3 AEW names ready for a breakout 2025

The new year is coming in hot and there’s a lot to look forward to in professional wrestling. All Elite Wrestling is heading into a new television deal and streaming content on MAX. As the company moves into yet another “new era” there’s hope that some new names will rise to the top. Looking ahead to 2025, here are three performers poised to have a breakout year.

Private Party

Private Party finally captured the AEW World Tag Team Championship in 2024. It was a moment that fans waited five years to see. Now they have the belts and 2025 should be used to establish them as one of the best teams in the business. The new year should be built around the idea that they can hang with any of the duos put in front of them. At the same time, AEW must focus on elevating new tag teams to face them instead of sticking with FTR and The Young Bucks. Putting the titles on Private Party is an opportunity to rebuild the entire division.

Big Bill

Yes, The Learning Tree is a tired gimmick and many want it to just go away. Chris Jericho is truly a “momentum vortex” and several names have already suffered from it. But Big Bill has the potential to buck that trend and find a way to stand out on his own. Jericho is the current Ring of Honor Champion, but the door was wide open to use this as a moment to put the belt on Bill, elevating him in the process. Eventually, something is going to cause The Learning Tree gimmick to end, and here's to hoping that Bill finds a way to remain relevant in 2025. He can stand out on the roster and would work well as a midcard champion at some point in the new year.

Willow Nightingale

Now, we know it may be a bit of a stretch to say that Willow Nightingale is set for a “breakout” year. She’s frequently featured in big feuds and held the TBS Championship in 2024. But that title reign was a transition to get the championship on Mercedes Mone. In reality, Nightingale is the type of personality and performer who the entire women’s division should be built around. There’s nothing she can’t do in the ring, or outside of it as a representative of the company. 2025 needs to be the year that Tony Khan recognizes that he has a franchise player in Willow Nightingale, booking her to win the AEW Women’s World Championship and holding that title for a lengthy time.