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The incredible title reign of Kofi Kingston continued last night when the New Day star defeated Randy Orton to retain the WWE Championship. In a feud a decade in the making, Orton pulled out all his classic tricks (including an attempted punt) to become a 14-time World Champion, but that wasn't enough for Kingston, who retained after Trouble in Paradise.
With Orton coming up short once again, it's likely that a new challenger will be needed for the New Day star, whose reign as WWE Champion will soon enter its sixth month after he won the gold from Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania.
Here are five WWE Superstars who could challenge the WWE Champion Kofi Kingston after Clash of Champions.
#5 Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio may be a Monday Night RAW Superstar for the moment, but it's safe to say that the Master of the 619's best matches were whilst he was on team blue. A legend of the business, Mysterio has done it all in WWE, being a Grand Slam champion, as well as being a former Royal Rumble winner.
With the upcoming WWE draft next month, Mysterio could once again find himself on SmackDown and challenging for the WWE Title. A former two-time World Heavyweight Champion, Mysterio held the WWE Championship briefly in 2011, in a reign that lasted less than a day.
Despite his age, Mysterio has shown in his recent return to the company he can still fly around the ring, just like the reigning champion Kofi. A battle of the high flyers could be exactly what WWE needs to get new viewers tuning in when SmackDown moves to FOX on October 4.
See WWE Clash Of Champions Results, Highlights of event, & more on WWE Clash Of Champions Results page
#4 Andrade
Arguably one of the most gifted Superstars on SmackDown Live, it is a surprise to many why Andrade hasn't already received a shot at the WWE Championship. After all, El Idolo knows what it takes to win a top prize in the company. He had captured the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver: War Games in November 2017 and held the title for 140 days after which he lost the gold to Aleister Black at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans.
Since being called up to the main roster, Andrade has been impressive against several high-profile opponents, such as Rusev, Rey Mysterio and Finn Balor, the latter of whom he fought in his demon persona. With these big matches under his belt, Andrade challenging for the WWE Championship could be an interesting story for both him and Kofi Kingston for the next few months.
Though he held championship gold in NXT, Andrade is yet to hold a title on the main roster since his call-up over a year ago. This could all change if WWE are ready to pull the trigger on Andrade, who at 29, still has plenty of years left in his career.
#3 Chad Gable
Just a few weeks ago, the idea of Chad Gable competing for the WWE Championship seemed ludicrous, though to be fair, fans used to think that about Kofi Kingston not so long ago as well. Gable, who has spent this past year trying to make it as a singles star, is one of SmackDown Live's most athletically gifted competitors, and will compete this week on Monday Night RAW in the King of the Ring finals.
If he is successful, the reign of King Gable could see the former Olympian be rocketed into a WWE Championship feud against Kofi Kingston. The concept of the King Vs. the Champ has been done before (King Booker and Rey Mysterio in 2006, or Brock Vs. Rock in 2002), and has often resulted in a new champion being crowned.
Even with the King of the Ring under his belt, a title win for Gable would seem unlikely, though we have all come to accept the fact that when it comes to WWE, you never say never. We all know WWE like suprises, and having the WWE Championship on Chad Gable would definitely be that.
#2 Randy Orton
Kofi Kingston may have retained the WWE Championship twice against Randy Orton, but that still doesn't mean things may be over between the two. At SummerSlam, Kofi and the Viper pushed each other to the limit, resulting in a draw between the two, and at Clash of Champions last night, Kofi may have won, but suffered a serious beating in the process.
With WWE's next pay-per-view Hell in a Cell around the corner, having Orton get one final shot at the title inside the barbaric structure may be the right choice. Orton, who made his cell debut at Armageddon 2005, knows all about what it takes to win inside the structure, coming out on top in four out of his seven appearances. By comparison, Kofi has never competed in a Hell in a Cell match, a fact that could play a huge part in the story between the two.
If WWE is wanting to make the Apex Predator a 14-time WWE World Champion, then there aren't many better places than Hell in a Cell.
#1 Big E
This is where things get interesting.
As long as the New Day has been around, there have been some fans who feel that Big E would be the breakout star of the group. As a former NXT, Intercontinental and Tag Team Champion, Big E certainly knows what it means to hold championship gold in the company. Though it may be unlikely, the company could soon pit the two New Day stars against each other.
Recently, Kofi spoke about the possibility of his tag team partner becoming WWE Champion, and said it could definitely happen in the future. That future may be sooner than he thinks though, as with Kofi now without an opponent after defeating Randy Orton at Clash of Champions, the former Tag Team Champion Big E could fill this spot.
A heel turn wouldn't even be necessary, as the story could be about Big E being pleased for his friend, but wanting the same success. If done right, the company could be able to tell one of the most personal stories in WWE in years between Kofi Kingston and his good friend.
