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We are coming up on the tenth anniversary of the infamous CM Punk pipebomb that changed the entire landscape of WWE. It was during this segment that Punk called out the WWE for things that happened behind the scenes that he did not agree with.
Punk broke the fourth wall and this led to a huge shift in the company that ended up making Punk the champion and taking the focus off “the big guys”.
CM Punk brought to light many problems that the fans also wanted fixed. This story was the perfect mix of entertainment and real-life that WWE desperately needed. Punk ended up leaving the company in 2014 after a disagreement with his booking, which led to a very public lawsuit and an overall messy situation.
Seven years later, many fans would love to see CM Punk return to the ring primarily due to his anti-hero persona.
CM Punk is not the only anti-hero character to grace the squared circle though. Stone Cold Steve Austin was another anti-hero character who has changed the landscape of professional wrestling.
Austin was a character who did whatever he wanted to do. He was a beer-drinking, trash-talking, take-no-prisoners personality. He was the face of the Attitude Era and had some legendary moments due to his adaptation of the anti-hero persona.
He has been away from the ring for a long time now but to this day, fans still talk about his crazy antics.
Now, WWE finds itself in a situation where there is a lot of competition for them. This is one of the many reasons that WWE is currently seeing a decline in ratings. It's possible that a CM Punk or Stone Cold-esque anti-hero character could draw viewers back in.
The question at that point would be who is someone that would be able to pull off this type of character? If it is scripted, then the hardcore fans will see right through it. With that being said, WWE needs someone with star power but is also very creative.
The star needs to be a newer, better anti-hero that the fans could really get behind and cheer for years after they have left the company.
Given WWE’s current roster, here are a few superstars that might be a good fit for WWE’s next anti-hero.
#5 Elias could be WWE's next anti-hero
Elias is a superstar that has come into his character during his time on the main roster. The guitar-wielding rockstar is not a fan favorite, which makes him a perfect heel for the company.
When he enters the ring, he talks about how WWE stands for “Walk with Elias” but it may be time for him and the fans to walk side by side. What that means is, with Elias’ persona, he could be the new so-called “voice of the voiceless”.
This could be the storyline that puts him at the top of the roster and boosts him as a credible threat to the rest of the superstars. Elias’ concert platform would be a great way to start his transition into this development of his character.
Elias could speak about how he is very frustrated with the company given the number of times he has been disrespected and nothing has been done about it.
Elias has been a very loyal star to WWE and has done everything the company has asked him to do. Elias could even go as far as saying that the only reason he is still employed is because he says yes to everything while getting nothing in return.
Elias vs. WWE would be the perfect way to boost his character and put him in the main event spot for a while.
#4 Kevin Owens could be WWE's next anti-hero
For a while, it seemed that Kevin Owens was being set up as WWE’s next anti-hero character. His personality fits with the character of an anti-hero, and to go with that, he has his own history with the McMahon family.
His attack on Vince McMahon will go down as one of the most unexpected moments in recent WWE history. KO has had several problems with Shane McMahon and has been involved in multiple feuds with him. Not to mention that his first championship run on the main roster was due to his relationship with Triple H.
Another sign that he was being set up for the role was that he started using Stone Cold's Stunner as his finishing move.
Kevin Owens has a similar background as CM Punk as they were both huge stars on the independent scene and were not WWE-made stars. Owens is also in a spot much like Punk was before his final run at the top. Both men were former WWE champions and got lost in the shuffle as more and more people joined the company.
Kevin Owens is a draw and his personality stays the same as a heel or as a face, which is why fans like him so much.
Overall, given the opportunity, Owens’ character could really take the company to the next level if he was to be put in more of an antihero main event spot.
#3 The Miz could be WWE's next anti-hero
The Miz is amongst the best Intercontinental Champions in recent history but has very few WWE Championship runs.
The Miz is a 15-year veteran in WWE and has been put through the wringer to get to where he is today.
For a while, it looked like The Miz was about to be given another huge run in the company after his iconic Talking Smack rant a few years back. Unfortunately, the segment did not elevate him as much as his fans had hoped it would, even though it seemed like it was setting up for the perfect story.
