Booker T Says Forbidden Door Gummy Bear Spot Proves Why He Doesn’t Watch AEW

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2025 may have delivered high-impact action, but one comedic moment from The Young Bucks didn’t sit well with WWE Hall of Famer Booker T.

During the Lights Out Steel Cage main event, The Bucks dumped a bag onto the ring canvas—only to find gummy bears instead of the usual thumbtacks. While the live crowd laughed and the wrestlers sold the spot by popping the gummies into their mouths, Booker T wasn’t laughing.

On his “Hall of Fame” podcast, co-host Brad Gilmore recapped the moment to Booker T, who immediately questioned whether the wrestlers actually sold the gummy bear spot.

“Wait a minute. Wait a minute. The question is, did they sell the gummy bears?”

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After Gilmore confirmed that the wrestlers did sell the spot, even putting the gummies in their mouths, Booker didn’t hold back on his disapproval.

“Wow. Look here, I’ve said it before. AEW is trying to change the way people look at professional wrestling. I really don’t look at AEW as, you know … you asked me if I watched it. No, I didn’t watch it because it’s that right there is perhaps one of the reasons I would not watch an AEW show.”

Booker went on to clarify that he’s never truly sat down to watch an AEW broadcast in full—only catching clips online—and cited moments like the gummy bear gag as part of the reason why.

“I can honestly sit here and tell you right now that I’ve never watched the AEW show. I’ve watched bits and pieces, but a lot of that has been on the internet. I’ve never sat and watched the show because of stuff like that. Like I said, me, personally, I don’t want to change the way people look at professional wrestling because it is a beautiful, beautiful sport. Beautiful art when you look at it properly.”

Booker T even compared the emotional impact of pro wrestling to seeing the Broadway play Hamilton, saying the theater production moved him nearly to tears—something he doesn’t believe AEW could ever achieve.

“I recently went to go see Hamilton, and it almost brought me to tears. And that’s what art can do. AEW? Nah, that ain’t it for me.”

While AEW continues to mix serious wrestling with absurd humor, Booker T is making it crystal clear where he stands on that creative approach.