'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The annals of WWE history contain so many household names, it's almost an encyclopedia of entertainment
Hulk Hogan. Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Rock. John Cena. WWE legends who are even easily recognizable to non-wrestling fans.
WWE Superstars who not only became pro wrestling stars in their own right, but also crossover figures, in terms of pop culture and mainstream conscience.
They were the guys who WWE could put on the front of magazines, video games, and possibly even a Wheaties box. These champions and figureheads were the 'cover boys', and the flagbearers of the biggest brand in the history of professional wrestling.
But who is that 'face of WWE' today? Is it Roman Reigns? Brock Lesnar? Or someone else?
And more importantly... who will that person be in the future?
Right now, WWE can boast the greatest collection of talent in the entire industry, and they have a strong roster of talent at their disposal. And with a group of longtime veterans who will someday be moving on, it will open plenty of doors on the WWE roster for young talent who will be looking to step into the spotlight for the years come.
As for the WWE fan base, it seems as if they are all amateur talent scouts, skimming through match after match, trying to find that next diamond in the rough. It's almost as if the WWE Universe is as hellbent on finding the future almost as much as the promotion itself.
Most recently, names like Keith Lee, Karrion Kross, Damian Priest, and Matt Riddle have all been dubbed by the internet wrestling community as possible heirs to the WWE throne.
At the same time, there is a constant frustration on the part of the the fans, as many of these fascinating figures seem to get an initial push, only to flounder because of bad booking or creative changes.
For now, it appears that 'the man' in WWE is Roman Reigns. However, he has never really transcended the ring like many of his predecessors. And while it's not fair to compare him to his world-famous cousin, The Rock, Reigns doesn't even appear to be anywhere near the mainstream entity that many of the stars of WWE's Attitude Era became. That's no fault of his own; he just doesn't have the 'it' factor that many who came before him possessed.
As far as Lesnar is concerned, he just isn't around enough to be the man to carry the WWE banner, nor does he seem particularly interested in doing so. And at 43 years of age, he's more on the downside of his in-ring career than on the upside.
So who will be the youngster who eventually steps into that role? Who on the WWE payroll can eventually morph into a megastar? Is it a dark, mysterious figure like Karrion Kross, or a bright, positive hero-type like Keith Lee?
Or has this individual even arrived in the fold yet? Perhaps it's someone who has yet to be signed by the promotion. Someone we haven't yet seen, who will take the promotion by storm.
Could the 'next big thing' for WWE still be out there in the shadows, just waiting to be discovered?
