The Summer Event

Over the last several years WWE has gotten into the habit of promoting a large-scale, "game-changing" storylines during the summer months, in a fashion not entirely dissimilar to comic book crossovers that hit the shelves annually. 2009 saw Donald Trump “buy” RAW from Vince for a week before selling it back at an inflated price. It achieved nothing and didn’t fit with the pattern that established itself over the following years of the Big Event being something that would change WWE’s creative direction in the long term. It was more of a learning curve, as was the exploding limo stunt of 2007.

 

2010 gave us the massively promising but ultimately disappointing Nexus invasion. The next year CM Punk cut that memorable worked shoot promo of his and rocketed up to the top of the card. They followed that last year by having him assault The Rock, turning him into a bad guy.

 

And this year... Nothing. There had been an absence of such a development in 2013.

 

About the closest they came was Mark Henry's retirement swerve. That did an excellent job of shocking viewers and reheating Mark Henry for his WWE championship match with John Cena. Which were its only goals. Henry wasn't and isn't the sort of performer who could be used to start a bold new creative direction.

 

It seems that the era of the summer blockbuster in WWE may have gone. For some that will likely be reason to rejoice. It had gotten to the point where we were expecting a big storyline to kick off around the same time each year. Predictability in wrestling is rarely a good thing so in that regard the apparent ceasing is good.

 

But there was a positive to be had from the approach. Predictable as it was it ensured the WWE creative team were trying something big each year in an attempt to excite more experienced (jaded, call it what you will) fans and attract new ones. The usual formulaic approach to writing RAW was tossed aside and something new was sought. It was an annual freshening up of what is often a tiresome approach from WWE.

 

They didn't always get it right. Vince McMahon's car exploding is remembered for all the wrong reasons and failed to actually lead anywhere. The same can be said for the Trump purchase, when it’s remembered at all. Nexus was bungled but it started out as a very appealing idea. Handled better it could have been a winner and memorable for the right reasons.

 

Spot the only guy no longer with the company

 

But they undeniably hit the nail on the head with CM Punk. They faltered a little in the late summer and early autumn of 2011 but by the end of the year they'd worked out how best to use and present him. The heel turn was essentially an upgrade of what we'd already had. It worked in part because WWE were willing to use ‘The Second City Saint’ correctly. The heel turn was a chance for him to do something different.

 

WWE have been doing a very good job this year so they clearly don't need their annual Event Moment. It's not as if not doing anything this year means they'll never be able to give us a shocking moment of RAW ever again. I'll miss the approach though. It gave us something to look forward to. And that's just as important a factor for episodic television as anything else.

They're Coming

Tonight RAW will play host to the eagerly anticipated debut of Bray Wyatt and his family. Not since CM Punk debuted on WWE’s ECW show in 2006 (seven years already? Yikes!) has the video package approach generated this level of excitement been attached to someone being called up from a WWE developmental territory. Not that I can think of anyway.

Obviously this is a very good sign for Wyatt. Wrestling fans these days only tend to get excited about the latest indy star getting called up from NXT. It’s rare for anyone who’s not made their name in companies like Ring of Honor and Dragon Gate to generate anything above a perfunctory level of buzz. That more people are talking about his call-up than they were about Antonio Cesaro’s last year shows that his rebranding has worked well.

Yeah, rebranding. That’s exactly what it’s been. Two years ago he was Husky Harris. I always quite liked that name but it was never going to get the man whose real name is Windham Rotunda to the main event.

The man has done a cracking job reinventing himself and revealed a knack for odd and peculiar promos. His natural charisma didn’t show when he was playing CM Punk’s heavy in the New Nexus but it’s shone through since he became Bray.

 

He's coming...

 

It’s impossible to know what Bray, along with Erick Rowan and Luke Harper, will do on RAW tonight. Presumably they’ll target someone. That’s the standard operating procedure for any debuting faction. There’s no obvious person or persons for them to target. There are simply no good guys on the roster that are sufficiently over to make a good introductory feud for the likes of the Wyatt Family.

That’s assuming they come in as bad guys. While their vignettes have been creepy and strange they haven’t actually been portrayed as clear villains. It’s possible the trio will arrive on RAW to face off with The Shield. That could be interesting, but it’s not likely. The Shield are currently being kept warm for a SummerSlam match against Kane and The Undertaker.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Wyatt Family were used as tweeners. Their build to the introduction has been so well produced that WWE could do anything they want with them right now. The faction has captured fans’ imaginations. That’s not a bad spot for newcomers to be in.

Wyatt Family Outing

On Monday's RAW a promo aired announcing the impending debut of the Wyatt Family. Anyone who's seen the trio's work in NXT will know that this is a good thing.

