Ranking the Top 10 Stars in AEW Right Now

As All Elite Wrestling approaches its first pay-per-view of 2023, AEW Revolution, the company is at an interesting crossroads with past stars possibly on their way out and new stars beginning to rise.

Defining AEW's success has always been difficult in an era when WWE dominates so much of the professional wrestling landscape. However, WWE is certainly not the only company with major stars.

MJF is AEW world champion and could run with the title for a while. Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks remain the stalwart EVPs of AEW while building the AEW trios division. Hangman Adam Page remains a recognizable star in a changing landscape.

AEW has relied upon Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley to build up the credibility of the company. Bryan Danielson arrived later than those two veterans but has made an immediate impact and further improved the in-ring standard in AEW.

The Acclaimed, Jamie Hayter and Orange Cassidy continue to build a fresh legacy as young talent fighting for gold.

These are the 10 biggest stars in AEW based on impact, legacy and merchandise sales. All statements about merchandise sales are based on ShopAEW.com rankings.

Stars of the Future

Before getting to the main list, the following talent just missed out on the list but could soon be at the top star level.

---

FTR

Not that long ago, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler were the most popular tag team in wrestling. However, they have played more of a supporting role on the brand while The Acclaimed rose to prominence and are now taking time off to heal up.

---

Eddie Kingston

A long-time wrestling veteran, The Mad King is missing that one definitive moment to solidify his star status. He has been struggling to find television time recently, but his next big performance could see him truly break out.

---

Darby Allin

The two-time TNT champion has been among the top 10 stars in AEW before, but he has found himself overshadowed by certain talent, particularly in the last year. He has long-term upside as one of the true young pillars of the company.

---

Danhausen

The Very Nice, Very Evil Man has a unique role in AEW that cannot be replicated. He replaced Orange Cassidy as AEW's primary pure comedy act. He has gotten himself over through character work that has also made him a major merchandise seller.

---

Swerve Strickland

The Mogul had only just begun to build a legacy in WWE when he was fired, and he has built off that foundation to become AEW's top rising heel. His feud with Keith Lee is the beginning of a major run that could lead him to gold and true star status.

Stars of the Past

AEW has many stars who got over long before arriving on the brand but who certainly remain popular while attempting to create a new legacy.

---

CM Punk

The Best in the World is the biggest star in AEW, but his last appearance has cast doubt on the possibility he will stay with the company. If everything is patched up between Punk and AEW executives, he could return to the top-star spot quickly.

---

Samoa Joe

The current TNT champion has evolved as a performer to begin a career resurgence. His matches with Darby Allin and A.R. Fox were show-stealers, but he still is much better known for his work in TNA, ROH and WWE.

---

Matt Hardy (and Jeff Hardy)

Matt was a big signing for AEW in 2020, a known veteran who could draw in new fans while putting over young talent. He was set for a major final run with his brother Jeff before The Charismatic Enigma was suspended indefinitely.

Both are still money-making veterans. However, Jeff's substance abuse struggles make it tough to rely upon him, and Matt is not at a point where he can perform at a top level anymore.

---

Adam Cole

Cole truly became a household name in WWE NXT. His time in AEW has not been nearly as eventful. However, much of that is because of a serious concussion. He is back, healthy and the poster boy of AEW: All Access. His major break in the company may be close at hand.

---

Toni Storm and Saraya

Storm was a great AEW women's champion and seemed to be getting over before Jamie Hayter overtook her as the star of the women's division.

Saraya is one of the most recognizable names in modern women's wrestling, but her run in AEW has started off rocky. Both have struggled to find their footing as heels, but they could get over after helping elevate the homegrown AEW talent in their current story.

10. Dr. Britt Baker, DMD

Dr. Britt Baker, DMD has long stood as the standard-bearer of the AEW women's division through its highs and lows. While the division is still struggling, storytelling has improved enough that The Doctor is not as vital.

She has stepped aside to allow Jamie Hayter to thrive after Hayter promoted her as AEW women's champion before. The two are an impressive duo, with both pushing the overall division to greater heights.

While she is only a backup for the moment, she is gaining popularity as a babyface, appreciated by fans for her steadfast loyalty to the brand since its inception.

