WWE Superstars: Would-Be Top Stars and How to Use Them

People talk about the future a lot in the WWE fanbase. The hardcore fans, in particular, always seem to be looking for that next breakout Superstar. The names on the lips of everyone as of late are those of Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose and Daniel Bryan.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if two of those stars did make it big in the next year or so. Let's face it, Daniel is extremely popular, and Dean is a Triple H Guy, which means instant success if Sheamus has taught us anything. Bray Wyatt remains untested, though I'll admit I'm not optimistic for his chances at Superstardom.

There are a lot of guys in the here-and-now that the WWE could put a lot of stock into. Given that most of the current stars are closer to the end of their careers than the beginning, I feel that a gap is going to develop in the next few years. Stars are going to slow down, retire and start putting over new stars.

With that in mind, I took the time to compile my own list of the stars that WWE should focus on. Disregarding their current status, I'm going to try and point out how they should best be used—what roles they'd best be suited for in a world without CM Punk, John Cena or Randy Orton. Don't expect a list of obvious names, either. Yeah, some stars are better than others, but I'll point out the reasons why each person is on this list.

With that in mind, I hope you enjoy the following slideshow.

Antonio Cesaro

As of now, the most powerful Superstars in the WWE (Mark Henry, John Cena, Big Show, and perhaps even Sheamus are all closer to the end of their careers than they are the beginning.

With that in mind, a gap will soon be left in the roster. I believe Antonio Cesaro is the man who can fill that gap. Already considered one of the most powerful men in the WWE, Antonio Cesaro has pulled off Herculean feats of strength before. Before WrestleMania, we got a look into the training regimen of Antonio Cesaro and, to put it quite frankly, it's insane.

The only real competition (strength-wise) to look forward to is former NXT Champion Big E. Langston. That said, I don't feel he has much of a chance to usurp the position Cesaro has the potential to reach.

Cesaro is a powerful man and not bad on the mic. It's connecting with the fans that hinders him. His promos have come off as impersonal and uninspired, but I feel that there's something more to Cesaro on the mic when he can sound off of someone.

I feel the best way to use Cesaro would be to play on his strength, keep him a heel and let him be the strongest heel on the roster, not unlike the place current character Mark Henry employs.

Cesaro is too big to be easily intimidated and too skilled to not throw his weight around. I don't even think he needs a mouthpiece. He just needs new material.

An idea for a gimmick that would allow for new material is that of a Swiss Banker. I've heard others say a more militant gimmick would be a fit.

Jack Swagger

The man once known as a The All-American American has returned to the WWE on a warpath with manager Zeb Colter and his fight to take back America from illegal immigrants. Under the guise of a "Real American," Jack has been the right hand of Zeb for a few months now, and though his success hasn't been tangible, it's a lot better than how he spent the majority of 2012.

The former ECW Champion is similar to Cesaro: big man, technically sound, and surprisingly agile. That said, Swagger is different and could perhaps play the antithesis to his "We The People" stablemate. I say this because I feel The All-American works better as a face.

Jack Swagger's continued presence as a heel was rather curious to most people, and something of a swerve. However, Jack has likely reached his ceiling as a heel, despite proving others wrong.

The WWE's best bet would be to employ Swagger as simply an "All-American" face similar to Kurt Angle. While some people will take offense to that, I say if they're going to have him copy someone, at least they're having him copy someone who was good.

Seth Rollins

Often compared to Jeff Hardy in both stature and abilities, I think that's the type of thing that can get Rollins over big with the right chances.

Seth, though, has two things going for him that Hardy didn't. While he's part of a powerful team and a tag team champion, he doesn't have the stigma of being just a tag team guy, and his mic skills are actually a lot better than Hardy's. While he's not the mouthpiece for The Shield, Seth is underrated on the microphone. He's a solid talker, doesn't mince words and doesn't overact.

While that would be enough for some, Seth also brings to the table the best in-ring ability of his partners. His time in the ring is usually highlighted by a good deal of high-flying ability and jaw-dropping athleticism, which has made him shine as a member of The Shield. There's a reason I refer to him as Special Ops Seth.

As a main-eventer, he may look out of place, but the size of your typical main-eventer is smaller than previous years, and that helps Seth out a great deal. Seth has all the tools to get over in a manner similar to Jeff Hardy, as the "devil-may-care high-flyer" of the main-event scene.

Roman Reigns

My feelings about The Spear of Justice being the standout star of The Shield is well-documented, and I honestly feel that, given time, he can be a breakout Superstar and headliner in the WWE. Roman Reigns has the look, the credibility and the in-ring skills, and slowly but surely, he's gaining the mic skills one would look for in a top-tier Superstar.

Currently one half of the tag team champions with Special Ops Seth, Roman finds himself in a good place right now. Sooner or later, though, the baby bird will have to leave the nest and fend for himself. How that happens is up to interpretation, but I do think that Roman benefits from versatility. Roman Reigns could be a destructive force for either good or evil. It really just depends on how you slice him.

