WWE: Which Injured Superstar Fills The Biggest Void Upon Return?
By Josh Raibick
With Charlotte Flair, Ruby Riott, Randy Orton, Sami Zayn, and Dean Ambrose all on the injured list, there have been a lot of big shoes to fill. Out of the previously mentioned superstars, which one fills the biggest void upon their return?
To be clear, the WWE is a much better company when all five of these superstars are healthy. Each performer previously listed differs from the rest of the group in experience, accolades, and journey to WWE.
The final verdict will not simply be who the best performer of this group is, the answer might be more telling of the depth of talent used to replace that superstar. There is a huge area of gray as some superstars on this list are in the Men’s division and some are in the Women’s division, and some are on WWE Raw while the others are on WWE SmackDown Live.
The point that I am driving home is the variables surrounding each injured superstar are vastly different from the rest of the group. So this brings us back to the original question, who fills the biggest void upon their return?
Got it? Good. First let’s take a look at each individual superstar.
Charlotte Flair
There is only one Queen of WWE, and that is the daughter of the legendary Ric Flair, Charlotte. Not only has Charlotte been in Women’s Championship match after Women’s Championship match over the past few years, but she is the woman that ended Asuka’s streak!
It is difficult to argue that any other superstar in the Women’s Division (or WWE) is more well-rounded than Charlotte. Charlotte is comfortable on the microphone, is a great athlete, and a ring general.
When Charlotte returns, the SmackDown Women’s Division will get a huge boost.
Randy Orton
There is not a more accomplished name on this list than The Viper’s. 13 World Title reigns puts Orton in a very exclusive club, and The Legend Killer is now just simply a legend.
What makes Orton so versatile is his ability to have feuds at any place on the card. A Medial Meniscus Tear in Orton’s left knee may have slowed Orton down, but you can bet The Viper will pick up right where he left off when he returns.
Dean Ambrose
Ambrose was likely on the verge of turning heel and having a monster feud with Seth Rollins leading up to WrestleMania, but a torn Triceps Tendon derailed those plans. Despite not receiving as big of pushes as his former Shield brothers, Ambrose is still a big part of whatever show he is on.
The Grand Slam Champion, and live event workhorse is much needed back on Raw where reinforcements are needed to fill three hours of weekly television. Considering Ambrose’s absence is approaching seven months, it is safe to say that the WWE Universe will welcome The Lunatic Fringe back with open arms.
Ruby Riott
If there was an award for 2018 Breakout Star (if the Slammy Awards were still a thing), look no further than the leader of the Riott Squad. Ruby Riott was chosen to lead The Riott Squad for a reason, she is the most polished.
Riott’s advanced talent has been noticed by WWE Management, because most matches (until her recent injury) with an established superstar involve the leader of The Riott Squad. This shows that there is trust in Riott to work with the current faces of the division.
Sami Zayn
Then there is Sami Zayn. Zayn was finally given a feud against a marquee superstar in Bobby Lashley, but just like the other members on this list was hampered by injuries.
Zayn is an extremely talented in-ring performer, and delivers good character driven promos. When Zayn returns, expect all of his raw skill to come together and lead to big things.
Author’s Take
Each superstar listed above cannot be completely replaced, but one superstar can fill the biggest void WWE is dealing with today. The answer is simply, Dean Ambrose.
Raw has a major void when it comes to finding a number one heel. The top five superstars currently on Raw (arguably) are Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, and Finn Balor.
What do those five superstars have in common? They are all babyfaces. Reigns and Lashley will actually compete against each other this Sunday at WWE Extreme Rules 2018, because the Raw roster is so top heavy with faces.
Insert Ambrose back into the equation on Raw as a heel, and now there are a bunch of fresh feuds including two with his former Shield brothers. If Ambrose could become a Grand Slam Champion as a face, imagine what The Lunatic Fringe can do when his character is allowed to be the natural heel that it is meant to be.
With every other injured superstar, there has at least been another superstar that has filled a bit of the void. Yet on Monday nights, there still has not been a top heel to come close to filling the void that was left when Ambrose was injured and unable to complete a pre-WrestleMania heel turn.
Next: Extreme Rules: Why Asuka MUST Win The Title
Whenever The Lunatic Fringe returns (potentially) as a heel and new, exciting feuds begin, it will become clear how valuable Ambrose is to Raw.