The leader of the pack (the term patriarch could, rarely for wrestling, be applied here) is Bray Wyatt. He made his WWE debut in 2010 on the ill-fated second series of NXT. This was back when NXT's format was radically different, of course. It wasn't really designed to get numerous guys over at once which in retrospect it should have been. The result was that he ended up not getting much to do.

Ignore the mask, he's wearing it here because he had a broken face

 

From NXT season two Wyatt, then going under the name Husky Harris, got a slot in CM Punk's Nexus faction. Yes, just like Curtis Axel (then billed as Michael McGillicutty). Perhaps someone in the WWE writing team has been poring over old footage of NXT and Punk’s New Nexus? That could explain why two guys who debuted in that period have been promoted in as many weeks.

Husky's initial run on RAW didn't last long. He was written off TV before Punk's showdown with Randy Orton at WrestleMania XXVIII. He eventually reappeared on some house shows under the new Bray Wyatt name and then became one of the early highlights of the 2012 reformat of NXT.

Various inspirations have been cited for the Wyatt character. For those who haven't seen him in action he's basically patterned after a stereotypical southern preacher in everything from the way he dresses to his cadences. His wrestling style is enjoyably wild, his big moves looking credible and being broken up with surprising bursts of agility.

An injury early in the summer put Wyatt on the sidelines for a few months. He was absent from TV for a while before making a comeback as a manager. It was an inspired move, granting time to one of the best characters on the show and allowing others to benefit from his excellent promo skills. The men he was given to manage were Luke Harper, formerly Brodie Lee in Dragon Gate USA, and Erick Rowan, who'd wrestled in Japan as Thorus before signing with WWE. The three look like they belong together, with Harper and Rowan being a particularly good fit as a team.

Rowan and Harper were entered into the tournament to crown NXT tag team champions. They made it to the finals but lost to Oliver Grey and Adrian Neville. That started a feud that could have been great but never really got going thanks to an injury to Grey. Said injury led to the Wyatt boys getting the belts at the May 2^nd NXT tapings.

Wyatt family gold

While it's clear that Bray is the star of the group thanks to his look and promo skills Harper and Rowan are deserving of promotions too. They could help to create a worthwhile tag team division if given the chance. Having Bray as a manager will help them to stand out.

There should be no need to rush things with the group. Bray is well suited to working as a manager and could gradually morph into a full time wrestler. The success of The Shield makes me think WWE has a plan in place for the group. I hope they do. Bray's too good to mishandle a second time.

An Axe by Any Other Name

Curtis Axel. It's not the most awe inspiring name to ever be uttered in WWE. The man behind it has an impressive pedigree though, and there’s also a story for the moniker. He's the son of the massively talented ‘Mr Perfect’ Curt Hennig and the grandson of Larry 'The Axe' Hennig. Big shoes to fill there.

I like the new name. It's similar in origin to Rocky Maivia in that it combines the name of a father and grandfather. You're rarely going wrong in wrestling if you're following in the footsteps of The Rock. Perhaps just as importantly, Curtis Axel is an improvement on Michael McGillicutty. Young Joe Hennig was never going to get anywhere with that name.

You may remember him from a brief stint in CM Punk's ill-fated Nexus. Or perhaps from his appearances on the various incarnations of NXT. Don't worry if you don't though. While he was technically sound as McGillicutty during those periods he didn't really wow anyone. Sadly he was most notable for failing to display the charisma that had helped to make his father a star. He did get to win the tag team titles alongside David Otunga (yes, the David Otunga) though, so it wasn’t a period completely bereft of highlights.

Axel has apparently been a favourite backstage for a while now. He's received public praise for his work in NXT from William Regal, Triple H and Jim Ross and was hand-picked by The Rock to be his training and sparring partner during 'The Great One's' latest return stint to the company.

And of course he's been selected to become a Paul Heyman guy. I'd be interested to know how the situation came about, whether it was something pitched to Heyman or whether he was asked who he'd like to work with with his existing "clients" Punk and Brock Lesnar currently off TV. It's obviously something we're unlikely to ever find out, but it would give us a great insight into not just this gimmick overhaul but the working of WWE in general.

That said, even if Axel and Heyman have been paired up by the creative department without any input themselves Axel is still going to become a Paul Heyman guy. Working on-screen together will mean the two collaborate on ideas backstage. These on-screen relationships are clearly more to Heyman than a job. It comes across in every interview he gives: he loves the wrestling business and getting to work with and help to guide other passionate people. He’s friends with Punk and Lesnar in reality and that’s come about in part from their time working together in WWE.

 

He's a Paul Heyman guy

 

Curtis Axel could not have hoped for a better (re)introduction. Not only does he get to work with and learn from Heyman but his first match under the new name was opposite Triple H. Say what you want about 'The Game' or the quality of the match the two had (in the RAW main event slot no less) but it can't be denied that he's a big name to face. The evening was laid out to make Axel look as good as possible.

