Maya World Upsets Athena to Earn AEW Forbidden Door Title Shot Against Mercedes Mone

Maya World is headed to AEW Forbidden Door 2026. On the June 20 edition of AEW Collision, World defeated Athena in the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament semifinal, rolling her up for the pin to advance to the tournament final. It was a significant upset victory over one of AEW’s most dominant performers, and it earns World a spot on one of the year’s biggest cards.

World will now face Mercedes Mone in the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament final at AEW Forbidden Door 2026. The tournament finals match puts two of AEW’s most compelling women’s division figures on a collision course, with Mone — a former TBS and IWGP Women’s Champion — waiting as the last obstacle between World and tournament glory.

For Maya World, the win over Athena is arguably the biggest of her career. Athena has built a reputation as one of the toughest opponents in the women’s division, making this rollup victory all the more striking. Whether it signals a genuine changing of the guard or sets up further rivalry between the two remains to be seen, but World has undeniably seized her moment.

AEW Forbidden Door 2026, the annual joint event between AEW and NJPW, is shaping up to be a major showcase. The Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament final adds another high-profile matchup to what figures to be a stacked card. Mone vs. World will have plenty of eyes on it when the event goes down.