Hi folks! I’m here to share with you my first written piece of 2023, and it’s all about which WWE Superstars will undoubtedly find success. Of course, things happen and plans may change, but provided there are no extraordinary circumstances, I am happy to share who I believe will dominate WWE in 2023.
#1. Alexa Bliss
Let this sink in. Alexa Bliss is close to 5 years since holding a single Women’s Championship in WWE. That’s a long time, given that she has never not been one of the company’s most popular female talents. As we know, she moved on to the tag team scene, where she had success with Nikki Cross. After that, she transformed into a new character with Bray Wyatt.
After he was sidelined, her career went on a major downward spiral, and even reverting to her old self changed nothing. Bliss has struggled to find a character that will get her back to the top of the pile, but with Bray Wyatt’s influence, along with Triple H’s patience in long-term storytelling, I strongly believe that she is being built up to be the one to dethrone Bianca Belair.
Yes, Belair is the present and future, but she has enjoyed a crazy amount of success the past two years. It’s about time that WWE brought her down a peg before she can get back to winning ways. On Raw, bringing Alexa Bliss back into the spotlight is what’s best for business. She is over, and we’ve seen the likes of Becky Lynch and Bayley carry things for long enough. A new, ruthless version of Little Miss Bliss will be her most dangerous form yet.
#2. Austin Theory
God, I hate this guy. And that means he is doing his job! I’m still finding many people who don’t understand the premise that heels are not meant to impress. They don’t want your respect, admiration, or adulation. All they care about is pissing you off, no matter how that is achieved. If that means they have to phone in their performances? Go for it. If that means being a hypocritical douchebag? Why not? How about professing themselves as the present and future? Someone has to believe in them.
Austin Theory is everything that Vince McMahon thought he could be, and he has barely scratched the surface of what he can do. I expect him to hold the United States title for most of the year, and in doing so, will bring a lot of success to his name after a rocky start under Triple H’s creative leadership.
#3. Bray Wyatt
When some people define success, they think about championships and win-loss records. I don’t see it that way. To me, some talents thrive off creating moments. What was The Undertaker? Did he hold the WWE Championship for years to get over? Or did he make moments that last a lifetime? Bray Wyatt knows that his success isn’t found by knocking somebody like Roman Reigns off his pedestal. To him, he gets over by being the most talked about act on any show he appears on.
Yes, this current character has taken forever to develop. It feels like we’re in slow motion, as if we’re reading a page of a novel per night. I pray this buildup will be worth it in the long run. I know there are so many impatient people who want WWE to get to the point, and I get that. We live in any age of instant gratification. We wait until a show has ended to binge watch an entire series in a few sittings, instead of watching it each week because there’s no other option. Wyatt has warped us back to a time when you had to be patient and see something through.
And I have faith that it will be worth it in the end. When we look back on 2023, the biggest moments will feature Bray Wyatt. That’s a promise.
#4. Bron Breakker
I included only one NXT Superstar on the list for a reason. With Mandy Rose gone, and the tag team divisions looking questionable, the only certainty is that Bron Breakker wins. I can’t see anybody beating him, and it seems ever more likely that only an injury would take the NXT Championship away.
If WWE moves him up to the main roster this year, I expect him to defeat whoever the mid-card champion is on whichever brand he lands on. A heel is being built up to put him over in the long term, but we won’t know until Breakker lands on Raw or SmackDown. WWE won’t waste much time putting him over.
#5. Charlotte Flair
In 2021, Charlotte Flair stood on top of the SmackDown Women’s Division because WWE did not feel anybody (other than Becky Lynch) else could do the job. 2022 was almost a gap year for Charlotte, as she spent much of it sidelined. This meant that Ronda Rousey sat on top of a division that was extremely poor. I’d go as far to say it was the worst division in 2022 by some way.
The only saving grace was Liv Morgan’s feel-good run. But yeah… that sadly petered out because WWE booked her to tap out in a controversial win over Rousey. Morgan lost the title later and has since shuffled back into the pack. So, with Ronda Rousey being known for working part-time, Charlotte Flair’s return saved WWE because they finally had someone who could carry the division full-time.
Yes, the way they went about it was Vince McMahon-esque. Throwing Flair into a title match so quickly reeked of Vince, and I’m not surprised at how many people hated it. But given the sorrowful state of the SmackDown women’s division, it didn’t shock me at all. WWE finally has someone who can elevate talents like Liv Morgan, Tegan Nox, Emma, Xia Li, Shotzi, and Raquel Rodriguez, by actually putting them over where Rousey wouldn’t. That’s a crucial ingredient for building the next generation of female stars in WWE. Charlotte’s success in 2023 will be measured by how much she gets fans to care about the rest of the talent.
