WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross will be part of the commentary team for the AEW Forbidden Door pay-per-view event scheduled on August 24, 2025, in London at The O2 Arena. Tony Khan, the president of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), personally invited Ross to call matches at this highly anticipated show, marking a significant moment for wrestling fans eager to see the veteran announcer back in action.
Despite a previous battle with cancer which sidelined him for months, Jim Ross made a notable return to wrestling commentary at the All In pay-per-view event in Texas. This upcoming appearance in the United Kingdom will extend his renewed involvement with AEW and enhance the Forbidden Door event’s profile.
Ross shared the invitation details during an episode of his Grilling JR podcast, stating:
“Found out this week that, via my communication with Tony Khan, that he wants me to be in London at The O2 to call a couple matches. I’m going to London and that’s a hell of a building.” —Jim Ross, WWE Hall of Famer and Announcer
Aleister Black Addresses Speculation of Disputes With Tony Khan
Separately, former AEW star Aleister Black recently cleared the air regarding rumors about his relationship with Tony Khan and his time in the promotion. Speaking on the Ringer Wrestling Show, Black emphatically denied claims of personal conflicts and explained the nuances behind his departure from AEW.
Black highlighted the teamwork and professionalism behind his matches, emphasizing the collective effort to deliver strong performances, especially in multi-person matches involving local talent. He also dismissed misconceptions about his supposed lack of commitment or influence within AEW‘s roster:
If you look at the pay-per-view matches that we did, we always knocked it out of the park. When we had these six-man matches, it was against local talent. Nothing against local talent, but the object was, ‘We want you guys to run through these guys.’ Cool. If you have five and five on TV as a segment, there are six people in that match, let’s say we have a higher profile six-man tag, everybody wants to get something in and at one point, especially with me and Buddy, we kind of took a backseat so we could get Brody in front of the spotlight because people didn’t know Brody that well. We let him take the reins in these things. It becomes this thing where people want to desperately have a narrative. ‘He never wanted to be in AEW.’ That’s completely false. That’s absolutely not true. I had a great time in AEW. I had a lot of fun. Did I do everything that I wanted to do? No, but that’s okay. At the end of the day, that’s not my company and I don’t have any say. It’s the same way, ‘He didn’t want to lay down for people.’ If you really think that I have so much pull in the company that I can say who I’m not going up against or lay down against, you think I’m not going to vouch for myself or put myself in the main events? You think I’m going to politic, ‘I’m not going to lay down for this person.’ It doesn’t make sense. Now, I know how that came to life. It’s not something I’m not going to speak on because it’s part of a grander thing in wrestling that affects more people. Because I know what it is now, and who it was, I’m just going, ‘Well, that’s a shame.’ I don’t like that, for a big part, has been a running narrative because I’ve always loved wrestling and I still love wrestling, and I loved being in AEW. My match with Adam Copeland was one of the funnest things I’ve done in wrestling. At the end of it, I made a calculated business decision and I looked at what I wanted to do, where I wanted to do it, and how I wanted to do it. This is where my wife [Zelina Vega] was. Listening to option A and what they wanted, option B and what they wanted, and I picked the one that, business-wise, made sense for me. I feel I had a lot left to do here and on this side, what they wanted me to do, that didn’t completely align with what I want to do, so I’m going to go the other route.” —Aleister Black, Former AEW Wrestler
Black further detailed how narratives suggesting he refused to “lay down” or cooperate inside AEW were unfounded, reinforcing that his business decisions were carefully weighed in light of his career priorities and personal life. His remarks serve to challenge ongoing rumors that have circulated around his departure from the company.
Anticipated Significance of Jim Ross’s Role in AEW Forbidden Door
Jim Ross’s involvement in AEW Forbidden Door 2025 brings heightened excitement for the event, combining his legacy as a legendary commentator with the dynamic atmosphere of AEW’s expanding international events. His presence is expected to add credibility and draw attention from both dedicated wrestling fans and casual audiences alike.
Tony Khan’s direct invitation highlights AEW’s commitment to bridging wrestling’s past legends with its present stars, strengthening the promotion’s appeal worldwide. The inclusion of a respected figure like Ross at The O2 symbolizes AEW’s ambition to elevate its major events outside the United States, further solidifying the crossover appeal of Forbidden Door as a landmark wrestling occasion.
Meanwhile, Aleister Black’s clarification regarding his AEW tenure underscores ongoing tensions and narratives that circulate within professional wrestling’s complex backstage dynamics. His candid explanation provides fans with a fuller understanding of choices made by performers navigating their careers amid competing interests and storytelling demands.
As the wrestling world looks forward to Forbidden Door 2025, the blend of iconic figures like Jim Ross with the evolving AEW roster promises an event rich in history and high stakes action, signaling a continued rise in AEW’s global influence and the ongoing reshaping of the wrestling industry.
