In its infancy, AEW relied on established indie and former WWE stars such as Chris Jericho, Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Jon Moxley to bring some much-needed notoriety to the fledgling company.
As AEW progresses into its third year, its roster has expanded through both new additions and young homegrown stars. With the departure of Cody Rhodes and the contracts of other AEW top stars coming to an end, some of the younger stars may have to pick up the torch on the male side of things.
Darby Allin
He may not have the size but Darby Allin sure has the proverbial “it” factor to become a huge star going forward. From the get-go through his feuds with Cody Rhodes and Sammy Guevara, he gained immense fan support.
In his young career, he has already held the TNT Championship, delivered cinematic matches, and gained the mentorship of The Icon, Sting. In the coming years, he will undoubtedly be a cornerstone of the company.
Jungle Boy
AEW’s hardest working young veteran Jungle Boy has delivered one exciting match after another, filling his career with impressive accomplishments in the process. He was the first wrestler to reach 50 wins, winner of multiple battle royals, and recently, a tag team champion. He was also one of the first characters to be shared in the upcoming AEW: Fight Forever video game.
With his promo skills improving and an upcoming feud with the instant classic Christian Cage looming on the horizon, there is just no limit to how far Jungle Boy Jack Perry can go. In a company with lots of hardcore and gritty storylines, the wholesomeness of his character gives Jungle Boy a different aura.
Sammy Guevara
Whether he is a smirking heel or an underdog babyface, Sammy Guevara has shown that he can do it all. His jaw-dropping move-set and innovative approach to the sports entertainment side of the business have already made him a staple of the company.
Up until this point, Sammy has scored the winning pinfall in the second Stadium Stampede match, won the TNT Championship in a great ladder match with Cody Rhodes, and most importantly, he made the picture-in-picture segments of AEW entertaining through his creative cue cards.
MJF
Out of the four pillars of AEW, MJF has undoubtedly been the one to be involved in the most high-profile storylines. While he hasn’t won a title yet, he has laid claim to the diamond ring and used it to become the perfect heel.
His disputes with Tony Khan aside, there is a strong argument to be made about MJF already carrying the company on his back. He is still young and athletic, with the ability to draw heat like nobody else.
Daniel Garcia
Chris Jericho’s latest prodigy, the second youngest wrestler in the company, already performs like a grizzled veteran with his technical moveset and impeccable timing. He has already pushed some of AEW’s top stars such as CM Punk and Jon Moxley to their limits.
In time, as Garcia builds his brand further with Jericho on his side, “Red Death” has unlimited potential. Putting him together with Jericho in order to hone his promo and sports entertainment skills, was a stroke of genius on Tony Khan’s part.
Dante Martin
His trios effort against Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks put Dante Martin on the map for good reason. He might be lacking in the promo department but his in-ring skills are generations ahead of his time. He is an action movie hero, brought to life.
Dante is a performer who has brought new meaning to the term high-flier with every move he does, including some manner of him soaring high through the air. As wrestling keeps evolving with innovation being a key element, Dante can find himself a key role in AEW’s future.
Wardlow
The powerbomb symphony has turned Wardlow, an already over star, into one of the hottest acts in the company. His innovative moveset, size, and redemption storyline have led to the fans falling in love with Mr. Mayhem.
Wardlow still has a few things to learn and his microphone skills could use some improvements but in a locker room filled with decorated veterans of the ring, Wardlow will definitely be one of AEW’s top stars in the future.
Ricky Starks
“Absolute” Ricky Starks is the youngest wrestler in AEW to lead a faction. He is a captivating in-ring storyteller and through his title defenses against the likes of Jay Lethal and Jungle Boy, he brought relevance to the FTW Title, which felt like more of an accessory before Starks got his hands on it.
He isn’t just a solo performer. Through his work with Team Taz, he managed to put over the likes of Hook and Powerhouse Hobbs. His team with Hobbs is a team that could easily become tag team champions.
Hook
AEW finally “sent Hook” in late 2021 and the fans immediately fell in love with the cold hearted handsome devil. In a single career year, Hook has managed to become simultaneously the biggest meme and the coolest wrestler in the company.
He is young, talented, and good looking, with incredible fan support. The fact that he managed to outsell CM Punk in t-shirts goes to show just how popular Hook is. Only time can tell where his strange team with Danhausen will lead the duo.
Rey Fenix
It is hard to believe that Rey Fenix is still only 31 years old. He has the instincts of a veteran with the ability to perform just about any move he wants in the ring. He is over with the crowd and has a fantastic stable behind him in Death Triangle.
So far his only World Title shot was in the form of a losing effort against Kenny Omega which could have easily been a match-of-the-year candidate. Fenix’s breathtaking performances and reliability in the ring make him a perfect candidate to win the top prize in the company any day of the week.