WWE: Top 20 Most Likely Wrestlers to Be in World Title Matches Wrestlemania 28

Wrestlemania 28 is still off in the distance but the main event is already set. With John Cena out of the picture, it will be interesting to see who will be in the matches for the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships during his absence.

Although it is not yet possible to predict any certain match-ups, the following are the 20 wrestlers I believe are most likely to be involved in the title picture come Wrestlemania.

Honourable Mentions:

Big Show

Sin Cara

Dolph Ziggler

Skip Sheffield

Kane

Jinder Mahal

Kofi Kingston

20: Alex Riley

He's a long-shot at this point, but I see big things coming for Riley.His face turn has people talking, and crowd's reaction to him is amazing. This will all depend on how his feud with the Miz goes, and whether he can build on his momentum after SumerSlam. Right now, Riley is a wild card.

19: Jack Swagger

Jack Swagger has been through some highs and lows during his time in WWE. People forget he's been a world champion in the past, but they can be easily forgiven, as Swagger's was a very forgettable reign. Swagger has everything a wrestler needs to get to the top, but he's still suffering from his failed time in the main event.

It was evident when Swagger wrestled Cena a few weeks ago on RAW that he could hold his own with the top wrestlers. He has matured a lot in the past year, both in and out of the ring, and perhaps he will re-enter the title picture sooner or later.

18: Christian

Christian would be higher on this list if McMahon's opinion of the man wasn't so widely known. This man should have been in the main event with Del Rio and Edge last year, and we all know how that turned out.

Christian has sufficient talent and experience but never seems to receive the treatment he deserves. He is in the title picture with Orton on Smackdown right now, so we won't know his standing until his feud with Orton is over around SumerSlam. However, if he stays in the main event, he has a good chance of being in a title match come Mania.

17: Rey Mysterio

I see this as being Mysterio's last Wrestlemania, and what better way to send him out than with a title match?—especially since title matches can open the show these days. Mysterio may be getting older, but he puts on a good match and is happy putting over the younger guys like Rhodes or R-Truth recently. Maybe WWE will use Mysterio as an established veteran to put over one of the new talents.

16: Mason Ryan

Batista 2.0 is everything Vince loves in a wrestler and seems to be on the verge of a push already. Ryan looks like Dave Batista, and it looks as though he will be pushed the same way as well. With CM Punk's contract not yet signed, WWE will probably have the New Nexus explode in his face in the coming months, thus sending Punk out on a bad note and shooting Ryan and the other members (except David Otunga, of course) up the card, just like Evolution did for Orton and Batista.

Ryan will probably be in the title hunt before the Royal Rumble, but he has every chance of walking in or out of Mania with a belt around his waist.

15: Batista

At this point, this may just be wishful thinking on my behalf, but if Batista does return, he would be certain to earn a title match at Mania. With rumours floating around the IWC ever since his Strikeforce deal fell, through I can't help but wish Dave would come back to the squared circle. He's not everyone's cup of tea, but no one can argue that his return would bring some much needed spark to WWE.

14: Drew McIntyre

"The Chosen One" has fallen out of favour since his debut as McMahon's hand picked next big thing. If your interested in seeing him in action, then tune in to Superstars to see him wrestle with the likes of Chris Masters. McIntyre has developed a bit of a following in the IWC—myself included—and we would hate to see his talents go to waste.

McIntyre has great potential, and I hope he gets another chance to show this to everyone. I imagine he will stay dormant for awhile longer before erupting some time around Survivor Series.

13: Ezekiel Jackson

Big Zeke has one thing going for him: size. This man is a mountain, and WWE seems fixed on pushing him into the main event. Personally, I don't want to see him anywhere near a title match at Mania, but you can't deny that his chances are improving. Zeke is more likely to be in a title match way before the road to Wrestlemania, especially considering the lack of depth in the roster. Maybe his place at Mania is already written in the Book of Ezekiel.

12: Wade Barrett

I am a big Barrett fan; I'm not going to lie. This man has talent, size and is captivating on the mic. However, the main event did not end well for the Englishman. After the long-awaited disbanding of the CORRE, Barrett will likely return to the mainevent to feud with Orton and show everyone that he belongs there.

I would pick Barrett to win either Money in the Bank or the Royal Rumble, especially if Chris Jericho is the champion going into Wrestlemania. Jericho led Barrett to his victory in NXT and the promos they could cut together would be fantastic. Not to mention that Jericho likes to push the new talent, and that any match Jericho is involved in usually steals the show. A match between the two could elevate Barrett to the pinnacle.

11: R-Truth

R-Truth is currently on the ascent. I am not a big fan of Truth, but I did love his heel turn and where it's taking his character. Truth is shining on a very heel-heavy RAW, and with the expected departure of CM Punk, R-Truth could find himself as a strong upper-mid-card heel for the remainder of the year.

I can not predict where Truth may be come Mania 28, but right now he is riding a wave. Who knows how high it might take him?

10: John Morrison

As we hit the Top 10, John Morrison comes flying into view. Morrison is gifted in the ring and has become a non-stop spotfest for the fans. We love him for it. He may be mute on the mic, but that won't stop a superstar of his calibre.

Morrison could provide us with a feel-good win at Mania over an established heel like Orton, Jericho or Miz. However, should Morrison go into Mania as a No.1 contender, we would need an opponent who can carry both their weights on the mic. I would choose Miz, as the two represent the youth movement and a new generation of WWE superstars, not to mention that the history between the two could make fo a riveting ride into the Grandaddy of them all.

9: Sheamus

The Celtic Warrior is a monster heel who has already shown that he can trade blows with the big boys. His move from RAW to Smackdown in conjunction with his dropping of the "King Sheamus" gimmick has done wonders for his credibility. He now seems to be back on top.

