Seth Rollins' Rumble Plan, Getting the AEW Continental Classic Rub, More Quick Takes

As Royal Rumble season gradually gets underway for WWE, so does its search for Seth Rollins' opponent at the event for the World Heavyweight Championship.

His latest successful defense against Jey Uso on Raw has left him with no clear challenger for the Rumble on Jan. 27. Any number of names could be in line for the chance, including the returning CM Punk, but one person in particular makes more sense than anyone else.

Although the event isn't for another six weeks, plenty of time remains for Rollins to firmly settle into his next storyline and properly build to the bout.

It's no different with the subtle storytelling All Elite Wrestling has used so effectively throughout the Continental Classic. Regardless of who ultimately emerges victorious, several stars can come out of it stronger than they were previously, with Daniel Garcia on track to being the biggest beneficiary.

This installment of Quick Takes will discuss how AEW can capitalize on Garcia's current momentum, not rushing into a rematch between Adam Copeland and Christian Cage, why WWE must tread carefully with two of its top babyfaces en route to WrestleMania 40, and more.

Drew McIntyre Should Be Seth Rollins' Royal Rumble Opponent

Drew McIntyre's slow-burn heel turn has been the best thing going on Raw since September, and now that his character change is complete, he belongs at the top of the card fighting for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Rollins has done an exceptional job with the title and defending it against all comers since becoming the inaugural champ in May. His character work isn't always the most compelling, but that's why having a fantastic foil in someone such as McIntyre helps his feuds tremendously.

The two previously waged war for the at November's Crown Jewel, but The Visionary's victory was hardly decisive. That loss only drove McIntyre further off the deep end, so with an updated dynamic, the two men running it back at the Royal Rumble is only appropriate.

That would save the highly anticipated program between Rollins and CM Punk for WrestleMania 40. They've already planed the seeds for that future feud, but that's 'Mania-worthy and should be held off on until after the Rumble.

McIntyre won't feel like a legitimate threat to the title as a result, but Sami Zayn returning from the "injury" McIntyre sidelined him with to cost him the win would at least protect the Scot in defeat.

WWE Must Tread Carefully with CM Punk and Cody Rhodes as Royal Rumble Favorites

CM Punk's return to SmackDown this past Friday night was everything it needed to be as well as everything his return promo on Raw the week prior should have been.

Cody Rhodes was among the Superstars he mentioned by name, and when they went face-to-face in a backstage segment later in the show, it was almost as if the closing sequence of the 2024 men's Royal Rumble match was telegraphed right then and there.

Punk and Rhodes are two of WWE's biggest babyfaces at the moment and thus have to be considered the odds-on favorites to win the men's match next month.

Both are logical candidates to challenge for world title gold at WrestleMania 40 and will likely go on to headline the event regardless, but who earns their shot by going over in the Rumble is the bigger question.

Either way, it's imperative WWE handles the situation with care to prevent the two of them from getting booed by the crowd at the Rumble, especially Rhodes, who fans may not want to see win for a second straight year.

WWE has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to how many hot babyfaces it has on hand these days, and Punk and Rhodes can both be at that elite level provided it's executed similarly to The American Nightmare and Sami Zayn from early on in 2023.

AEW Doesn't Need to Rush into Adam Copeland vs. Christian Cage Rematch

Adam Copeland and Christian Cage had the first match of their long-awaited rivalry in AEW on Wednesday's edition of Dynamite.

And with Christian narrowly escaping with his title reign intact thanks to an assist from Nick Wayne's mother, they are virtually guaranteed to collide again before long.

Although all signs point to their next one-on-one meeting occurring at Worlds End on Dec. 30, AEW would be wise to stretch out the storyline even longer and build to the rematch in the new year.

Christian's post-match attack on Copeland was vicious enough that it could write him off AEW TV for the remainder of 2023 and possibly into January. Revolution on March 3 would be a fitting place for them to face off again, with that night also marking Sting's in-ring retirement and Will Ospreay's official debut.

Their feud has been one of the best parts of the program for months, and there's much more ground for them to cover before it eventually ends with Copeland conquering Christian and capturing the TNT Championship.

Bobby Lashley's Organic Fan Support Isn't Worth Fighting Against

WWE has made every attempt to make Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits a formidable heel trio on SmackDown, but to no avail.

Their booking has largely been acceptable, but aside from attacking the LWO on a few occasions, they've given the audience zero reason to want to boo them. Moreover, their "cool" factor endears all three to the audience so easily that continuing with the heel turn at this point would feel forced.

Turning heel was what made Lashley a dominant main event player throughout 2021, but he and the Profits work so well together that the organic fan support simply isn't worth fighting against.

SmackDown is currently babyface-heavy and would need to make some tweaks to the roster to balance things out. Sheamus could come back as a villain, and heel Randy Orton is inevitable as well, so babyface Lashley isn't completely out of the question.

His surge in popularity should soon put him in a position to challenge for world title gold again, potentially as an opponent for Roman Reigns in what would be a marquee match.

Daniel Garcia Could Prove to Be Biggest Winner of the Continental Classic

Of the 12 wrestlers currently competing in AEW's inaugural Continental Classic, Daniel Garcia has one of the worst win-loss records of the bunch.

The 25-year-old has lost all three tournament matches he's had so far, and although that mathematically eliminates him, he can gain a ton more in defeat than he would have from winning the whole thing.

Prior to recently, Garcia hadn't been featured in singles competition on television in many months. The Continental Classic was his chance to remind the world what he was capable of and he hasn't disappointed.

He's had standout performances against Claudio Castagnoli, Andrade El Idolo and Bryan Danielson, and he's had the crowd behind him every time. The lack of interference in the tourney matches has allowed him to quietly distance himself from his former Jericho Appreciation Society stablemates.

Garcia was last on the brink of singles stardom in the summer of 2022 when he turned on Chris Jericho to join Danielson. The decision to keep him right where he was killed any momentum he had and it's taken over a year for him to regain it.

At the turn of the year, AEW should capitalize on Garcia's Continental Classic rub by having him finally embrace the audience and elevating him to the next level.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.