A lot can happen in the world of WWE over the course of a year, which means that the complete landscape of the company could be completely different by the time that we get to the 1st January 2022.
Few would have believed Bobby Lashley would be the WWE Champion heading into WrestleMania just a month ago, but that is exactly the case, as the Hurt Business member could finally get his dream match against Brock Lesnar.
Nonetheless, which superstars could we finally see become world champions in WWE this year?
Cesaro
There is no denying that Cesaro has been one of the most underappreciated stars in the WWE for many years now. Cesaro is a respected superstar by all of the other wrestlers on the roster, and fans have been crying out for a number of years that he should finally get the world championship opportunity that he deserves.
There were rumours that his chance was finally going to come at the Elimination Chamber event earlier in the year, but it was eventually Daniel Bryan that received the title opportunity.
As a face, it would be hard to see the Swiss superstar not getting a big push in the next 12 months, as there are very few faces in the main event on the Blue brand.
His moment could be coming, and it could be similar to the stories of Kofi Kingston and Daniel Bryan when he finally wins the WWE Universal championship for the first time.
Big E
There are a number of upcoming superstars that look primed to challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship on SmackDown, and Big E could be another one of those that are in a good position.
Since breaking up with the New Day, a Big E push has been rumoured, and many even believed that his big push would finally arrive at Mania this year with the big buy challenging Reigns for the championship.
However, the chances of that happening now look unlikely as the WWE are instead going down the route of Edge challenging for the championship. That doesn’t mean that E won’t get his chance this year, as it looks as though he will arrive as a main event star once he drops the Intercontinental Championship further down the line.
There has never been much doubt that Big E is a future world champion, and 2021 could finally be his year to make it happen.
Rhea Ripley
The women’s division is also set to get a new face over the next couple of weeks, and the arrival of Rhea Ripley could present a very credible threat to the long reign that Asuka has enjoyed as the Raw Women’s champion.
There have been rumours that the WWE will be going down the route of Charlotte Flair challenging for the gold once again at Mania, but there could be a swerve in those plans once Ripley makes her debut on the Raw brand.
There have been numerous examples over the past couple of years of the WWE dropping the ball with NXT superstars that should be given a push straight out of the gate, and that is something that the company can’t afford to do with Ripley after she was one of the standout superstars in the Royal Rumble.
Ripley vs Asuka at Mania will be something new for fans to enjoy, and the superstars could put on an excellent match. It is the right time for Asuka to drop the title as her run has turned stale, and Ripley winning the gold would highlight a clear new direction on the red brand.
There you have it, our predictions for the next WWE Champions. However, it’s as hard to predict who is coming out victorious after the Wrestlemania, as guessing the TwinSpires Kentucky Derby. We will have to wait one more month to find out how it unfolds!
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