Five AEW Stars Positioned For Bigger Pushes Heading Into Full Gear

AEW’s creative direction over the past few weeks has put a clear spotlight on a handful of performers who look set to climb the card as the promotion heads toward Full Gear.

Jay White’s return at WrestleDream 2026 kicked things off. After a brief injury layoff, “Switchblade” came back and turned heel alongside the Bang Bang Gang, aligning with their former rivals The Dogs to jump Jon Moxley, the Death Riders and the Conglomeration on the October 21 episode of Dynamite. Three days later on Collision, White revealed the new super-group’s name: The Cut. With that much manpower behind him, White looks like a logical next challenger for Moxley’s AEW Continental Championship.

Marina Shafir has quietly become one of the most compelling figures in the Death Riders orbit following the death of her stablemate PAC. She’s stepped into something of a leadership role as Moxley works through that loss, and on the same October 21 Dynamite, Shafir called out AEW Women’s World Champion Mercedes Moné. A title program with “The CEO” would mark the biggest spotlight of Shafir’s career.

Mark Davis challenged Moxley for the Continental Championship at WrestleDream and came up short, but he didn’t stay down long — he reunited with Jake Doyle that same week to lay out the Young Bucks on Dynamite. Davis, a former AEW National Champion, has spent 2026 establishing himself as a legitimate threat to anyone on the roster, and with a shot at the AEW World Tag Team Championship reportedly on tap for Full Gear, more gold could be coming his way.

Ilja Dragunov’s signing was the most notable surprise of WrestleDream weekend. After months of speculation, “The Mad Dragon” officially became All Elite, bringing his physical, hard-hitting style to a promotion that markets itself on in-ring quality. It likely won’t take long before AEW finds a prominent spot for him, with a title run feeling like a matter of when, not if.

And then there’s Kyle Fletcher, who has looked like a future world champion for well over a year now. The two-time TNT Champion and former International Champion has already run through a long list of top names, and a win over his former mentor in a tag match has only strengthened the case for him to step up and challenge Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship.

None of this is official confirmation of upcoming programs — it’s a snapshot of the booking trends and momentum shifts AEW has built into its storytelling over the past couple of weeks. But Tony Khan has a track record of rewarding performers who are clicking with fans, and all five of these names fit that bill right now. With Full Gear approaching, AEW has plenty of options to pay off these storylines in a way that reshapes the top of several divisions. Whether it’s White chasing Moxley’s Continental title, Shafir stepping into the Women’s World picture, Davis and Doyle hunting tag gold, Dragunov finding his footing, or Fletcher finally getting his crack at the World Championship, the next few months could look very different at the top of the AEW card.