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Each year, WWE has a handful of Superstars that define it. They're at the epicentre of the most memorable feuds, matches, and moments (for good or ill). 2017 was the year of Alexa Bliss, around whom the entire women's division orbited.
It was a golden age of tag team wrestling, where The Usos, The New Day, The Shield, and The Bar put on main event calibre matches night after night.
It was the year of Braun Strowman, who was at the epicentre of the most viewed and memorable moments in the company. Who could forget his ambulance flip or the way he obliterated Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam? It was also the year of Jinder Mahal, the unlikeliest WWE Champion of the modern era.
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Will these names remain as prominent as they were and do similar things in the coming year, or will 2018 spotlight a whole different cast of characters? Many Superstars have the potential to define 2018, but these 10 are certainties.
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#1 AJ Styles
The most reliable Superstar in the company, AJ Styles will again find himself at the epicentre of the most prominent programs on SmackDown.
He'll be the WWE Champion on the Road to WrestleMania, and though he may wind up losing the title in New Orleans, he'll never be far from the main event. He'll certainly be a prominent figure among next year's match of the year candidates.
AJ Styles is the franchise player of SmackDown and that won't change in 2018. It might just be the year his long career peaks, especially if we wind up seeing the coveted showdown with Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania.
#2 Adam Cole and the Undisputed Era
NXT ends 2017 in a curious place. The roster is strong, but there's a wrinkle. It's champion, Andrade "Cien" Almas, isn't the top heel. That spot belongs to Adam Cole, who has wrecked havoc alongside his Undisputed Era stablemates since their arrival in Brooklyn on August 19th.
After winning the first War Games match in nearly 20 years at the last TakeOver, 2017 ends with Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish as the new NXT Tag Team Champions. The question now isn't if, but when Adam Cole joins them in wearing championship gold by capturing NXT's top title.
That will likely happen at TakeOver: New Orleans, the night before WrestleMania. However, it happens, the Undisputed Era will rule the roost on NXT for the lion's share of the year.
#3 Aleister Black
The Undisputed Era will become the dominant force in NXT in 2018, but a challenger awaits from the shadows, bent on their destruction. In fact, the story arc has already begun, when the Undisputed Era cost Aleister Black a shot at the NXT Championship on the very last NXT episode of 2017. His warning was clear and stark.
When Adam Cole takes the title in New Orleans, Black is all set to be his most formidable foe, setting up a ready-made TakeOver: Brooklyn IV main event.
Aleister Black was one of 2017's breakouts. He'll be one of 2018's most dominant players as NXT's dark anti-hero.
#4 Johnny Gargano
2017 saw Johnny Gargano establish himself as NXT's most lovable underdog. His story arc has been told perfectly. Betrayed by his teammate, Tommaso Ciampa, he was forced into a singles career that saw him take a long string of high profile losses.
He came close, but could never win. He finally looked set to reverse his heartbreaking losing streak in December by becoming the #1 contender to the NXT Championship.
But this will prove to be a false dawn. The man who betrayed him is waiting in the wings and will almost certainly screw him out of the title just on the cusp of his triumph, beginning a long and bitter rivalry that could well rank as 2018's best.
It will only further serve to make Johnny Gargano WWE's most sympathetic character, and his eventual title win late next year or early in 2019, all the sweeter.
#5 Jason Jordan
Jason Jordan is going to be the hottest heel in the company in 2018.
It didn't seem possible, but WWE has taken one of the worst stories of 2017 and made it one of the most intriguing angles in the business as the year comes to a close. Jason Jordan, the "gold blooded" white meat babyface, son of Kurt Angle, went nowhere.
Jason Jordan, the whiny brat, has taken the crowd's utter disdain for him and harnessed it into something powerful. The audience is pining week in and week out for his turn, and when it comes, it will be magical.
The decision to put the tag team titles on him and Seth Rollins is a puzzling one, as it delays the turn, but it will happen. The ideal time is the Royal Rumble, and the ideal target of the turn isn't Seth Rollins, but Kurt Angle.
Jason Jordan must shed the stigma of being the "son" of Kurt Angle. Everyone knows he's not. Key to the success of the turn will be his revelation that he made it up. A long, intense blood feud heading into WrestleMania will follow. The match should be a total squash. Angle can't be expected to go for long and the match should be a statement-maker, not a mat classic.
