At Full Gear 2025, Samoa Joe won the AEW World Championship for the second time in his career after brutalizing Hangman Page in a steel cage match with help from his Opps stable.With that win, the Samoan Submission Machine rightfully claimed his spot at the top of the promotion again, this time supported by the Opps, the group that could help him secure a grip on All Elite Wrestling's top prize. Having said that, Joe has yet to defend his title in his second reign, and in the immediate future, it seems he will face Hangman Page in a rematch. While many expect the Destroyer to retain the title against the Anxious Perennial Cowboy, at 46 years old, Joe's time at the top is likely limited, and he might be on his final run with the World title. That said, the Jacksonville-based promotion isn't short of quality challengers, and in this listicle, we will look at the next three stars (in order) who are poised to become the World Champion after Samoa Joe.#3. Swerve Strickland to dethrone Samoa Joe Swerve Strickland last competed in an AEW match at Forbidden Door 2025, where he unsuccessfully challenged Kazuchika Okada for the Unified title. After the bout, the Mogul took a three-month break to recover from a knee injury he had earlier. However, the New Flavor finally made his return at Full Gear last month to confront Samoa Joe and stop him and the Opps from causing more damage to Hangman Page.Although Strickland seems to be supporting the Anxious Perennial Cowboy, who is primed for a rematch for the World title, it won't be long before the Realest star gets his shot at the Samoan Submission Machine. Notably, Strickland is a former AEW World Champion, having won the title by defeating Samoa Joe at Dynasty 2024. All things considered, there's a good chance history repeats itself, and it's Swerve who dethrones Samoa Joe to win the World title for the second time.#2. MJF to defeat Swerve Strickland for the AEW World ChampionshipArguably one of the biggest heels in the wrestling industry right now, MJF is also one of the most bankable stars in Tony Khan's promotion. Currently, Friedman is on hiatus from All Elite Wrestling while filming Violent Night 2. However, the Salt of the Earth is expected to return soon, and once he does, he can easily position himself into the World Title picture. At All In: Texas, the Wolf of Wrestling claimed the Men's Casino Gauntlet contract, giving him a shot at the World Title. MJF has yet to take advantage of his opportunity and will likely look to cash in once he's back. However, Maxwell's immediate focus might be on challenging TNT champion Mark Briscoe, who defeated him in a Tables and Thumbtacks match at All Out 2025. That was the last time Friedman appeared on AEW programming. Before leaving, MJF had delivered a scathing promo where he claimed he would return as a more dangerous version of himself and even name-dropped several talents in the company. Given all the circumstances, The Salt Of The Earth might take some detours before eventually claiming his spot as AEW World Champion again.#1. Will Ospreay finally becomes AEW World ChampionWill Ospreay is currently recovering from a long neck injury that reportedly sidelined him until early 2026. The last time we saw the Aerial Assassin in action was at Forbidden Door 2025, where he led his team to victory in a brutal Lights Out Steel Cage match. When he returns, Ospreay will be among the top stars primed for a shot at the AEW World Championship.Unlike Swerve Strickland and MJF, the English star has never won the promotion's top prize, and 2026 might be the year he finally fulfills his destiny. That said, like Friedman, Ospreay will face some hurdles before he can enter the World title picture, starting with seeking revenge on the Death Riders who (kayfabe) sidelined him at Forbidden Door.