Shane McMahon to make AEW debut; Unexpected heel turn - 5 surprises Tony Khan could pull off at Forbidden Door 2024

This year's AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view will emanate from the UBS Arena, New York, on Sunday, June 30, 2024. The latest edition of Forbidden Door will be the third installment of the annual crossover event.

Several exciting matchups have been announced for the pay-per-view so far. While Will Ospreay will take on Swerve Strickland for the latter's AEW World Championship, a new TNT Champion will be crowned in a high-stakes ladder match.

Moreover, stars from other promotions like NJPW, CMLL, and STARDOM will go head to head with several popular names from AEW, including Toni Storm, Bryan Danielson, and MJF.

After two highly successful Forbidden Door events, Tony Khan will be adamant about putting on a memorable third edition of the annual pay-per-view. The Jacksonville Jaguars' owners may have a lot of surprises in store for Forbidden Door 2024, which fans may not see coming.

In this article, let's look at five surprises Tony Khan could pull off at the upcoming Forbidden Door pay-per-view.

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#5. Shane McMahon debuts in All Elite Wrestling

The concept of a Forbidden Door is all about talents from different promotions crossing over to other shows. Interestingly, a certain name from WWE could rock the wrestling world if he decides to knock on the infamous door very soon.

The star in question is Shane McMahon, who is rumored to be in talks with the Jacksonville-based promotion. According to wrestling personality Conrad Thompson, Shane O'Mac has allegedly reached out to a few AEW talents, to discuss a possible working relationship with Tony Khan.

It will be interesting to see if Tony Khan agrees to work with Shane McMahon or not. [Image credit: WWE.com]

Jim Ross also weighed in on the possibility of Shane McMahon arriving in AEW, calling it a "crazy" prospect that could end up working in favor of the company. If Tony Khan does indeed have plans to rope in McMahon, he should consider striking while the iron's hot.

The daredevil star could make his historic debut at the upcoming Forbidden Door pay-per-view to leave fans in a state of shock. It will be one of the most groundbreaking moments in wrestling history, which would further fuel the war between WWE and AEW.

#4. Mariah May turns on Toni Storm at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view

Mariah May has been a loyal asset to Toni Storm since her debut in November 2023. The Glamour has played a major role in helping the Timeless star remain on top of the women's division.

However, May's loyalty will be tested at the upcoming Forbidden Door pay-per-view, when Toni Storm defends her AEW Women's Title against Mariah's close friend from the STARDOM promotion, Mina Shirakawa.

While fans expect May to side with the champion, The Glamour could pull off a swerve by choosing Shirakawa instead. After months of playing second fiddle to the Australian star, May could finally decide to step out of Toni Storm's shadow at the grand event.

Although it is unclear whether Mariah's support will help Shirakawa become the new champion, it will surely kick off a personal feud between The Glamour and Timeless Toni.

#3. Ricky Starks answers Jeff Cobb's open challenge

Following a successful defense of the NJPW World Television Championship at NJPW Dominion, Jeff Cobb laid down an open challenge to all AEW stars for Forbidden Door. It has been two weeks since Cobb made the announcement, but he has yet to receive a response from any talent.

In an interesting turn of events, Ricky Starks could return from his hiatus at Forbidden Door to answer Cobb's challenge. Fans have been vocal about wanting to see The Absolute One, who has remained absent from AEW programming since March 2024, back on television.

Having been on the sidelines for months, a match against a dominant Jeff Cobb will help restore the intrigue around the Stroke Daddy. A win in this contest will allow Starks to have a brief run in NJPW, till the AEW creative figures out some solid plans for the 34-year-old.

#2. Hangman Adam Page returns to help Jack Perry win the AEW TNT Championship

The TNT Championship will be up for grabs in a six-pack ladder match at the upcoming Forbidden Door pay-per-view. Jack Perry, Dante Martin, Konosuke Takeshita, and Mark Briscoe have qualified for the high-stakes contest so far, while two spots are yet to be filled.

While The Elite will expect to play a major role in this match, other factions such as The Don Callis Family could spoil their plans of helping Jack Perry. However, The Scapegoat could still emerge victorious in this contest, courtesy of a returning Hangman Adam Page.

Following the announcement of a Blood & Guts match between The Elite and Team AEW, The Young Bucks are on the lookout for a fifth member. The Anxious Millennial Cowboy could end the Bucks' search by helping out Jack Perry at the crossover event.

The addition of a heel Hangman Page to The Elite would be a vital moment in the ongoing war between the tyrant faction and Team AEW. It would further tilt things in favor of the power-hungry EVPs, who currently hold an edge over the babyface team.

#1. Will Ospreay defeats Swerve Strickland in a major swerve

Will Ospreay is all set to battle Swerve Strickland in a much-awaited AEW World Championship match at Forbidden Door 2024. The Aerial Assassin earned his shot at Strickland's title by winning a Casino Gauntlet match a few weeks ago on Dynamite.

The Killshot has only been the AEW World Champion for two months. While he has had a few great title defenses, there's a lot left for Swerve to achieve in his reign.

Meanwhile, Will Ospreay is also on a hot streak in All Elite Wrestling, having won every singles match he has competed in. The British Superstar currently holds the AEW International Championship as well, which adds an element of unpredictability to his upcoming encounter with Swerve.

In a shocking turn of events, Tony Khan could crown Will Ospreay as the new World Champion at Forbidden Door 2024. As heartbreaking as it would be for Swerve's fans, it could be a wise business move on Khan's part.

With AEW All In set to emanate from Ospreay's home turf, it would be a feel-good moment for the local audience to see The Commonwealth Kingpin walk into the event as a double champion.

As for Strickland, the loss at Forbidden Door will generate immense sympathy for the babyface star, further cementing his position at the top of the card.