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WWE WrestleMania 39: Rising Stars Who Deserve Major Push for Next Year's PPV

Mike ChiariApr 6, 2022

WWE leaned heavily on legends, established veteran Superstars and celebrities at WrestleMania 38, but there is no shortage of up-and-coming talent ready to occupy big spots.

While the company typically likes to roll with the wrestlers who are known to get reactions and deliver on the big stage, grooming other Superstars for those spots on The Grandest Stage of Them All is integral to the long-term success of the company.

Thanks to NXT and the WWE Performance Center, it has built many rising stars from the ground up, and the time is fast approaching for them to sink or swim.

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With WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California one year away, here is a list of Superstars who WWE should push between now and then to position them for big matches at The Show of Shows.


Bron Breakker

Few Superstars in WWE history have experienced as rapid of a rise as NXT champion Bron Breakker.

Despite the fact that he has less than 30 matches to his name, he is already a two-time NXT champion after beating Dolph Ziggler for the title on Monday night's episode of WWE Raw.

The son of WWE Hall of Famer Rick Steiner and nephew of WWE Hall of Famer Scott Steiner, Breakker has pro wrestling in his blood, and he has taken to the business like a fish to water.

On the first episode of NXT after WWE transitioned the brand from black and gold to NXT 2.0, he essentially opened the show by confronting L.A. Knight and beating him in a match. It was clear from then on that the 24-year-old was viewed as the new face of NXT.

Breakker is already fairly polished in the ring for someone with such little experience, and he boasts a style reminiscent of his father. Also, his intensity on the mic reminds fans of his uncle and is a big reason why he has gotten over so quickly.

WWE has already tested the waters with Breakker on the main roster, as he has appeared on Raw twice, and it stands to reason that he will continue to make periodic appearances moving forward.

His home base is NXT for the moment, but given how quickly he has gotten to where he is now, he may not be long for that brand.

It seems likely Breakker will be on the main roster in a full-time capacity at some point over the next year, and if that is the case, he should be in a high-profile match at WrestleMania 39 to start his ascent to the top.


Austin Theory

After the way he was utilized at WrestleMania 38, it's clear Austin Theory is already on the fast track to the top of WWE.

He has already been in a top match at The Show of Shows, after facing SmackDown commentator Pat McAfee on Sunday. He also took a Stunner from WWE legend "Stone Cold" Steve Austin after the match.

Although Theory came out on the losing end, the fact that he was even in that spot after only six months on the main roster speaks volumes about how he is viewed by the company's chief decision-makers.

Vince McMahon appears to be a huge Theory fan in his own right, as they have been paired together on screen for the past few months with the youngster being framed as the WWE chairman's protege.

Very few Superstars are given that treatment, which means Theory is already in rarefied air at a young age.

On Monday's Raw, he teamed with The Usos in a six-man tag team match against RK-Bro and United States champion Finn Balor. Theory won the bout for his team by pinning The Prince.

Theory seems destined to beat Balor for the title in the near future, which would be another step up the ladder for the rising star.

It may still be a bit early for Theory to contend for the WWE or Universal Championship, but competing in another big match at WrestleMania 39 could push him to the brink.


Chad Gable

Chad Gable has been under a WWE contract since 2013 and on the main roster since 2016, but he is only now fully hitting his stride as an individual.

As one half of Alpha Academy with Otis, Gable has been one of the most consistently entertaining performers on Raw in recent months.

The 36-year-old has embraced being a heel and gotten over phrases such as "Shoosh" and "Thank you," which are both said in a way to annoy the live audience.

Gable also boasts about the 4.0 grade-point average he maintained while obtaining a master's degree at Full Sail University, all while simultaneously being a WWE Superstar.

While Gable and Otis fell short of regaining the Raw Tag Team Championships in a Triple Threat match at WrestleMania 38, the Olympian received some added spotlight.

He confronted two-time NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson after the match, which led to the WWE newcomer suplexing him.

While it is almost certain that Gable will be used in order to get Steveson over in the immediate future, he has the potential to be a legitimate top heel due to his combination of charisma and in-ring ability.

Even though he is on the small side, he is a former Olympian in his own right, giving him enough credibility to believably stand toe-to-toe with anyone.

Fans have long wanted Gable to get a shot near the top of the card, and if he continues to perform at his current level, he may get that opportunity at WrestleMania 39.

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