Okay so he didn't win but that’s not a big deal. It's more important that he didn't lose (it was a non-finish). And also 'The King of Kings' didn't win. Axel wasn’t buried and he was allowed to look as competitive as he was realistically going to.

Glancing at the WWE roster there's no clear rival for Axel at the moment. If Chris Jericho sticks around I think he'd be a decent choice but I think he’s off to join Fozzy again soon. Sheamus could have been interesting too, but he's apparently heading into a programme with Damien Sandow. That leaves The Miz and Kofi Kingston as the most realistic choices. Neither strikes me as ideal for the role and I can’t imagine either producing anything especially amazing opposite Axel either.

Perhaps Axel will simply be pitted against expendable no-namers for a while, allowing him to build up a name for himself in preparation for his first real programme a couple of months into the future. That approach would be good. It would avoid pushing him too quickly and having fans resent or become bored with him. It would allow the on-screen dynamic between Axel and his representative to grow naturally as well. Another bonus. Such things shouldn't be forced.

Whatever happens Axel has an excellent chance of being a somebody thanks to his pairing with Heyman. It’s possible it could lead to matches alongside and-or opposite CM Punk and Brock Lesnar. For a guy who was in NXT a month ago that’s a wonderful position to be in. If he gets half the success his father did he’ll be doing great.

RAW 1000 preview

It’s interesting to note that although this is WWE’s first regular three hour episode of RAW and there’s a fairly hefty card announced there are only two matches confirmed to be taking place. One of those is an Intercontinental championship defence by Christian against an as yet unnamed opponent. The other is a WWE title match between champion CM Punk and challenger John Cena.

A three hour wrestling show with only two matches announced? That’s a worrying sign for the future.

I’m expecting Punk to successfully retain the gold in St Louis. As I’ve said before I believe Cena will be the first man to cash in a Money in the Bank title shot and lose. He would allow a memorable name to be given that dubious accolade and wouldn’t harm his credibility at all. Can you imagine Dolph Ziggler, or the majority of other former MITB winners, cashing in, getting beaten, and not losing some of their shine? No, me neither.

CM Punk enters RAW's 1000^th episode as champion. Will he leave it with the gold? 

It’s possible this match will mark the beginning of a Cena v Punk programme and lead to their rumoured match at SummerSlam. I hope it doesn’t. I’d rather see both men pitted against fresh opponents at SummerSlam. Tensai would benefit from a proper programme with ‘The CeNation Commander in Chief’ while Cody Rhodes would be a nice fit for Punk.

Speaking of Rhodes I’m expecting him to be the challenger for Christian’s Intercontinental championship. The two have been booked in a half-hearted feud for a few months now and the 1000^th instalment of RAW is the sort of landmark event WWE likes to book a title change at. As I’m not expecting the WWE title to change hands and there are no announced defences of the Divas, tag team, US or World Heavyweight belts the IC belt seems the likeliest to switch holders.

Whether it’s Cody taking it from him or not I do not think ‘Captain Charisma’ will be heading into Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings with the white leather strap.

One of the biggest segments of Monday’s RAW is going to be the Brock Lesnar and Triple H segment. This match will happen at SummerSlam and so I expect ‘The Pain’ to officially accept the challenge when WWE’s biggest TV audience of the year is watching. It’s possible Lesnar will say no and then backtrack on that decision in a few weeks. But what would be the point in that? It would be wasting the chance to confirm to a larger than average audience that a first-time-ever match is going to happen at one of the company’s biggest annual events.

I will be interested to see whether or not this segment bleeds into the DX reunion that has been announced. It would make sense. There’s not really much ‘The Game’ and his old pal Shawn Michaels can do together that hasn’t been done to death already. Lesnar and Heyman putting themselves in the middle of what has been confirmed as the show-opening segment would hook people straight away and allow the show to kick off with a huge announcement regarding a pay-per-view main event.

It would also allow the commentary team to hype the SummerSlam headline bout throughout the entire show. That’s something I’m sure management will be very keen on.

It will be interesting to see whether the reunion is limited to just ‘HBK’ and ‘The Game’ or whether the faction’s other members will finally be acknowledged too. Yes, I’d like to see the New Age Outlaws make and appearance (and X Pac too, I suppose…). D-Generation X didn’t die when Michaels left the company after WrestleMania XIV. Some of the gang’s most memorable segments actually occurred after Michaels had left. The 1000^th RAW is a nice time to allow the Outlaws and X Pac some time in the spotlight.

For clarity I should state that I think a Chyna appearance is pretty unlikely.

