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Every Superstar dreams of working for the WWE. When those dreams are realized, there is an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, and at the same time, it results in the wrestlers dreaming of bigger things.
It is not wrong to say that every wrestler in the WWE locker room yearns to win championship gold. From the United States title to the coveted WWE Championship, every title in the company has a rich history and lineage. Winning the world title not only validates a Superstar’s career but also puts them alongside some of the greatest professional wrestlers, to ever step foot in a wrestling ring.
Let's take a look at ten WWE Superstars who can become world champions for the very first time, in 2018.
#10 Baron Corbin
‘The Lone Wolf’ showed a lot of promise when he was first drafted to the main roster. On NXT, Corbin proved that he can play the role of a devious, cunning villain very well. However, he soon got lost in the shuffle on SmackDown Live, similar to many other Superstars before him. For a brief period, it looked as if the WWE writers had given up on the Superstar, but in 2017, Corbin scratched and clawed his way back into the fold.
Baron is set to compete at WWE Fastlane in a Six Pack Challenge match for the WWE Championship, and while the odds of Corbin walking out of the PPV as the new champion are slim to none, it shows that the Superstar has been doing the right things, to show his commitment to the WWE management.
'The Lone Wolf' has the looks and the character WWE can get behind. Let us not forget, we had Jack Swagger as the World Heavyweight Champion not too long ago.
#9 Elias
Lately, a lot of people seem to be willing to walk with Elias. ‘The Drifter’ has certainly improved since he made his main roster debut, and his character has gone over well with the WWE fans. It wasn’t too long ago that the fans were left bewildered as to why the then Elias Samson was brought to the main roster.
Admittedly, Elias did not have the best of runs on NXT and wasn’t a big name on the brand to have deserved the call-up. However, WWE persisted with him and his gimmick, and he proved the WWE officials right. Currently, Elias is one of the more entertaining Superstars on the roster, and his gimmick has also been a hit with the audience.
Taking those factors into account, it shouldn’t surprise many if WWE pushes Elias post WrestleMania, and puts the Universal Title on him. Elias has proved that he can hang with the best in the ring, and a championship run would bring the best out of the Superstar.
#8 Bobby Roode
The current United States Champion is destined for a glorious career in the WWE. Bobby Roode was handpicked by Triple H to be the face of NXT during his time on the developmental brand, and Roode is quite used to being the face of a promotion.
From his entrance to his attire and his attitude as a WWE Superstar, Bobby Roode was tailor-made to be a world champion. In a short span of time, Roode has quickly ascended to become one of the top faces on SmackDown Live and has taken on all-comers so far.
Roode’s work as a heel was exceptional in the past, and the Superstar could really thrive working with the likes of AJ Styles. Considering WWE is quickly running out of opponents for AJ, we may very well see both the Superstars face each other for the WWE Championship in the near future.
#7 Rusev
Rusev Day currently isn’t a national holiday, but if it were, nobody would work ever again- because every day is Rusev Day! After years of swimming through the mediocre mess that WWE forced on the 'Bulgarian Brute', Rusev has finally found the gimmick that works for him. When Rusev was running through opponents during his undefeated run, many believed that he could be the next big foreign villain that WWE has lacked, since Muhammad Hassan.
Currently, the fans can be heard chanting ‘Rusev Day’ every week on SmackDown Live, and it isn’t an exaggeration to say Rusev is one of the top five fan-favorite Superstars on the brand. In fact, his shirt is currently one of the best selling merchandise items on WWE Shop, highlighting his rising stock in the company.
While the entire idea of ‘Rusev Day’ and pairing with Aiden came about as a joke, Rusev has truly made it a phenomenon, and WWE would be wise to take advantage of his popularity and strike the iron while it’s hot and put the WWE Championship on him soon.
#6 Shinsuke Nakamura
The Japanese sensation will feature in a marquee bout at WrestleMania 34, with him winning the men’s Royal Rumble match back in January. Nakamura will challenge for the WWE Championship, and while Shinsuke hasn’t really clicked with the WWE audience yet, he is still one of the biggest stars in the company at the moment.
Nakamura came to WWE with a lot of hype surrounding him, but the way in which he has since been booked on SmackDown Live hasn’t done the Superstar many favors. Nakamura unsuccessfully challenged Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship, and after a lackluster feud was booked to win the Royal Rumble.
