3 Superstars who could dethrone Kofi Kingston as WWE Champion

At WrestleMania 35, Kofi Kingston finally grabbed the brass ring after eleven long years and became the WWE Champion for the very first time in his career. Many of us thought this would be the beginning of the end for The New Day, but Kofi Kingston has proved that he belongs at the top and his New Day brothers are right there by his side to go for the ride.

There are a number of hungry competitors that are lining up and want a shot at the champ. With the Wild Card rule in effect, Kofi Kingston has many more challengers coming his way. Since becoming the WWE Champion at WrestleMania, he has defended and successfully retained against Kevin Owens at Money in the Bank, Sami Zayn, and most recently, Dolph Ziggler.

Now he finds a new challenger in RAW Superstar Samoa Joe. This championship match at Extreme Rules has the potential to steal the show. Don't be surprised to see Kofi Kingston with his hand raised high at the end of the match.

But after he goes through Samoa Joe, he has a line of hungry and determined challengers eyeing the prize. With the SmackDown Live debut on FOX looming just around the corner, a shake-up is bound to happen in the WWE Championship picture. While Kofi Kingston may be able to hold on to the title just a little bit longer, it is a definite possibility that he may drop the title by the time SmackDown Live moves to FOX.

There are several worthy Superstars who should be next in line as the next challenger for the WWE Championship on SmackDown Live. Here are 3 picks on who could become the next WWE Champion:

#3 Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar obtained possession of the Money in the Bank briefcase at the annual event in a match that he wasn't even a part of. Rumors earlier in the year stated how FOX wanted Brock Lesnar to be on SmackDown Live television once they debut on the channel in October, and what a convenient way to do so than by just cashing in on Kofi Kingston.

Since winning Money in the Bank, Paul Heyman and The Beast have teased cashing in on both champions, most recently at Super Showdown. All this time, he has been heavily focused on the Universal Champion Seth Rollins.

This could be to throw the viewers off. If and when Brock Lesnar does stroll down the ring after Kofi Kingston has just finished a match, it adds a surprise element. It may not be too long before we see Brock Lesnar dominate SmackDown Live on Friday nights.

#2 Drew McIntyre

Another Superstar that has had quite the momentum and the attention of everyone is Drew McIntyre. Technically a RAW Superstar, he has been a focal point on both RAW and SmackDown Live as the 'Muscle' of the self-proclaimed 'Best in the World' Shane McMahon.

The power-hungry Shane McMahon can abuse his power as it won't be long before Kofi Kingston is on the radar of Shane and his goons. It could add a whole new element to the ongoing feud against Roman Reigns and give Drew a championship match in spite of The Big Dog.

It's only a matter of time before The Scottish Psychopath wins the big one. Once dubbed 'The Chosen One' by Vince McMahon himself, it seems like now is the time, while he still has the McMahon family on his side to seize the opportunity.

#1 Shane McMahon

Even though Shane McMahon giving his buddy Drew McIntyre a shot to win the gold would be cool, it is more likely that we will see the 'Best in the World' just gift himself a championship match sooner rather than later.

A rumor recently surfaced online speculating the idea of Shane McMahon actually beating Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship. This could be the one possibility that turns into a reality. Giving Shane the title would be a wonderful way for him to gain some extra heel heat and could also be another solution to get the fans behind Roman Reigns even more.

Shane winning the title most certainly leads to the idea of Roman Reigns finding someway to lure Shane into a match with the WWE Championship on the line. Kofi has had a great run thus far. Knowing WWE, Shane McMahon vs Roman Reigns will eventually involve the WWE Championship.