AEW has been extended for another four years, and a large part of that is thanks to a big and talented roster full of superstars from the past, present, and future. On the top of the mountain, as of this writing, is the AEW Champion, Chris Jericho. Throughout the decades, Y2J has made a name for himself wrestling for the biggest promotions around. Whether its ECW, WCW, WWE, NJPW, or AEW, Le Champion has been one of the biggest names wherever he goes.
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So, it was no surprise that he became the new promotion's first champion. Still, as his reign continues, we can't help but think about all the stars that could potentially take the title away from him — not that we'd ever want that to happen. Regardless, his time as the champion will come to an end, and we want to explore the wrestlers who could do that. Here are 10 AEW Stars Who Should Win Chris Jericho's Championship.
10 Dustin Rhodes
While this name seems like a long shot right now, Dustin Rhodes is a fantastic wrestler. At 50-years-old, Rhodes has spent a career being one of the most technically gifted stars around, but with little to show for it. Perhaps that's thanks to a large portion of his career being spent in WWE, but with matches in five separate decades, it's time the man formerly known as Goldust gets his run on top.
There's a built-in story here too. Outside of Cody and Jon Moxley, no other star in AEW has had as much of a point of contention with Jericho's Inner Circle. While he's had little direct contact with Y2J himself, Rhodes had to deal with Sammy Guevara and even had his arm broken by the group's muscle, Jake Hagar. The best revenge from The Natural should come in the form of a championship match.
9 Jake Hager
Jake Hager may be a member of The Inner Circle now, but with unmatched strength and a legitimate background in both amateur wrestling and mixed-martial-arts, he might be the most dangerous member of AEW. For now, that makes him the perfect henchman for Jericho, but one has to wonder how long that can last.
Hager has yet to actually wrestle a match in AEW as of this writing, instead, inserting himself in Inner Circle matches, coming in at just the right time to ensure his friends get the win they need. But one has to wonder how long he's willing to stand aside for them to bask in the spotlight.
8 Rey Fenix
When it comes to talent, you'll be hard-pressed to find a wrestler in AEW as good as Rey Fenix. That's not a knock on the promotion's roster either — he's one of the best in the world. With swift agility and a high octane move set, one can be reminded of a young Rey Mysterio Jr when they watch this member of the Lucha Bros., in the ring.
Yet, while we love the tag-team he's in, we've seen what he can do on his own. We know it's only a matter of time before either member of the popular duo gets their hands on singles gold, so why not kick it off with a rivalry against one of the most legendary names in wrestling in Chris Jericho?
7 Pentagon Jr
Before signing in AEW, Pentagon Jr may have been the bigger name between him and his brother Rey Fenix, and it's not hard to see why. A little older than his tag-partner, Pentagon Jr has a look and move set, unlike anything we've seen before. That's helped him get a foot in the door, at least in North America a little bit before Fenix, and we've seen him do some spectacular things in Lucha Underground and Impact Wrestling as a result.
The former Impact Champion already has the pedigree to carry gold, and we've seen what he can do, so it's not out of the question that he will challenge for the title at some point. We'd love to see Pentagon Jr vs Chris Jericho at some point anyway, so the added stipulation for a championship just makes sense. This is definitely one of AEWs dream matches.
6 Adam Page
Ever since he signed in AEW, it's felt like "Hangman" Adam Page was destined to win the AEW Championship. Taking part in the first match for the championship's title, Page had a sniff of the big time but eventually lost to Jericho. Since then, the Cowboy has gone on to be one of the pillars in the company, and his stock has slowly been rising with each passing week.
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As one of the bigger names in AEW, Page is incredibly talented, and his in-ring work is second-to-none. Incredibly entertaining whenever he's in the ring, he carries himself like an old-school superstar in the best kind of way. We think that the best way for him to come full circle is to defeat the man who beat him months ago and win the championship he's clearly going to hold.
5 Darby Allin
Darby Allin instantly made an impact in AEW during his first match against Cody Rhodes at Fyter Fest. Taking Cody to a time-limit draw, Allin has only gotten more popular as time goes on. Since then, the unorthodox star has drawn comparisons to Jeff Hardy, mostly due to his unique look, and high-flying move set.
We'd like to think he's a little more different than that, but regardless, he's the fastest rising star in AEW. Consistently placed against the biggest names in the Company, Allin is in a great position to be a champion one day.
4 Cody
OK, Cody technically can't challenge for the AEW Championship, but we all know that nothing in pro-wrestling is forever. Easily the biggest good-guy in the company, Cody captivates audiences with his fantastic promos and emotion-filled matches.
In AEW, the son of the son of a plumber wears many hats both in and out of the ring, and fans love him for that. During the leadup to his match with Jericho, Cody was the talk of the internet, and it seemed that everyone legitimately wanted him to win. Since the match ended, and Cody lost, fans haven't waivered in support for him, and that should be enough to push him into another match.
3 PAC
PAC's signing in AEW was equal parts unexpected and surprising. A star in Dragon Gate and AEW, the talented star from Newcastle dazzled audiences with his mix of high-flying and power moves, along with strong technical abilities. To put it bluntly, he's proven everywhere he goes that he can do it all. Since his arrival in AEW, the PAC has been victorious more often than not, and during that time, he's inched closer and closer to gold.
It's only a matter of time before he wins a championship at some point, but we think his history with Jericho — which dates back to WWE — could make for a fantastic story. At the very least, we know the match will be awesome.
2 Jon Moxley
Jon Moxley could be considered the biggest signing in AEW history. His debut came as a complete surprise, following a somewhat disappointing time in WWE. Since then, he's taken part in fantastic matches in NJPW, winning their IWGP United States Championship, and had one of the most brutal fights in AEW's short existence to boot.
The rebel of the show, Moxley gets some of the loudest reactions wherever he goes, regardless of his opponent.
1 Kenny Omega
In many ways, Kenny Omega could be considered the Ace in AEW. Unquestionably the best wrestler in the promotion — and arguably the best in the world — Omega has it all. After a legendary time in NJPW, Omega's stock couldn't have been higher when he signed in AEW, but before the start of the new year, he struggled to pick up wins. More recently, he's kicked it into another level and is winning while also looking great.
It's obvious that he will be the centerpiece at some point in AEW, but it's unclear when that will be. He'd obviously have to pick up a major win at some point, and being the man to take down the Inner Circle could do just that.
