AEW: The top 5 rising stars of 2020 so far

Penelope Ford

Penelope Ford has been an excellent manager for quite some time, even before she got to AEW. Now, she’s doing something a little bit different as a manager, working with Kip Sabian instead of Joey Janela. And this dynamic works a little better, especially since Sabian has also been used as Ford’s manager.

Ford’s best work is in the ring, though. She is one of the most athletic competitors in the AEW Women’s Division, using her agility and acrobatics to pull off stunning moves. Her counters come out of nowhere, and she’s able to kick each of her matches up to another gear.

So far in 2020, Ford’s had two of the best matches on Pay Per View in the entire company. Her bout with Kris Statlander at Double or Nothing was a show-stealer, as both women pushed each other to the limit. Then, she had an even better AEW Women’s Title match against Hikaru Shida, nearly upsetting the dominant champion.

There’s no doubt that Ford has the tools to become a women’s champion sooner rather than later, and it could even happen before the year ends. She has so much charisma, even in small glimpses like when she was reacting to Nyla Rose’s promo about wanting a new manager to get to the top.