Predicting the 6 WWE and AEW Stories That Will Define 2020

We are only a few days into the new year but it is already clear which storylines WWE and All Elite Wrestling plan on featuring over the next 12 months.

2019 was a strange year for the wrestling industry. It marked the introduction of AEW to the landscape and saw WWE hit record low ratings while continuing to expand its reach internationally with the opening of the UK Performance Center.

We saw moments such as Chris Jericho becoming the first AEW world champion, Kofi Kingston winning his first WWE title, Jon Moxley quitting WWE, and Becky Lynch, Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair main-eventing WrestleMania 35.

AEW appears to be going through something of a reset as the year begins. Win-loss records are being wiped clean so people can get a fresh start and new storylines are being introduced.

Let's look at which feuds and storylines will be the top priorities for AEW and WWE in the new year. 

Wednesday's episode of AEW Dynamite featured MJF laying out the stipulations he was allowed to pick for his upcoming match against Cody.

The American Nightmare will have to defeat Wardlow, allow MJF to whip him with a belt 10 times and Cody is not allowed to touch MJF before their match at Revolution on February 29. 

Their feud began when MJF cost Cody his match against Chris Jericho at Full Gear and also any future opportunities to challenge for the world title.

The betrayal could be seen coming from a mile away but that did not make the moment any less entertaining. Maxwell Jacob Friedman played his part to perfection, and this feud is going to be the biggest non-title storyline in the company moving forward.

MJF is already considered one of the best heels in wrestling, and this program is going to give him more chances to learn and grow as a performer. 

Their showdown at Revolution is not going to be the end of this storyline. It's just the beginning. 

Monday's episode of Raw featured what might end up as the most divisive segment in the history of WWE: Lana and Bobby Lashley's wedding.

The reactions on Twitter ranged from "This is worse than the Katie Vick segment" to "This is why I love pro wrestling."

Despite some fans hating everything about this feud, it has been doing big numbers for WWE. Not only are the YouTube videos from this angle some of the most viewed each week, but the wedding also led to a huge bump in Nielsen ratings for the episode, according to Dave Scherer of PWInsider.

The more attention Rusev and Lana's issues get from viewers, the longer this storyline will go. That is just the way things work in entertainment.

We might see some breaks here and there, but we can expect Lana, Lashley, Rusev and Liv Morgan to be involved with each other for the next several months. 

Adam Page chose to remove himself from The Elite a few weeks ago because he felt his poor win-loss record did not justify including himself in the group anymore.

Since then, Page has been shown having issues with Kenny Omega during their tag team matches, and he had a confrontation with Private Party that almost led to a fight on Wednesday's show.

The Hangman is looking for answers but he isn't going to find them by teaming up with Omega and The Young Bucks anymore. He is trying to create his own path, and it might mean he has to turn heel.

If that happens, Page going after his former friends in The Elite one by one would make an excellent storyline for 2020. He is one of the top performers in the company and seeing him clash with Omega, Rhodes, Nick or Matt Jackson would be a lot of fun.

This is going to be the year of The Hangman. Anyone who gets in his way is likely to end up on their back from a Buckshot Lariat. 

The Miz and Daniel Bryan have been associated since the latter appeared on the first season of NXT as The A-Lister's designated rookie.

Their feud has been going on and off for almost a decade, and they have done just about everything they can do as opponents; and that is why WWE is teasing a possible alliance.

There's always a fun element to seeing two bitter rivals put their differences aside to fight a greater evil, and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone in WWE who is more evil than Bray Wyatt.

The Fiend can be the catalyst for these two long-time rivals to become a tag team. Once they are done with Wyatt, they can chase the SmackDown Tag Team Championships while continuing to bicker about who is the better wrestler.

The segments Bryan and Miz have had together in recent weeks have established an odd-couple dynamic that only works because they work so well together. This is the team we deserve in 2020, so give it to us, WWE. 

During Wednesday's Dynamite, Chris Jericho offered Jon Moxley a spot in The Inner Circle for the second time, and he sweetened the pot by offering a Ford GT and an equal partnership in the group.

Moxley does not seem like the kind of person to join a stable at this point in his career, but he said Jericho was someone he considered a friend and he wanted to give him an answer in person.

Will that answer include a handshake or a Paradigm Shift? We have to wait until next week to find out but the most likely outcome is Moxley taking Jericho out and declaring himself the top contender for the AEW World Championship.

Moxley and Y2J have a shared history dating back to their days in WWE. Mitch the Plant was an unfortunate casualty of their feud and Mox may still hold a grudge over the loss of his leafy friend.

Taking on The Inner Circle by himself seems the kind of thing he would do. Moxley has shown how willing he is to take damage in order to dish out more to his opponents, so we can expect a few brutal matches during this storyline. 

The Fiend is the biggest heel on SmackDown but he is also one of the most popular Superstars on the roster, so WWE has a decision to make. It can either keep him heel and hope the crowd turns on him or turn him into the weirdest babyface the company has seen.

Wyatt only had a short run as a face during his partnership with Matt Hardy. The rest of his career has been as a heel despite the crowd's clear desire to cheer for him.

Once his feud with Daniel Bryan is over, it wouldn't be surprising to see The Fiend begin to make a transition toward becoming a more heroic character.

WWE doesn't have to water down the creepiness of his gimmick. It would just need to redirect Wyatt's mental attacks toward other villains.

His character could be all about being accepted for who you are no matter how strange other people may find you. It would be an uplifting message delivered by the person you would least expect. 

2020 is going to be an important year for Wyatt because it will determine if The Fiend has staying power or if people will eventually grow tired of his antics.

Turning him into a face would let him keep the gimmick fresh and take it in new directions, which will increase his chances of staying on top for a longer period of time. 

What storylines are you looking forward to in 2020 and which ones do you want to see end as soon as possible?