3 WWE Superstars who will be main eventers by 2023 and 3 who won't

The landscape of WWE will be entirely different in 2023. The company seems to have had a big change in approach in the developmental aspect, and the eye is always towards the future.

Jim Ross once said that WWE is a company that wants to keep growing younger and to do so, they need to concentrate on winning over the younger audience. This isn't as easy as it was 20 years ago when professional wrestling/sports entertainment was still one of the hottest things on television.

Either way, we're looking at a few superstars who will likely be main eventers by 2023, and those who won't:

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#3. Will be: Austin Theory - WWE's new favorite?

WWE's change in approach with the superstars they will push is evident. While a large part of the 2010s saw the promotion sign superstars while they were in their 30s, that no longer seems to be the case.

Instead, WWE intends to create homegrown superstars, preferably signing them in their early 20s. Not only this, but the wave of independent wrestlers coming into the company seems to have stopped.

While such change takes time to implement, WWE is doing that with NXT 2.0. On the main roster, however, one of the superstars in their early 20s with the brightest future appears to be Austin Theory.

The 24-year-old star initially debuted during the early stages of the COVID era, first aligning with Angel and Zelina Vega before being kicked out and aligning with Seth Rollins. He was quietly removed from the faction and went back to NXT until he was moved to RAW in the 2021 Draft.

Since then, things have only been looking up for Theory. Not only does he have wins over the likes of Jeff Hardy and Dominik Mysterio, but he was also added to the RAW Survivor Series team and has been featured alongside Vince McMahon lately as part of the stolen egg storyline.

McMahon rarely appears on screen, and history has shown that when he has a storyline with a superstar, it's done with the intention of elevating them. Austin Theory represents the new generation of WWE superstars, and although it's still very early into his main roster career, he seems destined for main event stardom.

It will be interesting to see how his career progresses, but at any point in 2023, you can expect Theory to quickly move to the main event scene. Could he join the list of young WWE Champions in their 20s? Only time will tell.

#3. Won't be: Liv Morgan - One of the most popular women in WWE?

It's 2021, and Liv Morgan is one of the hottest superstars in WWE. Her feud with Becky Lynch on RAW has elevated her to being a serious title contender, although it hasn't come without its problems.

For one, the massive gap in ability between her and Lynch was evident in their promo battles, with the latter humiliating Morgan on the mic. However, she managed to maintain her popularity, and although she fell short to The Man, it was only expected.

This isn't to say that Liv Morgan will never be a women's champion in WWE. There's a chance that the company has listened to the reactions she has gotten, and could save a big moment down the line.

But will she be a top-caliber main event superstar like Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and most recently, Bianca Belair? The answer may not please most fans. In all likeliness, Morgan won't reach main event status.

Hopefully, when she gets her moment, she can enjoy a good run on the top and not one like Nikki A.S.H.'s in 2020 - a honeymoon phase that hardly lasted a month.

#2. Will be: Ridge Holland - Does WWE see a future world champion in him?

This might be an odd pick, especially given how Ridge Holland has been presented on the WWE main roster so far. It hasn't been bad by any means, but nothing about his appearances so far has shown a future main eventer.

With that said, it's still too early to judge Holland's potential. So far, he has shown his affection and idolization towards Sheamus, the four-time world champion and future WWE Hall of Famer. It's not the worst way to get started.

A report from Dave Meltzer of WON revealed that some within the promotion view Ridge Holland as a future world champion:

"The company does have high hopes for [Ridge] Holland, who some in the company have tabbed as a future WWE champion, as well as [Austin] Theory, who is young and has a good look," stated Meltzer.

Dave Meltzer added that he doesn't see it in Holland just yet because of his generic look and presentation. However, he could be a future world champion if handled well enough.

Admittedly, Ridge Holland is the least-likeliest on this list to be a main eventer by 2023, but if WWE plays to his strengths, then he very well could be.

#2. Won't be: Ricochet - destined for WWE midcard status?

In 2019, Ricochet debuted on the WWE main roster and had a promising start. He teamed up with Aleister Black and even challenged for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 35 but was unsuccessful.

Soon after The Show of Shows, both men parted ways, and Ricochet even dethroned Samoa Joe and won the United States Championship within a couple of months. However, that turned out to be the peak of his WWE career as it's only been downhill for him since.

Technically, he challenged Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship in February 2020, but that match only lasted half a minute. Since then, nothing that the company has done shows any intention of him being a main event star.

There are critics of Ricochet who will take WWE's side in this matter, arguing that his flashy in-ring work isn't enough to make up for his lack of character, mic work, and overall charisma. However, he hasn't been given the opportunity to grow in that aspect.

He signed a new contract with WWE in 2019 when they were signing superstars to prevent them from going to AEW. His contract reportedly expires in 2024, and if he isn't released by then, he will be biding his time to leave.

#1. Will be: Damian Priest - One of the best WWE stars of 2021?

In the case of Damian Priest, WWE has shown intent to push him. 2021 has possibly been the best year of his wrestling career, and a highly successful first year on the main roster.

It started with his alliance with Bad Bunny and being a part of his WrestleMania match instantly elevated him. The company wasted no time on capturing his momentum, and barring a small injury spell, Priest has found himself on the winning end of most of his matches this year.

The highlights of his year include his WrestleMania match alongside Bad Bunny, along with his United States title win at SummerSlam 2021. His reign as the United States Champion has been impressive so far.

He seems to have passed every test WWE has given him so far, and although he isn't a superstar the company can push long-term because of his age, he could still become a main eventer by 2023.

One could also argue that the longevity of superstars has increased due to healthier lifestyles and diets, as well as the fact that they train like professional athletes.

It wouldn't be surprising to see him challenge for the WWE Championship in 2022 but fall short. 2022 is likely to be a stepping stone for his rise to main event stardom the following year.

#1. Won't be: AJ Styles - entering the final phase of his WWE career

AJ Styles' run in WWE has gone far better than anybody would have expected. He is entering the sixth year of his WWE career, and in that time, he has achieved Grand Slam Champion status.

Not only this, but he is one of only eight superstars to have a WWE title reign of over 365 days. The elite list includes Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, John Cena, and CM Punk. That alone puts him on a different level.

It only took Styles a little over half a year to win his first world championship. While fans feared that he wouldn't be Vince McMahon's type, he proved that the cream will always rise to the top and won over the main man of the company.

Many have noticed that AJ Styles has taken a step down in terms of his main event status since 2019. This seems to be on purpose, as he admitted that the last WWE contract he signed will the final one of his wrestling career. After a career that has spanned over two decades, he has earned it.

Styles has been a certified world champion regardless of promotion, and he simply did it at the highest level in Vince McMahon's promotion. He has likely taken a step back on purpose, as having a world champion's schedule isn't an easy one.

He is past the point where he will be the main face of a brand, and by 2023, he will reportedly be just a year away from retirement. By that point, AJ Styles may only be used to elevate other superstars.