Predicting Where Every AEW Wrestler Will Be In 5 Years' Time

94. Lucha Bros.

Lucha Bros Alex Abrahantes
AEW

Vastly underrated at conveying emotion, even through masks, you sense they'll need to rely more on that by 2026. Penta while incredible is prone to sluggishness now, where Fénix, who is even better, has wound up his bump clock to an outrageous degree already. These two worked like bastards during the last indie boom. Fénix's injury record suggests that graft has already taken something out of him.

Dynamite has elevated US wrestling TV as an art form, but its format still fails on some level to maximise international talent. The Young Bucks had far more profile as AEW World Champions than the Lucha Bros, for example.

Still: Penta has such presence and Fénix will only be 35. Even if their schedule incorporates more time in Mexico, the team should be preserved as a mainstay.

93. Aaron Solo

Wardlow Aaron Solow
AEW

A solid hand who's done nothing remarkable, you'd hope his current deal is honoured, but realistically, in a business, he's done little to earn a renewal. His reputation is esteemed, mind, so he might be a wrestler better at imparting his knowledge than showcasing it under the lights.

Far more likely to be an agent than a champion, but even in that arena, competition is steep...

92. Adam Cole

Adam Cole AEW All Out 2021
AEW.com

Beat Adam Cole in major matches as a heel now, because his future is as the biggest babyface in the promotion. Fans can disassociate from the current version of the character in time.

He's too exciting, over and nice not to reign as the top guy in a major, arena-sized promotion. A million wrestlers have asked fans to chant something. Few have received as enthusiastic a response as Cole. Basically, if a saint of a man with such intangibles doesn't dominate the very wrestling world in 2026, there is no justice.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!