5 WWE mid-carders who could easily be in the main event
In recent years, WWE has been accused by many fans of failing to create enough new superstars. The evidence is fairly compelling too. While the likes of AJ Styles and Braun Strowman have shot to the top of the show over the last 12 to 18 months, there are many more still languishing in the mid-card despite their obvious main event potential.
To be fair to Vince McMahon and his team, making the transition from talented rookie to the most over guy on the roster isn't easy.
Not long ago, many of us expected John Morrison and Kofi Kingston to become the company's leading stars, but a combination of subpar mic skills and poor booking saw them both tumble back down the pecking order.
The good news is that today's cast of mid-carders seems far better equipped to smash through the WWE glass ceiling. As well as being gifted inside the ring, they're also tough and battle-hardened thanks to the many years they spent climbing up the ranks in NXT or elsewhere on professional wrestling's growing independent scene.
As such, there's a whole host of stars who could easily make the step up to the main event if required. Here are five who fit the bill.
#5 Rusev
About three years ago, it seemed almost certain that Rusev would one day wear the world title. His America-hating gimmick was a touch on the generic side, true, but he more than made up for it with a unique in-ring style unlike any other big man on the WWE roster.
What's happened since then has largely been down to sheer bad luck. First, he came out on the losing side of his WrestleMania feud with John Cena, and then his credibility took a massive nosedive thanks to a terrible "love triangle" storyline featuring Dolph Ziggler.
Despite all this, however, there's still plenty of cause for optimism. Even though he's consistently been booked as a heel, the Bulgarian Brute remains one of the most popular guys on the roster. He's a marketing machine, and that alone makes him a prime candidate for the main event.