All Elite Wrestling means a great deal to me. I’ve been watching the company since day one, and was at the original All In back in 2018 in Chicago, which helped seal my love for The Elite, and I followed them ever since. Last Wednesday was the 6th anniversary of AEW Dynamite, a show that “should never have existed,” nor one that “should’ve lasted this long, but it absolutely did. Why? Because “AEW is where the best wrestle.” So making a “Most Important Wrestlers In All Elite Wrestling” list is actually REALLY hard!
Why? The roster is stacked! I could easily go to 20 and not feel like I’m stretching things. I’ll do my best to explain all my picks and why I feel that AEW is better with all the wrestlers mentioned. So, shall I begin?
Honorable Mentions
Yes, I’m totally cheating here, but I wasn’t kidding when I said that All Elite Wrestling has a STACKED roster, and I could’ve easily gone to twenty without feeling like a liar. For example, NOT on the main 15 list is Speedball Mike Bailey (who has quickly become one of my favorite wrestlers to watch,) MJF (who’s “The Antagonist” of AEW), Mark Briscoe (a huge fan favorite), FTR (one of the best tag teams ever), Kris Statlander (the new AEW women’s world champion) and Konosuke Takeshita (whom everyone adores for his pure skill in the ring.)
All of these wrestlers, and others I didn’t name, are incredible, and if you sub them onto this list, no one would likely complain. That’s just how stacked AEW is right now, and it makes them incredibly enjoyable to watch with every show they put on.
So, with that out of the way, let’s start the list with…
#15 – Bandido
I find it infinitely hilarious and ironic that Bandido is starting off this list, because if you go to the start of this year…he wouldn’t have been. He had a big “return” last year when AEW was in the Hammerstein Ballroom, accidentally got injured upon his arrival, and then had a feud with Chris Jericho that was…not the best.
…however, after becoming Ring of Honor World Champion, he’s been on a tear that’s taken him to heights few can reach in just a few short months. Just as important, he’s proving how he’s a 5-star talent across not only AEW, but CMLL! Just in the past few months, he’s had legendary 5-star matches with Mistico and Mascara Dorada in that promotion.
And then, on two consecutive ROH PPVs, he had epic 5-star matches with Konosuke Takeshita and Hechicero (and he actually JUST had a rematch with Hechicero in CMLL that was apparently just as epic!). Then…when THAT wasn’t enough, he was put into a tag team with Brody King, became the tag team champs, and has had INCREDIBLE tag matches together.
Many are actually asking him to drop the ROH title so he can be in the running for the AEW men’s world championship, which says a lot. Personally, I’m fine with him helping maintain ROH for now, while continuing to show off his talents across multiple promotions.
Bandido is a special luchador, and I look forward to the many matches he’ll have in the years to come.
#14 – Jamie Hayter
*cues up the Hayter Rave*
Having talent is one thing, but being able to get yourself over BEYOND what you were “initially meant to be” is huge in the wrestling industry. When All Elite Wrestling first brought in Jamie Hayter, she was more or less a famous gaijin who ruled in Japan, known for tag team wrestling primarily. Then, she went through a massive physical transformation and became someone people rallied behind despite being the “muscle” for Britt Baker. When she won the women’s world title at Full Gear a few years back against Toni Storm, the crowd went nuts!
Then, sadly, she got injured and had a long road back. But now, she finally IS back, and she’s one of the key parts of the AEW women’s division. She crushed it recently in the Women’s Owen Hart tournament and is able to do all kinds of matches with all kinds of opponents.
Many want her to be women’s world champion once again, but she also has so much clout with the fans that when SHE made the announcement for the first-ever women’s Blood & Guts match, it mattered even more.
Jamie is great, and no matter the match she’s in, you know that Hayter…hits…hard.
#13 – Young Bucks
…isn’t that a lovely photo of the AEW “Founding Fathers?”
