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The 411 Wrestling Top 5: Top 5 Stars That Will Rise Due To The Draft
The 411 Wrestling Top 5: Hello everyone and welcome to 411 Wrestling’s Top 5 List. We take a topic each week and all the writers here on 411 wrestling will have the ability to participate and give us their Top 5 on said topic. So, onto this week’s topic…
Week 344 – Top 5 Stars That Will Rise Due To The Draft
What five WWE stars will benefit from the brand extension and draft?
LEN ARCHIBALD
5. Eva Marie – Please put the pitchforks down. Yes, I am aware of the absolute venom ALL RED EVERYTHING gets from the fanbase, but it is my job to look at things objectively, without bias. Did you see Eva Marie’s gloriously OTT entrance on Smackdown? She is being built as a major player on the Blue Brand; talent, lack of talent, and whether she actually cares about being in WWE or if she is using the company to springboard into another career does not matter. There is a reason Eva Marie is FAR away from Charlotte and Sasha Banks…She would be eaten alive by a fanbase who is being educated and growing rabid for serious-minded female wrestling. But on Smackdown, Eva Marie can be built up as a heelish contender for their women’s division without being caught in the shadow of two of the major components of the “Four Horsewomen.” A feud between Eva Marie and Becky Lynch screams “insane atmosphere” for fans and money for WWE.
4. American Alpha – The tag champs are on RAW and the division seems thin on Smackdown…all the more reason why Chad Gable and Jason Jordan are poised to dominate when they make their eventual Smackdown debut. The other A-Double act in WWE is arguably the best tag team in the company and their talents are so far above the rest of the tag scene on Smackdown that if a new tag team title is created exclusively for Tuesday nights, there is no way that Gable and Jordan do not end up with healthy, and multiple reigns with those titles. Even if they do not get titles on Smackdown, expect Alpha to rise and quickly become the most over tag team to the point where somehow they will be placed in a high-profile program in the very near future. I try to avoid making bold predictions, but if WWE plays their cards right, Gable and Jordan will represent the future of the company.
3. Zack Ryder – Another strange choice, but again this is rooted in logic. Performers like Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Enzo & Cass are obvious because their talents are enough that it would not matter what brand they ended up on, they would be high-profile names regardless. Zack Ryder is the poster child for the possibilities for what the Brand Extension can provide. Remember, Ryder captured the United States title during the final stages of WWE’s 2 World Champ era. Smackdown is being framed as the show where opportunities will be given to those who were bludgeoned by WWE’s glass ceiling, and who represents crashing into that better than Ryder? Smackdown will provide him another opportunity to grow his fanbase without being beholden to a bloated roster that would be sharing a limited amount of airtime. Between his Hype Bros partnership with Mojo Rawley and the fans’ constant reminders to WWE that Long Island Iced Z is one of their favorite performers, I envision a long-form redemption storyline for Ryder. I do not think it was a coincidence that he and The Miz, the current IC Champ are on the same show. The Miz worked his heelish antics to help get another underdog (the current Smackdown GM) to the next level, and I would not be surprised to see The Miz and Ryder ultimately clash, culminating in Ryder permanently etching his place in the WWE upper mid-card scene and recapturing the title he shockingly won at this past WrestleMania.
2. Dean Ambrose – It’s simple why the leader of the Lunatic Fringe is listed here: Ambrose is currently the sole and Undisputed WWE Champion. Until SummerSlam, my favorite anarchist will be seen as the top dog in WWE. Ambrose’s credibility skyrocketed even before the first shows of the split, defeating both Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins to retain his title and take it to Smackdown. As the #1 guy on the Blue Brand, he is currently seen (in kayfabe) as superior to John Cena, Randy Orton and AJ Styles. On RAW, Ambrose would continue to be linked to Rollins and Reigns and may never be able to pull himself away from the Shield’s past. Now, Ambrose is his own man, free to bring his brand of anarchy without being shackled by his past gimmick. We have seen how popular Ambrose can get even with the shittiest of bookings…I think Ambrose will take the ball he is given and run with it farther than anyone expects him to, culminating in the 3rd straight year where a member of The Shield winds up in the WrestleMania main event and title bout.
1. Finn Balor – I think this is the most obvious choice, IMO. Balor’s arrival to RAW has already produced dividends for his career, finding himself in one of the main events for SummerSlam and competing for the new WWE Universal Title after his first night on the RAW roster. There is no doubt that the RAW brand has major plans for Balor and that WWE is pushing for him to end up as one of their cornerstones for years to come. Is this where I say “no explanation needed”?
Rob Stewart
5. Becky Lynch – WWE never seemed to see much in Becky, especially while Charlotte and Sasha Bank were around. But she is set to be THE figurehead of women’s wrestling on Smackdown. While there is no title for her to win there, there’s really nobody that should be set in stone above her, either. Hell, even Nia Jax is out of her way on the Blue Brand. Becky should absolutely ascend the women’s division of Smackdown and get in line for a cross-promotional title shot by Survivor Series.
