AEW has emerged as a formidable competitor to the global giant of wrestling, WWE. Tony Khan and a group of top wrestlers founded the company in 2019 and made it a huge land of opportunity for superstars who now had another landscape to thrive in the hardcore business.In their challenging journey of six years, All Elite Wrestling has clinched major network deals and signed some of the biggest names, like Mercedes Mone, Kenny Omega, Bobby Lashley, and more. Moreover, the Jacksonville-based promotion has also done sell-out shows, which have established its presence in the industry significantly.However, Tony Khan and his regime have been facing tough competition from WWE recently, which is expected to continue for months. Here are the three ways Khan can shock the audience and take his promotion to the next level in 2026.#3. Bobby Lashley finally becomes the AEW World ChampionAEW made a huge signing with the former WWE Champion, Bobby Lashley, in 2024. This was seen as a huge addition to their immense star power. However, Tony Khan chose to align Lashley with his former cohorts, MVP and Shelton Benjamin, to form The Hurt Syndicate, which has proven to be a formidable unit in the promotion.However, Lashley has been a top singles attraction in WWE, which led to his two reigns as World Champion during his last tenure in the Stamford-based promotion. His time in AEW could finally come in 2026 to rise to the occasion, and this could see Tony Khan book The Almighty to win his first World Championship in All Elite Wrestling. #2. Bryan Danielson returns for one more run as an in-ring competitorBryan Danielson's career as a full-time in-ring competitor ended at the 2024 AEW WrestleDream event when he lost the World title to Jon Moxley. He remained off television for almost a year and made his grand return at All In Texas 2025 to deliver some in-ring chops to the Death Riders.Moreover, the American Dragon has recently returned to become a part-time commentator for their live television programming. Next year, he could possibly take it one step further and return to AEW as an in-ring competitor for a brief tenure. Should Bryan return to the ring in 2026, it could be a major boost for All Elite Wrestling and pave the way to some dream showdowns he has yet to have in the company.#1. Bayley makes her shocking debut in All Elite WrestlingOne of the top names rumored to join AEW in the future is WWE veteran Bayley. The Role Model has been an accomplished name in the Sports Entertainment Juggernaut; however, the last few months have been a downhill ride for her. Moreover, she recently stirred up the conversation by showing interest in battling her best friend and current top All Elite Wrestling star, Mercedes Mone, one more time.Tony Khan can benefit from the shocking debut of Bayley if that happens in 2026. The former Hugger has done almost everything in WWE, and a move to AEW could be a fresh and exciting chapter in her wrestling career.