WWE 2016 Preview: Top Superstar and Diva Projections

We will remember 2016 as a year of transition for WWE. A swarm of hungry young Superstars waits to take over from the old guard. And this is when they will begin to do just that.

John Cena's injury will leave a key spot open for months. Undertaker will sing his swansong.

It will be Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns and Sasha Banks who grab hold of the proverbial brass ring and make this their year. Fresh faces and rising stars will imprint on WrestleMania and SummerSlam.

From Alberto Del Rio to The Usos, the following is a breakdown of what lies ahead for the biggest names on the roster, be it championships or frustrations.

Alberto Del Rio

2015 Summary

After spending the majority of the year wrestling elsewhere, Alberto Del Rio made a surprise return to WWE in October. With Zeb Colter as his new manager, he immediately won the United States Championship.

That pairing remained awkward until Del Rio split with him in December to instead join The League of Nations.

Del Rio has looked recharged during this latest run, putting on some strong performances in the ring. His battles with Jack Swagger and John Cena, though, weren't real classics.

2016 Projections

Turmoil will mark his time with The League of Nations. In hopes of marketing a Latino babyface, WWE will eventually turn Del Rio, having him reprise a version of his warrior-of-the-people role from a few years ago.

That will lead to a rivalry with Rusev before he moves to the WWE title picture. He'll be among the last men standing at the Royal Rumble and be a prominent figure in the Money in the Bank ladder match.

Expect him to have a banner year in the ring as he faces some of WWE's best emerging talents.

Becky Lynch

2015 Summary

Before getting called up in July, Becky Lynch rose to the No. 1 contender's spot for the NXT Women's Championship. She had her best bout to date, a vicious clash with Sasha Banks, at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable.

WWE brought her to the main roster with Banks and Charlotte. Lynch joined forced with Paige and Charlotte as the short-lived PCB.

As the year closed, her alliance with Charlotte grew shaky. Tension mounted between the two, teasing at a feud.

2016 Projections

Lynch fans will be frustrated in 2016. Other woman are going to nab the majority of the spotlight. Lynch will be underused and underappreciated.

Expect her to Charlotte's launchpad as WWE sets up a Charlotte vs. Banks showdown for WrestleMania. Then the stage will get crowded, especially when Bayley moves up and Nikki Bella returns from injury.

Lynch will manage to get some fan support as a babyface, but not enough to be a bigger part of the plan.

Bray Wyatt

2015 Summary

Bray Wyatt clashed with the warriors on the top tier, but they kept knocking him off. He had two short feuds with Undertaker and failed to get a win either time. Roman Reigns eventually outlasted him, wrapping up their rivalry with a strong showing at Hell in a Cell.

WWE then moved Wyatt and his family into a feud with The Dudley Boyz.

Here The Eater of Worlds actually got to cause some destruction. Wyatt, aided by new follower Braun Strowman, knocked down The Dudley Boyz and some ECW allies to end the year.

2016 Projections

This will be the year WWE starts having Wyatt's proclamations come true. With the quality of opponents he's been given, it's clear the company thinks highly of him. Now comes the time to start booking him that way.

Count on The Wyatt Family wreaking havoc at the Royal Rumble, demolishing The Usos and for Wyatt to win the Money in the Bank ladder match.

He's due his first WrestleMania win too. On a crowded card, he'll get something low priority but will emerge with the victory as he begins to gather momentum.

Brock Lesnar

2015 Summary

Brock Lesnar's aura of invincibility faded some.

Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to steal away Lesnar's world title at WrestleMania. Undertaker stole a win at SummerSlam. And while he eventually felled Undertaker in a bloody match at Hell in a Cell to end their trilogy, WWE booked him as less of a dominant force along the way.

He flourished during his reduced schedule, producing three bouts worthy of Match of the Year discussion.

2016 Projections

The Beast Incarnate will get a rematch with Roman Reigns. They knocked it out of the first park in their first meeting, and WWE will want to tell the story of Reigns conquering the predator he seemed on the verge of besting at WrestleMania last year.

