Ranking the top 10 AEW stars who debuted in 2021 - Former WWE Champion, Nine-time WWE Tag Team Champion, former NXT Champion

AEW signed some of the most talented performers in pro-wrestling during 2021. In total, they signed 26 different wrestlers.

Some of them are seemingly still training and honing their craft. Others have had remarkable debuts and somehow fizzled out slightly instead of becoming megastars.

Regardless of what becomes of the wrestlers and where they're going, the roster is stacked with talent. Fans get the biggest payoff by witnessing brilliant wrestling every week.

This list will rank 10 out of the 26 stars signed to All Elite Wrestling in 2021. They won't be ranked based on their initial debut but rather how much they achieved and their impact.

10. Ethan Page has a lot of talent but isn't getting his due in AEW

Ethan Page might not be everyone's favorite wrestler, but he has an undeniable level of charisma that AEW isn't capitalizing on.

Page has been paired with Scorpio Sky for quite some time, allowing the entertaining duo to reach some fame.

Since his debut, he has had several title shots, and it could soon be elevated to building up a title reign.

9. Andrade El Idolo has been lukewarm since his debut

Andrade "El Idolo" had one of the worst debuts in AEW as his announcement was drowned out by Vicki Guerrero getting booed.

He was quickly paired with veteran performer Chavo Guerrero Jr. and had an interesting angle for a while. Unfortunately, as involved as Andrade is on television, his feuds do not impact much.

There's a lot of potential in Andrade, and he has a lot of agility and speed for his size. One could even say that he has combined the best bits from Eddie Guerrero and Alberto del Rio's wrestling style.

In conclusion, All Elite Wrestling needs to push Andrade harder in 2022, so he can create a bigger impact.

8. Lio Rush has been crawling to the top of AEW but might get a push soon

At only 27, AEW's Lio Rush could be called a prodigy. During his WWE run, he wowed fans but was released in 2020. He then had a few appearances on the Independent Circuit before officially becoming All Elite in the 2021 Casino Battle Royal.

The self-proclaimed "Man of the Hour" cut some fantastic promos during his time with the All Elite promotion. While his promos have been amazing, he's only wrestled three times since being signed. If Rush had more screen time and matches, he'd easily be higher on this list.

7. Thunder Rosa has a bright future ahead of her

Although Thunder Rosa didn't pick up the TBS Championship, she has tremendous in-ring skills and a huge fanbase.

Some minor bad bookings aside, she has been a great asset to All Elite Wrestling. She may have unintentionally propelled Britt Baker to superstardom, but La Mera Mera herself is a future champion in the making.

Thunder Rosa will definitely have her chances against Baker in 2022 and could dethrone the D.M.D as the women's champion.

6. Christian Cage has made himself a home in AEW

Christian Cage has been with AEW for less than a year. His initial debut was very well received, and he even defeated Kenny Omega to pick up the IMPACT World Championship.

The former WWE Heavyweight Champion was supposed to "Outwork Everyone" but has since become the manager of Jurassic Express.

Cage's presence with Jurassic Express might be odd, but they finally became tag team champions after aligning with him. He has been a successful heel in the past and could eventually betray the new champions to serve himself.

5. Adam Cole has been Elite but not so Undisputed

Adam Cole has been familiarizing himself with the All Elite fans so far. While his run has not been terrible, he's been embroiled in silly feuds since his debut.

If given a chance, Cole could do a lot in AEW as a main event talent. With his former Undisputed Era members, now All Elite themselves, there's a hint of an interesting angle. The angle has even recently been amplified after Cole received assistance from his real-life girlfriend, Britt Baker.

Adam Cole is on the path to becoming a big star in All Elite Wrestling, hopefully capturing the world title in 2022.

4. Ruby Soho has been repping for all the runaways in AEW

Ruby Soho's AEW debut was probably one of the best debuts of 2021. She went into All Elite Wrestling as if she was on fire and quickly earned a title shot.

Although she missed capturing the TBS title as well, Soho is a champion in the making. With a large fan following and a unique persona, she's managed to be consistent since her debut. She's also managed to avoid being delegated to a manager or something similar.

Ruby Soho could easily capture a championship in 2022 if she maintains her momentum.

3. Malakai Black has revitalized himself in All Elite Wrestling

Malakai Black was seemingly given a terrible hand before leaving WWE. Like many of the company's 2021 releases, his main roster call-up was lackluster, to say the least.

Black's AEW debut was met with tremendous support, and he even received cheers while feuding with Cody Rhodes - an established face. Keen-eyed fans would also notice how he incorporated his previous angle into his new character. Black's right eye is surrounded with paint, and he sports a different colored eye contact.

While he was defeated by Rhodes and did a few weak angles, he has recently established a stable called The House of Black. Malakai Black definitely has some sinister plans, and it'll be interesting to see where he goes with those.

2. CM Punk has become a cult of personality in AEW

CM Punk probably had the best debut in AEW, drawing one of wrestling's biggest crowd pops so far.

However, Punk has since had forgettable feuds and wrestled young wrestlers with minimal experience. His return might not be what many fans have hoped for, but recently things have been looking up.

CM Punk's feud with MJF is an improvement on what he's done so far and seems to last for a long time. Hopefully, unlike his feud with Eddie Kingston, this one won't be over after one match.

1. Bryan Danielson has revived the American Dragon

While some fans could still be getting used to calling him Daniel Bryan, Bryan Danielson has left quite the mark on AEW.

Danielson debuted the same night as Adam Cole, and unlike fellow WWE veteran CM Punk, he's been wrestling formidable opponents. He recently challenged the current world champion, Hangman Adam Page, twice. Although he's no longer undefeated, Danielson showed that he's more than just a wrestler to be pinned on top of another wrestler.

At 40-years-old and returning from a career-ending injury, Bryan Danielson has limited time left in the ring. These are likely his final years of active wrestling, so fans can be sure that he'll pull off some amazing work.