AEW’s pursuit of “the feeling” continues. Strong PPVs. Tonnes of match of the year candidates. Emotive, multilayered long-term storylines.
Regarding championships, it could be argued that like WWE and NJPW there are too many belts.
One of the short-term successes of AEW’s 2024 has been balancing the main event picture and positioning. A selection headache. There are too many excellent players and too few spots.
Hence, Will Ospreay is the International champion, and Kazuchika Okada is the Continental champion. Each a star in high-profile positions with a championship. Each has had their realm and time to transition becoming regular TV characters as well as wrestlers.
Meanwhile, this space at the top allowed Swerve Strickland’s ascension. Now for Bryan Danielson’s Final Countdown with the potential of first-time dream matches and dream matches to be revisited. Like the potential clash with Nigel McGuinness at Grand Slam.
Elsewhere, Toni Storm’s ascension also lifted Mariah May to become the AEW Women’s World Champion. Although Mercedes Mone’s run has been rocky, her TBS Championship reign and the recruitment of Jennifer Pepperman have made the women’s division more prominent.
Not all divisions have been treated equally as I’ll discuss later.
There is both a mixture of healthy foreshadowing and uncertainty about who will hold each championship next. Let’s speculate, as Michael Joseph Sugue has for Smackdown on who are the next two champions for each AEW championship.
Special Mention: Dynamite Diamond Ring
Not a championship, yet the use of the Dynamite diamond ring by MJF has been a significant aspect of his character over the past four years. As a prop, MJF can pivot to some other means of underhanded cheating. It’s time someone else claims the prize.
If Daniel Garcia is to stay with AEW, I feel the next step in his trajectory upwards. Finally beating MJF after his loss at All Out. The ring becomes symbolic of Garcia’s growth and takes an important aspect of MJF’s character. While also potentially proving a weapon if Death Red turned heel.
If someone were to win it instead or after Garcia, my suggestion would be Orange Cassidy. A heel OC. Adding to the orange punch using a ring that has a history of devastating opponents would change the significance of the orange punch. A finisher many fans have come to love.
FTW Championship
The renegade championship is not supposed to be acknowledged by any wrestling association but, ironically is recognized by AEW. It gets graphics and commentary explicitly hyping and discussing the belt and its defenses.
Used as AEW’s hardcore championship and as a vehicle for HOOK, the belt’s continual presence highlights the holding pattern booking I discussed earlier this year that the son of Taz is stuck in.
The championship’s novelty has faded over time. Hook’s reclaiming of the championship at Wembley was meant as a big moment for the chips-eating young wrestler. The device of having HOOK lose the belt to regain it later has been worn out.
Ideally, the best thing AEW should do is retire the championship with HOOK giving it back to his father. Grand Slam’s match against Roderick Strong could be HOOK’s most impressive win and performance yet. New York would be a perfect place to put the championship back on the family mantle.
HOOK moves on. Sink or swim. Or go on an excursion to Japan or elsewhere to develop his skills.
AEW World Trios Championship
It’s still uncertain if the relatively fresh champions of Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, and Wheeler Yuta can co-exist post-All Out. The change to Yuta’s character on Collision suggests an uneasy alliance between the three men. This could provide an interesting storyline element.
However, such a storyline would be doubled-edged. Internal tension between Blackpool Combat Club members might harm a shallow division further.
AEW’s tag and trios scene at present is sparse. Some duos and triplets are spinning their wheels. A lack of undercard feuds that translate onto Dynamite or end in a way that elevates the victor is a systematic issue for both trios and the tag division.
Whether united or divided, I can imagine the trio’s championship will return to The Gunns and Juice Robinson to fit into the eventual return of Jay White. With White challenging for something higher up the card as AEW aims again to establish the New Zealander in the main event conversation.
After The Bang Bang Gang, it felt like a heel turn might be teased for Top Flight. Action Andretti said that the group needed to get serious. As a group, the youngsters deserve a championship run.
