'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Drew McIntyre has been the top babyface on the WWE RAW brand for over a year now. He has reigned as the WWE Champion for most of the past 10 months. Now that he's already a two-time WWE Champion, it seems that the sky is the limit for the Scottish Superstar.
Throughout his two reigns, he has successfully retained his championship against multiple top RAW Superstars. He has overcome threats like Bobby Lashley, Randy Orton, and AJ Styles.
New challengers have prevented McIntyre from facing his longtime friend, Sheamus. But "The Celtic Warrior" has turned on McIntyre, so this rivalry is finally happening. It will be interesting to see what will happen when the champion gets his hands on Sheamus.
Trending
As McIntyre prepares to face more contenders on his way to WrestleMania, WWE will have to decide which stars will get the chance to clash with "The Sexy Scotsman." Even if these competitors lose, they stand to benefit from a feud with RAW's top champion.
Here's a look at five RAW Superstars that McIntyre can lift to new heights on the red brand.
#5 WWE RAW Superstar Andrade
When Andrade was active on the RAW roster, he proved that he could potentially be a main event player. As a former WWE United States Champion, he indicated that he could be a potential contender for McIntyre's WWE Championship.
After WrestleMania 36, Andrade was one of the first people to challenge McIntyre to a singles match. Although Andrade came up short against "The Sexy Scotsman" on two separate occasions, these two talented stars share a lot of history.
When McIntyre made his return to WWE in 2017, he focused on winning the NXT Championship. Andrade was also on NXT at the time, and he ended up defeating McIntyre for the title.
The last time that the WWE Universe saw Andrade was on the October 12, 2020 episode of RAW. On that night, he suffered a loss to Angel Garza and received a Sister Abigail from The Fiend. Now that he's no longer paired with Garza and Zelina Vega, he could resume his singles career.
One way for Andrade to make a return could be by having his real-life partner, Charlotte Flair as his mouthpiece. Andrade could be a great candidate to feud with the current WWE Champion because "El Idolo" would add some new energy to the title picture.
#4 WWE RAW Superstar Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal is another potential RAW challenger that comes to mind for a rivalry with McIntyre. The champion has already been in a feud with one former tag team partner in Dolph Ziggler. As a result, Mahal would be another great adversary, as he once teamed with McIntyre.
Alongside Heath Slater, McIntyre and Mahal were stablemates in 3MB. Their career paths are also remarkably similar. They both were released from WWE in 2014. Both men later returned to the WWE with a new look and, eventually, they fought their way into the main event picture.
Both Mahal and McIntyre proved that they are WWE Champion material. McIntyre has said that he wants to feud with Mahal for the WWE Championship. Because the Scottish Superstar is the reigning champion, it seems like a fitting time for Mahal to return on the RAW brand and challenge for the championship he once held.
Many fans have been hoping to see a feud between these former teammates, and it seems like it's only a matter of time before this story plays out on WWE RAW.
#3 WWE RAW Superstar Mustafa Ali
When RETRIBUTION debuted, the WWE Universe did not know what to expect from this RAW faction. When fans learned that Mustafa Ali was the leader of the stable, it seemed like the group would become a genuine force to be reckoned with.
Unfortunately for Ali and the rest of its members, RETRIBUTION hasn't been booked properly. The faction suffered multiple losses to The Hurt Business in singles and tag team matches. In some ways, it seems like RETRIBUTION has been set up to fail.
Because The Hurt Business holds both the WWE United States and Tag Team Championships, it seems that RETRIBUTION won't be targeting those championships anytime soon. Because Ali is the leader of the stable, a feud with McIntyre can work if the faction is repackaged as a legitimate group.
A feud between Ali and McIntyre would feel fresh because these competitors have never shared the ring in a singles match. There is some history between McIntyre and RETRIBUTION, dating back to the September 14, 2020 episode of RAW.
To be clear, the stable attacked McIntyre before Ali was revealed to be its leader. But McIntyre could ultimately become the man who ends RETRIBUTION once and for all.
#2 RAW Superstar Riddle
When RAW Superstar Riddle made his debut on the main in 2020, it seemed that this career trajectory on the main roster was very promising On his very first night, Riddle defeated former WWE Champion AJ Styles. It looked like WWE was setting Riddle up to become a top babyface on the blue brand. Although he is now on RAW, it's still not too late for his big break.
Riddle is currently feuding with WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley on RAW. Riddle also had a noteworthy performance in the Royal Rumble Match by contributing to Lashley's elimination.
While Riddle is in the mid-card at the moment, it would be nice to see him clash with McIntyre in a WWE ring. Although Riddle and McIntyre have never faced each other in the WWE, they competed at EVOLVE 83. Riddle defeated McIntyre at the event in an "I Quit" Match.
There, Riddle proved that he can defeat McIntyre. Now, "The Original Bro" is widely seen as one of the brightest stars in WWE. As a result, a match between Riddle and McIntyre could be quite electric.
#1 RAW Superstar Keith Lee
Before he debuted on RAW, Keith Lee was one of the top competitors on WWE NXT. He won both the NXT North American Championship and the NXT Championship.
When Keith Lee made his debut on RAW, he made an impact by challenging Randy Orton. Within Lee's first week in the main roster, he made a name for himself by defeating Orton in convincing fashion at WWE Payback.
But for the most part, Lee has been lost in the shuffle on the red brand. He has taken some questionable losses that have derailed his momentum on RAW. Vince McMahon even sent Lee, along other stars, back to the Performance Center to hone his craft.
The last time Lee was seen on television dates back to the January 11, 2021 episode of RAW, where he defeated Sheamus in a singles match. Many fans have questioned Lee's absence. He even missed this year's Royal Rumble show, though he was one of the favorites to win the battle royal.
The Road to WrestleMania is underway, so there is still time for Lee to enter the WWE Championship picture. To build his stock back up, he needs to start winning more singles. With a potential win in the Elimination Chamber Match, he could become the number one contender for McIntyre's WWE Championship and face him at WrestleMania.
