The WWE Tag Team Division's Battle Against Fate

WWE's tag team division hasn't had an easy time of it this year. This is a shame. There's clearly been effort put into making it worthwhile and a worthwhile tag division would be most welcome. It would help WWE's TV product to feel more interesting and lively. It would also give the many lower cards wrestlers who currently have nothing going on something to do.

The Usos disappeared after WrestleMania because Jey suffered a shoulder injury. Their status as the company's longest-standing, most reliable unit likely altered plans for the division. It's all too easy to imagine that they were pegged to work with New Day, who would officially go heel within a month of 'Mania. To an extent their unexpected hiatus was probably a good thing. It's all too easy to imagine that, had the Usos been available, we wouldn't have seen as much of the various other units on the roster.

Sadly the main team I (and probably most other people) would have wanted to see featured also disappeared due to an injury. Tyson Kidd suffered what has apparently been described as a freak neck and spinal injury in a dark match against the newly signed Samoa Joe in early June, ending his run alongside Cesaro. Weeks later Erick Rowan tore his bicep at a house show (or, if you prefer, live event). He'd reunited with his Wyatt Family partner Luke Harper in May and it seems likely, now that SummerSlam's been and gone, that the three original Wyatt Family members were to be put back together for a six man tag against Ambrose, Reigns and someone else (Sting, according to the rumour mill) at 'The Hottest Event of the Summer'.

These losses were in addition to the unfocused use of The Ascension and the Lucha Dragons. Konor and Viktor were never going to amount to a great deal in WWE but had they been used with more care earlier in the year they could have been a far more over act by now. The Dragons, on the other hand, should have been given far more to do and received some protection from the writing team. They're an exciting team with obvious merchandise potential. Kalisto is very clearly a singles act waiting to happen who could be that Top Latin Star™ role we're always hearing WWE want. He may not have the name value or status of Rey Mysterio but he's ten times the worker Mysterio is these days. And he wears a cooler mask! What more do they want?

The tag division had mostly been left to the Prime Time Players and New Day. Focusing on two teams is nothing new. It's been the standard approach from WWE for years now. But it's disappointing because they seemed to be setting up a positively thriving division with the Usos, Cesaro and Kidd, the Wyatts, New Day, and the Lucha Dragons. New Day and the PTPs are very engaging teams who connect with audiences well in their respective roles and it would have been nice for them to have had a deeper roster to work with, even though the PTPs wouldn't have been receiving as much attention as they have been.

The good news is that despite all of these injuries and scuppered plans WWE is forging ahead with making doubles ranks worthwhile. The post-SummerSlam August 24 episode of Monday Night RAW saw a return and a debut that should and could impact on the division. 

These lads know how to win belts.

The returnees were the Dudley Boyz. Which may not mean anything to some people because it's actually been ten years since they were last employed by WWE and allowed to use that name. For the last decade they've been Team 3D in TNA. They're former twenty-four time world tag team champions, having held the WWE tag team titles once, the WWE world tag team titles eight times, the ECW tag team titles eight times, the WCW tag team titles once (although that was when the belts were under WWF ownership), the TNA tag team titles (a surprisingly low) two times, the NWA tag team titles once, the HUSTLE super tag team championship once, and the IWGP tag team titles two times. How many of these reigns are recognised by WWE is anybody's guess. I'd assume they'd count the WWE, WCW and ECW reigns but they could surprise us and acknowledge others.

In addition to being the most decorated double act to ever hit the wrestling biz the Dudleys are twenty year veterans and were a significant part of the Attitude Era. That Maggle Cole said that the tag scene had gotten more interesting when the Duds hit the ring to attack New Day and have a staredown with the Prime Time Players indicates that their return will be a permanent one, or at least not something that's over after a few weeks.

I'm interested to see what's done with Bubba and Devon. Matches against New Day and the Prime Time Players seem likely and both could be good. I'm be particularly interested in seeing them tackle heat magnets New Day which, judging by the last week of television, seems like a match we'll get at Night of Champions. A match with the Usos could also be fruitful considering the big bumps Jimmy and Jey frequently take. It's just a pity The Ascension weren't afforded better booking. If they had they'd probably be ideal opponents for the Dudleys right now.

The Wyatt Lads.

Monday's debut was Braun Strowman. He's a developmental guy who's been under contract since May 2013. Naturally he's been based at the Performance Center for the last year. Although he never appeared in a match on NXT he did feature regularly for a while as the large Spartan in Adam Rose's Exotic Express entourage. That he never got an official debut on the developmental programme likely means that WWE are still willing to have guys bypass a period of televised learning if the right spot presents itself on the main roster. This is a good thing. It means they're in a better position to surprise us.

Strowman joined Wyatt and Harper in attacking and ultimately laying out Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. Presumably the Shield lads will recruit a third man to help them in their battle against the Wyatt Family. Cesaro would be a nice addition, but I'd take Dolph Ziggler or anyone vaguely talented with not much to do right now. Once that feud's done it seems reasonable to assume that the Wyatts will stay together and two members will form a regular tag team. As much as I love Luke Harper he deserves to be the number two singles guy of that group. Strowman and Rowan would be a good pairing. Rowan is painfully bland and Strowman seems green around the edges. Pairing them would help cover these failings and give the tag division more bodies.

The summer of 2015 could have featured a great tag division without the spate of injuries we saw. But there's nothing to stop WWE getting their plans back on track and factoring in the Dudleys and an altered Wyatt line-up. A division with New Day, the Dudleys, and the Usos on top and the Wyatt Family, the Lucha Dragons, The Ascension, and the Prime Time Players in supporting roles sounds pretty good to me.

The Darewolf

Justin Gabriel's out. 'Darewolf' PJ Black is in.

