Veteran NFL writer and Pat McAfee Show contributor Mark Kaboly lists his top 5 WWE rising superstars to watch out for the rest of the year.
Make no mistake about it: CM Punk is the WWE Superstar to watch for the final five months of the calendar year. Not Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, Jey Uso, Gunther or any top guys. Seriously, how much can Punk endure before finally breaking through this unexpected championship drought and assume his perch on top of the company? He finally main-evented at WrestleMania just to get double-crossed by Paul Heyman. Then, when he won his first World Championship in a dozen years at SummerSlam, it lasted minutes before Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract in spectacular fashion. So, look out for Punk. Here are my top five Superstars to watch.
FIVE SUPERSTARS TO WATCH
1. BRON BREAKKER: Given his affiliation with Paul Heyman as well as being aligned with Seth Rollins, Breakker instantly rockets to the top of the list of who might be next in line to accelerate to the top of the cardy. Breakker is much farther in his ascent to the top than playing second fiddle to Rollins. Breakker's rapid rise to the top of the card may have hit a speed bump after Rollins feigned a knee injury, but I look at it as no more than a hiccup. Close your eyes and imagine Breakker as a main eventer. Yeah, it’s not that difficult to imagine, and that’s a good indicator that he’s ready for the next step.
2. LA KNIGHT: Knight has the look and feel of a villain, but he’s beloved by the fans and paid his dues to get a chance. There aren’t many better on the microphone than Knight, which allows a path for quick growth. A switch from SmackDown to Raw could be in the works. It would benefit Knight to switch to Raw, which would allow his personality to be showcased more prominently. Whatever direction Knight goes, don’t be surprised if it includes significant opponents and matches over the final few months of 2025.
3. CARMELO HAYES: Hayes is a tremendous talent who did his best work in his series with Andrade earlier in the year, which propelled him to win the Andre the Giant Battle Royal the night before WrestleMania 41. When you join the ranks of Bronson Reed and Jey Uso, who recently won the event, that’s good company. With Miz returning and possibly blocking Hayes’ chance at a United States Championship Match, Hayes could become a fan favorite and enjoy a nice run toward the U.S. Title by Survivor Series.
4. JACOB FATU: Fatu is on the cusp of greatness. Believe it or not, Fatu has had only nine televised singles matches since joining WWE, and he's been great in all of them. Unfortunately, to become a main player on the roster, he’s going to have to distance himself from the family rivalry. That’s going to be difficult because the Samoan family battles have been such a great part of WWE. If I had my way, a Fatu/Breakker rivalry would be the ultimate jumping off point.
5. DREW MCINTYRE: The Scottish Warrior has already been to the top of the mountain and has proven that he has staying power at the top. Still, it’s been way too long for a talent like McIntyre to be held out of the championship scene. Just because he’s been to the top of the business doesn’t mean he can’t get back. McIntyre having a brewing rivalry with Cody Rhodes suggests that it might be sooner rather than later that McIntyre gets a chance of main-eventing a PLE and potentially becoming champion.
