10 Future AEW World Champions
AEW has plenty of potential world champions, but not everyone makes it to the top of the mountain.
AEW has done a fantastic job of imbuing its world title with importance. Rather than hotshot it around its top stars in an attempt to manufacture 'moments', AEW has crowned just two men in its first year in existence. Chris Jericho was the inaugural champion, a wise booking decision when faced with the need to establish a new television brand, before Jon Moxley defeated him for the strap at Revolution.
AEW's booking of its world championship makes it difficult to guess who might hold that same title in the future. The promotion is packed to the gills with incredible talent, a roster full of main event stars who scream 'world champion', but it is clear that not everyone is going to get a go on this particular bike. In many ways, AEW has learnt from the credibility of the IWGP Championship, arguably the most prestigious world title in modern pro wrestling.
With that latter title in mind, it is easy to put together a list of men who 'should' be world champion, but remember that only seven men have held the IWGP title in the last five years. AEW is full of people who could be world champion, but who will be?
10. Jungle Boy
If AEW is still around in 10 years time, Jungle Boy will be the biggest babyface in the professional wrestling world. The 23-year-old is a heartthrob hero waiting to happen, if he isn't already, yet he has managed to retain a likeability that usually evades most good-looking babyfaces. Put some meat on his bones and a hero you will have.
AEW is clearly very high on Jungle Boy. Despite not picking up many high-profile wins, he has been placed in a number of big matches against established stars like Cody and Chris Jericho, not to mention young stars like MJF. Jungle Boy's rivalry with MJF is going to carry professional wrestling into the future, injuries and bad luck notwithstanding.
Don't expect it to happen for a long while, but Jungle Boy has world championships in his future. Will he be billed as 'Jungle Boy' when those championships come? That remains to be seen, but it is difficult to see such a moniker at the top of a major pro wrestling card in the modern age. JR's insistence on calling him 'Jungle Boy Jack Perry' might not sit well with everyone for now, but in the long term it can only be good for the man. Or the boy.