WWE: 3 potential challengers for Aleister Black at Extreme Rules

After weeks and weeks of vignettes, it looks like we’re finally going to see Aleister Black re-debut on the main roster at WWE Extreme Rules.

At this point, wrestling fans have heard more about door knocking than a crowd at a Men at Work concert. It’s all courtesy of Aleister Black, who’s dramatic vignettes have aired for weeks now.

Thankfully, at Extreme Rules, those vignettes appear set to end. Finally, we’ll get to see one of the best in-ring performers in WWE actually wrestle.

The question is: who will Black be facing?

While there’s certainly several options available to WWE, I feel like these next 3 superstars would present the best initial match and rivalry for the former NXT Champion.

3. Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn is one of the most well-rounded superstars in WWE. He’s capable of putting on incredible matches at a moment’s notice, while also holding his own on the mic in just about any role the company decides to put him in.

That makes him one of the ideal candidates to be Aleister Black’s opponent at Extreme Rules.

We all know Sami Zayn can turn out a match of the year contender in these kind of situations. His match with Shinsuke Nakamura at NXT Takeover: Dallas was one of the best matches in the brand’s history. There’s no reason to believe Zayn couldn’t create a similar must-see match for Black’s re-debut as a result.

Additionally, Zayn could continue on into a rivalry with Black past Extreme Rules with minimal effort. He’s currently fairly directionless at the moment, especially considering Kevin Owens looks to potentially be on the path to a face turn once again.

A quick rivalry with Aleister Black would give Zayn an easy multi-week program to keep him busy while the company works out a bigger angle for him. It would also give Black a challenger who could help shore up some of his deficiencies with promos.

All in all, while Sami Zayn might not be the first name that springs to mind for Aleister Black’s first challenger, you shouldn’t sleep on the former “Underdog of the Underground.”

2. Buddy Murphy

I already wrote at length about why Buddy Murphy should be Aleister Black’s first challenger, but the highlights bear repeating.

Murphy and Black would be capable of putting on clear 5-star matches with one another if they were given the proper chance. Now I know that’s something you could say with a lot of WWE superstars when they face Black, but Murphy’s case is different.

Murphy needs to make a splash on the main roster just like Aleister Black. A feud that sees them face-off in a series of unforgettable matches that get fans chanting “fight forever!” would be an easy way to ensure both superstars leave a lasting impression.

Recently, it seemed like there was a chance WWE might actually go in that direction too, given a recent tweet by Murphy was obviously directed at Black’s vignettes.

At the end of the day, having Black and Murphy feud would be a fairly simple way for WWE to ensure that both of these superstars’ main roster pushes begin without a hitch.

However, that doesn’t mean Buddy Murphy is the ideal opponent for Aleister Black at Extreme Rules. In fact, if WWE wants to fully capitalize on all that Black can offer as a superstar, then there’s a certain viper that might ought to slither in to Extreme Rules.

1. Randy Orton

If you ask me, there’s no better opponent for Aleister Black than Randy Orton.

Orton’s gimmick is the perfect compliment to Black. They’re both dark and brooding superstars who always give off the vibe that they would do whatever is necessary to make their mark.

Orton, however, is willing to actually go that step further. Time and time again, we learn that there’s no lengths Orton won’t go to if need be.

That makes Orton the ideal contrast to Aleister Black’s ominous, but righteous, persona. A rivalry between these 2 practically writes itself in so many different ways that it’s not even worth listing all the possibilities

On top of that, Orton is one of the most consistent workers in WWE. He’ll basically always turn out a quality match, so there’s little reason to question whether or not he would put on a memorable bout with Black.

Orton also seems to potentially be looking for a feud with the former NXT Champion as well, seeing as he already essentially nominated himself as a challenger for Black on Twitter.

Add all of those factors up with the fact that Orton is great on the mic, and it’s easy to see how spectacular a rivalry could be between these superstars.

No matter which of these superstars ultimately answers Black’s pleas for a challenger at Extreme Rules, it looks like “The Dutch Destroyer” will have no shortage of potentially amazing rivalries in the near future.