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Ever since the WWE introduced the Universal Championship following the brand split we have seen four Superstars hold the big red belt. The WWE have succeeded in solidifying the Universal Championship as the top prize in the company, as was made evident when Brock Lesnar defeated WWE champion, AJ Styles, in their highly anticipated Champion vs Champion match at Survivor Series.
Lesnar is set to carry the title all the way to Wrestlemania 34 in New Orleans, completing one year at the top of the mountain and it is most likely that he will drop the title at The Show of Shows.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the five superstars who deserve a run with the Universal Championship once the reign of the Beast Incarnate is over.
#5 Roman Reigns
Some sources have said that WWE have cooled down on the idea of having Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar as the main event of Wrestlemania 34, but it is highly unlikely that Vince McMahon will put an end to his quest in making Reigns the next John Cena.
Reigns has had quite a few opportunities to capture Universal championships however the title has eluded him.
The WWE Universe has been quite vocal in expressing their criticism of Roman Reigns being booked as the next top baby face of the company, but that hasn't stopped Reigns as he has proved many times that he deserves the push that he is getting.
He is an excellent in-ring performer, he has the physique of a champion and he has improved a lot in the mic following his feud with John Cena. He is slowly winning back the crowd support thanks to the recent Shield reunion.
So Reigns has proved without a shadow of a doubt that he deserves to become the next Universal Champion.
#4 Braun Strowman
If there is one person who has all the momentum on his side, it's "The Monster Among Men", Braun Strowman. The former Wyatt family brother is now on a whole new different level for a person who started his WWE career as a rosebud.
Strowman has been booked very strongly and has only been beaten clean few times ever since he debuted on the main roster. The series of matches he had with Roman Reigns were a treat to watch and he proved he is capable of having good matches with anyone he steps in the ring with.
It seems he is now headed for a feud with Triple H and it may lead to a match at Wrestlemania 34. It would be great to see Braun Strowman win the Universal title after Wrestlemania and start an angle with Triple H, with a monstrous champion going against an authority figure.
#3 Finn Balor
Finn Balor shocked many when he defeated Seth Rollins at Summerslam 2016 to become the first ever Universal Champion. Everyone was amazed at the push Balor received immediately after he was called up to the main roster.
His reign as Universal Champion was short lived as he suffered an injury at the hands of Seth Rollins when the latter power bombed Balor on the barricade. He had to relinquish the title the next night on Raw ending what would've been an amazing reign.
After his return from injury, many thought that he was going after the title which he never lost, but the title was now in the clutches of Brock Lesnar who is being fattened up to be fed to Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 34. Balor soon got lost in the shuffle and ended up having a lacklustre feud with the likes of Bray Wyatt and Samoa Joe.
Now with Wrestlemania 34 only a few months away, Finn Balor may be a good choice to dethrone Roman Reigns after the latter defeats Brock Lesnar.
#2 Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe is a veteran of the industry and has won numerous accolades across the world. His time in TNA solidified him as a legend and no one can forget the matches he had with the likes of Kurt Angle, Sting and AJ Styles, to name a few.
While his fellow TNA colleague AJ Styles is now a two-time WWE and United States champion, Joe had to settle only with two runs as NXT champion and is yet to gain some success in the main roster.
His wrestling style is praised by many and his agility in the ring is exceptional for a man his size. He was considered as a legitimate threat to Lesnar's title leading to his match with the Beast Incarnate at Great Balls of Fire. He failed to capture the gold as he was defeated by Lesnar with just one F5. The WWE possiblyy doesn't want anyone to kick out of the F5 until Wrestlemania which is why Joe had to lay for the three count which is nothing but a shame.
Given an opportunity at the top of the mountain, Joe will prove why he is one of the best in the business like he has proved all over the world.
#1 The Miz
The Miz has been a part of the WWE's main roster since March 2006 and during his stay, he has established himself as one of the most decorated superstars in the WWE. The A Lister is a future Hall of Famer, with many accolades under his belt a universal championship run would make his collection complete.
In the 11 years of his career, Miz is a 6-time tag team champion, 2-time United States champion, 7-time intercontinental champion, one Money in the Bank winner and has also won two Slammy awards. However, he has been WWE champion only once in his career and even in that run he was made to defend the titles against the likes of Jerry Lawler, and was overshadowed in the main event of WrestleMania 27 which only focused on planting the seeds for the couple of matches between The Rock and John Cena.
The Miz not having more than one WWE championship reign is not his fault but that of the WWE's creative team. They can add this to their coveted list of missed opportunities as Miz would've been as great as Edge as a Heel Champion.
Roman Reigns won't be dropping the title too soon after defeating Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 34, so it would be fitting to have Miz win the Money in the Bank for the second time and cash in on Reigns to become the Universal Champion.
The Miz is more than a glorified mid-card champion and let's hope WWE's creative team finds that out soon and give him the opportunity that he deserves to be the top champion once again.
