The Rivalries WWE and AEW Must Book in 2020

Rivalries in wrestling define the sport. It is built on the relationship between the wrestlers or teams. Performers can define each other and their brands to the extent that weekly shows would not work without them.

WWE has defined Monday Night Raw with a few key rivalries since WrestleMania, most notably Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins. Meanwhile, Friday Night SmackDown has been all about Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt and Otis and Mandy Rose vs. Dolph Ziggler and Sonya Deville.

All Elite Wrestling has decided to build around Cody Rhodes vs. Lance Archer, as well as The Elite vs. The Inner Circle.

Both companies have been hampered recently by limited rosters, but no promotion goes on long without establishing rivalries between the talent available.

As 2020 moves along, it feels right to consider the feuds that should be dominating WWE and AEW. These are stories that need to happen based on build and their likely impacts.

Wednesday's edition of WWE NXT will be a huge show, and it will feature the debut of Karrion Kross. The big man is a dangerous performer who is perfectly suited to take over the black-and-gold brand. He will mesh well with many, but no one makes more sense as his second target after Tommaso Ciampa than Keith Lee.

The Limitless One is at the top of his game and needs fresh challengers after putting down Dominik Dijakovic, Cameron Grimes and Damian Priest. Someone big and imposing needs to be able to give him a challenge.

Kross and Lee is a match made in heaven. Kross is a fantastic storyteller based on his time in Impact Wrestling, and he has the size and ferocity to push Lee to his limit. He could make The Limitless One look vulnerable in ways no one else could.

This rivalry could define NXT, especially once fans are back in attendance. Lee's overwhelming popularity would play perfectly into the likely sadistic actions of Kross. The Limitless One is on the precipice of becoming the biggest star in NXT. A feud like this would push him over the top while establishing the monstrous edges of Kross as a heel force.

The Dark Order has taken over the narrative in AEW with a pervasive social media campaign. Evil Uno and Stu Grayson have dominated the tag team division in 2020, not losing in tag team action in 2020 to stand atop the AEW tag team rankings.

It will not be long before The Dark Order has captured the AEW Tag Team Championship. The group will need someone who can challenge them, and Best Friends are perfectly suited to the task.

Trent and Chuck Taylor have not had much success in singles action, but as a team, they have risen towards the top of the division and have shown a willingness to fight absolutely anyone.

The added dynamic of Brodie Lee backing the champions and Orange Cassidy standing by The Best Friends will make this even more exciting. Cassidy has made a grand impression every time out, and Lee is one of AEW's biggest stars.

This rivalry has the potential to spark the tag team division and make up for Kenny Omega's and "Hangman" Adam Page's moves back to the singles division.

Becky Lynch has defeated many of the best women in WWE. Her record-shattering nearly 400-day reign as Raw women's champion has included victories over Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Asuka, Shayna Baszler, Natalya and Lacey Evans.

Meanwhile, Bayley has held the SmackDown Women's Championship for more than 200 days, which is also the longest reign of anyone in that championship's history. She has defeated Flair, Evans, Naomi, Alexa Bliss, Nikki Cross, Carmella, Dana Brooke and Tamina.

They clashed briefly on the road to WWE Survivor Series 2019, but they have not battled one-on-one at a major show. To have a proper feud, one will need to lose the gold and switch brands. A 2020 draft will help with that.

This story could define both women after a dominant year. The two need to finally get a chance to go one-on-one and establish who the best female wrestler in WWE is. The Man has needed someone to challenge her. The Role Model requires fresh competition. The two work well off each other and still have a fresh connection, unlike other prospective clashes between the Four Horsewomen.

This is a story that needs to be told. It's no longer possible to keep apart these two. It is time to pit the most dominant women in WWE against each other.

Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., has made a point of establishing herself as the role model of the AEW women's division. She has done so much more through words than actions, though she has left a physical impression on many opponents, including Yuka Sakazaki and Hikaru Shida.

While some will fall in line or ignore Baker, Kris Statlander is not one to bow to anyone. She will stand up to Baker, leading to perhaps the defining women's feud of 2020.

Baker and Statlander will be among the best talent in AEW for the foreseeable future. Their constant status in the top five could lead to both challenging for the AEW Women's Championship, but the two can do more than just fight for the gold.

Nyla Rose will be involved in title feuds along the way and will likely hold the AEW Women's Championship for much of 2020. She has defeated many of the top women in AEW. She needs the other women to step up.

The story is simple to tell. The matches can build over time to some brutal fights. The winner of this rivalry would be perfectly suited to capture the title.

Drew McIntyre's first reign as WWE champion will define his legacy in WWE. He needs to show that he is more than just a one-time champion. He can be the future of the business. He needs the right competitors to push him forward.

Few know the champion better than Sheamus, who arrived in WWE around the same time as the champion and has consistently trained with him. While The Celtic Warrior earned gold first, both were always destined to compete near the top of the company.

With his wealth of championship experience, Sheamus is likely already doing his best to help McIntyre, but the two can do even more one-on-one. They could have a physical, intense battle for the title that shows just how tough the Scottish Superstar is.

Brands may divide the two, but much like with Becky Lynch and Bayley, a draft could quickly fix that issue. This is a match that must happen during McIntyre's first reign as champion.

While it feels like a one-sided rivalry, Sheamus does not have to be a true challenger to McIntyre. The champion should reign throughout 2020. And nothing would define the champion's initial run more than fighting his good friend.

Jon Moxley stands tall as AEW world champion. He has looked unstoppable, going undefeated in singles competition. No one looks poised to stand up to him, except MJF.

The top heel in AEW is Chris Jericho, but without the championship, he has left a void at the pinnacle of the company. The man who pinned Cody is the best option to take that spot and run with it, especially with Wardlow at his side.

This feud will be the one that defines both men's careers. MJF has thrived by working off top stars, showing his charisma. He may be far from AEW's top in-ring performer, but his mic work rivals that of the best in the business.

Moxley is one of the few who can match him. The two also have conflicting personalities. The AEW world champion is a grimy fighter, one who will compete anywhere. MJF is a rich, high-class competitor who will only fight when there's a reason to.

Their story will define AEW at a level most of its stories have not to date. It is the perfect main event angle to build around during the remainder of 2020. It is easy to see either man walking out with gold in hand.