Breaking Down Every Fatal 5-Way Star's Chances of Winning at WWE Extreme Rules

WWE's Universal Championship is finally getting some long overdue attention.

Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt and Samoa Joe will compete in a Fatal 5-Way at Extreme Rules on June 4. The winner of that match will challenge Brock Lesnar for the universal title, which means Lesnar and his belt will soon be seen on TV once again.

For many fans, that moment should have come a long time ago.

The Beast Incarnate has not been on Monday Night Raw in over a month, which means the red brand's top championship has been inaccessible. No one could feud for it, no one could wrestle for it and no one could challenge for it.

But that's changing at Extreme Rules. Raw's top guys will all be in the ring on that night, with one common goal: conquering Lesnar. It's a feat that's easier said than done and one that's been accomplished by very few Superstars.

The last guy to do it was Goldberg, and he's a veteran. That's not quite the case for the men in the Fatal 5-Way. 

All five are indeed veterans of the business, but each one is considered part of the WWE's New Era. Lesnar's track record of putting over anyone from that generation is not good; what kind of chances do any of the five have against him?

But this bout is important because it will ultimately set up the next feud for the Universal Championship, and that's something Raw needs. Considering anything can happen in the WWE, any of the men involved in June 4's pay-per-view main event have the potential to wear the universal title sooner rather than later.

But which man will emerge victorious from Extreme Rules?

Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt may be the dark horse in this match, but he should not be dismissed so easily.

The Eater of Worlds was the WWE champion, and he may have only worn the title on the Road to WrestleMania, but it proved the company's confidence in him. Wyatt has worked hard to get where he is and deserves a chance at main event glory.

He's potentially the next great character babyface, and that change would only add to his standing in the WWE. Main event positioning and character evolution could both come after Extreme Rules when Wyatt begins his feud with Lesnar.

But will the company go that route?

The problem here is that Wyatt is not yet fully established on Raw. He's a favorite, he's earned his spot, but it's unclear what the WWE's intentions are with him. Is he on his way to greatness, or is the company just flying blind when it comes to his future?

If the latter is true, then he may not win the match at Extreme Rules.

Even if he does, he could go on to get crushed by Lesnar. That's a fear that many fans have for nearly everyone in the Fatal 5-Way, but it's a concern for Wyatt. One step back is two steps back for Wyatt, as he is really directionless at this point.

Perhaps giving Wyatt the win at Extreme Rules would do more harm than good because the WWE may not have intentions of continuing with him as the next universal champion. Maybe the best move for Wyatt is to steadily moving to the top, instead of moving with no real plan to back him up.

Never say never, but it may not be Wyatt's time this time.

Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe vs. Brock Lesnar is the dream match that many fans are impatiently waiting for.

With the exception of Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman, there is no other WWE Superstar who could physically match up with Lesnar better than Joe—he is a legitimate tough guy, one that could realistically go toe-to-toe with Lesnar in a shoot-style match.

If that were to happen, it would be the match that defines the age of The New Era.

Joe vs. Lesnar should happen on the WrestleMania stage, but SummerSlam in August would perhaps be the second-best choice. It's a match that would work and sell tickets, and fans would surely be clamoring to see it all unfold.

But Joe is on a roll.

He's on a roll as a heel, and the time may not be right for him to lose that. The WWE has booked Joe as The Destroyer, the heartless hitman who is willing to do whatever it takes to decimate his target. Fans may respect him, but they also boo him because of his actions on Raw.

How could the WWE turn away from that now?

Joe is on his way to becoming the top heel on Raw, and he's arguably at that point now. Fans need to hate him, and seeing him step into the ring against Lesnar would change all of that. Despite any notions to the contrary, the WWE still needs the classic heel versus babyface rivalries in order to keep the product balanced.

Featuring two popular heels in the same match would not be beneficial for anyone involved. Without a face turn on Joe's part, the chances of him winning at Extreme Rules are likely slim. 

