In the aftermath of Seth Rollins’ shoulder injury at Crown Jewel, WWE’s creative plans could see a big shift. With a major spot now open at the top of the card, new directions may be necessary to elevate talent into that role. Whether teasers of an impending change have already been made or a pivot comes out of nowhere, we could soon see many names receive an all-new direction on WWE programming.
Here are four WWE stars who could potentially undergo character changes soon.
Austin Theory
Prior to Rollins’ injury, it was reported by the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer that Austin Theory was set to team up with The Vision and Brock Lesnar at WWE Survivor Series WarGames. This would have been a significant elevation for Theory, who lacked a consistent direction on WWE programming for the past two years.
If these plans are still in place, his character and presentation would need to be changed to align with the new, more ruthless version of The Vision. Alternatively, WWE could bring Theory back in a babyface role, which seemed to be the direction before his abrupt injury absence began in July.
Jade Cargill
Jade Cargill appears poised to become a world champion, but she has thus far failed to dethrone WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton on two occasions as a babyface. It may be time for the former AEW star to show a rougher, more ruthless side to her character to get the job done.
A heel turn for Cargill would make for an exciting prospect, especially with a potential rivalry against a returning Bianca Belair on the horizon. A WrestleMania match between Cargill and Belair would likely require one of the two stars to undergo a character shift to maximize the feud’s potential.
Damian Priest
After being defeated in a hard-fought Last Man Standing Match by Aleister Black on the October 10 episode of SmackDown, Damian Priest’s next steps are unclear. While he may seek revenge on Black and Zelina Vega, it could be time for Priest to embrace a darker edge to his character once again.
He was at his best as a heel in The Judgment Day, and while a return to that group is unlikely, perhaps he could form a new alliance with Black rather than feuding against him. Priest could also turn heel by attacking his beloved former ally, R-Truth, which would immediately solidify him as one of SmackDown’s top villains.
Santos Escobar
Santos Escobar officially became a free agent on October 7 after rejecting a new deal from WWE, only to agree to a new and improved contract just one day later. It is expected that this new, higher-priced deal will come with a much greater role on television. As of now, Escobar has yet to return and remains listed on the WWE.com alumni page.
The buzz surrounding his status provides a good opportunity to give him a fresh start, which could include a babyface turn or a complete repackaging, both of which may be necessary if WWE plans to push him beyond the mid-card.
