WWE Night of Champions and AEW Forbidden Door preview and predictions: 5 big questions for a loaded wrestling weekend

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As we head toward the final weekend in June, the weather isn’t the only thing heating up. With WWE, NXT, AEW and TNA all running major shows this weekend, it’s a great time to park yourself on a couch, turn the AC on and watch wrestling all weekend.

Before you do that, though, the Uncrowned Horsemen are here to break down the two marquee events of the weekend — WWE Night of Champions and AEW Forbidden Door — answering several burning questions and making picks for each match across the two cards.

Let’s ride!

1. We just saw Giannis Antetokounmpo and LaMelo Ball get traded in NBA blockbusters. Seeing as WWE and AEW are both running this weekend, build a wrestling version of a blockbuster trade.

Drake Riggs: Picking from the WWE side feels wildly tough to negotiate, simply from a “blockbuster” standpoint. Obviously someone like Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar comes first to mind, but neither feels like they’d fit in too well on the AEW side of this equation. So, I’m going to pick out of the hat who needs it more: The women’s roster.

Rhea Ripley would be my WWE choice. It’s crazy to say it, but at age 29, Ripley feels like she’s practically done it all already within the company, and she’s undeniably an all-time great with an in-ring style that could translate to some tremendous bangers in AEW. She’ll be over no matter where she is or what she’s doing, and obviously she’d be reunited with her real-life partner, Buddy Matthews, opening a door to even more creative angles. Really, it would help both of them out, assuming Matthews ever returns to the ring following his brutal ankle injury.

From AEW, you’d need to send over a fresh face — which is also why I didn’t mention CM Punk alongside the likes of Lesnar or Reigns. He’s been there, done that. Ripley hasn’t.

You know who else hasn’t? “Hangman” Adam Page.

I know, I know. That may sound like an insane choice, as “Hanger” is arguably AEW’s main character since day one. But that’s what would make it “blockbuster” too, right? Similar to Ripley, he’s also done everything in AEW, and timing-wise, this would actually be perfect, considering the last time we saw him was similar to the death of Mariah May: A Texas Deathmatch loss to MJF, leaving “Hangman” unable to ever challenge for the world title again. The cowboy’s unhinged character would most certainly be toned down beyond belief in WWE, but boy, would it be interesting to see how he navigated those waters.

Kel Dansby: Let’s get weird.

There are top talents across every major promotion who could become instant main-eventers with a change of scenery, so let’s go all in with a three-promotion blockbuster.

AEW receives: Charlotte Flair, Bayley, Chad Gable, The Creed Brothers, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens from WWE, plus Leon Slater, Léi Yǐng Lee and Mustafa Ali from TNA.
WWE receives: MJF, Hook and “Timeless” Toni Storm from AEW.
TNA receives: Carmelo Hayes and Johnny Gargano from WWE.

MJF would immediately become one of the biggest stars in WWE and, easily, the company’s top heel. He has everything you look for in the face of a promotion over the next decade, so prying him away from AEW would require a massive haul. That’s why TNA has to get involved to sweeten the deal.

AEW instantly strengthens its women’s division by adding two Horsewomen, bolsters its tag division with The Creed Brothers, and replaces the veteran presence it’ll eventually lose when Cope and Christian Cage wrap up their current run with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.

For TNA, Carmelo Hayes becomes the centerpiece of the company, while Johnny Gargano gets the fresh start his career desperately needs in a new main-event scene.

You’re probably thinking WWE gave up way too much.

Wrong.

MJF alone is worth a king’s ransom because he’s such a perfect fit in WWE. Hook has all the tools to become a major player in NXT from day one, and “Timeless” Toni Storm, with the same type of creative freedom WWE has given Danhausen, could become another crossover star and merchandising machine.

Robert Jackman: If you’ll excuse my axe-grinding here, I’d like to nominate Oba Femi. He’s been on the WWE main roster six months now and they’ve already managed to undermine his big WrestleMania moment. I mean, this is a man who works like he could toss your average wrestler over a highway with ease and they’ve got him doing a viral dance while feuding with Jey Uso. Say what you like about Tony Khan but he would never do that.

