Buy or Sell These 8 WWE Stars Ever Winning a World Championship

A world championship isn't always in the cards for even WWE's most promising prospects.

Some of the biggest names to grace WWE's squared circle were never able to win the prestigious prize. From Roddy Piper to Mr. Perfect, it always eluded them for one reason or another.

The roster being as star-studded as it was when they were at the peak of their popularity was the primary reason for them being snubbed, and WWE suffers from a similar issue today. Having two top titles for the men between Raw and SmackDown makes it more attainable, but there's no guarantee that everyone waiting in the wings for an opportunity will get their turn.

Nonetheless, the potential of certain Superstars can't be ignored, and it's more a matter of when than if they'll be wearing world title gold around their waist. This is, of course, barring any serious injuries or drastic changes in their booking.

Which of the eight athletes have a WWE world championship in their future?

Buy: Oba Femi

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Oba Femi was destined to win a world championship in WWE from the moment he made his main roster debut at the onset of 2026.

A two-time NXT champion, Femi's domination of the NXT landscape made it clear that he'd have a high ceiling once he hit Raw or SmackDown. Sure enough, he immediately made an enemy out of Brock Lesnar, who he soundly defeated not once but twice on pay-per-view.

Femi had the chance to challenge for a world title at SummerSlam by virtue of becoming King of the Ring back in June, but opted to forgo the title shot so he could face Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell at the event instead. It's hardly been acknowledged since, so it's safe to assume that the opportunity is no longer on the table.

All signs point to him being the one to dethrone Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 43, which would mean a Royal Rumble victory is almost a certainty. Whether he wins it or not, he'll find his way into the world title match at 'Mania and emerge with the gold in his grasp.

Buy: Penta

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Two weeks ago, it didn't look like Penta would ever be a world champion in WWE.

For as over with the audience as he is and for as much success as he's had since joining the promotion in early 2025, he was never utilized as anything other than an upper-midcard competitor. That was, however, until he earned the opportunity to fight Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship in his native Mexico on Raw.

The match was so great that it may have just changed the trajectory of his entire career. The crowd that night was wildly behind the masked marvel and he more than proved he can hang at an elite level.

WWE wisely followed up on his hot momentum on the Sept. 21 edition of Raw by having him cut a promo to start the show and then qualify for the men's Money in the Bank Ladder match at the end of it. Dominik Mysterio was one of the favorites to capture the briefcase, so Penta advancing over him might be a case of WWE changing plans.

If so, Penta becoming Mr. Money in the Bank would be his ticket to eventually winning a world title. He wouldn't necessarily need to cash in on Reigns, but it would be a waste to give him the contract if he was going to fall short for a second straight time.

The electric reaction to Penta in Mexico City had to have convinced the company that they'd be leaving money on the table if they didn't put a world championship on him at some point.

Sell: Royce Keys

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Royce Keys is in the midst of the biggest push of his career as the leader of the new 946 stable on Raw.

He's had a great first year in WWE in general by debuting in the men's Royal Rumble match, winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and being slotted into a top storyline on Raw with The Bloodline.

He showed real upside in AEW and held a handful of titles, but he was never able to get beyond a certain level. He might end up being more of a mainstay in the main event scene in WWE than he was in AEW, but his chances of winning a world title are equally slim.

He will run into the same problem that plagued him in AEW, and that's being overshadowed by the bigger shows. He's an exciting opponent for Reigns, but once he loses, his faction will fizzle out and he'll settle into a midcard role on the show.

That's a perfectly fine spot for him, but he is capable of more. WWE has done an excellent job of portraying him as a force to be reckoned with as of late, but there's been nothing else to suggest that they intend to build around him as the centerpiece of either Raw or SmackDown in the long haul.

Buy: Bron Breakker

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Even with all eyes on Oba Femi at the moment, Bron Breakker shouldn't be overlooked as a future face of WWE.

That's been the basis of their ongoing rivalry, and it's something Breakker continues to struggle with. Femi stole a lot of thunder when he was called up earlier in the year, while Breakker's booking hasn't quite been the same since he was sidelined with an injury.