It's not exactly breaking news that the artist formerly known as Justin Gabriel has been released by WWE. Apparently frustrated with his lack of direction and the nonchalant way his TV appearances were being handled Gabriel left the January 19 RAW and informed the company he wanted to be released from his contract. His status as a free agent was confirmed on January 25 when WWE announced he'd been released.

Pointing to the sky shows you mean business.

It's hardly surprising the man born Paul Lloyd Jr wanted out of WWE. He rarely got to appear on the promotion's more important broadcasts. When he did it was usually in a short match which he lost. His appearances on NXT were more promising. He didn't win much but he did get to wrestle lengthier matches in a less restrictive environment. A regular slot on that show would have been a good fit for him, allowing him creative freedom while providing the show with a reliable performer who could guarantee a good outing while putting over the hot prospects. Unfortunately for him Tyson Kidd got the main roster veteran in residence spot. NXT only needs one.

It's hard to imagine many people being happy to work hard to get to WWE's main roster only to be content with an enhancement role. His request was and is understandable. The last time he verged on relevance was when he was a tag team champion with Heath Slater in 2011. That Slater has to be mentioned there should tell you all you need to know about how well Gabriel was truly doing.

I think WWE could have done more with 'The Werewolf of Cape Town'. From what we were shown he could have turned in some belters opposite the likes of Cesaro, Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler. His on-off team with Tyson Kidd had potential too, but the writers never seemed overly interested in it. An injury to Kidd didn't help matters either, to be fair. Given time to develop, and used as part of a proper, actual tag team division Gabriel and Kidd could have been great. Matches with the Usos, the Wyatt Family, and even The Shield could have been excellent.

Gabriel wasn't necessarily a natural headliner or even an upper mid-carder, but he was capable of more than we saw. Which is what I think we'll see from him in his matches for the WWN over WrestleMania weekend. Gabe Sapolsky was quick to sign him for the group's shows, which speaks of the faith an experienced booker and promoter has in him. As does Black's announced matches against EVOLVE champion Drew Galloway and former Open the Freedom Gate champion Ricochet. They're not just some of the best wrestlers Sapolsky has available to him, they're some of the top names of the WWN. Black wouldn't be wrestling them on such major shows if there was any doubt in his ability.

If only he'd only a better nickname than 'Darewolf' I could get really into his new found freedom.

The Certified Gs

Enzo Amore is a certified G and a bona fide stud. This, apparently, cannot be taught. Big Cass is seven feet tall. This definitely cannot be taught. Carmella is hot as hell. This is yet another thing that cannot be taught.

Despite their questionable grasp of subjects that can and cannot be taught Enzo, Big Cass and Carmella are one of NXT’s most popular acts. Considering the number of wrestlers on that show that can claim genuine popularity that’s quite the achievement. And what’s nice about their popularity is that the show’s writers seem in no hurry to rush them into something they’re not ready for, instead letting them refine what they do. Instead of being rushed into a split, as happens on the main roster, the three are simply being allowed to be a unit and perfect their team work and (hashtag) banter.

Nothing in this picture can be taught.

What’s interesting (to me at least) to note about them is how much they have in common with the New Age Outlaws. There’s the obvious fact that Enzo runs through some Road Dogg-esque spiel before every match, beginning with something people can shout along with before breaking off into something more specific to their situation. There’s also the fact that Cass, the larger member of the team, wears trunks while Enzo, the smaller man, wears… well, not traditional wrestling gear. Enzo has a peculiar hairstyle. Cass has one line that he uses repeatedly.

Those are visual things, but the analogy carries over to the pair’s matches. Generally Enzo gets worked over before tagging out to Cass. That’s the formula of many tag teams, but the Outlaws used it more the most. In fact they used it pretty much all the time, which is not necessarily a strength.

Carmella is not a natural fit in the Outlaws comparison. The closest the Outlaws ever came to having a manager was Chyna and (thankfully) Carmella is not in the Chyna mould. What we have in Carmella is a character who seems to have been introduced to give Enzo and Cass a long term story. It’s been made very clear that Enzo has a soft spot for the former hairdresser. His attempts to impress her have failed. She seems to tolerate him as a pal, seemingly getting along better with the more laid back Cass.

Right now it looks like Enzo is going to continue to try to impress Carmella and continue to fail. The likelihood is that his behaviour will keep costing he and Cass wins. My assumption is that Carmella will eventually reveal she’s more interested in the more relaxed, confident and friendly Cass than the overly-enthusiastic Enzo, perhaps leading to a break-up of the team. Although this being NXT, the place where WWE doesn’t just plough blindly through the obvious options, it’s possible Enzo will accept Carmella and Cass and continue the tag team.

It’s even possible the three will simply remain a group of pals and I hope this is what happens. I like them as they are and feel they’d be of more benefit to the main roster as a group than as unaffiliated acts. There are plenty of singles wrestlers in WWE. It’s tag teams that are needed. A split and a promotion to the main roster would likely see Enzo drifting aimlessly within months and Cass pushed too quickly, ending up a misfire in need of something to do before another headline push was sent his way (because size).

As a unit they complement one another and can contribute to making WWE’s doubles scene interesting. If they can get a team name sorted (I’d like to suggest The Certified Gs, because why not?) then they’d be pretty much ready to hit Monday nights. Not that that seems likely to happen any time soon.

TNA's New Destination

Come January 2015 TNA will have a new televisual home in the US: Destination America. It’s a channel I’d never heard of until about a week before their deal with TNA was officially announced. That’s mostly because I don’t live in America but it’s also due to the channel being distinctly niche. It’s available in just over half the television owning homes in the United States. That’s nowhere near as many as previous TNA home Spike TV. As such TNA is going to be continuing the downsizing that they started last year.

