WWE: Names to look out for in 2013

A new year brings in change, and that’s certainly a concept that is no stranger to pro wrestling. Each year, as the wrestlers get older and inch closer to retirement, we begin to see newer faces start to pop up, as well as new pushes emerge. So, I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the guys who are expected to make a big impact in the coming year.

Dolph Ziggler: 2013 will be Ziggler’s biggest year yet. “Mr. Money in the Bank” has until July to cash in his briefcase, and is expected to do so successfully, possibly on either Ryback or Sheamus, two men who are rumored to win the World title in the coming year. Look for a title win sometime before summer hits, with the reign likely going through at least until the end of the year.

Wade Barrett: Barrett had a rough start in 2012 after going down with an injury, but he is back and looking better than ever. Barrett won his second IC title tonight from Kofi Kingston, and I would not be surprised to see him competing for the WWE or World titles by the end of 2013.

The Rhodes Scholars: Whether as singles competitors or a tag team, both Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow are two men to look out for. They will likely win the tag titles early in the year, and both men could potentially be singles champions by summer.

The Shield: All three members are extremely talented and favorites of the WWE Creative team. Expect their path of destruction continue throughout the year, with possibly one or two more members added along the way. I see tag team gold in their future, with defenses likely going by the old “Freebird Rule”.

Ryback: It’s only a matter of time before Ryback is holding one of the two main titles, and I fully expect that time to begin at Wrestlemania 29. If I were a betting man, I’d bet everything on Ryback winning the Royal Rumble and moving onto win the World title from The Big Show at WM29.

Antonio Cesaro: The dominant US Champion is only going to go up from here. Another favorite with the creative team, Cesaro is expected to dominate as US Champion for a while longer before he eventually gets considered for main event status. Don’t be surprised if Cesaro is one of the two main champions by the end of 2014 at the latest.

Kassius Ohno: Although he has yet to debut on WWE, Ohno’s debut is imminent. The former Chris Hero has been impressive since day one in NXT, and has “star power” written all over him. WWE likes to begin debuting new talents after Wrestlemania, so I am predicting we should see him on our TVs each week no later than July.