Dropping Truth

Over the spring and summer of 2011 R-Truth turned heel. He was a revelation in the role. Gone was the smiling, dancing mid-card babyface, replaced by an engaging and amusing paranoid schizophrenic convinced that being made to pander to children for years had cost him his shot at the big time. He revelled in peppering his promos with strange phrases and audience interaction and adopted a more aggressive ring style (as all WWE heels do). He became a programming highlight and did some of the best work of his career.

What happened to that guy?

WWE fumbled things. Anything they've not got a plan in place for that becomes popular gets fumbled. That's what happens when a wrestling company has no long term plans (or goals) and a creative department who don't understand the wrestling business to a satisfactory degree.

The specifics with Truth are particularly disappointing. He headlined June's Capitol Punishment in a WWE championship match with John Cena and then did absolutely nothing of note until the autumn, despite being one of wrestling's biggest bad guys at the time.

In retrospect he probably got overshadowed by the CM Punk worked shoot promo and ensuing mega push. That shouldn't have been the case but WWE have demonstrated regularly that they're incapable of elevating two acts at the same time. R-Truth drew the short straw.

Autumn saw 'The Suntan Superman' enter into a worked shoot angle of his own. He formed a partnership with fellow loose-ender The Miz and unsuccessfully challenged Air Boom for the tag team titles at Night of Champions. Due to Miz attacking the referee of that match the pair were fired.

The next month’s Hell in a Cell show was main evented by John Cena v CM Punk v Alberto Del Rio in a triple threat Cell match and featured Awesome Truth slipping out from under the ring to attack all three combatants. Their actions were portrayed as unscripted. The show ended with Truth and Miz brawling with COO Triple H in the aisle as the entire roster crowded around. It was a bizarre approach for a WWE card in this day and age

It all seemed to be hinting at something huge. A bold new approach to the way WWE presented its storylines or a massive push for Truth and 'The Awesome One'. It wasn't either. The pair were reinstated on TV in a thoroughly generic manner and went on to defeat Tripper and CM Punk at Vengeance. It was then announced they were the opponents for SuperCena and The Rock at Survivor Series.

Sounds like a good spot? It was, but the twosome were treated like the expendable mid-card talent they were when bell time came in their Survivor Series bout. They were split on the following evening’s RAW and then drifted off into obscurity.

A few months later Truth had morphed back into a bland good guy. That he held the hand of Little Jimmy as he made his way to the ring was a nice holdover from his storyline the previous summer but it was also depressing that nothing else of the period remained. Truth playing the face again wasn't a problem in itself: he was and is good in the role. It was disappointing that nothing had come of some of wrestling's best antagonism of the year.

If you were being charitable you could point out that 2012 saw Truth form a popular team with Kofi Kingston and reign as a tag champ for over four months. The tag title reign is a fact but only came about because there were no alternative teams available. The popularity claim would be pure fantasy: nobody was clamouring to see Truth and Kingston teaming together.

 

Push this guy... and Little Jimmy too

Since he and 'The Wildcat' went their separate ways Truth has sunk to his lowest point since before his heel turn. He's had a string of meaningless TV and pay-per-view matches and was never in any danger of wrestling on the WrestleMania card. He didn't even appear in the Royal Rumble. That says it all.

R-Truth proved in 2011 that he could be a valuable part of the WWE product. As the company is desperate for reliable guys right now they should be making more use if him.

Another heel turn wouldn't work. Having initially been done so well two years ago a repeat performance would have very little impact. More to the point, Truth is one of only a handful of faces that can be regularly sacrificed to Wade Barrett and Antonio Cesaro. If there were a mid-card scene to speak of he could be put to good use there. But there's not, and creating one doesn't seem terribly high on WWE's list of priorities.

I think the best thing that could be done with R-Truth now is to have him reform Awesome Truth. The Miz will soon stop playing movie star and become a full-time wrestler again. There's nothing obvious for him to return to as a singles guy and we've established Truth's doing nothing interesting so pairing them up again would give both a purpose. They had good chemistry during their original run and as they’re both faces now it would be easy for them to put a fresh spin on their act.

Stick them in a feud with the Rhodes Scholars for two months, have them win the programme, and it's just about conceivable that they could be used as challengers to The Shield over the summer. Like the idea it not it's a better use for two name talents than having them tread water.