‘The One Man Rock Band’ Heath Salter’s feud with the legends of WWE will come to a head on this show. I’ve really enjoyed the storyline and think it’s made good use of nostalgia acts and a fairly limited performer in Slater. He has found his niche as a comedy jobber and I hope he is kept in a similar role from show 1001 onwards.

I’ve no idea what the payoff to this will be. The most realistic options I can think of are The Undertaker returning to Tombstone Slater (which is only realistic if WWE has no plans for ‘The Dead Man’ at SummerSlam), a surprise appearance from ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin (who has been conspicuous by his absence in the hype for this show) or a legends battle royal being held with Slater entered. If the latter happens I would expect Slater to win the thing and then take numerous finishers or punches from the stars of yesteryear afterwards.

Personally I hope WWE finishes this story with a Stunner and a beer bath to Slater.

On 9^th July The Rock tweeted the following:

RAW's 1000th episode. The People's Champ returns.. As promised, my goal: THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP. #RELENTLESS

A mere three months after first announcing his goal to regain the WWE championship ‘The Great One’ is coming back to RAW. There’s a slim chance a SummerSlam match will be set up for him. WWE seems serious about trying to make this year’s August pay-per-view into something special. A bout involving ‘The People’s Champion’ would certainly help there.

We'll be seeing this sight on Monday evening

Realistically though I think The Rock’s next excursion into a wrestling ring will occur at Survivor Series at the earliest. SummerSlam seems a little bit short notice for a man juggling a Hollywood career, and if they knew they had him for the show wouldn’t WWE have made much more of it by now? I will elaborate on the possibility of Rock wrestling at SummerSlam below but it’s not that likely.

I think RAW 1000 will see the first on-screen interaction between The Rock and CM Punk. The above tweet and his comments the nights after WrestleMania make it very clear that a WWE championship match is in Rock’s future, and even if the title switches hands by the time Rock finds himself challenging for the gold (and he will) the champion right now is CM Punk. A confrontation between the two is a natural thing to book considering the goal Rock has and Punk’s character, and would make the 1000^th show that much more memorable.

With Cena being Punk’s opponent for the night it’s possible he’ll be involved in a confrontation between ‘The Voiceless of the Voiceless’ and ‘The Brahma Bull’. Personally I’d prefer it if he wasn’t because his presence would overshadow Punk, but providing aid to other performers is rarely taken into consideration when Cena is concerned. Lesnar could be involved too, setting up a clash between him and The Rock at next year’s WrestleMania. They are WWE’s two biggest drawing cards at the moment so it would be natural to pit them against one another at ‘Mania XXIX.

It’s impossible to tell what exactly is going to happen during the wedding of Daniel Bryan and AJ. The Peep Show segment on SmackDown makes me think that Kane is heading into a feud with Bryan and as there’s nothing else for him to do on Monday night I wouldn’t be surprised if he made an appearance during the ceremony.

It feels like there’s a swerve turned coming in all this. Perhaps Bryan has only gotten back together with ‘The Diva Next Door’ in order to jilt and embarrass her for costing him the WWE championship. Maybe Bryan will be asked the question and instead of answering with the predictable “Yes!” he’ll say “No.” After a moment or two of Bryan ridiculing AJ ‘The Big Red Monster’ could come out to make the save and set something up for SummerSlam.

The final confirmed segment for the show is the announcement of a new General Manager. Well, I assume it’s still going to happen. WWE haven’t mentioned the new GM for a couple of weeks now, and last week’s RAW and SmackDown didn’t feature anybody in the role. I can’t see them dropping the idea completely. The promotion has become accustomed to having an on-screen authority figure to include on their shows.

Who could take the role? It’s very difficult to say. Paul Heyman is a possibility. He could be written into the role as part of an “out of court settlement” in his legal battle with storyline COO Triple H. That would just be a short term deal though: Heyman is only going to be affiliated with WWE as long as Lesnar’s around. If Heyman is written into the role on Monday, which is a longshot, I do not expect him to still be in it by the end of the year.

The only other candidate I can think of is John Laurinaitis. He remains under contract and has been working dark matches and house shows against John Cena. Since being removed as Head of Talent Relations there’s little else for him to do in the company besides play a character on TV. A return from ‘Big Johnny’ would be a lazy choice, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

The new GM announcement is a good opportunity for WWE to surprise us. Hopefully the role will go to somebody who will benefit from the increased television exposure and not overshadow the actual stars of the show. Even better would be the position being dropped altogether, but as I’ve said WWE likes having someone on-screen to make the matches and further the plots.

Finally there’s the expected Big Angle™. The last two years have seen WWE launch big summer blockbuster storylines. In 2010 it was the NXT invasion and last year it was CM Punk’s shoot promo and subsequent feuds with Triple H and John Cena. The 1000^th episode of RAW is a landmark show and the perfect time to do something similarly surprising.