Kevin Owens is his likely opponent at WrestleMania 32 as a way to mix up established and emerging talent. Lesnar will follow that by headlining SummerSlam, something he's done in three of the last four years.

Bet on him winning back the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at some point. He's too compelling a figure not to crown him again.

Cesaro

2015 Summary

Injuries twice derailed Cesaro in 2015.

Tyson Kidd suffered a scary spinal injury, forcing him out of the ring and leaving Cesaro without a partner. The two had won the Tag Team Championships earlier in the year and seemed poised to be the centerpiece of the division.

Cesaro didn't have much in the way of feuds, but he twice tore the house down with John Cena in losing efforts to win the United States Championship.

His popularity surged. He seemed on the verge of moving up the card when a torn rotator cuff took him out of action.

2016 Projections

Cesaro will adjust his gimmick upon his return. Look for a slicker, suit-wearing European badass to stroll the backstage area. He is in need of a change, and throwing back to The Four Horsemen's style would be a good fit.

The Swiss Strongman will win the United States Championship again. WWE won't be ready to promote him beyond that.

Along the way, look for him to help take down The League of Nations.

Charlotte

2015 Summary

After losing the NXT Women's Championship, Charlotte got the call to move to the main roster. She was a key part of what WWE dubbed the "Divas Revolution."

She, Paige and Becky Lynch formed PCB as WWE struggled to find balance with the women's division. 

It wasn't until she started chasing the Divas Championship that the booking improved. With her father, Ric Flair, in her corner, she started pulling more heel-like tactics. The darker her character became, the more comfortable she looked.

2016 Projections

The descent into villainy won't stop with attacking Lynch. With as good a heel as she is showing herself to be, bet on WWE having Charlotte go all in with that role. That means even turning on her father at some point.

A WrestleMania showdown with Sasha Banks looms. It promises to be the most high-profile women's match at the event in a long time. The feud with Banks will allow her to truly take off, with the writers finding their groove during that story.

She'll also be key to Bayley's arrival to the main roster, serving as an adversary who cheats to keep the babyface down.

Dean Ambrose

2015 Summary

Dean Ambrose began the year in the hunt for the Intercontinental Championship and ended it by snatching that title from Kevin Owens' grip.

WWE had him move all over the card. He played Roman Reigns' sidekick for several months, served as a transitional world title challenger for Seth Rollins and briefly feuded with Luke Harper.

As the year closed, he had a title around his waist for the time since losing the U.S. Championship in May of 2014. 

2016 Projections

The Lunatic Fringe will hold onto the IC title well into the summer. Look for him to surpass 300 days as a titleholder. The belt is due a long-reigning champion after so many title changes over the past few years.

His feud with Kevin Owen will be one of the best of the year.

Ambrose will move on to face less impressive competition afterward, though. Big Show and The Social Outcasts will cross paths with him thanks to other options being busy elsewhere. 

Dolph Ziggler

2015 Summary

In feuds against Rusev and Tyler Breeze, Dolph Ziggler didn't gain much of anything.

The Rusev storyline was the cheesiest all year. It forced him to wade through terrible material. The Showoff also paired up with Lana despite their lack of chemistry.

WWE asked him to welcome in Breeze by trading wins with the newcomer. There was little noteworthy to come out of the rivalry.

Overall, Ziggler had to be frustrated with his lack of meaningful opportunities.

2016 Projections

Bet on Ziggler solidifying his role as the launchpad for up-and-comers. Sami Zayn and Finn Balor are poised to move to the main roster. When they do, WWE is likely to have them step over Ziggler en route to where they are going.

The Showoff will be even less of a priority to WWE brass this year. The company has shown it doesn't believe him to a top-tier star.

Eventually, the tag team division awaits as a we-don't-know-what-else-to-do-with-you option.

John Cena

2015 Summary

John Cena fought for pride and country in a feud with Rusev. He overcome The Bulgarian Brute, stripping him of the U.S. title.

Cena then had a career year in terms of ring work. With his near-weekly United States Championship Open Challenges, he took on a whole host of Superstars. Time and again, the result was stellar.

