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Everyone in WWE wants to entertain the crowds and have great matches, but the ultimate goal of every performer is still to have Championship gold around their waist. With so much new blood on the main roster, expect to see a lot of first time Champions in 2019.
From fresh new tag teams to veterans who've yet to experience success to young high-fliers ready to make their mark, there are many people we expect to rise up the ranks within WWE this year, and with WWE's ratings struggling, this could be the thing that kicks them into gear.
So without further ado, read along as we look into WWE's future and predict 10 WWE superstars that will taste gold for the first time on the main roster in 2019.
#10 Elias
At first, people didn't think much of 'The Drifter', but since coming to the main roster and dropping his last name, the WWE Universe has taken to Elias as one of the more entertaining performers on the entire roster. Since that move to the main roster, Elias has been more focused on his performing career than wrestling inside the ring, but when he does, he can get it done, and a big push is ahead on Smackdown Live.
He's yet to prove himself as a main event player, but with Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, Kevin Owens, Kofi Kingston and Finn Balor making up the main event scene, Elias will provide a fresh new face in that spot. Despite the success of the character, Elias has yet to hold gold on the main roster. While it may not come until late in the year 2019, there's no doubting that the WWE finally have to push him as an in-ring performer, and Smackdown Live is the perfect spot to do just that.
#9 Buddy Murphy
We've seen performers cut weight over the years, and when they go back to their natural weight, they absolutely dominate, and now that The Best Kept Secret is free of the 205-pound limit, the sky is the limit. Murphy has every tool at his disposal to become a main event star within WWE, but with so many ahead of him, his 2019 will no doubt be focused on dethroning Finn Balor as Intercontinental Champion.
Every time The Juggernaut appeared on a main roster PPV as a member of 205 Live, he arguably stole the show, so now with more time to tell stories and more fans invested in him, this could be the year of Buddy Murphy. Ultimately, Smackdown Live is a very stacked roster right now, and with the move to Fox, we don't know how things are going to play out, but the cream always rises to the top, and that includes Main Event Murphy.
#8 Cedric Alexander
Despite lacking any great character or personality, the WWE have made a big deal of the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion coming to RAW, and that's due to his overwhelming talent as an in-ring performer. The former Cruiserweight Champion had a year long run of some of the best matches WWE has seen, and with so many new opponents awaiting him on RAW, there's no doubt that 2019 will be another big year for him.
Due to his size and limited personality, it's highly unlikely that Cedric will ever rise beyond the mid-card, but that's still a great position to be in within WWE. How quickly Alexander wins gold on Monday Night RAW most likely depends on how they see other mid card talents such as Ricochet, Cesaro, EC3, Bray Wyatt, The Miz and others, but with all of those great opponents, Cedric will get the crowd on his side and will no doubt claim gold in 2019.
#7 Kairi Sane
Kairi Sane had a fantastic run down in NXT, and with all the talent on the main roster, people wondered how she would fit in, but now, Paige has brought the duo of Sane and Asuka to Smackdown Live, and it won't be long until they're wearing gold. The IIconics are fantastic Champions, and they no doubt deserve the position they're in right now, but with the striking and overall wrestling skills that the two Japanese stars possess, it's hard to see them staying on top.
At the end of the day, Sane and Asuka are both better as singles stars, but this is something fun for them to do until WWE can find something for them, and with Paige representing them, it's clear WWE are high on the two. Peyton Royce and Billie Kay deserve a good run as Tag Team Champions, so don't expect the two vs. two match to come until SummerSlam, but when it does, we can't see Asuka and Sane coming up short.
#6 Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn had an incredible run down in NXT, claiming the NXT Championship in an incredible bout with Neville, but for one reason or another, he hasn't been given a significant push since arriving on the main roster. Zayn was once the best babyface in the WWE, and many saw him as the next Daniel Bryan, but like Bryan, his career seems to be going much better as a heel, and with his recent performances on RAW, it's only a matter of time until there's gold around his waist.