Obviously something designed to shock and surprise the audience isn’t something that can be predicted. I have some ideas of what it could be though. I’ve already mentioned the possibility of the company choosing to tease Rock v Lensar for next year’s WrestleMania. While it wouldn’t be ground-breaking in storyline terms (no matter how much name value the two have it would still just be a feud at the end of the day) it would give WWE something to work towards and fans to anticipate.

Another option for The Rock is a SummerSlam showdown with WWE champion CM Punk. It would be a little rushed and wouldn’t really feel like a huge, game-changing angle, but it could draw ratings and attract a healthy buy rate for ‘The Hottest Event of the Summer.’ Rock v Punk would be a huge match for SummerSlam, one of the few capable of knocking ‘The Pain’s’ faceoff with ‘The King of Kings’ into the semi-final spot.

Another option for involving Punk in the Big Angle™ is putting him into a segment with Steve Austin and having them agree to face one another at WrestleMania XXIX. A match between Punk and ‘The Great One’ seems likelier than one between Punk and ‘The Texas Rattlesnake’ but it’s possible they’ll go with the latter. Punk v Austin is a match I would personally like to see very much. I think it’s unlikely for ‘Mania XXIX though.

These are suggestions for new feuds featuring big names. They’re not, strictly speaking, angles that would set WWE on a new path and guarantee viewers for the 1001^st show. I think the biggest, most shocking and most memorable thing WWE could book for this show would be something that has been discussed for years: a John Cena heel turn.

I expect the Punk v Cena championship match to close the show. That would make it easy for WWE to end with a shot of the newly villainous Cena. ‘The Leader of the Chain Gang’ could turn gradually throughout the course of the match, slowly becoming more and more desperate in his quest to topple ‘The Straight Edge Superstar’ for the belt (see Austin v Rock at ‘Mania X7). Or he could be beaten clean by Punk and attack him afterwards in a fit of rage.

RAW 1000 would be the perfect time to turn John cena heel. That doesn't make it likely though

Is this likely? No. A Cena heel turn has not materialised for the last seven years because he is the face of the company and its biggest merchandise shifter. Even if it would produce a lasting memory and set up a wealth of new booking options I believe WWE would be reluctant to turn their number one guy.

Whatever the Big Angle™ is I hope it closes the show in the right way and goes better than the last two have done. After 1000 episodes it’s tough for WWE to create fresh scenarios and shock audiences. If ever they’re going to do it RAW 1000 will be the place. The company is putting everything they have into the booking of this episode. They need it to work out well.

The Third Hour

The first 999 episodes are finally out of the way. From Monday night we'll be enjoying the four-digit, three hour version of everybody’s favourite Monday night wrestling show.
 
WWE has assured us, via head gasbag Michael Cole, that RAW will be "the most interactive show on television." That may well turn out to be true, mainly because there aren't that many shows boasting huge amounts of interactivity on any channel in the world.
 
That's because the concept is not new. I grew up in the 80s and there were many call-in shows aimed at kids available on weekends. I'd say calling in is "interacting." Such shows are still commonplace today.
 
Even if RAW does become the world's premier interactive show, is that what wrestling fans want from a wrestling show? Not really. Most of us would rather have good wrestling.
 
The trouble is that WWE hates being seen as a wrestling company. It's a vanity thing. Vince McMahon wants to prove he can succeed in other areas. He can't. The WBF, the XFL, WWE Studios and the various other side projects he’s embarked on, seemingly at random, over the last couple of decades prove that. If the company concentrated on keeping wrestling fans happy by giving us slightly lengthier matches and the blend of storylines that has become their staple then they'd be heading in the right direction.

In theory three hours of RAW could be a useful tool for introducing new acts and granting more time to currently underutilised ones. The Diva, tag team and mid-card divisions could all make use of more air time. With a bit of work these areas could become relevant parts of WWE’s programming again.

John Cena and CM Punk will clash for the WWE championship on the 1,000^th episode of RAW

 
The concern at the moment is that the writing team does not have enough material to fill three hours on a Monday night. They're having trouble writing two hours of RAW and two of SmackDown as it is. A third live hour is going to add more pressure, not help alleviate it. It seems to be a case of WWE choosing quantity over quality.
 
The inaugural three hour show should be fine. The promotion has done a good job of preparing for the 1,000^th episode. There's a WWE title match between two of the company's biggest stars, a storyline wedding between wrestling's most over female performer and one of the biggest surprise success stories to hit WWE in years, the payoff to Heath Slater's legends feud, the announcement of a new GM, the reunion of D-Generation X (who are only ever referred to as DX these days, perhaps because of WWE’s PG rating), and the first appearance of Brock Lesnar on WWE television since the April 30^th RAW.
 
