The injury bug has been spreading around lately. First, the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion was hurt during his match with Jinder Mahal. Now, his reported WrestleMania dance partner, CM Punk, is no longer a candidate to challenge for the prestigious belt at the biggest show in the company’s calendar year. It’s a shame as Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk was the perfect WrestleMania match, but this is show business, so the show must go on.
WWE has a stacked roster filled with former champions and rising superstars who would make a compelling opponent for Seth Rollins. Thankfully, WWE has a little over two months to build a challenger for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Here are the five men who should step up and challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight title at WrestleMania 40.
Gunther
A winner-takes-all match between Gunther and Seth Rollins is perfect for WrestleMania. Gunther’s title reign has done wonders for the Intercontinental title as the WWE star has produced classic after classic throughout his reign. However, it isn’t just that Gunther has been putting on great matches, but the IC champ feels like a genuine star who can believably carry the company forward as their top star.
When Roman Reigns was off the schedule, Gunther had his working boots on and showcased what a true champion is and rightfully deserves to move up the card because there’s not much else for him to do in the mid-card scene. It’s time Gunther is elevated up the card, and since Roman Reigns will be busy with Cody Rhodes, Gunther vs. Seth Rollins would be a suitable replacement as RAW’s main event.
Drew McIntyre
The contract situation with the former WWE Champion may prevent him from getting the top spot at WrestleMania, but Drew McIntyre has done the best work of his career in the last couple of months. A scorned wrestler who is frustrated over his position in the company, Drew McIntyre’s heel turn has done wonders for him as a character and has firmly established why he should be at the top of the card.
If WWE wants to milk the reports of McIntyre not signing a new contract then they could put a loser leaves town stipulation for him. It’ll up the stakes of their championship bout and the result won’t be so obvious since a good portion of the audience knows the behind-the-scene situation with the former WWE Champion.
Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn has been in the WWE for over a decade and the top prize has continuously eluted his grasp. His rivalry with Roman Reigns and The Bloodline was one of the most compelling stories the company has ever written. Him and Kevin Owens getting the big victory over The Usos at WrestleMania 39 was one of the best moments of 2023. Though much hasn’t been done with Sami Zayn as a singles competitor since there’s still an interesting story to tell about the former WWE Tag Team Champion wanting to win his first world heavyweight title. Zayn and Rollins can create magic with their promos because they’re both gifted in that area. Plus, these two are in the upper echelon of wrestlers when it comes to in-ring work. Whether Sami wins or not, the journey could be a captivating one given the history between both men.
Solo Sikoa
It’s time WWE capitalizes on Sikoa’s huge victory over John Cena at Crown Jewel. There’s no telling what the future lies with Roman Reigns beyond WrestleMania, but there’s a great story to tell with the Bloodline trying to get ALL of the major titles in the company. Can you imagine if Solo Sikoa wins the WWE World Heavyweight title and Roman loses his belt? The company can easily build off the shifting dynamic of the Bloodline faction, which has been stale as of late. There needs to be a big change coming out of WrestleMania, and giving Solo Sikoa the run with the belt will freshen up the main event scene in exciting ways.
Bron Breakker
A dark horse pick; however, the former NXT Champion is more than ready for the main roster. Breakker was given a strong showing at the Royal Rumble and his online promo seems to hint that he’s main roster bound. It would be great to have a fresh face in the main event scene and a guy like Breakker will add depth to the top of the card. There’s no telling if Breakker is truly ready to be a main event star; however, he’s excelled in NXT as a babyface and heel, so there’s nothing wrong with strapping a rocket to him and seeing where it goes.
Follow Us