Linked to this obvious need for continued cost cutting has been talk of a company-wide reboot. TNA producer Bryan Edwards has confirmed via Twitter (yes Twitter, that oracle of the modern age) that the wrestling company will be getting a new logos and graphics and a fresh start. This is actually a great idea for TNA. It’s a chance for them to freshen up their look and begin targeting a new market. Personally I think they should go for young adults (under the age of 25) who aren’t necessarily wrestling fans. But that’s just me. They could pick any market they like, what’s important is that they come up with a strategy to attract fresh eyes.

It’s also an opportunity for the company to make some roster cuts. They’ve done a bit of this over the last couple of years but they haven’t really taken the right approach. What TNA has done up until now is negotiate with wrestlers and cut them if a financial agreement can’t be reached. No thought has been given as to whether wrestlers are worth keeping around.

If it had been then Abyss would have been cut long ago. No matter how little he’s willing to work for he’s simply not someone worth keeping around. His character is stale, he’s faced everyone, he doesn’t have good matches, and it’s inconceivable that he is going to convince anyone hopping around channels to stick with Impact Wrestling. The money paid to him is better spent on new names that may stand a chance of helping TNA increase its audience.

This isn’t just an attack on Abyss. The same principle applies to Mr Anderson, Rob ‘The Freak’ Terry, Bram, Gunner, and Shark Boy. They’ve all been affiliated with TNA, on-and-off, for years. There’s nothing worthwhile for any of them to do, no matter what storylines they’re thrust into or how they’re repackaged. What TNA needs is a young vibrant roster that isn’t so synonymous with mediocrity. And now’s the time to go about getting that.

TNA has a month before they debut on Destination America. That’s enough time to get some new names for the roster, get a solid head start on TV scripts and a long term plan for the top names, and think of ways to introduce their roster to a new audience. The latter should definitely be a priority. Although the potential audience is smaller there will still be new people made aware of TNA’s existence by the move. Some will give Impact a try, and those are the people TNA need to be catering for.

I’d like to see TNA put together some introduction videos for their top names and perform some minor tweaks to a few characters. The videos wouldn’t need to be anything long or elaborate. Thirty second to a minute of a performer explaining their character’s history within the company and their motivations for getting in the ring each week, interspersed with footage of particularly memorable moments or impressive moves, would be enough. Putting them on the TNA website and running them before the first Destination America match of each performer would be enough. Maybe they could be edited down and used as adverts on the channel.

Tweaks to characters don’t need to be anything major. It could as simple as a costuming change. That’s actually something that could be done to Bobby Roode. He’d suit a white pair of boots instead of black. He’s probably the company’s top face right now (good guys wear white, y’know) and it would help him stand out from the black boot clad roster. It’s nothing major and would be a minimal cost, but it’s an lateration that would separate one of their top guys from his peers and the competition.

Meanwhile Austin Aries could do with some more substantial work. His in-ring work is great but his character has been let down by too many face-heel switches over the last year. Now’s the time for TNA to decide what role they want ‘A Double’ to fill and what sort of persona would be most beneficial for that. The stuff he was doing at the end of his ROH run in 2010 (being a player-manager, being a spokesman for less experienced wrestlers, and using a smoking pipe as his signature foreign object) has potential in TNA. It would certainly be a better idea than the wishy-washy approach that’s been taken with him over the last year.

It’s also a chance for TNA to decide on an identity. Being WWE Lite is what’s got them into this undesirable situation. It’s time for them to admit to themselves that hasn’t worked. In an ideal world they’d go with longer term storylines modelled as much as is realistically possible on the sort of thing people get from popular shows like Game of Thrones, True Detective, and Breaking Bad. Because that’s what’s popular now. In the ring concentrating on the Knockouts and tag team divisions wouldn’t be the worst idea because WWE, their chief rival, doesn’t do much of either. As far as tag wrestling goes nobody really makes it a major part of their product. That’s TNA’s gap.

I want TNA to succeed. I hope this Destination America move works out for them, because I don’t think they’ll stick around if it doesn’t. TNA’s success is what’s best for the wrestling industry in general. If TNA do well then the wrestlers have more places to work and fans have more choice in how to spend their time and money. Most importantly it makes every other promotion work that bit harder, which can only be a good thing.

The Hollywood Entourage

Over the last couple of months a pairing has emerged from the nether realm that is the WWE mid-card. A pairing that’s taken what little they were given by the company’s legion of writers and turned it into something that fans look forward reacting to and seeing. I’m talking, of course, about The Miz and Damien Sandow.

"No, you're the coolest!"

That should probably be Damien Mizdow. That’s the name Sandow trades under since being taken on as Miz’s stunt double, a natural (for wrestling) progression from the generic imitation gimmick he’d been lumbered with for months. You’ll probably have seen Mizdow in action, so you don’t need me to tell you that he mimics everything Miz does backstage, in the ring, and at ringside, or how funny it is.

As Mizdow, Sandow has taken something that sounded like nothing more than filler material and turned it into one of the highlights of WWE’s TV output. That’s quite the achievement and he deserves all the praise he’s had for it.

Miz hasn’t been a slouch in this time either. Since returning from his latest sabbatical filming a straight-to-the-bargain-bin DVD movie ‘The Awesome One’ has done some of the best work of his career. Promos have always been more his forte than wrestling, and he’s overhauled his approach with them, playing the mostly oblivious babyface who doesn’t realise how contemptible he is. The gurning and frat boy attitude are gone, replaced by a character clearly modelled on genuine Hollywood A-listers.

