Ranking the Top 20 WWE and AEW Stars in Their 20s

The futures of WWE and AEW are bright, thanks to a wealth of young talent ready to seize heir opportunity and run atop the companies as world champions and top stars for years to come.

The industry's top two promotions have plenty of young talent ready to either make their presence felt at the top of the business or continue their reigns over it.

Based on accomplishment, abilities (in-ring and character work) and long-term potential, these are the top 20 WWE and AEW stars still aged in their 20s today.

20. Hook

Accomplishments: FTW Championship (3)

The second-generation AEW star has accumulated some impressive victories and starred on some big stages, including defeating Ricky Starks, Jack Perry, and Chris Jericho. He has challenged Samoa Joe for the AEW world title and enjoyed a lengthy unbeaten streak. Now, we are just waiting to see the evolution of the 26-year-old.

19. Kevin Knight

Accomplishments: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships (2)

Knight has formed JetSpeed with "Speedball" Mike Bailey, an electric tag team whose aerial assaults and relentless speed make them a tough matchup for any opponent. The 28-year-old has challenged for tag team gold on two occasions but has yet to win it, but has been at the center of some strong contests, flashing the star potential that earned him a spot on this countdown.

18. Austin Theory

Accomplishments: WWE United States Championship (2), WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship, Money in the Bank winner (2022)

It is an indictment on Triple H and his creative regime that Theory does not rank higher on this list. One of the most talented young stars on the WWE roster, he has a WrestleMania victory over John Cena and wins over Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley, Sheamus and Jey Uso to his name. He has excelled in singles and tag team action, and at 28 years old, he should be gearing up for a main event run but has been conspicuous in his absence, leading to his ranking so far down the list.

17. Tatum Paxley

Accomplishments: NXT Women's Championship

Paxley bulldozed her way onto this list late Saturday night following her victory over Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women's Championship. A former cheerleader and powerlifter, the 28-year-old transitioned into the world of WWE, where she quickly gained fans via her strong character work. Four years later, she is a complete package and someone the audience genuinely cares about, a trait that will benefit her when she makes the move to the main roster.

16. Jacy Jayne

Accomplishments: NXT Women's Championship, NXT Women's Tag Team Championship (2), TNA Knockouts Championship

Jayne has exceeded all expectations in NXT, patiently biding her time as a tag team specialist before defeating Stephanie Vaquer earlier in 2025 to win the NXT Women's Championship. A strong heel with rapidly improving in-ring ability, the 29-year-old has proved herself and is ready to perform at a higher level.

15. Wheeler Yuta

Accomplishments: AEW World Trios Championship, Ring of Honor Pure Championship (3)

Stuck in the Death Riders faction as a crony for Jon Moxley, Yuta has been one of the more intriguing elements of the faction and a reluctant participant in some of their more heinous actions until he betrayed Bryan Danielson and fully joined the group. The 29-year-old has not had a ton of success since, but he does have a world trios reign to his name with Claudio Castagnoli and Pac.

14. Daniel Garcia

Accomplishments: AEW TNT Championship, Ring of Honor Pure Championship

Garcia should be further up in this ranking, but questionable booking has hurt his progression. As popular as any AEW star when he is allowed to fire up, the 27-year-old is currently a member of The Death Riders, a role that has done little for him at this point. Still, he remains one of the most gifted pure professional wrestlers in the world and someone the fans care about when given the opportunity.

13. Blake Monroe

Accomplishments: AEW Women's Championship, Owen Hart Classic winner (2024), NXT Women's North American Championship

Whether making life a living hell for "Timeless" Toni Storm as Mariah May in AEW or bringing her Glamour to NXT as Blake Monroe, the 27-year-old from London has impressed fans across the wrestling world, both with her character work and ability to wrestle a variety of styles, matches and opponents.

Her wars with Storm in AEW elevated her value in the eyes of the fans while her work to this point in NXT has excelled almost despite the creative behind it. A character-driven performer with strong in-ring ability and a willingness to inspire fans' wrath, she is the star of women's wrestling's future in WWE.

12. Je'Von Evans

Accomplishments: Wrestling Observer's Rookie of the Year (2024)

Evans has yet to strike gold in NXT but there is no denying his star power already. The 21-year-old has headlined premium live events, challenged for the top title and fought Leon Slater for the X-Division Championship at TNA's Bound For Glory pay-per-view in a legitimate Match of the Year candidate.

The bouncy high-flyer even challenged Sami Zayn for the United States Championship on an episode of SmackDown, where he had the fans living and breathing with everything he and the titleholder were doing. The future is blindingly bright for Evans.