This year alone is enough for him to build an antihero-like storyline given that he has been all over for the company. He was Mr. Money in the Bank and WWE Champion in the first few weeks of the year. He then lost the title almost instantly and it went downhill from there.
Since losing the WWE Championship, The Miz was in a storyline with Damian Priest and Bad Bunny, which turned into a great WrestleMania match.
Then, a month later, he was in a Lumberjack Match with Priest where he lost and was eaten by zombies. Yes, zombies ate The Miz!
This alone is enough for him to be “frustrated” with his booking and break the fourth wall into an anti-hero character.
The Miz is a perfect fit for this role because not only could he pull off the character, but also be what WWE wants him to be. He already has a personality that sets him up to be a star. All he needs to do is bring the action and passion behind the anti-hero persona.
The Miz is someone that the fans are already familiar with, even the casual ones thanks to his stints in Hollywood. If he were to use it to boost himself toward a final WWE Championship run, this would be the only way he would be taken seriously.
Again, The Miz is a creative genius and one of the best stars on the microphone WWE has on their roster. If they were to pull the trigger on this character, he would sky-rocket his already great career and add to his long list of accomplishments.
#2 Liv Morgan could be WWE's next anti-hero
The closest thing to a female anti-hero-like character that WWE has seen is Becky Lynch. Lynch was not satisfied with her spot in the company and took the title of “The Man”. Her run to the top and change in attitude made her one of the best characters in WWE history.
Liv Morgan is also a female star who has expressed her frustrations with not being used to her full potential and is someone that is the perfect fit for a new antihero.
Morgan’s career has been all over the place and WWE has yet to put her in a standout role. At one point, it looked like she was on track to get a singles run but was placed back in a tag team with Ruby Riott.
The Riott Squad was once a dominating force in the WWE but Morgan is the only member left in the company. Now that both of her former Riott Squad teammates have been released from the company, her character could have a lot of frustration toward WWE.
Not to mention that Morgan’s real-life boyfriend Bo Dallas was also released earlier this year. If Morgan wanted to play this off, then WWE could use it to make a huge star out of her.
The storyline is already written as Morgan has seen everyone she cares about fall while she is still struggling to get to the top. She can use her strong social media presence to her advantage.
From there, WWE could give her time on the microphone to create this new Liv Morgan and build her foundation. She could go on to take on top stars like Bayley and Charlotte Flair and work her way up the ladder.
This could even mean a face-off with Becky Lynch and placing these two anti-hero characters against each other, which could draw some big numbers.
Liv Morgan’s current character would be a great fit for this role and given she is one of the younger talents on the roster, it could keep her at the top for quite some time.
#1 Sami Zayn could be WWE's next anti-hero
Sami Zayn’s current character and real-life personality make him the perfect fit for WWE's next antihero character. Zayn is a superstar that has yet to reach his full potential and could use it to fuel his anger towards WWE.
Zayn was initially a massive babyface in the company before turning heel. He has proved that he has what it takes to fit anywhere in WWE. He is one of the best in-ring performers that they have but he has yet to win the WWE Championship nor Universal Championship.
Zayn has hardly even been given the chance to be in high-caliber championship matches despite him being a veteran in the wrestling business. Much like Kevin Owens and CM Punk, he also has a strong indie wrestling background and any company would be lucky to have him for a variety of reasons.
WWE has him, and they could make him one of the biggest stars in wrestling history if they were to make him their next anti-hero.
Zayn is another star that has a creative background and knows his character very well. He is someone who is not afraid to speak his mind and is very vocal on social media. His current character does channel what seems to be his real-life personality but he is still being held back.
If he becomes this anti-hero star who doesn’t care about anything but his own success, he will be a regular main eventer worthy of a long-time championship run. Zayn has shown this side of him before, as he was the first WWE star to even mention AEW on television.
Right there, he showed that his character is not afraid to break the fourth wall and do what it takes to get the fans interested in him. Wrestling fans constantly ask for stories that are still entertaining but also channel very real-life things. If Zayn were to be given the opportunity, he could ride that wave.
Zayn already has achieved more than most superstars will but again, he has yet to win a major championship in WWE. A story where he is placed in the anti-hero role would be the perfect way to improve his character.
