10 Predictions For The State Of Wrestling In 5 Years
5. AEW's Main Event Scene Looks Drastically Different
A friend of yours truly slumped his shoulders in 2008 and depressed the hell out of the room by reminding everyone in it that Shawn Michaels couldn't go on forever. He'd have to retire from full-time action at some point (nobody knew then that he'd do so less than two years later). That's kinda' where things are at with Chris Jericho in 2020.
AEW has given Jericho a career resurgence, and reaffirmed that he is indeed one of the best performers on the planet, even at 49. Sadly, this magic won't last forever, and the same could be said for other top stars like Matt Hardy and Cody Rhodes - the latter stated he has five years left before calling it a day.
The departure of workers like that trio will change AEW's top line mix for good.
There will be a renewed onus on younger guys like MJF, Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin and more to step up and into the slots vacated by legends. That won't be easy to do, and there will be hiccups along the way. This, for better or worse, is unavoidable.