The Next Big Thing: 5 WWE Superstars Who Could Be the Future of the Company

Predicting which Superstar will be the "next big thing" is not always easy. Most people would not have picked John Cena to be WWE's megastar after his initial debut, but look where he ended up.

Roman Reigns faced severe criticism as a babyface, but he had the WWE Universe in the palm of his hand as soon as he turned heel.

Some people have "star" written all over them from the outset while others have to work at it for years before they find the element that takes them from being an average wrestler to a superior Superstar.

Right now, WWE has one of the most talented and diverse rosters in the world. Even after a series of cuts recently, it's still one of the best locker rooms in the business.

Let's take a look at five current stars from WWE and NXT who could be main event players within a few years. This list will focus mostly on NXT, but there is one person from SmackDown who had to be included. 

Out of all the amazing talents on the NXT roster, the one who looks most like a future world champion is Karrion Kross.

His character still has some rough edges, but he has most of the attributes WWE looks for in a top Superstar, especially when it comes to his physique.

The 35-year-old combines power and athleticism to be a brutal competitor. With Scarlett as a manager, he also has one of the most defined gimmicks in the black-and-gold brand.

Even with smaller champions being more common these days, WWE still shows favor to big guys. Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, Reigns and many more have benefited from their size in the same way Kross will when he is eventually called up.

There are a lot of potential dream matches for The Herald of Doomsday on the main roster. Seeing as he has faced just about every big name in NXT already, we might see him on Raw or SmackDown sooner than we think. 

What do you get when you combine Lita's risk-taking style, Molly Holly's likable personality and a werewolf? Answer: Shotzi Blackheart.

The former NXT women's tag team champion is one of many unique personalities in the division, and she stands out for a variety of reasons.

For one thing, the 29-year-old seems to be able to avoid serious injuries while performing some of the riskiest moves she can think of, so she is skilled as a daredevil and durable. 

Her personal style makes her stand out from the crowd, and her love for the business comes through in her performances. The sky is the limit for Blackheart.

A lot of pro wrestlers have worked hard to develop their characters over the years, but some just have that indefinable quality that makes them a star. Toni Storm is one of those people.

Every time The Lightning Down Under appears on screen, it's hard not to pay attention. Everything about her presentation and character makes her memorable, and that makes her marketable.

Storm is also a physical performer who brings the best out of her opponents. She and Rhea Ripley tore the house down together more than once, but her record of strong performances goes all the way back to the Mae Young Classic in 2017-18.

The 25-year-old hasn't been seen much recently so it's tough to say what WWE has planned for her. One thing is for sure, SmckDown could use somebody like her to add variety and create some fresh feuds.

With the recent losses of Lana and Ruby Riott, the blue brand needs more help than ever. Storm could be a big help if she is given a good push right away. 

If you could bottle a person's charisma and sell it, Montez Ford would be a billionaire several times over.

People have compared The Street Profits member to The Rock since he arrived on the main roster because he has such a strong personality and mic skills that rival the best WWE has to offer. 

Combine all of that with his incredible agility and athleticism, and you have the recipe for a future main event-level star. At this point, it's just a matter of when WWE decides it wants to push him as a singles competitor.

Before that happens, The Street Profits need a couple more runs with the tag titles. It would be a shame for WWE to break up one of its best tag teams while they are hot.

Angelo Dawkins also has a bright future, but Ford is going to be one of WWE's breakout stars over the next five to 10 years. Count on it. 

Like Storm, Isaiah "Swerve" Scott has that X-factor that makes him stand out from his peers. It's hard to describe exactly what it is about him that makes him so much fun to watch, though.

The 30-year-old is a high-flyer who can also work on the mat, is great on the mic and now has a stable to back him up. This shows that WWE is putting effort into his character because it believes he can be something special.

Ever since he turned heel in February, Scott has been even better. He was one of those babyfaces who seemed so perfect for the role that when he did break bad, he shocked a lot of people with how good he was.

There is little doubt he will win the NXT Championship at some point unless WWE pushes him to the main roster in the near future, which is a real possibility after all of the cuts this year.

If you aren't an avid viewer of NXT, take some time to look up Swerve's work on WWE Network. You won't be disappointed. 

These five men and women could be the future of WWE, but the future is always in flux. Who do you think will be leading the WWE roster in the next five to 10 years?