AEW rising star Maya World secures spot in Women's Casino Gauntlet after strong Forbidden Door showing

Maya World, a 23‑year‑old AEW talent, delivered an impressive performance in the 2026 Owen Hart Cup final at the Forbidden Door pay‑per‑view, where she fell short to Mercedes Mone but earned praise from WWE Hall‑of‑Famer Booker T and AEW President Tony Khan. The following week on Collision, Maya defeated former TBS Champion Julia Hart to claim the #2 entry spot in the upcoming Women's Casino Gauntlet scheduled for the Beach Break episode of Dynamite.

The Casino Gauntlet winner will earn a future challenge for Thekla’s AEW Women’s World Championship at the Redemption 2026 pay‑per‑view. Other qualifiers include ROH Women’s World Champion Athena, who will enter first. Maya’s recent social‑media messages expressed confidence that she is “going up” and highlighted the support she’s receiving as she moves toward a potential title shot.