Who will be the next babyface (not named Cena or Orton) to win the WWE Title?

[Cruiser]

On Raw we've recently seen new wrestlers pushed to the top of the roster. About a year ago Sheamus beat John Cena to win the WWE championship. The past few months we've seen Wade Barrett main eventing in championship matches. And a week ago, the Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank to take the title. It's clear the WWE is looking to the future but there's one thing about all these guys: they're heels. Currently the only two legitimate face competitors for the title are Randy Orton and John Cena. With Cena tied up in a storyline, it's all on Randy right now. This brings me to my question. With the top of the Raw roster being overloaded with heels, which face besides Cena or Orton will be the next one to hoist the WWE Championship?

Some of my choices:

Obvious choice:
Triple H
This seems to be the most logical choice. Triple H is obviously a solidified main eventer in the company and should be close to returning from injury. It's logical he will be a face when he returns and could be thrown into a championship program. While Hunter will probably be the most obvious choice, I encourage you to discuss who after him could be a potential champion because that is where things get really interesting.

Unlikely candidates:
John Morrison
With wins over Sheamus (aside from the KOTR) it looks as if the E is pushing Morrison recently. His in ring skills are very flashy and his matches are really exciting. I think the argument against him for most people will be his skills on the mic. Morrison does get lots of cheers and seems to be very popular with the crowd. However, would people take him seriously as a main eventer?

Daniel Bryan
I don't think anyone would have foreseen the success Bryan has experienced in the WWE. After being fired he comes back, rises up the ranks, beats Miz for the US championship, and rarely loses a match nowadays. The WWE seems to have lots of confidence in Bryan yet he is still new to the company. There could be a lot of doubts as to whether he could headline a pay per view or have a successful championship run.

R-Truth
He gets big pops and gets the crowd worked up but a lot of that could have to do with his entrance music. It seemed like when he switched his song briefly the crowd was dead for his entrance. This brings up a lot of questions as to how effective R-Truths' gimmicky persona could go over. Personally I don't see a WWE title run anywhere in his future but he is still one of the big mid-carders on Raw. I think you could at least throw him into the discussion.

Other possibilities:
Top heel turns face
Could one of Raw's top heels turn face to alleviate the heel logjam? I see only two possibilities for face turns that could result in a WWE title run. The first is Sheamus. He seems to have lost a little of the heat he had during his title runs and is falling back a little. While KOTR could give him a boost, perhaps fans could see another side of him. My second choice I believe has a better chance of turning. That is CM Punk. Punk is awesome as a heel, one of the best I have seen in years. But he can definitely run with a face gimmick as well, he is one of the few guys who can pull off both very well. His commentary would make any fan laugh and he is definitely coming off as a very likable guy on headset. That perception of him could be translated to a face turn when he is cleared to get back in the ring. I thought a Punk face turn would be impossible a few weeks ago but his work announcing really got me thinking.

Shake things up a bit
If the next face champion doesn't come from inside the Raw roster could they wait until the draft to make things happen? While there are also few faces on Smackdown worthy of a title shot, could we see Edge, Kofi, or MVP brought over to be the next face champ?

So what are your thoughts on the matter? Who is going to be the next face WWE champion? I know the obvious choice will be Triple H but to make things interesting maybe describe who else you think could step into that role.

 

[Undertaker the 5th]

Morrison.
I think his match with Shaemus tonight really made him look like a star. I don't think it will be anytime soon, but he is the best choice right now other than Cena or Orton. I could also see HHH win it before mania to make his feud with Shaemus possibly go into mania for th title.

 

[Elementz of Fear]

Edit: Didn't even realize you specifically meant the WWE Title aka the RAW exclusive championship. My rant about Edge becoming champion before any other face is now meaningless lol. With that said, yes, John Morrison will be the next face not named Cena or Orton to hold the WWE Title but i don't think it happens until Mania. I don't see him winning the title soon unless it involves WrestleMania type build up. With the next couple pay per views serving as WM hype, I can't imagine WWE giving a face the title for the first time when they could gain buys and deliver on the big show in Atlanta. WWE hasn't had a face win the title for the first time at WrestleMania since WM22 when Rey Mysterio won it so I think it is long overdue. How about a Miz vs Morrison WWE title match at Wrestlemania 27? That would be absolutely epic. Talk about WWE planning for the future.

