20 Young Stars Most Likely to Become Future World Champions in WWE and AEW

Professional wrestling is an ever-changing business both in terms of presentation and the people on our screens each week. It's an industry filled with newcomers, longtime veterans and everything in between.

The two top U.S. promotions right now are WWE and All Elite Wrestling. Both companies have multiple weekly shows on TV and often sell out arenas for pay-per-views. Other smaller companies have also been thriving in recent years, but they are all competing for third place.

The current crop of young talent across the industry might be the best we have seen. With each new generation comes innovators and people who push the limits of what we think is physically possible.

Right now, WWE and AEW each have a large roster filled to the brim with wrestlers who are champing at the bit to prove their worth and win the top prize in their home promotion.

With so many potential future world champions delivering great performances every week, both companies are in good hands.

Let's take a look at some of the men and women who could be holding the top WWE and AEW titles within the next few years.

Honorable Mentions

Anthony Bowens: Both members of The Acclaimed have bright futures, but Bowens has a little something extra that makes him more likely to ascend to the world title. It's hard to put into words exactly what it is. The 32-year-old just has that "it" factor.

Bron Breakker: Breakker, 25, is a second-generation talent with a great foundation who has already won multiple titles in NXT. It's only a matter of time before he is busting heads on the main roster.

Skye Blue: AEW has been giving Blue a lot more opportunities in recent months, and she shows improvement every time she steps inside the ring. At just 24 years old, the sky is the limit, no pun intended; OK, maybe it was slightly intended.

Tiffany Stratton: When it comes to combining character and in-ring ability, Stratton is one of the best in NXT right now. She has taken what should have been a terrible gimmick and made it entertaining. The 24-year-old has a bright future if she stays on her current path.

Solo Sikoa

It's hard to think of anyone in recent memory who has debuted in WWE with the level of mystique and intimidation as Solo Sikoa.

The real-life younger brother of Jimmy and Jey Uso has been positioned as a silent killer who even seems to scare his own Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, at times.

If WWE can continue building Sikoa the way it has, there is no doubt the 30-year-old will hold a top title at some point in his career.

Ricky Starks

Some wrestlers get over because of their physical ability, while some get over because of their charisma. Then you have guys like Ricky Starks who got over because they are the total package.

The 33-year-old AEW star has been put in some big-match situations and keeps delivering when the pressure is on.

Starks may be one-half of the newly crowned tag team champions with Big Bill, but a solo world championship is definitely in his future, too.

Sol Ruca

Sol Ruca is currently on the shelf with an injury, but before that happened, she was rising swiftly through the ranks in NXT.

Her physical ability was evident from the moment she stepped into the ring. Her acrobatic skills let her do things most people wouldn't think are possible, but she was also beginning to develop other in-ring abilities that were improving with each match.

Ruca is just 24 years old, so she has plenty of time to heal and pick up where she left off. It may seem premature to peg her as a future world champion, but sometimes a person's potential is clear from day one. That is the case here.

Willow Nightingale

Heels tend to be the more interesting characters in pro wrestling, but when it comes to pure babyfaces, few are as likable as Willow Nightingale.

There's just something about the 29-year-old that makes you want to see her succeed. It's hard to explain, but whatever it is, she has it.

Being a skilled powerhouse sets her apart from a lot of the women in AEW, but it's her personality that makes her such a joy to watch. When she eventually wins a top title, it's going to be one of the biggest feel-good moments in the promotion's history.

Montez Ford

Few WWE Superstars have come along who have the pure athletic ability of Montez Ford. He has power, speed, agility and great instincts in the ring.

When you add in the 33-year-old's natural charisma, great work ethic and drive to succeed, you have the recipe for a future world champion.

His new alliance with Bobby Lashley will hopefully take both Street Profits to new heights.

Orange Cassidy

Some people might be surprised to see Orange Cassidy on this list, but based on how AEW has booked him, it clearly sees him as a top star.

His first run as international champion allowed OC to produce some of his best matches to date while also establishing himself as a valiant underdog who doesn't back down from a fight. He even regained the international belt on the Title Tuesday episode of Dynamite.

The 39-year-old might not be who WWE would book to win a world title, but there is a good chance he will win the AEW World Championship before his career is over.

Candice LeRae

Candice LeRae has more than proved she is a great wrestler who can talk just as well as she can fight, so including her on this list is a no-brainer.

Her pre-WWE career included a lot of intergender and hardcore matches, so the 38-year-old has a reputation for being a badass who can take punishment just as well as she can dish it out.

LeRae's run on the main roster has been inconsistent, but that is due to how she has been booked. All it will take is one good match to remind everyone how talented she is.

