A reliable Beast, record-setting general - 5 stars who can win the World Heavyweight Championship if WWE is hesitant with Seth Rollins
When the World Heavyweight Championship tournament was announced, Seth Rollins was one of the favorites to win the new title. He worked his way through the RAW side of the bracket, beating Finn Balor in the finals.
The Visionary will face AJ Styles for the World Heavyweight Title at Night of Champions. Whichever star wins will become the top guy on RAW.
Due to his overwhelming popularity, however, Rollins has also grabbed some movie roles in Hollywood. His pre-taped segments from the latest RAW were due to being on set for Captain America: New World Order.
With Rollins potentially getting bigger roles in movies, a recent report mentions that WWE might hesitate to put the belt on Rollins if he gets involved in other ventures.
He could still win the belt in Saudi Arabia, but WWE may opt for a quick switch if he lands more movie parts. If the company is hesitant about giving Seth Rollins a long run, here are five stars who could win the World Heavyweight Championship from Rollins.
#5 Austin Theory is a future world champion
Fans may hate him, but current United States Champion Austin Theory is a perfect WWE Superstar. He can talk enough to be annoying, and his in-ring work is already among the best in the company.
He has tangled with Seth Rollins before over the US Title, so doing so again wouldn't be out of the question. Being on SmackDown might muddle things, but he could somehow win the Money in the Bank briefcase again.
The time may come when officials decide the future is now for Theory by having him drop the US Title to capture the World Heavyweight Championship.
#4 Gunther hasn't faced Seth Rollins
Similar to Theory, Gunther is a future world champ. He's been one of the backbones for WWE over the last 14 months, legitimizing the Intercontinental Championship. His bouts with Sheamus and Drew McIntyre were "Match of the Year" candidates.
The Ring General is also one of the top heels on RAW, so it makes logical sense for Seth Rollins to cross paths with Gunther. Also, like Theory, he might have to drop his current title to win the World Championship.
WWE should continue to build the former NXT UK Champ as one of its top heels. He is one of the best in-ring workers, has his faction, and can feasibly hang with any star.
#3 LA Knight is gaining steam as a fan favorite
As Seth Rollins became so outlandish not to turn face, the same has happened with LA Knight. The latter is so fantastic on the mic that he can turn any segment into entertaining TV.
He gets cheered as a heel, and his elimination in the Andre the Giant battle royal was met with jeers. Fans love him, and he's a good worker in the ring.
There have been reports that Knight is one of the front-runners to win this year's Money in the Bank. If he wins, it wouldn't matter that he's a member of SmackDown. The briefcase can be used on any champion, and WWE proved unwilling to use it on Reigns last year.
#2 Brock Lesnar always looms in title scenes
The Beast wasn't in the World Heavyweight Championship tournament as he decided to brutalize Cody Rhodes. While the latter could also win the title from Seth Rollins, it would be a strange dynamic with both being babyfaces. It would also be another win over The Visionary for The American Nightmare.
Lesnar is still contracted to WWE, so he might need a title program to keep him happy once he's done with Rhodes.
The Beast is also a free agent, so he can pop up whenever and wherever he wants. While having the World Championship on another part-timer would be counter-intuitive, it would be a way to book Seth Rollins out of the title scene.
#1 AJ Styles is overdue for a world title run
The Phenomenal One hasn't held a major title since 2018. That's over five years. In that time, he has won tag team and mid-card gold. However, Styles is one of the best performers and needs another title run.
Working in his favor is that he's already in the finals at Night of Champions. If WWE decides Seth Rollins shouldn't be the first World Champion of this decade, they could opt to have Styles win.
He could move over to RAW as a top face and still battle the likes of Bronson Reed, Gunther, Imperium, and Judgment Day. Styles is also a safe bet to stick around and not get movie roles or take random hiatuses.