Seth Rollins, Asuka and the Early Candidates for WWE Superstar of the Year

WWE may want to go ahead and carve Seth Rollins' name into some trophies now. The intercontinental champion has made it clear 2018 is his year.

The company has seemingly abandoned the Slammy Awards, last handing them out in 2015. Media outlets and fans, however, still get in award-season mode at the close of each year. When that happens this time around, Rollins is likely to be the unanimous pick for Superstar of the Year.

That is unless Asuka can continue to be a brand MVP in her new home or if WWE keeps giving Braun Strowman creative ways to inflict damage on the world around him.

SummerSlam, Money in the Bank and Survivor Series are still ahead. Eight months worth of Raw and SmackDown episodes await. But for now, those three stars are most on their way to claiming the 'WWE's best in 2018' label.

Let's dive into a look at the leaders in that race. Great matches, moments and general electricity are the top factors in determining who comes out on top.

Others in the Running

Cedric Alexander is the king of a division that has been one of 2018's most pleasant surprises.

Many pronounced the cruiserweight brand dead last year, but it has been consistently thrilling of late. Alexander has been a major part of that, both as a man chasing the gold ahead of WrestleMania 34 and more recently as the champ.

One may be likely to credit the division as a whole, however, and group Alexander with Mustafa Ali, Kalisto and Drew Gulak.

Charlotte Flair is having another good year. She excelled against Asuka at WrestleMania and looked good against Ruby Riott at Fastlane. Her athletic feats always seem to stand out as well.

The SmackDown writing team, though, hasn't done nearly enough with her. A star of her caliber shouldn't have so few big moments on her recent resume.

Finn Balor deserves a nod, too. When talking up Rollins' year, the Irishman's name will come up again and again. 

Balor's contributions are a big reason the Intercontinental Championship scene is sizzling.

The Case for Braun Strowman

Strowman remains one of the most compelling figures in any corner of the WWE world.

Even when he's booked in some low-stakes tag team match on TV, he always seems to be the highlight. His feats of power, wrecking ball of a dropkick and general presence rev up fans like few others can.

Fightful columnist Alex Pawlowski commented on the massive crowd reaction Strowman garnered on Raw recently:

That's not unusual for The Monster Among Men. His matches and acts of destruction often create a big buzz.

His dominant performance in the Greatest Royal Rumble, the havoc he wreaked in the Elimination Chamber match and his backstage meltdown in January that led to some vehicular demolition were all entertaining. 

Strowman throttling Elias with an upright bass was one of the most fun Raw moments in a long while, too.

Throw in the fact he and Alexa Bliss were such an endearing duo during the Mixed Match Challenge, and there are reasons aplenty to vote for the big bear as WWE's top star in 2018.

If he adds more standout matches—a strength for both Asuka and Rollins—he has a good shot of surpassing both those Superstars for the No. 1 spot.

The Case for Asuka

Asuka has killed it all year. A long list of wrestlers can claim their best work in 2018 came opposite The Empress of Tomorrow. Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Bayley and Sasha Banks all thrived in clashes with her.

When she was on Raw, Asuka often delivered the night's best match.

Her excellence has extended to pay-per-views, as well. She was one of the key figures in a strong Royal Rumble match in January. Asuka and Jax told a quality story at Elimination Chamber. And one could make the argument that Asuka vs. Flair was WrestleMania 34's best outing.

British pro wrestler Bea Priestley was one of many to rave about that clash:

Asuka's undefeated streak was one of the most compelling angles WWE had going this year. Now that it's over and the former NXT women's champ is on the SmackDown roster, she has to shift gears. In a new home with fresh opponents, there's ample potential for her to build on a strong 2018. 

She's likely to be a cornerstone for the show as she was for Raw. Her electric performance in Tuesday's main event was early evidence to that end.

The Case for Seth Rollins

Rollins hasn't just regained his pre-2015 injury form, he has morphed into the best version of himself to date.

The Kingslayer is hotter than any other star on the roster right now. He has produced a run of TV matches that are going to feature heavily in many a Match of the Year list.

His battles with Balor and The Miz have been outstanding. He was the victor in the best match of the Greatest Royal Rumble, was in a thriller of an opener against Balor and The Miz at WrestleMania and set the ring ablaze in the men's Elimination Chamber match.

His marathon performance in February's Gauntlet match has to be ranked among the best nights anyone has had on Raw.

The WWE machine has been fully behind Roman Reigns. It has featured Ronda Rousey heavily. Brock Lesnar remains the universal champion. Rollins, though, has been the lifeblood of Raw all year.

He knows it, too. Rollins told Phillip Martinez of Newsweek recently: "I feel the show is mine, they don't call it Monday Night Rollins for nothing. I go out there every Monday and put on the best performances."

It's hard to argue with him.

Rollins' torrid streak has allowed Raw to shift its focus from the Universal Championship and its absentee titleholder to a surging IC title picture. The Architect has made up for the show's weak points.

Even on a night such as Monday in Montreal when WWE fumbled on several storylines, Rollins directed the conversation elsewhere—to his career year.