Seth Rollins has proven time and again that he’s a fighting champion. The Visionary is currently in his first reign as RAW’s inaugural World Heavyweight Champion. He won the title after a great bout against AJ Styles at Night of Champions 2023, and went on to retain it against the likes of Damian Priest, Bron Breakker, and Finn Balor, to name a few.
Seth Rollins’ most recent title defense came against Shinsuke Nakamura. The pair main evented back-to-back premium live events in Payback and Fastlane, which saw the champion retain his title in a grueling Last Man Standing Match.
Rollins will next put his championship on the line against Drew McIntyre at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia on November 4. The following list showcases five potential challengers for the Visionary’s World Heavyweight title if he manages to retain the title against the Scottish Warrior in Riyadh.
Let’s begin.
Ludwig Kaiser can get a solo push against Seth Rollins
Ludwig Kaiser may be new to the WWE Universe, but he’s a world-traveled veteran. The 33-year-old star made a name for himself in Germany before coming to the UK and reuniting with rival-turned-partner Walter – known today as Gunther.
Kaiser is, without a doubt, an excellent competitor. On top of that, he has the mic skills to carry a potential feud against Seth Rollins. WWE also seems keen to push him as a solo star in the wake of a vignette that aired on RAW this past Monday.
Ideally, WWE would test the waters for such a feud at live events before moving it to television.
Chad Gable needs to enter a world title program
Chad Gable has always been incredible. He was great as one-half of the American Alpha. It’s a shame that Vince McMahon never realized his potential and put him in comedy acts such as Shorty G and the Alpha Academy. He got both gimmicks over with fans because of his sheer dedication to the craft.
Master Gable took things up a notch with his incredible matches on WWE RAW. He had a career-altering feud with Gunther over the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, a title he’s bound to win someday.
With the pair no longer involved in a program, at least for the time being, Gable can focus his attention on going after Seth Rollins and his World Heavyweight Championship.
Ricochet can focus on title matches after Shinsuke Nakamura
Fans may be surprised to know that Ricochet and Seth Rollins have squared off against each other only one time in singles competition thus far. The match took place 17 years ago, when both superstars were still active in IWA Mid-South.
Ricochet would probably have received a shot against the World Heavyweight Champion if it wasn’t for Shinsuke Nakamura. The King of Strong Style put the One and Only on the shelf in the lead-up to Fastlane 2023.
The superstars will be looking to settle their differences when they meet each other in a Falls Count Anywhere match on the Season Premiere of RAW on October 16. Ricochet can potentially focus on Seth Rollins after he gets done with his bitter rival Nakamura.
Damian Priest has been after Seth Rollins’ world title for months
Damian Priest was the first to answer Seth Rollins’ open challenge on the RAW after Night of Champions 2023. The pair put on a great match and even showed each other respect afterward, something that didn’t sit well with Finn Balor.
The Archer of Infamy has already tried cashing in his Money in the Bank contract for Seth Rollins’ World Heavyweight Championship on multiple occasions. He most recently attempted cashing in on the October 9 episode of RAW, but the move was thwarted by Drew McIntyre.
Priest has made it perfectly clear he won’t stop going after the Visionary until he gets the gold strap Rollins so proudly carries around his waist. Hypothetically, he would wait till Crown Jewel to make his next move, but that remains to be seen.
Jey Uso can get an opportunity at the World Heavyweight Championship
Jey Uso stepped up to the occasion after his twin brother Jimmy got injured. He had a career-defining rivalry against Roman Reign. The feud went on and off for three years until it finally reached a stunning conclusion at SummerSlam 2023. During this time, Jey also got a shot at the United States Championship but failed to capture it.
He was brought to RAW by Cody Rhodes at Payback 2023. The pair defeated Damian Priest and Finn Balor to win the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at Fastlane 2023. Jey can potentially challenge Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship in the lead-up to Crown Jewel 2023.
Hypothetically, this would be a one-off match to gauge fan reaction, which could then be used to turn it into a full-fledged program after the Saudi show. On paper, WWE would have Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Jey Uso feud with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins in a “Champion versus Champion” match on RAW.
Also read: The WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tries To Fix Past Issues, Also Creates New Ones
