The first show in 2024 has already happened and I think there are a lot of things to be excited about for the promotion in the upcoming year. There’s one thing that you can’t say about AEW, they put on some tremendous shows. Regardless of the controversy that comes their way, they always put on fantastic shows. That is who they are. In this article, I will provide a general idea of what I think their current state is in AEW. This can range from anything that I perceive from the company as a whole. Next, I will talk about 5 main talking points that I think could pop up in the upcoming year. And to finish things off, I will give 10 bold predictions that I think could happen in 2024. I usually make things pretty creative and some may be off of the wall. Well, let’s not waste any more time. Let’s see what could be in store for 2024 in AEW.

Current State of AEW

Where do I begin with AEW? I think it is overwhelming optimism in the WWE, but for AEW, I can't really say the same. Not that I think they will have a bad year, but I can't say that they will with as much confidence as I can with the WWE. Like I said in the intro, you can’t say that AEW doesn’t put out a good product. If you like pure wrestling, AEW is the place to get your fix. With that being said, I feel like I can't skip an episode of Dynamite and if I do skip an episode of Collision, I feel bad for getting behind. I can't really say the same for WWE. I could skip a couple months of WWE shows and not really miss a lot. Despite all of the controversy that they have had in the last couple of years, I still watch and enjoy watching. As long as they continue to put on great show every week and stick to their guns, they will be fine. They apparently took a big financial hit this year, but a lot of that can be attributed to the video game release I feel like, but I will talk about that later on. In a contract year for their TV rights, they need to what they can to move the needle and I am confident that they will get a good TV deal. I can't believe 5 years has passed for AEW and even though I think they overcame quite a bit, there still have quite a long road ahead of them. They have good people within the company to help them grow, but for now, they are doing fine. I think they want to be doing better, though.

Who Will Be the Newest Members of AEW in 2024?

Tony Khan mentioned at the World’s End presser that AEW plans on signing a bunch of big free agents in 2024. I talked about it in my WWE article, briefly, but there are a lot of free agents in the wrestling world. Who does AEW have their eyes on? Well, let’s see. Mercedes Mone is a name with a lot of buzz lately and apparently, it is all but locked in for her to make her debut any day now. It is believed that Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins also have contracts ending soon, but I can't see them leaving WWE. There are some that I can see leaving the company though. One guy that I think could be a real possibility is Drew McIntyre. It feels like he is on his way out. I can’t say that I have proof, but sometimes you have a hunch about these things. Also, AJ Styles leaving the WWE wouldn't shock me either. For quite a while, AJ Styles was one of the premiere names outside of the WWE for a long time and I think the AEW style suits him a little more. Nic Nemeth (fka Dolph Ziggler) is also a strong possibility for AEW.

Along the similar lines with WWE guys. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are also believed to have expired deals this year, so don’t be surprised if both of them go back to ROH. A guy I think that could be on the radar for AEW and WWE is Matt Cardona. He has been killing it in the indies for quite some time and I definitely. Think he will have a permanent home in either one of those two. Fans have mixed opinions about him, but I think Goldberg may be heading to AEW also. I don’t mind Goldberg, I just don’t want him anywhere near the belt. On the women’s side, Steph De Lander is making waves in the indies and she has even wrestled on dark shows for AEW. Also, Emma and Kamille could be some strong possibilities. I think the biggest possibility is Deonna Purrazzo. I’m interested to see who may sign with them this year. I think it will be a big year for AEW debuts.

Is MJF Really Done?

I expect MJF to take a hiatus at the beginning of the new year and he has earned it. He has been carrying AEW for the better part of the last two years and he needs time to recover. With that being said, it is believed that his contract is up and that he is a free agent. He also wrote a lengthy piece for the Players Tribune last week, which seemingly felt like a goodbye letter to AEW. Now, some say that he quietly signed an extension and it is rumored to be 3-4 years in length. I don’t know whether to believe that or not. Personally, I think it would be a bad decision for him to stay in AEW. There really isn't anything more for him to do. Well, I should say there isn't much more he can do. I love AEW, but it isn't the WWE. If your dream was to become a wrestler, you don’t dream of headlining the 2nd company. You want to be top dog in the biggest company. Now, it would be cool if he comes back, but personally, I think he should give WWE a shot. In my WWE Predictions article, I decided to predict that MJF would win the Intercontinental Championship. Granted, that was in the bold prediction portion. We’ll see what happens with MJF, but personally, I think he should be WWE bound.

