Every AEW Wrestler Ranked From Worst To Best - After One Year
6. MJF
There isn't necessarily anything new about MJF's act. 'The Salt of the Earth' relies on classic heel tropes inside the ring and out, but performs them at such an elite level that it doesn't even matter. A witty, compelling talker with a bag of tricks deeper than Bobby Axelrod's pockets, he is the most cutting obnoxious heel in the business today, and a guy AEW is right to build its future around.
While concerns remain over his chosen wrestling style, many of those were blown away at Double Or Nothing, where MJF controlled the squared circle like a true ring general. He was a classic wrestling heel plucked straight from the '80s and thrown into a modern setting against Jungle Boy. It was the best in-ring performance of MJF's career, and to many, a big relief after the cluttered Cody match.
All this without mentioning his outstanding crowd control, which might be his greatest strength.
5. Kenny Omega
'The Best Bout Machine' has re-emerged in 2020, a year that has proven Kenny Omega just as great a tag team wrestler as he is in the singles realm, overcoming the moderate disappointment that where his early AEW days.
Said early days are what hinders him. The problem with Omega (and this is still true today) is that AEW has taken him and his popularity for granted, assuming their televised audience would receive him as a star without much effort on their behalf. This hasn't been the case. Yes, Kenny is a genius between the ropes, but he was placed in too many losing roles early on to emerge as the needle-mover he could be, and can still be once AEW flips the switch on him as a singles act.
For now, Omega will keep killing it as one half of the best tag team on the planet. Him and Hangman Page have been a revelation.
4. Cody
Here's the thing about Cody and his supposed "burials": they don't exist.
The Jeff Jarrett comparison is ludicrous because Jarrett was never as over as 'The American Nightmare,' even in TNA. Not one of Cody's opponents has been diminished by losing to him. If there's an exception, it's Shawn Spears, but Spears is a midcarder. Of course he slid down after Fyter Fest.
Spears was actually the last feud that Cody won prior to Double Or Nothing 2020 - a gap of nine months. His golden shovel doesn't exist.
Received as a hero by his devoted audience, Cody is AEW's de facto ace and a fitting first TNT Champion who will make the belt feel special and important throughout his open challenge series. Not all of his big matches have delivered, but when they do, few do big-theatre pro-wrestling better than 'The Grandson of a Plumber.'