Forbidden Door 2023 Zero Hour pre-show matches: LIJ, Athena and more

See which matches will be on the Zero Hour pre-show ahead of Forbidden Door 2023.

Before Forbidden Door returns for the second year, there’s going to be a Zero Hour loaded with AEW and NJPW talent.

That’s what happens when you simply have too many notable performers to stack on one show. Even though the main card on Sunday night in Toronto has 10 matches, there’s still some star power in reserve for the pre-show.

Several more matches were announced on AEW Collision on Saturday night, making the Zero Hour moniker more apt than ever in some ways. Los Ingobernables fans should certainly be happy, as while the group was conspicuous by its absence from Forbidden Door, three of its members will team to face United Empire prior to the main card.

(And Tetsuya Naito made the big show, as he turned out to be the mystery partner for Darby Allin and Sting.)

El Phantasmo and the team of Rocky Romero, Trent Baretta and El Desperado will also have matches, and there will be a Women’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament bout to boot.

The Forbidden Door Zero Hour pre-show begins at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT on Sunday night, and can be viewed for free live on Twitter, YouTube or Facebook. Here’s what you’ll see if you tune in.

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Zero Hour card:

  • Athena vs. Billie Starkz – Women’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament first round match
  • United Empire (Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher and TJP) vs. Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi, Bushi and Hiromu Takahashi)
  • Stu Grayson vs. El Phantasmo
  • Mogul Embassy (Swerve Strickland, Toa Liona and Kaun) vs. Rocky Romero, Trent Baretta and El Desperado