It’s always exciting to see a WWE Superstar win their first title on the main roster. I still remember when Ronda Rousey won the Women’s Championship for the first time. Every year, we get to see at least one Superstar climb the ladder to grab the proverbial brass ring and become champion for the very first time.
2019 will be no different when you consider the depth of talent already available on the main roster. In addition to this, a number of NXT Superstars are expected to make their debut on the main roster this year.
2019 looks to be a promising year for WWE fans. Hence, we’ve taken the time to prepare a list of 10 WWE Superstars who could win their first main roster title in 2019.
#9 Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas (United States Championship)
Zelina Vega claimed that this year will be the year of ‘tranquilo,’ and we believe the same. Andrade has everything you would expect to see in a WWE Superstar. He puts on great matches night after night and he’s good enough to hold his own against anybody.
Add to the fact that he has an incredible manager in Zelina Vega who can do all the talking for him and you have a combination bred for championship gold. WWE won’t push him into the WWE title picture so quickly, but they will consider giving him a run with the United States Championship. They (WWE) will be smart to allow him (Andrade) to continue on Smackdown Live after the Superstar shakeup this year.
Almas’ recent feud with Rey Mysterio was a treat to watch and it helped position him (Andrade) as a solid mid-card wrestler. The US title was relegated to the pre-show at this years’ Royal Rumble PPV. Hence, the title is in desperate need of a solid push. Who better to elevate the title’s status than Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas. Plus, a feud between Rusev and Almas could lead to an excellent series of matches.
#8 Mustafa Ali (United States Championship)
Mustafa Ali has been WWE’s surprise package. Ever since his amazing Cruiserweight Championship match against Buddy Murphy at Survivor Series, Mustafa Ali has received a much-deserved push to the main roster.
He evened scored a pinfall victory over WWE Champion Daniel Bryan on Smackdown Live. He has shown a lot of heart and WWE are very slowly pushing him without any indication.
Just look at his recent performance in the Royal Rumble match. He lasted 30 minutes before finally being eliminated by Nia Jax. During the match, he even eliminated Samoa Joe.
If WWE pushes him for a title run, they may most likely consider the United States Championship as the most viable option.
#7 The Undisputed Era (RAW/Smackdown Live Tag Team Championship)
The Undisputed Era has been one of the best tag teams in NXT. They have been consistently wooing audiences with their amazing matches and it seems like their hard work might pay off this year.
After losing their NXT Tag titles to the War Riders at NXT Takeover: Phoenix, it seems like The Undisputed Era will be brought up to the main roster following WrestleMania.
For quite a few months, the tag team division on the main roster has lacked a lot of depth. The Undisputed Era could help breathe a breath of fresh air in WWE’s lackluster tag team division.
When they finally make the main roster, WWE will waste no time in putting them in the tag team title picture. However the story unfolds for them, it looks like a title run could definitely be in Undisputed Era’s future.
#6 Ember Moon (RAW/Smackdown Women’s Championship)
The Women’s division in WWE is the best its ever been. There are a plethora of women who are more than capable of stealing the show every time. But, having such an intense women’s division can also mean that certain Superstars go unnoticed. One such Superstar that comes to mind is Ember Moon.
Despite having a good run at NXT, Ember Moon has gotten lost in the crowd since her arrival on the main roster. WWE has only given her small nudges in the right direction by having her pick up a couple of victories over Nia Jax. Now may be the perfect time to push her into the title picture.
She could stay on RAW and challenge for the RAW Women’s Championship which seems next to impossible for her or she could be moved to Smackdown Live where she will have multiple chances to showcase her skills.
#5 Adam Cole (United States/Intercontinental Championship)
Adam Cole has been impressive since his arrival in NXT. WWE has also wasted no time in pushing him. Despite being part of a faction (The Undisputed Era), Adam Cole has had multiple chances to shine on his own and he has capitalized every time.
Like it was mentioned earlier, WWE may be thinking of bringing The Undisputed Era to the main roster after WrestleMania. This means that we will soon get to see Adam Cole. Whichever brand he ends up on, WWE will waste no time in placing him directly into the title picture. He could play a solid mid-card role and could challenge for the United States or Intercontinental Championship.
Cole seems to get better with each passing night. Whether it’s in the ring or on the mic, he leaves no stone unturned with regards to his performances. He is the complete package as far as what a WWE Superstar should be like and he could soon end up a fan favourite on the main roster.
#4 The IIconics (Women’s Tag Team Championship)
To be honest, as singles wrestlers, Peyton Royce and Billie Kay aren’t nearly as good as some of the other talent. But as a tag team, these two can work together like a well-oiled machine. Not to mention that they are really good at being heels and get a lot of heat from the fans.
As of now, there aren’t a lot of women’s tag teams and this could work in the IIconics favour. They may not win the titles cleanly, but they could definitely use some heel tactics to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles.
Although this may not be something WWE will consider immediately, they will definitely look to push them (The IIconics) towards the later part of the year. The IIconics as Tag Champs could actually make things a lot more interesting and WWE will soon start to realize that.
#3 EC3 (Intercontinental Championship)
It didn’t take much time for EC3 to get called up to the main roster since his debut in NXT which could indicate that WWE has some big plans for him. He was in fact supposed to be called up to the main roster last year, but those plans were delayed due to a concussion he suffered during his match with Velveteen Dream.
Those of you who have seen EC3 on Impact Wrestling will know that he is really good in the ring and can cut a promo flawlessly. His first run in WWE (as Derrick Bateman) didn’t go according to plan, but this time around WWE will seriously consider pushing him.
It could take some time to get over on the main roster, but he has the potential to end the year as the Intercontinental Champion.
#2 Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
Samoa Joe hasn’t lived up to the expectations of the WWE Universe since his arrival on the main roster. He has been a merciless victim of poor booking that has seen him do almost nothing noteworthy since his call-up which is a real shame when you consider his worth to the company.
Despite being involved in WWE Championship matches for the better part of 2018, he hasn’t won any gold since arriving on the main roster. Instead, he has been booked to lose every big match he is involved in.
It really isn’t his fault though. His character and gimmick work is good and he is getting a lot of heat as a heel. Joe is more than capable of drawing a reaction from the crowd. During his tenure on RAW, he failed to stand out from the crowd given the depth of talent that RAW has. While a move to Smackdown Live should have done him wonders, WWE was really keen on pushing AJ Styles. Hence Joe had to take a backseat. Daniel Bryan’s triumphant return from injury only made matters worse for the ‘Samoan Submission Machine’ as he is now nowhere to be seen in the title picture.
WWE probably should not put him back in the WWE title picture unless they are ready to make him a champion. Hence, the next time Joe challenges for the WWE Championship in a one on one match, expect him to emerge victorious. 2019 could be a make or break year for Samoa Joe.
#1 Shayna Baszler (RAW/Smackdown Live Women’s Championship)
Shayna Baszler has been an unbeatable wreaking machine in NXT. She has laid waste to everyone who stood in her way. Currently, she is one of the baddest women on the roster. WWE must be taking notice of her talents. It won’t be long before she is called up to the main roster. Most probably she will receive her call-up after WrestleMania.
It makes perfect sense as WWE may be looking to set up a feud between WWE’s Four Horsewomen and MMA’s Four Horsewomen.
Everything will fall perfectly into place once Shayna Baszler makes her main roster debut. As soon as she arrives, WWE will push her into the Women’s Title picture almost immediately. Moreover, her MMA background will help legitimize the Women’s division even further and even take it to new heights.
2019 could be a successful year for the ‘Queen of Spades’ as she will look to climb to the highest mountain in WWE.