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Holding a world championship in WWE is the highest honor a wrestler can receive. While there are numerous valuable titles in various wrestling promotions, World Wrestling Entertainment is the biggest and most important bar none.
Winning a world title in the most-seen and most important wrestling company is the goal of essentially every professional wrestler in the world. While several stars have held top-tier belts during their time in the company, a new title is now on the horizon.
Triple H recently announced the creation of the World Heavyweight Championship. While it remains to be seen if the title will continue the legacy of the original belt of the same name, wrestlers are already eager to win it.
This article will look at five wrestlers who are yet to hold a world title on the main roster and could go on to become the World Heavyweight Champion before 2023 comes to an end. Some are already on the cusp, while others may be more surprising choices.
Below are five WWE Superstars who should win their first world title in 2023.
#5. Santos Escobar is getting the LWO rub
Santos Escobar is one of the most talented wrestlers in WWE. He first began competing in 2000 and signed with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2019. He was recently drafted to Friday Night SmackDown, the same brand he initially joined last year.
The talented star led Legado Del Fantasma for quite some time. While he technically still does, the group is now part of the Latino World Order alongside Rey Mysterio. The stable has been feuding with The Judgment Day in recent months.
Escobar is a veteran who is surely in for a big push. Being associated with Rey Mysterio and the revived Latino World Order has helped his stock in WWE. Still, he could truly reach a new level if he wins the World Heavyweight Championship.
#4. Austin Theory wants to step up
Austin Theory is one of the most arrogant stars in all of WWE. He began wrestling professionally in 2016 and signed with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2019. He was recently drafted to SmackDown from Monday Night RAW.
A-Town's Finest is the reigning United States Champion. He's set to defend his coveted title at WWE Backlash against Bronson Reed and Bobby Lashley in a Triple Threat Match.
While Theory is a SmackDown star, just as several on this list are, the World Heavyweight Championship tournament is seemingly open to the entire main roster.
The former NXT star's cocky attitude could see him join and potentially win the tournament, thus earning his first top-tier title.
#3. LA Knight is ready for a massive push
LA Knight is another self-absorbed and arrogant WWE Superstar. He first began wrestling in 2003 and joined World Wrestling Entertainment for a brief time, starting in 2013 and then again in 2021.
Knight's rise on SmackDown has been a surprise. He joined the main roster last year as Max Dupri but later shed the gimmick and has grown in popularity on an almost-weekly basis ever since.
For whatever reason, fans are gravitating towards LA Knight. The crowd is getting more and more behind him every single week. Given his popularity, his first proper title in WWE may come in the form of the World Heavyweight Championship. Of course, if Knight wins the belt, he'll have to move to RAW to defend it.
#2. Gunther is world championship material
Gunther is arguably the best in-ring worker in pro wrestling today. He first began wrestling in 2005 but joined WWE in 2019 after gaining a buzz internationally and on the indie wrestling scene. He dominated NXT UK, was a force on NXT, and was recently drafted to RAW from SmackDown.
The Ring General is the reigning Intercontinental Champion. He's rapidly approaching a one-year-long title reign and likely hoping to overtake Honky Tonk Man as the longest-reigning IC ever.
The impressive big man has been dominant whenever he's held the title in WWE, but he's yet to capture a world championship. He could be the perfect choice to win the World Heavyweight Championship and attempt to outmatch Roman Reigns' impressive run as a champion on SmackDown.
#1. Cody Rhodes needs to finish his story in WWE
Cody Rhodes is the Son of a Plumber. His father, the legendary Dusty Rhodes, helped Cody get his foot in the door in 2006. He returned to WWE last year and has been a member of the RAW roster ever since.
The American Nightmare has been feuding with Brock Lesnar after failing to finish his story and dethrone Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39. While his focus is on The Beast right now, gold is inevitably in his sights once the current rivalry ends.
Given his star power, Rhodes is an easy choice to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Still, it could be argued that the best move may be to have him still be the one to dethrone Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Will Cody win either title this year? For now, only time will tell.
