WWE approaches 2026, its booking still revolves around a familiar group of established superstars. While their star power continues to attract audiences, excessive reliance has led to repetitive storytelling and slowed the rise of fresh main-event talent. For long-term creative stability, WWE must reassess which stars it depends on and begin prioritizing future cornerstones.
Here are the four WWE Superstars WWE Should Stop Relying on in 2026:
1. Roman Reigns — the “safe” center that’s become stale
Roman has been the company’s central story engine for years, and critics and analysts have argued his long, dominant runs left WWE without credible challengers and made the product feel repetitive. That prolonged reliance contributed to creative stagnation and fan fatigue in 2025, with multiple outlets noting that WWE hasn’t built fresh opponents or long-term alternatives while leaning on Reigns’ drawing power.
2. Brock Lesnar — effective for surprise, toxic as a long-term crutch
Brock’s returns generate immediate heat, but recent comebacks (SummerSlam/PLEs in 2025) triggered intense backlash among segments of the fanbase and even backstage grumbling about the decision-making behind his usage. Multiple outlets documented negative fan reaction and internal frustration after Lesnar’s high-profile returns.
3. John Cena — the nostalgia/retirement-tour dilemma
John Cena’s return/retirement tour in 2025 delivered moments fans enjoyed, but media coverage and reviews repeatedly noted that big legends’ returns (and the headline opportunities that come with them) can block meaningful pushes for active roster members. Analysts flagged the tension between nostalgia booking and creating new stars.
4. Seth Rollins — overexposure and mixed creative direction
Seth Rollins is talented and versatile, but 2025–early-2026 coverage shows he’s repeatedly used in multiple top angles, media projects, and high-profile crossovers — which risks overexposure and confusing long-term beats. Outlets tracking WWE’s creative health put Rollins among the core roster figures whose continual redeployment masked bigger structural booking problems.
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