11. El Hijo del Vikingo

Accomplishments: AAA Mega Championship (2), AAA World Trios Championship (2), Copa Antonio Pena (2019)

The only reason Vikingo is not in our top 10 is because his WWE career is just getting started as the face of AAA. The 28-year-old has made his presence felt across the pro wrestling landscape, appearing for AEW and TNA in recent years before recently joining WWE as its prized acquisition in the AAA purchase.

A breath-taking high-flyer, he has the potential to become this generation's next great luchador and carry the mantle as Rey Mysterio has for lucha since his arrival stateside in 1995.

Accomplishments: WWE Women's Championship, NXT Women's Championship, Money in the Bank winner (2024)

Tiffany Stratton has done it all since capturing the WWE Women's Championship earlier this year.

She defeated Charlotte Flair to retain the title at WrestleMania 41, teamed with Trish Stratus to defeated Nia Jax and Candice LeRae in Toronto at Money in the Bank, defeated Jade Cargill at SummerSlam to retain her championship, bested Stratus at Evolution, and she enters the fall with her title reign intact.

So why does this 26-year-old star, with a resume brimming with accomplishments, rank only at No. 10 here?

Stratton's in-ring work has been inconsistent in 2025. As great as she appeared at one point, she has also seemed disjointed and lost. Once she puts it all together, the former bodybuilder and weightlifter will take up residency in the top half of our list.

Even then, No. 10 is not bad for a performer still only in her fourth year as an active pro wrestler.

Accomplishments: AEW TNT Championship, AEW World Tag Team Championship, FTW Championship

Jack Perry nearly found himself shut out of this list amid a disappearance from AEW and a heel run that did not live up to expectations.

Then came the 28-year-old's return at All Out in September and a subsequent show-stealing match at WrestleDream that pitted him and Jurassic Express partner Luchasaurus against The Young Bucks, and he returned to prominence on this countdown.

A far better babyface than a heel, even if he has retained elements of his chicanery in his persona, Perry has a way of bumping, taking a beating and encouraging sympathy that makes him perfect for the role.

There is a little smugness there, but he has a long history as a successful and accomplished star in the six years he has been one of the pillars of AEW and another reign as tag team champions is not out of the question.

Nor is an eventual singles run as world champion, if Perry decides that is the direction he wants to head in.

Accomplishments: WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, NXT Women's Championship (2), NXT Women's Tag Team Championship, Ring of Honor Women's World Championship

Roxanne Perez is every bit the prodigy she claims to be, an expert professional wrestler who has accomplished more at age 23 than most will in their entire careers.

The inaugural Ring of Honor women's champion, she signed with WWE and immediately elevated her star, becoming the face of the NXT women's division and the standard-bearer for the brand.

As champion, she elevated the quality of the in-ring product in the division, both in singles competition and with Cora Jade when they captured tag team gold.

Since her arrival on the main roster, she has been a workhorse for WWE, wrestling the most matches of any woman in the company in 2025 and reigning as tag team champions with Raquel Rodriguez as part of The Judgment Day.

Perez's apparent infatuation and/or manipulation of Dominik Mysterio should lead her into a rivalry with Liv Morgan upon her return, elevating her stature on Raw.

Accomplishments: TNA Knockouts Championship (3), TNA Digital Media Championship, TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship

Jordynne Grace dominated the TNA Knockouts division prior to her arrival in NXT, reigning as its champion on three different occasions, each one proving her growth as an in-ring performer.

The Juggernaut defeated every top star, from Rosemary to Taya Valkyrie, Tenille Dashwood to Deonna Purrazzo, and she did not limit her abilities to the women's division. She fought for the TNA X-Division Championship, too, becoming one of the only women to do so.

After accomplishing all she could in that promotion, the 29-year-old made the jump to WWE, where she made an immediate impact in two women's Royal Rumble appearances, then set her sights on winning the top titles in NXT.

Though she has yet to strike gold, her eyes are set on Kelani Jordan and another run as TNA Knockouts champions as part of that company's crossover with NXT.

Accomplishments: NXT Championship, NXT North American Championship

Oba Femi has exceeded all expectations, becoming one of the best heavyweights in the game today and a captivating force of nature for NXT.

Whether he was producing a Match of the Year candidate against Josh Briggs and Dijak over WrestleMania 40 weekend in 2024 or winning the NXT Championship with a victory over Trick Williams, The Ruler impressed even the staunchest of critics.

The 27-year-old Nigerian former track and field star has all of the tools, including the all-important aura, to be a face of WWE's future.

The question is not if, but when he will get that main roster call and begin his march to the top of the card, where he and others at the top of this countdown will form the foundation for pro wrestling's future.