He clashed with Seth Rollins, producing more strong work, albeit with strange booking that weakened the world champ's momentum. Cena then enjoyed a two-month hiatus during which low Raw ratings refreshed one's appreciation of his impact.

2016 Projections

WWE will ask Cena to cap off Roman Reigns' megapush by passing the torch to him.

But that moment will have to wait. Cena announced on Twitter he's undergoing shoulder surgery. That puts him in danger of missing WrestleMania, which would leave a prime spot under the spotlight for the likes of Kevin Owens and others to grab. 

When he comes back, look for him to move down the card some after facing Reigns. Personal feuds await rather than ones involving a title. 

And there's a good chance he takes more time off as more offers from Hollywood roll in. This should be a transitional year for Cena as he looks to set himself up for life after WWE.

Kevin Owens

2015 Summary

Early on, Kevin Owens held tight to the NXT Championship, playing the developmental brand's alpha male predator.

He then arrived on the main roster and made a major statement by knocking off John Cena. When Finn Balor dethroned him, he left NXT behind and showed himself to one of WWE's best heels.

A win over Ryback earned him the Intercontinental Championship, a title he held for two months. He made it to the semi-finals of the WWE title tournament at Survivor Series.

2016 Projections

This will be the year of Owens. He rose rapidly last year, and that will continue in 2016. 

Owens will face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, be in the final four of the Royal Rumble and a contender for the Money in the Bank briefcase. Expect him to make a major impact at Survivor Series too. From Randy Orton to Roman Reigns, that's where WWE often has rising stars make noise before moving on to headlining the marquee events.

Thanks to his elite storytelling skills and the high-profile opportunities ahead, Owens will challenge for Match of the Year honors.

Lucha Dragons

2015 Summary

The Lucha Dragons transported their act from NXT to the main roster in March.

Kalisto and Sin Cara didn't have clear rivals early on. Instead, they floated around from opponent to opponent before eventually sliding up to the tag title scene. The duo had several chances at New Day's championships, but they perpetually played the runner-ups. 

Kalisto's Salida del Sol off the top of a ladder at TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs was arguably the most jaw-dropping spot of the year.

2016 Projections

The masked babyfaces will be tag team champs by the end of the year.

The New Day can't stay as hot as they are forever. And WWE will eventually want to see whether The Lucha Dragons can be merchandise-selling heroes to the people. They will get at least one title reign as a result.

Inconsistent booking will hurt their momentum after their reign, though. The Wyatt Family and The League of Nations would make ideal foes, but they are likely to be busy with other stories.

Expect WWE to also throw Kalisto into the Money in the Bank ladder match to try and get another eye-catching moment out of him.

Neville

2015 Summary

After moving to the main roster after WrestleMania, Neville's story was all about near-victories.

He made to the finals of the King of the Ring tournament. He had his hands on the Money in the Bank briefcase. He had John Cena dead to rights during their U.S. title match.

WWE wasn't sure with whom to pair him, so it had him engage in off-and-on feuds with both Stardust and Wade Barrett. Even as underused as he ended up being, he won the Slammy for Breakout Star of the Year.

2016 Projections

Neville will win his first title in 2016. WWE will recognize Neville's potential, but only to a point. He's still too unconventional and small to be a marquee guy in the company's eyes. But WWE will still tell a story of him knocking off Goliaths en route to capturing midcard gold.

The United States Championship will be his by the end of the year.

Expect standout matches against Alberto Del Rio and Tyler Breeze along the way. WWE will struggle to book him as champ, however, as it won't be sure which Superstar to pit him against once the climbing-the-mountain tale is over.

New Day

2015 Summary

The New Day took a gimmick that seemed destined to fail and turned it into WWE's hottest act. Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E's purposefully grating shtick made them the best part of Raw on many occasions.

The group twice won the tag titles. They were the clear stars of the tag team division, stepping it up both in the ring and with microphones (or a trombone) in hand.

2016 Projections

The champs will lose the titles as WWE looks to see whether The Lucha Dragons can be top-notch stars. And as good as the trio has been, the act won't be nearly as fun by year's end. Count on them jumping the shark a few times and things getting too ridiculous.

