All Elite Wrestling’s last pay-per-view of the year, World’s End, ended an exceptional year that saw MJF become AEW World Champion for the second time. While many storylines were completed, many more were started or started their next chapter. The fallout from World’s End will not only close out 2025 but also set the foundation for how AEW moves forward in 2026.
Not only will the first couple of months of AEW television be dedicated to the decisions made at World’s End, but so will the first pay-per-view of the year, Revolution. Revolution has become one of AEW’s biggest annual PPVs, and it seems to deliver every year.
How will the fallout from World’s End affect Maximum Carnage, Revolution, and the first quarter of 2026 of AEW? Here are the top six storylines out of World’s End that will affect All Elite Wrestling moving forward in 2026.
MJF’s 2nd Title Reign: How It Sets the Tone for 2026
Maxwell Jacob Friedman is now a two-time AEW World Champion. MJF survived a hellacious four-way match to reclaim the BBB. AEW is in a time of transition. A lot of new eyes are on the product, and they are on the precipice of reaching a new level of popularity. MJF is, at this moment, the biggest crossover star. It makes sense that 2026 will start with an MJF title reign. If 2025 was the year of the main character, 2026 will be the year of the main antagonist.
We don’t have to read a fantasy book to find his first opponent. It’s already been determined that Bandido–by winning the Dynamite Diamond Gold ring– will be having his first title defense at Maximum Carnage on January 14th. It’s hard to imagine MJF having a short title reign, so having Bandido beat him isn’t likely. So, who is expected to feud with the salt of the earth in 2026 for the title?
Do Swerve Strickland and Adam Page get shots at the title? Does a returning Jay White FINALLY get his run at a title? Do they make Konosuke Takeshita a double World Champion in two major promotions? What about Kyle Fletcher? So much meat on this title reign bone that we can sink our teeth into.