Awesome No More?

It was around this time last year when The Miz’s main event career ended. Having captured the WWE championship (historically by far the more important of WWE’s two designated world championships) from Randy Orton at the end of the post-Survivor Series 2010 RAW the former reality TV star had been at the top of the company for almost half a year. During that time he had been awarded further victories over Orton and, at WrestleMania, John Cena. Although he was never able to beat either man clean (he invariably obtained those wins after interference from Alex Riley or via other underhand tactics) that he was booked to beat the promotion’s two top babyfaces under any circumstances was a clear sign that WWE wanted the man to succeed at the top.

At Extreme Rules 2011 Miz lost the WWE championship to John Cena in a steel cage match (also involving John Morrison). He was unable to regain the belt the next evening on RAW or at Over The Limit three weeks later. It was after that loss to Cena that Miz’s position on the card changed significantly.

Instead of continuing his feud with champion Cena ‘The Awesome One’ instead took issue with his apprentice Alex Riley. Blamed for Miz’s loss of the WWE title A-Ry found himself fired on the post-Over The Limit RAW. The two men clashed in a singles match at Capitol Punishment and then came to blows at Money in the Bank, where they both participated in one of the titular ladder bouts.

At the time it seemed that WWE was using Miz as a star-builder, someone who would help Riley establish as a featured babyface. Despite expectations Riley actually flourished in the role and gained a lot of support from fans for standing up to his bullying ex-mentor. It seemed like a mild comedown for Miz after being involved in the headline picture (to great acclaim) for several months, but most assumed it would just be a temporary arrangement designed to slow down his career and stop him becoming burned out and overexposed.

The epitome of awesome

Unfortunately for ‘The Cleveland Screamer’ he was kept waiting for something new to do for far longer than expected. Once the Riley rivalry was over and done with Miz was left treading water until he formed Awesome Truth alongside fellow ex-headline heel experiment R-Truth. Miz sunk his teeth into that opportunity with characteristic gusto. Awesome Truth was one of the highlights of WWE television in the latter months of last year thanks to their clashes with Air Boom and their memorable worked shoot firing at the hands of Triple H.

The peak of the team’s tenure came when they clashed with John Cena and The Rock at Survivor Series. Held in Madison Square Garden and being ‘The Great One’s’ first match in over seven years it was a match of huge significance in the careers of all four men. Being booked to lose didn’t deter Miz from entering a strong performance and showing why he’d been selected to topple Orton for the gold one year before.

The next night Awesome Truth were abruptly split (thanks to a violation of the Wellness Policy by Truth) which originally seemed like a waste and a setback for the Miz. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him as it freed him up for inclusion in the triple threat Tables Ladders and Chairs match for the WWE championship at TLC on December 18^th.

That would turn out to be the final match of any great significance that ‘The Most Must See WWE Superstar in History’ would have for a while. Since then Miz has been treading water again, given no real storylines and almost finding himself left off of WrestleMania (he was the final addition to the Team Johnny v Team Teddy bout). Miz is no longer guaranteed to appear on RAW each week and when he does there’s a fair chance he’ll be staring at the lights for someone higher on WWE’s list of priorities.

The recent news that he will be starring in WWE Studios’ latest venture, The Marine: Homefront, could be a blessing in disguise for the underutilised star. The project will require him to be off of WWE TV for a couple of months which will provide the opportunity to reintroduce him with a renewed purpose and accompanying push. If I were WWE’s head booker I’d have Miz suffer another standard loss on an edition of RAW then take a microphone and unleash a vicious promo about being overlooked and forgotten before storming out of the arena.

Once filming on Homefront was completed Miz could return to TV by interfering in a WWE or World title match on pay-per-view, setting him up as an opponent for Sheamus or CM Punk. He could potentially be booked to beat either man and have another run at the main event level. Punk has held the WWE title since last year’s Survivor Series and Sheamus has had the World belt since WrestleMania. By the time Miz returns to TV they’d both have lengthy title reigns notched up and a switch would freshen the company up.