As for AEW talents going the other way, I’m going to mark out and say Jon Moxley. The Shield lore is so important in WWE these days that it would make for one hell of a twist to bring back the guy who’s basically become the black sheep of the group (at least from the perspective of Triple H). It would also set up a fascinating Mexican standoff between Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Moxley/Dean Ambrose. No one would know who was going to ally with who, or whether they’d just fight it out triple-threat style.

Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: Oba Femi!? Jackman, that would be like the Mavs trading Cooper Flagg this summer!

In the realm of reality in this entirely fictional scenario, I would do a three-for-one deal, leaning into the strengths of both promotions and giving some lifers a bit of a fresh start on a new brand.

Coming WWE’s way would be MJF. As great as MJF is at basically everything in the world of professional wrestling, the allure of having him lean a bit more into the “sports entertainment” of WWE and the promo battles he could have with some of the top guys there is very enticing.

Heading to AEW in exchange would be Johnny Gargano, Carmelo Hayes and Bayley. There isn’t a promotion in the business that does tag-team wrestling better than AEW, and having Gargano reunite with Tommaso Ciampa to war with the Young Bucks, FTR (again) and Cage/Cope is something I think everyone would love to see. Hayes is extremely talented and is relatively early on in his main-roster run in WWE, but he could be on a faster track to the top of the card in AEW. Finally, Bayley would be such a major shot in the arm for AEW’s women’s division and she’d get to work alongside Mercedes Moné again — as a team and as rivals — in a pairing that has produced some all-time interactions.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 22: Liv Morgan speaks to IYO SKY during Monday Night RAW at The O2 Arena on June 22, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images) — Liv Morgan faces Iyo Sky in the Queen of the Ring finals.

2. We have the finals of both the King/Queen of the Ring and Owen Hart Tournaments this weekend. Which outcome seems like it is the most likely? Which outcome is the most up in the air?

Jackman: Will Ospreay winning the Owen has to be the most obvious of the potential outcomes. I know we were all swerved this time last year when Ospreay lost to “Hangman,” but that card has already been played now. Having Ospreay lose the final again would be like if WWE had Roman Reigns beat Cody Rhodes twice back at ‘Mania XL. There’s absolutely no point doing the same twist for the second year running.

In terms of uncertain outcomes, I’d nominate the Liv Morgan vs. Iyo Sky match. I don’t think it’s the actual result that is up in the air — surely we all expect Iyo to win this one — but it’s trying to work out how we actually get to that outcome. I think the smart money is on their being some kind of twist or shenanigans along the way. Honestly, Judgment Day implosions have been teased more times than Grand Theft Auto VI at this point, but it does feel like something is brewing this time around.

Riggs: There doesn’t feel like there’s any chance of Will Ospreay or Mercedes Mone losing this weekend. Neither should lose, anyway. We see the direction both title pictures are going, and they look pretty darn good, despite the predictability, which isn’t always a bad thing.

That leaves the Queen of the Ring finals as the most unpredictable of the four tournament matches this weekend. The Judgment Day has been the centerpiece story of that bracket, and the seeds of dissension feel stronger than ever between Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez. Realistically, Rodriguez and/or Perez should turn on the Women’s World Champion to prevent her power trip from reaching its max potential. They should’ve done it before she even got this far in a tournament she simply doesn’t belong in. And Iyo Sky is always good for business, regardless of whether she rematches Morgan or rekindles the epic feud with her bestie, Rhea Ripley. That latter path may actually be the most interesting option, considering where their relationship is now.

Sulla-Heffinger: I am going to zag where Riggs and Jackman zigged on the Queen of the Ring tournament and say that is the most predictable outcome.

I do think we’ll see someone cost Morgan in this match, setting up either another showdown with Stephanie Vaquer or a split with Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez. Iyo Sky is more than deserving of winning this tournament and her versus Ripley is a marquee matchup worthy of a SummerSlam main event.

For most unpredictable, I am going to say Moné vs. Maya World. Sure, on paper, Moné winning here creates the bigger showdown for Wembley later this summer, but the rise of World during this tournament shouldn’t be overlooked. Tony Khan has the opportunity to create a megastar with World getting a win at Forbidden Door. Those kinds of moments don’t come along very often.

