5 superstars who would benefit from a strong showing in the WWE World Cup

As we already know, WWE has announced their second stadium show in Saudi Arabia, called Crown Jewel. Alongside the main event triple threat match for the Universal Championship between Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar, we know that Crown Jewel will host the WWE World Cup. This seems like a really exciting prospect if executed well. Tournaments in wrestling are always fun.

Ideally, this would be a 16-man tournament which kicks off on Raw and Smackdown, with one wrestler representing each country. It is an excellent way for WWE to show their international diversity, as they have some excellent talents from different parts of the globe. It should really be something similar, a concept like this does not go wrong. WWE should book this World Cup to hike fan interest and improve the standing of various great performers on the roster.

Currently, WWE's roster is the best and most talented they have ever had. They must take advantage of this and give us, the fans, some really enjoyable content. As the last few WWE Network specials have shown, they know how to do tournaments right. They add a sense of legitimacy to the product and that is just what the WWE main roster needs right now. Hopefully, we do get some great matches and a successful tournament overall. Here are five international wrestlers who would greatly benefit from a strong showing in the WWE World Cup.

#5 Kevin Owens (Canada)

There is no better wrestler currently on the roster who could represent Canada than Kevin Owens himself. His career has heavily stagnated since his move to Raw alongside Sami Zayn. Now that Zayn is injured, Owens has been languishing heavily in the mid-card of the Red brand.

He was treated like dirt throughout his entire feud with Braun Strowman, culminating in a squash at SummerSlam. The Prizefighter wrestled a belter of a match for the Intercontinental Championship against Seth Rollins, before quitting the company upon defeat. That angle looked to have some promise to rediscover the Kevin Owens of old.

He returned a week later, resuming his current role as a charismatic heel who is a stepping stone for big babyfaces. He is a far cry from his former self, a ruthless killer who had zero remorse for anyone and everyone. Owens’ brilliant work in the ring and on the mic was the reason he had such a short stay in NXT, still keeping the NXT Championship when he moved up to the main roster.

The former Kevin Steen would beat John Cena in his first ever WWE main roster match, a classic encounter that remains one of his finest in the company. He would win multiple championships over the course of two years, including the Universal Championship.

Owens was extremely well booked, so well booked that he even got to beat up Mr McMahon in the middle of the ring. However, ever since his and Zayn's program with the Smackdown authorities ended, they have been done no favours at all. The WWE World Cup represents another huge opportunity to show everyone who Kevin Owens really is.

He has the talent and ability to construct brilliant matches with a lot of the roster, he should get a chance to do so for the tournament. Owens really needs a strong showing to build himself back up to be one step closer to returning to his former self.

#4 Pete Dunne (England)

Dunne is the best wrestler in the WWE UK divsion. — Dunne is the best wrestler in the WWE UK division.

WWE has really built the NXT UK brand up and it will really be a really enjoyable product for sure, but there is only one choice to represent England. Not because the others aren't good, but instead because Pete Dunne is that damn good.

Honestly, it would have been between him and Neville, who has been missing for a year now. Despite losing in the final to Tyler Bate, he was the undisputed star of the first United Kingdom Championship Tournament in January 2017. Dunne would win the title at NXT Takeover: Chicago in May, after an unbelievable match with Bate. It was probably the best match of the year under the WWE bracket. That is how good the Bruiserweight can be.

He may be small, but he makes up for it in a big way with his talent and menace. Dunne always has brilliant matches, wherever he goes. He has already done a lot to stand out from the rest of the pack since arriving here with his vicious style.

The UK Champion is currently in the form of his life, as shown by his scorching Champion vs Champion match on NXT against Ricochet, and will only get better. He does already have a terrific upside, which he could show off to the casual fans in Saudi Arabia. Hardcore fans love him and casual fans are amazed by him. Whatever it is, Pete Dunne does not fail to impress.

He is already main roster-worthy and would be a fantastic addition to any roster now, such is the quality he possesses. Another strength of his is the fact that he is flexible in his character work. Dunne can realistically play and be effective as a no-nonsense, hard-hitting babyface or a sadistic and evil heel.

He certainly has that “It” factor which makes him such a big star already. The Bruiserweight certainly is a huge asset to WWE today, as he fits in well in both NXT and NXT UK. They should be doing everything to build him up as a viable main roster force. The WWE World Cup seems like the first step of doing just that.

#3 Drew McIntyre (Scotland)

Back in 2009, Mr McMahon publically declared that Drew McIntyre was the Chosen One and would go on to achieve huge success in the WWE. Who would have thought that success would come nearly a decade after he first debuted? That seems to be the case.

