WWE 2017 Preview: Must-Book Rivalries, Biggest Challenges, Predictions and More

In the world of WWE in 2017, promise will become reality, and potential will be realized.

This will be Baron Corbin's time, as The Lone Wolf will rise to SmackDown's top tier. WWE's cruiserweights will be among the company's hottest commodities after a disappointing start in 2016. Tye Dillinger will finally earn a spot on WWE proper, showing a new group of fans what a Perfect 10 looks like.

Not everything in the squared circle will represent the company's move into the New Era. Reliance on acts from the past like Goldberg won't simply stop.

But finding a place on the stage for both the established names and those still climbing the mountain has to be on WWE's to-do list.

Once again, booking will be a balancing act. WWE must build on the women's division's historic year, better explore characters like Finn Balor and John Cena and assure that several fresh faces end the year as bigger names.

Read on for a look at all those challenges and what's ahead for WWE in 2017.

Rivalries WWE Has to Deliver in 2017

Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens

We have seen cracks in this marriage for a long time. And each time these best friends inch toward implosion, there is an electricity in the air.

Great allies often make great enemies in wrestling. That will be true in a big way with Owens and Jericho. Their chemistry as partners hints at how stellar their rivalry could be.

Plus, Owens and Jericho trading verbal barbs would be must-see TV. 

Jericho will eventually go off to tour with his band, Fozzy, again. Before that, WWE has to have him collide with KO.

The New Day vs. Enzo Amore and Big Cass

The New Day needs a new storyline and challenge after surpassing Demolition's record as WWE's longest-reigning tag team champions last year. The trio needs a set of rivals who can bring out its best and who can hang with the former titleholders in a verbal throwdown.

Insert Enzo Amore and Big Cass.

Babyface vs. babyface feuds aren't the norm, but there is too much entertainment potential to pass this up. The New Day's absurd antics would match perfectly opposite Amore and Cass' exuberance.

The promo battles between them would be off-the-wall, compelling segments.

The two teams could clash over the right to climb the tag team ladder, helping to further establish The Realest Guys in the Room in the process. The thinness of Raw's tag division gives WWE minimal options anyway.

The New Day vs. Amore and Cass would be light-years ahead of anything the company could do with The Shining Stars, The Golden Truth or the booked-into-the-ground duo of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson.

Alexa Bliss vs. Mickie James

SmackDown's fast-rising talent will soon have a career-changing foe. 

Alexa Bliss was stellar for the blue brand in 2016, capturing the women's title and becoming one of the show's most intriguing heels. The newcomer has flourished against Becky Lynch, but once that tale is over, she will need a new worthy foil.

Luckily, WWE reportedly re-signed a former women's champ. Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com wrote in December that WWE has brought back Mickie James on a full-time basis. He said, "Currently, the plan is for James to appear on the SmackDown brand, likely debuting in January 2017."

There's a great past vs. present matchup to explore there. James would help Bliss continue her ascent, giving SmackDown more buzz in the process. 

The Revival vs. Sheamus and Cesaro

Hard-hitting hosses vs. hard-hitting hosses. Former NXT champs vs. the Raw tag team titleholders. This showdown is a no-brainer.

The Revival spent much of 2016 tearing down the house against the likes of American Alpha and DIY. The team made it clear it belongs on the main roster, where it can bring its smashmouth style to a bigger audience. 

Sheamus and Cesaro, meanwhile, have looked good as the reluctant pairing that managed to dethrone The New Day. They will need a fresh challenge moving forward, and Raw's tag division doesn't have ample options.

Bringing up The Revival from NXT will result in a series of matches that would electrify the tag team scene. WWE needs to get the ice packs prepped and let these four warriors go at it.

AJ Styles vs. Undertaker

In 2016, AJ Styles stormed into WWE and became one of its top stars. He opens 2017 with a truckload of momentum.

Following that up with a meeting with The Deadman makes perfect sense.

Styles has been out to prove himself, first by knocking off John Cena and then by seizing the WWE Championship. WWE can continue that story by having The Phenomenal One test himself against one of the all-time greats.

Undertaker could look to end the braggart's reign to reclaim his SmackDown throne. 

There would be a classic young lion vs. alpha male dynamic at play. And this is one of the few never-before-seen big matches WWE has at its disposal. 

Superstars Poised for Breakout Years

Raw 

• Braun Strowman
• Emmalina
• Jack Gallagher
• Sami Zayn

SmackDown 

• American Alpha
• Baron Corbin
• Naomi

NXT

• Aliyah
• Andrade "Cien" Almas
• Tye Dillinger

Braun Strowman was one of 2016's most improved wrestlers, as he mastered the art of being a monster heel. He closed the year as an intriguing figure on Raw, and that will only increase in the months ahead.

Emmalina will finally enter a stacked women's division after her gimmick is repacked, and she will thrive opposite the likes of Sasha Banks and Bayley.