Dansby: The Owen Hart Cup finals should both deliver outstanding matches, but the winners feel pretty obvious. Mercedes Moné and Will Ospreay are the favorites, and both seem destined to challenge for world championships at All In on Aug. 30.

That leaves King and Queen of the Ring as the more unpredictable tournaments.

Liv Morgan should beat Iyo Sky, but that result isn’t guaranteed. On the men’s side, Jey Uso feels like the logical winner from a storyline perspective, but fans might revolt if he somehow beats a red-hot Oba Femi, especially if Brock Lesnar gets involved.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 06: In this image released on January 07, 2026, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) founder, owner, president and CEO Tony Khan attends the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year ceremony at XS nightclub at Encore Las Vegas on January 06, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) — This year marks the fifth entry in the Forbidden Door series.

3. Has Forbidden Door lost any of its luster since its debut in 2022?

Riggs: Absolutely. Any AEW pay-per-view is always still a good time, but the name just needs to go. The door is no longer forbidden, man. That’s the only problem.

(Funny enough, Night of Champions also needs a name change, considering only half of this year’s matches are for titles.)

Jackman: I think Drake is right here. The concept has lost its novelty, not least since most of the obvious wishlist matches have already been done. Add in the fact that you have ongoing crossover storylines between AEW and its partner promotions, and it’s hard to see what distinguishes these Forbidden Door shows from other pay-per-views.

At the same time, though, I’d say that Forbidden Door has been one of the most important pro-wrestling shows of the past decade. If AEW hadn’t started working with NJPW and CMLL, do we really think WWE would have pursued its own “extended universe” strategy by working with AAA and TNA? That has to be at least partly in response to Tony Khan’s maneuvers.

Dansby: I’ve been saying for a while that Forbidden Door has steadily lost some of its appeal because the door never actually closes anymore.

AEW, NJPW and CMLL talent cross paths so often that these dream matches don’t feel all that special anymore. At this point, you’re almost as likely to see one of these crossover matches at an independent show as you are on pay-per-view.

The novelty is gone, and without real stakes attached to most of these matches, Forbidden Door doesn’t feel nearly as “forbidden” as it once did.

Sulla-Heffinger: In the sense that it was a novelty pay-per-view? Sure. In the sense that it’s going to follow in the seemingly endless string of excellent AEW pay-per-views? No.

As Khan and AEW have proven time and time again, every pay-per-view isn’t just worth the price of admission, it’s must-watch television for wrestling fans. But AEW has integrated talent from all over the world for some time now — Forbidden Door is a gimmick that doesn’t necessarily carry the same weight, even if the show itself carries more prestige than it possibly ever has before.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 19: Cody Rhodes enters the ring at T-Mobile Center on June 19, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/WWE via Getty Images) — Cody Rhodes defends his Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther on Saturday.

4. Is there any chance Cody Rhodes drops his championship at Night of Champions? If so, who wins and what do you do with Rhodes moving forward?

Sulla-Heffinger: It might be odd to have Rhodes lose WWE’s top championship before SummerSlam, but it also makes a bit of sense to freshen up the Undisputed WWE Championship picture and Rhodes himself. Assuming Jey Uso wins the King of the Ring tournament (with an assist from Brock Lesnar), he has a compelling history with Rhodes, Gunther and Sami Zayn. In my opinion, I think Zayn and his previous ties to The Bloodline make for the best story to tell moving forward.

That was a long-winded way of saying: yes, there is a chance Rhodes drops the title this weekend.

As far as where he goes next? There’s unfinished business with Randy Orton, depending on Orton’s health, which doesn’t need a championship attached to it. I also think, for a guy who has been going non-stop at the top of WWE for a few years now, a little time off wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. He’ll always have a claim at the top of the card.

Dansby: I’ve been saying this for months.

Cody Rhodes isn’t losing the championship until his “Street Fighter” promotional obligations are over.

Saturday’s triple threat stipulation has done a nice job creating some uncertainty, but not enough to make me believe Cody is leaving without the title. This feels like another successful defense before WWE moves into its next major chapter.

