6 WWE and AEW Stars Who Will Be World Champions in 2024

The landscape of pro wrestling changed quite a bit in 2023 and it has created an interesting atmosphere across the industry as we head into 2024.

WWE being bought, CM Punk jumping ship back to WWE, AEW selling out Wembley Stadium, WWE taking Backlash to Puerto Rico, Sting announcing his retirement in AEW and Logan Paul winning WWE gold were just a handful of the headlines that dominated the news cycle.

Regardless of what else is going on behind the scenes, most talent still keep the primary goal of winning a world title in their crosshairs.

In WWE, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky hold the top titles across the men's and women's divisions. In AEW, it's Samoa Joe, Eddie Kingston, Toni Storm and Athena.

Let's take a look at some of the WWE and AEW stars who are on the path to winning a world title in 2024, whether it be their first or they have been to the top of the mountain before.

Swerve Strickland

Right now, nobody in AEW is hotter than Swerve Strickland. He has been on the best run of his career both on the mic and in the ring. For all intents and purposes, he is the fans' pick to be the next AEW champion.

His scheduled match with Keith Lee at Worlds End being canceled did him no favors, but Dustin Rhodes stepped up and helped him deliver a fun performance that cemented Swerve as one of the biggest heels in pro wrestling.

With Samoa Joe holding the title and also being a heel, the best course of action might be to have a babyface win it first before Strickland takes it from them, but a Joe vs. Swerve feud would produce some fantastic results, too.

Few people in AEW have excelled over the past year the way Swerve has. It's just a matter of time before Prince Nana is dancing behind a world champion.

Bryan Danielson

Bryan Danielson expressed his desire to wrap up his full-time wrestling career within the next year in an interview with Daily Mail's Alex McCarthy.

One thing he has yet to do in AEW is win gold, so if Tony Khan wants to capitalize on The American Dragon's popularity by having him hold the company's top prize, he needs to act soon.

Granted, Danielson never specified what he meant when he said he wanted to stop wrestling full-time. That could still mean a willingness to work a limited schedule, so it's not as if he will be gone after 2024.

The fact that Danielson hasn't held the AEW title yet is somewhat surprising. As one of the most popular and skilled workers on the roster, it would be a no-brainer to put the title on him, even if it was just for a short reign so he could immediately put somebody else over.

Kris Statlander

The AEW women's division has a plethora of stars who are ready to have a world title run, but few are as primed and positioned for that kind of push as Kris Statlander.

Last year, the Long Island native had one of the best comeback stories we have seen in the short history of AEW. She returned from a second injury hiatus in as many years to not only win the TBS title, but hand Jade Cargill her first loss at the same time.

The way she lost the belt to Julia Hart protected her, but since she has not received or requested a rematch by now, AEW may have other plans in store for her.

Keep in mind, AEW technically has two women's world titles when you count the ROH Women's Championship, so even if Stat doesn't win it in AEW, she could easily be the one to take the belt from Athena in ROH.

Being one of the most powerful women on the roster makes her stand out, but having the kind of support she has from the crowd is her biggest asset.

Damian Priest

Winning the Money in the Bank ladder match is its own accomplishment, but being able to cash in the contract successfully is what really matters. So far, over 80 percent of the men and women who have held the briefcase have gone on to win a title.

Damian Priest is the current holder of the MITB briefcase and seems destined to win the world title with it, but the way WWE has teased him cashing in on several occasions only to be thwarted has some fans worried.

Even if he doesn't end up successfully cashing in the contract, The Archer of Infamy is destined to be a world champion. He's come too far and has too much talent for WWE not to capitalize on it.

Whenever it looks like he is about to cash in the contract, everyone in the arena jumps to their feet. He's been over as both a heel and a babyface, and every time WWE puts him in a high-profile position like his matches with and against Bad Bunny, Priest knocks it out of the park.

The last MITB winner was Austin Theory and we all remember how that turned out when he tried to cash it in for the United States Championship. Hopefully, WWE doesn't drop the ball with two Money in the Bank cash-ins in a row.

Cody Rhodes

This entry on the list probably seems obvious to most people, but that is exactly why he had to be on here. Cody Rhodes absolutely has to finish the story this year or the WWE Universe is going to lose its collective mind.

When The American Nightmare returned to WWE in 2022, his path seemed clear. He was the prodigal son who returned home to claim the biggest prize in the industry, one which his father never attained.

Unfortunately, he hit a bump in the road when he tore his pectoral muscle. After a long recovery and rehab process, Rhodes returned at the 2023 Royal Rumble and won the men's match, but he came up short against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39.

Now, the only way fans will be satisfied is if Rhodes can take down The Tribal Chief and win the WWE Universal Championship. As long as an injury doesn't derail his plans again, it seems like a foregone conclusion that he will be a world champion before the end of the year. Even if The Rock may be taking his spot on the 'Mania card.

Bianca Belair

Bianca Belair is already a former women's champion, but she is not the kind of talent who is going to go too long without a title.

The EST is one of the top babyfaces in all of WWE. Management is always having her do media appearances and other responsibilities, so it clearly recognizes her value both in the ring and out.

Ever since she dropped the belt to Sky back in August, Belair has been waiting for the right opportunity. She was successful in the women's WarGames match at Survivor Series and is one of the favorites to win the women's Royal Rumble match in a few weeks.

It might happen in a month or it might take until December, but one way or another, Belair is going to have gold strapped around her waist again in 2024.

Which WWE and AEW stars do you think will win top titles this year?