5 AEW stars to watch out for in 2020
For a promotion that has its roots in an informal social media bet, All Elite Wrestling has certainly come a long way.
The promotion, which sees itself as an alternative to the sports entertainment product offered by WWE, started when long-time polarizing pro wrestling and sports journalist Dave Meltzer offered his opinion that small promotions like Ring of Honor wouldn't be selling out a 10000-seat arena 'any time soon.'
Cody, then a Ring of Honor and New Japan star, tweeted his reply.
The result was the All In event held in Chicago, which was a resounding critical success. Fans seemed thirsty for more of AEW's high octane, hard-hitting Japanese strong style influenced pro wrestling.
They would get their wish with All In: Double or nothing. At the end of the event, Cody and the Young Bucks stood in the ring and seemed to strongly hint that they would be forming their own promotion.
On a cold morning in Tokyo, the Elite gathered in the snow to announce that AEW would become a reality. Financed by Jacksonville Jaguars owner Tony Khan, the new promotion would seek to conquer a sizable market share in the pro wrestling landscape.
Now that AEW is proving itself by garnering good ratings for TNT, everyone's eyes are on the fledgling promotion. Chris Jericho is the current AEW champion, but who else should be in the title picture?
Here are five AEW stars who could light the promotion, and the wrestling world, on fire in 2020.
#1 MJF
The man now known as MJF was trained for the ring by WWE Superstar Curt Hawkins at the Create a Pro wrestling academy.
MJF showed a lot of promise, but when he sent in an audition tape for WWE's Tough Enough, he was not selected to participate in the program. From there, he joined Combat Zone Wrestling and won the Wired Championship in that promotion. He is also the inaugural Major League Wrestling Middleweight Champion.
A lot of fans who don't follow the indie scene were unfamiliar with MJF when he first signed with All Elite Wrestling. That has quickly changed with his combination of poise and in-ring talent.
While MJF is relatively inexperienced compared to others on the AEW roster, he more than makes up for it with his charisma and a sharp mind for the business. He's definitely one to watch in 2020.