'%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)
Who will challenge Brock Lesnar next? While it doesn't seem like that question is going to be answered for a while, especially after Lesnar's rumored hiatus from WWE, it honestly feels like the answers are actually right in front of us. The company might have even outright shown their hand during last week's edition of Monday Night Raw, which featured Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins at odds with each other.
With that being said, here are five reasons why the former Kevin Steen will be the next Superstar to challenge The WWE Champion. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to tell us if there are other Superstars you think should be Lesnar's next challenger.
#5 Seth Rollins heel turn
Whenever WWE starts to turn a Superstar heel, it's almost a guaranteed fact that they will cement another Superstar as a babyface. If nothing else, that seems to be the dynamic that the company is trying to create between Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens, which begs the question of who will be the one to face Lesnar at The Royal Rumble?
Sure, WWE could go with Seth Rollins again and even draw a great deal of resentment for doing so, but putting Owens in that spot would feel like the cathartic outcome WWE needs right now. In fact, with the new dynamic between Rollins and Owens in mind, The Prizefighter seems like such a better fit for the role.
Beyond all that, it seems like WWE is actually using Seth Rollins's eventual heel turn to help bring Kevin Owens into the title picture. It might even result in some of the best matches of the year and keep fans enthralled.
#4 Anti-hero factor
Kevin Owens doesn't look like every other Superstar on The WWE roster and believe it or not, that's a great thing. Not only does this give him a distinguishable characteristic that sets him apart from the rest of the roster, but it also plays into the anti-hero persona that his character has taken on.
From his infamous epic promo at the start of Friday Night SmackDown, to his rivalry with Shane McMahon, Owens' character has slowly begun to take on the form of an anti-hero and it's been exciting to watch. Of course, some of that has been mitigated thanks to start-and-stop booking by the company over the last month, but it seems like everything fell back into place during his segment with Seth Rollins.
Maybe that had to do with the fact that Rollins had just insulted the entire Monday Night Raw roster and even called Rey Mysterio's son stupid, or it could have just been how much fans are behind Owens, but he came back with a bang. Furthermore, Owens made a statement that night that should prove WWE has big plans for him.
And believe it or not, a lot of that has to do with the anti-hero persona that WWE has been crafting for him over the last couple of months.
#3 No better options
Do WWE have any better options? While names like Bobby Lashley, Rusev and Drew McIntyre instantly come to mind, they all seem to pale in comparison to the thought of Kevin Owens versus Brock Lesnar at The Royal Rumble. With that in mind and very few plausible options, Owens is the only Superstar with The WWE Universe fully behind him.
Furthermore, although McIntyre and Lashley are top-level heels at this point, a heel versus heel match doesn't work most of the time and could be a bit of a letdown for fans. It could even severely hurt the growing momentum of Lashley and McIntyre if they take a loss, which is why it is best to avoid that situation at this point.
In all honesty, Kevin Owens is arguably WWE's biggest babyface right now, one of the best anti-heroes the company has created in years. His previous storylines have also centered around changing things and foiling authority figures, proving he is the perfect opponent for Lesnar.
In the end, Kevin Owens represents change in the WWE and a changing of the guard for Monday Night Raw. He is also someone that can carry the division into WrestleMania and bring a fresh reset to the title picture in the process.
#2 Kevin Owens momentum
Kevin Owens might have seen his momentum slow down over the past month or so, but his segments with Seth Rollins seem to prove that he is still as white-hot as ever. It's almost like The WWE Universe has forgotten about him being used sporadically on television and just want someone to take on Rollins.
Fortunately for The WWE Universe, Owens seems to have all the momentum needed and then some to take over that role. Furthermore, he should be able to easily parlay that momentum into a feud with Brock Lesnar over The Universal Title, which would be a dream match for fans.
Whether this momentum came from his time taking on Shane McMahon over on Friday Night SmackDown or is just the result of who he is playing off remains to be seen, but Owens looks like a very dangerous man right now. He might even be dangerous enough to win the WWE Title at The Royal Rumble and walk into WrestleMania 36 as champion.
WWE needs a top babyface right now with a lot of momentum and Owens is one of the only guys that can fit that build. Now that doesn't mean that Rusev or someone else can't step up later, but Owens is white-hot right now and he is more than deserving of a main event title match.
#1 Dream match
It's no secret that the WWE Universe loves a good dream match and while there are a lot of intriguing options for the company to choose from, Kevin Owens versus Brock Lesnar seems to be the most interesting. It also seems to be the most plausible option when you look at the current landscape.
Of course, WWE could always do a heel versus heel match with Brock Lesnar and have him take on Drew McIntyre or Bobby Lashley, but Owens still seems like a much better option. Plus, his momentum at this point is unmatched, which means him taking a loss would hurt a lot less than it would McIntyre or Lashley.
One also has to consider the fact that WWE doesn't even have to have Owens lose and could easily have him take the title off of Lesnar. WWE already did the same with Rollins earlier in the year and Lesnar's contests against smaller guys have been getting more and more competitive as well.
If nothing else, Kevin Owens would not look one bit out of place in the Title picture against Brock Lesnar and it would be the company's best option for a dream match.
