Ranking the 10 WWE Superstars Who Will Dominate Raw and SmackDown in 2026
The year that was 2025 brought considerable success for top Superstars, all of whom became synonymous with the year. From CM Punk to Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes to Gunther, the last 12 months have been defined by dominance for those who ruled over WWE.
Who, though, will seize 2026 and make it theirs?
From breakout stars to the biggest names re-establishing themselves as the faces of the company, these 10 Superstars will be the competitors closely associated with the upcoming year.
10. Giulia
1 of 10
To categorize Giulia's first year on the main roster as a massive disappointments would be an understatement the size of Andre the Giant's right and left hands, combined.
The Beautiful Madness, a captivating performer and one of the biggest free agent signings the company has made in the last two years, should have exploded onto the scene and become a major player in either the Raw or SmackDown women's division and for whatever reason, that did not happen.
As 2025 comes to an end, though, she has been presented as the dangerous threat to the Women's United States Championship held by Chelsea Green that she should have been all along, dominating in-ring action and demonstrating the seriousness necessary to regain her title.
Hopefully, that is a permanent correction and an indication that 2026 will see her regain gold and go on the run that someone of her skill set has earned, rather than the aimless wandering that this past year brought her with the blue brand.
9. Trick Williams
2 of 10
After accomplishing all that there is to in NXT, Trick Williams has been spotted backstage at SmackDown and Raw, talking business with general managers Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce, indicating that a main roster call-up is on the horizon.
Williams, a gifted athlete with boatloads of charisma, rose to prominence in NXT despite being Carmelo Hayes' hype man early on in his career. His infectious energy and charisma helped him jump off the screen and into the living rooms of fans everywhere, leading to a monumental run that saw him capture the brand's world title twice and even secure a run as TNA world champion.
Now ready to play with the big boys, he has the look, abilities, mic skills, and aura of a main eventer. While he may have to wait a bit longer than someone like Oba Femi (more on him in a bit), Williams will have a banner main roster year in 2026 while setting himself up to be a main event attraction for years to come.
8. Finn Balor
3 of 10
Monday on Raw, in a social media interview, Balor expressed his desire and determination to bring championship gold back to the Judgment Day, despite Dominik Mysterio already reigning as Intercontinental Champion.
Could that mean Balor betrays Dirty Dom, as has been hinted at and prognosticated for the last year or could that potentially indicate that Balor has his eyes on the top prize on the Raw brand and re-establishing Judgment Day as the premier faction on the flagship show after a year in which The Vision rose to prominence?
Regardless, it sounds like the Irish-born competitor, and inaugural WWE Universal champion might be gearing up for another signature singles run after years of midcard and tag team work. If so, he is one to watch in 2026 for sure.
7. Liv Morgan
4 of 10
Liv Morgan made a surprise return to WWE at Survivor Series, helping Dominik Mysterio to defeat John Cena for the Intercontinental Championship. Since then, she has remained surprisingly low key, though it is obvious that she is planting the seeds for Judgment Day drama in 2026.
From frustrating Raquel Rodriguez to inexplicably taking Roxanne Perez under her wing despite her clear attempts to weasel her way into Dirty Dom's good graces, Morgan is the master manipulator of the group and could be the catalyst for its implosion this year.
In her absence, Perez worked with Finn Balor to try and manipulate Mysterio to do what he thought was in the best interest of the group. Now in the midst of a different revenge tour, expect Morgan to get back to dominating screen time, if not the Raw women's division, with a babyface run not counted out.
6. LA Knight
5 of 10
The Megastar has spent the last two years being the guy just outside the top tier of talent in WWE. He has routinely headlined, worked with every major star, and been in a position to win the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship, but has fallen just short of actually doing so.
The last time fans saw him, he was presented as a gutsy, resilient babyface who took the fight to The Vision before being driven through the roof of a car via Bronson Reed Tsunami.
Likely designed to give him a break after wrestling the most matches of any Superstar in 2025, it should also be the emphasis for him to come back, raise hell, continue to battle The Vision, and perhaps compete for the gold that has eluded him.
Even if he does not win it, Knight is set up for a big year as a top-tier babyface on the Raw brand.
5. Oba Femi
6 of 10
The reigning NXT champion impressed fans and WWE officials alike at Saturday Night's Main Event, when he hung with Cody Rhodes in the night's opening match, proving he could go toe-to-toe with an elite performer and not look out of place.
Add to that a vignette that aired Monday on Raw, seemingly announcing his impending call-up to the main roster and you have a guy that is poised to became an instant main event talent upon his arrival.
Femi has the look, the skills, and the personality to be a top star from day one. He has that air of invincibility that the top monsters in WWE history have possessed and could go on an absolute tear from the outset. If that is the case, and given how popular he already was in NXT, it would not be surprising to see The Ruler capture top-tier gold by year's end or, at the very least, be in a position to acquire his first world title by this time next year.
4. Jacob Fatu
7 of 10
Dental surgery and questionable booking combined to halt Fatu's momentum in 2025 but, with a big return on the horizon, do not be surprised if the Samoan Werewolf is riding high on the SmackDown brand by this time next year.
Fatu has unfinished business with Drew McIntyre to handle first and with the Scottish Warrior challenging for the WWE title one last time on the January 9 episode of SmackDown, perhaps the second-generation star could make his presence felt on that broadcast, kicking off a momentous run.
From there, the sky is the limit. Fatu emerged as a breakout star in 2025 because of his supreme athleticism, his undeniable aura, and underrated charisma. All of those should help him regain momentum and re-establish himself as one of the top stars on the blue brand before turning his attention back to championship gold.
3. Rhea Ripley
8 of 10
Mami took a break from chasing the Women's World Championship in the second-half of the year, instead focusing on her partnership with Iyo Sky and their wars with The Kabuki Warriors.
While Ripley will partner with the Genius of the Sky to challenge Asuka and Kairi Sane for the Women's Tag Team Championship on January 5 to start the year, expect The Eradicator to get back to singles competition and potentially challenge Stephanie Vaquer for the most coveted prize in the Raw women's division by WrestleMania 42.
Ripley is one of the company's biggest stars, recognized well beyond the confines of WWE. Expect her booking to reflect as much in the new year.
2. Roman Reigns
9 of 10
The Tribal Chief will regain the Undisputed WWE Championship in 2026 and re-establish himself at the forefront of the company.
Reigns spent the last year as a babyface, popping the crowd and battling The Vision. He made inconsistent appearances but was in marquee match-ups against the likes of Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Bronson Reed, and Bron Breakker all year.
While that was all fine and good, anything outside of the title picture at this point feels somewhat beneath The OTC. Expect him to get back to that position, competing for and winning the top prize in the company, in what will be another banner year for the future Hall of Famer.
1. Bron Breakker
10 of 10
The Badass will headline the January 5 episode of WWE Raw, challenging CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. While he may not emerge from Brooklyn with the gold on that night, it will be the beginning of a monumental year for Breakker that sees him win his first world title on the main roster and become one of the central focal points of the company's creative efforts.
It is something that has been coming from the moment he arrived on the scene in NXT and has gradually built over the last five years. Now riding a wave of momentum, and delivering his finest work on the mic yet, he is as ready as he is going to be for a run atop the company's flagship show.
It may not come as quickly as some would like but by the end of 2026, there will be little doubt who the top dog on the brand is.