He’s also tightened up his in-ring offerings. Miz is never going to be the greatest wrestler but he’s improved his already good selling and concentrated on making his signature moves mean more. He’s also making better use of the Skull-Crushing Finale and the figure four leg lock. It’s made for far more enjoyable matches from him.

Miz and Mizdow are great together. I’ve previously advocated a gradual split for them, the logic being that WWE should capitalise on the popularity of the Mizdow character. But after thinking on it more I don’t think that’s necessarily the best move. The appeal of Mizdow is seeing him hamming it up while copying Miz. Yeah it’d be great to see him stand up for himself and turn on his egotistical boss but once that feud were over there’d be nothing for him to do.

Not literally, of course. The natural thing to do with Sandow if he became a singles babyface with the Mizdow gimmick would be to have him imitate the moves of guys he’s feuding with while they’re wrestling. It would give people what they want from the character without having to have him linked to The Miz. But we all know WWE’s current booking approach wouldn’t allow for that. Sandow would become just another mid-card babyface being used like everyone else within a month of his programme with Miz finishing.

This man is a natural bodyguard call-up.

So, as I say, they’re better together. There’s actually potential in them as the basis of a larger faction. As a male model Tyler Breeze would be a natural stablemate for a supposed movie star. He could be introduced as an allegedly A-list pal of Miz’s. A security guard character would also be a natural fit. Bull Dempsey would be ideal for that role, and there are probably other suitable candidates yet to be used on the NXT show.

This stable would allow WWE to build on the popularity of Miz and Mizdow by associating newcomers with them. Breeze and Dempsey would debut in high profile spots but wouldn’t be under as much pressure to immediately succeed. It would also be a readymade feud. After a few months of the group getting along Breeze and Dempsey could turn on Miz and Mizdow, creating a tag match people would care about (largely because of Mizdow’s involvement) and setting up a new pairing that could be spun off into the mid-card: Tyler Breeze and his bodyguard Bull Dempsey.

Pro Bro

Want an example of something done right in TNA? The BroMans.

Jessie Godderz and Robbie E were originally put together because nothing else could be thought of for either man as a singles act. They turned what could have been a quick way to get released, treading water as a thrown together pairing, into a success. They got matching outfits, worked on their promo patter, and implemented some double team moves more complex than double suplexes and wishbone leg splits.

The addition of Zema Ion as DJ Z helped. He works surprisingly well as a hype man and the idea of the team having their own personal DJ fits perfectly. Most importantly it gives them an entrance that no other promotion would do. A DJ playing guys to the ring is something WWE wouldn’t touch, and while I can imagine ROH and similarly sized promotions would they don’t have the budget or setup to pull it off as well.

Okay, so The BroMans aren’t the best wrestlers in TNA. In fairness they’re not meant to be. They’re supposed to be a gimmick team that gets heat, which is precisely what they are. Given that role and the way they’re booked I think they turn out better quality matches than they need to.

Note the shades, bro.

TNA should make the most of The BroMans’ relative success and work on getting a good tag division going. Not only would it make use of an entertaining team but it would also allow for some fresh matches, something the company’s crying out for with all the established names it has under contract. As good as the formerly American Wolves are we can only see them tangle with Jessie and Robbie so many times before the match becomes a chore to sit through.

EC3 and Rockstar Spud could work as a team, as could Kurt Angle and ‘Willow’ Jeff Hardy. TNA’s already set these four up for a tag encounter. It would be easy enough to turn it into a series instead of a one off, and for storyline reasons to be given to explain each duo remaining together after said series. Dixie Carter could decree she wants EC3 and Spud to remain together while Hardy and Angle could say they want a fresh challenge. This would have the added bonus of helping to protect ‘The Olympic Hero’s’ increasingly frail frame.

Tigre Uno and Seiya Sanada could become a team after their best of three series wraps up. It’s a bit of a cliché at this point but that doesn’t mean it would be bad. They could have great matches with The Wolves and The BroMans.

There’s Beer Money too, of course. They’re already back together in an unofficial capacity. They could be reunited on a permanent basis by their dislike of another team, The Wolves for example, describing themselves as the best team in TNA history. A smart writing team (unfortunately that’s not a description that seems to fit the current one) could use a Beer Money reunion to redo the team’s split and segue Storm and Roode back into the world title’s orbit.

If Bad Influence were re-signed TNA could have a very good doubles division. The BroMans wouldn’t need to be the centrepiece but they could be an entertaining part of it.

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 47

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 47 by Dave Hatton on Mixcloud

This episode sees the debut of a new recurring feature. It is imaginatively titled Three Things. The premise of it is simple. We take three wrestlers, tag teams, or other role in wrestling and think of things (three to be precise) that could be done to improve them.

Here we apply it to three WWE tag teams. I won’t mention any specifics because I think finding out who we’re talking about and how we think they could be bettered is a large part of what makes the episode enjoyable. Although it’s possible you can guess through a process of elimination.

I will say that I think WWE is overlooking their tag team division and not doing as much as they could with the teams they have. It’s not that the doubles scene is bad. It’s been improving for around eighteen months now. In that time we’ve seen Team Hell No, The Rhodes Scholars, The Shield and the Rhodes bros doing everything they can to make the division and the titles mean something. The spate of six man tags involving The Shield and The Wyatt Family has helped too.

Do we have ideas to improve Goldust and Cody Rhodes

But WWE are at risk of losing this. The Rhodes brothers seem to have been cooled off a little since losing the championships in January and The Shield have been moved away from doubles action this year. Even The Prime Time Players, a duo who had lots of potential to work as a fun supporting act but never got the chance to be as good as they could be, have been split (read my thoughts on that stupidity here). The division is currently in the hands of teams that are mostly proficient but seem unlikely to keep the momentum of recent times going.

