3 Low-Key Candidates for WWE and AEW Main Event Pushes

There’s no shortage of talented AEW and WWE wrestlers. Nevertheless, we routinely see the same few wrestlers in the main event scene. It would be nice to see some unexpected names ascend to the top of the card.

This is what made Big E’s Money in the Bank victory and cash-in last year so exciting. Fans wanted to see the Powerhouse of Positivity attain a significant win, and he was an exceptional ambassador for the company.

WWE, in particular, could use some fresh contenders because of the lack of a title picture on Raw. Unifying the WWE and Universal Championships did the flagship series a disservice because it left the company’s longest show of the week without a focal point.

Giving Roman Reigns both titles may have created a cool visual, but it does make it difficult to advance main storylines he isn’t involved in. Cody Rhodes has been a nice addition to Raw’s roster, but there’s only so far we can go with him without a top prize.

In the meantime, two wrestlers on SmackDown could step in as new contenders, and an underrated high flyer could reach new heights with the distinguished competition. These are three low-key candidates for a main event push for AEW and WWE.

Xavier Woods is the last member of The New Day who hasn’t had a major singles run, and it’s time for WWE to pull the trigger.

Last October, the Atlanta native realized his childhood dream when he won the 2021 King of the Ring tournament. In the process, he proved he has what it takes to thrive as a singles competitor. Woods even had an impressive string of matches on Raw including an upset win over Bobby Lashley

Even more, he has shown on several occasions that he can spin WWE’s minimal storytelling into gold. For example, turning the small package into the running gag dubbed "Backwoods" is genius.

King Woods is so creative, and he has undeniably improved in the ring. The 35-year-old would be a great option for an unexpected main eventer.

PAC entered AEW with so much momentum in 2019. His initial run set him up as a legitimate threat to the reigning world champion following his win over Kenny Omega.

Unfortunately, travel restrictions during the pandemic hindered him, and he never rekindled the hot streak he was on before his eight-month hiatus. Yes, The Death Triangle is an entertaining act, but PAC could be a believable AEW world champion.

We all know that the English wrestler can deliver in the squared circle, but a meaningful push could give him a chance to flex his muscles as a character again. His work as the King of the Cruiserweights and his early stint with AEW illustrates why he could be an excellent top heel.

Shinsuke Nakamura is such a fascinating case study. On paper, The Artist is still wildly popular, and it wouldn’t take much to heat him up for a main event push.

It’s kind of baffling that The King of Strong Style never won the WWE Championship. When he won the men’s Royal Rumble match in 2018, it seemed like the perfect time to crown the company’s first Japanese world champion. Instead, he never quite lived up to expectations on the main roster en route to a handful of forgettable midcard title reigns.

However, it’s not too late to give Nakamura a run in the main event on SmackDown. The blue brand could use a new contender, and he could fit the bill. It seemed like we were heading in that direction following the Apr. 8 episode of SmackDown.

In the main event, it looked like he was going to challenge Roman Reigns, but we have yet to see a resolution. Hopefully, WWE makes an effort to restore the glory that Nakamura enjoyed with NXT and NJPW.