Survivor Series: 5 Potential New WWE World Heavyweight Champions

Seth Rollins is no longer WWE World Heavyweight champion. A torn MCL, ACL and meniscus suffered during a house show match with Kane ended the former champion’s reign as suddenly as he had won it. The show must go on however, and the WWE must now choose a new champion to carry the company through the remainder of 2015, and possibly up until next April’s mega WrestleMania. Who will the next champion be? This post looks at 5 of the best candidates.

Dean Ambrose
The Popular Choice

Probably the fan-favourite choice, Dean Ambrose has pretty much everything going for him. He has the look, the charisma, the promo skills, and is one of the few superstars in 2015 who still generates a healthy pop from even the toughest crowds. An acclaimed feud with the former champion earlier in the year has already proved that Ambrose has the chops to hold the promotion’s top prize, but the ‘Lunatic Fringe’ hasn’t really done a lot since the summer. Ambrose as WWE champion is inevitable, but something tells me that we’ll probably have to wait a little bit longer to see it become reality.

John Cena
The Safe Choice

With 12 title reigns already in the books, John Cena is the tried and tested champion that the WWE can always rely on in times like these. Is it a popular choice? Nope. Is it original? Definitely not, but Cena sells unfortunately, and with the company driven by ticket sales more than anything else these days, bringing the ‘Face of the WWE’ back early from hiatus wouldn’t shock. Winning the title would mark Cena’s 16th world championship; a feat only achieved by the legendary Ric Flair. Survivor Series may be one of the promotion’s longest running events, but such a historic happening is something that’ll probably be reserved for a WrestleMania.

Brock Lesnar
The Expensive Choice

Like Cena, Lesnar is an option that will almost surely help sell tickets. The former 4-time champion is a guaranteed draw whose unique status can see him play either the face or heel depending on the programme. The real stumbling block here however is probably the cost of bringing the notoriously money-driven superstar into the fold for additional appearances. Seeing ‘The Beast’ as champion would be a welcome sight, but it wouldn’t be a popular one for those who like to see the WWE’s top title every week. I personally don’t see Lesnar coming back until early 2016, but money can change things just as quickly as ruptured tendons.

Kevin Owens
The IWC’s Wet Dream

The absolute wildcard here, Kevin Owens is the indie darling superstar whose unexpected title win at Survivor Series would probably crash the internet. A three event programme with Cena earlier in the year cemented Owens to casual fans as a genuine threat to top talent; a monster heel who wouldn’t look out of place in the main event picture. Unfortunately however the WWE’s top brass have all too often shown complete disdain for a superstar who previously made their name somewhere else and have historically favored their own creations. Owens will be WWE champion one day...hopefully, but it won’t be here.

Roman Reigns
The Likely Choice

The prototypical WWE superstar. Reigns is marketable thanks to his ties to the enormous Anoa'i family, and has the same tall and muscular look that always puts dollar signs in the eyes of Vince and his stooges. Reigns has been groomed to take the top spot in the WWE for a long time now, and has improved considerably since his disastrous WrestleMania push earlier in the year. Originally the number one contender for the title, Reigns winning the title at Survivor Series is probably the most likely outcome.

With Rollins' injury there is a potential to do something with Reigns that will establish him properly as a top star, while also ensuring that the WWE don’t have another fan revolt on their hands.

That’s right: a nice swervy heel turn. The Authority aren’t going anywhere, and with Rollins out from anywhere between six to nine months they’ll need a new centerpiece champion. Reigns can fill that spot by turning on Ambrose to capture the title. This would result in Reigns no longer needing to cut painful face promos while setting him up with a fresh, and potentially long-term feud in the form of his former Shield ally. Considering his famous cousin’s early struggles and eventual breakout happened at the exact same event, this option is one that the WWE would be foolish to fail to capitalise on.

Who do you think will be the next WWE World Heavyweight champion? Do you think Roman Reigns will turn heel and become The Authority’s newest member? Leave your thoughts and ideas below!