That's a stacked show. But what's lined up for show 1,001? Presumably WWE will use the increased viewership to launch a big summer angle on the milestone show on July 23^rd, similar to last year's Summer of Punk II and 2010's NXT invasion.
 
Whatever this turns out to be it will have a limited run-time and, if the last two years are anything to go by, will be chronically bungled within a month. A shocking angle may attract viewers to show 1,001 but it won't keep them tuning in indefinitely. If WWE wants to make three hour, interactive RAWs work they're going to need to be very smart in the way they handle the new aspects of the show and very quick creating new stars to fill out the card.

The Terminator

A fortnight ago Ryback made his SmackDown debut with a dominant squash match victory over a jobber named Benny Stevens. He followed that this week with a similarly impressive showing against Benny Camer (also a random jobber). It’s still very early going for the Ryback character but it’s been an impressive start.

Ryan Reeves originally made his WWE television debut on the 2004 run of Tough Enough. He was ultimately unsuccessful on the show but did well enough to be offered a developmental contract. He accepted (obviously) and spent a few years in WWE’s training companies DSW and OVW.

He was eventually chosen to be one of the contestants for the first series of NXT in 2010, playing an amiably and likeable babyface named Skip Sheffield. That stint could have easily been a disaster but Reeves made it work and got over as a fan favourite thanks to his charisma and willingness to not take himself too seriously. His ‘Cornfed Meathead’ moniker and “Yip yip yip” catchphrase caught on to the point that it wasn’t inconceivable that, given enough time, Sheffield could have made it to the top of the promotion.

That wasn’t to be. The formation of the Nexus faction ensured Sheffield appearances on RAW for several months but he was relegated to a bit part player. The real push belonged to Wade Barrett. That meant a heel turn, which halted his chances of establishing himself as a babyface. When Sheffield get to wrestle he usually lost short matches in which he wasn’t permitted to look especially dominant. He’s not a particularly bad wrestler, but with his look he needs to be booked to overpower all but the biggest of opponents.

Bad luck came his way again in August when he suffered a broken ankle on a WWE house show in Hawaii. It was a painfully long time before Reeves could resume training again, finally making it back into a WWE ring in early 2012. He’s been winning untelevised matches at RAW and SmackDown tapings, and appearing on house shows, since January. By all accounts they have been similar to what we’ve seen in his two TV bouts this year.

It may have taken a long time to get back to TV but it seems the wait has paid off. Reeves is seemingly going to receive a healthy push and has been permitted to wrestle as a more serious character than ‘The Cornfed Meathead’. While I enjoyed the gimmick I think the Ryback character is a better choice in the long run as WWE are more likely to push a less comedic wrestler to the top. The NXT persona would have been less impactful now we have the likes of Brodus Clay and Santino getting strong pushes.

It should be pointed out that this is not the first time in Reeves’ career he has gone under the Ryback name. In 2007 he was released from his developmental contract, only to be re-signed in January of 2008 (illustrating the indecisive nature of WWE management perfectly). When he showed back up in OVW he was announced as Ryback. The character was based on The Terminator, with Reeves no-selling opponents’ offence and dominating them with power moves. He was also billed as being from “the future.” Hopefully that’s an aspect the SmackDown writing team don’t revive.

Ryback could be a future world champion

We’ll be able to tell how serious WWE are about this push when Ryback graduates from squashing random indy workers to full-fledged members of the SmackDown roster. If he’s booked to defeat confirmed WWE Superstars™ in the same decisive manner it will indicate that the promotion wants the man to make it and that fans should view him as a star on the rise.

I’m hopeful that WWE are going to give him a fair chance at success. Ryback has the look, the moves and the verbal skills to be a solid part of the WWE roster. I could certainly see him being a mainstay of a rejuvinated mid-card scene and it’s not impossible to imagine him winning a world championship sometime within a couple of years. He’s also proven (as ‘The Cornfed Meathead’) that he can get over as a babyface with limited exposure. That’s a very useful skill for a newcomer to have.

Ryback may no longer be from the future but he could still be an integral part of it.

Nexus Birthday

One year ago WWE presented its viewers with one of the most shocking conclusions to Monday Night RAW in years. On Monday June 7^th 2010, Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan, Skip Sheffield, David Otunga, Darren Young, Michael Tarver, Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater surrounded the ring during a match between CM Punk and John Cena. After pausing for a moment they attacked the two competitors, plus various members of the ringside crew, and set about smashing equipment to pieces.

It was fresh, exciting and original, things that WWE programming hasn’t been known for for a long time.

In the week between the original angle and the following edition of RAW on June 14^th fans eagerly speculated about what the big plan was for the seven young men (seven because Bryan ‘Daniel Bryan’ Danielson had been released from his contract for choking ring announcer Justin Roberts with a tie... yes, really). There was a sense of the unknown about the angle: it was a chance for WWE to do something more creative than it had since the end of the Attitude Era in the early part of the decade. They had gifted themselves a potential gold mine of a storyline.

