While the year is still fresh and your New Years resolutions are still intact, I will be counting down the top five WWE superstars to watch in 2018. As the first month of this new year rolls on, I am excited for 2018 and what it may have in store. Each year, we see new faces, new champions, old faces returning and current stars reaching the top of the mountain time and time again.
The superstars on this list will see the most change this year and are all somebody you should keep your eye on. So join me as I count down my top five WWE superstars you should be watching in 2018.
5. Velveteen Dream
At NXT: Wargames, Velveteen Dream lost to Aleister Black in an amazing match which saw both men put their names on the map as future stars in the WWE. Although he lost the match, this young and exciting superstar surprised a lot of fans.
In 2018, I look forward to seeing more of his matches and mic skills. With more work at the Performance Center, I expect Patrick Clarke, the man behind the persona, to improve on his in-ring and promo skills and becomes someone to watch out for.
4. The New Day
With rumors that The New Day may be breaking up sooner rather than later, the prospect that Big E, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston may be going solo for the first time in almost four years is interesting.
When each man goes his own way. what will WWE do with them? Will someone be pushed into a title picture? will someone be sent to RAW? We also don’t know who will turn heel and break the group. Whether they do break up or they do end up staying together, everyone should have their eyes on The New Day.
3. Shinsuke Nakamura
Since debuting on Smackdown Live on April 4th, 2017, Shinsuke has had an up and down tenure on the main roster. The former two-time NXT champ had a great debut on the main roster, the first Smackdown after Wrestlemania. Since then though, he’s floated through the upper mid-card, not having much of an impact. This year, however, I think Nakamura will take a step up into the main event scene.
The rumored main event for Wrestlemania is Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship. I don’t believe WWE will have Roman Reigns win the Royal Rumble. If all this is true, its most likely a Smackdown competitor will win the Rumble. I believe Shinsuke Nakamura will win the Royal Rumble and go on to face AJ Styles for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania.
I don’t know if Nakamura would beat Styles or not but either way, it would be a must-see match.
2. Daniel Bryan
As far as I see it, Daniel Bryan and the WWE only have three options regarding Daniel’s neck and what he and WWE decide to. Either Byan decides to stay with WWE in a non-wrestling role or WWE allows Bryan to stay in WWE and wrestle, risking his health and well being. The third option being WWE releases Bryan from his contract and allows him to wrestle outside of WWE.
Either way, it goes down, I expect it will happen in 2018. I think if Daniel Bryan is still with WWE in 2019, he will stay there for the remainder of his career. I will be watching this situation as it slowly unfolds and so should you.
1. Asuka
With the announcement of the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble match, the odds-on favorite has to be Asuka. Like her Japanese countryman, Shinsuke Nakamura, I expect Asuka to win the women’s Rumble and go on to face Alexa Bliss at Wrestlemania for the RAW Women’s Championship. I expect Asuka to win and begin her long reign as women’s champion.