AEW have welcomed a host of British wrestlers into their company since being founded in 2019.
Some have gone on to become fixtures of the company, like PAC. Others faded in obscurity, like Kip Sabian. A select few, sadly, had their careers torpedoed by the Speaking Out movement, like Jimmy Havoc.
Others have risen to the occasion and become champions in AEW. Five British wrestlers have won Championship gold in Tony Khan’s company, including three female talents and two male wrestlers.
In this article, we will take you through ever British champion in AEW, and explain how they came to be title-holders.
1. PAC
- Titles: AEW All-Atlantic Championship, AEW Trios Championship
The first British wrestler to become a champion in AEW was PAC. The Geordie high-flyer also became the company’s first “double-champion” during this time, breaking multiple records during an incredible run.
His first title win came at the inaugural Forbidden Door show in 2022. PAC beat three other men to win to become the first-ever AEW All-Atlantic Champion. It was in a match involving Miro, Malakai Black and Clark Connors.
While he eventually lost the belt to Orange Cassidy, he added more gold to his collection before that. After The Elite were suspended following the “Brawl Out” altercation with CM Punk, Death Triangle beat Best Friends to become the second ever AEW Trios Champions.
This made PAC the first-ever double champion in AEW history, as well as the first Briton to hold gold in Tony Khan’s promotion.
2. Toni Storm
- Titles: AEW Women’s Championship (Three Times)
The first British woman to win a title in AEW was Toni Storm. Despite being raised in Australia and New Zealand, she comes from a British family and does consider herself to be British.
Storm debuted in AEW in 2022, and quickly rose up the ranks in the women’s division. She won her first title at AEW All Out that year. Storm won a four-way match to win the belt that Thunder Rosa was forced to vacate due to injury (although she was interim champion for the bulk of her reign).
She lost the belt to Jamie Hayter at Full Gear that year. However, her fellow Brit suffered an injury during her reign. Storm won it back from her at Double or Nothing, in a short, limited match.
After dropping the belt on the 200th episode of AEW Dynamite, Storm changed up her character. She became “Timeless” Toni Storm, a throwback to the golden age of Hollywood. This quickly catapulted her back to the top of the division, and she won her third title from Hikaru Shida at Full Gear 2023.
3. Jamie Hayter
- Titles: AEW Women’s Championship
Despite her reign being ended by injury, Jamie Hayter is one of the best champions AEW has seen – men or women.
The English star debuted in AEW during the early years of Dynamite, appearing as a jobber before failing to get a job with the WWE. She returned to Japan, made a bigger name for herself and became a star that Tony Khan could not ignore.
Hayter began putting on better and better matches, among the best across the whole world. She grew in popularity, and fans began clamouring for Jamie Hayter to turn face, abandon her role as Britt Baker’s lacky and chase the AEW Women’s Champion.
While she kept her friendship with Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter became AEW Women’s Champion at Full Gear 2022. She beat Toni Storm at the event, becoming the first English-born wrestler to hold the title, starting a legendary reign that was struck down prematurely by injury.
4. Saraya
- Titles: AEW Women’s Championship
Saraya is one of the most influential women in wrestling history, so it is only right that she has picked up title gold in AEW. The former Paige is also considered one of the best female wrestlers from Great Britain in history.
She returned from injury after five years, following Saraya’s retirement from wrestling during her time in WWE. She debuted at AEW Grand Slam, and quickly picked up a win against Britt Baker on her debut.
However, her crowning achievement came at Wembley Stadium. At AEW All In 2023, Saraya entered to Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, accompanies by her family, including Ricky Knight Jr and Zak Knight.
She beat Baker, Hikaru Shida and Toni Storm to win the match and pick up her first title in wrestling in nearly a decade. She lost it just months later, but her hometown victory will remain long in the memory for British wrestling fans.
5. Will Ospreay
- Titles: AEW International Championship
Will Ospreay is destined to become the first British AEW World Champion. However, he has already won gold in the promotion very early on in his AEW run.
The Aerial Assassin won the AEW International Championship just months into signing for the promotion. He began working full-time for AEW in March 2024, after beating Konosuke Takeshita at Revolution 2024 in a fantastic bout.
He went on to huge wins against the likes of Kyle Fletcher, Powerhouse Hobbs and Bryan Danielson, before challenging Roderick Strong for the AEW International Championship (this is the same title as the All-Atlantic title, just renamed during Orange Cassidy’s reign).
Will Ospreay beat Roderick Strong at Double or Nothing 2024, winning his first title gold in AEW.
