Former NXT Champion, suspended star returning - 5 potential challengers for Austin Theory's United States Championship following WWE WrestleMania 39

WWE WrestleMania 39 Night 1 featured several title matches. The Unified RAW & SmackDown Tag Team Titles were defended in the main event, plus Rhea Ripley challenged for the SmackDown Women's Championship.

In addition to those big title bouts, the United States Championship was defended in the opening contest. Austin Theory put his belt on the line against 16-time WWE Champion John Cena in a match where two generations clashed.

Cena's big bout, unfortunately, did not go as planned. The future Hall of Famer lost in his pursuit of the United States Championship at WWE WrestleMania 39, and thus Austin remains the champion.

With a major challenger now out of the way, Theory can't rest on his laurels for long. With a stacked roster filled with incredible talent, he will have plenty of superstars waiting in line for a shot at the gold next. Who could A-Town's next opponent be?

In this article, we look at five potential challengers for Austin Theory's United States Championship following WWE WrestleMania 39.

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#5. Rey Mysterio possibly earned a title shot at WWE WrestleMania 39

Rey Mysterio is one of the greatest superstars of all time. He's a multi-time World Champion who rose to the top of professional wrestling despite his size, something almost nobody believed he was capable of doing.

The legendary star had an eventful weekend. He was inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame on Friday and then competed at WWE WrestleMania 39 Saturday, where he battled his son, Dominik Mysterio, in singles competition.

The elder Mysterio defeated his son, which may have earned him a title opportunity. Even though Rey is part of the SmackDown roster, WWE hasn't paid close attention to the brand extension lately, leading to a potential title match for Mysterio.

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#4. Matt Riddle could return following WWE WrestleMania 39

Matt Riddle is a former United States Champion

Matt Riddle is a former mixed martial artist and is currently a member of the Monday Night RAW roster. He's held four titles in WWE, one in NXT, and three on the main roster.

The Original Bro is not booked for WWE WrestleMania 39. While there's always a chance that he could return to action on night two, he did not appear on Saturday. There's no word on a potential appearance tomorrow night as well.

If he's back soon, Riddle could challenge Austin Theory for the United States Championship, pitting two of the most confident RAW Superstars one-on-one.

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#3. Johnny Gargano picked up a big win at NXT Stand & Deliver 2023

Johnny Gargano returned to NXT for a big match

Johnny Gargano is one of the most talented superstars in wrestling. He's a Triple Crown Champion in NXT, who also found success in various independent wrestling organizations prior to joining WWE.

While the former NXT Champion may not be booked for WWE WrestleMania 39, he did participate in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on Friday. He also fought Grayson Waller in an Unsanctioned Match at NXT Stand & Deliver.

Given Johnny Wrestling's big win over Waller and his history with Theory, he could be Austin's next big opponent. Johnny won virtually every title he could in NXT, so he certainly wishes to replicate that success on the main roster. His journey might start with the United States belt.

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#2. Bronson Reed could be Theory's next challenger following WWE WrestleMania 39

Bronson Reed almost won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Bronson Reed is an Australian powerhouse. He's a former NXT North American Champion who was released by World Wrestling Entertainment before being rehired by the Triple H-led regime last year.

The big man isn't booked for WWE WrestleMania 39, but he did compete in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal during SmackDown. Not only did he participate in the bout, but he was dominant, nearly winning the entire thing.

While Reed came up short against Bobby Lashley in the end, his dominance was evident. He has also been undefeated in singles competition since returning to WWE. That success may lead to him challenging Theory for the United States Championship.

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#1. Bron Breakker could be called up to the main roster

Bron Breakker is a star on the rise. He's only been with WWE for a few years now, but has been dominant since his first televised match. Bron has been the face of NXT almost from the very beginning of the 2.0 re-branding into the modern era.

Unfortunately, Breakker's latest match didn't go in his favor. The two-time NXT Champion defended his coveted title against Carmelo Hayes in the main event of Stand & Deliver prior to WWE WrestleMania 39 and came up short.

While Breakker losing the belt is unfortunate, it could pave the way for his main roster debut. If the company wants Bron to be a big deal right away, he could debut by challenging Theory for the United States Championship. The two stars of the future clashing could be very interesting.