4. AJ Styles – Without Rollins and Roman sitting ahead of him and now separated from The Club where he was just becoming a guy in a gang, AJ could make a serious run on s smaller roster. He may–MAY–even be the guy to break the “win one, lose ten” pattern of John Cena matches! It seems unlikely that anyone but AJ will be Ambrose’s next challenger for the world title after SummerSlam, right?
3. Sami Zayn – After the performance Zayn and Kevin Owens put on at Battleground, it seems impossible that he won’t ascend further up the card, right? The guy’s got talent in spades (two Match Of The Year candidates under his belt so far, as well as a great match against Owens, Cesaro, and The Miz for the IC belt on pay-per-view), and he is infectiously fun to root for. A clearer path to the main event could do wonders for him.
2. Dolph Ziggler – I’m just ripping off what’s already happening, but Dolph was nowhere near a main event spot prior to the split. As soon as it happens, he becomes a #1 contender. Ideally Ziggler will get a heel turn out of the split and be able to go full-bore at Ambrose in a more heated feud than it would be otherwise, but at least for the short-term here, his stock IS rising.
1. Finn Balor – The guy is getting a world title shot at the second biggest WWE show of the year. That’s pretty damn beneficial. Now… will this be Finn’s new role, or will he drop down the card assuming he loses to Rollins at SummerSlam? Perhaps he’ll be relegated to the Cruiserweight Division? Boy, it seems hard to imagine, right? Finn has charisma and talent in spades, and the crowds are hot for him. WWE seems like they may be willing to ride that however far it will take them. Wait till the few main roster fans who haven’t experienced it yet see his entrance at SummerSlam; he’ll be set.
Kevin Pantoja
5. Bayley – The NXT callups are easy picks but just because they’re easy, I’m not going to avoid them. Bayley has loads of potential. I’m talking female John Cena potential. Honestly, she would be higher on the list if we were just talking about potential. Instead, we’re talking about rising due to the draft and I don’t think she’s going to become a major star so quickly. Even if she gets drafted, she most likely won’t be the focal point of the division just yet. Sasha Banks and Charlotte will most likely feud until SummerSlam a bit beyond. In 2017, Bayley should be one of the top three women in the division, if not first, but for now, I won’t put her too high.
4. American Alpha – NXT’s tag team division improved by leaps and bounds over the past year or so. The tag matches were usually the worst part of TakeOver specials, but in 2016, they have been the best parts. A major reason is American Alpha. Chad Gable and Jason Jordan have found a chemistry unlike any team in recent memory. Enzo and Cass have it on the microphone for sure, but Gable and Jordan just click in every aspect. They should get drafted and become THE stars of the tag division. New Day should drop the belts at the one year mark at SummerSlam, maybe to Gallows and Anderson. Though Enzo and Cass are ahead of them on the totem pole, American Alpha should be focal points by the end of the year.
3. Finn Balor – This one feels rather obvious and yes, it’s another NXT callup. Finn Balor has long been considered a star in the making. I admit that I’ve cooled on him a bit since his initial debut, but not only does he still have potential, he has a built-in storyline. Finn was the original Bullet Club leader and has history with Gallows and Anderson. He could get called up and square off against his old buddies or he could join them. I’d like to see him join them and then try and push AJ out as the leader. It could lead to babyface AJ and a feud between the two. With the rumors of big plans for Finn, he’s a pretty safe bet for this list.
2. Cesaro – Now that I’m done with the NXT stars, I’ll focus on someone that has been waiting to break out for more than a few years. Each time it seems like Cesaro is heading for something big (Andre the Giant Battle Royal winner, the team with Kidd and his post-Mania return) he falls back into the middle of the pack. With a split, he could get an opportunity. Like Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro could become a champion of a brand if a second World Title is bought back. Even if it isn’t, Cesaro is already very popular and is one of the best in the ring, so his position as a top guy on either brand is almost locked in.
1. AJ Styles – Some may disagree with this pick since AJ Styles is technically already a star. However, the draft could make him an even bigger one. Styles has been given top billing on several WWE live events, has headlined PPVs and has PPV wins over John Cena and Chris Jericho, all within his first six months with the company. Along with Cena, Orton and the former Shield members, AJ is among the top six full time roster members in a lot of eyes. I see him going high and I expect him to go to the same show as Cena to continue their feud. Cena is reportedly going to take a lighter schedule soon and that means that AJ could become more a focal point on that brand. Hell, even if he goes to a separate brand, I fully expect AJ Styles’ star to rise.
List your Top Five for this week’s topic in the comment section using the following format:
5. CHOICE: Explanation
4. CHOICE: Explanation
3. CHOICE: Explanation
2. CHOICE: Explanation
1. CHOICE: Explanation
