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Simply put, the United States Championship has become the most boring championship in WWE again, and at the moment the WWE creative team doesn't seem to have any plans on changing that.
With each of the last five title holders being more forgettable than the last, much of the prestige that the championship once held is long gone. At this point the belt is possibly in a worse position than the pre-2015 John Cena reign. A time when WWE has basically completely forgot that the United States Championship even existed.
At this point, the strap feels more like trophy. Completely pointless and carried around aimlessly, rather than a title that is defended proudly. Its current occupant, Bobby Lashley, is getting absolutely nothing from holding onto the belt since defeating Apollo Crews at WWE's Payback pay-per-view. Instead Lashley has found himself facing the same people on Monday Night RAW over and over again. While Lashley's role in The Hurt Business has kept him relevant, the title he hold has felt more like a pesky distraction to other opportunities for the big man.
Overall the stock of the WWE United States Championship continues to plummet, and it is in serious help. With that said, here are five WWE Superstars who could do more with the United States Championship and who deserve to be the next champ.
#5) (Matt) Riddle as WWE U.S. Champ
Besides Riddle losing his first name and losing matches on Monday Night RAW, what else has been new with Riddle? Riddle's time on WWE's main roster started on a strong note, moving to SmackDown and going right into a feud with AJ Styles. But Riddle soon found himself stuck in a dead-end program with King Corbin.
Riddle was moved to WWE's RAW brand for a reason, as the midcard on Monday nights was super light, and desperate for reinforcements. Gifted with an ability to produce great matches, and an entertaining personality to match, Riddle is a great candidate to bring back eyes to the WWE United States Championship.
Plus, in contrast to current champion Bobby Lashley, Riddle has the advantage of being a straight solo act. With that his US title reign will not get lost in the shuffle with side storylines.
#4) Angel Garza could finally hold WWE gold
When Angel Garza first came to the main roster, many thought WWE had big plans for him. Some rumors suggested that WWE's top brass saw him as their next Eddie Guerrero, someone with immense talent and an unmatched charisma. However, he hasn't been able to find any lasting success on his own. Maybe it's finally time for WWE to stop having Garza chase after girls, and instead have him chase after the United States Championship.
While the former NXT Cruiserweight Champion has been featured prominently on RAW for months, mainly teaming with Andrade and Zelina Vega, he hasn't had much success in getting "the" big win as a solo act since moving to the main roster. Instead, he is constantly being booked into 50/50 programs, and never really gaining any momentum.
Garza has proven he has all the skills to be a great champion, and at this point, what's the harm with giving him a shot? WWE may have denied fans a RAW Tag Team Championship run with Andrade and Garza, but they have a chance to make up for it now.
#3) Keith Lee's first WWE main roster title
When Keith Lee left WWE's Black and Gold brand, he was arguably one of the most successful NXT Superstars in history. He was the man to finally end Adam Cole's (BAY BAY) record-setting 403 days as NXT Champion, he also held NXT North American Champion, and he's one of the most over wrestlers on the WWE roster. Fans everywhere have been "Basking in [his] Glory."
Now it's time for Lee to get his due on the main roster and win himself a title.
The Limitless One has had some marginal success since leaving NXT. He defeated current WWE Champion Randy Orton in decisive fashion at Payback, and has earned himself a spot on Team RAW for WWE's Survivor Series pay-per-view. However Lee is in need of something more, something that can sustain him for at least a few months.
While a good showing at Survivor Series could help his stock, pay-per-views come and go; the key is to build on that success. For the time being, the main event scene is full, and with that, Lee is going to need to find other ways to stay relevant to fans.
WWE cannot afford to let Lee's momentum die out and end up like so many directionless NXT call ups.
#2) Elias deserves a real WWE Championship run
Elias made his debut on the WWE main roster in 2017, and in that time he's won a Slammy Award and had four "reigns" as 24/7 Champion and that's it. Given how over he has been at various points in his career, it is a crime that he hasn't been given a real chance to run with a title.
It's unclear as to what WWE's hesitation has been in the past, but at this point what does WWE have to lose? Why not spend a month or two with Elias as US champ?
Elias' gimmick continues to prove it has legs, as fans continued to chant that WWE stood for "Walk With Elias" nearly every time he would ask them. He has the ability to always put on solid bouts, and his musical shtick continues to work, especially with the latest release of his Universal Truth album on iTunes and Spotify. Even in over the top matches like the Guitar on a Pole Match with Jeff Hardy this past Monday night, Elias has shown he is a good soldier and can make almost anything work.
It would seem this is the perfect time to finally show some love to The Drifter, and give him a shot at the United States Championship.
#1) Mustafa Ali's next step in war with WWE
Let's just cut right to the chase, RETRIBUTION has been a total letdown up to this point. From the lackluster members, to the silly, over-the-top name changes, to the inconsistent storytelling, WWE hasn't put put RETRIBUTION in a position to succeed. Instead the group is now forced fight into an uphill battle to gain back legitimacy as a dangerous force to be reckoned with. With that said, one bright spot with the group is its leader, Mustafa Ali.
While some have criticized WWE for its choice of Ali as the heel leader of the anarchist group, Ali has shown that his mic skills are top-notch. He can tell a good story and is a convincing leader of men who tower him. WWE needs to give Ali the the opportunity for him to make a serious impact on RAW, more than just having his ragtag group randomly start fights with The Hurt Business and Ricochet.
Giving Ali the United States Championship is the best thing for both Ali and the group as a whole. Again, it allows Ali to have power not just within his group, but also within the company itself. WWE will finally be forced to respond to Ali's and RETRIBUTION's screams for attention.
Ali himself is phenomenal in the ring, and with the power he possess as a leader he can distinguish himself within the group of massive henchmen. Effectively, he could hold the US title hostage, as Superstar after Superstar tries (and fails) to get it back under WWE control.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
