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AEW has always presented its world championship with great prestige and pride. So far, the company has had nine champions, but only CM Punk and Jon Moxley have had multiple reigns. The Puryevor of Violence is a four-time and current champion.
Jon Moxley won the AEW World Championship at the 2024 WrestleDream pay-per-view. He has been able to retain the title so far with the help of his crew. The Death Riders have played a significant role in protecting the True King. He has defended the title against five opponents so far and there is a long list of opponents waiting in line.
Let's examine some of the names of those who deserve a shot at the AEW World Championship this year. Many young stars and veterans worked hard in 2024 and early 2025 and must have the opportunity to win the title.
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#5. Ricochet
Ricochet has been receiving a lot of praise for his current heel gimmick. His feud with Swerve Strickland grabbed a lot of eyes in the past few weeks. The former recently defeated the Realest star on Dynamite in early February. When Ricochet refused to wrestle the former AEW World Champion in a rematch, he lured him into accepting the challenge by turning the bout into a world title contender's match.
They will face each other at Revolution, and the winner of the bout will go on to face Jon Moxley if the latter defeats Cope. With Ricochet improving his mic skills significantly, he might be ready to step foot in the main event scene. At Revolution, he should pick up a second win against Strickland and face Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship.
#4. Jay White
The Switchblade has been dealing with the Death Riders for a very long time. He even challenged Moxley for the title at Worlds End pay-per-view but failed to capture it. In 2025, the star is still battling the evil group, but this time, Cope has his back. The latter is set to challenge True King at Revolution pay-per-view.
If the Rated R-Superstar loses, White must come forward and demand a match with Jon Moxley for revenge as well as the world championship. With the star being popular, fans would be happy to see him win the gold.
#3. Claudio Castagnoli
The former Swiss Superman has taken many blows so far to safeguard his True King. He has been loyal to Moxley since day one and may ask for a favor in the future, which is Claudio's desire for a shot at the AEW World Championship. The latter had a terrific performance in the Continental Classic last year and delivered top-notch matches throughout the year.
The former ROH World Champion could be built as an untouchable contender for Jon Moxley's title. The tension between a leader and his soldier would create an intriguing storyline.
#2. Buddy Matthews
Buddy Matthews has a lot of eyes on him since Malakai Black left AEW. The House of Black has changed to Hell of Hounds, and all three stars are being presented as huge deals right now. Recently, Matthews wrestled Kazuchika Okada for the Continental Championship at Grand Slam Australia. The former was presented as a main event star in his home country.
Unfortunately, the Hell of Hounds member lost the match. Besides losing, he also injured his leg during the contest and is currently out of action. When he returns, AEW could represent his comeback as a massive return. He could even be built as a contender for the AEW World Championship. Moxley wrestling a high-flyer and technician could be an interesting matchup.
#1. Will Ospreay should become AEW World Champion in 2025
The Aerial Assassin officially became All Elite in early 2024. His matches in the company have been extremely athletic, and many consider him to be one of the best on the roster. He has been undefeated in singles action in 2025 and picked up four victories so far. With a few more wins, he might climb the ladder and become a top contender for the world championship.
Not only should Jon Moxley give Will Ospreay a title shot, but he should also drop it to the star. The former International Champion has always been a top babyface of the promotion, and his in-ring skills never fail to impress the fans. Ospreay taking a title off Moxley would also be a huge restart for the product.
It will be interesting to see which of these stars will manage to capture the top prize in AEW later this year.
