Last year was a very strange one for WWE (and the world). 2020 saw WWE’s very first WrestleMania without fans. They haven’t wrestled in front of a crowd since March! This has led to some entertaining creative moments, but also brought along some really stupid ones.
With the pandemic holding back big stars though, this allowed others to grab the limelight and run with it. In the past year, we have seen wrestlers such as Apollo Crews and Otis moved up the card, and if the pandemic didn’t happen, there is no answer on if those pushes would exist.
Hopefully, 2021 can see some new people enter the main event and title scenes of their respective divisions. There is talent that hasn’t received the opportunity because WWE has been too scared to heighten their careers and there are some already-built stars that just haven’t needed a title to be over.
However, WWE needs to form a solid division and 2021 is the year to do this. Here are 10 WWE stars who should win their first championship in 2021.
10. Dexter Lumis
Dexter Lumis has recently been one of the most heavily pushed guys in NXT. Last year we saw him get involved in the NXT Title backlot brawl at TakeOver: In Your House.
Adam Cole retained against Velveteen Dream in a Backlot Brawl which saw the eery Lumis target each member of the Undisputed Era and form a stalkerish partnership with Dream. This could’ve led to Lumis holding the NXT Tag Team Title for the first time.
However, Dream then got sucked into controversy and therefore, the story was dropped. After that, it looked likely Lumis would be involved in the North American Championship ladder match won by Damian Priest at TakeOver 30. Unfortunately, Lumis suffered an injury after his #1 contender victory. If that didn’t happen, could he have won?
Most recently, he came out on top in a feud with Cameron Grimes which spanned across several big shows.
Whether you like or dislike Lumis, you can’t argue against the fact that NXT management is high on himm and the idea of him holding a title sends shivers down your spine.
9. Otis
Last year, Otis handed Mandy Rose ham for Thanksgiving. After making moves and doing grooves, Otis got the girl and had a pretty spectacular year. He defeated Dolph Ziggler at WrestleMania 36.
Surprisingly, the Money in the Bank briefcase dropped into his hands making him Mr Money in the Bank last year! However, his momentum has since derailed.
A few months ago, Rose was drafted to Raw, dropping the comedy romance.
Then Otis lost the briefcase to The Miz at Hell in a Cell because his former Heavy Machinery tag partner Tucker turned on him. This resulted in nothing but Tucker becoming a meaningless jobber though.
Thankfully, Otis is still being used quite prominently on SmackDown, being a member of the Survivor Series team in November and featuring alongside Chad Gable and Daniel Bryan recently.
We all thought it was guaranteed that Heavy Machinery would be multi-time tag team champions in WWE. This is why it was even more shocking and disrespectful that they broke up.
Tucker is underrated and deserved title gold too, as Otis will definitely be champion at some point. Otis could very well win the Intercontinental Championship at some point this year.
8. Elias
Elias is a perfect example of someone well-booked in WWE without having to hold a title. He is one of the most booed men of the modern era… that time he insulted Seattle’s basketball team will be remembered for a very long time.
It is shocking that he hasn’t created melodies as a WWE champion yet. It would be a sight to see him playing another ballot about how much the USA sucks while having the United States Title strapped around his waist.
Elias fits the role of a cocky mid-card champion to a tee! Therefore, hopefully, we can see him fulfil this prophecy.
7. Humberto Carrillo
Did you guys also forget Humberto Carrillo is a Raw talent? He hasn’t wrestled on Raw since October 6, losing a tag team match against Rollins and Murphy with Dominik Mysterio, so can’t really blame you! Speaking of that team, they could have really done something with that!
Anyway, Carrillo is sadly a lost case in WWE. They booked him pretty strong on Raw at the end of 2019, pushing him to the moon and back having him feud with Styles.
However, they dropped the rocket before it reached the stars and Styles beat him. Then beat him again. And again. And again. So on, so on.
There is still promise in this young luchador and it would be great to see him hold US Title gold at some point in his career – starting his push again the correct way.
6. Dakota Kai
At NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2019, Dakota Kai turned heel on her best friend, Tegan Nox, igniting a new developing character for Kai.
This momentum has excelled her into one of the roster’s top-notch talents, but she has just been paused in mid-card at the moment.
Moreover, her brute, Raquel Gonzalez, has actually been getting more screen time than Kai herself recently!