Now, anyone who has been with AEW since the beginning knows that you can’t do a list of the “Most Important Wrestlers In All Elite Wrestling” without talking about the young bucks, but the reason they’re so low is that, for this list, I’m not looking at the entire history of the company, I’m looking at the “right now” of it all. And while the Young Bucks will forever be important, we also know that they’re in their last years. They’ve said so themselves. Plus, they’ve already been multi-time AEW world tag team champions, so there’s not a true “need” right now to have them win the titles again and “carry the division forward.”
So, then why have them on my list? BECAUSE THEY’RE THE YOUNG BUCKS!!! They are arguably the greatest tag team ever, and regardless of whether they’re doing tag team matches, 6-man tags, or All-Star 8-man matches, they’re going to bring it every single time. Look at the epic match with Swerve and Ospreay at All In, the Light’s Out cage match from Forbidden Door, or the All Out Ladder match, or even just the recent tag matches they’ve been in on AEW Dynamite! They rock it every single time because they are INCREDIBLE wrestlers.
…oh, and their current “we’re broke” gimmick has delivered all sorts of great moments.
#12 – Jon Moxley
Yep, we’re doing back-to-back “controversial picks,” and the reason Jon Moxley is so low on my list is because of timing more than anything else.
Again, if this were the early days of AEW? Jon Moxley would be in the top three on this list. He was the “paradigm shift” that helped rocket the company to immediate fame at the original Double or Nothing. He helped forge the partnership with New Japan, as he was working with both companies in AEW’s early days.
And most importantly, he’s been one of the true rocks that the company has had. When bad things happen? When things truly “out of the company’s control” happened? They went to Moxley to keep them steady while they worked things out. That’s the amount of faith they have in Mox, and he rewards them for their faith.
The current version of Mox, the “Death Rider,” has been a key part of AEW over the last year, and while not everyone appreciated him for his arc, the ending months of his 4th AEW men’s world title reign were incredible, including Anarchy in the Arena and the classic match with Hangman at AEW All In Texas. Even now, post-reign, he’s making sure he’s not forgotten, and doing a LOT of matches to show how much of a workhorse he is still.
So, again, why is he so low? Looking forward, AEW is so stacked that we don’t need Mox to be “that rock” going forward. He’ll be there until he wants to leave, though, and we should all be grateful for that.
#11 – Okada
Timing is always an interesting thing when it comes to wrestling, and when it comes to Kazuchika Okada, he’s known as the “Rainmaker” for a reason. He made it rain in New Japan, and when he signed with AEW, it was a big deal. So much so that he won the Continental title just a few weeks into his tenure, and he hasn’t lost the belt since! He even fought Kenny Omega to unify it with the International title to make the AEW Unified Championship, which he still holds.
The reason he doesn’t break the top ten, though, is that this isn’t “Prime Okada” from New Japan, and we all know it. There was even a notion in the online community that he “hasn’t woken up the Rainmaker” yet. That being said, he’s still done incredible matches, with highlights being him versus Will Ospreay, Speedball Mike Bailey, Pac, Kota Ibushi, and, of course, Kenny Omega.
Plus, his comedy gimmick is really funny, and it’s clear that he’s having a blast doing it. Isn’t that what we should want, in the end?
While we may not have “Prime Rainmaker,” Okada still makes things look good, and in his current “heel phase,” people love to hate him. Plus, we all know he’ll do an epic “passing of the torch” match with Konosuke Takeshita soon, so AEW leaning on him and his “status” in the coming months is fine by me.
#10 – Darby Allin
For me, the perfect way to start out the top ten on this list is to talk about Darby Allin. When All Elite Wrestling started, I had NEVER heard of the guy! Yet, all it took was one match for me to realize that he wasn’t just special, but that he cared about wrestling in its purest form.