Sadly, viewers didn’t get the level of creativity they had hoped for. Instead they got the same monotonous, droning heel promos from Wade Barrett (the group’s leader and de facto mouthpiece) that every other WWE heel gives. In the first few weeks he made passing comments about there being a “bigger reason” for the group’s formation, a grand plan apparently beyond fans’ comprehension. But after a month or so references to all of that were quietly dropped and one year on we still don’t know why the Nexus formed, beyond the obvious reason of securing themselves WWE contracts and earning a living.

Looking back, the trouble was that there was no plan for the group and no ending to work towards. The writing team (or Vince, or someone else) came up with a thrilling angle but nobody gave any thought to what would happen next. In fairness, they couldn’t wait: the angle had to take place straight after the conclusion of NXT in order for it to have the maximum impact possible. But there was still more than enough time for the creative department to formulate a longer term story. It was their job to come up with a plan for Nexus: that they didn’t or couldn’t is unforgiveable.  

Instead of reinvigorating WWE television as it should have the story quickly fell into the routine of everything else the company promotes and it became clear that it was going to run indefinitely. A fourteen man tag match at SummerSlam provided the group with the chance to wrestle with three of the company’s top stars in Edge, Chris Jericho and John Cena, but nobody on the Nexus team rose to the occasion and entered a standout performance. By that point the group was probably doomed anyway: the writing team had failed to protect them from looking weak and even though only a two months had passed since they debuted the group was treading water. The SummerSlam match saw them eliminated in quick succession, guaranteeing that the faction would never be taken seriously again.

The autumn months featured a feud between Barrett and John Cena that dragged on and on and on... and on. It was painful to see so many young careers squandered to make the hopeless Cena look good. Then Cena was forced to join the faction against his will and things got really ridiculous.

The Cena v Nexus feud trundled on until January, when it was finally dropped. By this point Michael McGillicutty and Husky Harris had joined the group, Barrett, Gabriel and Slater had jumped to SmackDown to form the Corre with Ezekiel Jackson, and CM Punk had been installed as the new mouthpiece. The addition of Punk on the final RAW of 2010 had given fans hope that the Nexus would receive a renewed push. It wasn’t to be: it was another example of a quick idea being dreamed up for a crowd reaction with no long term plan being in place to capitalise on its success.

The Nexus has been on WWE television for a year. The group has created no new stars, has been a part of only two memorable television moments (the formation and Punk joining), and has produced no matches of any value. At the very most it can be considered only partially successful, and that’s being very generous. Most would agree that it’s been a huge blown opportunity. It’s too late for the group to achieve its potential now. The most we can hope for is a split, with all the members going their separate ways. But I don’t think that will happen. As always with the Nexus, we’ll be disappointed.

Criminally Misused Punk

There is nobody on WWE’s roster more underutilised than CM Punk. Being a tremendous wrestler with great ring psychology and a unique (in WWE) set of moves, not to mention one of the best talkers currently in the business, should make him invaluable to the company. But that’s not the case. WWE has seemingly gone out of its way to do nothing with Punk.

For the last several months Punk has been lumbered with the leadership role of the Nexus. Revealed as their leader on the December 27^th edition of RAW, it originally looked as though the faction was going to receive a renewed push and become a relevant part of WWE’s programming again. But it wasn’t to be. Punk embarked on a bunch of weird backstage segments in which the various jobbers of the group (everyone except Punk himself, really) beat each other up, sometimes with weapons, seemingly for Punk’s amusement.

This was probably intended to establish Punk in a cult leader role, but it never really took off. Part of the problem was that the Straight Edge Society was still fresh in the minds of fans. That faction saw Punk in an almost identical role, the main difference being that he was leading a band of wrestlers apparently battling various addictions, with his promos centring on his straight-edge lifestyle. As I say, basically what he’s doing with the Nexus now.

The recent downplaying of Punk’s real life beliefs could be a contributing factor in the cheers he receives every week on RAW. As he’s no longer cutting preachy promos in which he tells people he’s better than them there’s less reason for him to be disliked. Being talented, passionate and deserving of his spot means some fans are going to cheer him no matter what.

Since making his debut in WWECW CM Punk has shown himself to be someone capable of having a good match with anybody on the roster and being effective as either a face or a heel. Fans rallied behind him as the gutsy underdog and loathed him as the arrogant heel with the superiority complex. The trouble is that he’s been a bad guy too long, and with RAW light on babyfaces a heel needs to turn to even the numbers. It seems like the fans are trying to take the decision out of WWE’s hands and force a turn for Punk.

