AEW Bringing Back Rankings System
AEW is bringing back a former staple of the promotion.
In a move that's sure to please many fans, AEW is bringing back its rankings system.
Prior to launching in 2019, it was announced that AEW would be a company where a rankings system would be used to, most notably, position talents as title challengers as part of the promotion's purported sports-based approach to pro wrestling.
The second half of 2022 saw the rankings become less emphasised on AEW programming, with the system quietly being dropped entirely. As such, the current rankings - last updated on 31 August 2022 - feature CM Punk as the #1 contender in the men's division, Jon Moxley as AEW World Champion, Thunder Rosa as AEW Women's Champion, Jade Cargill as TBS Champion, Wardlow as TNT Champion, PAC as All-Atlantic Champion, and the long-defunct Swerve in Our Glory as AEW Tag Team Champions. Of course, the All-Atlantic Champion doesn't even exist anymore, having been replaced by the International Title nowadays held by Orange Cassidy.
As announced during last night's AEW Collision, and on X by Tony Khan, the rankings system will be returning to AEW later this month.
The Rankings are coming back to AEW going forward, starting this month!@AEW is having a very exciting January, and this is only the beginning of an amazing 2024 for AEW and our fans.Thank you all watching Saturday Night #AEWCollision right now on @TNTdrama!
Advertisement— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) January 21, 2024
Previously, the rankings were a brilliant tool at times for AEW, but also became somewhat of a hindrance when conveniently overlooked as lower-ranked - or non-ranked - wrestlers received title shots over higher-placed names.