Smark Out Moment

One to Watch is a segment where at the beginning of the year, we try to predict which superstars are going to really shine and become standout performers over the next twelve months. This applies to anyone in the company, whether it be someone on the main roster, a legend that could return, NXT developmental people, or anything else for the most part.

Last year, my choice was Sheamus, and I was dead wrong—total opposite of 2013 when I went with Daniel Bryan and he had a great year. I had figured that Sheamus would be pushed as a top heel with The Authority, but WWE decided to keep him a babyface and then he went down with an injury. Am I going to be more on par with 2013's good guess or totally misguided like in 2014? Who do I think will be the ONE TO WATCH for 2015?



5. Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan is going to remain a top draw in the company in 2015, but I have a feeling he will take a backseat to several others. The only person who isn't on this list that will have a decent year, but ranked #6 and just behind Bryan, is Dean Ambrose. The reason why he beats out Ambrose is because I feel WWE will want to turn Ambrose heel and it will be a mistake. Meanwhile, Bryan's hard work is already done and he just needs to go out and perform and he'll already be in the list of the primary five people of the year in the eyes of the fans. However, WWE will be hesitant to push him to the moon due to his injuries, so he won't quite be the absolute top of the food chain.

4. Rusev

I still maintain that Rusev is overrated and doesn't deserve the massive push that he's received. That doesn't mean WWE agrees with me, though. Clearly, they value him a lot, and the only thing that's going to stop him from continuing his rise is when he eventually loses. I expect that to be at WrestleMania and for them to have it be John Cena that defeats him, but for it to be a non-title match. That way, Rusev can continue to dominate the midcard and retain his title for a few more months to help counteract the downgrade he'll receive once he's been defeated. How WWE handles his loss will determine what happens with Rusev. He's not good enough on his own to stay a focal point without the machine wanting him to be a focal point. If WWE stops being on board, he will be in the same boat as Ryback was after WrestleMania XXIX. He could go either way, being a downgrade or he could be the person to defeat someone like Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

3. Dolph Ziggler

This spot would be going to Bryan if he weren't the more severely injured of the two. Ziggler is in the midst of a solid push and it seems as though WWE has woken up to the idea that he's one of the best on the roster that shouldn't be ignored. I'd imagine Ziggler will be the workhorse of the year that WWE depends on to have the best match of the night similar to Bryan, but they will be more trustworthy of him. There's a possibility that Ziggler will win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship toward the end of the year or even win the 2016 Royal Rumble if he keeps things up.

2. Roman Reigns

I still expect him to win the 2015 Royal Rumble and go on to defeat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXXI. The fans might not be as big on him as they were several months ago, but that will turn around. WWE won't give up that easily and all it will take is the Royal Rumble win itself for fans to start getting hyped. Naturally, there will be those on the internet that immediately turn on him and say he's being given the John Cena treatment, but that happens to every single wrestler when they start actually winning. There is a section of the audience that only wants to go against the grain. Too bad. Roman Reigns will have a great 2015. Go tell your early 2014 self that and you'll be happy, rather than your current self.


Is this the obvious, easy answer? Sure. But that doesn't take away from the reality of the situation. Seth Rollins currently holds the Money in the Bank contract, which means he will be guaranteed to have at least one title match in 2015. Whether that is a quick cash-in that is successful (or not) or a legitimate full match has yet to be seen, but since he is a heel, it will likely be something short. Rollins had an amazing 2014 where he won nearly every important match that he was in, despite being a cowardly heel. He is unarguably one of the top heels on the roster who can perform with a wide variety of different people. Having the backing of The Authority is going to continue to help him out a lot as well. Look for Rollins to cash in his title shot against whomever defeats Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania to win the belt. Even if he doesn't win the title at that time and place, he will have main event matches with every top face like Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, and Dolph Ziggler for sure.