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Once upon a time, Seth Rollins defeated Brock Lesnar to become the Universal Champion and was the most beloved babyface in the whole WWE roster. And then, whether it was because of a disconnect between him and the WWE Universe, or just because of poor creative, the WWE Universe began to turn on Seth Rollins.
Currently, he is involved in a storyline with The AoP where the brutes choose to leave him be but unleash their wrath and fury upon Kevin Owens. It is amply clear that we're headed for a huge heel turn from the 'Beast Slayer' very soon.
But then, Seth Rollins is also arguably the best pro wrestler in the whole wide world and there will be a huge gulf with regard to who can carry the brand on his shoulders if the man chooses to embrace his dark side very soon.
I will try and answer the question by naming 5 potential contenders.
#5 Rey Mysterio
Let me preface this article by saying that I'm not including Becky Lynch in this list and before you come at me with pitchforks, it's because she will effectively not be filling the Seth Rollins 'top babyface' void. She is already at the top of the food chain and is featured in the most prominent storylines for the women, so the question of replacing Seth Rollins does not even arise.
But on the other hand, Rey Mysterio has a world of goodwill. He is someone who should have been featured more prominently than he has since his return to the company. And he can work with younger heels like Andrade and Drew McIntyre, and in turn, elevate them greatly.
Mysterio already had crowd support heading into his match against Brock Lesnar at WWE Survivor Series. He can certainly use the momentum to become the face of RAW when Seth Rollins finally turns heel.
#4 Randy Orton
I know a lot of people believe that Randy Orton is far too old to be the face of RAW. But if you actually look at the facts, he is not even 40 years old right now. Randy Orton still has many years of good wrestling left in him and of course, he is the master of the world's most popular finishing move too. His confrontation with Drew McIntyre was a testament to just how much credibility the man has, to this day!
Randy Orton is certainly not a heel at this moment, even though I wouldn't be surprised if he hits an RKO out of nowhere on a popular babyface. Maybe this is the kind of edge that the WWE product needs at the moment. Stone Cold would hit Stunners on every single babyface, and he was certainly the face of WWE during the Attitude Era.
Randy Orton certainly has one more run left in him and it could certainly see him surpass Ric Flair as a 16-time Champion.
#3 Ricochet
Ricochet is hailed as a superhero in the ring and honestly, he can do things that normal human beings shouldn't be capable of. Ever since he made his NXT debut, the world knew that there was something special about this breakout star but the question remained about whether he'd get over in the so-called main roster.
I'm glad to report that he's been portrayed as someone who's a top star during his stint in the main roster thus far. Ricochet's future is promising and the best way for him to establish his name may be a program against someone like Seth Rollins.
We all know that a match against a heel Seth Rollins would elevate Ricochet to the next level. And maybe it can also result in him going up against someone like Brock Lesnar in due time.
Ricochet is young and popular. He can totally be the face of RAW.
#2 Kevin Owens
I think that there's something akin to Dusty Rhodes in Kevin Owens. Because every WWE Superstar looks so larger-than-life, Kevin Owens stands out as the anomaly, the everyday man that the audience can connect with. It also helps that the man is a natural on the microphone and pretty good in the ring too!
While I may be jumping the gun, if there's anyone being groomed for the Seth Rollins spot at the moment, it is Kevin Owens, based on how he's being pushed. I mean he was pretty much the face of Starrcade, kick staring the show with Ric Flair and then ending the show with a slug-fest against Bobby Lashley. The crowd listens to the man when he talks!
In fact, his NXT appearance went down well too and that is a very tough crowd to please. I mean one had high expectations like John Morrison, and for Owens to arrive and not get booed, it was a massive feat.
#1 Rusev
I know that the unanimous sentiment at this moment is that Rusev is being wasted in the storyline with Bobby Lashley, but if you tuned into Starrcade you know that Rusev was, by far, the most 'over' Superstar at the show. It's a storyline that has even given WWE a reason to keep Lana on TV, something that wouldn't have happened had she been just another professional wrestler.
Honestly speaking, Rusev's time should have come a long time ago back when the whole 'Rusev Day' movement was in full swing, but better late than never. Rusev is a great worker, he's liked in the back and he can certainly lead the brand to glory.
It's a testament to his popularity that the crowd still chants for him so many days after 'Rusev Day' ended. And the Lana story has ensured that he's become a sympathetic babyface.
I'd go so far as to say that he can potentially go up against Brock Lesnar and have a chance at becoming the next WWE Champion.
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