Predicting the next superstar to win each WWE World Championship
WWE has a strong field of world champions as it approaches the final stretch of 2022. After Ronda Rousey reclaimed the SmackDown Women's title at Extreme Rules, the company's five current champions hold 14 combined world title reigns. Apart from The Rowdy One, every other top champion has held their title for over 200 days.
Each current world-title holder from Roman Reigns to Mandy Rose has been booked dominantly, and it will take something special to dethrone them. Whether their successors are shockingly crowned in the remaining months of 2022 or on the road to WrestleMania, they have done a good job of making their titles feel prestigious.
Several challengers have already emerged whose potential rise to championship glory could make for compelling storylines. Let's predict the next superstar to win each WWE world title.
#6: Roxanne Perez as the next NXT women's champion
it’s wild to see mandy hitting one year as champ, but at this point i just want roxanne to dethrone mandy
#wwenxt https://t.co/wTLsh48HaS
For almost a year, Mandy Rose has ruled the WWE NXT women's division with an iron fist. With the help of Jacy Jane and Gigi Dolin, she has defeated almost every top babyface on the brand. She vanquished the likes of Iyo Sky and Raquel Rodriguez to the main roster and unified the NXT and NXT UK titles by defeating the legendary Meiko Satomura.
After Alba Fyre was conquered at Halloween Havoc, fans had one name in mind to finally conquer God's Greatest Creation: Roxanne Perez. At only 20 years old, Perez has won many hearts in the WWE Universe. She is the most beloved babyface in the division, and fans already can't wait to see her on the main roster.
Perez will earn that promotion sooner or later, but for now the inaugural ROH Women's champion is the prime candidate to end the era of Rose.
#5: Carmelo Hayes is the right man to dethrone Bron Breakker as NXT champion
Ever since NXT was rebranded to NXT 2.0, no male superstar on the brand has been as consistently entertaining as Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes. The duo held the brand for the better part of the year as its champions, each pulling off a string of highly-regarded matches. Fans are already yearning to see them called up to the main roster, where they are expected to seamlessly slot in like Solo Sikoa.
Hayes is main roster-ready, but he deserves a run as NXT champion before moving up. Having him dethrone Breakker will help the latter drop the title before going to the main roster. It will also keep the A-Champ's star power on the brand before he is also eventually dethroned and called up.
Hayes vs Breakker is arguably NXT's biggest possible rivalry today, and it would be a shame if either man left the brand before it unfolded.
#4: SmackDown Women's Championship: Becky Lynch
Once Ronda Rousey regained the SmackDown Women's title, only one potential challenger topped the WWE Universe's fantasy-booking list: Becky Lynch. The world has been waiting for an encore to arguably the hottest WWE women's feud of the past decade, with the two stars having unfinished business since WrestleMania 35.
The Man was rumored to be switching brands to SmackDown before suffering a shoulder injury at Summerslam. The move was reportedly meant to boost the blue brand's star power, give her a fresh set of opponents and add a new chapter to her rivalry with Rousey. Once Big Time Becks returns, the most exciting direction for both women and the entire division at large would arguably be a feud leading to Rousey vs Lynch II at WrestleMania 39.
We wouldn't bet against The Man prevailing once again, dethroning The Baddest Woman on The Planet again on The Grandest Stage Of Them All.
#3: Rhea Ripley to dethrone Bianca Belair as WWE RAW Women's champion
Bianca Belair recently crossed 200 days as RAW Women's champion, becoming the longest-reigning black world champion in WWE history. The EST has been a dominant champion, vanquishing names like Asuka, Bayley, and Becky Lynch during her reign. On her way to winning the title, she defeated the likes of Doudrop and Carmella to earn redemption "from the back of the line".
Belair is thus short of believable threats to her crown in the RAW locker room. WWE could build up challengers for The EST via NXT call-ups or a draft, but the red brand already has a superstar with the perfect amount of history and ability to dethrone the champion: Rhea Ripley. The Eradicator has extensive history with Belair in NXT and on the main roster, and their rivalry has the potential to be THE generation-defining feud of the next ten years.
With Ripley setting the world alight in The Judgment Day, we can easily see her winning the 2023 Royal Rumble and dethroning Belair at WrestleMania 39.
#2 & #1: Cody Rhodes and Austin Theory as the next Universal and WWE champions respectively
WWE Undisputed Universal champion Roman Reigns has held the Universal title for almost 785 days and the WWE championship for 200+ days. The question of who will end The Tribal Chief's generation-defining reign is one of the most important ones facing the company in the coming months. Crown Jewel challenger Logan Paul is unlikely to be that man, and is instead expected to join Reigns' long list of victims.
Many theories exist about how The Head of the Table will be dethroned and the titles separated. The most feasible direction would be splitting the championships via Money In The Bank cash-in. We predict that Cody Rhodes will win the 2023 Royal Rumble and challenge Reigns at WrestleMania 39 where Austin Theory will successfully cash in, allowing each man to leave as a world champion.
Such a move would give both men the greatest moment of their careers and bring The Tribal Chief's historic reign to a very satisfying conclusion.