Jack Gallagher's charm and unique character will make him one of the biggest hits of the cruiserweight division.

Sami Zayn showed himself to be a headline act in 2016. WWE will reward him more high-profile opportunities as a result. Expect him to cash in on each one.

American Alpha hasn't hit its highest gear yet. With the SmackDown tag team titles in hand, the duo will produce a number of electric matches in entertaining feuds against The Wyatt Family and The Usos.

Baron Corbin is a skilled heel and an improving in-ring performer poised for big things. He will be a key part of SmackDown in 2016.

Injury and inactivity hurt Naomi last year. She's bound to improve on 2016, showing off her athleticism on SmackDown, which has done a better job of balancing out its women's division than Raw.

The NXT women's division is filled with a number of unfinished products, including Aliyah. Her presence and energy will allow her to stand out and push past women like Peyton Royce and Billie Kay.

Andrade "Cien" Almas finally found his groove at the close of 2016. He will set NXT ablaze as a snarling heel with spring in his legs.

Whether among NXT's top tier or on the main roster, Dillinger is bound to make waves in 2017. He has connected with the fans in a big way, and his recent string of standout matches proved he's ready to be a larger part of the WWE puzzle.

Smart Storylines to Explore

Dolph Ziggler's Rebirth

The story has remained the same with The Showoff of late. Dolph Ziggler pours his heart out before the biggest match of his career and gets close to victory before falling.

Rather than repeat the same narrative moving forward, WWE would be wise to build on what effect these failures have on him.

It has already taken a big step in that direction early in 2017. On the first SmackDown of the year, Ziggler erupted after a loss and attacked both Kalisto and Apollo Crews. More of this, please.

Having Ziggler go into a psychological tailspin, morphing into a new man in the process, has plenty of potential. WWE has to be creative with this. It must let us see The Showoff training for a comeback, seeking counsel from past stars or heading to NXT to recharge himself.

Raw-SmackDown Trades

The brands teased big moves several times last year. The Miz seemed on the verge of leaving SmackDown. Sami Zayn demanded Raw move him to the blue brand.

Nothing ever came of any of it.

At some point in 2017, WWE should pull the trigger on one of these deals. Kalisto heading to Raw to join the cruiserweight division would be an excellent change. A struggling star like Curtis Axel could use the boost of being on a new stage.

Plus, there's drama to tap into leading up to these trades. A heel could become erratic and uncontrollable, forcing the general manager to cut ties with them. The GM could tell a struggling wrestler that, if they don't start winning bouts, they will have to shop them to the rival show.

The avenues are endless. The trade element of the brand split has to be explored.

Dana Brooke Breaking Away from Charlotte Flair

A protege and loyal crony, Dana Brooke has suffered all manner of abuse from the Raw women's champ. Charlotte Flair has berated Brooke and pushed her around.

The story looked to be charging toward an explosive ending, but WWE moved Brooke to the background.

Returning to and diving into this narrative would be smart. Flair's villainous ways could be displayed as she steps all over her sidekick. 

It would also help to diversify the Raw women's scene. WWE leaned hard on Flair vs. Sasha Banks while everyone else remained in stasis.

From Virgil's revenge against Ted DiBiase to Ricardo Rodriguez fighting back against Alberto Del Rio, this is a dynamic that has worked in the past. Brooke may not end up being a major player in the division, but she could at least be part of a fiery tale with Flair.

Finn Balor's Fractured Mind

Before going down with an injury last summer, Finn Balor injected freshness into the product as soon as he arrived from NXT. To build on that and help him regain his momentum when he returns, WWE has to maximize his character.

There should be more of a separation between Balor's two sides—his normal self and his Demon alter ego.

The split personality diverging more, with his story consequently becoming more strange, has great potential. This is a chance for WWE to dive into the supernatural and make Balor a unique, memorable part of its circus from the get-go. The company went a similar route with Mick Foley when he was sometimes Dude Love and sometimes Cactus Jack.

The Demon needs to be more than simply Balor in body paint.

John Cena's Evolution

On John Cena's last WWE appearance of 2016 (video above), he showed a flash of where his character could travel.

The 15-time world champ dismissed the idea of the New Era taking over. He was indignant and entitled. WWE has to keep pushing Cena in that direction.

The powerhouse refusing to let a new generation take his spot atop the company, growing desperate and dangerous in the process, is a smash hit in the making.

Cena is due for a tweak in his character, too. He's played the same gung-ho, straight-laced good guy for years. He doesn't need to turn heel, but the audience would respond to seeing an altered version of Cena.

Biggest Challenges Facing WWE in 2017

Balancing Celebrating the Past and Building the Future

Goldberg and Brock Lesnar (combined age: 89) are the top two advertised talents for the Royal Rumble. The 51-year-old Undertaker is sure to be a major part of WrestleMania. Triple H, Big Show and other wrestlers from the Attitude Era who are still around will get their cuts of the spotlight, too.

