7 AEW stars whose meteoric rise drastically declined in 2024

Many viewers and critics claim that AEW's 2024 has been a mixed bag overall, with triumphant highs regularly accompanying bizarre lows with regard to the company's creative programming. The year has also witnessed several massive additions and returns to the company's already stacked roster, which have undoubtedly influenced ongoing storylines and content.

With limited time available for an oversaturated locker room, multiple top names from AEW have arguably found themselves in questionable career trajectories due to Tony Khan and his team's booking decisions, among other factors. Let us consider seven such stars who, despite having some momentum, experienced a marked drop in their stocks in 2024.

#1. Wardlow

Following his return towards the end of last year, Wardlow went on a dominant winning streak, eventually joining up with Adam Cole and The Undisputed Kingdom to cost MJF his AEW World Title to Samoa Joe at Worlds End 2023. The War Dog kept winning, eventually earning a shot at the World Championship by winning an All-Star Scramble at Revolution 2024.

Unfortunately, at Dynamite: Big Business, Samoa Joe retained against Wardlow, who had received orders from Adam Cole to win the belt for him. The War Dog later helped his stablemate Roderick Strong successfully defend the AEW International Title at Dynasty 2024 but has been absent from All Elite programming for months.

Another teammate of Wardlow's recently claimed that he has been dealing with an injury. That said, the 36-year-old's inconsistent booking in the company has undoubtedly cost him much of his former popularity and momentum.

#2. Kazuchika Okada

AEW fans celebrated earlier this year when Kazuchika Okada officially joined the company's roster, albeit as a member of The New Elite alongside The Young Bucks.

The Rainmaker swiftly dethroned Eddie Kingston for the Continental Title and has defended it on several occasions against stars like PAC, Dax Harwood, Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, Mark Briscoe, and Orange Cassidy, besides a draw against Claudio Castagnoli at Cardiff.

Unfortunately, Okada's involvement with The Elite may have cost him some of the spotlight due to him being a top singles name. He failed to beat AEW World Champ Bryan Danielson in their title-for-title match in October, and his run in the 2024 Continental Classic has seen him wrestle up-and-comer Daniel Garcia to a draw, and take a loss to Kyle Fletcher, albeit not a clean one.

Many consider Okada one of AEW's foremost talents, but the 37-year-old star arguably deserves more focused booking and development as a top character.

#3. Jack Perry

Jack Perry made his shocking return to AEW at the Dynasty PPV on the heels of much controversy, helping The Young Bucks beat FTR to win the World Tag Team Titles. Later that month, The Scapegoat did the unthinkable by physically assaulting Tony Khan and eventually joining The Jackson Brothers and Kazuchika Okada in The New Elite. He went on to score a major pinfall on Bryan Danielson to win Anarchy in the Arena for his team at Double or Nothing and won the TNT Title at Forbidden Door.

After suffering a nearly fatal setback at Blood and Guts, Perry retained his belt against Darby Allin at All In 2024. However, he failed to dethrone Danielson for the AEW World Title at All Out and was afterward embroiled in a feud with Daniel Garcia, who seemingly got the better of the former Jungle Boy in their rivalry, ultimately taking his TNT Championship from him at Full Gear.

The second half of 2024 has not added much to Perry's journey, although things may change if he does switch his allegiance as per theories that fans have been discussing lately.

#4. MJF

MJF returned for the first time since Worlds End 2023 at Double or Nothing this year, taking out Adam Cole and vowing to be at the top again.

This put him on a collision course with Will Ospreay over the AEW International Title, which Friedman won, briefly rebranded, and held before dropping it back to the Englishman at All In. Tied to this program was an intense rivalry between MJF and Daniel Garcia, whom he defeated at All Out. However, the latter brutalized his neck afterward as revenge against The Salt of the Earth, doing the same to him in July.

MJF as the AEW American Champion [Source: MJF's X profile]

Friedman returned at WrestleDream 2024 to seemingly resume his feud with Garcia, but he would instead be foiled by the returning Adam Cole, who has been in pursuit of his old tag partner since.

Fans have expressed much confusion at The Wolf of Wrestling being depicted as the heel in his issues with Cole and his allies, although the rivalry may finally be settled at Worlds End this year. While MJF is still undeniably a reliable draw in AEW, the company may have erred in making him revisit last year's much-criticized Devil storyline, which Friedman should soon move on from.

#5. Britt Baker

When Britt Baker returned at Forbidden Door 2024 to confront Mercedes Mone, fans were hyped for a compelling singles program featuring the former AEW Women's World Champion and the reigning TBS Champion. Although she had made an admirable recovery from her injuries and illness, The DMD failed to dethrone The CEO at All In in a match that many viewers have held to be underwhelming. Baker has wrestled only twice since then, with no progress in sight for her recently teased feud with Serena Deeb.

Britt Baker has been missing from action for a while now [Source: Baker's X profile]

Furthermore, The Doctor was implicated in a reported backstage dispute with a top star and colleague some time ago and has notably been missing from programming since November. Rumors claim that her hiatus stems from scheduling conflicts with the promotion and another subsequent illness. While her fanbase remains as strong as ever, Baker's position in AEW's women's division may have dipped a few levels recently.

#6. Former AEW World Champion Hangman Page

Hangman Page returned on Dynamite: Beach Break as a participant in the 2024 Owen Hart Cup with only one goal: winning the tournament and snatching the AEW World Title away from his arch-rival Swerve Strickland.

Despite failing to do so himself, he did help Bryan Danielson dethrone Swerve at All In and then finally defeated The Realest in a barbaric Lights Out Steel Cage Match at All Out, days after burning the latter's childhood house down as retaliation against Strickland for invading his home last year.

Although Page is on the hunt for the World Title again, many viewers have argued that his stellar character work in July and August should have led to Hangman winning the belt from Strickland. Regardless of the Virginia native's popularity, he is unlikely to walk out of Worlds End 2024 with Jon Moxley's belt, especially considering his recent major singles losses to fellow World Championship contender Jay White.

Fans may have to wait a while to see the so-called main character of AEW rehab his win/loss record and reclaim his old spot.

#7. Ricochet

Ricochet debuted in AEW at All In 2024 and quickly went on a hot streak in singles action. The One and Only did not take long to set his sights on the International Title and had a long-anticipated match with Will Ospreay for the belt, though it ended in a no-contest due to the interference of Konosuke Takeshita. Later, however, The Alpha - who won the belt at WrestleDream -retained the title against Ricochet at Full Gear 2024, ending the latter's undefeated record.

Ricochet is focused on winning the 2024 Continental Classic and has been teasing a turn to the dark side recently. Unfortunately, the persona he is seemingly trying to craft has not yet landed with fans, who have criticized his recent promo work online. Furthermore, he was roughhoused by The Hurt Syndicate on Dynamite this week, which many have viewed as detrimental to his legitimacy as a competitor.

While he is still one of AEW's most well-known names, The Future of Flight could possibly benefit from booking that plays to his strengths and the services of a competent manager such as MVP.