My 2021 Professional Wrestling Predictions

After the success (well, relative success) of my 2020 Wrestling Predictions idea, I figured I’d do the same thing again this year! For 2021 I have come up with ten very bold, specific predictions. Some of these might come true, while others are so absurd or specific that there is NO WAY they are happening… unless we’re lucky. So enough of the preamble, let’s get to my 2021 wrestling predictions!

1) Sting will wrestle in an AEW ring

I’m unsure whether this one is my most bold or least bold prediction. Part of me thinks that Sting wrestling again after his match with Seth Rollins at Night of Champions back in 2015 is something of a pipedream, but at the same time, if there’s one thing about Sting that’s for sure, it’s that nothing is for sure. While I don’t think he’ll be wrestling in a 30 minute classic for the AEW World Title, I can definitely see him wrestling in at very least one tag match in an AEW ring in 2021.

2) One of IMPACT’s Knockouts will hold the AEW Women’s Championship

Despite the company being around for 2 years (technically less if you only count shows to be fair) and despite various promises, the women’s division in AEW is still booked horribly and treated as a mere second thought, with most shows only having one women’s match with no time or story. What better way to spice up the division than have one of IMPACT’s Knockouts win the championship? Maybe they defend it in IMPACT against the best of both companies’ divisions? Maybe the NWA women get involved too? Just as long as it gives the women more time on AEW and more matches for the newer women like Abadon to hone their craft, I’m happy. If AEW doesn’t fuck this up as they tend to with the women’s division normally, it could really be a win-win for them and IMPACT… you know, if my prediction comes true.

3) Kenny Omega will become both an IMPACT and NWA World Champion during 2021

After the greatest swerve of 2020, Kenny Omega won the AEW World Championship from Jon Moxley with the assistance of IMPACT Wrestling Promoter Don Callis. As a result, IMPACT and AEW cross-promoting now, with Kenny claiming he is going to collect belts like he used to collect comics.

With that in mind, I can see no reason for him to not win the IMPACT World Championship at least at some point during the storyline. Since that seemed too obvious, I also added another element to this prediction. Since AEW previously have worked with the NWA, I feel that Kenny at some point in 2021 might take the ten pounds of gold from Nick Aldis. I feel he will hold both those belts and possibly others at some point in the year.

4) John Cena will have an unexpected return match

After his almost complete removal from WWE kayfabe this year following his match with The Fiend at WrestleMania 35, I feel John Cena is long overdue a return. But not just any return, a return which like the man himself we won’t see coming. Could he show up in the Royal Rumble? Maybe he’ll be on Raw’s Legends Night. What if he shows up to claim the Intercontinental Championship which has alluded him all these years? Heck, maybe he will magically appear as the space-time continuum implodes! Either way, if this prediction comes true we are in store for quite the magical return.

5) Big E will win the Royal Rumble, and win a world title at WrestleMania while still the Intercontinental Champion

This is a bit of a loaded prediction, but a good one none the less. Big E does seem to be in a position to win a world title, both based on booking and dirt sheet rumors from months ago, however, he is also the current Intercontinental Champion. So maybe Big E will win the Royal Rumble and go on to become a world champion, all while still being Intercontinental Champion. Big E could be like The Ultimate Warrior (only without the bigotry), Tetsuya Naito, or Becky Lynch and walk away from the big show of the year with the double gold. You can’t go wrong with meat covered in gold!

6) Australian Professional Wrestling will have a boom in popularity both in and out of Australia

Next up, something I alluded to on Twitter the other day with the announcement of PCW coming to Fite.TV. With that announcement and the impending debut of Deathmatch Downunder on IWTV, Australian wrestling truly is in a position to grow. This is Australia’s time to become the it-scene as UK wrestling did a few years ago… Only hopefully with less of the bad shit. Australia always has had great wrestling. I feel like 2021 is the year that Australian wrestling reaches the heights it deserves to for the first time since the 1970s.

7) AAA will have their own episodic TV show again in America

With TripleMania in the books, a bunch of strange lawsuits going on, and the death of El Rey Network, I feel like now might be the time for AAA to get back into having an episodic TV show in America for the first time since Lucha Underground. Obviously, it is a stretch since they’ll need to deal with the lawsuits first. If that goes right for them they will be able to start a new show with their immense talent roster. Hopefully this time they’ll do it with a bit more ownership and less terrible contracts.

8) Pat McAfee will have an NXT Championship Match

One of wrestling’s true breakout stars in 2020 was former NFL star Pat McAfee. He took part in two matches for NXT, while also having a successful run as a manager. I personally don’t think it would be wise for him to finish up just yet. After he is done selling his War Games injuries, maybe he will come back and fight for the NXT Championship?

9) Rhett Titus will win championship gold

This one is a really personal one just for me. My ROH boy, Rhett Titus will win some gold. I don’t care if it’s a tag title, the Pure Championship, the World Championship… Hell, he could go to some local indy show and win their championship! I predict and damn hope he wins at least some championship gold somewhere this year!

10) NXT UK will be cancelled

A somewhat grim final prediction, I think that NXT UK will be cancelled. Let’s be real, the only reason NXT UK exists is because of the long-dead World of Sports revival. With the current state of COVID in the UK, I really doubt that NXT UK will survive the year. They already struggled to make it through 2020 for a plethora of reasons. I’m sure WWE will still keep a bunch of the people under contract. Maybe they’ll just have them wrestle in places they have deals with, like ICW. The NXT UK show and brand will probably cease to exist though… At least if I’m as smart as I like to pretend I am.

There you go, my 10 predictions for the world of professional wrestling in 2021. Will they come true? Only time will tell. I’ve been JRH, and I’ll see you around for more great articles and content in 2021!