Early Predictions on Who Will Be WWE and AEW's Top Stars of 2023

The year is winding down and everyone is preparing for 2023 to arrive, so naturally, wrestling fans are already looking to the future.

WWE and All Elite Wrestling are the two top promotions in the United States, and both companies employ some of the absolute best in the business today.

The past 12 months have been an interesting time for the industry. We saw the return of fans at full capacity and international touring, a few big names switched promotions, and we even saw some major returns.

The new year gives WWE and AEW a chance to reset a bit and figure out how the next year will shape up.

Let's take a look at who will likely be the top names in both promotions in 2023.

MJF has had a banner year in AEW.

After taking a few months off, the Burberry-wearing villain returned to television and quickly staked his claim to a shot at the AEW World Championship.

Following William Regal's betrayal of Jon Moxley, MJF was able to defeat the then-champ for the title and officially take his place at the top of the mountain in the promotion.

The 26-year-old shows no signs of slowing down in 2023 and could end up holding the belt for the majority of the year, or possibly even until his contract supposedly runs out in January 2024.

MJF has been a staple of AEW programming since it began and, with any luck, he will continue to be a major player for years to come.

If you asked fans to pick their top five MVPs of 2022 in WWE, it would be a safe bet that most people would have Seth Rollins on their list.

Not only has he been doing some of the best character work of his entire career, but he has also continued to put on classic matches on a regular basis.

His trilogy of losses to Cody Rhodes only served to remind the WWE Universe of his value. Instead of suffering from the string of defeats, he has thrived since then, especially when it comes to the United States Championship.

Rollins is a key figure in WWE and has been for several years. He is at the top of his game and continues to get better, so it would be almost unbelievable if he did not continue to be one of Raw's top stars in the coming year.

"Hangman" Adam Page was able to win the AEW world title in 2022, but his reign wasn't that long and he has been struggling to get back to that level of success ever since.

A recent injury put him out of action for a bit, but it's likely AEW will pick up right where he left off by having him chase MJF and the belt once again after his feud with Moxley is over.

Hangman is one of AEW's most organic babyfaces. He has the love of the crowd and the skill to put on memorable matches, so he has always been booked well even if he hasn't always been winning.

Don't be surprised if he is one of the first people to headline a pay-per-view with MJF for the AEW world title.

For the last two years, Roman Reigns has ruled over WWE with his gloved fist. The Bloodline are the most successful stable to come along in years, and that probably isn't going to stop anytime soon.

Even if the group ends up disbanding at some point, management clearly sees everyone in it as valuable for different reasons.

As the leader and one of the longest-reigning world champions in modern history, The Tribal Chief is going to be a top star in WWE until he decides to retire.

Reigns will probably end up losing one or both of his belts in 2023, but that doesn't mean he is going to be booked as anything less than one of the most dominant performers in the company.

Becky Lynch spent the majority of 2022 as a heel until her babyface turn at SummerSlam. That was followed by a few months on the shelf with an injury.

Now, though, The Man is back and ready to reclaim her spot at the top of the card. Not only is she still one of the most popular stars on the roster, but she is also one of the most skilled.

WWE clearly sees the 35-year-old as an important part of the company or it wouldn't keep putting her in high-profile situations. As long as she can stay healthy, there is no reason to believe that will change in 2023.

Whether she is being a villainess with her Big Time Becks persona or a hero as The Man, Lynch is always going to be one of the most valuable people in WWE.

Jade Cargill has only been in the business for a couple of years and has already managed to carve out a successful career for herself in AEW, but this is still just the beginning for her.

As the 30-year-old continues to grow and improve both in the ring and on the mic, AEW will continue to feature her prominently across all programming.

The TBS champion has all of the tools to be one of the biggest stars in women's wrestling, so as long as she stays the course and keeps doing what she has been doing, 2023 could be even better for her than 2022 was.

When it comes to the WWE women's division, few stars have made the kind of impact Rhea Ripley has in 2022.

The Nightmare has the look, charisma, physical ability and popularity to be the cornerstone of any company roster, and she might just be the only reason The Judgment Day have worked at all since their inception.

Watching her go from a bright-eyed rookie in the Mae Young Classic to the badass she has become has been a joy to see over the past five years.

If she continues on this course, Ripley will be back on top as one of the women's champions in no time. She might need to ditch Dominik Mysterio first, though.

One of the most enjoyable success stories of 2022 has been Jamie Hayter.

Her return and alliance with Britt Baker put her back on television in 2021, but the way she has exploded in popularity through the past 12 months has been even better.

The fans love the 27-year-old and give her some of the biggest pops whenever she makes her entrance. That is not unheard of for a heel, but it's not that common, either.

After a long journey, Hayter finally won the AEW women's title at Full Gear, much to the delight of the crowd in attendance. She is going to start 2022 as one of the top champions in the company, so her future is looking pretty bright.

Cody Rhodes being sidelined with an injured pectoral muscle probably threw off a lot of WWE's plans for 2022, but his return in 2023 will likely see him pick up right where he left off.

Not only did The American Nightmare have a fantastic trilogy of matches against Seth Rollins this year, but he was also being positioned as a potential challenger for the world title as soon as he returned to the company.

Rhodes might even end up being the one man who can finally dethrone Roman Reigns, possibly at WrestleMania 39 in April.

AEW may have been founded by others, but Jon Moxley has been the heart and soul of the company for a long time.

The former AEW world champion has had numerous show-stealing matches, produced some incredible promos and carried the company on his back when some of its biggest stars were unavailable this year.

Once the 37-year-old finally gets the vacation he has deserved for a long time, he can regroup and return to focus on getting back to the top.

The future of the Blackpool Combat Club is still up in the air, but Moxley is going to be successful whether he is a solo act or part of a group.

Who do you think will be leading the charge for WWE and AEW in 2023?