What if Finn Balor had beaten Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship?

2. Seth Rollins moves into the title picture

Seth Rollins may have been the first in line to challenge Finn Balor for the Universal Championship.

Seth Rollins has been on a tear throughout 2018. Yes, he’s remained a featured star from the WWE roster, but all the more so he has become the go-to talent to consistently produce great matches opposite a wide variety of talent. One of his most noteworthy rivals from the first half of the year was Finn Balor, as the two chased The Miz’s Intercontinental Championship, and then Balor continued to pursue Rollins after he first won the title.

Between their most recent even booking over the Intercontinental Championship, and their more historical background feuding over the Universal Championship, Rollins would make instant sense as a contender for Balor’s Universal Championship. Moreover, placing both Balor and Rollins in this title picture would cement WWE’s commitment to it being a more traditional worker’s world championship, putting Brock Lesnar’s part-time champ era firmly in WWE’s past. As it stands, Rollins probably will work his way back to the top of the card sooner than later, but as long as he and Reigns are allied again in The Shield, he’s not the most likely candidate to be gunning for the title.