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Many people don't realise how big an impact the Roman Reigns announcement has caused (and will cause). It created a ripple effect of sorts within WWE and the company is now left scrambling for a replacement as a top star, atleast until Reigns returns.
With that being said, WWE may not be looking for one particular superstar to lead the company. Bubba Ray Dudley himself recently spoke about how WWE will likely not push a superstar to be as popular as John Cena.
Rather than a superstar being a draw, they want the brand to be a draw. But for that to happen, they need to have a crop of top superstars to push and centre the product around. The interesting thing is that there are many potential candidates for this role, but only a few will make the cut.
2019 is going to be a big game-changing year for WWE that will see the rise of many new superstars and many current superstars reaching new heights. Here are the five superstars who will rule the company next year.
#5 Daniel Bryan
Who would have ever expected that by the end of 2018, Daniel Bryan would be one of the top heels of the company? It's a move that came out of nowhere, but a welcome move nonetheless.
Bryan sensed that his character was heading in a stale direction and knew that he had to recreate and hit the refresh button. He reportedly pitched for the heel turn himself and it's been a big success.
2019 will be huge for Bryan (granted he stays healthy) and at the rate he's going, he'll reach new heights of popularity. Whether it's turning back face or being a heel, Bryan will walk out of 2019 as a far bigger star than he had ever been.
#4 Becky Lynch
When talking about a career turnaround, look no further than The Man Becky Lynch. She saw a massive career resurgence and a heel turn that led her to become the most popular star on the roster.
She even won the SmackDown Women's title and though she lost it at TLC, it's clear that WWE has bigger plans for her. As of now, the rumour is that she'll be facing Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 35 (Potentially the main event as well).
Whether she wins or loses at WrestleMania, Becky Lynch will walk out of the grandest stage of them all as a bigger star than she had ever been. Her popularity will reach new heights and she'll overtake Charlotte Flair as one of the two top women in WWE.
SmackDown or RAW, it's most likely that the company will build the women's division around her. She's on her way to becoming a major star.
#3 Drew McIntyre
What's there not to like about Drew McIntyre? The Scottish Psychopath rejoined the main roster in April 2018 and has seen huge strides in his career since. Though he faced two losses in two weeks in December, it doesn't mean that his main event push is going away.
If anything, WWE is clearly positioning McIntyre for a main event push and by the time 2019 is even midway through, we could find McIntyre as the top heel of RAW. He has everything there is in a top star - he's got the look of a warrior, a solid character, he's a great talker and he can go in the ring.
Don't be surprised to see WWE strap the rocket behind McIntyre's back in 2019. Huge things are coming for him and he could easily be World Champion by the end of next year.
A move to SmackDown would practically guarantee that he'll be a main event star.
#2 Ronda Rousey
It's an obvious call for WWE to make Ronda Rousey one of the faces of the company. She's by and far the biggest mainstream name they have and against all odds, she's proven to be a complete natural in pro wrestling.
When it comes to going at it in the ring, she's shown vast improvement and can wrestle on the highest level and have great matches with practically anyone. Her athleticism and agility are world-class and second to none in the women's division.
She has a way to go when it comes to mic and character work, but at the rate she's going, she'll likely fix those in no time as well. She could be the woman headlining WrestleMania 35 and despite the fact that she's had an incredible 2018, 2019 is likely going to bring bigger things for the RAW Women's Champion.
Watch out for Rousey next year!
#1 Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins was The Man even before Becky Lynch was. Until people had given up and accepted the Roman Reigns mega push, the general consensus was the Rollins was a better fit as the face of the company.
He's become one of WWE's most popular babyfaces in the last two years and it's easy to see why when you look at his character arc (which is likely the best in WWE today). He's the complete package in every sense and with Roman Reigns gone, is the right successor to his spot.
The rumours at the moment state that Rollins is pencilled in for a collision course with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 35. This could be a coronation in its own way and also could be the moment which ushers in the era of Rollins.
The Architect is the right man for the spot and expect him to be pushed as the company's top star in 2019.
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