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2020 proved to be an eventful year for various Superstars on the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) roster. Though the promotion was still relatively new heading into 2020, the shows and storylines it presented exceeded many fans' expectations.
This year was mainly dominated by Superstars who made their names in other established promotions, such as WWE and NJPW. Names like Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, FTR, Brodie Lee, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks come to mind. But the whole roster is filled with remarkable performers.
Even unheralded competitors have made the most of the opportunities AEW has given to them. In fact, there are countless current AEW wrestlers who the fans weren't familiar with when 2020 began. But as the year comes to a close, it's safe to say that these same performers have become household names.
With that being said, here's a look at five AEW Superstars who broke out in 2020.
#5 Scorpio Sky (climbed the ranks of AEW's men's division)
A lot of fans were excited when Scorpio Sky signed with AEW in 2019. He capitalized on this buzz, and he entered 2020 as one half of the inaugural AEW Tag Team Champions. After Sky and Frankie Kazarian lost the titles, Sky started pursuing a singles career while he remained a member of SCU.
Even though he wasn't regularly featured on AEW Dynamite, Sky consistently racked up wins on AEW Dark. He soon found himself on the #5 spot in the men's rankings. It was only a matter of time until he challenged Cody Rhodes for the TNT Championship, but Sky came out on the losing side of this match.
Sky then turned his attention to a feud with The Dark Order. This feud climaxed at AEW All Out (2020), where Sky teamed up with The Natural Nightmares and Matt Cardona to defeat The Dark Order.
Currently, Scorpio Sky is out with an injury. But there's no doubt that he will do everything in his power to make a quick recovery and claim 2021 as his year.
#4 Eddie Kingston (Main-Evented AEW Full Gear)
Eddie Kingston didn't make his AEW debut until July. But he has emerged as one of the company's breakout Superstars of 2020. He first appeared on the scene on the July 22 episode of AEW Dynamite, where he answered Cody Rhodes' TNT Championship open challenge.
Before the match started, Kingston cut a brilliant promo that immediately captured the fans' attention. Kingston failed to defeat "The American Nightmare", but he left such an impact that the fans immediately started lobbying for AEW to sign "The Mad King." And just like that, the promotion ended up signing Kingston on July 31.
Over the next five months, Kingston embarked on the run of his career. He continued to deliver jaw-dropping promos on a weekly basis. Shortly after AEW All Out 2020, he entered the AEW World Championship picture. He competed in the main event of AEW Full Gear 2020, where he unsuccessfully challenged Jon Moxley for AEW's top prize.
Kingston doesn't have a title around his waist. But he is still wreaking havoc on the AEW roster, as he's currently feuding with Lance Archer, PAC, and the Lucha Bros.
#3 Hikaru Shida (Became the Longest-Reigning AEW Women's Champion)
After Hikaru Shida failed to secure a spot in the inaugural AEW Women's World Championship match on the first episode of AEW Dynamite, she was pushed down the card.
But Shida turned her AEW career around once 2020 arrived. She was one of the competitors who held down the fort when AEW had to run shows with less than half of its roster readily available.
At AEW Double or Nothing (2020), Shida became the third AEW Women's World Champion by dethroning Nyla Rose. Since then, she has managed to defend her title against all odds. Some of her notable challengers include Rose, Thunder Rosa and Penelope Ford.
Shida has not received a lot of television time during her title reign, but she has added several accomplishments to her résumé. She has become the longest-reigning Women's Champion in AEW history, and she enters 2021 with the title still in her possession.
It will be interesting to see what the new year has in store for Shida.
#2 Orange Cassidy (Defeated Chris Jericho at AEW All Out 2020)
Since his AEW debut at Double or Nothing (2019), Orange Cassidy has become one of the most popular Superstars on the roster. His unique style of wrestling, along with his laid-back personality, has made him quite popular with AEW's fans.
At first, Cassidy rarely wrestled, but in 2020, he has stepped up his game. Once the pandemic hit, the company had to rely on a small group of Superstars, and "Freshly Squeezed" was one of them.
His consistent performances led him to a feud with the inaugural AEW World Champion, Chris Jericho. To everyone's surprise, Cassidy defeated Jericho at the company's flagship pay-per-view, AEW All Out (2020.)
After this rivalry, Cassidy challenged for the TNT Championship three times. He has remained a constant highlight of AEW Dynamite. While Cassidy has retained the mystique of his character, he has put on some incredible matches against AEW's top wrestlers.
The future looks quite bright for Cassidy heading into 2021.
#1 MJF (Only lost one singles match in AEW this year)
MJF has already achieved so much in AEW, and he's only 24 years old. The sky's the limit for the company's top heel. Although he was featured prominently on AEW programming in 2019, he has cemented his status as one of the promotion's cornerstones in 2020.
He racked up a huge victory against Cody Rhodes at the first AEW pay-per-view of the year, Revolution. He went on a brief hiatus, but he returned during the summer. After he successfully feuded with Jungle Boy, MJF started chasing the AEW World Champion, Jon Moxley.
MJF suffered his first singles loss in his AEW career when he challenged Moxley for the title. After this defeat, MJF sought to join The Inner Circle. He was granted membership in this faction when he defeated Chris Jericho at AEW Full Gear 2020.
MJF has feuded with many of the company's top stars all year long. He also participated in the award-winning "Le Dinner Debonair" segment.
From his old-school wrestling to his heat-seeking promos, MJF will likely be one of the company's icons when it's all said and done.