There are major differences between McIntyre then and McIntyre now. He has become a much more mature, well-groomed and well-rounded performer ever since he was released from WWE in 2014. The Scotsman has an impeccable attitude and as really turned his career around to become a huge star now.

He wrestled on the Indies and rebuilt his career, before ultimately making his way back into the WWE system. They just couldn't resist him. His journey took him to NXT, where he became the NXT Champion. McIntyre's arrival on Raw alongside Dolph Ziggler has also completely reinvigorated the Showoff.

They are currently the Raw Tag Team Champions and are a big part of the main event storyline on the Red brand. Ziggler and McIntyre are big players, consistently being the best part of the show every single week. This wave of momentum should just be the beginning for the Sinister Scotsman.

Provided he isn't still a champion in a month's time, Drew McIntyre should take the WWE World Cup by storm, tearing through the competition and having fantastic matches in the process. This tournament could put a lot of shine on him, he already is money and could be able to achieve whatever he wants in the wrestling world.

If he continues on this trail, McIntyre is guaranteed to have a big career in WWE and potentially be a multi-time world champion. He is living and breathing proof that hard work pays off.

#2 Andrade 'Cien' Almas (Mexico)

Almas has impressed so far on Smackdown.

It will be a major rub for Andrade Cien Almas is he is the one to represent Mexico for the WWE World Cup, especially since Rey Mysterio's return to the company is imminent. It would continue the upward trajectory he has been on ever since he turned heel and aligned with Zelina Vega, back in NXT.

The Latino partnership has completely transformed his fortunes and spurred him on to steal the show at four NXT Takeover shows in a row, including two Stormers against Johnny Gargano in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, with the latter one receiving five stars from Dave Meltzer, the first five-star match under the WWE bracket since John Cena vs CM Punk at Money in the Bank 2011.

Almas even won the NXT Championship at NXT Takeover: War Games, against Drew McIntyre before he was called up to the WWE main roster during the Superstar Shakeup. He has made a real splash on Smackdown, wrestling competitive matches against the likes of Rusev and AJ Styles. While Almas hasn't had a proper story for a while now, he was utilised effectively in the Miz vs Daniel Bryan feud.

He has been kept strong in all of those matches against upper card talent and has shown incredible flair and substance in the ring. It is pretty encouraging to know that Mr McMahon himself is extremely impressed with Almas and will continue to push him on the Blue brand.

It is also really encouraging that a short while ago, there were rumours floating around of Almas winning the 2019 Royal Rumble. While it probably will not happen, but that shows the high standing WWE regards him in. He is basically an upgraded version of Alberto Del Rio. Almas has a great look, performs spectacularly in the ring and has great in-ring mannerisms.

Also, the fact that he has Zelina Vega by his side to cut his promos just makes him seem much bigger as a star. The rise should continue in Saudi Arabia, as a great showing at the World Cup would be the next step for Andrade Cien Almas his journey to become the WWE's next big Latino star.

#1 Finn Balor (Ireland)

A little rebuilding is just what Balor needs.

Some of the superstars on this list would continue their progress in WWE with an impressive run in the WWE World Cup, while a few need this to improve their current position. Finn Balor certainly falls in the latter category. It is astonishing just how far he has gone from being the first-ever Universal Champion.

The first ever Bullet Club leader was called up to the WWE main roster from NXT with a lot of promise, as he was the number 5 pick in the 2016 Draft. Balor won two matches on his first night on Raw, including an absolutely clean victory over Roman Reigns. He would go on to win the Universal Championship at SummerSlam, within a month of being called up.

However, his fall was as quick as his rise. Balor was forced to relinquish the title one night after winning it due to a shoulder injury suffered during the match. It seemed like he would be back and better than ever, as WWE did see something in him. If they didn't, they would not have pushed the Irishman so heavily and so quickly.

Since Balor returned from this injury, he hasn't been the same. He only received his Universal Championship rematch around a month ago, against Reigns. Aside from that, he has been languishing for months now without any story. It is incredibly frustrating to see Finn Balor like this.

All he has been doing was having some sort of feud with Baron Corbin, which still might not be over. There does not seem to be an end in sight for Balor's troubles unless he is featured in a starring role at the WWE World Cup. He anyway is an incredibly popular figure and a brilliant wrestler, so perhaps Balor could be booked to go on and win it all.

The World Cup is the perfect opportunity for him to revitalize himself as a character and as a competitor. This could be a real turning point for the leader of Balor Club. After all, it is a major crime to waste a performer of Finn Balor's calibre like this.