Jackman: I wouldn’t bet on it. For a start, I don’t think there’s any point in doing another one of those temporary title shifts where Cody Rhodes drops the belt only to win it right back. They’ve already done two of those. I also don’t think this is the right moment to do the big title change. That needs to be a much bigger storyline than this one has been, probably at a stadium show to boot.

As for Cody’s immediate future, I’m guessing he’s going to face Jey Uso at SummerSlam. My guess is that Jey wins the King of the Ring, and then Roman orders his cousin to go after Cody with the aim of bringing back the Undisputed title to the family. After Jey loses in Minneapolis, that creates more tensions within The Bloodline, helping to set up Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel.

All of that keeps Rhodes busy until Randy Orton makes his big return in the fall and we can start to talk seriously about Cody potentially dropping his championship.

Riggs: Yes. That’s why this is a triple-threat match. How often does Rhodes lose as clean as a sheet these days? It’s also in Saudi Arabia, creating the possibility for one of WWE’s beloved “moments,” like Zayn finally capturing a world title.

There’s no more juice in prolonging the guy to a WrestleMania moment. Do it here when he’s tossed into a position he blatantly doesn’t belong in, coming out victorious. After that, have Randy Orton appear literally anywhere to finish the feud with Rhodes. Hell, it will probably happen during the match because there aren’t any DQs — Rhodes loses to Zayn via RKO, picking up where WrestleMania left off because, contrary to Nick Khan’s belief, we don’t forget that easily, fella.

Put a proper capstone on that godawful attempt at an epic feud.

TOKYO, JAPAN - APRIL 04: Will Ospreay enters the rin during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling - Sakura Genesis at Ryogoku Kokugikan on April 04, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) — Can Will Ospreay earn his title shot?

5. If you had to pick one match for the sickos to watch and one match for the casual fan to watch, which would they be?

Dansby: Let’s start with the sickos, my people.

No surprise, I’m going with an AEW match, although maybe not the one most fans would expect. Give me The Young Bucks vs. El Sky Team vs. Unbound Co. in the triple-threat tag match.

There are probably stronger technical singles matches on the card, but this one is going to be packed with insane spots. Honestly, it feels like something that would’ve fit perfectly inside the Lucha Underground Temple as much as it does in an AEW ring.

For the casual fan, let’s show WWE a little love. Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn vs. Gunther is the easy choice. Gunther feels overdue for another Match of the Year contender, and Sami Zayn is still fighting to prove he belongs in the main-event scene. You’re getting three elite wrestlers with very different styles, which should make for a great blend of storytelling and in-ring action.

I also think this is where Kevin Owens makes his return. My prediction is Sami finally snaps after coming up short once again, and Owens returns to help him lay out both Cody and Gunther after the match. It would be the perfect way to kick off Sami’s next chapter while giving WWE another major storyline heading into SummerSlam.

Jackman: Oba Femi vs. Jey Uso is probably the pick for the casuals here, at least in terms of having that big-match feel. Though that’s assuming WWE actually lets them wrestle for long enough before Brock Lesnar shows up. I fear there’s a non-zero chance we’re getting something similar to the Royal Rumble where we were all pumped for Bron Breakker only for him to be taken out on his way to the ring.

As for the sickos, I think they’ll have some fun with Thekla vs. Starlight Kid. If you don’t know the latter, she’s the young Japanese luchadora who’s been cooking up a storm over in Stardom. It’s her first time on AEW programming, so she’s going to be keen to make an impression. Just look at her match with Kairi Sane that’s been popping up on AEW fan forums to get a sense of her capabilities.

Riggs: This feels relatively easy: Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland should be the steal of the weekend, outshining everyone.

Meanwhile, the casual viewer should have a blast with Moné vs. World or Cage & Cope vs. The Dogs — the latter for the always prominent comedy spots.

Sulla-Heffinger: The sickos are going to be all in on Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr., and there’s absolutely a case to be made it’s the kind of match that can get the casuals hooked on AEW and pro-wrestling as a whole.

For the sake of picking a different match for the casuals, I am going to say Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker at Night of Champions. Almost anything in a steel cage is a safe bet to be entertaining and Breakker does things physically that transcend pro-wrestling.

Predictions