The Spear of Justice has been compared to Batista in a fashion similar to the way his partner is compared to Jeff Hardy. That said, the comparisons fit. While Batista shined as a heel, he was well-received by crowds as a face, too. I think with a year or two more of seasoning, Roman Reigns can fill a similar role.

Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is one of several Superstars who's been chilling just under the glass ceiling of Superstardom for so long, his mail is being forwarded there. That said, unlike many people, Rhodes still has a lot of time on his hands. For someone in his late 20s, Rhodes has a respectable resume. That's gonna help him in the long run.

The former Intercontinental Champion has spent the past few years developing his abilities and character, and it's now just a matter of time before Cody takes his place at the top of the card. Rhodes has all the potential in the world to be a household name. His family and his ability afford him that privilege. Now all that's needed is the platform.

The best use of Rhodes would come as a conquering hero of sorts. He can be to the WWE what A.J. Styles once was to Impact Wrestling. Rhodes has the look of someone you can count on (or would once he shaves that God-awful mustache). He has the mic skills to instill emotion when given the chance and hopefully will get said chance in the future.

Ryback

My, my, my, how looks can be deceiving. It's been stated by several times that Ryback is one of the most physically/genetically gifted men in the WWE. Mick Foley once said it was inevitable that Ryback would be the WWE Champion, even calling it his destiny.

Yet just this past Monday we saw Ryback call off his match with The Miz; a match he dominated, for the most part, before falling victim to Chris Jericho's Codebreaker.

Honestly, you'd think booking a monster would be the easiest thing to handle. Apparently not for the WWE, as they make this more difficult than it has to be, for whatever reason.

With that in mind, I think it's clear what role Ryback is best suited for. Where Antonio Cesaro is the calculating powerhouse, Ryback plays the out of control beast (despite being much smarter than he appears).

It may be odd for some people to still think that anyone sees Ryback as a potential top star, however the potential is there. It just has to be used properly.

PPV losing streaks are not how to use a monster properly. However, despite what many people think, as far as pure powerhouses go, Ryback is the best. While many would likely give that nod to Big E. Langston, I'd argue that Langston's move set is generic and his mic skills boring—not someone I would use as a main-event star.

Simply put, Ryback is a monster who should be treated as such.

The Miz

Despite being in the WWE for several years, it's still surprising how young Miz is. It's even more impressive when you look at his resume. The crafty veteran has come a long way since The Real World as both an in-ring competitor and a character. The Miz is a pretty polarizing force himself, with some people liking him and others hating him.

Nothing wrong with that.

That said, I think Miz is overall better as the cocky heel you're meant to hate. Worse, he's the one that is actually as good as he says he is. His is the type of heel character that would lend itself better to clean wins in order to prove his point and validate his claims.

While The Miz hasn't been terrible as a face, it's clearly not something he excels at playing. Superstars should be put in positions to succeed at all times, The Miz is not in position to succeed. Case in point: the WWE All-Stars MiTB match has RVD but not The Miz? Really? REALLY!?

But I digress. At the end of the day, The Miz is better off as a throwback heel capable of beating you without cheating.

Jinder Mahal

The proverbial black sheep of 3MB. Many people would say that if you were going to make a 3MB member a main-eventer, it would be Drew McIntyre.

To that I say, "balderdash!" (Well, I don't say it often, but in this case I am.)

I feel the main-event talent in 3MB belongs to Jinder Mahal. I've written on the subject before, so it's not as if I'm just pulling this out of nowhere, as some may think.

The character of the rich heel hasn't been done well since John Bradshaw Layfield. While Alberto Del Rio didn't do a bad job, I feel he only scratched the surface of what a person in his position is capable of. A man of wealth such as Jinder should be buying and selling people and hiring huge bodyguards.

It's really quite simple, but Jinder should be the wealthy heel who, while capable of winning, spends the majority of his time buying advantages to the top.

Recap and Conclusion

So, just a reminder of how I think WWE's main-event picture could be in the next few years. I wanted to go with relatively young guys, fresher names and a few guys to whom you may not have given a good deal of thought, but I still thought had potential as main-eventers.

• Antonio Cesaro: Smartest heel on the roster, capable of outwitting or overpowering opponents.
• Jack Swagger: All-American boy character, somewhat of a modern-day Hogan in speech.
• Seth Rollins: High-flying daredevil, meant to engage fans through his in-ring actions.
• Roman Reigns: Similar to Batista or Big Show—capable of switching between face and heel.
• Cody Rhodes: Conquering Hero. Essentially the character A.J. Styles played leading Frontline.
• Ryback: Monster heel.
• The Miz: Cocky veteran heel who wins clean at big events.
• Jinder Mahal: Wealthy heel who uses money to get ahead and has an entourage.

This may seem like a lot of people for a main-event scene, but I think eight is a solid number. It would lead to lots of feuds and allow for the smaller superstar to make his way into the spotlight along with bigger stars in the form of throwbacks like Ryback and Cesaro.

Anyway, thanks for the read. Hope you enjoyed it.