The New Day will hang around the title picture, though. There aren't enough quality replacements as the division's top heels to have New Day go away.

WWE will tease a future breakup of the group. Big E has shown himself to be quite the commodity after unleashing his personality in recent months. He'll be the one pegged to break free and rise, but not until late in the year or early in 2017.

There is still plenty of silliness left to execute as a team.

Nikki Bella

2015 Summary

By holding onto the Divas Championship until Night of Champions, Nikki Bella became the longest-reigning champ in the title's history. 

She was the star of the division for much of the year. Early on, she was the victim of WWE all but ignoring the women's division. After fan outcry to see more opportunities, she became a more prominent figure, fighting off the newcomers from NXT.

Eventually, she gave way to Charlotte as both champion and top Diva. Without Nikki around, Brie Bella and Alicia Fox struggled to remain relevant.

She ended 2015 dealing with injuries, watching the product from home.

2016 Projections

If neck surgery is required to fix her health issues, her year won't start until several months from now. When she returns, though, she will step right back into a prominent spot in the division.

That will lead to her having a memorable rivalry with a babyface Sasha Banks and eventually clashing with Bayley once she's made the move from NXT.

With improved competition and steady progress over the years, bet on Nikki having at least one match that makes WWE.com's annual "best 25 matches of the year" list.

Paige

2015 Summary

When Nikki Bella reigned supreme, it was Paige who first posed the biggest challenge. She feuded with the champ for much of the year.

Later, when PCB formed and Charlotte took the Divas title from Nikki, Paige stepped up as No. 1 contender again.

The buzz was often about Nikki's record and the NXT alums making their way to the main roster, but Paige was a steady, sometimes underappreciated performer all year. Her dressing down of Charlotte after Night of Champions was one of the best promos the women's division produced in 2015.

2016 Projections

If Paige fans thought she didn't get enough love in 2015, they aren't going to like what's ahead for her. She is poised to get lost in the shuffle.

The women's division is sure to be quite crowded with Nikki returning, Charlotte continuing to grow, Sasha Banks set for a breakout year and Bayley likely to come up from NXT. 

That will have WWE unsure of what to do with Paige in the meantime. She'll get used as a crossover star on NXT at times to help bolster the women's division there. An NXT women' title match with Asuka looms on the horizon.

Randy Orton

2015 Summary

Randy Orton was one of Seth Rollins' early adversaries in the year, a means to help launch him to the top tier. The Viper tangled with The Authority and hung around the title picture.

His biggest moments came when he RKO'd Rollins at WrestleMania and fought off The Authority alongside Sting.

It wasn't a momentous year for him, though. He had fewer standout bouts than normal and fell down the card some, battling Sheamus in borderline meaningless contests at SummerSlam and Battleground.

Injuries eventually ended an underwhelming 12 months by his standards.

2016 Projections

Don't expect a whole lot from The Viper in 2016.

Injuries threaten to have him miss the majority of the year, and when he returns, he will find WWE's upper echelon to be rather crowded. Roman Reigns, Rollins, Cena and Kevin Owens will occupy top spots.

Orton will be more of an upper midcard guy, moving on to pursuing the Intercontinental Championship rather than the world title.

There's a good chance he'll revert back to heel status. Orton has flip-flopped roles quite a lot of late, and he is just so compelling as a villain WWE will be tempted to have him switch again.

Roman Reigns

2015 Summary

A whirlwind of a year saw Roman Reigns go from getting booed at the Royal Rumble to winning over the fans and raising the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the air to roars from the crowd.

He continually stepped with every opportunity WWE handed him. He delivered home-run matches at WrestleMania, Extreme Rules, Hell in a Cell and on Raw.

The company often fed him corny lines, but he showed improvement as a talker too.

2016 Projections

WWE clearly believes in Reigns like it does no other up-and-comer. The company will push him to the moon as a result.

Expect him to take on the biggest names around: Triple H, John Cena and Brock Lesnar. He will main event his second straight WrestleMania. And even when's not champ, he'll command a high position on the card at each pay-per-view.

