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WITH SETH ROLLINS GONE, WHO IS NEXT FOR WWE?

By Joel C. Croyle on 11/7/2015 11:53 AM
Seth Rollins is arguably the greatest heel WWE has seen since Randy Savage.  Loosing Bryan, Cena, Orton honestly is not the same as loosing the hottest guy in wrestling who also happens to be wearing the belt.  But, that run is over whether we or WWE like it or not.  It is not often that WWE has a true blank slate to work from.  People are weaving in and out of storylines, changing from heel to face and vice versa...but this is an open canvas.  Which begs the question, who should hold the strap?  it seems the rumor mill from backstage is that Roman was going to get the belt, before WM but not at Survivor Series and hold it till the big event.  That's out the window now....or is it?  lets look at those who could be holding the big gold at the end of Survivor Series starting of course with Mr. Reigns.
 
Roman Reigns: Its by far the easiest choice.  He was already knee deep in the title picture and has a lot of steam right now with the fans.  He is a big guy which Vince tends to like, and he can go which all of us do.  But, there was a reason he wasn't going to win the title at SS, nothing of which I know.  But since there was, why change direction?  They had a plan for Roman and Seth, and Roman doesn't need to be excluded from the role just because Seth had to go on a medical leave.  if Roman gets the belt it seems inevitable that he gets lesnar at WM and if the WWE wants to make Roman, the best way is to put him over the beast at the biggest event of the year.  My real question is, is it better for him to hold the belt going in or win in there at the event...which of course leads to:
 
Brock Lesnar:  If they want Brock to really make Roman Reigns, it makes much more sense for Brock to win the title at Survivor Series.  1st off its more believeable.  Brock should be able to win any tournament put in front of him.  He has the gas to win 3--5 matches in a night and is a monster amongst boys.  In fact, better bet is to say to Roman, you'll get your shot, just not now, you'll face whoever is the champ at wrestlemania.  Then we have a built in Roman vs the Authority feud for the next 6 months and they can decide to go either Brock v Roman or Roman v HHH, depending on if Seth is back in time or not.  
 
Daniel Bryan:  No one has said that he is even able to wrestle right now or for that matter ever again.  That said, if he could go, you have an instant pop for him with the crowd.  He has feuds sitting right there with Wyatt, Cena, Ziggler, really anyone.  Brock vs Bryan would be little fights the monster.  They would work really well together for sure.  Even better, what of Bryan wins the title at SS but costs Roman the win and goes Heel.  It could even lead to Bryan v Cena for the title with the Bellas involved.  Lots of oil can sprout from this if they do it right
 
Bray Wyatt:  God knows he deserves it.  He delivers every time.  But he is in a feud with the brothers of destruction and so far though it was badly timed to start it at the end of the last PPV, since them its the best thing they have going into Survivor Series.  Then again, if they Wyatt match was on first and he lost, specifically taking the fall from Kane or Taker, then no one would suspect him to win the tourney.  Can you imagine the promos with the gold over his shoulder?
 
Undertaker:  Were closing in on the end.  Seth is out and Roman, though red hot right now, is never going to be as red hot as Taker.  he gets defeated by brock twice and then somehow ends up with the title.  Leading into Brock winning the royal rumble and then they face for a 4th time, simply because they have too?  No one would bat an eye at them having a fourth match.  All the rest have been incredible.  Taker beats all comers going into Mania, including his brother along the way and then Brock beats him at Mania, AGAIN, and Taker rides off into the darkset.
 
Kane:  Kane has been one of the hardest working wrestler in this business for twenty years plus.  He never has gotten a real big win and never held the title more than days.  He lost to Seth recently but just barely.  Imagine Kane holding the title till Mania where either he gets roman reigns (easy sell), Undertaker (the final bro vs bro showdown) or what I think would be best, Lesner (who Kane beats at WM and the Undertaker goes nuts leading to a final between those two at SUmmerslam and retirement for both).
 
ADR: He comes back and beats Cena, everyone wants to cheer him but he goes heel.  He is another fabulous worker and was one of the most gifted champions they have ever had.  he's a kin to JBL.  Hated but respected.  I think he can do a lot with the US tiltle and for that reason only don't think he needs to be the WWE champ right now.  But it also wouldn't be a bad thing.  He can manager anyone in the ring and put on good matches.  We could see some amazing stuff
 
A "Midcarder":  Really want to throw people into a frenzy?  Have one of the following win: Bully Ray,Kevin Owens, Rusev, Dolph Ziggler, Ryback, or Neville.  All of them could use the boost right now, especially Dolph.  A surprise liek that could get people tuning into WWE again. "Did you see that Neville won the title last night - that came outta no where"  
 
A "Lowcarder":  What if there was someone that HHH absolutely knew could go but hasn't really been given a chance.  If they put the belt on them, they would pay attention.  They could even win the title at SS and then drop it at Raw yet still elevating that person.  Think Braun Strowman, Big E, Cody Rhodes, An Uso, or King Barett
 
An unexpected Veteran:  How about someone we haven't seen a lot of, if at all gets in the tourney.  Sting, Chris Jericho, Show, Henry, Shawn Michaels, HHH, X-Pac, Kevin Nash, Diamond Dallas Page, or even JBL.  That could be really interesting.  Instant interest, instant fan gratification, someone to put Roman over later with a lot of clout and if it is a face even better (they need one right now)
 
NXT:  Lastly, someone shoots straight up the rocket from NXT.  Someone like James Storm or Samoa Joe could be good as they are seen by many as a NXT guy but for some others as someone who knows what to do with the title.  Or maybe someone that doesn't have that large champ background like Tyler Breeze.  But if you are going to choose from NXT it seems that someone who would make sense in the tourney is Finn Balor.  Vince comes out and says "Anyone with any kind of WWE related championship may enter" - music hits and you get Finn.  It would be huge for his career and the fans would dig it.
 
There are lot of ways this could go for the WWE.  It could be surprise, it could be keep the course.  But either way this is the best (while unfortunate) chance that WWE has to turn the corner once again.