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Some superstars hit such a big stride in 2017 that it would be beyond stupid not to take advantage of their momentum and give them a push in 2018. Others, however, have fared much worse.
Whether through bad booking, a lack of congruence between person and character, or something else that just didn't click, these superstars can't be expected to get over in 2018 if they continue with their current acts without making any changes.
#1 Jason Jordan
Jason Jordan was put in a bad spot out of the gate, as illegitimate child stories just aren't believable in 2017 (though like many other tropes, Vince McMahon never seems to have gotten the memo). With no mic skills to help him make the best of a bad situation, it's little wonder why the character fell flat from the beginning.
Instead, Jason Jordan has been given the role of Rocky Maivia, and with little momentum, the smiling blue chipper babyface has largely faded into the background for the past few months.
He now finds himself in a prominent spot again as a member of Team Raw at Survivor Series. It should be used as a vehicle for a change of character. This could be through a classic heel turn against his "father" and team, but it could also be a way to illustrate that he let his "father" down when he inevitably gets eliminated.
The first time I genuinely felt anything for the guy was when Kurt Angle named him to the team and he seemed so excited, like a kid trying to please the "father" he never knew.
Exploring this story, where Jason Jordan tries desperately to please his "father" but feels like he comes up short, could work too... better than what's happened up till now at least.
However they do it, Jason Jordan can't remain the smiling white meat babyface in 2018 if WWE is serious about his push.
#2 Rusev
It's shameful how Rusev has been so mistreated. Even when he's given turd sandwiches week after week, the guy finds a way to be entertaining despite it. The evil foreigner (another outdated trope) is as close to the kiss of death as it gets in WWE, but Rusev still shows that he more than has the ability to be the exception to the rule if he would just get a chance. Key to that is breaking him permanently out of that silly character type.
A babyface Rusev could be a very entertaining character if they would just let him run with it. With the right opponent, like Samoa Joe, for instance, he could be a part of hot and hilarious programs throughout the next year.
#3 Bayley and/or Sasha Banks
Bayley is obvious, but Sasha Banks has lost most of her momentum also. Sasha will be part of Raw's women's Survivor Series team, but with Asuka also there and a returning Paige possibly to follow, her chances of making a notable impact on that show are slim, and Bayley's spot would obviously be taken.
In fact, it would be better if Bayley didn't make Raw's Survivor Series team. That way we might actually feel something for her, sharing in her disappointment. Perhaps it could also lead to the anticipated rehash of Sasha and Bayley's NXT program, which both of them could very much use.
Either way, one of them needs to change. Hopefully, that change would go on to elevate the other in a program. They might be real-life BFFs, but that should be kept backstage for now, as it hasn't taken them anywhere on Raw in the past year.
#3 Bobby Roode
Bobby Roode will have a big spot at Survivor Series as a member of SmackDown's men's team, but he'd been rather directionless since getting called up to the main roster after SummerSlam. I'm starting to think that feuding with Dolph Ziggler is a kiss of death in 2017.
While I'm sure he'll have more prominent programs in 2018, Bobby Roode is just one of those guys that needs to be a heel. The difference between his heel and babyface act is just so glaring and so obvious that there isn't really any other answer.
Now that the WWE Championship has been blissfully liberated from Jinder Mahal, and, as trends might suggest, he won't be getting it back anytime soon, the main event picture suddenly needs a top level heel. Bobby Roode is obviously the right person to fill the void.
A heel turn on the road to WrestleMania and a post-WrestleMania feud with either AJ Styles or Shinsuke Nakamura would be best for business on SmackDown, assuming all three remain on the blue brand following the next draft or shakeup, of course.
#4 Bray Wyatt
After being misused for years, Bray Wyatt managed to surpass even his own standards and have one of the worst years any WWE Superstar has had in recent memory...and that's with a WWE title match at WrestleMania! Have you noticed that Raw has been far more entertaining with him off of it for the past few weeks? I sure have.
Bray Wyatt needs a change more than any other superstar on the WWE roster. The change can't be a tweak or an alignment turn either. He needs a total character makeover. That means the Bray Wyatt character needs to be retired entirely if Windham Rotunda wants any success.
He should go to NXT and develop a new character for six months, then come back to Raw or SmackDown. That's if WWE wants him to get anywhere, anyway. If they need someone to job to the stars, they'll surely keep him around, unfortunately, since it's beyond being not entertaining at this point, except in a "so bad, it's good" kind of way.
#5 Roman Reigns
2018 looks all set to be a year of routine rather than excitement as far as Raw goes. Roman Reigns will finally slay the Beast, Brock Lesnar, at WrestleMania 34, to become the new Universal Champion. Then what?
That's a hard question to answer. Roman Reigns' booking has been a problem in many ways, and WWE giving him endless accolades in an attempt to get him over is one of them. After Roman defeats Brock Lesnar, there's almost nothing left for him to do, nowhere else for his character to go.
He's already beaten Triple H, the Undertaker, and John Cena, the latter of which was an atrocious waste of a potential mega-match in the making. Aside from the marquee names, he's beaten everyone else on the roster as well. The only threat that seems genuine is Braun Strowman, and although the Monster Among Men has gotten the better of Roman Reigns more than once, the Big Dog has beaten the monster, too.
Roman Reigns' 2018 Universal title reign looks set to be a series of endless rematches or showdowns with guys that aren't really an existential threat to him. He'll likely just go from one random feud to the next throughout the year, and Raw will become an endless conveyor belt feeding guys to him. This is not going to get him over. He'll be more resented for it.
This is why, if WWE wants Roman Reigns to have a good year that endears him to fans, it would be wise for the company to keep the Shield together throughout his title reign. Not only is Roman more over with them than individually, but doing so could embroil Reigns and his title in numerous faction wars that would be fresh and exciting, not to mention the possibility of intrigue that comes with keeping the Shield together as a team.
Roman Reigns by himself will make 2018 much less entertaining than 2017, and the fans will take notice. The Big Dog with the Shield would make for a wild ride.
He's never turning heel though, no matter how much you might want it.
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