Top 5 Contenders for Kofi Kingston's United States Title

The good news for newly crowned United States Champion Kofi Kingston is that he is now in possession of a title with a long and proud lineage.

He is certainly deserving of the title, boasting an impressive resume in his years with the company, but how long can he be expected to hold onto the belt when he has that long line of competitors breathing down his neck?

And for Kingston, that is the bad news. By winning the title, Kingston has now placed a huge target on his back, and he will have no shortage of challengers to fend off.

Antonio Cesaro

Cesaro has been there before and is likely hungry to be there again.

He is perhaps the strongest pound-for-pound competitor on the WWE roster, has dynamic technical wrestling skills,and seems to invent new wrestling moves with every passing minute.

He has been on a bit of a losing streak of late, but what better way to break out of it than by winning back the title that he recently lost to Kingston?

Cody Rhodes

Insiders have Rhodes pegged as a future World Champion, but at the moment, he is mired in a storyline involving his facial hair, and little else. He put on a four-star match with Randy Orton on Raw, and he could do the same with Kingston.

Youth and hunger are always a good combination for success, and Rhodes has both in massive quantities.

Rhodes' best friend Damien Sandow could also be a decent contender for the U.S. title, but at the moment, he has little creative direction, other than being a glorified enhancement talent.

Zack Ryder

Like Sandow, Ryder is essentially a glorified enhancement talent at the moment. However, he has held the U.S. title in the past, and he could easily do so again.

In recent weeks, he has teased a more serious approach, and has taken small steps to implement it, halting the fist pumping and spiked hair that have been a huge part of his persona for quite awhile.

Every week, the WWE Universe wonders where Ryder is, why he is not on television. A heel turn and United States title win over the affable Kingston would do wonders for the young Long Islander.

Big E. Langston

F4WOnline (h/t Wrestling Inc.) reported this week that the company is looking to create a championship dynasty with the team of Langston, World Heavyweight champion Dolph Ziggler and AJ.

It is unlikely that Langston would defeat John Cena for the WWE title, or Wade Barrett for the Intercontinental championship. That leaves Kingston as fair game for the former powerlifter.

And let us not forget that Langston did a quick, but impactful and devastating number on the champ on Raw this week.

Fandango

This young up-and-comer has made quite an impression in his short time on the main stage, defeating future Hall of Famer Chris Jericho while sweeping the world with a dance and music craze.

His showy nature belies his aggressive and sometimes brutal style, plus the company brass, Vince McMahon included, seem to be very high on his work thus far.

No one can seem to say his name right, but in a very short time, we may not even need to know what it is.

We can simply call him champion.