Former WWE world champion to challenge for mid-card title: Three stars that could benefit from aiming lower than the main event

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While most WWE stars win their first world title and then remain at the top of the card, others on occasion have to drop into the mid-card championship picture.

This is often not a permanent demotion, and can be hugely beneficial to combat fan fatigue regarding a particular performer and open up the possibility of a slate of fresh match ups.

Here are three WWE stars that could benefit from dropping into the mid-card:

Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins is no stranger to dropping into the mid-card, with his WWE run in 2017 & 2018 seeing him fall away from challenging for the WWE Title and instead competing regularly for the Intercontinental Championship and Raw Tag Team Titles. He would then do this again in 2022 when he became a fixture of the United States Title picture.

Right now there are very few avenues for Rollins on Monday Night Raw, as he’s wrapped up feuds with The Vision and Roman Reigns. While a move to SmackDown may be the path forward, another option would be moving “The Visionary” into the IC Title picture for a spell.

Chad Gable is needing a long-term feud to sink his teeth into as champion, and in Rollins he would have truly credible challenger that could help elevate him to the next level.

GUNTHER

It’s quite crazy to think about demoting GUNTHER into the United States Title picture after he retired Goldberg, John Cena and AJ Styles in the span of six months but here we are.

“The Ring General” has become a bit of an afterthought in a packed Undisputed WWE Title picture in recent weeks, and he feels further than ever from winning another world title despite laying out Sami Zayn this past Friday on SmackDown (October).

With some fans having a bit of GUNTHER fatigue and Trick Williams in need of a new United States Title challenger, WWE could move the Austrian into the mid-card for the time being, before returning to the WWE Title picture once things are a little less hectic.

IYO SKY

After arguably a career-best year in 2025, IYO SKY’s 2026 has not quite lived up to expectation.

While she added a Queen of the Ring crown to her accolades, “The Genius of the Sky” missed out on the WrestleMania 42 card entirely, dropped out of the Women’s World Title picture after losing to Liv Morgan at SummerSlam and then, most recently, failed to qualify for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.

If there’s no space for her at the top of the card WWE should be looking to put the Women’s IC Title on SKY at some point between now and the end of the year. Her and Raquel Rodriguez would be an excellent long-term feud for the title, and it would give SKY something of note to do until WrestleMania 43 season comes around.

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