Smark Out Moment

With January off to a quick start and the Royal Rumble right around the corner, I decided to break down the five predictions for things I believe will happen in 2016.

Keep in mind that these are predictions I truly believe could happen and not necessarily things I'd like to see happen. I'd love to predict that Shane McMahon will come back and destroy The Authority, but I'm trying to think with my brain and not my heart here. With that being said, let's jump in!

1. John Cena will win his 16th WWE World Heavyweight Championship

This one is more of a guarantee in my opinion. There's no doubt that WWE has every intention of John Cena beating Ric Flair's record, and its also easy to see that the clock is ticking for that to happen. Cena is 38 years old and coming off another elbow injury. With the young talent coming up and poised to take over, the champ's reign on top might be coming to an end. The Hulk Hogan of our era is sitting at 15 title reigns right now, and has about 2-3 years to get two more. Even the most anti-Cena fans can guess that he is going to take over as the most decorated wrestler of all-time.


2. Kevin Owens wins his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship

This is my last prediction involving any title. I didn't want a bunch of "so and so wins the title" as my predictions, but I really wanted to mention this one. Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins have easily been the best heels WWE has had since Edge went on his tear in 2007-2008, and possibly since Shawn Michaels was "the man" way back in the day. However, Owens is 31. While some guys don't start having their best matches until 37 or even 38 (see John Cena all of this past year), it still means he doesn't have a long time to build up a lot of title reigns. That's why I think 2016 will put KO in the main event scene with the first of his few title runs on top!


3. The Bullet Club will rival and end The Authority

The Bullet Club may end up being the biggest signing WWE has ever had. Now, we aren't sure if they are coming in as "The Bullet Club" or as individuals that were once in The Bullet Club. If you need a little background info on these guys check this out. Nonetheless, The Authority has been in power since 2013 when Triple H helped Randy Orton defeat Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam for the WWE Championship. That means they've been in power for nearly three years and the WWE Universe in yearning for something new. With the arrival of The Bullet Club, this is the perfect way to get them on the radar of fans who may not know them all that well. This could also set up for a Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles/Shinsuke Nakamura match that would blow the roof off of any building. Its not a matter of IF The Authority will "lose power" its more so a question of WHEN will The Authority lose power. I think 2016 is the year, and The Bullet Club are the ones to do it.


4. Luke Harper will "betray" The Wyatt Family, and rival Bray Wyatt to break out as a singles star

Believe it or not, Luke Harper is 36. I know that's kind of hard to tell with the way he moves in the ring, as he doesn't look like a 36 year old. Nonetheless, Luke Harper has been beyond influential in the success of The Wyatt Family. He's just about as old school as it gets, just using brute force to make everyone around him look tiny. He did get a small "singles push" when Bray Wyatt released him and Rowan from his family. He showed incredible potential, but never got the chance he really deserves. A bullshit Intercontinental Championship run thanks to being an Authority lap dog was really all we saw with the incredible ladder match he put on with Dolph Ziggler. I believe that if they let him break out and expand on his character, Luke Harper could be an amazing singles star in the WWE. 2016 could be his year.


5. AJ Styles will be the "Superstar of The Year"

Now, when I say "Superstar of The Year" I'm not talking about the ridiculous Slammy award—I mean that AJ Styles will blow the roof of every building he steps into, and will change the way people think of the word "superstar". When people say that he arguably the best pro wrestler to ever do it in any promotion, they aren't kidding. This man is a blessing for WWE along with Shinsuke Nakamura, but AJ will be the guy everyone is clamoring for throughout 2016. He's going to main event pay-per-views and possibly grab the only heavyweight title that's avoided his grasp in his illustrious career: the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. For those of you that are familiar with Styles' work, this may not be a surprise to you. The only reason I say this is a "prediction" more so than a guarantee is because we are dealing with WWE here. It is very hard to say what they might end up doing with Styles. But whatever role he is put in, he will make it the greatest it can be.

What predictions do you have for the WWE in 2016? Let us know in the comments below! We love your feedback!