Of course, wrestling well is fine. It’s better to have good wrestling than bad, especially when it comes to an aspect of WWE programming that hasn’t been handled too well for much of the last decade. But there’s more to wrestling than just putting on good matches, especially in WWE. The tag scene is the perfect place for WWE to be experimental with characters and gimmicks or for humour to be inserted into shows. These things are important to keeping shows varied and for experimenting with guys who could be stars for the company in the future.

If the Usos are left as the centrepiece team of the division it’s not going to take long for the good work of Daniel Bryan, Kane, Cody Rhodes, Goldust and ‘The Hounds of Justice’ to be undone. Even if Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, the obvious choices to oppose Jimmy and Jey in the post-‘Mania season, are moved into the division it will lack the variety of the last year and a half.

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 27

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 27 by Dave Hatton on Mixcloud

At the start of the year Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow were working together as The Rhodes Scholars. At the time it seemed inevitable that they would be the pairing to take the tag straps from Team Hell No boys Daniel Bryan and Kane. There were no realistic alternatives and they were too entertaining to not get a reign.

 

That didn’t happen of course.

 

This is a team that deserved a title reign

Instead Rhodes and Sandow mounted an unsuccessful title challenge at Royal Rumble, got split up and put back together in a matter of weeks, and then spent months killing time in completely forgettable and not especially good matches. It was Shield members Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns who were selected as the men to dethrone Team Hell No, having progressed throughout the spring from being six man specialists alongside Dean Ambrose to men who could contribute to shows in more conventional ways.

 

In the long run it made a little more sense. Rollins and Reigns benefited not only from being the men to take the belts from THN but also from holding them for so long. It’s unlikely they’d have got them as soon as they did had The Rhodes Scholars had them after WrestleMania. And the aimlessness of Rhodes’ and Sandow’s careers throughout the first half of the year can be overlooked with hindsight because such a good job was done with them at Money in the Bank.

 

But even there I can’t simply heap glowing praise on WWE. The feud between former best friends Sandow and Rhodes should have continued for longer than the month it did. The story was there to be told and WWE, for unfathomable reasons, decided to cut it short.

 

For Rhodes it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He got sucked into the company’s lead angle opposite Triple H and Stephanie McMahon and got a belated run with the tag straps alongside his brother Goldust. Since being paired with ‘The Bizarre One’ Cody has had a string of fiery, captivating matches that have reinvigorated the tag championships.

 

All Sandow wants is some consistency, is that too much to ask?

‘The Intellectual Saviour’ hasn’t fared as well. The sudden ending of his programme against his former best pal left him drifting for weeks. The failed cash-in attempt he made on ‘Superman’ Cena could have been the start of something interesting for him. He cut promos hinting that it would be, saying that his goal in life was to destroy Cena. Needless to say that’s not happened. It was never likely to. But the fact that Sandow’s done nothing to advance this stated plan feels like a wasted opportunity.

 

It’s interesting how much has changed for the two most prominent WWE teams since the start of 2013. Neither are together anymore, but one of the four is a current tag champ. His partner has fallen and risen from grace numerous times, and currently seems on the cusp of another rise. Kane has gone from being an unstoppable monster to a modern day interpretation of Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco’s stooge role. Meanwhile Daniel Bryan has left the other three, and the rest of the roster, behind him and become the most popular man in the company.

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 23

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 23 by Dave Hatton on Mixcloud

Greatest tag team ever?

If you had to list your top five tag teams ever who would you select? That’s the question we pose in this episode of That Wrestling Podcast. Will the Prime Time Players make either of our lists? How about the Real Americans? The Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock? The Rockers? The Midnight Express? The Fabulous Freebirds? Mark Henry and D’Lo Brown? Kai En Tai? Los Conquistadores? Steven or William Regal and Dave Taylor? Los Guerreros? There are so many options, and only five slots!

Also discussed are the names of WWE’s secondary pay-per-views. The likes of Fully Loaded and Armageddon. Basically it’s a focus on how ridiculous wrestling names can get even in the world’s most mainstream company.

Ascension (to the Top?)

Stop and think about The Ascension for a moment. If you're not familiar with them take this opportunity to look them up. Pay particular attention to the results of an image search.

Looking at or thinking about The Ascension for more than a couple of seconds should make one thing clear. They are ridiculous.

The inspiration for the gimmick seems to be Game of Thrones, with some Undertaker, Kevin Thorn and ancient Egyptian symbols thrown in for good measure. These sorts of characters crop up in WWE every few years but with the exception of 'The Phenom' they never have much staying power without hefty modifications being made to the gimmick. The ideas never gel with the rest of WWE.

 

This sums up the nonsense that is The Ascension nicely

 

These days The Ascension feel out of place simply because practically every performer in the company sticks to the forename-surname format and is presented, broadly speaking, as a normal guy. Conor O’Brian and Rick Victor sound the part but they don’t look it. The outlandish Ascension characters wouldn't have slotted neatly alongside the characters of the nineties either. Gimmicks were more prominent then certainly, but they were generally walks of life turned into wrestling characters. The Ascension would have been just as incongruent then as they are now, just for different reasons.

But this is part of their charm. That Conor O'Brian clearly isn't in the shape he should be in, that Rick Victor clearly has no personality, that they’re not as polished as they should be for the level of prominence they’ve gained in developmental all adds to the utter ridiculousness of it all. We can't take them seriously to begin with. The best thing they could do is ham it up as much as possible. Which they have been doing and continue to do.

Sooner or later I expect we’ll see O’Brian and Victor on the main roster. Tag teams seem to be in the in-thing right now. You can level many criticisms at The Ascension but not looking like a unit is not among them. If tag team wrestling is going to be a regular part of the WWE experience they’re going to need pairs of guys who stand little chance of cracking the big time on their own merits. The Ascension fit that description perfectly.