Accomplishments: NXT Championship (2), NXT Tag Team Championship, WWE Intercontinental Championship (2)

The only thing holding Bron Breakker back from appearing higher on this list is the disjointed creative that has plagued him at times in his career.

Exploding on the scene as the NXT champion as part of the brand's massive reboot in 2022, he found immediate success. He was the face of the brand, competing against Tony D'Angelo, Grayson Waller, Santos Escobar, and even defeating Dolph Ziggler to regain his title.

His explosive offense, including a speed unmatched by his peers, set him apart while his Steiner Brothers pedigree game him a legitimacy that connected him with the audience.

His main roster call-up brought runs with the Intercontinental Championship and matches with Jey Uso, Ilja Dragunov and Sheamus, all of which tested his ability, toughness and connection with the fans. He passed with flying colors.

The 28-year-old's heel turn earlier in 2025 and allegiance with Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman in The Vision signified the start of his main event ascension, while an injury to the former at Crown Jewel put him on the fast track to the top of the card and World Heavyweight Championship.

That is, if WWE Creative does not get too fancy and ruin what should be the easiest lay-up in company history.

Accomplishments: AEW World Championship, AEW International Championship, Dynamite Diamond Ring (2019-2024), Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship

At another time, MJF would have been the easy No. 1 on this countdown, with no questions asked.

An extraordinary professional wrestler with the character work necessary to transcend the sport and become a star outside of the ring, he has created a resume and legacy for himself at age 29 that few could only dream of, all while appearing in mainstream motion pictures such as The Iron Claw and Happy Gilmore 2.

It is the outside interest from Hollywood, coupled with questionable creative decisions over the last two years, that has hurt The Salt of the Earth's positioning on the list.

Inconsistent availability, start-stop pushes, and creative decisions lacking the luster that a performer of MJF's stature long ago earned have left him in a place where he is neither the headliner nor the champion he should be.

That could all change by way of the Casino Battle Royal championship opportunity he possesses, but strictly in a pro wrestling sense, it can be argued MJF is not near the heights he should be given his talent and crossover appeal.

Accomplishments: AEW TNT Championship, Ring of Honor Tag Team Championship, Ring of Honor World Television Championship

Kyle Fletcher has developed into one of the best wrestlers in the world at just 26 years of age and is relatively fresh off his first pay-per-view main event, an AEW World Championship opportunity against "Hangman" Adam Page.

The Australian rose to prominence in his series of matches against Will Ospreay, his mentor and former teammate in United Empire. From there, he built momentum, proving himself as one of the best young workers in the industry against professional wrestlers of all styles and backgrounds.

The 26-year-old showcased brutality in grueling steel cage and hardcore matches, outwrestled the best in the industry in other situations and has developed his on-screen presence and mic skills along the way.

A world title contender right now, it's only a matter of time before he captures the top prize in the industry and completes his breakout. For now, he can be seen wrestling the best matches on most AEW shows, defending his TNT Championship while doing so.

Accomplishments: WWE Intercontinental Championship, NXT North American Championship (2), WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship

From Rey Mysterio's kid to lackey of The Judgment Day, to intercontinental champion and the face of WWE's future, Dominik Mysterio has evolved into one of the most entertaining characters in wrestling.

So hated was the spoiled brat child of a Hall of Famer that Mysterio used to be drowned out in arenas around the country, his promos gleefully derided by fans who did not want to hear anything from him.

His embracing of the hatred and willingness to play to it endeared him to fans, though, as evidenced by the huge reaction for his victory at WrestleMania 41 over Breakker, Finn Balor, and Penta for the IC title.

Since then, Mysterio has captured the AAA Mega Championship to go with his IC title and continued to earn positive reactions from audiences.

An entertainer whose in-ring ability has caught up to him, the 28-year-old has the all-important mix that will allow him to excel at the top of WWE for the foreseeable future—as a villain or a babyface.

Accomplishments: Raw Women's Championship, Women's World Championship (2), NXT Women's Championship, NXT UK Women's Championship, WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, 2023 Royal Rumble winner

Rhea Ripley is one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling, a performer greeted with the same level of excitement as the likes of Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, and Jey Uso.

The 29-year-old is one of the biggest social media stars in wrestling, and she is ready to crossover to mainstream media if and when she chooses to.

Until then, she will continue to electrify fans in arenas for WWE, drawing enormous ovations while capturing titles and beating up a list of enemies that has included Charlotte Flair, Asuka, Iyo Sky, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and even Dominik Mysterio.

A star unlike any other in the company, Ripley is the rare woman's star who has transcended her division to become one of the faces of the company, and there are no signs of her stopping.

That she is one of the best wrestlers in a division as hot as the women's is only helps her argument for this top spot.