WWE would be foolish not to harness these warriors' star power, but it has to be wary of focusing too much on the established rather than the emerging.

The company must build new top stars. It has to find ways to maximize the likes of Finn Balor and Sami Zayn and help guys like Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose reach the same level of some of these past greats.

Goldberg's return brings buzz to the product, but it's a short-term fix. WWE has to be careful not to overshadow the present in the name of nostalgia.

Maximizing a Crowded Calendar

More content at no extra cost per month seems like a great thing at first glance, but WWE risked fan fatigue with its event schedule last year.

From September to December, WWE produced seven PPVs and a TakeOver special. There was often only a sliver of time between shows, forcing the company to rush narratives and go into the homestretch of a PPV build too early.

It's hard to make these events feel special when they happen right after another.

WWE isn't ever going back to the Big Four model. And it's not likely to trim the schedule down much at all.

Instead, the calendar forces WWE Creative into a position to produce quality work in a tight window. It puts pressure on the Superstars to hit home runs each time out. Making memories is harder to do in such a noisy, overflowing environment.

But that's what WWE is charged with doing, thanks to the way things are.

Fleshing Out Cruiserweight Division

The Cruiserweight Classic tournament thrilled. The return of the cruiserweight division underwhelmed.

TJ Perkins' struggles as champion, poor booking and an odd approach to celebrating the high-flyers led to a disappointing stretch for the cruiserweights.

WWE has some key pieces in place to reverse that, though. In 205 Live, the cruiserweights have their own show. Neville joining the division gave it an immediate boost.

Moving forward, WWE has to build on that. It must better introduce the faces of the division. Too often, it felt like faceless athletes were trading blows in zero-stakes matches.

Showcasing Akira Tozawa, being creative with Jack Gallagher's booking, keeping Neville in the spotlight and developing characters overall will see the cruiserweights take big strides forward.

Continuing Women's Division Momentum

2016 was the year of firsts for the women's division. Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair made history by headlining a PPV and battling in the first women's Hell in a Cell and Falls Count Anywhere bouts. 

To follow up on that, WWE can't simply find new match types for its female talent. There is only so much novelty left to tap into.

But women's wrestling is healthier than it ever has been in the promotion. Both Raw and SmackDown have excellent female wrestlers on hand. 

The company will have to take advantage of that with strong storytelling and by continuing to give women high-profile opportunities. Beyond that, WWE must move away from trite narratives when it comes to utilizing this part of the roster.

Bayley and Alicia Fox fighting over jealousy inspired by a teddy bear is the kind of thing that has to die in 2017. Women need to fight for the same reasons the men do: pride, glory, championships, legacy and vengeance.

The women's division didn't peak in 2016; it was just getting warmed up.

Predictions for 2017

• Tye Dillinger will get called up to the main roster; Samoa Joe won't.
• Braun Strowman, Sami Zayn and Baron Corbin will all win championships.
• WWE will continue to undervalue and underutilize Breezango, Luke Harper and Rusev.
• Big Show and Kane will say farewell.
• Jack Swagger will be among those released during WWE's annual talent purge.
• Seth Rollins will have a bounce-back year. 
• 205 Live will develop into one of WWE's better shows.

The Samoan Submission Machine should be on Raw or SmackDown, taking down the likes of Kevin Owens or AJ Styles, but WWE continues to use Samoa Joe as a draw for NXT. That will remain the case in 2017.

We won't see the flood of talent from the developmental brand to the main roster that we saw last year during the draft. Instead, WWE will look to focus on making the most of the talent it called up in 2016. That will leave Joe a staple of Full Sail University.

Braun Strowman, Sami Zayn and Baron Corbin are all in position to have huge years. Each man has momentum to build on heading into 2017.

Unfortunately for fans of Breezango, Luke Harper and Rusev, the same won't be true for those stars. WWE has shown little interest in doing much with them. And it's hard to imagine officials waking up one morning and realizing they have a star in Harper or an important midcard duo in Breezango.

Big Show's last hurrah is likely to be his expected WrestleMania showdown with Shaquille O'Neal. Although the giant is in the best shape of his life, at 44 and with all the miles he has on his tires, he's not likely to stick around.

The same goes for the 49-year-old Kane and the little-used Jack Swagger. 

A feud with Triple H and being further removed from knee surgery will be Seth Rollins' keys to a killer 2017. He never quite become his usual top-tier self after returning from injury in 2016. But he's too talented to have two disappointing years in a row.

Like Rollins, the cruiserweight division will pick up a good supply of momentum. WWE took several months to do so but finally started to figure out how to present the 205-pounds-and-under wrestlers.

Jack Gallagher's anachronistic style, Akira Tozawa's arrival, Neville's renaissance and Tony Nese's emergence will make 205 Live a hot commodity.