10 Bold Predictions For The Rest Of AEW's 2023 Year

It feels like only yesterday that AEW was kicking off 2023 with a total makeover, as the company launched new graphics and a brand new production design. Since then, the company has had yet another rollercoaster year, much like 2022. With the major highs such as All In at Wembley Stadium to the surreal lows of CM Punk being fired following a second backstage fight, All Elite Wrestling hasn't had an easy year.

With Grand Slam, WrestleDream, Full Gear, and ROH Final Battle on their plate, as well as the weekly Dynamite and Collision shows, these are some bold predictions for the rest of AEW's calendar year.

10 A New Outcast Debuts In Toni Storm's Place

The Outcasts celebrate Toni Storm's win at Double Or Nothing 2023.

Throughout 2023, storylines in the women's division moved at a snail's pace and left fans wanting more. Recently, Toni has broken out with some of the best character work of her career, entering a downward spiral as she echoes fallen silent film stars of the past (think Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, but as a deranged wrestler). With Storm out of The Outcasts, Saraya & Soho could use a third for their trio, and by the end of 2023, a new member should be added to give the group a facelift.

9 Eddie Kingston Finally Beats Claudio Castagnoli

Eddie Kingston fights Claudio Castagnoli

Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli's real-life issues from the 2010s have been used to sell their on-screen feud, with the two men facing off at ROH Supercard of Honor in March, which Eddie won. Following Stadium Stampede and All Out, where the men went face-to-face again, Kingston will have another shot at Claudio and his ROH World Championship at AEW Grand Slam. Whether Eddie wins here or at Final Battle in December, it seems likely that Eddie Kingston finally gets his fairy tale ending.

8 Jade Cargill Regains The TBS Championship

After boundless rumors took the internet by storm of her leaving AEW, Jade Cargill made her return after a several month hiatus in early September, shocking fans on the Collision after All Out. Making the save for Kris Statlander after an attack by the Renegade Twins, the former TBS Champion then laid out Statlander, as she made her intentions clear.

Cargill is back and is looking to recapture the gold that brought her to fame in AEW, and by the end of the year, she could very well be carrying around the TBS Championship for the second time. While Kris is proving to be a great champion in her own right, Cargill is one of the most dominant women in wrestling, so fans can never count her out as a contender.

7 Bullet Club Gold Gains Some Gold

Originally a tag-team of Jay White & Juice Robinson, Bullet Club Gold has grown to include former AEW World Tag Team Champions, The Gunns. Since Collision launched, Bullet Club Gold have taken over the hearts and minds of AEW thanks to their amazing chemistry and charisma.

With Jay White & Juice Robinson having unfinished beef with FTR, it seems that another meeting between the two teams will occur before 2023 is over. On top of that, Cash Wheeler's legal issues could likely lead FTR to losing the belts sooner than later, so why not go with Jay & Juice? Jay White remains undefeated since joining AEW, and in recent months has grown to feel like the major star that most saw him becoming, so strapping Bullet Club Gold would only further cement his status as a future main event star for the company.

6 At Least One Roster Member Leaves The Company

While AEW offers some of the most entertaining wrestling on the planet, it is not always sunshine and rainbows. As the company has grown exponentially since its launch, there have been a number of wrestlers that have not had their contracts renewed, or who have exited the company on their own. It remains to be seen as to who could leave the company before 2023 is over, but it seems more likely now than ever that a bigger name could either have their contract lapse or could ask for their release before the year is over, as they look to bet on themselves.

5 Athena Becomes A More Prominent Player In AEW

Athena is one of the most underrated wrestlers of 2023. Joining AEW in mid 2022, Athena's career in the company has been all over the place. However, this year she has been doing some of the best work of her career in ROH. Unfortunately, it has gone unnoticed by most, as ROH remains a niche offshoot of AEW.

With how strong her work's been in 2023, and with more focus likely being put in the women's division with the return of Jade, impending return of Thunder Rosa, and soon-to-be-debuting Mercedes Mone, Athena being given a proper spotlight on AEW television could be huge for the division as a whole.

4 More CM Punk Drama

It really sucks to even have to write this, but after CM Punk's dramatic exit from AEW, just a few short months after returning to the company, it seems all but guaranteed that there will be more drama to come with him and his relationship with AEW before the year is over. Whether it comes in the form of more backstage reports about his antics or him publically spilling his version of the story, while the company may be rid of Punk as a wrestler, his presence will likely still be a thorn in their side for much longer.

3 Mercedes Mone Debuts & Dethrones Saraya

At AEW All In, Mercedes Mone finally appeared on camera for AEW, being shown in the crowd. With reports of her coming to an agreement with AEW to debut once she is healed and cleared to return, it seems all but locked in that AEW's Women's Division will be getting a huge shot in the arm with the debut of Mercedes Mone. There are a number of possible venues for her debut, with Grand Slam, WrestleDream, and Full Gear all looking likely for the CEO to make her statement, and if she agrees to a long-term deal with AEW, it seems even more likely that she will dethrone Saraya.

2 MJF Loses The AEW World Championship To Adam Cole

The biggest, and arguably best AEW story this year, has seen MJF and Adam Cole go from bitter rivals to best friends. After beefing over the AEW World Championship, the two would be forced into a blind tag team tournament, which they won. From there, the two men would agree to wrestle for the AEW World Championship at All In, where they also won the ROH Tag Team Titles.

While many assumed their friendship would come crumbling down in the main event at Wembley, Cole & Max have remained friends past the stadium show, though most know that time is not on their side. With MJF a certified babyface star in AEW now, and The Kingdom & Roderick Strong slowly becoming some of the top heels in AEW, it's a matter of when - not if - that Cole turns his back on MJF and re-joins The Kingdom, likely stealing the AEW World Championship in the process.

1 Edge Debuts In AEW

In 2020, Edge shocked the world by making his return to the ring after a career-ending injury forced him to retire nearly a decade prior. Since then, he has enjoyed a healthy return to WWE, wrestling some of the biggest names and proving that he could still go at an elite level. However, his contract now remains a mystery.

Reports came out in late summer that Edge's contract was coming up with WWE, and that he had not agreed to new terms, and likely was not going to. The company rolled out the red carpet for his last scheduled match against Sheamus on an episode of SmackDown, dedicating it to his career, as if he was leaving. Now, fans are boundlessly speculating that Adam Copeland could once again shock the world and make the jump to AEW, likely reuniting with or feuding against Christian Cage. With a big calendar of events in the final months of the year, now could be the time for the Rated-R Superstar to become All Elite.