She will certainly return to title contention eventually. In the meantime, she and her boyfriend Adam Cole are the faces of AEW: All Access, and The Doctor's natural charm should only increase her popularity.

9. Jamie Hayter

It takes a special star to not only push Dr. Britt Baker, DMD to the background but also decisively take over the division after a strong reign from Toni Storm. Jamie Hayter did it all.

Her rise was not an easy one in AEW. She walked into the company cold and had to step away during the pandemic. When she returned to support The Doctor, no one could have predicted what would happen.

Hayter's evolution over the past year has been remarkable. She is now an absolute star and the face of the division. She has elevated her opponents to career performances, including Emi Sakura and Hikaru Shida.

Her match against Storm is arguably the best women's match in AEW's history and certainly could be seen as the most important.

Only AEW can hold Hayter back as she is adored by fans at a level no one can match. However, AEW Dynamite and Rampage have not had more than one women's match for nearly the entire history of both shows.

If Hayter can be the catalyst for the division as a whole growing, she will solidify her status as a franchise star long past her first title reign.

8. Orange Cassidy

The rise of Orange Cassidy is almost inexplicable. He walked in as the lazy wrestler that just appeared in random segments to kick people. That all changed thanks to a feud with Pac and his first big match at AEW Revolution 2020.

On that night, the fans first saw Freshly Squeezed try, and the rest is history. While he was popular at first thanks to his over-the-top character presentation, he has become a well-rounded in-ring performer and a fantastic AEW All-Atlantic champion.

Cassidy has built the new championship into a prestigious title that has surpassed the TNT Championship in terms of importance. He has put everything together and become a true success story for AEW.

He may not look like much from his physique, but Cassidy has the presence of a top star. Fans of all ages engage with the work Freshly Squeezed can do, putting on great performances with everyone from Will Ospreay to Wheeler Yuta.

It may have sounded inconceivable two years ago, but Cassidy is genuinely positioned as a future world champion. His merchandise sales are consistently excellent. He has never been more popular. Most importantly, he is just a genuinely great performer.

7. Hangman Adam Page

No moment in AEW's history has been more important than the night Hangman Adam Page dethroned Kenny Omega as AEW world champion. It was the culmination of a story that began at the founding of the company.

The Cowboy overcame his self-doubt and challenged the man who was always said to be better than him. To this day, AEW has not told a better story.

However, recent controversies involving CM Punk have led to some fans souring on Page. He has worked his way back into the good graces of many through steady performance and charismatic promos, focused on what matters most to him.

His feud with Jon Moxley has been a highlight of the build to AEW Revolution 2023, as the former three-time AEW world champion has helped rehabilitate the momentum of The Cowboy. He could take the final step back to the main event scene by beating Mox.

While others have remained more relevant week-to-week and month-to-month, The Cowboy is one of the truly recognizable faces of the company, and there is no doubt he will remain its heart for years to come.

6. The Acclaimed (w/ Billy Gunn)

Max Caster and Anthony Bowens are one of the most impressive homegrown success stories in AEW's history. A makeshift team thrown together on AEW Dark on October 27, 2020, The Acclaimed got over thanks to charismatic performances and clever raps.

It was at AEW All Out 2022 where The Acclaimed finally broke out. In a match they were never expected to win against Swerve in Our Glory, the Chicago crowd roared as Caster and Bowens put together the best match of their career, stealing the show.

Just 17 days later, The Acclaimed captured the AEW Tag Team Championships and became the most popular tag team in the company as well as its top merchandise seller.

Billy Gunn was arguably the missing piece of the puzzle. After the surprising alliance of The Gunn and The Acclaimed began, Bowens started calling for the wrestling legend to "scissor" him, and the rest is history. The fans bought in.

The Acclaimed have the highest-selling shirt in AEW in 2023 to date from an active competitor. Even after losing the AEW Tag Team Championships, Bowens and Caster remain more popular than ever.

Until another team can step up and find that same level of crowd fervor, The Acclaimed will remain an integral part of the tag team division and will likely regain the tag titles.