World's Largest... And Strongest

I've never been Mark Henry's biggest fan so under normal circumstances I wouldn't be too concerned that he’s suffered an injury. But that he's done his ankle in has actually come as a disappointment to me.

Before SummerSlam it was rumoured that Henners would team with old rival Big Show (remember that scintillating feud they had in 2011 that appeared on the two best pay-per-views of the year?) to challenge for the tag team titles. Despite champions Rollins and Reigns issuing an open challenge for any two men to step toward and face them, which certainly seemed like a strong indication of the match being planned, the bout never took place. The Shield, Henry and Show were relegated to ringside duties during the pre-show.

The rumours of the Show and Henry union were proven true on the following evening's RAW. 'The Giant' told Renee Young that he and Henry were teaming up to chase the tag titles. But that never happened. Show instead got dragged into the Triple H megalomania saga. That may have been the plan all along or it could be that plans of the comic book style team-up were altered because someone decided Show and Henry would be better off doing other things. We'll never know.

 

This is what Show's been up to instead of teaming with Mark Henry

 

Whatever the case I think we've been robbed of a great team. Neither is the greatest singles wrestler on the roster but I think they could have been pretty enjoyable as a unit. Limited guys, which both men are as far as match quality goes, tend to work better as teams. Coupled with their general improvement over the last two years, very solid characters, and the fact that they're both large even by WWE standards and I think they could have seen increased popularity together. The poor reputation of the division would have helped them too.

They'd have made very good opponents for The Shield. Their power would have provided a nice balance to the teamwork of The Shield, which has been one of the key parts of their act since being introduced. It would have been interesting to see two larger guys working as fan favourites against smaller heels. Their matches would have had a very interesting dynamic.

The doubles scene could have been enlivened by a couple of title changes stretched out over a couple of months, particularly if they’d been granted stipulation matches to work with. Dean Ambrose and his various singles feuds could have helped keep the rivalry alive with six man tag matches too, and other units could have slipped in and out of the feud for multi-team matches. In short, it was a very promising scenario.

Perhaps the biggest loss I have to come to terms with is the name. Show and Henry had some great potential team names that we'll never get to hear now. The World's Strongest Tag Team was a personal favourite of mine, as was The World's Largest Tag Team. They could even, had they wanted an irreverent vibe, have gone with The World’s Largest and Strongest Tag Team.

They could have been The Mega Powers. They could have gone with the perhaps even more wondrous Mega Friends. They could've been The Large Lads or Team Humongous. Or they could have been Large 'n' Strong. There were so many great options and it's a shame nobody will ever get to explore them.

Mark Henry’s ankle injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. But then it’s Mark Henry. Getting injured is “what he does”.

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.

Protectors of the Faith

Over the last five months The Shield has been incredibly well handled. Part of the reason for this is that they haven't been overexposed. They’ve wrestled only a handful of matches since November, the rest of the air time they’ve had seeing them on run-in and beatdown duty. The approach has meant fans haven't become sick of seeing them and that it's special when they step into the ring.

Working almost exclusively with headliners (they've had a handful of brushes with comedy trio 3MB and a solitary outing against Zack Ryder, Justin Gabriel and Great Khali) has helped them too. Wrestling guys at the top if the card makes any newcomer look like a big star and a hot prospect. Beating those stars hasn’t hurt either.

No taped fists for Reigns. He's a tough dude

To date The Shield has suffered just one loss: Dean Ambrose lost to the Undertaker on the April 29^th SmackDown from London. Dean Ambrose lost but the fact that he was selected to be the first member of The Shield to have a solo outing demonstrates that WWE sees him as the guy with the most potential, or at least the most capable of the three right now. That he will wrestle Kane on this evening’s SmackDown indicates the same thing.

 If this is the WWE Hive Mind's opinion then it's one I agree with. Rollins is technically sound in the ring but still doesn't really have the mic skills or those intangible qualities that allow a guy to establish himself as a headliner in WWE. Roman Reigns still has yet to do anything that will make me think he's anything more than average. He enjoys roaring and has a good look (featuring big muscles!). That's going to be enough to get him a shot at stardom as a solo act at some point because that’s how things are in WWE. At the moment the smart thing is being done: he’s working with more experienced guys and his weaknesses are being covered.

Ambrose goes out of his way to separate himself from his peers. Instead of snarling and scowling during his entrance as his buddies (and practically every other bad guy in the company) Ambrose has adopted other mannerisms. Flexing his hands, twitching his neck and bumping around during matches with almost Ziggler-esque abandon, Ambrose is clearly not a run of the mill talent.
 

Star of the show

His promo delivery makes him stand out too. He has a good understanding of how to get across what is a fairly generic point in an engaging and interesting fashion. His inflections and delivery are pitched perfectly. His Heath Ledger Joker-like drawl hinting at a slightly unhinged man.

It seems likely that the three men are going to get a tag team title match against Team Hell No at some point. I expect they'll win, mainly because their push has been so strong and there's really very little else Kane and Bryan can do as a tandem without reverting to the challenger role and working as chasers.

I'm not going to advocate two specific members of The Shield holding the belts. What would be the point? The group would be best served by a return of the Freebird Rule (a ruling that allows a trio to reign as tag champs, with any two members of the three defending the gold on any given occasion). That approach would allow them all to notch up a title reign relatively early in their WWE careers and continue to share TV time with one another.

The Shield wouldn't be the only beneficiaries of a tag title win. The belts themselves could conceivably get a boost from the switch if 'The Hounds of Justice' continue working opposite established headliners.

