At AEW WrestleDream 2026, Will Ospreay defeated Adam Copeland, Samoa Joe, Ricochet, Darby Allin, Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita and Speedball Mike Bailey to win the Clockwork Carnage and retain the AEW World Championship.
Following this new stipulation, it should be interesting to see who will step up next for “The Aerial Assassin.”
From those who were in Clockwork Carnage to future potential contenders, Ospreay will have to have his head on a swivel for any number of stars coming after the top prize in the company.
Here are four potential next AEW World Championship challengers for Will Ospreay after Clockwork Carnage.
Adam Copeland
On the October 14 edition of AEW Dynamite and Collision, Adam Copeland announced that 2027 will be his final year in pro wrestling.
“The Rated R Superstar” also stated that he wanted to go after the AEW World Title in this last stint of his career.
During the Clockwork Carnage at WrestleDream, Copeland had a late run of pinfalls that saw him tie things up before Ospreay hit him with a Hidden Blade to win and retain the gold.
After coming up just short here, it feels inevitable that Cope will challenge Ospreay for the AEW World Title sooner rather than later.
Andrade El Idolo
At AEW All In London 2026, Andrade El Idolo won the Casino Gauntlet to earn a guaranteed shot at the AEW World Title.
El Idolo has since stated that he wants to wait for the right time to get his title opportunity.
Also, Andrade is a stablemate to AEW World Champion Will Ospreay in the United Empire.
It feels like All Elite Wrestling could deliver this tantalizing bout between Andrade and Ospreay in the coming weeks or months.
Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe is back and seems determined to become AEW World Champion once again.
In the Clockwork Carnage at AEW WrestleDream 2026, Joe submitted Will Ospreay with the Coquina Clutch.
The Opps leader should now find himself in contention for the AEW World Title before long.
Joe challenging Ospreay will give him a huge obstacle to overcome in his next title defense.
Jay White
Heading into AEW WrestleDream 2026, it was revealed that Jay White had suffered an injury that would sideline him for one to two months.
This felt like another major setback for “Switchblade” after making his comeback this past summer.
However, White returned to team with The Gunns and The Conglomeration in a 12-Man Tag against The Death Riders and The Dogs on the Tailgate Brawl pre-show of WrestleDream.
Considering reports that he was supposed to be part of Clockwork Carnage before his injury, the company could pull the trigger on White going after Will Ospreay’s AEW World Championship in the near future.
Darby Allin
Besides Samoa Joe, TNT Champion Darby Allin was the only other competitor to pin AEW World Champion Will Ospreay during the Clockwork Carnage at WrestleDream.
This marked the second time that Allin has scored a pinfall victory over Ospreay in All Elite Wrestling.
After their first clash in the Continental Classic back in 2024, Allin can make a valid claim to a shot at the AEW World Championship.
Considering his epic reign earlier this year, Darby challenging Ospreay for the gold feels like a major bout that could headline a pay-per-view this year or next.
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