What do I mean by that? Simply put, Darby Allin is someone who gives 100% in EVERY SINGLE MATCH he does! He doesn’t look at a match and go, “Okay, I can hold back a bit here.” No, he goes full-tilt every time, and the crowd knows it. It doesn’t matter who he’s facing, what the stipulation is, or even if it’s for a title or not! Darby gives his all, and that’s why he’s one of the “Four Pillars.” It’s also why we cringe when he does terrifying moves…but he’s okay! …we think…
Darby has been a beloved TNT champion, was a tag team champion with Sting (one of my favorite wrestlers ever!!!), and now, he’s on a tear with Jon Moxley in matches that keep getting more violent! At the upcoming AEW WrestleDream event (which I’ll see live!), he’ll be in an “I Quit” match! This guy is nuts, and we love him for that.
Darby Allin has said himself he’s with “AEW for life,” and that’s awesome to hear. We know we can count on Darby to give us great matches every time, and no matter what his future holds, it’s good to know he’ll do it on his terms.
After all… “Nothing’s over until you’re underground.”
#9 – Willow Nightingale
In wrestling, there are those you “can’t help but hate,” and those you’ll “always cheer for when they come out,” and Willow Nightingale is the embodiment of the latter.
Many love her because she is so lovable. She worked her way up from AEW Dark and Ring of Honor and proved that she was someone you could get behind. Then, when she got officially signed to AEW and was given big opportunities, she always shone in them. It didn’t matter if it was doing a Chicago Street Fight Match against Kris Statlander at All Out 2024 that totally stole the show in certain ways, or being one of the first women to be in Anarchy in the Arena at this year’s Double or Nothing, or going up against certain other wrestlers in big title matches. She always delivers, and when her music plays and Willow arrives, EVERYONE gets out of their seat because Willow Nightingale’s here.
The AEW women’s division is totally stacked, but Willow is one of the key reasons it’s been elevated since early 2024, and she’s only had one short title reign to her name in that period. Many are eagerly awaiting the day she gets to be the TBS champ again, or the women’s world champ, because when it happens, you know she’s deserved it.
And if, for some odd reason, it DOESN’T happen? Well, nothing matters. Smile anyway!
#8 – Kyle Fletcher
As I teased earlier, part of the reason for this list of the “Most Important Wrestlers In All Elite Wrestling” is to talk about where the future is going and who will headline it. In the last year, no one in AEW has had a bigger rise than Kyle Fletcher, and he’s still climbing in dominant fashion.
This is another tale of “proving yourself” by doing the work. He came into AEW via the tag team Aussie Open alongside Mark Davis, and many were happy about that, as they were a legendary international tag team. But then Mark Davis got hurt, and Fletcher would be a singles wrestler for a long time. So, what did he do? He went to Ring of Honor and built himself up into a credible threat. He bulked up, showed his skills many times over, and then, in a key move, he betrayed his former United Empire leader, Will Ospreay, and became the “Protostar.”
Starting at Full Gear 2024, Fletcher has been on a tear in both his matches and on the mic. His PPV trilogy of bouts with Ospreay (Full Gear, World’s End, and Revolution) was incredible, and each was a “Match of the Year” contender!
Just as important, he had great showings in the Owen Hart Cup, won the TNT title in epic fashion, and just recently at AEW All Out, had a BANGER of a match for the world title. That was his “I’m a main eventer” match, and while he lost, he proved he belonged in the main event conversation.
He’s only 26, just signed a long-term contract with AEW, and EVERYONE now sees that he’s the future. So, when he finally wins the world title…SAY…HIS…FULL…NAME!!!!
#7 – Athena
When Tony Khan bought Ring of Honor, many weren’t sure what would come of it. Even now, years later, they’re only doing shows on Honor Club (or YouTube, at times), and the roster is rather “fluid.” However, for the last few years, there has been one key constant, and she is the “FOREVER WORLD CHAMP,” the “MINION OVERLORD,” the longest-reigning champ in ROH history, …Athena.
She is not only one of the best women’s wrestlers in the world, but she put ROH on her back when many weren’t sure if it could shine like it used to. Athena’s PPV matches are always something to behold, and that’s part of the reason why many AEW fans want her brought to the main roster RIGHT NOW.
