Who are the current champions in WWE?
Who do I think will beat them for the title?
Who do I think will beat them for the title?
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
Current WWE Champion: Daniel Bryan
Prediction for Next Champion: Finn Balor
Explanation: I have no idea. WWE is booking things like someone with schizophrenia. But what the hell, let's go with Finn Balor winning it sometime post-Mania. Total shot in the dark that I have zero faith in. I'll update this sometime around Royal Rumble.
WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Current Universal Champion: Brock Lesnar
Prediction for Next Champion: Seth Rollins
Explanation: If he drops the title at WrestleMania, it'll be either to Batista or Seth Rollins, but I don't think that's going to happen, even though I have Rollins down. I honestly think he's just going to keep it until late 2019, like August for SummerSlam, because WWE just likes having the belt on him for long stretches of nothingness, for some reason, and I wouldn't be shocked at all if they kept it on him as long as possible in the hopes that Roman Reigns could come back and win it. But maybe, MAYBE, they like Drew McIntyre well enough that they want to give it to Rollins so he can drop it to McIntyre.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Current Intercontinental Champion: Bobby Lashley
Prediction for Next Champion: Elias or Finn Balor
Explanation: Depending on the Superstar Shake-up, these two are the best in line for Raw right now, I think. However, there's a chance it goes to Braun Strowman or EC3 or any number of people from SmackDown.
UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
Current United States Champion: Rusev
Prediction for Next Champion: Andrade "Cien" Almas or Samoa Joe
Explanation: Hm...I had thought it would go to Rey Mysterio, who would drop it to Andrade "Cien" Almas at WrestleMania. Now that it's on Rusev, I'm wondering if it'll go straight to Almas and we'll see a reversal of this, with Mysterio beating him down the line. Or, maybe Samoa Joe?
CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Current Cruiserweight Champion: Buddy Murphy
Prediction for Next Champion: Ricochet
Explanation: Mustafa Ali was my go-to pick as the next babyface in line for the title, but my gut is telling me Buddy Murphy might pass it to someone like Ricochet instead and Ali may have to wait, unless they start telling the story of him getting a shot for the belt at WrestleMania, especially now that Ali is on the SmackDown roster.
RAW WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Current Raw Women's Champion: Ronda Rousey
Prediction for Next Champion: Charlotte Flair or Becky Lynch
Explanation: Triple Threat at WrestleMania.
SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Current SmackDown Women's Champion: Asuka
Prediction for Next Champion: Ronda Rousey
Explanation: Asuka fights someone boring at WrestleMania. Rousey drops the Raw title at Mania. Rousey moves over to SmackDown and beats Asuka for the SmackDown title, cause there's a connection between Rousey and Fox and that gives SmackDown a boost.
RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current Raw Tag Team Champions: Bobby Roode and Chad Gable
Prediction for Next Champions: The Authors of Pain or The Revival
Explanation: I'm expecting AOP to just win the titles back, but with New Year's and this initiative to do something different, WWE could try to placate the IWC by having The Revival win the belts instead.
SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The Bar
Prediction for Next Champions: Shane McMahon and The Miz
Explanation: The Miz and Shane McMahon either win the titles to set up something for WrestleMania, or they don't win the titles in order to set up a match together for WrestleMania and this goes to The Usos or something instead.
NXT CHAMPIONSHIP
Current NXT Champion: Tommaso Ciampa
Prediction for Next Champions: Matt Riddle
Explanation: I thought Gargano was a certainty, but that no longer seems to be the case. I also thought EC3 had a shot, but they seem to put him on the sidelines frequently. Now, I'm wondering if Ciampa is holding it until Matt Riddle can take it. For the most part, though, I have no clue. Velveteen Dream could win it, for all I know.
NXT WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Current NXT Women's Champion: Shayna Baszler
Prediction for Next Champion: Bianca Belair or Io Shirai
Explanation: Belair is my go-to pick just because nobody else is remotely close to being able to take this title off Baszler, but I don't think it'll happen at Phoenix. In fact, I don't even necessarily think it'll be Belair who wins it. I really just don't think it's going to someone like Conti, Borne, LeRae, Evans, Aliyah, or back to Sane. The only other person in mind is Io Shirai, and if Baszler beats Belair and we see Shirai get a shot at TakeOver: New York, then that might be it.
NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current NXT Tag Team Champions: The Undisputed Era
Prediction for Next Champions: War Raiders
Explanation: Seems pretty clear.
NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Current North American Champion: Ricochet
Prediction for Next Champion: Dominik Dijakovic or Johnny Gargano
Explanation: I had thought Lars Sullivan, but he's going to the main roster, so nope. Now, they're starting with the Dijak push, so he's my next go-to monster guy that will dethrone Ricochet. That is, of course, unless Johnny Gargano wins in Phoenix, which is a strong possibility.
UNITED KINGDOM CHAMPIONSHIP
Current United Kingdom Champion: Pete Dunne
Prediction for Next Champion: Walter
Explanation: Yup. Walter. They made it a point to give him a big debut.
NXT UNITED KINGDOM WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Current United Kingdom Women's Champion: Toni Storm
Prediction for Next Champion: Piper Niven, Jinny or Jazzy Gabert
Explanation: Depending on if Piper Niven and/or Jazzy Gabert get signed, either one of them wins, or it goes to Jinny if they don't.
NXT UNITED KINGDOM TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current United Kingdom Tag Team Champions: Grizzled Young Veterans
Prediction for Next Champions: Moustache Mountain
Explanation: I'm expecting GYV to beat Amir Jordan and Kenny Williams, as well as Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews, before making their way back around to Trent Seven and Tyler Bate, who they'll lose it to.
WWE WOMEN'S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
Current Women's Tag Team Champions: n/a
Prediction for Next Champions: Sasha Banks and Bayley
Explanation: The six teams competing for these belts at Elimination Chamber haven't been announced, but we can assume the options are Nia Jax and Tamina, Sasha Banks and Bayley, The Riott Squad, The IIconics, Ravishing Glow, and Fire N Desire. Out of that bunch, I'm still 100% firm in my guess of Banks and Bayley winning and facing Trish Stratus and Lita at WrestleMania.
