Despite being created in 2019, AEW has grown to a point that many did not expect them to be at when the company was first announced. With jokes abound about being the next TNA, or critics stating that they would not make it more than a year, Tony Khan's wrestling promotion is alive and well as a part of the WarnerMedia family, with AEW Dark, AEW Dark: Elevation, AEW Dynamite, and AEW Rampage adding more and more content to the AEW library every week.
In 2022, AEW have made some major moves, with the product still managing to feel fresh and new, despite being around for a few years now. With some missteps along the way, All Elite Wrestling is still more often than not the most enjoyable weekly wrestling product on the market.
10 New Championships Have Arrived
As All Elite Wrestling continues to expand, the company has introduced multiple new championships to its ongoing belt collection in 2022, with the TBS Women's Championship and the AEW All Atlantic Championship being the two newest addtions. With Jade Cargill being crowned TBS Champion, and still remaining undefeated, that champion has still only had one owner.
As for the All Atlantic Championship, a champion has yet to be crowned, with a Fatal 4-Way taking place at Forbidden Door, with either Malakai Black, Miro, Pac, or NJPW's Clark Connors walking away with the belt. While fans await for the long-rumored trios titles, these will make due.
9 New Factions Have Formed
Compared to WWE, one aspect that AEW has knocked out of the park since its inception is the integration of factions within the company. From the Elite and the Inner Circle, to Dark Order and the NIghtmare Family, there have been a number of factions established in AEW during its first few years.
2022 has seen even more factions come into the fold, with Jade Cargill leading The Baddies in the Women's Division, Chris Jericho forming a new heel stable called the Jericho Appreciation Society, William Regal forming The Blackpool Combat Club alongside Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, and Wheeler Yuta, and the formation of the Undisputed Elite with Adam Cole, reDRagon, and The Young Bucks. With their relationship with New Japan stronger than ever, the company has also seen United Empire, CHAOS, Bullet Club, and Suzuki-gun appear on AEW programming.
8 Ring Of Honor Is Now Tied To AEW
With Tony Khan's shocking announcement that he had purchased Ring of Honor in early 2022, the company that seemed to be at its end, was saved. Since then, ROH has run one PPV, Supercard of Honor, during WrestleMania 38 weekend. With that PPV came new champions crowned, and following the show, fans would see ROH integrated into AEW programming.
With Jonathan Gresham holing the ROH World Championship, Samoa Joe holding the ROH Television Championship, FTR holding the ROH Tag Team Titles, and Mercedes Martinez as the ROH Women's Champion, all of the belts have had major representation on AEW television.
7 The Impact Relationship Is Done... Somewhat
A year ago, Impact Wrestling and AEW seemed to be working together quite often, with Kenny Omega's belt collector gimmick making its way into Impact, as he would capture the Impact World Championship. Nowadays, the relationship seems to be much more sporadic between the companies.
While it has declined in prominence, two Impact Wrestling stars did appear in AEW in 2022, with Deonna Purrazzo and W. Morrissey both wrestling on AEW Dynamite, and referred to as Impact Stars. Conversely, AEW's Frankie Kazarian has had an extended stint within Impact, taking part in their Slammiversary PPV as part of Team Impact.
6 The Forbidden Door Is Wide Open
Despite some occasional appearances from New Japan and Impact talents during 2021, this year has brought about significantly more crossovers for AEW. From Kazuchika Okada making his AEW debut, to FTR holding the AAA Tag Team Belts, to the actual Forbidden Door PPV event, AEW has opened the door and does not seem to want it closed again.
Other big ForbIdden Door moments for AEW in 2022 have come in the form of Thunder Rosa heading to japan alongside Riho and Hikaru Shida in Japan, wrestling Miyu Yamashita in Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Jay White and other NJPW stars appearing in AEW, and Deonna Purrazzo wrestling in the main event of Dynamite.
5 Better Booking For The Women
Undeniably the area where AEW receives the most criticism, the company's women's division has been a hot button topic since the company launched in 2019. 2022 has been a big year for the women of AEW, with a second championship added, being won by Jade Cargill, and major signings in the form of Mercedes Martinez, Toni Storm, and Athena.
With a second title, the women's content within AEW has been improved overall, with several ongoing stories at once, more prominent title matches, and even main eventing multiple Dynamite episodes in the first half of 2022.
4 Plenty Of New Signings
With the wrestling free agent market being so open and wide, plenty of hot names have signed with AEW in the first half of 22. From Paige VanZant, who made her in-ring debut at Double or Nothing, to Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland, or even to the comedy act, Danhausen, AEW's roster has seen a number of changes in 2022 compared to where the company was at in 2021.
Even looking back strictly a year ago, Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe, Jay Lethal, Adam Cole, and CM Punk were not signed to AEW contracts, with the first two still being employed by WWE. Regardless of your opinion on the company, AEW has grown leaps and bounds in the last year.
3 Jade Cargill, TBS Champion
Debuting in AEW during the first half of 2021, Jade Cargill has gone from a very green rookie to one of the biggest stars in women's wrestling. Kicking off AEW Dynamite's move to TBS, Jade Cargill would be crowned the first-ever TBS Women's Champion, defeating Ruby Soho in the finals of a tournament dedicated to the new belt. Since then, Jade has continued her undefeated streak, defeating the likes of Anna Jay, Tay Conti, and Marina Shafir as she builds upon her reign.
While Cargill is still one of the best in-ring performers, she has rapidly improved over the past year, and seeing her undefeated streak play out in real-time, seeing the rookie improve with each match, it has been a journey. With the addition of The Baddies, Jade feels like a megastar currently, and with impending matches against Kris Statlander and Athena, the TBS Championship feels like a huge deal.
2 No Kenny Omega
Coming off of his Full Gear main event against Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship, a match that served as the culmination of a two-year story arc for the two men, Kenny Omega would exit AEW TV due to nagging injuries. Having built them up during the course of his time in NJPW, and having continued wrestling through them in AEW, Omega needed to take the time off and have surgeries done in order to continue wrestling.
Despite fans praying Omega would make it back in time for the Forbidden Door PPV, The Cleaner has yet to be cleared and has remained absent from AEW programming since his departure in late 2021. As fans continue to await the return of the Best Bout Machine, one thing that is for certain is that Kenny Omega's return will be a moment etched in AEW's history forever.
1 Cody Rhodes Is Gone
Easily the biggest jump between AEW and WWE, Cody Rhodes would make his return to WWE at WrestleMania 38, facing off against Seth Rollins in a marquee singles match that saw the two men steal the show. Losing Cody Rhodes seemed like a major loss for AEW, but the company has filled his void without missing much.
Still, without Cody on the roster, it does feel different nowadays. Whether fans loved or hated him and the storylines he brought to the table under AEW, Cody Rhodes was an integral part of AEW's first 3 years as a company, and his absence does loom over the brand as their first major defection to the WWE.