Julia Hart

The way Julia Hart transitioned from being a bubbly cheerleader to her darker character with House of Black has been one of the most satisfying heel turns in the short history of AEW.

Not only has she shown marked improvement in the ring, but her character work and presentation have also been close to perfect. Everything from her entrance to her evil smile when she's hurting opponents makes her fun to watch.

She has become the breakout member of the group in recent months. If she can keep going in the same direction, it's going to lead her to the women's world title eventually. She is only 21, so just imagine how good she will be in five years' time.

Carmelo Hayes

If you look at the NXT roster, one of the people who sticks out the most as an obvious future world champion is Carmelo Hayes. He has the look, mic skills and wrestling ability to be anything WWE needs him to be.

The 29-year-old has been producing incredible matches and promos for a long time, but he is going to really take off when he hits the main roster and shows the entire WWE Universe what he can do.

If he isn't on Raw or SmackDown by the end of the year, someone in management isn't paying enough attention.

Daniel Garcia

Daniel Garcia came into AEW and immediately established a reputation as one of the best young technicians in the company, but it's his character work over the past year that has elevated him.

Will a little dance be what gets the 25-year-old to the world title? Probably not, but that dance is what has helped him connect to an entirely new audience.

It might be a few years, but Garcia is on the right track. He just needs to keep doing what he's been doing and he will be successful.

Jade Cargill

If there was ever somebody who was perfectly built for the professional wrestling business, it's Jade Cargill.

Her athletic ability and physique are obvious benefits, but her charisma and star power are what will make her infinitely valuable to WWE. When she walks into a room, all eyes are on her.

The crazy part is that the 31-year-old is still only a couple of years into her career and is already being portrayed as a top star before she even steps into a WWE ring.

AEW laid the groundwork, but WWE is going to be where she is elevated to being a world champion.

Kris Statlander

It may have been a bumpy road filled with injuries and uncertain booking, but Kris Statlander finally won the TBS Championship by defeating the previously undefeated Jade Cargill at Double or Nothing in May.

Everyone's favorite alien enthusiast is beloved by the crowd and has the size and power to be a threat to any woman in AEW. She is a natural choice to win the women's world title at some point.

Over the past few months, we have gotten to see Statlander show her mic skills more than ever, so she has both the verbal and physical aspects of this business down.

When the 28-year-old eventually drops the TBS belt, it won't be surprising to see her move right into the world title scene.

Gunther

Gunther is one of WWE's greatest success stories in recent years. Not only did he get himself into the best shape of his life while continuing to produce great matches in NXT, but he has also continued to dominate on the main roster.

The Austrian, 36, already holds the record for the longest intercontinental title reign, but that is not going to be his legacy. He is going to be a world champion someday. It's a matter of "when" rather than "if" at this point.

The Ring General is clearly a priority for management based on how well he has been booked and protected. If he doesn't win a top title before he retires, it will be one of the biggest balls WWE has dropped in a long time.

Kyle Fletcher

Kyle Fletcher is only 24 years old and has already built up an impressive list of accomplishments. He and Mark Davis have held tag titles in several promotions together, including ROH and NJPW with the IWGP Tag Team Championships, but he is destined for great things as a singles star, too.

Last week saw Fletcher produce one of the best matches of his career against Bryan Danielson, and it never once felt like he was below The American Dragon's level during the fight.

Fletcher still has a long career ahead of him, and if he keeps improving and growing as a performer, he could become one of the best in the world.

Billie Starkz

Billie Starkz was already gaining buzz in pro wrestling before she was even 18 years old, so just imagine where her career will be by the time she hits 25.

She is a likable character who has already displayed great instincts and physical ability, and her alliance with Athena in ROH has allowed her to show off some of her personality.

Tony Khan clearly sees a lot of potential in the 18-year-old, so if she can keep doing what she is doing, the AEW Women's World Championship will be an inevitable stop on her journey.

Roxanne Perez

NXT bills Roxanne Perez as a prodigy and she has mostly managed to live up to the hype, but the way she has been booked has been confusing at times, especially when WWE built her up as a sympathetic babyface with her anxiety storyline only to have her lose the title anyway.

The 21-year-old was already established before coming to WWE due to winning the ROH women's title at an early age and she has continued to grow and improve since joining NXT.

Her natural babyface and underdog qualities make her a good fit for WWE. It would be shocking if she wasn't on the main roster competing for a title by the end of 2024.

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The 20 names on this list are all potential future champions, but there are plenty more. Who do you think will be a top champion in WWE and AEW soon?