5. The Elite

The Elite helped build the foundation of All Elite Wrestling. While the members have changed over time, the core remains consistent. Kenny Omega and Young Bucks define this company through their fast-paced style and passion for the business.

The current AEW trios champions have focused on raising the tempo of the matches in AEW, putting on great exhibitions with Death Triangle as well as Top Flight and A.R. Fox.

The Elite have built a controversial following, especially following the incident with CM Punk at AEW All Out 2022, but that has not dampened the overall aura carried by these three trailblazers.

Young Bucks made a concerted effort to build the focus on the tag team division that is now thriving with and without them.

Omega is a former AEW world champion with arguably the best run as champion in the title's history. He left the main event scene to Hangman Adam Page but could easily fit back in at any time.

There is no AEW without The Elite, even if Omega and The Bucks have been promoted at a far greater level in the past.

4. Bryan Danielson

Bryan Danielson is one of the most influential wrestlers of the current generation. No one can touch The American Dragon at his best. He has been on a recent tear of great matches, including putting on one of the early matches of the year with Rush.

His run in WWE led straight to the top in two of the most iconic WrestleMania moments of all time, but he has never been one to truly desire stardom. He loves professional wrestling above everything else.

Still, his aura alone has defined AEW since his arrival in September of 2021. His matches with Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, Hangman Adam Page and Eddie Kingston are just a few of the best in AEW history.

Danielson and Moxley formed The Blackpool Combat Club, arguably the top stable in AEW right now, and the group has built stars and created moments ever since. Their merchandise is a top seller for AEW, and The American Dragon has been a major part of that.

He is ramping up for an Iron Man match with MJF. It is unlikely he will dethrone The Salt of the Earth, but he still is as big a star as he has ever been in AEW.

3. Chris Jericho

AEW has no bigger wrestling name than Chris Jericho. While The Demo God had never been the true number one guy in wrestling before AEW, he was always a reliable veteran and a former six-time world champion for WWE.

When he committed to AEW, it was one of the most important moments in legitimizing the company. He carried the company through its early days as the first AEW world champion, then he handed over the reins to Jon Moxley.

Since that time, The Demo God has remained a reliable presence in AEW, helping build stars like MJF, Orange Cassidy, Eddie Kingston and even Action Andretti recently.

He will always be among AEW's top names until he retires. At times, he is not the best part of the show, but his track record in elevating talent is unmistakable.

He is a top star precisely because it means something to fight Jericho. He has a reliable spot on every AEW pay-per-view card, and it is hard to imagine he will ever lose it.

2. Jon Moxley

Jon Moxley is the heart and soul of AEW. When he made the jump from WWE, he made an emphatic statement about his commitment to the company's future.

Since that time, he has become the first and now the only three-time AEW world champion. He carried the company through its toughest times. He was champion in the pandemic era and followed the awkward fallout of CM Punk's world title reigns.

He may not be homegrown in AEW, but he has been committed from the start to the business. At every turn, The Death Rider has made his mark in AEW and become a much greater star outside of the WWE system.

After passing the torch to the next big act in wrestling, MJF, Moxley has kept a consistent aura of greatness, working with the best and brightest.

It looks likely he will give Hangman Adam Page a vital career win at AEW Revolution 2023, and it won't take anything away from his star presence.

1. MJF

From day one, it was clear that Maxwell Jacob Friedman was a star, but the time was not right for him to take over. Through feuds with Cody Rhodes, Chris Jericho, Jungle Boy, Darby Allin, CM Punk and finally Jon Moxley, he rose to true undeniable status.

The Salt of the Earth is a peerless mic worker, mixing biting lines with deep emotion. He also has repeatedly performed at a high level in the ring, putting to rest any doubts about his ability.

As AEW world champion, he is the company's priority. He will get chances to work with more of the top names in AEW and hope to solidify his status far beyond a single title reign.

It is tough to be at the top. Fans will always question if more can be done by the champion as well as the company. However, MJF vs. Bryan Danielson is clearly the biggest story in AEW right now.

What comes next may be a greater test for MJF, who will soon need to look beyond the big stars of AEW. Those who remain near the top have been able to elevate everyone around them.