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Seth Rollins has been in red-hot form this year. He has been stealing the show every single time he has stepped in a WWE ring, and has been living up to his moniker of Monday Night Rollins.
Even at Hell in a Cell PPV, he had the best match of the night, albeit in a tag team match along with Dean Ambrose against Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre for the tag team Championships.
He has been the best bout machine for the WWE over the past year. He had a great IC title run during his first reign this year, from WrestleMania till he lost the title to Dolph Ziggler in the episode of Raw after the Money in the Bank PPV.
It was a shocking decision at that time as he was on a roll having electrifying matches every week through Intercontinental Championship open challenges. He continued to feud with The Show Off and his accomplice Drew McIntyre with no success until SummerSlam, where his Shield brethren Dean Ambrose returned to negate the distraction from Drew McIntyre and even the numbers game.
He won the Intercontinental Championship for the second time in his career at WWE SummerSlam this year. But his second reign has not been as successful as his first reign because the title has taken a back seat in the WWE's quest to make Roman Reigns' Universal Championship a success.
The Shield re-united the night after SummerSlam and since then they have feuded with Braun Strowman, Ziggler, McIntyre, and at one point against the entire locker room heels till the Hell in a Cell PPV.
The Intercontinental Championship was not even defended at the latest PPV. So it is time for WWE to restore some value to the title and allow Rollins to feud with a credible challenger. With Dolph Ziggler losing his contractual championship re-match clean, it is safe to assume that we might see a new challenger emerge for the Intercontinental Championship which is held by Seth freaking Rollins.
Lets take a look at a few possible challengers for the IC title.
#3 Elias
Elias already challenged for the Intercontinental Championship this year versus Seth Rollins at the Money in the Bank PPV in a failed attempt. It was a one-off match. Elias has been over with the fans since his main roster debut, and is one of the most popular superstars on Raw today.
He is a reliable mid-card heel who has the capability to work the audience as he desires and can carry himself to a decent match in the ring.
He should be involved in the IC title picture and should be the one to dethrone Seth Rollins as he has been a consistent performer over the year and should be rewarded with an IC title reign. He may emulate Miz's heel antics and have a great title run which might prove to be the stepping stone for him to ascend up the card.
#2 Finn Balor
Finn Balor has not been involved in a proper feud ever since the culmination of WrestleMania this year where he challenged for the Intercontinental title in a triple threat match against The Miz and Seth Rollins.
He has been lost in the shuffle ever since he returned from injury last year as he has been mostly involved in bizarre feuds and as a main event level jobber for the likes of Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman.
He is long due for a championship run after his short lived Universal title run. He desperately needs a change of character, and a run with the Intercontinental title might help him reinvent himself on the main roster. Maybe a heel turn along with the IC title run might reinvigorate his career and make him relevant again.
#1 Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens looks to be engulfed in a feud with Bobby Lashley for the time being as they are set to face in a tag team match at the upcoming Super Show-Down event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia.
Kevin Owens along with Elias is going to face the team of John Cena and Bobby Lashley at the event.
He has had no definite direction for a while now. He returned to his devious methods recently, and with the main event scene already crowded with the likes of Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman, and Brock Lesnar, he seems to be the best option to hold the mid-card title right now.
He could win it from Seth Rollins in one of the open challenges and go on to feud with the likes of Finn Balor who has not been having a great time these days. This might benefit all the superstars involved.
