show media scrum, Ospreay made his intentions clear. He spoke with the energy of someone who knows he is on the cusp of history.

“I have just punched my ticket to the main event of Wembley Stadium. I'm fighting for so much, for a dream, for so many kids that ever just wanted to be a part of Wembley Stadium. To be in that place, I have an opportunity to be the first Englishman to ever win a World Championship on English soil. I'm on cloud nine right now… as the winner of the Owen Hart Cup, I wanna say thank you. Thank you to everybody who has supported me from day one. Thank you to mom and dad for buying me that wrestling ring, thanks to all the backyard wrestling boys that I love. Thank you to everyone from Revolution Pro Wrestling, from Pro-Wrestling: EVE, to New Japan Pro-Wrestling and to Tony. Thank you very much for giving me an opportunity. Thank you to everybody that has supported me throughout this crazy journey. I hope I don't let you down. Let's get to Wembley.”

This victory shifts the power dynamic in AEW. Ospreay has been the focal point of the promotion's international expansion. Facing the World Champion in London is the biggest possible match AEW can book right now. Strickland remains a top-tier asset, but this night belonged to the aerial assassin.

Mercedes Moné Rules the Women's Division

On the women's side, Mercedes Moné defeated Maya World to win the Women's Owen Hart Cup. World entered the tournament as an underdog replacement for Sareee. She put up an incredible fight, kicking out of the Moné Maker and locking in her own submission holds. World pushed the champion to the limit before finally tapping out to the Statement Maker at the 24-minute mark.

World made herself a star in defeat. The crowd in San Jose rallied behind her, believing in the upset. In the post-show press conference, Moné was quick to put the newcomer in her place while acknowledging her talent.

“Yeah, and you saw me teach her a lesson tonight, right? She learned today. It's honestly crazy for me and any time I think about it, this whole week I was a little emotional. I'm like, 'Another one that I get to wrestle? Another woman that has joined this beautiful, beautiful sport of professional wrestling, I get to wrestle them?…' They're all over the world and I cannot believe what I've done in wrestling at such a young age and here I am still so young in my prime at 34 and I'm not stopping. I'm only getting greater so, it feels incredible and Maya, I'm so proud of her. I'm really, really proud of her. But damn, yeah, she learned. She learned a lot today.”

Moné now heads to Wembley with massive momentum. The women's division has needed a dominant figurehead. Moné has filled that role perfectly, but the real story might be the emergence of Maya World as a future headliner.

Tony Khan Addresses the Tsuji Drama

The build to the show was marred by comments from IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji. Tsuji had publicly criticized the event and suggested New Japan wrestlers were not treated as equals. Tony Khan was asked about these comments during the press conference.

“I really am a big fan of Yota Tsuji. I have a lot of respect for him and the IWGP World Title. I would love to have him here, and I've been a fan of his for many years. There was another side to what he said, and that's that I've always shown great respect to him and the wrestlers. He's always felt very respected by AEW when he's come here, and he feels like the New Japan wrestlers get a lot of respect from the company and from me personally.”

Khan also discussed the logistical issues that plagued the card. Visas issues ruled out several CMLL and NJPW stars, forcing last-minute card changes. Khan confirmed that booking adjustments had to be made right up to the weekend of the show.

The Critics' Verdict

Great Wrestling, Terrible Pacing

While the matches were spectacular, the show suffered from severe pacing issues. The main card featured nine matches and lasted almost five hours. As detailed in the Wrestling Inc. review, this marathon length meant early classics were forgotten. Kenny Omega and Zack Sabre Jr. put on a technical clinic second on the card, but it felt like ancient history by the time Ospreay and Strickland finished.

The card also felt too AEW-heavy for a co-branded show. The steel cage match had no real connection to NJPW or CMLL, serving only to set up AEW storylines. Co-branded matches are becoming rare, with the show looking more like a standard AEW pay-per-view with Japanese guests.

The tag team title match was another point of contention. Adam Copeland and Christian Cage defended against Clark Connors and David Finlay. The bout served only as a backdrop for the return of Jay White. Moving this match to an episode of Dynamite would have saved time and kept the focus on true crossover matches, like Jon Moxley's defense against Bandido.

The sleeper hit of the night was Moxley vs. Bandido. The contrast of styles was perfect, with Bandido's white gear quickly stained red from a brutal blade job. Moxley took massive bumps, including a top-rope Fallaway Slam, before retaining. This was a masterclass in violence that showed why Moxley remains the locker room leader.

Ultimately, Forbidden Door 2026 proved that AEW has the best in-ring roster in the world. But it also proved that Tony Khan needs to edit himself. Booking shorter cards with tighter focus will prevent fan burnout and make the matches feel like the historic events they are supposed to be.