All Elite Wrestling is in an interesting place, with several of its top names in the men’s division, either hurt or unable to perform as fans may remember. Will Ospreay was written off television at the end of AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2025. Swerve Strickland is also working with an injury. Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, and Kota Ibushi are present, but each is working at a fragmented version of their past selves. Looking at the men’s division, here are three individuals who should be positioned to step up to fill the void to shape the future of the group.
It would be easy to look at individuals like Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher. They are easy picks because they’ve made it clear that they are future superstars. In fact, a feud between Fletcher and Takeshita would be enough to carry the promotion for years, on par with the rivalry that John Cena and Randy Orton had in their prime. So, let’s look at three other names who are popular performers, but might be just outside of eyesight.
Brody King
AEW fans are ready to see Brody King get his moment. At Forbidden Door, he picked up the AEW World Tag Team Championship alongside Bandido in a feel-good moment that caught many off guard. But Brody King has more to offer the world of wrestling as a featured superstar.
At first glance, it is easy to slot him as a major heel, but King has shown that he can be the babyface as well. Fans love him, partly because he’s willing to stand up and use his voice in support of major political issues. AEW has something special in Brody King, and it would be interesting to see the company use him as a top act now that there’s space in the main event.
Kevin Knight
Kevin Knight has the tools to be a major star in professional wrestling. AEW picked him up just a few months ago, and he’s already become an exciting act to see. However, he’s much more than that. He has the makings to be an important performer, capable of carrying the mid-card before it is his time to break through to the main event. This doesn’t need to happen immediately. Instead, AEW can take its time with Knight, building him as a fan favorite for years to come.
Eddie Kingston
Everyone wishes to see Eddie Kingston become the AEW World Champion. While he is out recovering from injury, fans are watching closely to see if his return will come before the end of 2025. The feud between “Hangman” Adam Page and MJF opens the door for Kingston to finally win the championship by defeating MJF before the end of the year. But what would make this story really interesting is if he were to lose it quickly through some sad twist of fate. Eddie Kingston has the makings to be a Mick Foley-like character for AEW, with his return from injury being the kickoff to that rise.