12 WWE and AEW Stars Rising Rapidly in Early 2024

The year 2024 has a chance to be an important one for professional wrestling. WWE is on the road to the much-hyped WrestleMania 40 and will make a stop at the Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia, for Elimination Chamber on February 24.

All Elite Wrestling has set the stage for huge shows to come, with Revolution looking to sell out the Greensboro Coliseum Complex next month and the growing attendance for All Out at Wembley Stadium in London on August 25.

These major stages could be opportunities to build fresh stars who have begun breaking out in early 2024.

From Cody Rhodes and Swerve Strickland's rise to top babyface status to the welcome veteran respect for Bayley and Deonna Purrazzo, some names are making the most of the excitement to gain new credibility.

The following are 12 stars in WWE and AEW who are rising rapidly in 2024.

AEW: Swerve Strickland

For years, "Hangman" Adam Page has been seen as the heart of AEW, the ultimate hard-working babyface. That was until he ran into Swerve Strickland, a man who can do no wrong in the eyes of the fans.

The Mogul Embassy leader has invaded Page's home, hung him in front of over 12,000 people at Full Gear and used his entire group to ruin Hangman's life.

Despite it all, the crowd is behind Swerve because he has a clear mission: He will be the first black AEW world champion. Fans want to see him attain that dream because he has earned it through his performance, hard work and star presentation.

This fan support led to Hangman turning heel for the first time in his career against Swerve in their 30-minute draw on the February 7 edition of Dynamite while pushing him further down the babyface route.

With MJF still out of action, the only reason Swerve is not the clear top good guy in AEW is because it is unclear if he is a full face yet.

No matter what role he fills, Swerve is the hottest rising star in AEW, and his growth in popularity has escalated significantly in 2024. He seems truly undeniable.

WWE: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is the talk of the wrestling world. He is a bigger star than ever, building upon his good will with the WWE Universe and Superstar performances on the mic and in the ring.

Especially with the story he has told, committing to creating a new legacy for the Rhodes family by winning the WWE Championship, fans are behind him all the way to WrestleMania 40.

They even rejected The Rock's return to wrestling, pushing The Great One into a heel role in The Bloodline with Roman Reigns.

No one has raised their stock more in 2024. The American Nightmare came in with hope and excitement behind him in April 2022, but he is now the clear top babyface waiting for his crowning moment at The Show of Shows.

This year will be the most important one of Rhodes' career as this will be the time for him to show he can be the face of WWE.

AEW: Deonna Purrazzo

Deonna Purrazzo should have been a household name in wrestling years ago. After a fruitful independent run including stops in Ring of Honor, TNA and World Wonder Ring Stardom, she signed with WWE in April 2018.

Despite her growing talent, WWE featured her in just 16 televised matches before releasing her in April 2020. This may have been a blessing in disguise as she then signed with Impact Wrestling (also known as TNA) and became the top woman in the company.

From 2020 to 2022, Purrazzo won the Impact Knockouts Championship three times as well as the Knockouts tag team titles, ROH Women's Championship and AAA Reina de Reinas Championship.

She tested the free-agent market at the end of 2022, and she took a risk by choosing to sign with AEW over WWE. That option has paid off early on as she has been featured weekly on television while building a reputation as one of AEW's top female wrestlers.

She will make her pay-per-view debut for the promotion at Revolution, fighting Toni Storm for the AEW World Championship.

With each passing week, Purrazzo gains more recognition and is building one of the hottest women's programs AEW has had in years.

WWE: Bayley

Many wrote off Bayley in 2023 as past her prime, but she looks poised for the best year of her career in 2024.

She is already off to a hot start with her first women's Royal Rumble victory while building one of WrestleMania's most compelling angles against Iyo Sky.

Damage CTRL has been far from the ultimate success story most hoped for, but its potential final chapter feels hotter than just about anything else in WWE right now.

That is especially thanks to The Role Model. She is on a career-best track including a workhorse performance in the women's WarGames match at Survivor Series in November and her record-breaking run in the 2024 women's Rumble.

Bayley has not gotten nearly enough recognition for her work. She is still not on the WrestleMania 40 poster and was left out of the press conference in Las Vegas last week.

This will likely only fuel the veteran to perform at a higher level than ever before at 'Mania against The Genius of the Sky, a woman she committed to as the future of the business two years ago.