Additionally, Kai’s heel character is interesting and definitely championship-worthy.
It would be great to see Kai win the title from a popular babyface, only for Tegan Nox to return as the thorn always digging into Kai’s side and beat her for her very own first reign.
5. Mandy Rose
It is obvious that WWE has high hopes for Mandy Rose, so it is strange that she has been in limbo for a very long time!
Rose was in a tag team with Sonya Deville at the start of last year. When Deville betrayed her and they had a ‘Loser Leaves WWE’ match at SummerSlam, Rose prevailed.
Some people believed, with Deville and Rose separated and Rose drafted to Raw, big things would be in store for the ‘Golden Goddess’.
If you class being put in a tag team with Dana Brooke a big thing then you can be satisfied. However, you’d also be wrong.
Mandy Rose has vastly improved in the ring and a Raw Women’s Championship match with Asuka would be entertaining, seeing as Asuka can carry everyone to success anyway!
It is more likely that Rose and Brooke will become Women’s Tag Team Champions at some point this year though.
4. Drake Maverick
Drake Maverick had a rollercoaster 2020. Firstly, he was only involved in 24/7 title storylines. He probably didn’t mind that – his humour is impeccable and he is an entertaining fellow, who we latched onto with ease.
This is why it was more frustrating when we found out he was offloaded as part of WWE’s mass releases back in April.
Some people thought it was a bit cynical to start a storyline about Maverick getting his job back, even though bringing him back was not the original plan and he was legitimately released. It was a shame for the other released talents.
Despite this, the comeback story was highly dramatic and entertaining, and maybe one of the most wholesome stories of 2020.
You could really feel the passion when Drake signed his life and soul back onto NXT after losing a Cruiserweight Championship match to Santos Escobar.
Currently, Maverick is back to his effortless yet hilarious comedic exploits teaming with Killian Dain.
As much as it’d be great to see Maverick feud with Escobar for the Cruiserweight Title so that we can get the underdog triumph at some point next year, we could also see him and Dain reaching gold, knocking off Burch and Lorcan for the NXT tag straps.
There are plenty of opportunities for Maverick to win his first WWE championship (not counting the few times as 24/7 champ) in 2021!
3. Cameron Grimes
One man that has grown to be one of NXT’s greatest heels is Cameron Grimes. Grimes has a fantastic cowardly heel character with good comedic precision.
Furthermore, he is also insanely talented and can put on wrestling classics with one of the best finishers, the Cave-In!
This man deserves to go to the moon! He is certainly going to be one of the black & gold brand’s top stars next year, maybe even winning the big one…
Can Cameron Grimes win the NXT Championship at some point next year? Balor vs Grimes sounds really exciting, to be honest!
Moreover, Grimes trying to cower from all bounty-hunters would be entertaining and we’d all love to see him be beaten up but just manage to survive.
2. Bianca Belair
If a survey was created asking every WWE fan “Who should beat Sasha Banks for the SmackDown Women’s Championship?” Bianca Belair would likely be the highEST on the list!
It is stunning that Belair has never won a title in WWE. She is extremely charismatic, athletic and powerful. She doesn’t lie when she describes herself as the “EST of WWE”.
Belair has recently been embroiled in a program with former champion Bayley. Beating Bayley would surely put her in prime position for a SmackDown title opportunity.
It would also be great to see WWE capitalise on her potential and have her dominate the women’s Royal Rumble, resulting in her conquering the whole thing!
Belair winning the title at WrestleMania, hopefully, with a crowd behind her, would be a treasured delight!
1. Dominik Mysterio
Dominik Mysterio has proven that his training is paying off and someday he will be ready to carry the legacy of the Mysterio name. Therefore, that means winning title gold.
His father Rey is a multi-time World Champion and has won the Intercontinental Title twice and Cruiserweight three times. He is also a four-time tag team champion… could a team with Dominik result in his fifth tag title run?
With the whole Seth Rollins situation behind them, it is time for the Mysterios and Murphy to look towards gold on the blue brand.
Rey and Dominik Mysterio beating teams like the Street Profits and Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode sounds phenomenal and would be an excellent way to get Dominik’s first title reign over.
It would also be a wholesome moment to see father and son defending gold at each other’s side.
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