Are the Women Gonna Get More TV Time?

If you noticed last year’s programs, it felt like there were little to no Women’s matches featured on the card. With Collision in play, there really is no excuse not to feature the women more. Some of the women have been vocal about it too. Most notably from Britt Baker. She commented that she had zero promo time on Dynamite all year long in 2023. That is embarrassing. At one time, she was the hottest thing that AEW had going. Hopefully, this changes in 2024. It seems like the women’s division is hitting on all cylinders. Toni Storm is fantastic. Julia Hart is finding her groove. Thunder Rosa is back, and it appears that Serena Deeb is too. Jamie Hayter will likely return soon. Kris Statlander is great. Britt Baker is still here. Saraya, Ruby Soho, Hikaru Shida, Athena, and Riho are constants. Also, you have ladies like Skye Blue, Anna Jay, and Willow Nightingale continuing to hone their craft. Also, Mariah May seems to be in a good spot to succeed. The new year should be great for the ladies of AEW and hopefully we will see them featured more in the upcoming year.

Breakout Stars of 2024

I had a tough time coming up with my star to watch in 2024 for the men’s division. Now, this portion is reserved usually for guys and gals that I think are going to take their game to the next level and that is just what I am predicting for one male and one female. In the men’s division, I am going with a guy who is currently inactive but is due to be back at any moment. AEW fans haven’t stopped talking about him and I think he could go on a big heel run. I think Jack Perry will emerge this year as one of the company’s top stars in the upcoming year. Personally, I thought he was involved in the undercover devil storyline, but apparently, he isn't. We shall see what the upcoming year will hold for him, but I think he could have a huge year. Along with Perry, I think Swerve Strickland will continue to have a big year and I think Sammy Guevara could emerge on his own this year.

In the women’s division, I didn’t have a tough time deciding. In fact, I immediately knew who I wanted. She officially signed with AEW only months ago, but it feels like she has been a mainstay for years. She is improving each and every time I see her in the ring and I think she will have a big, big year. My breakout female wrestler for 2024 in AEW is Skye Blue. She has been featured quite a bit and has even earned some title shots. I think she starts padding that resume in 2024 and don’t be surprised if she is wearing gold at any point this year.

The Video Game

I don’t know how much of a talking point this will be in 2024, but I feel like I had to address it. AEW’s attempt at their first console video game, was a flop. I won’t say a terrible flop, but a flop nonetheless. The game was fun for about a week and quickly wore off. It is practically a party game that you and your friends play occasionally, but nothing more than that. I will say, I had fun with it, but there was nothing else to do after you finished the career and stop doing random matches. A lot of fans were anxiously waiting for this game to come out and it took nearly 5 years. Now, I didn’t care how long it took as long as it was good, but he anticipation of the game and how they handled the marketing of it wasn’t a good mix. They promoted this game way too early and fans had to wait and wait for it to come out, only to be bored of it after a week. Then they charge outrageous DLC prices for game characters that are outdated. I really wanted to love this game, but I wouldn't be upset if I never play it again. The actual gameplay isn't bad, but it needs to be a deeper game and despite fans saying that they wanted an arcade style. i.e. No Mercy style. I think most fans want a somewhat realistic game with hints of arcade style. Hopefully they can redeem themselves in the next couple of years with a new game.

Bold Predictions

- Wardlow will become AEW World Champion at some point in 2024

- Thunder Rosa and Britt Baker will have a Texas Deathmatch this year

- Sammy Guevara will not only be the first 4-time TNT Champion, but he’ll become 5-time Champ

- The iconic TLC Match between Adam Copeland and Christian Cage vs. The Dudleys vs. The Hardys will be recreated in 2024 for the AEW Tag Team belts

- Will Ospreay will hold the AEW International Championship for the longest time this year

- Goldberg will face Sting in his retirement match at Revolution

- Willow Nightingale will be TBS Champion at the end of 2024

- Best Friends will win the Trios Championship prior to or at Double or Nothing and hold them for the rest of the year

- Toni Storm will not lose the AEW Women’s World Championship in 2024

- Darby Allin will end the year with the AEW World Championship

Yacs

AEW Predictions for 2024