Randy Orton and Sheamus could be reunited as challengers at Payback or Money in the Bank. Their loss could be what triggers that Orty heel turn seemingly everyone on the planet (from Lou Albano to Barack Obama) is gagging for. A win over 'The Celtic Vipers' would be good for Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns and show that the tag titles are still relevant.

Their win could even be used to turn the Prime Time Players into babyfaces. With Titus O'Neil given some time to talk I think they could work as good guys. Making them seem like credible threats could be The Shield's first challenge from management. If fans can be made to cheer the Players then it’s a job well done for the boys in black.

Their issue with 'The Dead Man' could resurface too. That's a feud that feels as though it should take in a pay-per-view. ‘The Dead Man’ still has fresh singles matches waiting against Reigns and Rollins for TV, and the Shield v Undertaker and Team Hell No (or Daniel Bryan and the Brothers of Destruction) match could be trotted out again on a PPV with a gimmick added to it. We could even see The Shield defend the titles against Kane and 'Taker. A win there would be a massive credibility boost for the flak jacket aficionados.

Sooner or later The Shield is going to split and each man will get a shot at singles stardom. Ambrose is my pick to gain the most success, although I imagine Reigns will get a chance to make it first. Rollins? He’s got the talent to make it to the top but in the current WWE era even average guys win the World Heavyweight title (I’m looking at you, fella).

It’s too early to be talking about their split though. For the foreseeable future The Shield are going to continue to work together. Hopefully they will continue to be one of WWE’s most well-handled acts and those in charge will pay attention to what’s worked with the group. Every guy form NXT should be as protected as Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns have been.

The Longest Short Reign

When Daniel Bryan and Kane won the WWE tag team titles at last September's Night of Champions I didn't think I'd still be discussing their reign seven months later. As high profile wrestlers doing the feuding partners routine it seemed safe to assume that the pair would drop the gold to a more conventional combo after a short run together, going on either to resume their feud or being given something new to do. The latter of those is what I was hoping for.

Instead Bryan and Kane have continued to win as a team and keep hold of the straps long after their appeal has waned. The smart thing to do would have been introducing one or two fresh teams to the division while people were still interested in Team Hell No as a unit, leaving guys to inherit a hot and interesting division after the champs lost and split. The Rhodes Scholars were introduced but their push has been fumbled even more badly than Kane and Bryan's. They should have been the guys to replace 'The Big Red Machine' and 'The World's Toughest Vegan'.

Heyman describes Lesnar and Punk as 'The Beast' and 'The Best', epithets that are applicable here too

The Rhodes Scholars have been harmed by their ridiculous split and reunion between Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber. The Prime Time Players, a team that has seemed on the cusp of winning the tag belts for a year now, have been moved away from the champions. They're wrestling just as much as they ever have but they're no longer being presented as any sort of threat to the tag titles.

Epico and Primo seem unlikely to get a win over genuine stars any time in the foreseeable future. Brodus Clay and Tensai (or Sweet T) have the size to be taken seriously, and a slightly more advantageous spot on the card than E&P, but even they seem unlikely to be the next champions.

The likeliest successors to Kane and Bryan right now appear to be Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston. Not only are they good enough wrestlers to be the champions but Ziggler's star profile gives them a very strong chance. It's status on the roster, more than anything else, that determines title reigns in WWE.

What makes a Dolph and Big E win at WrestleMania slightly least likely is the Money in the Bank briefcase. 'The Show Off' is expected to cash in at 'Mania and leave as World Heavyweight champion. Making DZ a double champion would be a great way to make him look a star and could even lead to a return of his late 2011 gimmick of working twice on each pay-per-views. Unfortunately making someone a double champion would go against WWE's current approach to championship. Having Ziggler as a tag champ could also dilute the importance of his WHC win, and the prestige of that title is getting pretty flimsy as it is.

But if it's not Langston and Ziggler that beat Team Hell No then who will?

Prime Time Comedy

Last Friday WWE released Brian ‘Abraham Washington’ Jossie from his contract. The only thing that surprises me about the situation is the amount of time it took.

The reason for his release is no secret. On the July 30^th edition of Monday Night RAW (episode 1001, fact fans,) during a match between the Prime Time Players and Epico and Primo, AW made an inappropriate joke over the microphone about NBA player Kobe Bryant and rape. After realising how inappropriate the comment was AW fell silent for a few moments.

He eventually regained his composure and continued making less controversial remarks from his station at ringside. After the match he headed backstage and immediately apologised to WWE management and the performers who had been in the segment with him. Meanwhile the job of apologising to viewers was left to commentator Michael Cole. The promotion also released a formal apology after RAW went off the air via TMZ.

The brass were said to be furious with the All World proprietor, which is understandable, but the fact that he was wired up with a microphone headset at the following evening’s SmackDown taping indicated that no serious action would be taken against him.

AW has stated that there was no malicious intent behind the remark. I believe him. That still doesn’t mean it was something that could or should be overlooked.

Since being released on Friday Brian ‘AW’ Jossie has mentioned various instances of similarly controversial matterial broadcast by WWE. The examples he has given have included another comment made about Bryant by Big Show on a 2003 episode of SmackDown, John Cena making homophobic slurs (which he did regularly up until a year or so ago), fat jokes directed at Vickie Guerrero, and Vince McMahon poking fun at Bells Palsy sufferer Jim Ross.

He’s correct. None of the above should have been aired. But it doesn’t excuse his mistake, nor does pointing it out mean he will be rehired. The fact is that the above examples have not resulted in formal reprimands or firings for a reason.

Vince McMahon is the boss. As such he will do and say whatever he likes on WWE television. If he makes a comment that causes a severe backlash against the company he will issue an apology but won’t be fired. That covers the fat jokes too: they are made at Vince’s direction because it amuses him.

