But this year's Royal Rumble highlighted that the pair of
big lads are not as over as they once were. Perhaps it's because of how many
times they've switched from heel to face and back again. Perhaps it's because
they've been on the roster for so long that too many people in the audience now
know that no matter how dominant either of them may become it's just a matter
of time before they start losing to mid-carders. Perhaps it's simply because
Big Show's been with the company for sixteen years and Kane eighteen (longer if
you count his pre-'Big Red Machine' gimmicks).
Whatever the reason the fact that the audience turned so
viciously on the climax of the Rumble demonstrates that Show and Kane are not
what they once were. Yes, Daniel Bryan's early elimination, Roman Reigns'
status as favourite to win, and the general booking played their parts too but two
members of the old boys' club being booked to dominate young stars was a big
reason the Philadelphia crowd got so riled. They wanted something and someone
new. They would have been far more accepting of Bray Wyatt and Rusev being
portrayed as the dominant heel pair, because they're fresher and viewed as more
deserving of top spots. That's what modern audiences look for and that's
something WWE's writing team (and Vince McMahon) don't seem to be able to grasp:
modern audiences have strong opinions about people earning top spots.
Sooner or later 'The Devil's Favourite Demon' and 'The
World's Largest Athlete' are going to call it a career, either when they decide
to stop because they're too knackered or because McMahon decides they've had
their time (it will almost certainly be the former). When that time comes WWE
is going to need some new larger-than-average performers to fill the monster
role. A quick glance at the roster reveals that there are actually a number of
guys with potential to fill the void.
 |
| Luke Harper is a beard type Pokémon. |
The most prominent candidate is probably Luke Harper. He
has a head start over other names with regard to TV time and he possesses the
requisite height and set of power moves to make a convincing monster heel. Just
as importantly he has an eerie look that would lend itself well to the part.
Harper is believable as a big bruiser who won't, or can't, be reasoned with.
His former teammates Erick Rowan and Bray Wyatt do little
for me in this regard. Rowan has proven to be completely lost outside of the
safe tag and six man environment that protected him as part of the Wyatt
Family. Nothing about his matches makes me think he'll develop a suitably
menacing style. His look is decent but not as strong as Harper's, or as some of
the other names on this list.
'The New Face of Fear' is obviously going to go on to
become a star attraction for WWE. He's most of the way there already. But while
he may have a fitting air of menace about him, win fairly often, and possibly earn
world championships in the future, he doesn't have the height monsters in
wrestling traditionally do. He can be a headline act but he can't be someone
who physically dominates whoever he steps into the ring with because he simply
doesn't have the feet and inches to do it.
But height isn't everything. Big Cass is one of the
tallest guys (if not the tallest guy)
under contract but while he's in good shape his frame clearly isn't one made to
hold a lot of muscle. He can look intimidating but it's hard to imagine him
destroying guys because he's just a bit on the lanky side. In this regard he's
like Kevin Nash, because Nash wasn't ever really used as a monster after his initial
push to the top was over. He was more a heel with a bad attitude who could
obliterate mid-card guys but had to take his time with main event names like
Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Even Rey Mysterio held his own against 'Big
Sexy'.
The top two candidates in NXT are Bull Dempsey and Baron
Corbin. Dempsey isn't incredibly tall or anything, but he's tall enough in
comparison to the majority of the guys who'll comprise the main roster in a few
years time. Plus he's beefy, which helps him look intimidating. He looks and
wrestles the part and carries himself like a big deal.
 |
| Corbin can look moody pretty well. |
But it's Corbin who seems like he has the better chance. His
dispassionate (some may say vacant) stare before, during and after his matches
is perfect. He has the height and enough muscle to look right presented as an
unstoppable beast. The one thing he seems to lack right now is the ability to
wrestle a competent match. He's looked good in his twenty second squashes but
that's not surprising: it's nigh on impossible to look bad winning a twenty
second match.
What's telling is his one competitive match in NXT so
far, opposite Adrian Neville on the January 15 episode, saw his opponent do the
majority of the work. Even in a five minute match Corbin looked out of his
depth. But this is why he's in the developmental system: to learn and improve.
If he learns enough then maybe he'll surpass my top pick Harper and become
WWE's next resident monster.
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