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All Elite Wrestling is the talk of the town right now after they secured a deal with TNT to produce their weekly show starting in the Fall, but before we get to that, we've got Double or Nothing coming up on the 25th of May, and that's going to shed a lot of light on AEW going forward. We've heard teases on the Road to Double or Nothing about the Championships in AEW, but it won't be revealed until the show how and when the first Champion will be crowned, but that doesn't mean we can't begin to speculate.
From former WWE main event players to rising stars within the industry, AEW have assembled a fantastic roster, and while there are obvious players in the race to be the first All Elite Champion, there are a few surprise packets too. So without further ado, sit back and read along as we look to the early days of AEW as we give you 10 options to become the first ever All Elite Wrestling Heavyweight Champion.
#10 MJF
A lot of people have criticized AEW for getting some big time stars but very little future, and that couldn't be further from the truth, because, love him or hate him, MJF will be a superstar for All Elite Wrestling for years to come. He's not a top candidate to win the belt the first time, but given how close he's become with Cody on Being the Elite, it's easy to see him worming his way to the AEW Championship sooner, rather than later.
There are few wrestlers in the world with more potential at such a young age, and given his look, his persona and his in-ring work, Maxwell Jacob Freidman will be one of the biggest names in wrestling in just a few years. He's in the Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing, and has a great shot at winning that, so his title hopes could come as soon as this year, but we've included him as a potential outlier to win the first Championship.
#9 Joey Janela
In wrestling, there are performers that just have the 'It Factor', and the Bad, Bad Boy, Joey Janela is a perfect example of that. He's got a unique look, a fantastic attitude and he just exudes star power, and with Penelope Ford by his side in All Elite Wrestling, he's going to surprise quite a lot of the mainstream audience. He's also very creative, as Spring Break has become his own show over WrestleMania weekend and a huge success, so the guys on Being the Elite must be very impressed by that, and it will serve him well going forward.
With all the death match performers AEW are gathering, it's safe to say that the undercard is going to be quite fun, but Janela is the perfect example of someone who could get hot and rise into the main event. It's highly unlikely that he gets that big of a push straight out of the gates, but we've included him on this list because of his potential, and one day, he'll likely be AEW Champion.
#8 Marty Scurll
The Being the Elite series on YouTube is what truly launched All Elite Wrestling, and The Villain was a huge part of that, and although he's currently with Ring of Honor, there are rumours that Marty Scurll could be AEW bound before they hit TNT. He's not yet been able to capture the ROH World Championship, and while that may not drive him to AEW, he'll definitely feel like he deserves more, and with his friends running the show in AEW, Marty will definitely get a better shot.
He's got the unique look, a great sense of character work and the personality to become a worldwide megastar, and Scurll is one of those people who will hook the casual viewers to AEW. Marty isn't a guy you can build a company around, but he's an incredible talent and is worthy of the main event slot (evidenced by his classic bout with Okada at All In), and if he does indeed come to AEW, he's definitely one they'll need to take a look at for this spot.
#7 Jon Moxley
For months now, we've heard the rumours of Moxley to AEW, and if it was confirmed, he'd be much higher on our list, but given the situation, he's an outside shot at being the first ever AEW Champion. In WWE, Dean Ambrose was slightly unhinged, but couldn't do anything with it due to the PG restrictions, but in AEW with opponents like Darby Allin, Jimmy Havoc, Joey Janela and others, he'll be one of the biggest stars in the company.
He's so much more than the deathmatch wrestler we saw the last time he was Jon Moxley however, and with the right story to bring him in, he could be the best overall choice for All Elite Wrestling. All of this is speculation right now, but all indicators point to Moxley heading to AEW, and none of us can wait to see what the former Dean Ambrose can do with all this freedom.
#6 Jimmy Havoc
On the surface, this one may seem like a stretch, but it was Jimmy Havoc that put Progress on the map as the best independent promotion in the world, and with good booking, he could do the same for AEW. There is a big difference, as AEW have much more main event talent than Progress did at that time, but with the right story, the UK King of the Death match could be a surprise main event player.