After this, Jason Jordan will be lightning in a bottle. If WWE misses this, and decides to continue with Jordan as a Dean Ambrose placeholder, as has been rumoured, they'll have made one of their biggest mistakes in years.
#6 The Authors of Pain
The call-up of the Authors of Pain is inevitable and it will likely happen after WrestleMania. Their presence will add another shot of adrenaline to an already flourishing tag team division.
The prospect of feuds with The Usos, The Bar, The New Day, and the other top tag teams in WWE is salivating, and picking up where they left off with The Revival would make for must-see TV. The Braun Strowman of tag teams, the Authors of Pain are tailor-made for a dominant title reign, creating many memorable displays of strength.
A showdown with the Bludgeon Brothers would be equally enthralling. Such a contest seems like a go-to Survivor Series match of champions.
The new golden age of tag teams will continue in 2018, and the Authors of Pain are set to be the division's cornerstones.
#7 Braun Strowman
Speaking of Braun Strowman, he isn't going away. 2017 saw him become WWE's most popular act, both with crowds and on YouTube. Though he isn't as hot as he was in the summer, even the feud with Kane has been a hit on YouTube, and he'll certainly heat back up again.
The likeliest WrestleMania match for him is a showdown with Triple H. Standing as the rebellious monster against the Authority, he'll go on to dispatch the Game, and if he should give Stephanie some comeuppance (even if indirectly), the moment will be huge.
After WrestleMania things get less clear, but he'll still create moments. If he stays on RAW, he must be considered a favourite to dethrone Roman Reigns as Universal Champion. Should he go to SmackDown after the big show in New Orleans, a WWE Championship reign is guaranteed.
A showdown with AJ Styles would certainly be intriguing!
#8 Asuka
"2018 will be the year of Asuka" - Michael Cole.
RAW's most disliked announcer never says anything randomly, because he has Vince McMahon constantly buzzing in his ear. If Michael Cole said that, he did so for a reason.
As good as Asuka's 2016 and 2017 were, they now feel like warmups. 2018 will be her career's peak. She stands as the favourite to win the inaugural women's Royal Rumble match and made her intentions very clear when she knocked Alexa Bliss out on Christmas. Asuka is coming for the RAW Women's Championship and she'll likely get it on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
A long reign will follow that will see her take on all comers. Asuka was part of the two best women's matches of 2017 and her reign on RAW won't be terribly different. Defending her title in thrilling contests, her aura and stature will grow that much more legendary in 2018 as it seems impossible to take her down, no matter what anyone throws at her.
#9 Roman Reigns
Every franchise player in WWE has had his peak year. For Hulk Hogan, it was 1987. For Stone Cold Steve Austin, it was 1998. For John Cena, it was 2007. For Roman Reigns, it will be 2018. The pattern is almost mechanical in its regularity. It seems particularly uncanny given that the attempts to establish Reigns as "the guy" failed in 2015 and 2016.
But Reigns wasn't ready then. He is now. Largely just out of the main event in 2017, he's been preparing for the year to come. Improving his character work and notching some showcase matches under his belt, including his highly-regarded feud with Braun Strowman, he's as prepared as he'll ever be.
When he dethrones Brock Lesnar in New Orleans, he'll stand at the top of the mountain, and like it or not, he'll stay there for a long time. Reigns will likely hold his title late into 2018, if not longer. We can only hope we'll see some fresh opponents and creative feuds for him. Regardless, RAW will be the "Big Dog's" yard next year.
#10 Ronda Rousey
She might not be there in time for the Royal Rumble or even WrestleMania, but Ronda Rousey's arrival in WWE at some point in 2018 is inevitable. Though she's far from the star she once was, it will still be a huge deal, and make the biggest waves women's wrestling has ever seen.
Her name alone will pay dividends, but how she's pushed will matter a lot. If WWE is smart, they'll take advantage of her embarrassing losses to Holm and Nunes and use them to take their time. Does she still have it? She'll certainly answer in the affirmative each time in a slow build-up. The likeliest destination: a date with Asuka at WrestleMania 35.
It would be another huge milestone for women's wrestling. A showdown between Ronda Rousey and the undefeated RAW Women's Champion would be the best chance the women ever have to main event WrestleMania. It's there where "the streak" would end.
Though it's not my preference to have Ronda do those honours (that would be Kairi Sane), I can't deny that it would be a huge, successful match for both competitors.
2017 has been a bad year for the women's division, but 2018 will see a strong chance of righting those wrongs.