AEW: Top Flight

Dante Martin has been one of AEW's most exciting prospects for several years in singles and tag team action, but injuries to himself and his brother, Darius, have hampered their ability to rise in the ranks.

In 2024, though, both look healthy and are building an impressive resume of matches. Their work with Action Andretti against Penta El Zero M, El Hijo del Vikingo and Komander garnered rave reviews for a reason.

They have begun an ongoing series with Private Party, trading wins as both teams find their footing again in the tag team division.

While Top Flight may not have found a spot in the AEW rankings yet in 2024, that is certain to change. This feels like the year when Dante and Darius put it all together and capture gold.

Whether it be the tag team or trios titles, they are certain to steal the show with the championship spotlight.

WWE: Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate

Tyler Bate has finally arrived on the main roster, and he brought back Pete Dunne from the depths of his Butch days. Together, they have risen quickly to No. 1 contender status on the road to WrestleMania.

The British Strong Style duo are unlikely to dethrone the dominant Damian Priest and Finn Bálor as undisputed WWE tag team champions, but they have at least become one of the top tandems in WWE in just this year alone.

The same could be said of DIY, but Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa were not the ones who earned the chance to challenge The Judgment Day at Elimination Chamber.

The WWE tag team division is building a new foundation, and Bate and Dunne have the momentum to lead that in 2024. It is all a matter of time.

AEW: Mariah May

Who is Mariah May? For those not following World Wonder Ring Stardom in 2023, it was a fair question to ask when she announced she had signed with AEW in November.

However, that question has been answered swiftly and decisively in and out of the ring. She has quickly integrated herself into the act of Toni Storm while also stealing the show in early matches with Queen Aminata and Lady Frost.

May has barely showcased her full potential yet, but it is obvious that she is one of AEW's most important stars in 2024 based on her work and presentation.

It is obvious to speculate on when the 25-year-old might turn against Storm and go after the AEW World Championship, but it is also possible she could make a claim for the TBS title soon.

As AEW continues to reinforce its women's division with fresh talent, May has a chance to be its most important recent signing across all divisions.

WWE: Jade Cargill

Jade Cargill has competed in just one match in WWE, and it already feels like she is one of the company's top stars.

Her run in the women's Royal Rumble match was one of the most remarkable of anyone on the roster. She effortlessly eliminated Nia Jax, who has been unstoppable against everyone else.

Bianca Belair continues to tease what she will do at WrestleMania, and based on the tease in the women's Rumble, no one is a more exciting option than Cargill.

There is a genuine possibility Cargill not only makes her singles debut at WrestleMania against The EST of WWE but she also ends her undefeated streak at The Show of Shows.

That is a telling sign of how far the 31-year-old climbed the ranks in WWE in short order. There isn't a more exciting prospect on the entire WWE roster.

AEW: Daniel Garcia

Buy stock in Daniel Garcia because his future is bright. AEW has finally begun to push him, realizing his potential against top names in the business.

In particular, The Dragon Slayer has taken to the spotlight alongside FTR on Rampage, winning memorable matches against House of Black and The Patriarchy.

His unique dance remains over with the fans, and his personality is shining through more with a greater spotlight. He has picked up the pinfall in recent Collision main events, setting the stage for him to challenge Christian Cage soon for the TNT Championship.

Garcia is likely to be a champion in 2024, but, more importantly, he is on track for a consistent push that will keep him a key figure for AEW in years to come.

With one of the company's best tag teams behind him and an entire show committed to showcase his talent, his future is very bright.

WWE: Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre has never felt more in his element than right now. His heel work is breaking the internet as he builds feuds with CM Punk, Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes at the same time.

Fans are excited to see it all because of the Scot's irreverent promos. He is unafraid to say the worst things in order to get ahead, and it seems to be working.

For the first time since he lost the WWE title for the second time in February 2021, McIntyre looks ready to be a world champion again. He could well dethrone Rollins at WrestleMania while he waits for the return of Punk.

The Scottish Warrior has made clear that he will do anything to get there. He is committed in a way no other heel in WWE can match.

The only thing that could stall McIntyre's rise in 2024 is the possibility that he has still not re-signed with WWE, but his work and steady push would indicate that is not a concern for the company.