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Bron Breakker has been on the fast track to success on the WWE main roster. The former two-time NXT Champion won the Intercontinental Championship after just six months on RAW and SmackDown.
His trajectory was apparent from the moment he debuted by squashing LA Knight on the first episode of the NXT 2.0 reboot. While it took a few attempts, Breakker eventually hit his target by defeating Tommaso Ciampa to win the NXT Title.
With the new Intercontinental Champ getting a huge push so early in his main roster career, who could be next? The following five WWE stars could enjoy a huge push from Tripe H after Bron Breakker.
(Note: Jacob Fatu and Tiffany Stratton are no-brainers but both have already had significant wins this year. Fatu is one-half of the current WWE Tag Team Champions while Stratton is the current Miss Money in the Bank).
#5. Bronson Reed fired a massive shot at Seth Rollins
Reed has circled the Intercontinental Title scene for much of 2024 but has not had the success of Bron Breakker. He'll come off as an imposing threat but he's still lost to Sheamus, Breakker, Sami Zayn, and others this year.
The Aussie monster may be in the early stages of a push to match his massive size. While looking for an opportunity on his own, Reed destroyed Seth Rollins with multiple Tsunami splashes. The attack writes Rollins off of TV for the foreseeable future.
The former North American Champ did the same the following week against the Miz and R Truth. He may not beat Breakker for the title but his attacks will likely continue, keeping focus on the monster.
#4. WWE should focus on Dragon Lee in the second half of 2024
Dragon Lee hasn't been on RAW for the last few weeks. The LWO also hasn't been featured except for a few appearances from Zelina Vega. Before the WWE Draft 2024, Lee wowed WWE fans with his showings on SmackDown.
WrestleMania 40 came and went and the group - and Lee in particular - lost a lot of momentum. He wasn't used in the build to Money in the Bank either, so Dragon Lee should be pushed now that SummerSlam has concluded.
He's just as exciting as Ricochet, Andrade, Hayes, and many others, and revisiting his push would help reintroduce him to the fans.
#3. Jade Cargill needs to do more than go for tag team gold
Nia Jax is the new WWE Women's Champion and she'll need credible challengers after dispatching Bayley at SummerSlam.
It's nice to see Michin get a title shot and more focus, but unfortunately, she's not going to beat The Queen of the Ring. Jade Cargill eliminated Jax from the Royal Rumble this year but lost via disqualification during their Queen of the Ring matchup.
The Annihilator outsmarted The Storm, proving that just because you have more abs than someone else doesn't mean you'll always beat them. Once Cargill and Belair break up, expect a huge push for the former AEW star.
#2. Ilja Dragunov has a history with both champs on RAW
Ilja Dragunov has been heavily linked with Bron Breakker throughout their tenure in WWE. The two battled over the NXT Title, with Breakker defeating The Mad Dragon.
Once Bron moved on to Smackdown, Dragunov dethroned Carmelo Hayes to win the title. The Mad Dragon was selected by RAW in the 2024 Draft, reigniting his feud with the former two-time NXT Champ.
The two rivals squared off for the right to challenge Sami Zayn at WWE SummerSlam. Dragunov lost by referee stoppage but did not give up. He can endure limitless punishment, so showcasing that in a big push would get the fans further behind The Mad Dragon.
#1. Carmelo Hayes defeated Breakker for the NXT Title
Along with Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes was pegged for success in NXT 2.0. He won the Breakout Tournament, the North American Title, and the NXT Championship. He also ended Breakker's second reign with the belt.
Hayes' first official match as a full-time member of SmackDown was against the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. He held his own against the company's new top star, showing fans that he'll be a player in the future.
That faith from officials will translate to a huge push under Triple H. He just got a win back from Andrade in a series of some of the best matches of the year on the blue brand. The pairing was seemingly done to eventually push Hayes to a United States Championship shot.