Personally, I understand why she’s not there full-time, as the roster is STACKED, and it would be very easy to get lost in the shuffle, which no one wants for Athena. Plus, she’s showing that she doesn’t need the “main roster” to be a star, as she dominated women’s wrestling so much that she was named the women’s wrestler of the year not too long ago, and has been in the Top 5 or Top 3 of other charts like PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) during her forever reign.
This year, we did get a nice tease of what it’ll be like when she’s “Forever AEW,” as she had great matches in both singles and tag team formats and looked like a star each time.
Just to show you how good she is, in the span of just six days, she had a huge title match at AEW Forbidden Door against a “Timeless Champ,” and then she went on to main event ROH Death Before Dishonor against Mina Shirakawa and had a women’s MOTY contender.
That’s. Our. Forever. Champ! When she’s brought into the full AEW fold and is consistently going after the big belts, including a key “Mone” rematch everyone wants, AEW’s women’s division will be elevated even higher.
#6 – Kenny Omega
If I didn’t have Kenny Omega on my “Most Important Wrestlers In All Elite Wrestling” list, I would be exiled from the wrestling community, period.
Kenny Omega is the “Best Bout Machine” of wrestling, and his being another “founding father” of All Elite Wrestling is part of the reason the promotion was able to not just happen, but survive early woes (see: global pandemic).
He has had numerous classic and iconic matches in AEW, and due to his run as “The Belt Collector,” he was even named PWI’s #1 wrestler during that period of AEW. The only reason he’s not in the Top 5 right now of this is…wait for it…timing. You see, Kenny was out for over a year due to Diverticulitis, and it’s still affecting him today. Kenny openly admitted he doesn’t have too much time left in wrestling, and that’s really sad.
…but…when he IS in the ring, like we’ve seen in 2025, he’s still one of the best out there. Shall I list off his 2025 “resume” for you?
He had a bout with Gabe Kidd at Wrestle Dynasty that was an instant MOTY contender, then did a tag team match at Grand Slam Australia that was a 5-star classic, went to Revolution and did a 5-star classic with Konosuke Takeshita, and then proceeded to AEW Dynasty where he had one of the GREATEST TRIPLE THREAT MATCHES EVER against Ricochet and Speedball Mike Bailey, proceeded to Double or Nothing to do another 5-star AITA match, and at AEW All In Texas, continued his rivalry with Okada…before doing a light’s out steel cage match at Forbidden Door.
And for AEW WrestleDream, he might be facing someone who can help deliver ANOTHER 5-star classic. Kenny isn’t in a “position” to wrestle every week, much as he might want to, but when he does wrestle, especially at PPVs, you know you’re getting a wrestling feast.
Because he is Kenny…O…Me…Ga!!!!
#5 – Mercedes Mone
…oh, I can feel the hate. But hey! Bring it! I’m fully ready to back the C-E-O, because she deserves it.
Mercedes Mone was a facet of a certain other company’s women’s division (you know who I’m talking about…), but then, a key falling out led to her leaving the company. It could’ve been the end of her career, but instead, it was a chance for her to be reborn as Mercedes Mone, and she’s never looked back.
Sure, it might have taken a bit to “find her footing,” especially after her injury in New Japan, but once she got going, she never stopped, and she’s been a force for change and excellence in the AEW women’s division. If you don’t believe me, I noted that early 2024 was the period when the women’s division really started to get elevated, and Money debuted…in early 2024. Her reign as the TBS champ has been full of incredible matches, and she’s since gone international to win belts all over the world, including New Japan, CMLL, and Rev Pro.
Mone was the winner of this year’s women’s Owen Hart Cup, and her clash with a certain “Timeless Champ” is easily a women’s match of the year contender, on top of other great matches that she’s done for all the other belts she’s had!
