Smark Out Moment

To counteract the Future Endeavors Forecast of 2019's potential releases, we turn our discussion to the ONE TO WATCH—a segment to kickoff the new year where we try to predict which superstars are going to particularly shine to become standout performers over the next twelve months. This applies to anybody in the company, whether they're currently on the main roster, a returning legend, someone in NXT or developmental, or anything else for the most part.



In no particular order...

Finn Balor

I can see Balor getting off to a good start once he goes to SmackDown in the Superstar Shake-up. If that doesn't happen, he's screwed.

Shayna Baszler and Ronda Rousey

One of these two is winning the SmackDown Women's Championship from Asuka, in my mind, and the other one will hold another championship. My guess is Rousey goes to SmackDown, Baszler goes to Raw (and is the one to dethrone Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women's Championship). There's no way they don't have a good year.

Aleister Black, Velveteen Dream, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa

I almost have to lump these four together, because I don't know how else to talk about them, other than to point out how they were the linchpins for NXT this year.

EC3

Call me foolish, but I believe he's actually going to do better on the main roster than he did in NXT. I might look back on this later in the year and think I was letting my personal bias get in the way, though...

Ricochet

Once he drops that title, he's coming up to the main roster and either becoming the focal point of 205 Live or a midcarder that hopefully will get the chance to really succeed, instead of being ignored like so many other NXT stars.

Matt Riddle

For all intents and purposes, he seems like he's got the rocket strapped to him. This is a no-brainer.

Dominik Dijakovic

I think people are sleeping on this guy and he's going to be the one to dethrone Ricochet and be the next North American champion, if not the NXT champion, if not even go up to the main roster later in 2019.

Bianca Belair

This may start as early as TakeOver: Phoenix, if she wins the NXT Women's Championship. At some point in the year, I think she'll capture that title, and her undefeated streak is going on for a reason. They clearly see good things in her. I do, too. She's got that it-factor.



This seems more than obvious, but that's exactly why I had to pick him. He's poised to become universal champion. Unless something weird happens with Brock Lesnar, I fully expect McIntyre to be holding that title by SummerSlam.

Check out our discussion on this subject from the latest episode of the Smack Talk podcast below!