Predicting the next 5 Universal Champions

Since it was introduced two years ago, the Universal Championship has had a tumultuous history. The name and design of the title were widely reviled when it was first revealed, and its subsequent lineage hasn't earned it much praise from the "WWE universe" it's supposed to represent.

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The inaugural title holder, the popular Finn Balor, had to relinquish the championship a day after winning it due to injury. Kevin Owens' subsequent reign wasn't particularly endearing either.

Goldberg's win was controversial, and Brock Lesnar's reign, except for a brief span last summer, has been a bust.

For most of the title's history, it hasn't been seen on television. Many fans don't even care if it goes on Curt Hawkins at this point. That's how tarnished the title and its champion have become in their absences.

It will be up to the next few title holders to bring prestige back to the championship. But who will those subsequent champions be?

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#1 Roman Reigns

Will this headline WrestleMania 35?

The current rumors are that Lesnar will drop the Universal Championship to Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.

Hopefully, those rumors are true. It certainly doesn't seem like anyone else will be permitted to take the red strap from Lesnar, and his reign needs to end as quickly as possible.

From there, Reigns will have a lot of work to do. Already deeply unpopular with fans, his title reign is sure to be loathed by many.

Thankfully, though, he'll be on TV and defend the title on pay-per-view, making it something other than invisible. His matches will be far better than most of Lesnar's efforts as well.

Expect Reigns to have a long run with the title. If indeed he picks it up in August, he's likely to take it into and past next year's WrestleMania. However, there's already a man being positioned as a serious threat to everyone on Raw. He's biding his time for now, but he'll strike eventually.

#2 Drew McIntyre

The return of the Chosen One.

Before Reigns, Drew McIntyre was the one originally positioned to take the company into the future. His first stint with the company didn't work out as expected, but he's now become the performer that Vince McMahon originally expected him to be.

Unsurprisingly, the chatter is that the Chairman is very high on the former NXT and Intercontinental Champion.

His jobber days with 3MB have already been neatly washed away. He has been a consistent highlight on Monday nights in this bleak season its been in.

Whenever McIntyre breaks away from Dolph Ziggler, which will probably happen before the end of the year, he'll be positioned as a main event player. With Lesnar gone, Bobby Lashley seemingly shattered beyond repair, and Braun Strowman a babyface, there's no one better poised to become the top heel on Monday nights.

To quote Solomonster, the company would truly be out of its mind if they didn't do Reigns vs. McIntyre for the Universal Championship at some point.

All things must come to an end, and when Reigns' days as champion have run their course, don't be surprised to see McIntyre be the next in line.

#3 Braun Strowman

Ignore Paul Heyman this time.

Everyone knows it's going to happen eventually. Hopefully, it will come soon enough for Strowman to still be hot. The Monster Among Men is one of the most popular stars in the company, and WWE would be crazy to not put the championship on him at some point.

The company has also already teased a showdown with McIntyre. Wisely, they held off on pulling the trigger, but their staredown and brief exchange a few weeks ago had the crowd buzzing with electricity.

It's a rivalry between two hosses that would certainly bring with it a big fight feel. The promos between the two would be intense and heated as well.

McIntyre is currently lamenting the lack of drive and ambition in the locker room, telling how he's thrived on a journey that few would survive, but Strowman will present him his biggest challenge yet, a challenge too gargantuan even for him to overcome.

#4 John Cena

The champ is here...one more time.

John Cena has almost been an afterthought of late, but don't be fooled. Anyone who doesn't think he's eventually going to get his "record breaking" 17th world title win is crazy.

Though he's a free agent, he currently appears on Raw far more than SmackDown, and it's unlikely WWE won't want his name to be on the list of Universal Champions, especially when the "record books" are looming.

Cena vs. Braun Strowman will be one more of those "overcoming the odds" stories that have defined his career.

Fans won't be happy about it, but a loss to Cena won't dent the credibility of Strowman, despite Cena's weaker booking of late. It's too much of a trope for WWE not to do it.

Cena will likely main event WrestleMania one more time, carrying the red strap into the biggest show for a rematch with the man who has been groomed to take his spot.

#5 Roman Reigns

Second Reign

Reigns has been positioned to take Cena's place for years now. He already has one victory over his predecessor, but the match at last year's No Mercy felt too much like a throwaway to make it as meaningful as it could have been.

A match for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania after Cena had supposedly broken Ric Flair's record would be a far bigger deal.

Reigns would ultimately prevail, earning his second reign with the championship and fully and unambiguously eclipsing Cena as the top guy in the promotion, at least in the eyes of Vince McMahon.

The match would likely be poorly received from fans in attendance, but it's too big of an affair for the company not to try and do it.

If Reigns is indeed the one Vince McMahon wants to push at the top, expect a big title match at WrestleMania between him and Cena at some point.

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