5 AEW title facts since the company's inception
Since its inception in 2019, AEW has made massive strides in the pro wrestling business. Many consider it to be WWE's biggest rival, which in itself is an achievement given Vince McMahon and co.'s monopoly for so many years.
AEW started with three titles - the World Championship, the Women's Championship, and the Tag Team Championships. It added the TNT title in 2020 and the TBS Championship at the beginning of 2022.
The TNT and TBS titles are the promotion's mid-card belts. Since its introduction, the TNT title has changed hands several times and has undergone a visual remodel. Meanwhile, the TBS Championship has only been held by one woman, Jade Cargill.
The All-Atlantic Championship is another recently-added belt in the promotion, with Pac being crowned its first champion.
Will it be the last title that Tony Khan introduces to AEW? How will it be booked in its first year?
Here are five title observations from the first few years of AEW's history.
#5 AEW still hasn't crowned a former WWE star as Women's Champion
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The five women who have been AEW Women's Champion include Riho, Nyla Rose, Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker, and Thunder Rosa. Toni Storm, Ruby Soho, Tay Conti, and Athena are among the former WWE stars to join the new company. While Soho and Conti have had major title shots, neither has won the championship so far in AEW.
Whenever a WWE star is released or departs the company, fans always predict AEW as the star's next destination. Some stop wrestling altogether (Lana, Nia Jax) while others go to IMPACT (IInspiration, Chelsea Green) or relatively smaller companies.
Being a former WWE star gives performers a profile that is hard to match in the business. We'll wait and see who becomes the first former WWE Superstar to be crowned women's champion in AEW.
#4 The TNT title has changed hands 10 times since its inception in 2020
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Former AEW star Cody Rhodes was the first TNT Champion. He won the belt three times before leaving for WWE. Brodie Lee, Darby Allin, and Miro are also former Champs.
Before Wardlow defeated Scorpio Sky on Dynamite, the most recent action around the TNT title involved Sky and Sammy Guevara. It was a prolonged feud with many confusing moments. Both men acted as heels and faces during the angle and swapped the belt during the feud.
A title shouldn't change hands too often if it is meant to be taken seriously. While it hasn't happened at the same rate, the only other Championship that has changed hands more over the last two years is WWE's 24/7 title. Hopefully, Wardlow will have a respectable reign of at least six months.
#3 Darby Allin has had five title shots in AEW
There's no denying that Darby Allin is one of the top stars of AEW. Despite his relatively small size, the daredevil star has been heavily pushed as one of the top faces in the company.
While he has lost a few big matches to Kyle O'Reilly and Andrade, he's usually hovering around the title picture. Allin has had five shots at titles in AEW.
Among those are three opportunities for the TNT title. He would capture the Championship in one of those matches, but he also challenged Cody Rhodes and Sammy Guevara when each man held the belt. Allin also faced Moxley and Jericho when they held the world title. He's most certainly a future world champion and his early booking has put him on that path.
#2 Nyla Rose and Britt Baker have been regular fixtures in the Women's title picture
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Britt Baker and Nyla Rose are both former AEW Women's Champions. Since the company is still in its nascent stages, officials have relied on women they trust. For that reason, Rose (six) and Baker (three) have received a combined nine shots at the title when they were not holding it.
The Native Beast has had a title shot after every title change. Most of Baker's opportunities came before she captured the belt. It's quite evident that AEW trusts the two and likes pushing them. The division is still growing, and the pandemic prevented some international stars from competing in the United States.
With things loosening up regarding the pandemic, it means that other women should get opportunities. Ruby Soho and Toni Storm both had shots, but Soho seemed to return to the middle of the division. Storm is fresh off of losing to Thunder Rosa, but she recently beat Rose and Baker.
WWE does the same thing as AEW, relying on the same five or six names as champions. They usually mix a new star into the Championship scene once a year. Last year, it was Nikki A.S.H. This year, it is Liv Morgan.
Regardless of the promotion, certain stars are used more than others in title programs.
#1 Three of the five AEW Champions have won major titles in WWE
AEW has had five world champions. The first two, Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley, are both former WWE stars. Moxley lost his title to Kenny Omega, the third champion.
Early on, it made sense to rely on names that were known throughout the pro wrestling landscape. However, as AEW grew in stature, it started to rely on stars like Omega and later Hangman Page to lead the way.
The current (Punk) and interim (Moxley) world champions are both former WWE stars. While Punk, Jericho, and Moxley have been booked atop AEW, they were already huge stars within the industry.
Some fans might think that former WWE stars will be booked better outside of the company. That doesn't mean, however, that every former WWE star that joins AEW will hold the World Championship.