5 reasons why Charlotte Flair (not Roman Reigns) should be the WWE's next top star

Anyone old enough to remember the WWF back in 1993/94 will recall the amount of initial effort placed into making Lex Luger the next top babyface after the departure of Hulk Hogan. Lex had Vince's full support behind him, right up until the Royal Rumble 94 where it became clear the fans prefered to see Bret Hart take the lead instead.

Vince eventually did the right thing and had the Hitman close out Wrestlemania 10 to become the WWF Champion while Lex went away to make a career in WCW.

Fast forward to today and we have a very similar picture emerging. With John Cena now reduced to a part-time schedule, McMahon thinks he's found his next Alpha-male in Roman Reigns. Unfortunately for the two of them, the fans aren't unanimously convinced.

So, where does the WWE go from here? Is there a 2018 version of Bret Hart that Vince can turn to instead? Perhaps part of the problem is that while trying to find the next top star in a limited men's division, the company are ignoring a very obvious alternative option.

It might sound like a bit of a curveball, but here are 5 reasons why Charlotte Flair should be the WWE's next top babyface star:

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#1 Women's wrestling is only going to get bigger

Here to stay.

Despite the fact that the WWE seemingly like to pretend they alone created the phenomenon of women's wrestling, there has clearly been a rise in female competition throughout the industry as a whole over the past few years. With promotions like Shimmer and UK-based Bellatrix Female Warriors making strides, the depth of female competitors has been growing significantly compared with any previous decade.

But there's certainly no denying that the WWE has the power to truly turn women's wrestling into serious, money-making business. Given the company's size and prestige it doesn't really matter what gender you are, your main goal as a wrestler should be to work for Vince McMahon.

As the in-ring action grows, so too will the fan support. With such a wide variety of Superstars to choose from, young girls around the world are pouring money into the WWE coffers like never before, desperate to be a part of the experience and dress like their favourite female wrestler.

Ever the business savvy individual, Vince McMahon should really be cashing in on this by creating the ultimate 'Alpha female' in Charlotte Flair. Given the fact that a whole new market has opened up for the WWE, there's no reason why Charlotte's merchandise can't start flying off the shelves in the same way that Cena's has been over the past two decades.

#2 She's a bonafide 'Sports Entertainer' (as well as a wrestler)

Celebrity life.

Not every fan reading this will necessarily want to agree, but as far as Vince McMahon is concerned, the WWE is a Sports Entertainment company, not a wrestling one. Part of the reason why Roman Reigns has been chosen above guys like Seth Rollins, Finn Balor and Daniel Bryan as the company's top star is that he personifies what the Alpha-male in WWE is supposed to be. Wrestling skills will always come second to personality and appearance in the Chairman's eyes.

Over the years, the women's division has had its fair share of larger than life personalities. Going back to the days of Sensational Sherri, Luna, Sable and Sunny, the females have managed to be centrepieces in the crazy world of Sports Entertainment as far back as most fans can remember.

But now that women's wrestling is finally being taken seriously by the company, it was inevitable that one individual would come along that embodied both the personality and the in-ring skills. Charlotte Flair gives the WWE just that. Her wrestling craft is already at a very high level and will only get better the more competition she receives, and her skills on the mic and the ability to work a crowd are also obviously present.

In this sense, Charlotte is everything Vince McMahon usually looks for in a top star. She has good enough wrestling skills to keep the purists happy whilst maintaining the ability to give the casual fans a show as well.

#3 She will probably be around for a while

Company girl

If there's one thing you want most from a top star in Professional Wrestling its consistency. There's no point in building somebody up who is just going to walk out on you when a better offer comes along and ruin all the plans you had for them going forward.

Right now, Vince ought to be looking for somebody he can rely on for the next 5-10 years at least. It's not every day a John Cena comes along who is willing to work for you for such a prolonged period of time, and when that kind of person does present themselves to you, you need to cash in immediately.

Barring any serious injury or wellness policy violation, Charlotte Flair will most likely be sticking with the WWE for some time to come. Firstly, at the age of 32, she is still fairly young for a Pro Wrestler. There are almost certainly many more years of her career left.

Secondly, she is a Flair. She is a product of the very business she could one day end up leading. It's not like the WWE have gone looking for her in another industry like acting or music, this is something Charlotte has wanted to do since she was a little girl, something she saw her father excel at for so many years. She clearly loves the business as much as the business seemingly loves her.

With so many of the current top male competitors coming in from other companies in the latter halves of their career, it's difficult to build the next decade or more around them at this stage. Charlotte is the solution to this problem.

#4 She has 'the look'

Take notice.

Standing over 6 foot tall and having an envious physical presence has always been seen as a minimum requirement for the WWE's top stars. There have been exceptions over the years but generally speaking the McMahons have prefered giants to represent them on the world stage.

Going forward, this shouldn't necessarily apply only to the male division. If WWE is serious about putting the women's on a par with the men then surely the bigger girls on the roster will prove an important part of making this a reality.

With the arrival of the Women's Revolution a few years ago, the female superstars began to vary both in terms of wrestling styles and appearances. No longer would the company just rely on the thin, glamour-model style look.

Women such as Nia Jax, Dana Brooke, Nikki Cross and Ember Moon began to redefine what a WWE female Superstar should look like and this has only helped increase the seriousness with which we take women's wrestling today.

When it comes to impressive physical stature, Charlotte Flair most certainly fits the bill. Standing at 1.78m tall, she is a seasoned athlete who immediately draws your attention whenever she comes on screen, everything a true champion needs in order to succeed as a company poster-girl.

#5 Let's be honest, who else have they got?

Slim pickings.

Not to take anything away from Charlotte Flair as a Superstar, but in terms of choosing their next top babyface, the WWE, in all seriousness, has quite a narrow pool to choose from.

True, the level of in-ring technical wrestling might well be better than it's ever been but this doesn't automatically lead to a plethora of true Sports Entertainers. There are many guys like Seth Rollins, Chad Gable and Jason Jordan who could easily become the best in the business inside the ropes but can any of these be trusted to represent the company to the world outside the Squared Circle?

In order to do this particular job, you need a media-friendly face and the kind of personality that naturally allows you to sit on morning-TV sofas and talk about the business like it's the greatest thing to ever hit the world of sport and entertainment.

Right now, there doesn't appear to be anyone amongst the men, other than maybe Roman Reigns, with that potential to break out from the wrestling industry and become a genuine celebrity in their own right.

Maybe the company are looking at the wrong roster and should instead be putting their eggs into the Charlotte Flair basket. With the media appearances she has already done, and the plethora of contacts she undoubtedly has from being the daughter of the Nature Boy Ric Flair, she seems like the best suited to lead the WWE into the next 5-10 years.