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The reality of WWE, and wrestling in general, is that not every superstar can become a World Champion. Normally, only the best of the best rise to the top and attain world championship glory.
If every superstar in WWE wins a world title, it simply won't hold the same value. But several superstars in WWE history have retired without winning a deserved world championship.
This list focuses on six WWE stars who should become world champions at least once before they retire:
#6. Cesaro - So close yet so far to WWE world title glory
Cesaro is undoubtedly one of the most underutilized WWE superstars of his generation. He hasn't struggled to get television time, but most fans seem to acknowledge that he should be much further in his WWE career than where he is.
While he caught a lot of eyes in 2014, it was his run in the summer of 2015 that made the WWE Universe realize he was a World Championship-level competitor.
He had all the tools, but it seemed as though the lack of character work and ability on the mic put a ceiling over him. Even then, he found great success in a tag team with Sheamus between the summer of 2016 and WrestleMania 35 in 2019.
It was 2021 where he once again re-emerged as a legitimate world championship contender. Only this time, WWE was far more consistent with their push. Clean wins over Daniel Bryan eventually followed with the biggest win of Cesaro's career at WrestleMania 37 - where he beat Seth Rollins.
In the following month, Cesaro finally headlined a pay-per-view in a singles match against Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship. It was a great match, but Cesaro was never going to beat Roman Reigns at his peak.
Cesaro is turning 41 at the end of the year, and given how physically fit he is, he should be able to go at it for years to come. He deserves at least one World Championship reign in WWE before he retires.
#5. Sami Zayn - One of the most talented stars on the WWE roster
Sami Zayn comes off as a superstar who WWE fans will appreciate a lot more when he's gone. Despite being the biggest babyface in NXT, and having a great face run on the WWE main roster for a year-and-a-half, Zayn has largely been a heel.
Those who followed him in his NXT run couldn't possibly imagine Sami Zayn as a heel, but he has done it brilliantly. It's a bit surprising that he only won his first title on the WWE roster four years later in 2020.
Sami Zayn is undoubtedly one of the most talented superstars in the WWE roster. As long as he isn't released, he will always provide great value to the company regardless of whether he is a babyface or heel.
There is time for him to have a breakout moment. As we've seen before, all it takes is one moment of magic to start an incredible run. Sami Zayn is capable of being a World Champion. While some argue that he doesn't have the "look" of a WWE World Champion, neither does his best friend Kevin Owens. Owens still managed to defy the odds - and so can Sami Zayn.
#4. Keith Lee - A future WWE World Champion?
Keith Lee seems to be a prototypical "big man" that the WWE brass loves. He isn't a giant, but he's tall, has a huge build and is deceptively athletic. One could argue that he represents a new generation of more athletic big men.
Keith Lee can do things in the ring that almost no WWE superstar of his size could do before him. He made a promising debut in 2020 post-SummerSlam, facing and defeating Randy Orton within a week.
His momentum continued and he emerged as a title contender for Drew McIntyre, who was the WWE Champion at the time. He wasn't going to dethrone McIntyre in his second WWE title reign but the two had a good match all the same.
Keith Lee doesn't need to get a monster push to become the WWE or Universal Champion. He still has a lot of time, although his 2021 battle with COVID-19 worried fans and those close to him.
Keith Lee took an unexpected 5-month hiatus from WWE to deal with the post-COVID-19 effects. Now that he's back, he can and very likely will be built towards becoming a future WWE World Champion eventually.
#3. Mustafa Ali - A feel-good WWE World title win would be deserved
WWE star Mustafa Ali is a lot more talented than you might think. Not only does he have a great real-life background, but he's known to be a good human being outside the ring. He is one of the more underrated superstars of this generation and is an all-round talent as well.
All WWE needs to do is give him the opportunity and the storyline. Mustafa Ali may not necessarily fit into WWE's description of a world championship-caliber performer. However, as we've seen before with the likes of Daniel Bryan and many others, it's not always about size.
Mustafa Ali also has the potential to be an internationally marketable superstar - something that fits into WWE's frame of future programming.
#2. Chad Gable
Chad Gable is a WWE superstar who has been compared to Hall of Famer and legend Kurt Angle. However, he's mostly been left in the tag team division. While it certainly doesn't do justice to his individual talent, he could still do wonders if thrust into a top spot.
As we've seen before, superstars like Chad Gable often have to scratch and claw their way up in WWE and fight resistance from higher-ups. It's often fan support that changes the perception of the WWE brass, but Gable hasn't been afforded that opportunity yet.
Chad Gable would be a perfect fit as a WWE World Champion, but only in a few years after a slow and steady build.
#1. Riddle - Future WWE World Championship potential
Looking back, Riddle's WWE main roster run has been great. It's been a year since he debuted on the WWE main roster and after getting drafted to RAW in October 2020, things picked up for him quickly.
Riddle has found consistent TV time, and even entered his first WrestleMania as the United States Champion. Although he lost to Sheamus then, the post-WrestleMania outcome has been beneficial to him.
Teaming up with Randy Orton for the oddball pairing of RK-Bro captured the WWE Universe's interest right away. Sometimes, stories like that click, and this one certainly has. They had a great SummerSlam moment, winning the RAW Tag Team Championships together.
With the return of crowds, Riddle's popularity was confirmed. Apart from WrestleMania 37, his only experience on the WWE main roster was in the Thunderdome.
So far, he has had a good run on the WWE main roster and things may look up for him if he becomes a proven merchandise-seller. There are a lot of factors that go into pushing WWE stars, but Riddle has all the tools to succeed. Although his character is on the goofier side, he could become a WWE World Champion one day and definitely should before he retires.
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