Former AEW Champion Returns Ahead of AEW: Forbidden Door
A former AEW Champion made himself an entrance on his return to the company after being out for almost a full year on the go-home show to AEW: Forbidden Door after very little speculation of his return. Let’s take a deeper dive into which former AEW Champion returned and what he will be doing going forward.
Former AEW Champion Returns to Company
AEW is preparing for their AEW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view with Wednesday’s go-home show being the last AEW Dynamite episode before the show. During an in-ring segment with Adam Copeland and Christian Cage talking before their first tag-team match in more than a decade, Nick Wayne appeared on the screen and announced he would not be competing as he is out with an injury, missing the scheduled tag-team match on the show with Kip Sabian. However, Wayne announced he had a backup plan, which happened to be a returning former AEW Champion.
Another video was shown showing a hospital room and Luchasauras on a gurney. He would sit up and open his eyes before the video ended and the former AEW Champion would storm to the ring.
With @TheNickWayne out with injury, @TheKipSabian needs a new partner for #ForbiddenDoor …
Watch #AEWDynamite on TBS & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/QuRTrTUGOx
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 21, 2025
He would have a little staredown with Christian Cage before deciding to chokeslam him and leaving him down in the middle of the ring. Luchasauras last wrestled almost exactly one year ago as he was in the AEW: All In 2024 Casino Gauntlet Match, which Christian Cage won. The former AEW Champion has been a TNT Champion, World Tag Team Champion, and World Trios Champion in All Elite Wrestling.
It was also announced that the AEW: Forbidden Door match is now Christian Cage and Adam Copeland vs. Kip Sabian and Luchasauras. The show has been one of the more intriguing shows and will be going head-to-head against WWE NXT: Heatwave on Sunday, Aug. 24. The show is going to be interesting and it will be great to see that Luchasauras has been able to get back in the ring after missing almost a full year of action.
