5 WWE Stars Who Will Break Out In 2023

WWE has spent has the past several years relying on many of the same stars to carry the company, a list that includes Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.

But that’s not to say that the WWE machine hasn’t pumped out new stars during that span. Homegrown talents like Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair have helped carry the company for the past two-plus years while Bray Wyatt has developed into a merchandise-moving machine and a crossover star like boxer-turned-wrestler Logan Paul has been an unquestioned success for WWE.

Despite Triple H reportedly being “disappointed” by some of the many stars he brought back last year, there is reason to be optimistic about his ability to develop new stars now and into the future. With WWE having the chance to accidentally strike gold with a veteran like Sami Zayn again or develop a rising new star, you can rest assured that new stars will make their way to the top of the card in 2023.

These five stars appear poised to do exactly that.

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Raquel Rodriguez

As evidenced by her recent performance in a gauntlet match on SmackDown and the way that she was protected in her surprisingly good match against Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women’s Championship last week, Raquel Rodriguez has a bright future in WWE.

That should come as no surprise given that Triple H gave her a strong push in NXT, and virtually as soon as he took over the main roster’s creative process, it was reported that she was in line for a “big push.” That push is already coming to fruition as the 31-year-old star is starting to develop a decent connection with the crowd, though it remains to be seen if that connection will continue to improve or fizzle out.

What makes Rodriguez so marketable is that she’s the tallest woman on WWE’s main roster, and she is solid in the ring. With more in-ring experience and character development, she could become a world champion by the end of the year.

Montez Ford

When Vince McMahon was at the helm, Montez Ford was set to receive a massive singles push that may have resulted in the end of The Street Profits. Since Triple H took the reigns, Ford has cooled off a bit, but that is more so because an injury left him sidelined for an extended period than anything else.

With all of WWE’s recent returns, Ford is suddenly fighting an uphill battle in terms of breaking out as a singles star, but there are few stars in WWE who have the mix of superstar charisma, in-ring skills, promo ability and the “it” factor that Ford clearly has. He is absolutely something special, and at just 32 years old, he’s entering the prime of his career.

What’s more, WWE has recently shown with both Big E and Kofi Kingston of The New Day—two former world champions—that a popular babyface tag team certainly does not need to break up for one of its stars to have immense singles success. Why can’t Ford follow suit? Perhaps the only obstacle to a big push for the high-flying star is a world where WWE continues to have only one world championship, which might limit his opportunities unless he goes for a midcard title or WWE creates a second world title again.

Austin Theory

Austin Theory, by most accounts, had an up-and-down 2022, with Money in the Bank and United States title victories sandwiching a terrible run with that briefcase and a lot of losses to bigger stars. But his year ended on a high note with a complete revamp of his gimmick and high-profile feuds with both Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley.

Before McMahon left WWE, Theory was actually being positioned for a WrestleMania 39 feud with John Cena, which just goes to show you that he’s a main eventer in the making. Even with Triple H in charge, Theory’s recent gimmick makeover was a huge plus for him, and at just 25 years old, he’s finally being taken more seriously as a borderline main event star.

A marquee WrestleMania feud with Cena or another top star—plus an extended US title run—could set up Theory as the brightest prospect in all of WWE.

Solo Sikoa

It hasn’t even been four months since Solo Sikoa debuted as Roman Reigns’ enforcer, but the powerhouse’s involvement in a main event storyline with The Bloodline—the biggest current angle in WWE—has turned him into an instant star.

Since his debut at September’s Clash at the Castle, the 29-year-old star has been a silent but unstoppable force for The Bloodline, letting his in-ring work do the talking as he cements himself as the faction’s heavy. WWE has done a masterful job of presenting Sikoa as the group’s X-factor and someone who could be taken seriously as a main eventer in the near future.

Sikoa looks the part, his in-ring work is already very good, and perhaps most importantly, he comes across as a legitimate tough guy, which is exactly what he’s supposed to do in his current role. Given the fact that Sikoa is positioned alongside WWE’s top stars in Reigns and has already been involved in matches or feuds with main event players like Sheamus and Drew McIntyre, he’s just one storyline twist away from being a legitimate world title contender—and maybe even the man who ultimately dethrones Reigns.

Rhea Ripley

The booking of both The Judgment Day and Raw’s women’s division has been so-so at best, but the biggest bright spot for both in recent months has undoubtedly been Rhea Ripley. Long deemed a potential cornerstone of WWE, Ripley is finally coming into her own as a well-rounded performer who has the ideal blend of character work and in-ring prowess.

Ripley’s dominance over Dominik Mysterio has been a surprising hit, and it’s helping to flush out her character, which simply wasn’t there early on after her main roster call-up. It’s no wonder that Ripley is one of many Triple H-backed stars in line for a significant push and rise up the card, and she’s the perfect woman for the job at the time.

Both Raw and SmackDown have been relying on the likes of Lynch, Bayley, Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair as the top stars of the women’s division for far too long, and Ripley should follow in the footsteps of Belair as the next female star to break through to the upper echelon on WWE’s once impenetrable main event picture.

In fact, Ripley is reportedly penciled in for a WrestleMania feud with Rousey, which would be a great way to establish her as a bona fide main eventer.