5 WWE Superstars who could become the next John Cena

John Cena was WWE's last megastar. While Roman Reigns might be the top guy in the company today, he hasn't reached the megastar status that John Cena was able to attain.

It's a change in approach, but what is clear is that Roman Reigns is one of a kind and not the successor to John Cena that WWE wanted. At least in the case of Reigns, WWE answered the "what if" question about his heel turn, something that never happened to John Cena post-2005.

This list doesn't focus on superstars who would become like John Cena in terms of his character, but simply those that could take his spot and become nearly as big as him.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article belong to the writer and doesn't necessarily represent Sportskeeda's stand.

#5 Dominik Mysterio - An unlikely John Cena successor?

Dominik Mysterio turned 24 this year and is one of the youngest superstars in WWE. He has delivered at every opportunity presented to him, especially in his debut at SummerSlam 2020, where he lost to Seth Rollins.

As of now, the biggest shadow that Dominik has is that of his father Rey Mysterio. Just as Charlotte Flair had Ric Flair's shadow cast over her for years, the same has happened to Dominik Mysterio.

Charlotte managed to come out of that in a big way and is now the most highly-accomplished woman in WWE history, at least on paper. Given how young Dominik Mysterio is, his peak could still be a few years away, barring any injuries.

The biggest development that Dominik Mysterio requires at the moment is his character and mic skills. That is likely to change over time, but he is far ahead of Cena in terms of in-ring ability at the same age.

But the Cenation Leader is proof that it takes time to emerge as an all-time great. It all depends on Dominik Mysterio's resilience and drive, but he certainly has the potential to become the next John Cena.

#4 Adam Cole - The perfect John Cena successor?

Adam Cole has been one of NXT's central figures for years

While it's hard to judge, Adam Cole could be an unlikely but perfect successor to John Cena. It's clear, character-wise, that the two are miles apart.

John Cena never got the opportunity to have a heel run after he won his first World Championship, but the assumption is that he is a much better babyface.

On the other hand, Adam Cole is a much better heel. But given that he has several years left in WWE, there's plenty of time to experiment with both sides.

Cole has been in NXT for close to four years, and it's a matter of time before debuts on the main roster.

Many fans believe that The Panama City Playboy has what it takes to be a World Champion in WWE.

Whether or not he could reach John Cena's level is yet to be seen. What he possesses is an all-round ability in the ring and on the mic - something that John Cena has in plenty.

#3 Riddle - An unlikely John Cena successor

With the current character that Riddle has, it's hard to imagine him reaching John Cena's level of popularity. But it mustn't be forgotten that Cena had his fair share of goofy moments during his run as the Doctor of Thuganomics.

Riddle has enjoyed a lot of success on RAW, having a brief United States Championship reign on the road to WrestleMania before dropping it to Sheamus.

The Original Bro has age on his side as well and compared to many in the roster, his wrestling experience is a lot lesser. Even then, he has always been considered an exceptional talent before he signed with WWE, and the time will come for him to prove that on a bigger scale.

With most superstars, reaching the World Championship level takes time. Given that Riddle isn't a Brock Lesnar-like monster, it's unlikely that he will reach the top for another few years at the very least.

He could end up becoming a massive star of John Cena's level if WWE handles it right.

#2. Big E - An original John Cena successor?

Wade Keller of PWTorch revealed years ago that Vince McMahon originally planned for Big E to be WWE's next top star after John Cena and not Roman Reigns. It was Triple H who convinced him to go for Reigns, and that decision is finally paying off in a big way.

But Hunter a year ago was debating Vince McMahon. Hunter saying "I like Roman" and Vince was saying "I like Big E". I mean clearly, Roman is way ahead of him now but...I mean not that Vince wasn't for Roman but Vince's big project was Big E at that moment...

Even still, Big E's position on SmackDown is interesting, as he is on a singles journey after getting separated from The New Day half a year ago. While he may not be anywhere on John Cena's level in terms of in-ring ability or character, he can reach new heights with time.

It will be interesting to see Big E's trajectory in WWE and how it plays out, and he could end up becoming the next John Cena.

#1 Becky Lynch - The closest option to a female John Cena

Imagine being so good that John Cena wants to work with you. That's exactly what happened to Becky Lynch in early 2019, and a few months earlier, it was The Rock who wanted to be in a program with her.

Becky Lynch's monumental rise to the top from 2018 to WrestleMania 35 in 2019 was unprecedented. It's considered by many as the greatest run any woman has had in WWE history, and it's hard to argue against it.

Even after her historic WrestleMania 35 coronation, the work didn't stop for Becky Lynch. She established herself as a bigger star with a year-long Title reign, and even John Cena couldn't help but praise her:

The Man is the closest we can get to a female John Cena. Unfortunately, labeling her as the woman's version of the Cenation Leader wouldn't help her at all, since she is the first and only Becky Lynch.

Regardless, the 2018 to 2020 period proved that Lynch has what it takes to be WWE's top star regardless of gender.