Despite that, Breakker will get to the upper echelon of WWE before long. It doesn't appear it will happen as soon as it will for Femi, but he has all the tools to be a big star for many years to come.

He unsuccessfully challenged CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship on Raw's premiere episode of 2026. That would have been as good of a time as any for him to be crowned champ, but WWE waiting just a little longer will make that moment all the more monumental when it comes to fruition in the next year or so.

Sell: Logan Paul

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The Vision started out as a compelling concept when crashed onto the scene in the spring of 2025, but they never truly found their footing before Seth Rollins had to be pulled due to an injury he sustained that October.

It's been a series of unfortunate events since then with Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed and Logan Paul all getting hurt at different points and ruining anything The Vision could get going.

Reed recently returned and has looked better than ever before, begging the question of whether WWE would actually go all the way with him and make him a world champ down the road. The answer is most likely not, and that applies to Paul as well.

Paul becoming a full-timer for WWE a year ago increased his chances of one day winning a world title, but he simply hasn't shown that he's worthy of wearing the gold. He's good for the occasional spectacle in the ring, but otherwise, he's far better off as a supporting player in the midcard.

WWE ever putting the top title on him would reek of desperation, and while it's not completely out of the realm of possibility, whatever mainstream attention they'd get out of it wouldn't be worth it.

Buy: Trick Williams

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Trick Williams was one of those NXT call-ups whose eventual success was undeniable based on the decorated stint he had down in developmental.

He held the NXT Championship on two occasions as well as the TNA World Championship, so he's no stranger to holding gold. He quickly clinched the United States Championship within months of signing to SmackDown and has had a recurring role on the show ever since.

Williams is fresh off regaining the star-spangled prize from Baron Corbin at Sunday Night's Main Event, so there's no need to rush him into the main event picture, but he does find himself involved in the upcoming men's Money in the Bank Ladder match. Williams walking around with that briefcase in his possession would be a natural sight.

That said, it'd be premature to put him toward the top of the card anytime soon. He remains a work in progress in the ring and needs to further flesh out his character, but with the way he's been used so far, WWE certainly sees him as a world champion-caliber competitor and rightfully so.

Buy: Dominik Mysterio

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Dominik Mysterio's 2025 was nothing short of stellar, but his 2026 has sadly been anything but. He lost his feud to Finn Bálor, dropped the AAA Mega Championship to El Grande Americano, failed to qualify for Money in the Bank and, worst of all, came up short against Danhausen at SummerSlam.

WWE has lost their way with Mysterio for whatever reason, yet he will win a world championship someday, nonetheless.

His evolution both as a character and as an in-ring performer has been spectacular to see over the last six years, and he's still featured fairly frequently on Raw as a member of The Judgment Day. At this point, the group is doing more to hold him back than build him up, so a split from the stable should be imminent.

He's also been a heel for so long that he could benefit big time from a babyface turn when the time comes. However, it'd be more fitting for him to win his first world title as a dastardly heel, ideally through the use of the Money in the Bank briefcase.

On paper, Mysterio as either Undisputed WWE or World Heavyweight champion sounds comical currently, but at only 29-years-old, he still has his whole career ahead of him to make it happen.

Sell: LA Knight

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LA Knight will finally get his crack at the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns at Money in the Bank on Oct. 10, and it's perhaps the best chance he's ever had at winning a world title in WWE.

That makes it all the more frustrating that he isn't leaving with the prestigious prize.

Knight has been ready for a run with the top title since debuting on the main roster four years ago, not to mention he endeared himself to the audience in record time. If WWE saw him as being at the main event level, he would have won a world title by now.

It really is now or never for Knight, who is rapidly approaching 44-years-old and is in jeopardy of being pushed aside in favor of the younger stars. It'd be an incredible occasion if he were to win the big one, and maybe WWE will throw him a bone if only so he can have the distinction of being a former world champ, but any fans automatically expecting it are setting themselves up for disappointment.

By never capturing a world championship, Knight will go down as one of WWE's biggest missed opportunities.

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.