This is a good thing. It’s time Punk turned face again anyway. He has not had a sustained main event push since his series with Jeff Hardy in summer 2009. When that ended he was been relegated to leading factions in the mid-card. The smartest thing WWE could do right now is embrace the fans reaction and arrange for Punk to swiftly split from Nexus to feud with Alberto Del Rio or The Miz. Both of those men are top heels that would benefit from working with someone of Punk’s status and ability, and the new direction would help to freshen up WWE’s stale TV output.

At a time when WWE is starved for star power I find the refusal to push Punk to the top baffling. He’s a proven headliner who can draw crowds, handle mainstream interviews well, and help build new stars. He’s got a unique gimmick and fans want to embrace him. Two words: push him!

NXT Generation

When WWE cancelled their ECW show and decided to replace it with a new format most people greeted the news positively. WWE’s lacklustre ECW was a pale imitation of the original that was dispiriting to watch. It needed to end but it seemed the company had made the decision without giving enough thought to what the replacement would be. That lack of attention was a big concern.

Over the following weeks details of the new show, dubbed WWE: NXT, gradually began to leak out. It would feature talent from the FCW developmental league paired up with established stars in a rookie/pro dynamic. The rookies would compete in matches and challenges for a spot on the RAW or SmackDown roster. We would get an insight into their lives away from the ring and find out what had attracted them to the “sports entertainment” business whilst also seeing what skills established stars felt were necessary to become successful.

Is that the show we’ve ended up with? Erm... sort of.

NXT, like all WWE programming, is scripted. That means that nothing anyone ever says on the show can ever be taken at face value. While it doesn’t surprise me that they didn’t experiment by trying something other than the proven formula it does seem like a wasted opportunity. NXT was the perfect chance to take a more old school, hands off approach: the rookies could have been given the gist of their promo and the finish of their match and filled in the blanks themselves. This approach would have provided the pros with the chance to have genuine input and made for a more varied product than RAW or SmackDown, as well as allowing the rookies to succeed or fail on their own merits.

The tasks the rookies have been made to complete included running assault courses, participating in arm wrestling contests, and racing each other around the ring carrying kegs. Invariably the tasks have been an utter waste of time for the wrestlers and the viewers. They serve no purpose other than to bore the crowd and demean the participants.

Which brings me to my biggest gripe with NXT: it does not elevate the new wrestlers. Unfortunately this is across all WWE programming but it’s particularly prevalent on NXT because that it supposedly the whole point of the show. The rookies are supposed to appear on the show and impress the audience enough for them to want to see more. The ritualistic humiliation and nonsensical storylines make the rookies look foolish and uninteresting, they don’t create a desire to see any of them succeed, or even wrestle again. WWE seems to want us to view them as comedy figures but also empathise with them. Does that mean WWE sees its viewers as comedy figures? Quite possibly, there’s more than enough evidence to support the theory. The current approach is one that simply won’t work, especially when Michael Cole is obnoxiously screeching (as per Vinnie Mac’s instructions) that anything these people have accomplished before reaching WWE doesn’t matter.

It all boils down to this: if the rookies are presented as losers they will be perceived as losers. And nobody will back a loser for long.

The show’s not been a complete waste. NXT has been the platform Wade Barrett, Alex Riley and Broadus Clay needed to convince management they were ready for a spot on the main roster, and it introduced the WWE audience to Bryan Danielson. Perhaps the show’s biggest achievement was the original “NXT invasion” angle. Yes it fell flat, but think back to how exciting and filled with potential it felt at the time. It should have turned out differently but its failure is the result of there being no long term plan, not NXT as a show. It couldn’t even have been attempted if it weren’t for the NXT format.

It’s certainly seen more failure than success so far but that doesn’t mean NXT should be condemned. There’s room for improvement. A return to having bigger names as pros would be a good start. We’ve gone from Chris Jericho, CM Punk and Christian to Vladimir Kozlov, JTG and Hornswoggle. Who do you think is going to have more of an air of legitimacy as a pro? If the relationship between pro and rookie were not just for TV then I think the right pros could provide genuine help for the rookies, and that’s something WWE should be aiming for.

A greater emphasis on bringing out real personalities would be a good move too. I believe just being himself is what helped Broadus Clay attract attention. It worked out well for him, and it would for others. Letting newcomers be themselves (or a character of their own creation) eases the pressure on them and increases the possibility of them forming the desired bond with fans.

NXT could be an invaluable tool for WWE when it comes to introducing new talent, but it’s clear at the moment they have no faith in the system they’ve created. That’s why hot prospects Alberto Del Rio and Mason Ryan bypassed NXT: the writing team realised they would look stronger and be taken more seriously if they avoided being linked to the flailing show. A few improvements could change all that, not to mention give experienced acts something fresh to do in their role as mentors. If WWE can put in the time and effort now they’ll reap the rewards in the long run.