The Owen Hart Finals: Styles and Pacing Contrasts

On June 28, 2026, the SAP Center in San Jose hosts Forbidden Door. The marquee attraction features Will Ospreay facing Swerve Strickland in the Men's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Final. It is a tactical rematch between two athletes who define the promotion's modern in-ring identity.

Their history is defined by razor-thin margins. Swerve pinned Ospreay at Forbidden Door on June 30, 2024, to retain the world title.

Their second singles encounter on June 11, 2025, ended in a grueling 30-minute time-limit draw. That match showed Swerve's ability to limit Ospreay's pace.

Stylistically, the match is a battle of spatial control. Ospreay relies on horizontal velocity and explosive springboard transitions to overwhelm his opponents.

Swerve counters by cutting off the ring and utilizing a low-base defensive posture. He targeted the left shoulder in 87% of his tournament matchups this summer to neutralize the power behind Ospreay's Storm Breaker.

Ospreay's path to victory depends on maintaining distance. He must keep the match in the center of the ring where his speed can dictate the exchanges.

If Swerve traps him in the corner, Ospreay's offensive output drops significantly. We saw this detailed in the latest AEW Countdown to Forbidden Door broadcast.

Swerve's pressing trigger occurs when Ospreay attempts the handspring backflip. Swerve anticipates this transition, slipping under the rotation to lock in a rear-naked choke.

If Ospreay cannot establish his running strikes early, he will find himself defending submissions. Swerve's defensive discipline makes him a nightmare opponent.

The Women's Owen Hart Tournament Final features Mercedes Moné against the rising star Maya World. Maya earned her spot by defeating her mentor Athena in a physical semifinal. Her momentum is high, but she faces a veteran who excels at exploiting young talent's eagerness.

Mercedes Moné's recent performances have suffered from sluggish pacing. Her matches often isolate the crowd with prolonged rest holds in the middle third of the contest.

This slow approach will backfire against Maya's high-intensity offense. The veteran must find a way to absorb the younger star's speed without stalling.

Maya utilizes explosive suplex variations and quick recovery times. She must push the tempo from the opening bell to prevent Mercedes from stalling.

If Maya allows Mercedes to slow the match down, she will get dissected on the mat. Mercedes excels at drawing opponents into high-risk floor dives, only to sidestep and send them into the steel barricade.

Maya's signature sequence involves a rolling elbow into a Code Red. She executed this move at the 14-minute mark of her semifinal match to secure a near-fall.

Mercedes will look to counter this by targeting Maya's knees. A damaged base will prevent Maya from executing her high-angle suplexes.

A Stylistic Clash Eight Years in the Making

Kenny Omega faces Zack Sabre Jr in a special singles match that fans have demanded for years. They last faced each other in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the G1 Climax in 2018. Omega won that match, but both men are vastly different competitors today.

This match ends a gap of nearly eight years between their singles encounters. Sabre Jr remains the premier submission specialist in professional wrestling.

He does not run the ropes; he simply waits for his opponent to reach. His style is designed to dismantle explosive athletes like Omega by turning their own momentum against them.

Omega's physical condition is the biggest question mark. He has endured numerous injuries and surgeries that have limited his athleticism.

Sabre Jr will target Omega's surgically repaired torso and neck. If Omega cannot hit his V-Trigger knee strikes early, he will be trapped on the mat.

Sabre's transition game is incredibly fluid. He can counter a Tiger Driver attempt into a European Clutch in a fraction of a second.

Omega must rely on raw power to break Sabre's grips. If he tries to trade technical holds, he will lose before the ten-minute mark.

The booking of this match is a rare bright spot. It offers a pure stylistic clash without the need for convoluted storyline interference. Fans can expect a tense, chess-like encounter that rewards attention to detail.

The Steel Cage Bloat and Tag Team Contradictions

The 12-man steel cage match features Team Mark Briscoe against Team MJF. This match has too many participants to maintain any sense of structural logic.

Steel cage matches are at their best when they are intense, focused brawls. This match threatens to become a choreograph-heavy cluster where wrestlers stand around waiting for their spots.

Okada and MJF sharing a team feels mechanically awkward. Their characters clash, and their shared screen time often distracts from the actual match build.

We saw some of these awkward dynamics highlighted in the recent Collision video packages. The booking team has overcomplicated what should have been a simple rivalry.

Darby Allin will undoubtedly attempt a high-risk dive from the top of the cage. While these spots generate brief excitement, they often disrupt the flow of the match.

The wrestlers must spend several minutes positioning themselves to catch him. This theatricality ruins the illusion of a real fight.

The AEW World Tag Team Championship match is equally confusing. Adam Copeland and Christian Cage are teaming up to defend their titles against David Finlay and Clark Connors.

It is bizarre to see Copeland and Cage working together after their years of violent personal feuds. This partnership undermines the story of their recent rivalry.

Finlay and Connors bring a chaotic, brawl-first style. They will look to isolate Copeland in their corner and cut the ring in half.

The veteran champions must show seamless teamwork to retain. If Copeland and Christian's trust fractures, the War Dogs will leave San Jose with the gold.

Predictions and the Final Verdict

Swerve Strickland will defeat Will Ospreay to win the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. Swerve has the defensive tools to absorb Ospreay's aerial offense and the tactical intelligence to counter his signature moves. He will target Ospreay's neck and secure the victory with a JML Driver at the 25-minute mark.

Mercedes Moné will use veteran shortcuts to defeat Maya World. Mercedes will exploit Maya's aggressive nature, using referee distractions to hit a Moné Maker. While Maya will look excellent in defeat, Mercedes' experience will carry her to the finals victory.

Zack Sabre Jr will submit Kenny Omega in the center of the ring. Omega's physical limitations will catch up to him as Sabre locks in the Orienteering with Napalm Death submission. This win will establish Sabre as the top threat for the IWGP titles heading into the summer.

The 12-man cage match will end with Team MJF securing the win after MJF pins Orange Cassidy. Despite the chaotic pacing, the match will deliver enough high-spots to satisfy the live crowd. However, the booking team needs to simplify these match structures in the future.