Ranking the 10 Most Important Wrestlers in WWE and AEW Right Now
Although WWE and All Elite Wrestling have been creatively inconsistent in 2025, both companies' stacked rosters have effectively carried their respective shows throughout the year.
John Cena's retirement tour has been the focal point of WWE TV for the better part of the past nine months including multiple main events on premium live events. Although he's no longer the undisputed WWE champion, all of his remaining matches feel like genuine attractions, regardless of who he's up against.
Cody Rhodes has been another pivotal piece of programming for WWE and has had a presence in the world championship mix on SmackDown the entire time. There are others who have had better matches and stories, but he is responsible for serving as the face of the franchise and the connective tissue at the top of the card.
Relying more on the in-ring aspect, AEW has plenty of people who have been crucial to the success of several shows and key storylines. Adam Page and Jon Moxley have held down the fort for the men while the women's division has been dominated by Toni Storm and Mercedes Moné.
These are the most important pillars in both promotions right now, ranked.
10. Gunther and Kyle Fletcher
1 of 10
Although he's been sidelined with an injury since SummerSlam, Gunther has very much been the MVP of WWE TV this year in many ways.
The Ring General wasn't positioned as the centerpiece of Raw during either of his runs as world heavyweight champion earlier this year, but he was always involved in some of the strongest segments and matches on the shows he was featured.
That meant bringing the best out of Jey Uso for their storyline en route to WrestleMania 41 and even carrying Pat McAfee to an entertaining outing at Backlash.
His subsequent matches with Goldberg and CM Punk, both with the belt up for grabs, exceeded expectations, and fans eagerly await his return to the squared circle.
Kyle Fletcher has yet to win world title gold in his own right, but he, too, should be heavily factored into his company's plans moving forward. He is fresh off a stellar showing against Adam Page at All Out where he narrowly fell short of becoming AEW World champion.
The future of WWE and AEW is bright with these two international treasures leading the charge.
9. Drew McIntyre and Kazuchika Okada
2 of 10
WWE made the right choice by building around Drew McIntyre as the new big babyface starting in 2020, though through no fault of his own, he unfortunately wasn't long for the role.
Between an unprecedented pandemic and the unexpected return of Cody Rhodes in 2022, the Scot was quietly cast aside and gradually downgraded to a background player. His heel turn in 2023 salvaged his status as a main event player, though, and he's been a recurring highlight on Raw and SmackDown ever since.
With the blue brand being a tough show to sit through most weeks as of late, fans can at least count on The Scottish Warrior to excel in whatever he happens to be involved in. He can be plugged into virtually any spot at any time and will make the most of it.
Kazuchika Okada is a few years younger than McIntyre but also has so much to offer AEW in a high-profile position. He's held gold almost from the day he debuted as a full-time member of the roster in early 2024 and has already put together an incredible array of matches.
McIntyre and Okada won't be the ones WWE and AEW look to as the next world champions in their respective promotions for the foreseeable future, but their decorated careers filled with countless accomplishments speak of themselves and therefore make them invaluable.
8. Rhea Ripley and Kenny Omega
3 of 10
Rhea Ripley was primed to be a massive star for years to come after her impressive stint in NXT, but it's safe to assume no one ever imagined her reaching the levels of stardom that she has.
Turning heel and joining The Judgment Day in 2022 did wonders for her confidence and exposed the audience to an all-new side of The Eradicator that had yet to emerge. In becoming more comfortable as a character, she broke barriers and connected with crowds in a way few others on the active roster have.
She held the Women's World Championship for over a year between 2023 and 2024, but it was pretty much everything else she was doing that helped her transcend the title and cement herself as an attraction all on her own.
Even outside of the championship picture, Mami is always on top. The same can be said for AEW's Kenny Omega.
Despite having much more mileage than Ripley, Omega is a must-see star for the company. Fans are aware that he's going to deliver every single time the bell rings, no matter the stakes, situation or opponent.
The AEW OG is essential in elevating the talent of tomorrow, while Ripley also brings attention and importance to anything she's a part of.
7. Jey Uso and Swerve Strickland
4 of 10
At a time when AEW desperately needed fresh faces on tap, they capitalized on the hot momentum of Swerve Strickland at the onset of 2024 and allowed him to shine as a main-event fixture.
His booking has been a bit all over the place since his reign as AEW World champion came to end at All In 2024, but he remains extremely over with the audience and a compelling character on AEW programming. Most notably, his two-year storyline with Adam Page was paid off perfectly, and he has since shifted his focus to other adversaries and goals.
Per BodySlam.net, Strickland is out indefinitely after knee surgery following Forbidden Door in August, but his presence in the promotion alone is a massive positive. When he's ready to return, he could again be a perennial player in the top title picture.
Jey Uso will never be mistaken for being as well-rounded of a performer that Strickland is, but he's had just as organic of a rise this last year and is equally popular if not more so.
Uso can work with almost anyone on the roster and still be as beloved. His crowd reactions never waver, and as a result, he's in the main-event mix at all times. His Royal Rumble win and subsequent reign as World Heavyweight champion are proof that sometimes simple sells, even if he's nowhere near as dynamic as other Superstars.
6. Becky Lynch and Mercedes Moné
5 of 10
There can be no denying the remarkable roll Mercedes Moné has found herself on in the last year as AEW TBS champion and the many other titles she's in possession of.
AEW has long had a deeply talented women's division, but it wasn't until the arrival of The CEO that it became much more of a priority for the promotion. She's been allowed to let loose in the ring and have memorable matches with a vast majority of the roster among others from New Japan Pro-Wrestling, CMLL and Ring of Honor.
It will be a big deal when she inevitably loses the TBS title, and even once that happens, she'll likely move on to challenging for and winning the AEW Women's World Championship.
