Konosuke Takeshita
The first adopted member of the Don Callis Family seems as though he’s headed for babyface territory. And ever since he lost the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom, his waist is bare of gold. The Osaka, Japan native has personified the look and athleticism of an ideal world champion since his appearance in 2021 (though it’d take a while for everyone to see the vision).
He last faced MJF in February 2023. Takeshita was a babyface then, and MJF the heel. He had yet to win the AEW International Championship or NJPW gold. MJF, nevertheless, was the reigning champion, and he retained. Considering fans had longed for Takeshita to be installed into the main event picture around this time, MJF’s sound victory didn’t assuage their desires, far from it.
At this juncture, I’d feel that a Takeshita championship reign would absolutely be possible. Factoring in his current situation in the Don Callis Family, however, I’d imagine Kazuchika Okada and his peers, sympathetic to him, could get in the way and stop the Alpha wholesale.
Honorable Mentions
A possible ally that Takeshita could feasibly have, though, would be the Protostar Kyle Fletcher. Having been decidedly defeated alongside Aussie Open partner Mark Davis at the 2023 All In, it’s not like Fletcher hasn’t experienced the Salt of the Earth. A 2026 bout between them would separate the boys from the men. Fletcher has grown into a monolith unto himself.
While I may not be a Wardlow fan, I’d be remiss not to include him. The history between him and MJF allows for a chance to tie up loose ends in their story. Longtime fans may remember Wardlow as MJF’s personal enforcer. With the real-life hindrance MJF caused Wardlow, the talk of the current champion leaving in 2022 was the conversation. Not Wardlow’s biggest win of his career, but MJF’s shoot antics.
Samoa Joe, the previous title holder, would also have ample reason for a rematch with MJF. Cashing in his Casino Gauntlet Contract as a last-minute addition to World’s End added unpredictability to the 4-way match. But without Powerhouse Hobbs in the Opps (and in AEW in general), what chance could Joe stand with just Hook, Katsuyori Shibata, and the Opps Dojo?
