4 WWE superstars whose careers have peaked and 4 whose haven't

Roman Reigns and AJ Styles
Soon again?

Last week, we looked at eight superstars in WWE's women's division, four of which have reached their career ceilings and four of which haven't yet. Today, we'll jump ship to the men's division and examine eight more superstars.

WWE is a cyclical business for its performers. There are times certain performers will be hot and times they'll be cold. However, there comes a point when a superstar gets to his or her hottest point. A fantastic example would be Goldberg in 1998. Once his streak was broken at Starrcade that year in infamous fashion, he never got as hot again, even if he remained WCW's most popular star until the end of the promotion in 2001. July to December of 1998 was Goldberg's career peak.

With that in mind, let's take a look at today's WWE landscape. Who still has untapped depths? Who has already gone to the bottom of the well?


Has peaked: Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns Universal Champion
This is what they've built up for four years

Roman Reigns' peak arguably already came a while ago. He was never going to get more popular (or unpopular) than he has been for years, but finally defeating Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam after a four-year journey brought him to what the Ancient Greeks would call his Aristeia - his great moment of glory.

Roman Reigns is certainly going to have multiple runs with the top championship past this one, and he'll return to the WrestleMania main event more than once along the way, but never will he be able to scale another mountain as high as the one he climbed on August 19th, 2018. That had been in the works for four years, and this will be his signature "face of the company" run, much as John Cena's came in 2007.

Hasn't peaked: Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins Raw
Seth still has a ways to go.

Seth Rollins had a lengthy world title run, but it didn't do him justice. He was capable of so much more, and 2018 has been the best year of his career so far despite not having a world title. He's caught fire in a way he hasn't before and found his groove as a babyface.

Seth has cooled off since the spring, and his placement as one of Roman's heat shields will put an artificial ceiling over him for some time, but there's certainly untapped potential left to explore.

One has to think that a run with the WWE or Universal Championship will be in order in the future, and if it's the 2018 Seth Rollins that gets a hold of them, he'll scale greater heights yet.

Has peaked: AJ Styles

AJ Styles WWE Champion
The champ runs the camp for now

AJ Styles has now held the WWE Championship for over 300 days. His reign has unfortunately felt like an afterthought at times, but it's a tremendous sign of the confidence that the company has in him to let him run with the title for so long.

At 41 years old, it's unlikely that Styles will get another run like this once he drops the championship. He's had a long career, and arguably his first run with the WWE Championship was his peak. Styles will remain a major player for as long as he wants and is able to, but he'll probably never scale a height as high as this once he's off it.

Hasn't peaked: Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe
"OH, WENDY!"

Every time he's given the chance, Samoa Joe proves just how good he is at what he does. At 38, he's no spring chicken, but all he needs is that one major title win to take his career into the stratosphere, even as late as he is in it.

He might not capture the title this time, but Samoa Joe should get a run eventually, and when he does, he'll approach the tail end of his career at his hottest point.

Hopefully, it can come at Hell in a Cell.

Has peaked: Jinder Mahal

Jinder Mahal WWE Champion
Never again

It seems like an eternity ago, but on this day last year, Jinder Mahal was in the midst of a six-month title reign. It was a great example of WWE trolling its audience, but the company was serious about the push. Mahal was booked to go over company favorite Randy Orton and then Shinsuke Nakamura.

A year later, he's barely noticed on Raw, becoming a "man of peace" after a poorly-received feud with Roman Reigns.

Jinder Mahal might get out of these doldrums, but the prospect of him ever scaling the heights he did last year seems remote at best.

Hasn't peaked: Buddy Murphy

Buddy Murphy 205 Live
A title soon to come?

Buddy Murphy has had an amazing year, going from an afterthought in NXT to the MVP of 205 Live. The Cruiserweight title may soon be around his waist when he takes on Cedric Alexander in his hometown at Super Showdown. Still, that will only be a preview of things to come.

Buddy Murphy is too good to stay in 205 Live forever. With an amazing physique, one has to suspect that a trade to Raw or SmackDown will come at some point in the future. He may not capture a world championship there, but a run with the Intercontinental or United States Championship should be well within his grasp.

Has peaked: Dolph Ziggler

Dolph Ziggler
Remember this?

This week, Dolph Ziggler became a grand slam champion, even if it might not seem that way.

He's had a resurgence in 2018 despite a slow start by bungling his return angle. Still, he'll never capture another world championship, or the temperatures he sustained in 2013 and 2014.

His partnership with Drew McIntyre has been successful, but it will ultimately lead to his undoing.

Hasn't peaked: Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre Raw
When will his breakout come?

Vince McMahon once called Drew McIntyre the "chosen one." That title came too soon back then, but now, he's ready to claim it. He's a completely different performer than he was in his first run in the company, and the higher-ups know it. He's everything WWE looks for in a top star.

Currently one of Raw's tag team champions, his heights will go far higher. It's only a matter of time before Drew McIntyre breaks away from Dolph Ziggler, and a world title run is likely at some point.

He might well be the man that ultimately dethrones Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship. He could even be in the title match at WrestleMania next April.

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