Jon Moxley's AEW World Title run to end in Roman Reigns-like saga - 5 ways that could happen

Jon Moxley has been reigning supreme as AEW's World Champion since October last year. Although his latest run began in unforgettable fashion, viewers have increasingly been voicing their dissatisfaction with the former WWE Superstar's booking and presentation with the belt. Many hoped that Moxley would drop the belt to fan-favorite Swerve Strickland at Dynasty 2025, but he retained, thanks to the help of the returning Young Bucks.

It was recently revealed that All Elite Wrestling had planned for Mox to have a lengthy reign with the World Championship. The report elicited mixed reactions from the wrestling world, with many drawing parallels between Moxley's run with the belt and his former SHIELD brother Roman Reigns' historic run as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, which ended at WrestleMania XL at the hands of Cody Rhodes.

Although The Tribal Chief's 1,316-day stint as champion did occasionally wear on the audience's patience, it pushed through because of WWE's heavy investment in The Bloodline saga and its key players. Even though viewers are not responding well to Jon Moxley's AEW Championship reign currently, the company could rejuvenate interest in the program and potentially even carry it past All In: Texas for a massive conclusion.

Here are five ways how:

#1: A mega-alliance: Jon Moxley agrees to join forces with The Elite for Anarchy in the Arena

This week on Dynamite, The Young Bucks claimed that their actions at Dynasty 2025 constituted an olive branch that they were extending to Jon Moxley and The Death Riders. They claimed that the two groups shared the same goals, voiced their respect for Mox for winning the AEW World Title, and proposed the formation of an alliance between The Death Riders and The Elite.

The Jackson Brothers were confronted shortly afterward by Kenny Omega, and although Kazuchika Okada came out to tip the numbers' advantage in The Elite's favor, a vengeful Swerve Strickland showed up, sent the heel group running, and seemingly formed a tentative alliance with The Cleaner himself. Both The Realest and now his manager Prince Nana, have notably owned up to their past actions against Adam Page during their more recent backstage run-ins.

The Hangman, like others in the 2025 Owen Cup, has plans to win the tournament for a shot at Moxley at All In 2025. With a growing number of contenders circling him, and one of his soldiers recently injured, the original Death Rider could agree to an alliance with The Elite to help take out his enemies. Mox could even loan Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta to The Bucks, Okada, and possibly Jack Perry to battle Swerve, Page, Omega, and others in an Anarchy in the Arena match - a Double or Nothing staple - next month.

#2: Cracks in the Death Riders: The suffering of Wheeler Yuta

One way All Elite Wrestling can draw inspiration from WWE's Bloodline saga is by noting how the storyline revolved around character progression, with Roman Reigns' relationship with The Usos acting as the beating heart of the angle. Tony Khan can do something similar with The Death Riders, by simply featuring Wheeler Yuta as a more central figure, and building interpersonal dynamics between the members of the group in a way that viewers don't often see on TV.

The BCC/Death Riders have a history of abuse towards Wheeler Yuta [Image Credits: AEW's YouTube channel]

Yuta's arguably toxic relationship with his stable-mates has been often commented upon on air, and AEW could explore this angle more deeply moving forward. Starting from this week's Dynamite, Moxley could be furious at Wheeler for tapping to HOOK in the main event, and brutalize him physically on Collision, or next Wednesday, by way of punishment. If the stable is forced to drop the World Trios Titles because of PAC's injury, Mox could even blame Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli for allowing the high-flyer to get hurt.

#3: Jon Moxley refuses to surrender Blood and Guts 2025, but Claudio Castagnoli does

The Death Riders will likely compete in this year's edition of Blood and Guts if the highly violent match is organized once again. Jon Moxley and his ex-BCC crew could step into the double cages with The Elite, but this time as teammates to take down their common foes. Stars like Hangman Page, Swerve Strickland, Kenny Omega, and potentially even Darby Allin (if he is able to make it back from his Everest expedition on time) could bring the fight against the heel factions, tying together years of storyline and prior rivalries.

Blood and Guts 2025 - which may take place around late June - would undoubtedly be a brutal affair like its predecessors. The finish of the bout could witness Jon Moxley refusing to surrender the matchup to save Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli doing it instead. Such an angle would serve as a throwback to the ending of Blood and Guts 2023 when Mox relinquished victory against The Golden Elite to rescue Yuta.

The aforementioned story beat would widen the cracks forming in the foundation of The Death Riders. Claudio, who has teamed with Wheeler more often, could be fed up with Moxley's treatment of the up-and-comer. Despite having been abusive towards Yuta himself, The Swiss Superman could protect the former ROH Pure Champion even in defeat at Blood and Guts, infuriating The One True King further.

#4: Hangman Page dethrones Jon Moxley at AEW All In: Texas

The incredibly stacked brackets for this year's Owen Hart Cup, as well as the participation of an unnamed wild card entry, have made it somewhat tricky to predict potential winners of the tournament. Among the competitors who have been announced, however, either Hangman Page or Will Ospreay have the best odds of emerging victorious in the finals at Double or Nothing.

While The Aerial Assassin would make for an excellent opponent for Jon Moxley on this year's All In, fans may prefer The Cowboy heading to Texas for a title shot.

Hangman Page and Jon Moxley have a storied rivalry in AEW [Image Credits: AEW's Instagram]

Since the end of 2024, viewers have been clamoring to see The Cowboy dethrone Mox and finally recapture the AEW World Championship for the first time since losing it in 2022. Page, one of the few All Elite names with prior victories against Moxley, could finally have his next crowning moment in the Globe Life Field Stadium at All In. Tony Khan could even involve the Virginia native's arch-rival Swerve Strickland in the proceedings. The Realest could arrive to foil the Death Riders' interference, in a reversal of Page's distraction costing Strickland the AEW World Title at All In 2024.

#5: Darby Allin dethrones Jon Moxley for the AEW World Title

Most lengthy heel title reigns in wrestling are defined by the quality of their endings. Roman Reigns' record-breaking Undisputed WWE Championship run is even more memorable because it came to an end at the hands of Cody Rhodes in the culmination of a year-long storyline.

While Jon Moxley has not held the AEW World Title for over a thousand days, he will have held it for a year if he makes it to this year's WrestleDream (presumably in October), where Darby Allin could finish his own story.

The daredevil is speculated to be the one meant to dethrone The One True King since the Death Riders saga began last year. It would be easy for the company to pull the trigger on Darby, who has a history with Moxley, and a bone to pick with The Death Riders for leaving him for dead. Allin could resume hostilities against the faction as soon as he returns from his Everest climb. In the meantime, the AEW World Champion could defend his belt against NJPW's Gabe Kidd at Forbidden Door 2025, and then potentially against Eddie Kingston at All Out 2025.

All the while, The Death Riders could slowly disintegrate, with Marina Shafir ditching the group to join Roderick Strong and The Paragon, and Yuta and Claudio refusing to interfere during Mox's defense against Kingston (despite Castagnoli's beef with The Mad King). Without any allies left to help Moxley, Allin could bring the story full circle by finally beating the latter at AEW WrestleDream 2025, ending his reign of terror once and for all.