Sheamus, as long as he remains heel, could go into Wrestlemania with the strap and probably lose it to a young babyface. Alternatively, he could return to being an unstoppable force heading into the Royal Rumble, win it, and then go up against someone like Triple H or Undertaker.

8: Triple H

The reality of the situation is that Triple H will be in the main event at Wrestlemania 28 if he feels like it. He may be working behind a desk now, but he retains the ability to lace up his boots to improve ratings if need be.

Triple H is expected to work a rematch with Undertaker next year, and if that comes to fruition, then it may be for a world title, to give them one last hurrah at the top.

7: Cody Rhodes

Rhodes' heel turn has been a fantastic ride and one of the best in recent memory. His shift from Legacy to Dashing Cody Rhodes to freak has seen him shoot up the roster unexpectedly. Also, it has shown his ability to work a variety of characters.

Things can only get better from here for Rhodes, starting at Money in the Bank. I expect him to walk out of the PPV with the brief case, but with Mania on the horizon, don't count Cody out.

6: CM Punk

Despite rumors regarding Punk's possible impending exit from WWE, he remains high on my list, and I'll tell you why. Punk is without any shadow of a doubt the best performer on WWE programing today. He can make any story fascinating, any opponent look good and any promo enthralling.

Can you imagine the Road to Wrestlemania if the WWE Championship match was CM Punk vs Jericho? In fact, Punk with anyone would be good.

Please Punk, do not leave WWE.

5: The Undertaker

Kicking off our Top 5 is one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of WWE and pro wrestling: The Undertaker. The unfortunate reality is that this might very well be Undertaker's last Wrestlemania. This man has defined the event, and if he wants one last championship reign, he will get it.

His opponent is more interesting. Kane would be the best choice storyline-wise; they are 'brothers', not to mention their feud, which has been going on ever since Kane debuted over a decade ago. Triple H puts his name into the hat too, having already alluded to a rematch following their show-stealing encounter at Wrestlemania 27.

Alberto Del Rio has also gone on record saying he wants to be the one to end the streak, and Jericho and Cena have never had a chance either. Cena will get this opportunity if something were to stop his match with The Rock. However, the choices for Taker's last Mania opponent are interesting.

4: The Miz

The Miz is awesome. McMahon has stated that Miz is the future of the company, and Miz loves every second of it. Mike Mizanin lives and breathes WWE; he has given everything to be where he is today and he won't stop until he is at the top. The Miz has his haters (if you haven't already guessed, I am NOT one of them) but the man has passion. He is no Brett Hart in the ring, but he is improving, and he rips the mic like there is no tomorrow.

The Miz has an interesting year in front of him. He is out of the title picture for the moment and he is feuding with former protege Alex Riley, but after SumerSlam, Miz might get lost in the shuffle. No one is sure which direction the Miz will take—a change to Smackdown to get away from a heel-heavy RAW could do him some good, or maybe even a face turn. In any case, if he does come out of this unscathed, Wrestlemania could be where the next face of the WWE is born.

3: Alberto Del Rio

Alberto Del Rio is the future of WWE. Love him or hate him, he just oozes charisma. The age of Del Rio might have been postponed several times now but he will get that title eventually, most likely at this year's SumerSlam against John Cena. The two will feud for several months, but when the dust settles, Del Rio will have joined Orton and Cena as a top star. Some may think that I am getting ahead of myself in saying this, and they're right; he won't be on the same level as those two. But he will be their closest competition still working full-time.

When I see Del Rio, I think of him as a combination of Eddie Guerrero and JBL. He has fantastic in-ring skill and charisma like Eddie, with the mean streak and similar gimick of JBL. This man just makes you love to hate him.

I see him going into Mania as the champ up against someone like Orton, a fresh feud that we haven't seen before with some great matches thrown in.

2: Chris Jericho

Unlike Batista, Jericho is nearly certain to make a return to the WWE this year. Also, unlike Batista, everything Jericho does is fantastic television. Jericho will be coming back with a new gimmick some time in the near future, and not a moment to soon. WWE needs him right now, and when he returns, he will remind us why we missed him.

Jericho is one of the superstars most likely to be in the title scene come Mania simply because of how big a star he is. Chris is the last star working full-time that is on par with Orton and Cena, and with the latter already booked for the main event, Jericho is a near certain to headline a title match.

Jericho can feud with anyone the WWE chooses to put in the ring with him, whether Alberto Del Rio or Ezekiel Jackson.

1: Randy Orton

No. 1 on my list is the "Viper" Randy Orton. Orton is the second-biggest star behind Cena, and with the former "Doctor of Thuganomics" set to face "The People's Champ", Randy will be relied upon to carry the title scene on the show. Orton has also not competed in championship matches at either of the last two Wrestlemania's, and to be fair, he's due for one.

Orton is so over with the crowd right now that it's ridiculous. Many in the IWC have problems with Orton, but we are only a small percentage of the population of the WWE Universe and the majority want more Orton. Orton does put on good matches, as anyone who has seen his bouts with Christian will attest to, and WWE will not have two world title matches at Wrestlemania featuring neither Orton or Cena.

Orton's current popularity does remind me of that of Cena coming off his win at Wrestlemania 21; he was over with the crowd until he got stale, and then fans ripped him to shreds (watch Triple H vs. John Cena Wrestlemania 22). However, this does not change the fact that barring serious injury, Orton will be in a title match at Wrestlemania 28.

Conclusion

WWE has proven over the years that nothing is set in concrete. Injuries and politics may cause stars to rise and fall over short periods of time, so these predictions may be a little presumptuous to be made so far out. But with The Rock set to face John Cena, Wrestlemania 28 could be one of the great Manias in recent memory. Let us hope that the championship matches are better than some the ones we've seen recently.

Please leave comments and share your thoughts.