Triple H Allegedly Hates the ‘Forbidden Door’ Term

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque may be open to working with other companies — but apparently there’s one phrase he can’t stand.

During a recent episode of the Talk N Shop podcast, Doc Gallows spoke with Karl Anderson and Frankie Kazarian about the origins of the phrase “Forbidden Door,” which became popular in wrestling when talent began appearing across different promotions. According to Gallows, the trio were among the first wrestlers involved in that kind of crossover — even before the phrase became widely used.

While reflecting on those early collaborations between companies like TNA Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling, Gallows pointed out that the phrase itself is something Triple H reportedly doesn’t care for.

“I would have to say that the three of us are, if not the, damn close to the originators of the term I know Triple H doesn't love, the Forbidden Door,” Gallows said.

He then referenced Kazarian’s unique career path as an example of how talent have crossed company lines in recent years.

“We were the first guys. When we were Impact guys and you're AEW and crisscrossing started man, and all that goes to when we were all killing it together in Japan I think, and fast forward on to now and it led us to the AJ Styles tribute on Monday Night Raw.”

Although Triple H has never outright criticized the term publicly, he hinted at his feelings during the 2024 Royal Rumble. When Jordynne Grace appeared in the match while signed to TNA, Triple H thanked the promotion but avoided using the phrase entirely.

Instead, he made it clear he wasn’t a fan of the terminology. He noted at the time that he wouldn’t be mentioning what type of “door” she walked through because, in his opinion, the phrase is “stupid and silly.”

The irony is that WWE has increasingly embraced cross-promotion appearances in recent years, including talent from TNA and other organizations appearing on WWE programming. Still, it seems the phrase that fans and promotions have used for years remains one that Triple H would prefer to leave behind.

Do you think the term “Forbidden Door” still fits modern wrestling, or has the industry evolved past that idea? Let us know your thoughts.