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AEW gave us several intriguing feuds in 2021. We saw Bryan Danielson face Kenny Omega as a face and later clash with Hangman Page as a heel. In the tag team division, The Lucha Brothers have feuded with both the Young Bucks and FTR.
Malakai Black introduced himself to AEW by attacking Cody Rhodes. Elsewhere, Tay Conti and Anna Jay have been feuding with Allie and Penelope Ford for several months. These two teams capped things off with a great street fight on the most recent episode of Rampage.
Since Bryan Danielson is a heel, he'll probably feud with Darby Allin and Orange Cassidy at some point in 2022. Those two are booked as top faces in AEW, and it's fair to assume that Bryan will probably put one or both over.
Once Kenny Omega returns, he'll have several new feuds, including one that could be in his own stable. With that being said, here are five feuds that AEW should book in 2022.
(Note: Jon Moxley is not listed due to the uncertainty surrounding how long he will be out. Also, most of the women have already feuded with each other, so no rivalries in the women's division are listed here.)
#5. AEW could be building to a breakup between Wardlow and MJF
This inevitable clash has already been set in motion over the last few months. Wardlow has long been a henchman of MJF by doing his dirty work, and he has often been used as the final boss before someone faces The Salt of the Earth.
In recent weeks, AEW has been teasing some tensions between the duo. Most notably, MJF recently revealed that Wardlow's contract says that all titles won by the powerhouse must be handed to revert to him.
Wardlow gets cheers from the crowd every time he hits a powerbomb, so it's easy to imagine him as a face. Expect Wardlow to win something significant soon, only to be forced to turn it over to MJF. This direction would be a major step toward a feud between the two.
The loudmouth from New York would have the rest of the Pinnacle on his side against Mr. Mayhem. But Wardlow is different from the rest of the stars that have been pushed in AEW's main event scene. He's similar to the size of the stars that Vince McMahon likes to push in WWE.
MJF and Wardlow will likely feud in the early stages of 2022. When they do, the powerhouse should easily reach the next level of stardom in AEW.
#4. Adam Cole and Kenny Omega could face off in AEW this year
This buzzworthy clash has already been teased a few different times. When Omega still held the AEW World Championship, Cole seemed like a lieutenant rather than an equal to The Best Bout Machine. Omega later lost the title, and he's currently taking time off to heal from several injuries.
In recent weeks, Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly have both reunited with Cole. The presence of this new trio is causing some conflict with the Young Bucks, as Cole had previously been paired up with Matt and Nick Jackson. But with his former Undisputed Era teammates by his side, he seems to be torn between the two teams.
Cole is too talented to be a mid-carder in any promotion, so he needs to be involved in a major storyline. This tension between his allies would be a perfect excuse to have a big-time trios feud between the groups at some point in 2022. Omega will have to return healthy, but the rivalry would certainly be top-notch, both in the ring and in promos.
Omega should step out of the main event title picture when he comes back. For the former champion, a heated feud with Cole would be a great addition to AEW programming in 2022.
#3. Malakai Black could face CM Punk in AEW
Like most new AEW stars, Malakai Black first feuded with Cody Rhodes upon his arrival. He has transitioned to clashing with the Varsity Blondes, but this rivalry seems like a short-term program. Overall, Black's character is among the most intriguing in all of wrestling, so he should be chasing gold in 2022.
Whether that happens sooner or later is up for debate. Moving forward, there will be a time when Black and CM Punk need something to do. They both represent alternatives to the usual stars who are pushed as main-eventers. Both men have numerous tattoos, and they are not afraid to speak their minds.
In the past, Punk has been called the Voice of the Voiceless, and Black represents someone who tries to speak out against society. He might seem like someone who corrupts others, but perhaps what he says is somewhat true. With this in mind, these two characters could have a compelling feud against each other.
Black might not be one of the younger stars that Punk mentioned when he joined AEW, but he is still one of the most unique. Standing out from the pack was put Punk on his path to stardom in the first place, so it'd be fascinating to see him face another distinct wrestler in AEW.
#2. MJF vs. Hangman Page would be a battle for the future of AEW
Hangman Page is the reigning AEW World Champion, and he should have the title for at least half of 2022. Chris Jericho was the only champion who did not defend the title for at least 200 days.
With that in mind, MJF will likely challenge for the title at some point in 2022 because he's been heavily protected throughout his AEW career. He'll probably have to get through a feud with Wardlow first. But after that, he'll likely chase either the TNT Championship or the AEW World Championship.
MJF even mentioned his title aspirations on the latest episode of AEW Dynamite. He could easily challenge for the TNT Championship, but he has already feuded with the current champion, Cody Rhodes. For this reason, MJF would be the perfect choice to dethrone Hangman Page when the time comes. By beating Hangman, he would cement his status as AEW's top heel.
That feud would be perfect for the second half of 2022, and it could main-event All Out. The Salt of the Earth could also reignite his rivalry with CM Punk, but there's a strong possibility that MJF will target Page during his reign as the champion.
#1. CM Punk and Adam Cole should face off in AEW
AEW has so many unique stars, and the company added buzzworthy names like Adam Cole and CM Punk in 2021. The Second City Saint, one of the biggest stars in the business, joined the company over the summer after he spent seven years away from wrestling.
On the other hand, Cole was arguably the greatest performer in NXT history, but he opted to leave WWE when his contract expired in August. He subsequently made his remarkable AEW debut at All Out.
Punk is perhaps the most noteworthy addition the company has ever made due to his status in the wrestling industry. His return was one of the highlights of the entire year in 2021, and many fans can't wait to see what he does next.
While he might be a step slower than he was seven years ago, he's still among the best promos in the game. Cole is also renowned for his promo skills, and he has previously mentioned that he wants to face Punk.
Punk is one of the best stars of the previous generation, and Cole is among the top performers in the world today. A clash between the two beloved stars would be easy money for AEW in 2022.