I’d be inclined to go with Miz taking the belt from Sheamus: it’s a fresher match and would allow Miz to be moved to the Friday night show where he’d be given more room to breathe as a performer and could concentrate on re-establishing himself. It would also set up a feud with a heel Daniel Bryan, whose “Yes!” catchphrase (is one word a catchphrase?) could be used to counteract Miz’s sardonic “Really?” promos (is one word a promo?). Live audiences would have great fun with warring phrase chants there and the feud could be used to gradually turn Miz face (or Bryan for that matter).

Mike ‘The Miz’ Mizanin has all the tools to be a regular at the top of WWE cards. He has the look the company likes, is a proficient wrestler, has tremendous promo skills, is famously dedicated to improving himself, isn’t afraid of the promotion’s gruelling travel schedule (he makes the second most public appearances for WWE behind John Cena), and has a nice stash of phrases that fans like joining in with. He’s been to the top once. If given the chance I think he could get back there again.

Truth and Consequences

“In accordance with the Talent Wellness Program, WWE has suspended Ron Killings (R-Truth) for 30 days effective immediately for his first violation of the company’s policy.” – Announcement on the WWE website, 22^nd November 2011

Ron 'R-Truth' Killings has received the biggest push of his career over the last six months. He's headlined pay-per-views against WWE's top stars, wrestled for the WWE championship and become one of the most over stars on the company's flagship show. His unhinged schizophrenic gimmick has been one of the highlights of wrestling in 2011. After years of toiling away in the mid-card (not to mention the wasteland that is TNA) Truth had finally made it to the top.
 
So why did he throw away thirty days of his career by violating the Wellness Policy?
 
From what's being reported Truth tested positive for a banned substance some time ago. His suspension was delayed until after Survivor Series so that the planned main event could take place and he could be written out of storylines in a convincing way. That's an approach I thought WWE had stopped a few years ago but I'm pleased that's not the case. It allows storylines to reach their planned conclusion, or a version of it, without short-changing fans.

Apparently the practice has irked several other performers on the roster, their reasoning being that WWE is showing preferential treatment because Truth is a heavily pushed star. I can understand the frustration but disagree with it: Truth is receiving the thirty day suspension any talent caught violating the policy would receive. It makes sense to do it at a time convenient to WWE’s television plans. As I said, it’s the best thing for fans and that’s what counts.
 
Truth apparently violated the Policy at the same time as Evan Bourne. The drug in question is said to be a synthetic marijuana named Spice. It's currently unclassified by US drug laws and so has been placed on WWE's list of banned substances until the United States government decides on how to treat the substance.
 
Hopefully this indiscretion won't adversely affect R-Truth's standing on RAW. As I mentioned above he's been a highlight of RAW for the last six months and it would be a shame for WWE to deny itself and its fans the chance to benefit from his popularity.
 
I wrote on Tuesday that Awesome Truth had been split too soon. I still think that, though I now understand why that decision was made. Miz will likely be feuding with CM Punk within the next couple of months, so it’s actually worked out well for him. Presumably he’ll work some sort of feud with Truth on his return.

Both of those rivalries will be something new for WWE fans. That can only be a good thing. Ideally ‘The Sun Tan Superman’ will stay on the heel side of the fence once his program with ‘The Awesome One’ concludes as he’s proven he’s very effective and entertaining in the role. A face turn doesn’t seem entirely out of the question though, and his current popularity despite being a heel could indicate that this six month stint as a rule breaker has been what Truth needed to finally click with the masses.
 

My guess is that Truth will return on the December 26^th RAW, four days after his suspension finishes. I wouldn’t be surprised if that show sees a main event of Miz v Punk for the WWE championship (it’s being held in Punk’s hometown of Chicago) and features a post-match beatdown of Miz by his former tag team partner.

Evan Bourne, who is considerably lower in the company's pecking order than R-Truth, was not booked to lose the tag team titles before his suspension, nor was a replacement booked for him. That's a good indication that the writing team, Vince McMahon and Triple H won't hold this suspension against Truth. If someone in Bourne's position can keep hold of their tag team title whilst serving a Wellness suspension Truth should be fine.

Seeing Doubles

For years WWE’s tag team division (and I use that word very loosely) has been unflinchingly dreadful. For much of the last few years the doubles gold has been used as a way of giving two singles guys something to do rather than as a way of introducing and elevating younger talent or two singles guys who clearly aren’t going to make the promotion any money by themselves.

