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Unveiled in 2016, the Universal Championship is one of the newest titles in WWE today and has become its most sought after one. The title has changed hands several times since it was introduced, and gone to many fan-favorite Superstars in the process.
We’ve seen Brock Lesnar win the title a few times, while Superstars like Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, and Roman Reigns have won it too. Even the Hall of Famer Goldberg has gone on to win the title twice in his career, a decision that was met with mixed responses.
The title has headlined several top pay-per-views, including WrestleMania 34 and SummerSlam 2017, 2018, and 2019, proving that it is parallel with the WWE Championship in value.
With that in mind, there are a few top Superstars who should win the title at least once before they retire, while there are several men who may not even though they deserve to.
In this article, we will look at 3 Superstars who should win the title while 3 who may not before they retire.
#3 Should win - Randy Orton
No current active wrestler has more Championships to his name than Randy Orton. Still aged under 40, Orton has done it all and won it all in WWE. The fact that he is still growing strong as the greatest villainous character in WWE has earned him a lot of praise.
While Orton is a 13-time World Champion, there is still a lot The Viper can do before he retires as he still has a relatively long career ahead of him.
He’s won almost every title there is to win except for the Universal Championship, and we could see the heel go after the title as soon as he’s on the same brand as the championship again.
WWE has always put their weight behind Orton, and that could lead him to win another top title before he retires as one of the greatest Superstars of all time.
The Universal Championship is one title that would fit well with Orton’s character as a heel and he could help increase its value drastically before he retires from the game.
#3 May not win - John Cena
John Cena is one of the biggest Superstars the company has ever produced. While The Undertaker, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Ric Flair are at the top of the company’s best-ever list, Cena’s name often comes up as The Greatest of All Time.
Cena’s character, attitude, hard work, and connection with the fans helped him become the most decorated Superstar of all time. While Cena is still competing on and off inside the square circle, he has changed his focus from the world of wrestling to the world of showbiz.
This means that the 42-year-old Superstar is now competing far less in the ring and has little interest left in winning top titles.
In fact, Sportskeeda's own Tom Colohue reported that Cena has no interest in breaking Ric Flair’s record for the most top Championships in WWE history. Both men are currently tied at the top spot, and with Cena showing no interest in competing for a long time in WWE and winning title, it seems likely that he will never aim for the Universal title.
While the Universal Championship is one of the only titles Cena hasn’t won in his illustrious career, he seems to be done chasing titles and records and may never win the big belt before retiring.
#2 Should win - Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan is regarded as one of the finest wrestlers to have ever come out of the company. His record in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and Ring of Honor (ROH) long before making it big in WWE proves that he is among the best in the business.
Bryan has had some of the best characters and most memorable matches in WWE, and he has remained an integral part of many storylines whenever he has actively been competing.
Injuries have taken a toll on the veteran over the past few years, and he’s already retired from the ring once before making a comeback a couple of years ago.
The former WWE Champion deserves a run with the Universal Championship too before he retires. Bryan has already revealed that he will only be competing for a few more years before he calls it a day.
With that in mind, Bryan should win the Universal Championship before he retires so that he can give a few newer stars the rub while holding the title and increase its value in the process.
#2 May not win- Sheamus
Sheamus is built like a true warrior and that’s what has made him a former WWE Champion. The Superstar is up there with the best of the best in the industry, and he has one of the most realistic finishers in the entire business.
While Sheamus has enjoyed his time on the top several times in the company, injuries have slowly eaten away at the Superstar who really enjoys his time inside the ring.
Sportskeeda's own Gary Cassidy recently caught up with Sheamus and The Celtic Warrior did not hide the fact that he has already come close to retirement once in his career. While we are glad that Sheamus is back in the ring competing, it may only be a matter of time before the Irishman decides to hang up his boots and enjoy a much-deserved retired life.
He is currently more interested in going after the Intercontinental Championship, and he could remain in the mid-card for a while.
Sheamus is one of the toughest Superstars in WWE but the 42-year-old needs to keep his health in check and that could lead him to competing less or remain in the mid-cards as the company pushes younger Superstars.
Therefore, it’s likely that Sheamus may not win the Universal Championship before he retires.
#1 Should win - AJ Styles
Another top WWE Superstar who is among the best in the world is none other than 'The Phenomenal One' AJ Styles.
Styles is one of the biggest fishes in the WWE pool and has managed to carry its brands for some time now while giving several other Superstars the rub.
The two-time WWE Champion and the three-time United States Champion is currently heading The OC and doing a great job playing a comical heel.
However, Styles himself has said that he is considering retiring in the coming years as he is already 42 years old and will be looking to spend some more time with his family.
The Universal Championship is still quite young and WWE needs to make it go through the hands of some of the best Superstars in the world to increase its value. With that in mind, Styles should definitely be the man who should win the title and hold it for a few months to increase its value and appeal.
While Styles may not be after the belt, the company sure needs his star power to increase the value of the title before The Phenomenal One calls it a day.
#1 May not win- Edge
Edge’s return to the ring was as emotional as Daniel Bryan’s for the fans as The Rated-R Superstar defied all odds and returned to the ring during the 2020 Royal Rumble after retiring from the sport in 2011.
An injury seemed to have ended his career for good, but a miraculous recovery has given him enough time to return and entertain the crowds once again, doing something that he truly loves before walking away for good.
Edge is 46-years-old and has returned to the company for a possible final run. The rumors regarding his contract state that he will be with the company for 3 years and will appear 25 times over 36 months while competing in at least 3 matches a year.
If that’s the case, it seems like Edge will be having some interesting rivalries over the 3 years but may be kept out of any Championship picture as fans are growing more and more frustrated with part-time Champions.
Edge is a phenomenal wrestler who doesn’t need a title in his current run as his star power is arguably bigger than any titles in the WWE. That said, there is a chance that the Rated-R Superstar may chase the WWE Championship for old time’s sake.