Joe vs. Lesnar is indeed a dream match and one that should happen eventually. But it should happen with the proper build and the proper timing, neither of which are possible now.

Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins may be the smart pick to win this match.

Rollins' win over Triple H at WrestleMania 33 put him in the upper echelon of the WWE. He was already a main event star, and he was already a top guy. But he was arguably not in the elite of the company. However, besting The Game at The Show of Shows cemented that spot for him.

Beating Lesnar may be the next logical step for Rollins.

Rollins has proved he can work guys bigger than him, and he's proved his toughness many times in the past. He works a hard-hitting style that makes him a dangerous opponent for Lesnar, and he could believably beat The Beast Incarnate for the Universal Championship.

But he's got some serious unfinished business with Samoa Joe.

Joe is out for revenge on Rollins thanks to Triple H. The Destroyer is on The Game's personal payroll, and that means when Joe is given marching orders, he follows them. Rollins has his hands full with Joe, and the two have only just begun in their heated rivalry.

Rollins could win at Extreme Rules, and he would certainly give Lesnar a great match when the time comes. But if all of that happens, then the story between Rollins and Joe would end prematurely, and Triple H's character would never allow that to happen.

The Game is not done with Rollins, and that means Joe still has a job to do. As long as Triple H is out for blood against Rollins, then The Kingslayer has no chance of slaying The Beast.

Roman Reigns

There's no reason to believe Roman Reigns won't be the last man standing at Extreme Rules on June 4. 

Reigns took down The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33. When that happened, the most iconic Superstar in company history made a statement for the whole world to see; it's Reigns' time now. The WWE is moving ahead with its new top guy, as Reigns has realized his full potential as the bankable face of the company.

The WWE belongs to him, and everyone else is part of the supporting cast.

Many fans hate that fact, and that's to be expected. Reigns has had his critics from the moment The Shield split in 2014, and he's never been more despised than he is now. But despite the overwhelmingly negative reaction Reigns usually receives, the WWE continues to book him as a babyface. 

Lesnar needs a babyface to work, and the two men have history. It's the top fighter vs. the top guy, in a match for Raw's top championship. What more could WWE want?

But Reigns vs. Lesnar is the match that many fans believed would not happen until WrestleMania 34. As far as main event marquee bouts are concerned, there may be none bigger than this one, especially considering Reign's positioning atop the company.

Why would the WWE play that card now?

Reigns vs. Lesnar does make sense. The next man to beat Lesnar could conceivably be the man currently leading the company, and it's a perfect fit for everyone involved. The WWE can build the rest of 2017 around that main event match in 2018, and it would work for the company's biggest night of the year.

But until that night comes, the WWE will probably keep some distance between Reigns and Lesnar. That leaves only one man capable of stepping up and proving the critics wrong.

Finn Balor

Critics of Finn Balor exist, and many of them have an issue with Balor's size.

How could a guy who's giving up 100 pounds possibly hope to survive against a man who can't be stopped? Balor may have heart, and he may have talent, but both can only get him so far with Lesnar. To be competitive with The Beast Incarnate takes much more than just ability; it takes superhuman effort.

But it also takes great timing, and that's exactly what Balor has.

Balor is not involved in an ongoing rivalry right now. He's not in a spot where another Superstar needs him in order to move forward. Balor has an empty dance card and a lot to prove. Those two things may spawn the perfect storm that leads Balor to Lesnar.

The WWE needs to keep Lesnar from Reigns right now. The two will cross paths eventually, and they will probably move ahead to WrestleMania 34 next year. But in the meantime, Lesnar should face different opponents under different circumstances.

The New Era can benefit from a match between Balor and Lesnar, especially if Balor becomes The Demon King.

Balor's alter ego is only used under special circumstances, and facing The Beast Incarnate applies. It may look like a mismatch on paper, but Balor's theatrics combined with his smash mouth background in New Japan may make him the perfect opponent for Lesnar.

Balor and Lesnar would tear the house down, and they deserve the chance to do just that.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at BoinkStudios.com.