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AEW easily had its best year in 2021. Not only did the young company make blockbuster ex-WWE signings with CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Cole, they've also added another show, AEW Rampage. Not to mention the record attendance and revenue AEW made from shows and pay-per-views coming out of the pandemic.
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Several AEW talent made their mark in 2021. Whether young rookies making an impact or established wrestlers revitalizing their characters, these are the top five breakout stars of 2021.
#5. AEW breakout star – Hook
When Hook finally made his debut in early December against Fuego Del Sol, he was riding a wave of enormous crowd support. The "Send Hook" memes have made Taz's son somewhat of a cult hero amongst the AEW faithful. But no one expected the young wrestler to be as good as he was in that match.
He has excellent grappling skills and a natural swagger to his game. It might be slightly hyperbolic to put him on this list with only two matches under his belt, but Hook is legit over with the audience. The reactions he has received are greater than some of the company's more established wrestlers. It will be interesting to see how AEW continues to push him in 2022 and organically elevate him to the next level. FTW champion, anyone?
#4. AEW breakout star – Dante Martin
Dante Martin is AEW's resident high-flyer in a company full of them. He impressed fans with his unworldly athleticism and show-stopping matches. At 20 years old, he is arguably as good as Rey Mysterio was at that age.
As one half of Top Flight, he and his brother were primed to make a splash in the AEW tag team division. Unfortunately, Darius Martin suffered a serious ACL injury in March, which forced him to undergo surgery.
In his absence, Dante could have slid into obscurity. Instead, he has emerged as a breakout star following his showcase performance in a six-man tag match against The Elite.
Dante was also impressed in a hard-fought contest against Malakai Black and gained the attention of Team Taz, The Acclaimed, and Lio Rush, making him AEW's most sought-after prospect.
The biggest spotlight Dante had was on the AEW Winter is Coming special. Martin challenged MJF in the main event for the right to win the Dynamite Diamond Ring but came up short. He is a youngster whose star is on the rise.
#3. AEW breakout star – Miro
When AEW debuted Miro in 2020, many pegged him to go on a dominant run as a monster champion, which WWE couldn't deliver. Instead, he was put in a Best Man gimmick with Kip Sabian that was doomed from the start and threatened to derail his momentum.
Thankfully, the Bulgarian star finally found his groove as God's Favorite Champion. He displayed the right blend of brutality and humor which made Miro the most entertaining he's ever been. The 37-year-old ascended to another level after defeating Darby Allin for the AEW TNT title and went on a tear through the roster.
While his reign was eventually ended by Sammy Guevara, the former WWE United States Champion still bounced back strong in a brutal match with Bryan Danielson at Full Gear.
Miro should take the next step and enter the AEW's World Championship picture in 2022. His character work and in-ring dominance deserve that spotlight.
#2. AEW breakout star – Britt Baker
AEW Women's Champion Britt Baker feels like she's been on top for ages. But the real-life dentist only truly broke out this year. She showed glimpses of her star potential when she turned heel in 2020, but it was her feud with Thunder Rosa that cemented her as one of the hottest wrestlers on the roster.
The two delivered a critically acclaimed unsanctioned Lights Out match on the March 17 episode of Dynamite. Their gruesome encounter pushed the envelope of a women's match and displayed Baker's toughness even though she lost that bout.
Baker used that momentum to challenge Hikaru Shida in AEW Double or Nothing for the title and finally ended her year-long reign.
As the reigning AEW women's world champion, Baker has steadily improved her in-ring work to complement her excellent promos and character. She has truly become the face of the AEW women's division and no one can realistically knock her off her perch.
#1. AEW breakout star – Hangman Page
AEW's top breakout star has to go to their world champion, Hangman Page. Not only did he fulfill his potential as the company's top babyface, but Page also paid off what was the best long-term storyline in wrestling when he finally defeated Kenny Omega at AEW Full Gear for the strap.
When AEW first started back in 2019, Page declared that he would be the company's first champion. When he failed, the Cowboy went on a downward spiral. Hiding his flaws and insecurities with alcohol, Page lost his friends, his tag team title, and finally himself. His redemption arc from loser to bonafide star has been truly rewarding for fans to witness.
While his world title is only in its infancy, Page has already had an amazing match with Bryan Danielson with a rematch set to kick off in the new year. Here's hoping that Page can defeat his rival once more and enjoy a lengthy reign with the belt. He sure deserves it.
