There are a few things that are “constant” in professional wrestling and sports entertainment. However, there is one thing that everyone can consistently count on. That is LA Knight being over with the WWE Universe. So much so that 2026 must be the year he finally gets his moment at the top of the main roster.
“Better late than never” doesn’t always fit the bill. WWE is certainly “late” on taking advantage of LA Knight’s popularity and crowning him as the top man on either WWE SmackDown or Monday Night Raw. It was understandable that he wasn’t going to be the man to unseat Roman Reigns years ago, but since then, it has been frustrating watching the promotion pass him over, time and time again.
Is LA Knight past his physical prime? At 42 years old, that answer is simply “yes.” But does that put him out of the title picture in WWE? Absolutely not. This is a promotion that is built around “older” stars in the men’s division, for better or for worse. CM Punk is 46. The Usos are 40. GUNTHER is 38. Roman Reigns is 40. Cody Rhodes is 40. Randy Orton is 45. AJ Styles is 48. See the trend? Knight isn’t “too old” to stand atop the WWE roster as its main champion, and it is astounding that WWE hasn’t pulled the trigger quite yet.
Remember when Jey Uso won the Royal Rumble and was making his push toward the WWE World Heavyweight Championship? Fans balked at the idea of Jey being a viable champion, but WWE still went that direction because he was over with the fanbase. Why isn’t that same consideration made for LA Knight, who has been over with the WWE Universe for years? Not only that, but he’s certainly better than Jey Uso in the ring and a better promo than him every time he picks up the microphone.
LA Knight as either the Undisputed WWE Champion or World Heavyweight Champion would be a fresh start. He could fill the role as either a babyface or a heel because he plays both of those parts well. Think about some of the interesting opportunities that could exist, especially if Knight is used as an opening to build up new top stars like Bron Breakker, Montez Ford, Oba Femi, or even perhaps leading to that coveted Sami Zayn title run. This is an opportunity to not only put a new name at the top but also to freshen up the entire division.
The WWE Universe wants to see LA Knight at the top. That support doesn’t seem to be dying down, even as WWE actively tries to cool him off. 2026 has to be the year that Knight finally gets the big win and holds one of the top titles on the main roster.