The Post-WrestleMania Push: Three WWE Talents Who Could Break Out After Mania

Expect these three individuals to get a major push coming out of WrestleMania 39.

With WrestleMania each year, WWE likes to conclude their season-long stories before transitioning into the next and give the fans at home and in attendance the payoff to all of our favorite and least favorite angles from television. A post-WrestleMania push usually indicates that a performer has put together a string of outstanding performances, just not quite in time to be slotted into the WrestleMania card itself. Without an offseason, though, WWE needs marquee matches every month, not just April. So, after all of the part-time acts leave SoFi Stadium, three young talents are due for that post-Mania push.

Solo Sikoa

Fans of WWE programming are waiting at the edge of their seats to see how Roman Reigns and The Bloodline fare after WrestleMania matches with Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens. However, the one person most excited about post-Bloodline Mania must be Solo Sikoa. The youngest faction member was called up from NXT to assist his cousins at Clash at the Castle and has been the silent but terrifying enforcer for the group since then. However, without any direct plans for either night on WWE’s biggest show, his hard work in what has to be the company’s best story in years will need to wait until after Mania weekend.

Sikoa has been perfectly portrayed as a monster heel and could easily keep up that gimmick post-Bloodline. Also, Paul Heyman might need a new client with Roman Reigns, possibly taking some time away from the ring. Working with Solo as a “Paul Heyman Guy” would elevate the character, and he could even start a singles program with Cody. However, suppose somehow the Bloodline remains beaten but unbroken. In that case, he will likely get an elevated role and a championship as the family looks to sort itself out and regain some control.

LA Knight

Nobody has had a better 2023 in WWE than LA Knight, which is remarkable, given he has only lost in his major televised appearances. It is hard to remember when WWE fans were more united on a new superstar than they are around Knight, who has been a standout performer on the mic and in the ring, despite some long odds. He is one of NXT’s most charismatic prospects in years, and that magnetic connection with the fans has him surging on Smackdown and has almost certainly earned him a big push after WrestleMania.

It has become increasingly hard to boo LA Knight, but he may get pushed as an arrogant heel challenger for a newly minted face champion after WrestleMania; with guys like John Cena, Sheamus, and even Cody Rhodes all possibly walking out of Los Angeles with a title and nobody to feud with.

A match with John Cena, particularly over the United States Championship, could also be compelling, mainly since Knight could sell the rivalry independently while Cena is working on prior commitments. However, part of the reason it seems so likely Knight gets pushed is the positive reception, so he could even turn face and feud with another up-and-coming star like Austin Theory or even a debuting NXT star. Either way, the Mega Star is due some major accolades in the coming months for his work recently.

Roxanne Perez

Roxanne Perez was the talk of Twitter after her successful NXT Women’s Championship defense against Meiko Satomura on NXT Roadblock. While the facts of the story are still unclear, and there may be some real issues that Perez is dealing with, her match was excellent. Additionally, the fainting HBK tribute angle had people talking about her for a week at least and built some hype for the brand heading into Stand and Deliver.

If the company came up with this story to get her off NXT for a while, that would be a clear sign that she should debut on the main roster shortly and get a massive push. However, even if an injury keeps her away for a time, her return would intrigue fans if it was on Raw or Smackdown post-Mania, instead of on NXT.

WWE has few underdogs left, particularly in the Women’s division. Roxanne has developed into an excellent talent very quickly, and her size and story (real or not) can help her capture the fans as the brave, never say die underdog who is finally ready to chase her dreams and win a title. Her most recent story was the perfect ending to her run on NXT. The unproven rookie champion on NXT learned how to beat the best and is now ready for a new challenge and new matchups. So long as she is healthy, 2023 and 2024 will likely be breakout years for Perez in the women’s division once her future colleagues are finished locking up at WrestleMania this year.

The Raw and Smackdown after WrestleMania

Eager wrestling fans do not need to wait very long to see which of their favorite new or underutilized talents will get some adjustments; and perhaps a shot at impressing the WWE Universe. WWE uses the week after WrestleMania to introduce new angles and characters all the time in front of an ecstatic post-WrestleMania crowd. However, appearing on those shows doesn’t necessarily mean that Triple H and the company will push that talent, as several returning superstars learned this year. Instead, it’s about giving the acts that have exceeded expectations a chance to do that again on a bigger stage in the weeks and months after Mania.

Losing out on the paycheck and a WrestleMania moment is probably not ideal for a WWE superstar. This year, specifically, many on the roster won’t get a spot to perform for the fans on the grandest stage of them all. For some of though, they can get inspired by the fact that they will get a push, weeks of solid television time, an interesting story to tell the fans, and a shot to stand out and become indispensable when the show rolls around next year. They just need to stay healthy and red-hot while their co-workers hit the ring at WrestleMania.