In the last two months the tag ranks have received a boost, and it coincides with ‘The Game’s’ new on-screen role. With Triple H a noted advocate of tag team wrestling this is unlikely to be a coincidence. He may not have really replaced Vince McMahon behind the scenes but Triple H is clearly getting some input into what makes it to our screens.

The two men who have benefitted most from this renewed focus are Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne. I was sceptical when they were first put together as a team: it seemed WWE had thrown two guys together as a unit based on their size and smiley babyface personalities solely to take the belts from David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty (whom they were clearly unhappy with). The company’s record with tag teams indicated that Kingston and Bourne would win a non-title match over the champions and then capture the belts in a rematch and go on to have a meaningless reign until another new tandem was booked to defeat them a few months later.

Half of that did happen. Kingston and Bourne beat Otunga and McGillicutty in a non-title match and followed up with a title victory in a rematch a week later. Thankfully the pattern broke after that as the new champs have continued their winning ways... and have actually been defending the titles. Instead of disappearing off our screens Kingston and Bourne have had an increased presence on RAW and become regulars on SmackDown. They even received attention from WWE’s website in the form of a poll allowing fans to decide on their new team name. That the voters went with the disappointing Air Boom as opposed to Flight Club or The Legion of Boom is irrelevant (although those names are both clearly far better), what’s important is that fans were given the opportunity to show support for Bourne and Kingston and took it. Yes, WWE actually listened to the audience for once!

It looks as though the plan is to give guys on the undercard a chance to make an impression on audiences by pairing them up as tag teams. The Usos are still hanging in there on SmackDown while Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks recently announced they will become a regular combo on RAW (though I imagine they’ll be getting most of their air time on Superstars). While they seem to be heading more towards a feud right now it’s possible that Jinder Mahal and The Great Khali will reunite as a team in the near future and we could even see Swagger and Ziggler being used as a team soon too.

Meanwhile Otunga and McGillicutty, the former tag team champions, are involved in a feud with Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler over their alleged lack of personality. Bringing attention to the fact that neither man is especially charismatic and pitting them against a 61-year-old may not seem like the best way to get the team over, but it’s giving them something to do and ensures they’re on TV every week. Had they lost the tag team championship a few months earlier they probably would have disappeared from television all together. Now they’ve at least been granted a follow-up storyline.

Although Air Boom have benefitted the most from the rejuvenation attempt the stars of the divison over the last few weeks have undoubtedly been R-Truth and The Miz. Since losing the WWE championship to John Cena in May The Miz has been given little to do besides a brief feud with former apprentice Alex Riley. R-Truth’s had even less to work with. He was built up as a challenger for John Cena at Capitol Punishment in June and has done nothing since losing unceremoniously to ‘The Champ’. Both are talented all-rounders capable of wrestling at a main event level for WWE (Miz in particular). It’s great that WWE recognised it had had them treading water for too long and put them together as a unit. The Awesome Truth (as they’re calling themselves) have a unique entrance that sets them apart as an act and guarantees them heel heat too. They’ve been a highlight not just of the tag scene but RAW in general since they announced their partnership so hopefully they will be kept together for a few months when they make their inevitable return to TV.

The company has lots of options for the future of its tag team division. Hawkins and Reks and the Usos may not mean much to anyone now but if they use the air time they’re given either team (or both teams) could work their way into a meaningful spot. There are guys like Tyson Kidd, Trent Barreta, Heath Slater, Mason Ryan, Drew McIntyre, Yoshi Tatsu, Broadus Clay, Santino Marella, and Zack Ryder not doing much on the main roster too, all of whom could make a worthwhile contribution to the tag scene.

It’s a good way of using developmental wrestlers too. Seth Rollins and Richie Steamboat have worked as a team in FCW in the past and new signing Antonio Cesaro, better known as Claudio Castagnoli, would be a natural fit on RAW pr SmackDown alongside long time partner Chris Hero (if he ever signs a contract that is). WWE are said to have their eyes on TNA’s Beer Money Inc. too and if that’s the case then they’re clearly serious about reenergising the doubles division. If it means more on-screen pairings such as Air Boom and The Awesome Truth it’s hard to argue against it.