So, why is there so much hate for Mercedes? Some people just don’t like her, and others refuse to give her the credit she deserves because she’s doing all this in AEW and not that “other company.” I’m neither of those, and AEW is better because Mone is in it and bringing lots of attention to the brand. She’s about to become the longest-reigning TBS champ and wants to become “ten belts Mone.” Who’s going to stop her? Hard to say, as few are on the level of the C-E-O! C-E-O! C-E-O!
(…can we PLEASE get Mone vs. Athena 2???)
#4 – Swerve Strickland
It takes a lot of courage to bet on yourself. Mercedes Mone had already proven herself before and was merely looking to expand upon who she was as a wrestler. But for the man we all know as “Swerve,” many wondered if he really could be “The Guy.”
After his time in “the other company” came to a lackluster finish, Swerve Strickland went to AEW and did his best to prove that he was one of the best in the world and worthy of Tony Khan’s time. He started slow, teaming with Keith Lee to be tag team champions before going solo. Then, one match with a certain “cowboy” changed everything.
Swerve became “the most dangerous man in AEW,” and people loved him…even though he was a villain. He was a nuanced villain, as he was no coward, and never flinched at the things he did. Then, in the ring, he could outwork you and showcase his skills in all the ways that matter.
When his feud led to him winning the AEW men’s world title (at a PPV that I personally attended), it was the beginning of the “Dynasty Era,” and Swerve proved many, MANY times over that he was a worthy champ. Even after losing the belt, he was still one of the top guys in AEW, and even helped that same cowboy win the belt at AEW All In Texas to ensure All Elite Wrestling was back on the “right path” with its champ.
Swerve Strickland isn’t just one of the “Most Important Wrestlers In All Elite Wrestling,” he’s the franchise! He’s the guy you look to so that something can be made even bigger or to carry the weight of the company forward. His first title reign was great, but his next one will be legendary, because he’ll ensure it.
Whose house? SWERVE’S HOUSE!!!!
#3 – Will Ospreay
…this one hurts to talk about. Because much like Swerve, Will Ospreay is currently injured, and we don’t know when he’ll be back.
…but…WHEN Will Ospreay returns, AEW will be “ELEVATED!” once again, and we should all be counting down the days until that happens.
Arguably, for the longest time, Ospreay was “one of the best international wrestlers” out there, but the question was always what he would do in one of the “big companies” outside of New Japan. When his contract was up, everyone wanted him, but he picked AEW. Why? Because it’s “Where The Best Wrestle,” BRUV! And ever since then, and technically even before then, Ospreay has been on a tear.
Just like with Darby Allin, he gives 100% EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Dynamite. Collision. The PPVs. It doesn’t matter; he’ll make every match shine, and that’s why everyone loves to see him wrestle. He’s a guy who loves to WRESTLE and wants to have the best match he can every night he’s performing.
If you want a challenge, here’s one for you. Look at the entirety of Will Ospreay’s AEW career and look for a bad match. You won’t find one. He’s literally incapable of that, and even when his opponent “isn’t on his level,” he still makes them look incredible.
To help prove this further, allow me to vent a little bit. Recently, PWI did their latest top wrestlers list, and Ospreay was No.10 on that list. That’s insane (in the bad way), because he should’ve been No.1. The reason I can prove this is that if you look at his matches from September 2024-August 2025 (when the PWI team looks over the “field” to see who’s “on top,”) NO ONE had more epic matches than Ospreay. No one had more MOTY contenders than Ospreay. No one elevated more people than Ospreay. And I can go on.
Will Ospreay is one of the best wrestlers in the world, if not THE best wrestler in the world. AEW needs to do everything possible to keep him signed because he’s someone you can build a legendary dynasty behind. He’s done so much WITHOUT becoming AEW Men’s World Champion. So…imagine what happens when he does become that.
And for those who say I’m just expressing what I’m feeling, “BRUV! HE IS THE FEELING!!!!”
#2 – Toni Storm
…wait…how did things turn black & white? This is a website, not a TV show! Dang it, Toni!!!
