5 WWE Superstars that could be the next big thing in The Heyman/Bischoff Era

The WWE Universe had a lot of questions when the announcement was made that Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff were coming in as Executive Directors of Raw and SmackDown, respectively, and the company has done a good job of answering those .

One question that hasn't been answered yet, though, is who exactly will be the next big thing on the main roster?

Sure, WWE has given hints as to who it could be, with engaging segments featuring Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, and Richochet. However, they could very well just be placeholders for what's to come. Furthermore, some of their current projects might not pan out, which leaves the door open for others to take their place.

With the new era of programming slowly amping up, here are five WWE Superstars that could be the next big thing under Bischoff and Heyman. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to tell us who you think will be the next big thing.

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#5 Ali

Ali has quite a bright future ahead of him in WWE.

Whether fans want to admit it or not, Ali is one of the company's brightest stars, and has all the tools needed to succeed on the main roster. In fact, between his poetic storytelling on the microphone and his polarizing backstory, he could truly be one of the biggest babyfaces of this entire era.

The Chicago native is an inspiring every-man who can tell a story both in the ring and on a microphone. He is a guy willing to take those extra risks to make a particular match spectacular. Above all, he's someone that fans can see themselves in and rally behind

This is only the beginning.

#4 Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn could end up being the greatest heel in WWE history.

Sami Zayn has given his heart and soul to WWE over the last couple years, and has he gotten very little in return - from the fans or the company. That's not to say that neither aren't grateful for Zyan's talent. He was likely just a bland babyface for such a long time, and needed to turn heel to have his true potential realized.

In all honesty, Sami Zayn's new gimmick of shooting from the hip and airing out his grievances is insanely genius. It is also something that has quickly raised the stock of the former NXT Champion and given him a much better chance at success. He's been heading in that direction ever since his initial heel turn at last year's Hell In a Cell - a move that was sadly derailed with his recent injury.

If nothing else, Zayn is another one of those diamond in the rough situations that the company needs to capitalize on. Of course, they are going to first have to take him off of the losing streak he is currently on and stop using him to put over other stars, but the future looks extremely bright once they do that.

#3 Mandy Rose

What could WWE do with Mandy Rose in the new era?

It's no secret that WWE has been inching towards more mature content lately, especially with the addition of the ongoing Maria Kanellis saga. One could imagine them doing this more often, especially with new competition on the horizon. Fortunately for Mandy Rose, who Vince McMahon has already been high on, that could mean some interesting storyline opportunities in the future.

While it's doubtful that WWE would go back to The Attitude Era-style "Bra and Panties" matches of the past (McMahon even refuted such a move in a recent media call), Rose's looks will go a long way in bringing in casual fans. Combine that with her amazing abilities as a heel and her growing body of work in the ring (no pun intended), there is virtually no limit to what WWE could do with her.

In the end, it will never be The Attitude Era. It will never be like that time that Vince McMahon caught Shelton Benjamin in the shower and exclaimed, "are you ready for some wrestling?" What it can be however is a more mature version of The women's revolution, which Rose would certainly thrive in

#2 Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe could be a huge asset to WWE moving forward.

There's just something about Samoa Joe interrupting the opening of Raw last week that screams "next big thing". In all reality, Joe, who came to the company a few years ago, probably should have been a top guy by now, but the addition of Bischoff and Heyman as Executive directors should guarantee that it finally happens.

Heyman and Bischoff are absolute magicians at blurring the lines of fiction and reality, which coupled with Joe's ability on the microphone, could be great for WWE television. In fact, between Joe's ability to mow down Superstar after Superstar and his recent face turn, this could finally be the run that puts him at the top.

Whether that ultimately ends up happening or not remains to be seen, and will depend on how far WWE is willing to go with this, but it's not like the opportunity isn't there for them to do something great.

#1 Baron Corbin

Is Baron Corbin the next big thing in WWE?

Another excellent trash talker heel on the WWE roster is Baron Corbin, who still remains underutilized in The Heyman/Bischoff Era, as short as it has been so far. Interestingly enough, some are reporting the reason for this is that Heyman doesn't know what to do with him and that's why we haven't seen him on television.

With that being said, and Heyman's status as a mad genius in pro wrestling in mind, it makes sense that the former ECW owner will find some kind of role for the former Acting General manager of Raw. He might even find a way to make him Raw's next anti-hero, like they did with Kevin Owens over on SmackDown Live.

Either way, WWE has an absolute best kept secret and they should not let this opportunity pass them by. Beyond all that, Corbin has some of the most organic heat the company has seen in quite a while, which makes utilizing him all the more beneficial for the pro wrestling juggernaut.

Who do you think will be the breakout star in WWE in the next year or so? Share your ideas in the comments below!