Havoc is a fantastic technical worker, but he overshadows that with violence and aggression, and handled properly, he can truly be a star for a company looking to push an 'alternative' style of programming. The King of Goths has many new opponents on the AEW roster, but plenty of old ones, and however they choose to use him, he'll be one that many people tune in to see, but outside of the known commodities in AEW, Havoc is the best choice to be the surprise first ever Champion.
#5 Cody
Many saw Cody as a future main event player in WWE, but for some reason, the company never quite got behind him, and now that he's gone out on his own, he's making them regret that decision. While he's not the caliber of wrestler that the following 4 are, he's a great character worker, and through his position as AEW EVP, he's shown just how creative and innovative he is.
While it would seem stupid to put the title immediately on Cody, it's something he could do as a big heel move, but as we are yet to see how the EVP/performer relationship works, that's pure speculation. Cody has already fulfilled his dream of becoming World Champion when he won the ROH World title, but this would mean something extra special, so it's likely to happen at some point, but the heel authority trope is incredibly played out at this point, so it may take some time for that to happen.
#4 PAC
While in WWE, Neville was criminally underused, but now that he's returned to the independent scene, he's made waves, and he's ready to prove to the world why he should have always been a main event talent. Already, The Bastard has proven to the hardcore fans why he is one of the most diverse and entertaining performers in the world, but with the platform they now have on TNT, PAC is ready to prove WWE wrong.
With that chip on his shoulder, he's seemingly improved since leaving WWE, and now that he's allowed to show off the full extent of his personality, he'll definitely be a main event talent for the company over the next few years. With new opponents like Omega, Page, Havoc and others at the top of their game, PAC is ready to be taken seriously as a main event star, and he's a great option to be the first AEW Champion.
#3 Kenny Omega
When it comes to proven main event talent in this current independent wrestling climate, there's no one better on the AEW roster than The Best Bout Machine, Kenny Omega. Over the past few years, he's been putting on classics in New Japan, even defeating Okada to become the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and with the way he's been treated so far in AEW press conferences, it's clear he's here to claim gold.
The Cleaner is one of the most enjoyable performers in wrestling to watch, as he truly puts his heart and soul into every performance, but in this case, he'd be a very predictable choice to be the first AEW Champion. It's inevitable that Omega rises to the top of AEW, as he's arguably the greatest professional wrestler on earth today, and while we wouldn't be surprised if he was the first AEW Champion, it's not the move we'd make.
#2 Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho was one of WCW's brightest young stars before he left for WWE, and 20 years later, he's still as good as ever, and ready to capture the first ever AEW Heavyweight Championship. No one in the history of wrestling has been as good at innovating and constantly evolving, and right now, Jericho is still a main event level talent (arguably the biggest draw in AEW), and that's incredible given how long he's been wrestling.
It's hard to tell which singles bout will be the main event of Double or Nothing, but it's safe to say that Omega vs. Jericho should be that match, and it could very well mean the difference between being the first AEW Champ and not. Regardless of what Jericho does in AEW, it will only strengthen his case for being the G.O.A.T in the wrestling business. Being a Champion in WCW, WWE, NJPW and now AEW would make his case very hard to dispute.
#1 Adam 'Hangman' Page
Ever since the announcement of AEW, the company have been positioning Hangman Page as a future World Champion, and with his main event battle with PAC at Double or Nothing coming up, he makes sense as #1. In terms of a main event star, Page has it all; the looks, the size, the athleticism, the gimmick and the charisma, and when you include his friendship with Cody and The Bucks, the case gets stronger.
Page is still in his mid to late 20's as well, so not only is he a star already, but he's the future of the company, and if he replicates his performance from All In, AEW will have a megastar on their hands. Chris Jericho is a big household name already, and he'll draw plenty of casual fans, but it's guys like Hangman Page that will keep them around, and right now, he's our prediction to be the first ever AEW Champion.