It’s been a true honor talking about all the great women within AEW, but when you make a list about the “Most Important Wrestlers In All Elite Wrestling,” you have to talk about one of THE wrestlers that EVERYONE has been talking about for well over a year. That person, that icon, that legend, that…uh…woman who has a lot of phrases I don’t feel comfortable saying, even in text…is “Timeless” Toni Storm.
The irony of her dominating presence is that when she started the “Timeless” gimmick, it was anything but popular. Toni had already been the AEW women’s world champ, but hadn’t really done “too much” to stand out on her own, which is ironic in its own right, as she had incredible matches before her “Timeless turn,” like with the aforementioned Full Gear match against Jamie Hayter.
But, not unlike a movie in its first act, as Toni Storm fully embraced her “Timeless Side,” she got the crowd behind her, and after reclaiming the women’s title not once but TWICE during this period, she became THE most important women’s wrestler in the world. So much so that she was named last year’s PWI #1 women’s wrestler, and she’s easily the frontrunner to do it again this year!
So what is it that makes “Timeless” Toni Storm so great? To be blunt: she’s nuts! In the ring, she’s dominant and plays to “type” by doing a lot of old-school moves alongside her classic ones, and then, on the mic, she cuts a promo that’ll leave you in stitches. The stuff she gets away with on television is crazy, and that makes us love her more!
Even right now, when she JUST lost the title at All Out, her spotlight hasn’t dimmed. Everyone’s excited for what she does next, because NO ONE knows what “Timeless” Toni Storm will do next! She’s easily one of the most engaging wrestlers out there because of how she plays things both in and out of the ring. We aren’t worthy of her…but we are fortunate to have her.
And she’ll be around for a long time…for she is…TIMELESS!!!!
#1 – Hangman
That’s right. You all saw it coming. No matter who else was on this list, no counting of the “Most Important Wrestlers In All Elite Wrestling,” can end without us talking about a man who is the embodiment…of “Cowboy Sh*t.”
Without a doubt, Hangman Adam Page is the “main character” of All Elite Wrestling. He just is. When they did the now legendary press conference to help announce the promotion, Hangman was there on Day One to say he wanted to be world champion. One of the biggest “complaints” I see from trolls and haters is that “AEW doesn’t do stories.” Hangman is all the proof you need that this is a lie.
He’s had a story since Day One! He was the “young, hungry guy looking to be world champ,” to the “tag team champ who tried to drink his anxiety away,” to the “redeemed man who became world champ,” to the “drifter who was willing to go to Hell to get the justice he felt he deserved,” to the “man AEW needed so that it could have a worthy world champ again.”
Hangman connects with fans because “he’s real,” in all the ways that matter. He’s a cowboy, but he’s our “anxious millennial cowboy.” He’s one who feels, who hurts, who goes too far and has to take the “long way back” to become reborn, and he’s always the guy who will do the right thing in the end.
Notice how I haven’t really touched on his in-ring work so far? That’s because the reason he’s No.1 is that he walks that perfect line between “being more than a wrestler” and “being an epic wrestler.” Just in 2025, he’s done epic Texas Deathmatches, brutal 30+ minute bouts with MJF, Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley, and Kyle Fletcher, numerous tag matches, and he brings it every time. His winning the men’s world title at All In Texas was so cathartic because we NEEDED him to win…and he did it.
He’s easily a Wrestle of the Year candidate (talking about calendar year rankings, to be clear), and we know he’s still got epic matches left in the tank for this year and beyond!
His rivalries with Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, and even recent ones like MJF have helped define AEW both then and now. He’s the consistent guy you come to expect in AEW’s biggest moments. He’s the main character. He’s our world champ, and AEW is incredible because of him.
And that wraps up my “Most Important Wrestlers In All Elite Wrestling” list! Do you agree with my list? How would you have ranked it? Or, who do you feel needs to be put in that wasn’t mentioned? Let me know in the comments below.