Since his return, Zayn has been a master of getting heat from the WWE Universe, and you can't help but be impressed by it, and combining this with his wrestling ability, it's clear he's trending upwards. If Sami doesn't taste gold by the end of 2019, it's hard to see him sticking around in WWE for much longer, because he deserves better, but if this heel run continues trending the way it is, he'll no doubt find success.
#5 Ali
Following the Cruiserweight Classic, many people saw Ali's talent, but no one could have quite seen him becoming the babyface that he is today. Through incredible social media promos and fantastic matches with the likes of Buddy Murphy and Cedric Alexander on 205 Live, Ali has become one of the top babyface's in WWE today, and with a significant push, he could be the best one in all of WWE.
It looked like he was in line for a big push in February, before his unfortunate injury made way for KofiMania, but with so much talent, the ability to draw sympathy and his aerial arsenal, it's a matter of time until he claims gold. With Roman Reigns, Elias and others joining the fray on Smackdown Live, it's unlikely that he gets to the top in 2019, but with other Championships on the brand, we'll see The Heart and Soul taste gold in 2019.
#4 Viking Raiders
Just a year into their WWE run, the Viking Raiders (formerly War Machine, War Raiders and Viking Experience) have made it to Monday Night RAW, and despite the ever changing name of the team, they've got immense amounts of potential. Although they've been positioned as babyfaces in NXT, they seem to be on the heel side on the main roster, but once we see them go out and put on a show, the fans will have no choice but to get behind them.
Despite their imposing size, both Hanson and Ray Rowe (sorry, Ivar and Erik) are incredibly athletic, with the big man pulling of some incredible things that shouldn't even be possible, and it adds another layer to what makes them so great. With The Usos and The Revival on RAW, we are no doubt going to see some great matches, but the ultimate goal is to hold gold, and that's something that this duo won't be denied.
#3 Andrade
Ever since he was paired with Zelina Vega down in NXT, Andrade has been pegged as a future top star within the WWE, and while he may not win the WWE Championship in 2019, it's about time the company give him a big push. With Finn Balor reigning as the current Intercontinental Champion, that seems like a high caliber match to book for SummerSlam, and it's one that everyone in the WWE Universe would love to see.
El Idolo has all the talent and charisma in the world, and with the WWE needing to create new stars in order to improve programming, there's no better option on Smackdown Live. With Charlotte by his side, on top of all the great traits he has, there's no doubt that Andrade is high up in WWE's mind, and if they can allow him to be the heel that he was down in NXT, with all the great opponents for him on Smackdown, he'll be a main event star in no time.
#2 Ember Moon
Now that Becky Lynch is reigning over both RAW and Smackdown Live, her job as Champion is going to get even harder with so many more challengers, and one that we think can dethrone her is the War Goddess, Ember Moon. Moon has a unique look, great athleticism and fantastic in-ring skills, and if the WWE can work on her character now that she's moved to Smackdown Live, she'll be a top star in no time.
There are others like Charlotte, Asuka, Kairi Sane, Bayley and perhaps the incoming Shayna Baszler that could beat Becky Two Belts, but if WWE book Moon well, she'll be the best choice for the spot. Whether that's her spot or Ember has to wait until the back end of 2019, it's only a matter of time until she can Eclipse the competition on her way to the top of the WWE mountain.
#1 Drew McIntyre
The WWE have been grooming Drew McIntyre to be a main event heel since the point he got to the main roster, and with Seth Rollins now reigning as the Universal Champion, it's only a matter of time. The Scottish Psychopath is the perfect person to have in the main event: he has the looks, he works hard and most of all, his intensity is unmatched, and in terms of a locker room leader, you couldn't find anyone better.
10 years ago, Vince McMahon proclaimed that a young Drew would be World Champion one day, and although they stuffed up his first run within WWE, he's come back better than ever before. It may not happen until SummerSlam, or potentially even later in the year, but by the time 2019 is finished, expect to see McIntyre at the top, and with all types of young babyfaces coming through the ranks, his reign could certainly be a fun one.
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