Who are the current champions in WWE and who do I think will beat them?
WWE CHAMPION
Current: AJ Styles
Next: Shinsuke Nakamura or Samoa Joe
Explanation: So here's the thing. I thought Nakamura would win at WrestleMania, then at Greatest Royal Rumble, then at Backlash. I don't know if they're just holding off and stretching this out super long, and he'll win at Money in the Bank, or if they've been keeping it on Styles cause there's no intention to put it on Nakamura. If that happens, then Samoa Joe HAS to be the one to dethrone Styles at something like SummerSlam.
WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPION
Current: Brock Lesnar
Next: Bobby Lashley or Roman Reigns
Explanation: SummerSlam is my estimation, as I don't think Lesnar is fighting at Money in the Bank or Extreme Rules. Typical.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION
Current: Seth Rollins
Next: Bobby Roode
Explanation: Shot in the dark. It could also be Bobby Lashley or Baron Corbin or Kevin Owens or Sami Zayn or even a heel Dean Ambrose.
UNITED STATES CHAMPION
Current: Jeff Hardy
Next: Andrade "Cien" Almas
Explanation: Shot in the dark. It could also be Big Cass, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura or The Miz.
CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Current: Cedric Alexander
Next: Buddy Murphy
Explanation: They do seem to be focused on him quite a bit, and pushed back his title opportunity until later. Maybe that's a sign. Then again, maybe he's just the first true feud for Alexander and this is going to someone else who isn't even on 205 Live yet, like Tommaso Ciampa.
RAW WOMEN'S CHAMPION
Current: Nia Jax
Next: Bayley or Sasha Banks, or Natalya
Explanation: I'm imagining we get a heel turn from someone on Raw (Bayley, Banks or Nattie) and they beat Jax so that they can drop the title to Ronda Rousey. I don't think we're going from Jax to Rousey without a transitional champion.
SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S CHAMPION
Current: Carmella
Next: Asuka
Explanation: I don't think we'll see Charlotte Flair just win this title back. Instead, I imagine Asuka gets it and eventually turns heel down the line.
RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current: Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Next: The Authors of Pain
Explanation: The only way The Authors of Pain aren't the next champions is if some team like Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler win it first, then drop it to a babyface team who then lose the belts to AOP, but they're definitely grabbing those titles.
SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current: The Bludgeon Brothers
Next: The New Day
Explanation: I think The New Day could be the transition team to drop these belts to SAnitY afterward. Then again, maybe it just goes to SAnitY.
NXT CHAMPION
Current: Aleister Black
Next: EC3 or Tommaso Ciampa
Explanation: I had thought Lars Sullivan stood a very good chance of winning this at Brooklyn or Los Angeles, but they opted to go with him as the challenger for Chicago. Since that is Black's first title defense, I don't think he's dropping the belt that fast, nor do I think Sullivan will get a second title shot after that where he'd win the belt. As such, I needed to shift my predictions over to being either Tommaso Ciampa winning in a potential Triple Threat at Brooklyn, or EC3 winning at Los Angeles. I'm not sure which one I'd lean toward quite yet, but part of me is thinking more about EC3.
NXT WOMEN'S CHAMPION
Current: Shayna Baszler
Next: Candice LeRae or Kairi Sane
Explanation: Depending on which direction they go after TakeOver: New Orleans. If Baszler just wrecks Dakota Kai in Chicago and then they set up one of these two for Brooklyn, I think the other one will win in Los Angeles. My guess is we go from Kai to Sane and then it's LeRae who beats Baszler.
NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current: The Undisputed Era
Next: War Raiders
Explanation: This is tough, as War Raiders are heels, but no babyface teams are strong enough to combat The Undisputed Era.
UNITED KINGDOM CHAMPION
Current: Pete Dunne
Next: n/a
Explanation: I honestly think WWE doesn't have a clue what to do with this division and has no plans for the title to change hands any time soon.
NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION
Current: Adam Cole
Next: Ricochet
Explanation: Heels drop belts to babyfaces more often than not. Cole's next in line has to be either Ricochet or Johnny Gargano, and I'm leaning toward Ricochet at first.
CRUISERWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current: Belt does not currently exist
Next: n/a
Explanation: This is still a rumor and not officially announced. More on this when it becomes official, if that happens, which I don't think will be the case.
WOMEN'S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current: Belt does not currently exist
Next: n/a
Explanation: This is still a rumor and not officially announced. More on this when it becomes official. It would make sense, though, if it's cross-branded, that The Bella Twins would win it and go between Raw and SmackDown.