AEW World Tag Team Championship
Current champions The Young Bucks have not felt as elite. Outside of plunder matches with Sting and Darby Allin and their FTR ladder match, their in-ring performance hasn’t felt as blow away.
Their lack of title defenses, linked to more limited contract dates and selling their characters as manipulative dastardly bosses has exposed a wider lack of direction in the division.
Likewise, teams like FTR and The Acclaimed have lost their luster also through repetition. The Casino Gauntlet match showed there is depth. What’s been missing for a while is the investment and fan belief in the teams beyond gimmicks. Yet the stars of the match are proving to be more than local heroes.
The Outrunners have quickly become one of the most popular teams in AEW. On social media, Outrunner fever is running wild. Their personalities and gimmicks are over huge with fans.
At All In, a card the team was not even on, there was a small vascular section of Outrunner cosplayers. Unlike The Acclaimed who had their moment in New York,
The Outrunners were denied, but likely to their benefit. Build the team from jobbers into stronger stars. Let that fever rise.
The Outrunners defeating The Young Bucks could be one of the most entertaining and hilarious (in all the best ways) matches of the year.
AEW International Championship
At some point, Will Ospreay is going to be challenging again for the AEW World Championship. Over Ospreay’s reign, it would continue to make the championship distinct from the other male midcard championships by having The Billy Goat defend the championship across the world. Continuing the fun and defined reign of MJF could be a benefit to AEW and its partnership promotions.
As for who beats potentially the greatest wrestler of the modern age, it’s hard to foresee. Likewise, I do not see it happen perhaps until next year. The feud and potential big match on PPV with Ricochet will be nostalgic at worst. At best, revitalizing for the latter.
It would be a gamble to put the championship on Ricochet, both in terms of his in-ring capability and the optics of the ex-WWE wrestler defeating the best in the world. That is unless the story is strong enough.
Whoever beats Ospreay is claiming a huge scalp. Defeating one of the best in the world doesn’t give a wrestler instant credibility unless the build rewards it.
Daniel Garcia winning the championship could be the defining moment of his young career. Plus, Garcia would be a perfect representative for AEW, defending the belt abroad.
If the belt continued to be an internationally defended championship, Hologram might by 2025 be a big enough star to claim the belt and continue its traditions.
AEW Continental Championship
This feels foreshadowed. While Okada’s presentation in AEW has received criticism for not being presented as one of the best in the world, I stand by my earlier analysis. Working as a character right now is better for Okada. And if you disagree, the man himself has one word for you.
Slowly, the Rainmaker fans want will reveal itself. Especially in the build to the Continental Classic. Last year’s tournament was a clear creative turning point during an uncertain patch. Okada is a tournament wrestler who will give fans what they want every week.
Okada, however, will make it to the finals and beat AEW’s representative in this year’s G1 Climax. It feels like Konosuke Takeshita’s tournament to be fumbled. Takeshita is someone fans want to succeed.
After the success and triple crowning of Eddie Kingston last year, it feels like the C2 could be used as more than a launch padding.
Once Takeshita has the championship, the person who perhaps would be most fitting to take it from The Alpha is Kenny Omega. Fans want the best bout machine not just working with his best friends.
This was one of the biggest complaints of fans during 2023’s “putrid year” for The Elite.
Omega as a singles star has a debt to reclaim with Takeshita. The Alpha beat Omega twice in one week last year. Then having Omega compete in the 2024 CC as champion would add further clout to the tournament. The prospect of Omega in a tournament against old rivals and up-and-comers could lead to a classic tournament.
AEW TBS Championship
Mercedes Mone’s reign has been a mixed success, but one that directly and indirectly has aided the women’s division. More women are getting spotlighted regularly rather than just one woman and champion dominating scene time. Placing the CEO as the secondary champion has made both championships feel different.
Mercedes’ run has been hampered by two back-to-back bad defenses, the first against Dr Britt Baker at Wembley. Then Mercedes’ match against Hikaru Shida fell apart at the end with one count and wig slip.