Along the way, expect him to grow even more as a performer. The Big Dog is just getting started in making his impact on WWE.

Seth Rollins

2015 Summary

In many ways, 2015 was the year of Seth Rollins. From his stunning Money in the Bank cash in at WrestleMania to being the central focus of Raw for months, Rollins flourished as the company's new top heel.

He was The Authority's head man, the world champion and produced great work in the ring. WWE had him take on a strange collection of foes that included Kane, Sting, Jon Stewart and John Cena. He nailed it all.

Tearing his ACL and MCL ended his title run prematurely and took him out of the WrestleMania 32 discussions.

2016 Projections

Look for Rollins to turn babyface when he heals up.

His popularity grew as he stood under the spotlight last year. He showed glimpses of how excellent he would be as one of WWE's top fan favorites.

That will be just part of a major adjustment to his gimmick. With a wealth of time to sit around and dream up the next stage of his evolution, count on Rollins to redesign himself, as he promised fans he would at the Slammy Awards in December.

A feud with Triple H is inevitable given their history. And Rollins should get involved with Sheamus; The Architect will get the best work out of him we've seen in years.

Rusev

2015 Summary

Rusev appeared to to be on the cusp of the top tier but soon plummeted to a borderline comedy role.

He feuded with John Cena in a classic foreigner-versus-patriot narrative. That led to his WrestleMania debut and ultimately losing both the United States Championship and Lana as his love interest/manager.

An odd, sometimes embarrassing story unfolded featuring Dolph Ziggler, Lana, Summer Rae and The Bulgarian Brute. WWE paired him back with Lana afterward, although now he is in The League of Nations, The Ravishing Russian has fallen into the background.

2016 Projections

Lana will come into play more, helping Rusev overtake Sheamus as the leader of The League of Nations. Treated like a monster once more, he will impress with his intensity and aggression.

That will have him rise to the WWE title picture, challenging Roman Reigns and headlining at least one pay-per-view.

Look for him to have a breakout year thanks to not being shackled by a hackneyed love story and facing some high-quality opponents moving forward.

Ryback

2015 Summary

After some running in place on the midcard, Ryback won the Intercontinental Championship in May and looked to be on the rise.

However, a staph infection slowed his momentum. And so did having to face The Miz and Big Show as champ. He didn't hold onto the title long, handing it over to Kevin Owens.

He had a brief feud with Bray Wyatt, a semi-rivalry with Rusev and has mostly been used to put others over.

2016 Projections

Ryback will turn heel this year. WWE will run out of things to do with his character and likely give up on trying to push him as a top powerhouse babyface. 

Turning heel isn't the answer to The Big Guy's issues, but he's in need of a spark of some kind.

He'll get one big moment out of the heel-turn narrative. Then it'll eventually be back to where he started. Ryback hasn't been able to make the climb out of the midcard for long. Expect him to stay right there, attitude change and all.

Sasha Banks

2015 Summary

No one's journey this year more typified the divide between how WWE handles its and NXT's women's divisions than Sasha Banks.

In NXT, Banks was a centerpiece of a pair of history-making classics. She won the NXT Women's Championship, fending off Charlotte and Becky Lynch, before falling to Bayley in two masterpieces.

On the main roster, she was part of the sputtering Divas Revolution. WWE placed her in Team B.A.D., a group in which she has emerged as the leader, but the promotion has too rarely put her in the ring when it mattered.

Still, her popularity surged. That will be key to 2016 being her breakout year.

2016 Projections

Count on Banks to win the Divas Championship before the year is done. She's too good of a performer and too hot an act not to nab the title.

A WrestleMania match with Charlotte is the marquee bout WWE will build toward.

Beyond that, she will eventually turn face to take advantage of her personality. And as one half of a prominent feud, she will headline a pay-per-view against the likes of Nikki Bella or Charlotte.

Sheamus

2015 Summary

After floundering as a babyface in recent years, Sheamus returned in March with a new look and a new attitude. He was a gladiator who hated underdogs, a heel with a Mohawk.

The gimmick shift didn't fully pay off until the second half of the year. He won the Money in the Bank briefcase, cosied up with The Authority and won the world title at Survivor Series.