 

[Brahma Bull]

i think it will be jericho when he returns. we have so many heels and so few faces. on raw we have cena and orton. on smackdown we have edge and rey. i remember reading awhile back that both edge and jericho played face in an untelevised raw house show. these are normally signs to come. jericho will come back, and i think go after the raw gm. this would turn him face since the fans hate the gm. and he should do it like edge. dont be all, im a face now. just continue being jericho and hate the gm. i actually think it would be cool if he was in on it with the gm, and wins at a big ppv with help from the gm, because his best work is as a heel.

other contenders:

morrison- looked like gold tonight, and is obviously being built up. i like that they are doing it slow. it will make his win that much more meaningful.

hhh- you said besides him, but i think he will win it next after orton gets it back from miz. and possibly after barret gets it from orton after.

there are other guys such as big zeke, and daniel bryan who i think will eventually win it, but that wont be for at least a couple years. and i dont think mvp ever has a chance again btw. lol

 

[owen8472]

well whoi would love to see:

cody roads: he could make a great face if given the chance moving him to raw give him some pump up matchs against ted and maybe shamus or maybe have him win the royal runble and choose to goto raw to win the title that his dad never held.

brock lesner: there are alot of rumors on his return going around that he can do both mma and wwe would that not be sick if he was wwe champ and UFC champ.

john morrison i think is the most likly guy to win wwe championship trying to prove he is the HBK and not marty jenetty. i can see the dirt sheet build up but i think there going to move morison to smackdown soon to become world champ soon thats why there building him on raw.

but i think wwe plan is to unifi the wwe and world championship to alow big name guys to go back and forth to both shows.

same will soon happen the the inter and US champ: bigger draws when champs are not watered down and there so few active big names left.

i would love to see the wwe bring back a tv title at the upcoming NITRO night let that guy defend every week on both shows 1st guy i like to see win that would be MVP or KOFI since smackdown is taped most the time they can ape matchs for a TV title on both shows.

also been a few rummors if the undertaker dont return that the wwe would like to bring back shawn for another year maybe 2 but most likly not till WW and only part time.

jerrico is done with the wwe he wont comback and he wont go to TNA his fozzy gig keeps him busy and he like anouther tv game show or reality tv.
he also has a upcomeing VH1 deal to do a metel show on vh1 classic

 

[playisanadjective]

i do believe it will be CM Punk, as great as a heel he is he also has amazing face potential. the crowd ALWAYS pops so loud for him as a face, his entrance is perfect and his charisma is natural.

yes i know, man crush.

 

[Malenko316]

Let me start by saying I would be highly surprised that when Miz drops the strap, it's not to Cena or Orton. Cena will be rehired by TLC, so plenty of time to put the belt back on him before mania. It's a shame, but I'm not sure creative thrusts anyone else to draw.

That said, here are potentials:

John Morrison: This is alot of IWC peoples' pick and I have no idea why. Yes, he's put on some good matches and has been filler in some MEs but, unless he wins MitB and cashes in at WM, I'm not sure how he breaks through. I think he's earned it, but it's unlikely the strap will change hand much before WM, so that sets up Miz v Morrison - would creative trusts two rookie ME wrestlers to headline WM and draw? No chance.

R-Truth: I mention only because he is one of the few legit faces - but he has limited appeal and am sure creative will be aware of the horrible job he did as TNA champ.

Danielson/Zeke/Ted Jr: All future champions I have no doubt (and yes, ted would need a face change, but he's so little character it wouldn't be hard), but all are untested and at least a year's cycle away from ME level. (OK, so Danielson could step up tomorrow if asked, but big man bias means it won't happen.)

CM Punk: This is perhaps where there's out side chance starting to appear. Management is obviously high enough on him to want to keep him relevant by having him stay visible doing commentary. He has also carried the strap before, although it was largely done badly, eg the squash loss to Taker etc. Given his sound bites on commentary I'm also not convinced he's meant to be heel anymore, so that hurdle is crossed. There's only one thing that stops him from being a nailed on pick:

Triple H: After last night, there's obviously a set up to bring Trips back in a King of Kings match v Seamus. Which of course Trips will win. When he left, he left as a face, and while the word seems to be he prefers to be a heel, he's a proven commodity as a face and the E doesn't have the luxury of being picky. He will also be nailed for at least another 3 or 4 runs as champ before he turns to creative full time. I'm convinced management want him to retire with more championships than Flair.

So Trips is the pick, for no other reason than he's a trusted draw for WM, he's pretty much guaranteed at least 3 more titles before he retires and because it's the easiest to set up and sell. Why go through the effort of building up JoMo etc when you have ready made cash cow? Oh NB: Jericho is finished, his effort during the last few months of his last run showed he'd lost the passion. And to the person who suggested Lesnar, where can I get some of what you've been smoking?