Some easily forget how it can take one change of character or in-the-ring work can turn a floundering wrestler’s fortunes around, as I’ve discussed here. The women’s division has depth currently and there is a returning star in need of a secure place at the top of the card where she left off.
Jamie Hayter as the next TBS Champion feels right. Not just in providing a dream match scenario as discussed when I evaluated Mone’s opponents early this year. But a strong credible victory to secure Hayter as one of the division’s flagbearers again.
Who bests Jamie Hayter? Eventually, Mercedes’ bodyguard, “The Brickhouse” Kamille. Taking the spotlight like Kevin Nash and becoming the equal with her boss.
AEW TNT Championship
Jack Perry’s second chance has given the former Jungle Boy a prominent place on the card. A lack of meaningful title defenses and screen presence, plus the imperfect nature of the newer Corporate Elite takeover angle has made the reign mixed.
There’s still room and scope for a more definitive run by Perry. Room to grow and things for Perry as his own man. Teased, a feud with Kenny Omega upon his return will likely not result in a championship change due to EVP politicking.
In terms of who should beat the nepotism-protected Scapegoat, one wrestler continues to gain groundswell support and can represent the TNT Championships open challenge history. A babyface who fans cannot get sick of easily. The Master of Redneck Kung-fu, Mark Briscoe.
Although the ROH World Champion, Briscoe has transited to be a regular feature of the AEW television. Whether with The Conglomeration spitting knowledge about the word of the day or kicking ass, Briscoe’s work and effort will be rewarded with another belt eventually.
In terms of who beats Briscoe, it should be someone who could break the chicken farmer from Delaware. A heel that can crush and destroy Briscoe’s body and spirit. Powerhouse Hobbs may have held the championship before, but Will deserves a less messy and more dominant run. One more in the mold of Brodie Lee and Miro than one tarnished by QTV.
AEW World Women’s Championship
Mariah May has only just captured the championship. Toni Storm has disappeared. There is a PPV coming to Australia next year. Brisbane would make an interesting place for some variation of a Texas Death match. Yet would Storm and May need the championship at that stage?
I think like “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland the feud can go beyond the goal to the deeper and more personal issues of trust. Before the trip down under, there are two women who at All Out stole the show who like Storm and May feel destined to fight again.
Willow Nightingale has had a year of belt collecting in AEW and CMLL. In 2025, it will be time for the Babe with The Power to be the women’s world champion.
Increasingly, Nightingale feels each month more and more of a star as her character is fleshed out in promos and in-ring. The smiling modern hardcore icon could gain revenge for the loss she suffered to May in the Owen Hart Tournament this year.
Kris Statlander has found the missing puzzle piece in terms of her character work with Stokely Hathaway. Yet with the other women’s champions being heels, it seems unlikely to be a straight transition.
If the momentum holds, revisiting and taking the championship from Willow will carry on another legacy feud. One that with time and story, could be pushed to the disturbing splendour of Page vs. Swerve?
AEW World Championship
Bryan Danielson’s euphoric and dream-like championship victory seems destined to be snuffed out. Without regret or emotion at the hands of Jon Moxley.
The American Dragon’s career seems destined to be ended by his former stablemate. The other co-founder of Blackpool Combat Club is at the forefront of the next big angle.
Moxley has been the greatest transitional champion of modern wrestling and could again lead the promotion through another paradigm shift. The rumors of Shane McMahon’s involvement both intrigue and terrifies (the pros and cons of his involvement can be read about here).
Someone will need to step up to defeat the monster. That man might be the one who Mox may beat on his way to becoming champion. Darby Allin feels like he is being positioned for the world championship. The potential is there.
If Darby loses and Mox’s point of Darby’s unreadiness is made, it sets the groundwork for the big babyface chase. With Darby now taking the role of AEW’s moral conscience, this generation’s Sting, Allin might be the savior who overthrows Mox’s revolution.
It likewise revisits the story beats of Darby’s Road to the TNT Championship. Failed to overcome Mox again in the same way Darby could not beat Cody Rhodes on multiple occasions. Not until Darby was ready.
That time feels sooner rather than later.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
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