Cruising With Kayfabe

AEW Best Gimmicks

What makes a great wrestling gimmick? In this episode of Cruising With Kayfabe, we’re breaking down some of our favorite over-the-top characters in modern wrestling. From Orange Cassidy and Timeless Toni Storm to Blackheart Lio Rush, Harley Cameron, The Beast Mortos, The Outrunners, Luchasaurus and more! We discuss the characters that shouldn’t work on paper but somehow became some of the most entertaining acts in wrestling. We dive into the stories behind each gimmick, the matches that defined them, memorable moments, character evolution, and why we connected with them. Whether they’re making us laugh, keeping us guessing, or completely changing what a wrestling character can be. We talk about the commitment to it, and how everyone buys in to make it work Throughout the episode we talk about:   Orange Cassidy’s incredible rise from comedy act to main event star Timeless Toni Storm’s unforgettable Hollywood-inspired transformation Blackheart Lio Rush’s shocking character evolution H arley Cameron’s breakout personality in AEW T he Beast Mortos becoming one of wrestling’s most unique monsters Why The Outrunners became one of AEW’s most entertaining tag teams  Who has your favorite gimmick in AEW or modern wrestling? Did we leave someone off the list? Let us know your picks in the comments we’d love to feature some of your favorites in a future episode. For an Ad Free Experience visit CWKPOD.COM

Forbidden Door Underrated and Best Matches

Forbidden Door has given us some incredible moments over the years. From dream matches that lived up to the hype to hidden gems that deserve way more love, this event has created some unforgettable wrestling memories. On this episode of Cruising With Kayfabe, we’re revisiting our favorite Forbidden Door matches from each year  including some obvious classics, some underrated gems, and a few matches that helped make Forbidden Door feel like a truly special event. We’ll talk about: • The matches that defined Forbidden Door • The performances that changed how we viewed certain wrestlers • The underrated battles that deserve another look • And at the end, we’ll share some fan picks from our community!  What makes a great Forbidden Door match? Is it the dream matchup? The story? The atmosphere? The moment you’ll never forget? Let us know your favorite Forbidden Door matches and see if yours made our list! Matches discussed: PAC vs Miro vs Malakai Black vs Clark Connors Will Ospreay vs Orange Cassidy Will Ospreay vs Kenny Omega Kazuchika Okada vs Bryan Danielson Orange Cassidy vs Zack Sabre Jr. Mercedes Moné vs Stephanie Vaquer Kazuchika Okada vs Swerve Strickland Mercedes Moné vs Bozilla vs Alex Windsor vs Persephone

The Fallout of Double or Nothing

AEW is coming off one of its biggest shows of the year, and now all eyes turn toward Forbidden Door! This week we’re breaking down the fallout from Double or Nothing 2026, including MJF becoming a 3-time AEW World Champion, Kevin Knight’s shocking heel turn, Kyle Fletcher’s betrayal of Konosuke Takeshita, and what comes next for the Don Callis Family. We’ll also discuss the latest Owen Cup developments, the growing intrigue in the women’s division following Athena’s huge win and Hikaru Shida’s actions, plus the biggest stories coming out of Dynamite as AEW begins building toward Forbidden Door. Topics include: • MJF’s next challenger • Kevin Knight’s future as TNT Champion • Takeshita vs Fletcher • Owen Cup predictions • Women’s division fallout • Early Forbidden Door match predictions • What’s next for AEW after Double or Nothing What is the biggest match AEW can make for Forbidden Door right now? #AEW #AEWDynamite #DoubleOrNothing #ForbiddenDoor #MJF #WillOspreay #KonosukeTakeshita #CruisingWithKayfabe FOR AN AD FREE EXPERIENCE VISIT CWKPOD.COM

Double or Nothing 2026 Predictions

Join us  on Cruising with Kayfabe as Emily, Mongo, Rachael and Jeff break down the full card for AEW Double or Nothing 2026 and give our predictions and thoughts on one of the biggest shows of the summer. We are discussing every match  match including Darby Allin vs MJF in a Title vs Hair showdown, the Owen Tournament matchups, Okada vs Takeshita, FTR vs Cope & Cage in an “I Quit” match Stadium Stampede and more We’ll also talk about Mick Foley arriving in AEW, discuss what could impact this has. We will chat  potential surprises, some tin foil theories and direction we see headed forwards All In! We are also reading your prediction from our Pickems as well!  So Come hang out live and jump in the chat with us and hangout, or catch the replay and see how we did! For and Ad Free Ex-erience and to learn more vis us at CWKPOD.COM

High Stakes

In this episode we discuss Darby Allin's title run with 8 defenses in 28 days the is truly going until the wheels fall off. We break down each defense and his reign to talk about our thoughts on its direction and his road to NY. We go over MJF putting his hair on the line, the revelation of the Owen Hart tournament brackets and much more. We discuss the road to Double or Nothing 2026 and how we got there. Ospreay decision to join the death riders? Thekla takes on everybody, Andrade flaunts his lucisous locks and MJF gets a look into his future. Mercedes to return?? We also break down each participant in the Owen and their history in the tournament. We discuss our theories on who is going to headline Wembley this August and the ramifications of each match. For and Ad free experience and to learn more about us visit CWKPOD.COM