PV

 

[SmattyG]

Definitely has to be John Morrison. He's been on the verge of main event status for over a year now. Remember the title match against Jeff Hardy last year? Sure his mic skills aren't the best, but either were Goldberg's (or Andre's realistically). He can put on classic matches with both the high fliers and the mat wrestlers, can sell most offense and has enough charisma to be over with the ladies and the kids. Apart from HHH or a huge Kozlov push, Moz is the man.

 

[brochester8]

My Picks are as follows:

1) John Morrison - With the recent push I feel Morrison will be the next WWE Champion. Probably around Royal Rumble in my opinion.

2) Daniel Bryan - If not Morrison why not Daniel Bryan. He did beat Miz for the US Title why can't he take the WWE Title from him.

3) Chris Jericho - I see Jericho returning before or in the Rumble and winning the rumble. His return would be as a face and beat Miz at WM.

 

[mdj2010]

I think the names other people have mentioned are the obvious one. Morrison is obviously going to have one of the main titles on his shoulder sooner or later and I'd be surprised if he didn;t have it within the next year.
But if you want to talk about the most deserving, then they should look no further than Santino. Obviously it would be horrible creatively and the IWC would literally lose their minds. But this guy constantly amazes me. He is without doubt the most consistant performer on the mic that the WWE has. He still gets fantastic pops, even when he just makes an appearanc to play the ukelele (sp?).
So whilst I do not believe it will ever happen, I would mark out more than I did when the Miz lifted the world title high in to the air two weeks ago on Raw, and that was AWESOME!

 

[JoJo The Show]

HHH will, he'll come back win the Rumble and get the titlte back from Orton at Wrestlemania. Just can't see Miz holding the title till then.

 

[WJDwjdWJDwjd]

Good thread and something great to think about. There are not many really great faces in the Main Event picture right now not named John Cena or Randy Orton. With HHH out, Edge on Smackdown and a lot of faces in the midcard, it could be a little while before we see a face champion not named Cena or Orton. With that said, here are my picks:

1. John Morrison- Based on obvious reasons. The man is finally due for the push we all in IWC have been creaming our pants about. I felt his mic work has been improving a bit lately and he has been having an excellent feud with Sheamus lately. Within the next few months, expect John to be a contender FINALLY.

2. R-Truth- He's starting a feud with the biggest heel group the company has seen in a very long time. This feud automatically ties him to John Cena and we all know that this Nexus/John Cena war is still going. Tying R-Truth with John Cena will be huge for Truth. Just about everyone who gets the Cena rub gets over in some way or another. Hell, even Evan Bourne was starting to get over even more before he was injured. If R-Truth is not some kind of Champion in 2011, I'll be shocked. I expect him to win some kind of World Title before the end of 2012.

3. "Daniel" Bryan Danielson- He's paid his dues for many year in the Indies and the WWE Universe has embraced him like he built his name in the company. He's over and he has been working his ass off and making people look like stars. If it wasn't for his feud with The Miz, I don't believe a lot of people would believe him as a credible in-ring threat. Miz's feud with Bryan paid off very well especially after seeing him carry Jerry Lawler last night. Bryan IS a future WWE champ. I expect Bryan to challenge Miz sometime in the very near future, especially if Miz has the title after Wrestlemania.

4. HHH- As much as I want him to come back and be heel, HHH is way too respected to ever be a major heel again. You'd get the opposite of Cena's reaction: Little kids and women booing, guys over the age of 18 cheering. Sure HHH is getting up there in age but despite that, I believe there are not too many performers that WWE can rely on (outside of Cena obviously) to carry a show and do it well.

 

[JohnOldSnake4]

I think John Morrison is being positioned for a huge push to WWE Title level. I can see Miz Holding the belt until WrestleMania and Morrison winning the Rumble, winning the belt from Miz (which would be a really nice touch) at Mania.

 

[Foshinzo]

I don't know if it will happen soon, but I think it has to be either JoMo or Daniel Bryan. If a new face wins the belt soon, then it will be JoMo. But I've said it to all of my friends since he joined WWE in NXT last winter: give him two years, and I feel like Bryan can be WWE Champion quality. The thing about Bryan is, though, that he'll probably win the belt as a heel, if he does; he's a good heel. But, if JoMo ever wins the belt, then it will happen soon, I feel.

 

[Wade's Public Transit Bomb]

Morrison? Truth? Did you people forget that The Miz is holding the top belt in the company? Its not like they would be fighting over some ugly broad in high school.


I really think now would be a great time to make Sheamus a face. The guy is naturally funny and full of character. He is a very, very good big man worker at this point in his career. I just think if he started beating up the heels instead of the faces, it would be helleva easy for the crowd to get into him.