#6. Cody Rhodes
His injury in 2022 hurt his momentum, but it won’t stop him this year. I’m positive that Cody Rhodes will find himself in so many high-profile feuds and matches that it will mark the most successful year of his career so far. Will he become WWE Champion? I’d say it’s unlikely, but getting him into a position where fans could believe he can do that would be massive.
He needs to get over with the WWE Universe to where fans beg management to pull the trigger on the American Nightmare. This could begin as early as the Royal Rumble, if he were to win that match. He’s not in WWE to make up the numbers, because like he said, he has a dream to fulfill. Cody won’t settle for anything less. 2023 will be his first step to greatness.
#7. Dominik Mysterio
Say what? Dominik, seriously? Sadly, yes, he’s growing on me, and it seems to be the case with WWE management. Out of the Judgment Day, it’s painfully obvious that the standouts in 2022 were Rhea Ripley and Dominik for their “Mami” chemistry. WWE has been doing its best to get Dominik over for years now, as he bypassed NXT to work directly with his father Rey Mysterio in a tag team.
Looking to forge his own identity, his betrayal and subsequent joining of the Judgment Day is paying off. And the evolution of his character will continue in 2023 because WWE respects Rey Mysterio so much that they will make it work for his son. I’d say their hard work has only just started giving back. And it’s a double whammy because WWE wants to get Rhea Ripley over too, but I don’t feel like she will dominate the women’s division like she could. All of her efforts will be on getting Dominik over.
#8. Gunther
For those who don’t really know Gunther from his NXT UK days, his identity relies heavily on him being a dominant champion. If he isn’t wrecking superstars while defending a title, there’s little point to him. And sure, he may currently have a threat looming in Braun Strowman, but he’s a smart cookie. He will find a way to win over the stronger opponent. Imperium ensures that when the going gets tough, he can fall back on cheating to prolong his reign.
Most of the time he will retain clean, just to prove how skilled he is. But when times are desperate, Gunther isn’t afraid to use cheap tricks. He’ll gain some heat, but he’ll still hold some level of respect for his ability. He will become the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of the modern era, and when it comes time to put someone over (like Breakker), it will mean so much more. Fans will look back on that moment and appreciate what he did.
#9. Roman Reigns
No, 2023 won’t be the end of the Tribal Chief. The fact is that nobody is ready to take over, and that’s not Roman Reigns’ fault. It’s up to WWE to find somebody who can carry the company on their shoulders, so Reigns no longer needs to bear that responsibility. When you look at who could step up, there are some choices, but they aren’t organically over enough.
It’s up to the fans to decide by sharing their love, not only with their reactions during events, but with their money. If one superstar kills it at the merchandise stalls, management has to take notice. They have to consider them for a title run if business tells them that is the way to go. Until there’s a viable alternative, expect Roman Reigns to dominate this year like he did the last. There will be no splitting up of the titles unless he is seriously injured and can’t defend them. Roman Reigns and The Bloodline rules until proven otherwise. Acknowledge that.
#10. Sami Zayn
However, I believe if anybody could upset Roman Reigns, it would be Sami Zayn. In terms of crowd reaction, he is dangerously close to the level of Daniel Bryan in 2014. Fans love Sami Zayn, and if his rise continues, there could come a time when Zayn gets so big for his boots that he threatens the existence of The Bloodline.
That sounds ridiculous, but WWE can’t brush his popularity under the rug forever. Wrestling has always profiteered from those getting the most out of the fans, and Sami Zayn does that every week. He elevates The Bloodline with every segment. You couldn’t imagine the group without him. That’s how integral he has become. And he won’t have forgotten that he is a WWE Superstar who would love to be champion one day.
There may come a turning point when his dreams come to challenge his newfound loyalty to his adopted family. He might learn that Roman Reigns never truly cared about him, and that he simply used him to keep the rest of The Bloodline motivated. It wouldn’t take much for Sami Zayn to realize that he was never a genuine member of The Bloodline, and then he’d be smart enough to dismantle it from within. In 2023, even if he never gets a title shot against Roman Reigns, the groundwork he laid during 2022 ensures that he will find success. He’s certifiably “ucey”, and that’s for life dawg.
Which WWE Superstars do you believe will dominate 2023? Please let me know in the comments. Happy New Year everyone! And thanks for reading.
Also Read: Pro Wrestling In 2022: Every Major Moment Of The Year
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