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In recent years, WWE has been accused by many fans of failing to create enough new superstars. The evidence is fairly compelling too. While the likes of AJ Styles and Braun Strowman have shot to the top of the show over the last 12 to 18 months, there are many more still languishing in the mid-card despite their obvious main event potential.
To be fair to Vince McMahon and his team, making the transition from talented rookie to the most over guy on the roster isn't easy.
Not long ago, many of us expected John Morrison and Kofi Kingston to become the company's leading stars, but a combination of subpar mic skills and poor booking saw them both tumble back down the pecking order.
The good news is that today's cast of mid-carders seems far better equipped to smash through the WWE glass ceiling. As well as being gifted inside the ring, they're also tough and battle-hardened thanks to the many years they spent climbing up the ranks in NXT or elsewhere on professional wrestling's growing independent scene.
As such, there's a whole host of stars who could easily make the step up to the main event if required. Here are five who fit the bill.
#5 Rusev
About three years ago, it seemed almost certain that Rusev would one day wear the world title. His America-hating gimmick was a touch on the generic side, true, but he more than made up for it with a unique in-ring style unlike any other big man on the WWE roster.
What's happened since then has largely been down to sheer bad luck. First, he came out on the losing side of his WrestleMania feud with John Cena, and then his credibility took a massive nosedive thanks to a terrible "love triangle" storyline featuring Dolph Ziggler.
Despite all this, however, there's still plenty of cause for optimism. Even though he's consistently been booked as a heel, the Bulgarian Brute remains one of the most popular guys on the roster. He's a marketing machine, and that alone makes him a prime candidate for the main event.
#4 Cesaro
Much like Rusev, Cesaro has seen his WWE career slowly fizzle out after initially showing promise following his promotion to the main roster five years ago. In his case, however, there are noticeably fewer signs that any of this is about to change.
Mostly, this is because he's still stuck in a tag team alongside Sheamus. That's not a bad spot in and of itself, of course, but it's a long way from the top of the card, particularly given WWE's unfortunate habit of allowing once-great stables to fall into irrelevance soon after their push.
On the plus side, another thing that Cesaro shares in common with his Bulgarian counterpart is that he also remains pretty popular with the audience. That doesn't always mean you're going to the headline the show, but as Rey Mysterio showed, it can take you a long way.
#3 Sami Zayn
A recent shoulder injury means that Sami Zayn is probably going to have to wait at least another 12 months before he ever gets a shot at the WWE main event.
However, a prolonged break of this kind may not be such a bad thing for his overall career. After all, absence does make the heart grow fonder. He's bound to return to a hero's welcome from fans when he finally does get back to full fitness at some time in 2019.
Besides that, it gives him the opportunity to finally break away from Kevin Owens and become a star in his own right.
Being next to KO isn't a bad spot or anything, but it naturally means that less of the spotlight is on you - and that's a bad thing if you're trying to establish yourself as a top-tier talent.
#2 Finn Balor
Unlike everyone else on this list, Finn Balor has in fact already worn world title gold during his time with WWE. In fact, he was the very first Universal Champion, winning the newly unveiled belt against Seth Rollins in a pulsating match at SummerSlam 2016.
That only tells half the story of his time working for Vince McMahon, though. The reality is that, since his brush with the main event two years ago, he has largely struggled to shake off the perception of him as a perennial mid-carder, partly because of injuries, but mostly because of woeful booking.
The answer to all of this is pretty simple. Instead of placing him in a series of dead-end middle-of-the-show feuds, WWE needs to give him purpose and a reason for fans to be invested in his matches. If they do, he's got every chance of reaching the promised land again.
#1 Bobby Roode
In the eyes of many fans, Bobby Roode is pretty much the epitome of what a WWE main eventer should be. He has the look, the charisma, the ability in the ring, and he's an absolutely brilliant heel, something he showed consistently during his time headlining down in NXT.
The only thing working against him is his age. Despite being a relative newcomer to the world of WWE, in reality, Roode is something of a wrestling veteran, having amassed years of experience working for his former employers, TNA.
This means that there is absolutely no margin for error in his coming push. Vince McMahon and his creative team have to get it absolutely right - otherwise, he could end up following the path of guys like Booker T and Diamond Dallas Page, established names who simply weren't given the chance to climb the ladder.
Do you agree with our list? Sound off your opinions in the comments section below!
