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After the successful show that was Extreme Rules, WWE now find themselves marching towards SummerSlam 2019 in Toronto, and after a successful WWE Championship defense against Samoa Joe, Kofi Kingston remains on top of SmackDown Live.
The New Day now all hold gold, and while we can't see that changing anytime soon, the challenge of a top WWE superstar may finally be too much for Kingston to handle.
We expect him to stay at the top for the next few months, but with a number top heel challengers in the company, he's going to have to continue to be at his best as a fighting champion.
WWE announced that Kingston would be making a challenge for SummerSlam on this week's SmackDown Live and here we take a look at five possible opponents for the champion at SummerSlam.
#5 Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe came out of nowhere to challenge Kingston at Extreme Rules, and while he was defeated by the reigning champion, there's certainly a lot more to be told between the two men. Joe is one of the best heels in the company, and should ideally be on top, but with Kingston's reign closing in on three months, it may be time for WWE to make a switch at the top of SmackDown Live.
If WWE doesn't have Joe challenge again, it's hard to see what they'd do with him, especially considering the Champion on each brand right now is a heel, so this one may make the most sense at the Biggest Party of the Summer.
He could potentially challenge Aleister Black, but given Joe's great work over the past two years besides his pedigree, he needs to be holding gold, and this could be the best case scenario for Joe and WWE.
#4 Drew McIntyre
WWE have reportedly been grooming The Scottish Psychopath as a main event heel since he came back to the main roster, but so far, he hasn't broken through to take World Championship gold. Lately, he has been used as Shane McMahon's muscle, and given his disagreements with the entire SmackDown Live roster, having Drew McIntyre on top could be the best way to make Shane the top heel.
With Eric Bischoff taking over control of SmackDown Live, the entire show could be changed in the very near future, but the way things are going right now, this is a very realistic possibility.
Most of the WWE Universe is sick of seeing Shane McMahon in the spotlight, so suggesting he dive further into it may not be the most popular idea, but if it means Drew on top of the blue brand rather than McMahon, we won't be complaining too much.
#3 Andrade
Ever since arriving in WWE, Andrade has been considered the future of the company, and going up against a top babyface like Kingston at SummerSlam could be his opportunity to prove it. With Zelina Vega by his side, it's clear that El Idolo is a future WWE Champion, and while rising through the ranks of SmackDown Live could be a good story, he's ready for the main event scene now.
This is the most unlikely event on our list, but given the great character work he does along with his incredible athleticism, this would be an absolute barn-burner, and could steal the show in Toronto.
WWE clearly have plans for the former NXT Champion, but with so much talent on the roster, they need to start building up his momentum soon, and while losing to Kingston may not be the best way to do that, it would prove that he's a main event level player.
#2 Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston had one of the best rivalries of the year heading into WrestleMania, and given the quality of all their interactions, it makes sense for WWE to want to run this one back. The moment that Kingston won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania will live forever, and although the reign of Kingston should last a little long, Bryan is a real threat to the title.
After losing the Tag Team Championships to Big E and Xavier Woods, it's clear that the issues between The New Day and Bryan aren't over, and perhaps the big news Bryan was scheduled to tell us last week could be more back up on the way?
Regardless of how it happens, WWE will no doubt go back to this story before Kofi is dethroned, and given how good all their other encounters were, this is a real possibility.
#1 Randy Orton
Randy Orton has seemingly been coasting on SmackDown Live as of late, with no big, interesting story, but this is his opportunity to prove why he is still the blue brand's Apex Predator.
Sure, Orton's matches can be very similar, no matter who he's in the ring with, but with the personalities of The Viper and The New Day, they could make magic with the right story at SummerSlam.
There have also been rumours that this rivalry will be happening for the WWE Championship soon, and while we can't see Orton being the one to dethrone Kingston, it would add credibility to his reign.
Ultimately, Kingston will likely be dethroned by someone such as Roman Reigns or Drew McIntyre, but for SummerSlam, this one would offer us a throwback to the controversial rivalry these two had back in 2009, as well as giving us a fresh, exciting story that would be great fun.
