​ A new year, a new set of WWE bold predictions. Below are my 5 predictions from 2017:

1. Andrade “Cien” Almas wins NXT Gold
2. Tye Dillinger gets called up to the main roster and wins United States or IC Title
3. Cedric Alexander exits the Cruiserweight Division
4. Finn Balor wins the 2017 MITB Ladder match
5. Braun Strowman defeats a big star in 2017

​Out of all my bold predictions I am shocked that Andrade “Cien” Almas winning NXT gold actually happened. I have been a big fan of Almas since his NXT debut but I didn’t see him winning the NXT Championship. I figured he would be positioned as a midcard champ but was ecstatic when Almas defeated McIntyre at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. I don’t expect him to hold the title long but his pairing with Zelina Vega has been gold.

​Tye Dillinger got called up but he has been barely used. I didn’t fear this would happen because I was 100% certain they would turn this guy into a jobber. Alexander is still stuck in the Cruiserweight division but could win the title in the next few months and Finn Balor had a disappointing 2017.

Braun Strowman had an amazing 2017 and did defeat Roman Reigns on multiple occasions so I would consider that as a big star and is set up for a huge 2018.

​A series that hasn’t had an installment in about a year finally returns with my Top 5 Favorite WWE NXT Superstars. Past installments are here on the website (May 2015, October 2015, April 2016, November 2016). The turnover in NXT has been pretty decent with the Superstar Shakeup and call-ups from the beginning of the year. Before the honorable mention if you haven’t seen NXT Takeover Brooklyn III yet, you have to watch it after you read this article. I would say it was the best TakeOver so far with all 5 matches being good to great. NXT keeps showing why it has better wrestling than the main roster so if you want to see incredible in-ring action keep watching NXT.

​This year marked the tenth anniversary of Florida Championship Wrestling’s launch. Though the FCW became integrated with the new NXT in 2012, it oversaw the emergence of (seemingly) countless talents while a territorial project. Many of them slid effortlessly into the WWE roster on a full-time basis, and fans are naturally split as to the identity of the best FCW graduate. This review encompasses the top three FCW graduates from both the SmackDown and Raw brands.

Once the Cruiserweight Classic and the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament were considered successes, it was only inevitable before a women's tourney was announced. Sure enough, it was made official over WrestleMania 33 weekend back in April, with it later being named the Mae Young Classic. Additionally, it was revealed that the first three rounds would be available as on-demand content on the WWE Network starting in late August, so it will not be following the same format as the Cruiserweight Classic. Nevertheless, the crop of women that will be participating looks very promising with a number of names I recognize from other promotions and even WWE's past.

I wrote something similar to this piece last year for the Cruiserweight Classic (which you can read here) and everyone I picked fared pretty well in the tournament, so here's hoping the following eight women also advance at least past the first round if not ultimately win it all.

It seems The Destroyer has really found his footing and has been hitting his stride as of late on Monday Night Raw.

Since joining the main roster in January earlier this year, Samoa Joe has quietly flown under the radar as a legitimate badass, putting on quality contests without true direction. Based on his reputation alone, The Samoan Submission Machine brought a lot to WWE’s flagship show, but up until recently he was not connecting with the fan base as the true fearsome fighter he is. A healthy scratch from “The Ultimate Thrill Ride,” WrestleMania XXXIII, Joe’s impact on the main roster was hardly spiking the Richter scale two months into his run. He engaged in a mini-feud with Sami Zayn just prior to The Show of Shows, but those flames fizzled before the rivalry could even ignite. His program with Seth Rollins served a purpose in the grander scheme of Rollins seeking retribution against Triple H, but it was far from his best work, and he came across as an afterthought.

​It was not until his historic victory at Extreme Rules against the likes of Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, Finn Bálor and Roman Reigns in a No. 1 Contender Fatal Five-Way match that Joe’s powerful potential poked through. Winning the right to face Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Championship at Great Balls of Fire was the spark that Joe needed to explode into the spotlight. The week-to-week build to Samoa Joe vs. Brock Lesnar was some of the most engaging television WWE had produced in years and the perfect wake-up call to the post-WrestleMania lull in which they found themselves. Say what you will about their eventual encounter, but it was refreshingly physical, Joe was able to bring more out of Lesnar than many past challengers and he walked out of Dallas a bona fide star. With a full head of steam, Joe is on his way to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, to headline SummerSlam against Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title. Regardless of who has their hand raised when the lights go out and the cameras turn off, here are five must-see feuds for Samoa Joe after SummerSlam.