It’s tough to drop the ball with someone like Nakamura, who brought his legion of fans to the WWE. While the WWE writers have never shied away from taking the wind out of the Superstars’ sails, it would surprise a lot of people if Nakamura doesn’t win the WWE Championship sometime this year.
#5 Nia Jax
When we talk about the most dominant Superstars in WWE today, Nia Jax’s name will be close to the top. Since making her main roster debut, Nia has dismantled her opponents, and while she is a role model outside the ring, she is one of the most destructive forces inside the squared circle.
It is still a mystery as to why Nia hasn’t won the women’s championship until now. Jax is a monster heel and has the looks and the skills to hold on to the championship. While WWE has been slowly building the feud between Jax and Alexa Bliss, they still haven’t pulled the trigger with Jax.
However, it would be a relatively safe bet to assume that 2018 will be the year when Nia Jax finally wins the women’s title in the company.
#4 Ronda Rousey
Ronda has already been a world champion, but it was in the world of mixed martial arts. Arguably the biggest women’s combat sports athlete in the world today, Ronda made her WWE debut at the Royal Rumble and will compete at WrestleMania 34.
Ignoring the fact that Rousey is currently receiving the Brock Lesnar and Bill Goldberg treatment, she can help the women’s division in the company, and push the women’s revolution a step further. Now that Ronda has signed a full-time deal with WWE, the organization reportedly has big plans for her- including her ending Asuka’s undefeated streak.
Considering Ronda beats Asuka, we can expect to see Rousey becoming the RAW Women’s Champion by the end of the year. Given her accolades as a judoka and as a mixed martial artist, it is only a matter of time before WWE puts the title on her.
#3 Samoa Joe
While the name ‘Great Balls of Fire’ drew a lot of smutty jokes from the internet wrestling community, the fans expected to see Samoa Joe take the fight to Brock Lesnar when they faced each other for the Universal title. Instead, Lesnar defeated Joe with ease, rendering all those weeks where Joe attacked Brock - as ‘Woken’ Matt would say - obsolete.
Joe is currently sidelined with an injury but is expected to return to action before WrestleMania 34. Samoa Joe, when booked correctly, can be an impregnable foe, as we had seen during his NXT run. Joe is one of the best in-ring workers currently in the company and has the intensity and mic skills that would make him one of the most well-rounded performers in the business.
It is only a matter of time before Joe gets his hands on the Universal Championship, and that could very well happen this year.
#2 Asuka
Goldberg’s undefeated streak saw him become one of the most popular wrestlers of the 90’s, and many people thought no other Superstar could go for a couple of years without being pinned or submitted in the WWE. That was until Asuka came along, and started smashing her opponents.
On NXT, there was no one that could stand up to the Japanese sensation. Asuka never lost the NXT Women’s Championship either. Instead, her injury forced her to relinquish the title, and The Empress of Tomorrow has since dominated the Superstars on RAW. Asuka also became the first ever woman to win the Rumble match and earned a shot at the RAW Women’s Championship at WrestleMania.
Out of all the performers on this list, Asuka would be the safest bet to win the title this year. Considering the fact that WWE wants to build Asuka as the dominant figure until Ronda challenges her, we can expect to see Asuka winning the title at the grandest stage.
#1 Braun Strowman
There is arguably no other Superstar on the WWE roster, that is more dominant, more intense, and more frightening than Braun Strowman. The way WWE has booked Strowman so far is commendable; except for his loss against Brock Lesnar, Strowman has been made to look like a million bucks.
While it is still not clear what Strowman’s role would be at WrestleMania, there is very little doubt that he will have a major role on the card. His rivalry with Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar provided many memorable moments, and Strowman has made a habit of doing things that make the fans watch in awe.
Whether he is tipping an ambulance over or throwing a Superstar strapped to a gurney off a ledge, Braun has been impressive, to say the least. It isn’t a matter of if, but when the WWE management decides to put the Universal title on Braun Strowman, and we can see that happening this year. With Reigns expected to be crowned the new Universal Champion at WrestleMania, revisiting their rivalry would undoubtedly pique the interest of the wrestling fans.
