6 WWE and AEW Breakout Stars from the 1st Half of 2025

With only six months left of 2025, these pro wrestlers have already made the most of their appearances this year.

It's always exciting to see things click for a wrestler at the right time. Sometimes, the stars just align, and there's an organic buzz around someone that no one can deny. Often, it's the result of years of hard work and toil in front of smaller crowds.

The latest crop of talent from NXT has produced so many women who will likely be a fixture in WWE for years to come.

Meanwhile, All Elite Wrestling has found a diamond in the rough and a man whose goal was to compete for the spiritual successor to PWG when he arrived in the U.S.

Both companies have a different approach to scouting, but it's hard not to strike gold when there's such a wealth of talented wrestlers around now.

These are six breakout stars from WWE and AEW that you should keep an eye on for the rest of 2025.

Lyra Valkyria

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Lyra Valkyria is having a strong year following her historic title win last October. 

Although her run as the inaugural women's intercontinental champion didn't start well, her feud with Becky Lynch has been one of the highlights of 2025. The two stole the show at two consecutive premium live events, giving the new midcard belt some much-needed prestige. 

Even more, this rivalry proved Valkyria can hold her own in a segment against one of the best talkers in the women's division. Fans already knew she could deliver in the ring, but it has been great to see her show some of that fire on the microphone. 

With big wins over Lynch, Bayley and Iyo Sky, it's only a matter of time before the Irish star moves up to the main title picture.

Megan Bayne

Avid fans saw glimpses of what she could become, but Megan Bayne has still been a pleasant surprise for AEW in 2025.

The 27-year-old made appearances for the company on its YouTube shows Dark and Elevation from 2021 to 2023. However, she was sidelined for a year with a torn ACL before she went on a noteworthy excursion to Japan to wrestle for Stardom.

The Megasus already had a distinct look and presentation, but her in-ring work has improved so much since her return. She officially became a full-time AEW wrestler in February and took part in a women's world title feud with Toni Storm. 

Their match at Dynasty in April exceeded expectations, and her pairing with Penelope Ford has been excellent. If AEW establishes a women's tag division, they could be an integral part of it. 

Roxanne Perez

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Roxanne Perez is the future of the WWE women's division.

The two-time NXT women's champion only joined Raw in May, but she has been an impressive addition to the main roster all year. In February, she set a new record while finishing runner-up in the women's Royal Rumble match.

The 23-year-old entered at No. 3 and survived for an hour and seven minutes, breaking Bayley’s 2024 record for the longest time spent in the match.

Perez also performed well under the bright lights at Elimination Chamber and Money in the Bank. Although she didn't secure a title shot at those events, expect to see her compete for championship gold at WrestleMania very soon.

'Speedball' Mike Bailey

"Speedball" Mike Bailey has been a perfect fit for AEW since he joined the company during the March 12 episode of Dynamite.

Many fans may recognize the high-flying taekwondo practitioner following his stint with TNA or the amazing stretch of matches he produced as an indie wrestler over the last decade.

The 34-year-old was among the industry's best-kept secrets for so long that it was only a matter of time before one of the top companies signed him.

So far, Speedball has lived up to the hype as one-half of the tag team, JetSpeed, with Kevin Knight, and his pay-per-view matches have been tremendous. His acclaimed AEW PPV debut at Dynasty in a Triple Threat match for the international title is already a match-of-the-year contender.

The Canadian also delivered a show-stopping performance against Kazuchika Okada at Double or Nothing in May.

Stephanie Vaquer

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WWE quickly moved Stephanie Vaquer to the main roster this month, and it's not hard to see why.

The Chilean star has become incredibly popular since she joined NXT last fall. La Primera, which means "the first," is a fitting nickname for the first South American woman to find success with the company's developmental brand.

At NXT: Roadblock, Vaquer defeated Giulia to become the first wrestler to hold the NXT Women's and Women's North American Championship concurrently. During the March 25 episode, she made history again as the only double champion to defend both titles separately on the same night.

Nevertheless, it was apparent the 32-year-old wasn't long for the brand when she faced Iyo Sky on Raw after WrestleMania 41.

If anyone was curious about how well Vaquer would transition to a larger audience, her receptions at Worlds Collide and Money in the Bank proved she has a bright future. 

Jacob Fatu

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Anyone familiar with Jacob Fatu already knew he was undeniable, but it's still so satisfying to see him thrive with WWE. 

Like Speedball, The Samoan Werewolf's reputation preceded him due to his tenure with MLW, and he has performed as anticipated on the big stage.

Fatu is a dynamic wrestler with an imposing presence, but his time with The Bloodline merely scratched the surface.

Most of us could already see how charismatic he is, so it didn't come as much of a surprise that the WWE audience quickly embraced him. The 33-year-old had already honed his mic skills elsewhere, so longtime fans knew he would excel when given the chance to speak for himself. 

His United States Championship match against LA Knight was one of the few bright spots from the first night of WrestleMania 41. However, his face turn during the men's Money in the Bank ladder match will likely set him on course to becoming one of the most popular Superstars on the roster.