The audience seemed mostly disinterested in his title reign, though.

Before 2015 closed, he formed The League of Nations. He led that foursome against Roman Reigns and his allies, filling a void of heels at the top of the card.

2016 Projections

The Celtic Warrior is set to fade from the forefront. WWE won't want to have him near the world title after his recent lackluster reign. And Reigns is sure to move onto bigger foes, from Triple H to John Cena.

Rusev will eventually take over as the lead man in The League of Nations. Sheamus has had his turns on top, and WWE will be curious as to what The Bulgarian Brute can do in the same spot.

That will leave Sheamus to battle in a many a tag match with Wade Barrett and Alberto Del Rio. 

And with Finn Balor poised to move to the main roster soon, there is a tempting storyline involving him and The League of Nations too juicy for WWE to pass up. Expect Sheamus to try and recruit his fellow Irishman but be rejected and clash with the NXT champ in one of his first feuds on the main roster.

Stardust

2015 Summary

It was a stop-start year for Stardust.

A feud with Goldust was over long before the brothers had fully explored the potential of that narrative. He looked to be heading for battles with Cesaro and Titus O'Neil, but nothing really came of either situation.

His 2015 highlight was transforming a Twitter spat with actor Stephen Amell into a memorable showdown at SummerSlam. Stardust and Neville got a solid amount of spotlight for a while thanks to the buildup to that bout.

WWE didn't use him much thereafter, even after the heel formed The Cosmic Wasteland with The Ascension.

2016 Projections

Look for him to ditch the Stardust gimmick and become Cody Rhodes once again.

Throughout the years, Rhodes has constantly evolved, going from Dashing Cody Rhodes to the masked heel who handed out paper bags for the audience to wear. He has always managed to stay fresh by adapting. He will do so once more this year.

Stardust is not a character WWE has done much with anyway. 

He needs a change. A spark. As a new version of himself, he will get hot toward the end of the year, setting himself up for a major 2017.

Undertaker

2015 Summary

The Deadman emerged from the darkness far more often than normal. In addition to his annual WrestleMania match (this time against Bray Wyatt), he worked SummerSlam, Hell in a Cell and Survivor Series.

The Brothers of Destruction reunited to take on The Wyatt Family at the latter. Undertaker and Brock Lesnar feuded, ending their trilogy in a bloody, savage Hell in a Cell match.

He looked miles better physically than he had the year before. His performance level belied his age.

WWE celebrated his legacy, making full use of Undertaker's star power along the way.

2016 Projections

Undertaker will hang up his black boots this year.

He turns 51 years old before WrestleMania 32 hits, and with WWE seemingly offering him a farewell tour in 2015, expect him to have his final match. He has one more marquee WrestleMania showdown left in him and could ride off into the sunset after a retirement bout at the event where he first debuted, Survivor Series.

And with this year's Hall of Fame being held in his home state, Undertaker is poised to become the first active WWE Hall of Famer, getting the nod before he officially calls it quits.

Usos

2015 Summary

An injury grounded The Usos for much of the year.

After WrestleMania, Jey Uso spent months on the bench, nursing a shoulder injury. WWE rarely had Jimmy Uso compete without him, instead assigning him to commentary duty on Main Event and SmackDown.

Jimmy did fine in that role, but not well enough he set himself up for a future in the announcer's chair.

When Jey returned, The Usos leaped back into the tag team title scene. They have since battled The New Day, The Lucha Dragons and The Wyatt Family, as well as played Roman Reigns' backup at times.

2016 Projections

The Usos will have to step aside to make way for another pair of high-flying babyfaces. WWE has shown an affection for The Lucha Dragons in recent months, trying to make them hot commodities. That likely means a step down for The Usos as Kalisto and Sin Cara hold onto the tag titles after New Day.

Meanwhile, look for The Wyatt Family to stomp on the brothers as WWE looks to make them appear stronger and more destructive.

If The New Day end up turning up babyface, count on The Usos moving down a few more rungs. There aren't enough heel teams to keep all these squads occupied.