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2020 has been a weird year for WWE, as it has been for the entire planet. The Performance Center is their current home and will be for the foreseeable future. The company will need to come up with creative ways to make shows feel fresh.
WrestleMania 36 was a success, despite it not having any fans in attendance, mainly thanks to the 2-night format. Money in the Bank is taking place on Sunday, with the titular ladder matches happening at WWE's Corporate Headquarters.
However, RAW, SmackDown and NXT seem a bit empty at the moment. The current format seems a bit tired, along with a lack of depth. Now is the time for WWE to build several new stars and allow them to rise into the upper echelons of the card.
The rest of 2020 should see a variety of Superstars elevated into the main event scene, or just below it. That is how WWE will continue to evolve. While some of these names have been to the top, they haven't been able to stay there. A consistent push for each of them would yield wonderful results for the company.
Here are six Superstars who WWE need to push in the second half of 2020.
#6 Murphy
He may get a lot more TV time on RAW in the coming weeks as Seth Rollins' disciple, but Murphy can be bigger than that. His allegiance to Rollins has helped him settle on Monday nights following his trilogy with Aleister Black and while AOP is not around anymore, the act can still work.
Murphy should be built as more of a threat, possibly going after the United States Championship. The former Cruiserweight Champion has proved his excellence in the ring over the past two years and it is time for him to break out, similar to how Randy Orton did so as a part of Evolution.
It will be good for everyone involved if Murphy gets elevated to upper mid-card status in WWE, while still being aligned with Seth Rollins. The two of them could even have an eventual feud down the line.
Murphy has proven he can play a babyface role well, in his career-defining victory over Daniel Bryan on SmackDown.
#5 Asuka
In just a couple of days, Asuka could very well be Miss Money in the Bank and seemingly guaranteed to win the RAW Women's Championship. But even if she doesn't win the contract at Titan Towers, the Empress of Tomorrow has definitely earned a big push in WWE.
Aside from being one of the best female wrestlers in the company, Asuka's work during WWE's Performance Center era has been phenomenal. She has been all over the place in the past several weeks. Asuka has been in the ring and on commentary, being brilliant at all of it.
She has been a constant source of entertainment in WWE, with her fierce and believable in-ring style. The former Women's Tag Team Champion has also been cutting some intense promos in Japanese which are so well-delivered, that you believe in her without even understanding what she is saying.
She might still be in a tag team with Kairi Sane, but Asuka should fly solo in the near future. Her work along with her skills and charisma merits another main-event push.
#4 Cesaro
It seems like a broken record, but Cesaro has been massively underutilized in WWE. He is currently a henchman on SmackDown, for heels like Sami Zayn and King Corbin. He has not been a favorite of WWE's higher-ups for some reason, and that is a shame.
Cesaro was even banned from doing his impressive moves as a heel, due to it being too flashy. WWE should just turn him face and play to his strengths. The Swiss Cyborg is a world-class wrestler and does not have a weakness in the ring, except if you count his two front teeth.
And while he could improve on his promos, Cesaro is not devoid of personality. He has showcased it on various occasions, on WWE TV and outside as well. He can do so much better than where he is positioned right now on SmackDown.
It's a shame that WWE hasn't afforded Cesaro the chance to have a substantial run as a singles babyface star. Hopefully, they do give him an opportunity this year. Cesaro would be a great Intercontinental Champion on Friday Night SmackDown, potentially dominating the entire mid-card on the Blue brand.
#3 Kevin Owens
Right now, Kevin Owens is out of action with an ankle injury. It isn't certain how long he will be out for and when he will return to WWE, with the current situation. If KO does come back in the near future, he has to be in line for a big push. It would be smart to build on the momentum he earned by defeating Seth Rollins at WrestleMania.
After that massive victory, Owens should return to the main event scene of Monday Night RAW. He is good enough to hold the WWE Championship. The former Universal Champion has been one of the best babyfaces in WWE over the past year. He is great at everything, from wrestling to promos.
Kevin Owens would be a phenomenal choice to go on a long WWE title program with Drew McIntyre. Him winning wouldn't even upset the WWE fans, as they are very much behind him. A lengthy United States Championship reign would be a more realistic possibility for Owens right now.
However, if he is allowed to showcase his tremendous in-ring ability, it would surely propel him to the top of the card. It is baffling how a Superstar so talented is not a permanent main-eventer in WWE. Right now, they have the opportunity to right that wrong.
#2 Mustafa Ali
One of the most enthralling storylines in WWE today is that of the SmackDown hacker, a mysterious hooded figure who has been eerily lurking about, threatening to ruin friendships in favor of the truth. Although there's no guaranteeing the identity, it seems like Mustafa Ali is that man, going by the logo on display.
This would logically lead to a big push for Ali, as a storyline like this should. He has been on the cusp of entering the main-event scene on a couple of occasions, but last year's Money in the Bank fiasco with Brock Lesnar rattled him and he hasn't quite recovered from it.
The former 205 Live star has all the tools to be a star in WWE. Ali is one of the best in the ring, he can cut a strong promo, and he is extremely likable. Even if he ends up not being the SmackDown hacker, WWE would do good to give Ali a push.
The Blue brand could potentially have a stacked upper mid-card to the main-event level scene, and he would just improve the depth of the roster. Hopefully, big things are in store for Mustafa Ali after being linked to such a potentially monumental storyline.
#1 Sasha Banks
For a lot of women in WWE, their best match in the company has come against Sasha Banks. She can mesh well with pretty much anybody thanks to her slick wrestling style and realistic selling. The 'Legit Boss' might be one of the top three female in-ring workers in WWE today, if not the very best.
Sasha Banks is also the only top female Superstar who hasn't had a proper main roster Championship run yet. Despite being a 4-time RAW Women's Champion, she is yet to defend it successfully even once. That is shocking, to say the least. How Banks has been so grossly undervalued is a head-scratcher.
Hopefully, with this slow-burning storyline with Bayley, WWE will finally decide to push Banks to the moon. She has been cast aside for far too long and every time it felt like it would be her moment, she's ended up losing.
It is time for the world to see how big of a star Banks can actually be. She already has a great look, with the blue hair, but it is time to put some real stock behind her on the Blue brand. A dynamite feud with Bayley is waiting in the wings and hopefully, the 'Legit Boss' can win the SmackDown Women's Championship.
She should go on a long run with the title, showcasing her skills and giving her opponents the match of their life. If WWE were to push only one Superstar to the moon in the second half of 2020, it has to be Sasha Banks. She deserves the opportunity to take the ball, and run with it.
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