Becky Lynch has had a similar effect on the WWE women's division in that the entire scene has benefited from her being back since WrestleMania 41, particularly the Women's Intercontinental Championship that she quickly captured from Lyra Valkyria.
The Man has stepped up her game as a heel and set up several storylines with Valkyria, Bayley, Nikki Bella and now AJ Lee. She backs up her "GOAT" claims every time she steps inside the squared circle and is still a significant cornerstone of the division six years removed from the peak of her popularity.
5. CM Punk and Will Ospreay
6 of 10
CM Punk is in the twilight of his full-time career while Will Ospreay's is only just beginning, but both mean so much to their respective promotions for a variety of reasons.
Fans and officials alike didn't know what they'd get from Punk upon his shocking return to WWE two years ago or how long he'd last. He's now appearing almost every week and is embroiled in Raw's top feud with Seth Rollins that they've managed to keep interesting in innovative ways.
Punk remains capable of greatness, and there's still plenty more he can do before he calls it a career.
As for Ospreay, he's less than two years into his AEW run and has already had more standout matches than anyone since the company's inception in 2019. His bouts with Bryan Danielson, MJF, Kyle Fletcher and Adam Page in particular have been instant classics and have raised the bar for fans' in-ring expectation in AEW.
His recent neck surgery will keep him out of action for many months to come, but with any luck, he'll make a full recovery ahead of schedule and be back to stealing the show and winning championships.
Punk should finish out his days as an active competitor strong, and Ospreay has barely scratched the surface of what he can achieve.
4. John Cena and Jon Moxley
7 of 10
For nearly a decade, everything in the WWE Universe revolved around John Cena, a byproduct of WWE failing to create any other new stars. Even all these years later, he remains a needle-mover for the company and sparks excitement whenever he's around.
His other return runs were largely short-lived and uneventful due to Cena having commitments outside of wrestling, but since he's been around in WWE for a solid chunk of 2025, he's had the chance to be the Cena of old and feel the most important he has in years.
That's in spite of his heel run falling flat and his time as undisputed WWE champion not producing too many moments worth revisiting. But between now and December, all eyes are on him and how the company chooses to have him end his iconic run.
Likewise, Jon Moxley's lackluster AEW World Championship reign plagued AEW TV for the first half of the year, but the idea was always for him to be conquered in epic fashion. Sure enough, Adam Page stepped up and did just that at All In. The part Moxley played in that masterpiece of a match can't be understated.
Fans may not want to admit it, but Cena and Moxley are reliable workhorses who will do what's needed of them to ultimately ensure the best product possible.
3. Seth Rollins and MJF
8 of 10
MJF will go down as one of the greatest success stories in AEW history when all is said and done. He went from being a relative unknown to becoming an undeniable prospect in record time and never looked back.
Without him, AEW's weekly shows and storylines look a lot different and arguably aren't as enjoyable or engaging. That's been evident whenever he's been gone for an extended period of time. He has switched up his character when needed and never has an issue living up to the hype when the bell rings.
Still in possession of the guaranteed AEW World Championship opportunity, MJF is one to keep an eye on in the remainder of 2025 and beyond.
MJF's character arc draws strong similarities to Seth Rollins' and how he's been built up as the focal point of Raw in the last two years. He again holds the World Heavyweight Championship, and as the leader of The Vision, all signs point to him staying in that spot for some time.
Rollins and MJF will win here and there but lose when it matters most to their opponent. Their bulletproof booking prevents them from feeling anything other than special.
2. Iyo Sky and Toni Storm
9 of 10
Toni Storm's "Timeless" persona has completely changed the landscape of the AEW women's division since 2023 and has seen her on top with the title more often than not.
Somehow, she's managed to keep the shtick refreshing and fun while simultaneously having some of AEW's best matches ever. Her feud with Mariah May was wonderfully crafted, and everything that's followed has made the AEW Women's World Championship the most coveted title in the entire promotion.
Iyo Sky isn't nearly as over-the-top as a character or as explosive on the mic, but she does let her exceptional ability in the ring do the talking for her. That has been a common theme with her work throughout 2025, starting with when she won the Women's World Championship out of nowhere from Rhea Ripley in March.
That led into an all-timer Triple Threat at WrestleMania 41 with Ripley and Bianca Belair, followed by an excellent Evolution main-event against Ripley. Sky failed to regain the gold from Stephanie Vaquer at Wrestlepalooza, but it was the best bout of the night.
Between these two, it will be a close call when it comes to determining 2025's best women's wrestler, but what's undisputed is that WWE and AEW's women's division would be much worse off without them right now.
1. Cody Rhodes and Adam Page
10 of 10
The term "main character" has been used by fans for years to describe just what Adam Page means to AEW, and Cody Rhodes has seamlessly settled into that spot for WWE as well.
That isn't to say Page has constantly been competing for the AEW World Championship over the last six years, but his character's clear motivations combined with a logical direction have made him an easy fan favorite worth investing in.
Him being the one to dethrone Jon Moxley for the title at All In put him back where he belonged: front and center of the company. He's put together a string of wins since and has had a handful of notable names gunning for him and his title, putting him in the middle of all the mayhem from week to week.
Rhodes isn't far off in terms of his own rank in AEW. Although he recently regained the Undisputed WWE Championship, he was in the hunt for the title for the four months he didn't have it, winning King of the Ring and also pinning John Cena in tag team action at Money in the Bank.
The American Nightmare was the perfect person to end Roman Reigns' four-year run as champ and take the torch as WWE's next in line. Whenever he's on the verge of losing the interest of the audience, he'll bounce back and receive overwhelmingly positive reactions the next week.
If either Rhodes or Page went down long-term, both companies would be in rough shape. They're doing what they can to carry the flag for the promotion they represent and embody the quintessential top guy.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.
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