As for John Cena: it would take a lot for WWE to fire him. If he made a similar remark it’s likely the most he’d receive is a fine and a suspension. As WWE’s biggest merchandise seller his position within the promotion is as safe as an active wrestler’s can be.

As for Big Show making a similar comment: not only was he a more valuable performer to WWE in 2003 than Jossie is in 2012 but it was made before WWE’s shift to PG. It is the responsibility of the performer to think about whether what they’re saying will fit with the tone and direction of the company when they have a microphone in their hand.

AW wasn't an integral part of the act: he didn't even dance!

The comment had caused only a relatively minor media backlash against the federation but it wasn’t AW’s only blunder. He had also sent out a message via Twitter stating that he and the Prime Time Players supported Linda McMahon’s recent political campaign. He ended said tweet with the unorthodox hashtag “#voteordie4linda.”

Whether it was meant in jest or not doesn’t matter: it was a stupid thing to do and Jossie should understand that. He has been released in order to safeguard Linda’s political aspirations. All WWE employees are well aware of Linda’s senate campaign and should understand that it means WWE is being extra cautious regarding their media image. The guy has nobody to blame but himself.

I imagine Darren Young and Titus O’Neil will be largely unharmed by this unforeseen setback. Young is decent enough on the microphone to handle promo duties for the pair but if WWE is desperate for them to have a second then they can simply promote someone else from developmental. Byron Saxton could work in the role. Or perhaps Rosa Mendes could turn on Epico and Primo.

Whatever direction is taken with that unit I imagine it will be the original plan. The loss of a manager isn’t enough to alter WWE’s plans for the tag belts.

         
What’s next for Brian ‘AW’ Jossie? According to some the fact that he has been vocal about his release may help him to regain his job once things have blown over. Apparently Vince doesn’t rehire people who just accept a sacking. To me this seems unlikely, at least for the time being. While I can imagine this being Vince’s logic I just don’t think the promotion would be desperate to reintroduce a manager to TV.

AW’s promotion from developmental earlier in the year could be considered a test to see whether or not the manager role would still work in 2012. I believe AW did a good job in the position and made the Prime Time Players a more palatable act but he was far from a revelation. It’s difficult to imagine any decision makers in WWE desperate to have a bit-part player back on TV.

If he’s going to remain relevant within the wrestling business the most obvious place for him to seek employment is TNA. I think the chances of him getting a gig there are good. Not only is he a former WWE performer but he’s a decent talker and could perhaps attract some media attention (this is TNA, they don’t care whether media attention is good or bad).

Most importantly the soon-to-debut Aces and Eights faction provides an excellent way to introduce him. Apparently the gang is going to have a big role at Bound for Glory. AW’s no compete clause will expire around a month after that event. It would take very little effort for him to be built up as one of the mastermind’s of the angle and be revealed on an episode of IMPACT in mid-November.

The man himself has talked about pursuing a career in comedy. Judging by how well his comment on July 30^th was received I’d advise against it.

Dynamic Duos

Yesterday I stated that WWE retooling their tag team division would be a good way of allowing underutilised performers the chance to get themselves over (read that here). I listed a number of wrestlers currently working on the main roster (or ready to advance to it from NXT) and would now like to go a step further and discuss some pairings.

The first team that suggests itself is Jack Swagger and Johnny Curtis. Those two would complement one another nicely. Swagger is a (mostly) reliable worker who lacks the charisma needed to establish himself in any meaningful sense. Curtis meanwhile always strikes me as being a little basic with his repertoire but very good when it comes to getting his character over (especially impressive considering how little time on TV he gets).

Pairing ‘Dirty Curty’ and ‘The All American American’ would allow them to cover each other’s weak points. It would perhaps allow them to learn from one another too. It would also give the doubles scene a classic big man-small pairing. The two could have some solid clashes with current champs Kofi Kingston and R-Truth.

Another potentially interesting tandem would be Drew McIntyre and Michael McGillicutty. The son of Mr Perfect made it to the main roster in 2010 as part of the Nexus angle but ended up being sent back to developmental in early 2011, either because the creative team were losing interest in Nexus or because it was decided he wasn’t a good enough worker (or maybe both).

McIntyre received a very strong push back in 2009. He was given the Intercontinental title (which is a fairly worthless belt these days but it was a nice gesture) and was permitted to share screen time with Vince McMahon. He was even dubbed ‘The Chosen One’ by the boss! There’s an indication that a guy’s headed to the top of ever there was one.

But the Scot didn’t progress beyond the mid-card. His push faltered then stopped completely and he has spent much of the last two years drifting aimlessly. Teaming him with McGillicutty would allow two guys of similar ability the opportunity to reinvent themselves and contribute to the company’s programming in a more meaningful fashion.

That’s two heel tandems and no babyfaces so far. How about pairing up Ezekiel Jackson and Mason Ryan? That may sound like a recipe for disaster but there’s a reason I’d suggest putting them together: both have shown signs of being able to get over as fan favourites in the past.

If you think this is exciting wait until you see him do a scoop slam!

Mason Ryan (formerly Goliath on ITV’s Gladiators revival) swerve-turned on Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero in the autumn of last year, which started a brief feud between him and ‘The Show Off’. While Ziggler carried Ryan through all of their matches it cannot be denied that fans rallied behind the Welshman.

Similarly Jackson had some solid fan support during his Intercontinental championship feud with Wade Barrett last year. During some matches he even managed to get crowds cheering his multiple scoop slams. Yes, scoop slams.

I think that putting Ryan and ‘The Personification of Domination’ together would create a team that could get over as big, powerful babyfaces. They’d need to be protected with short squash wins but if booked right they could get over as a Road Warriors-esque unit. Ryback has proven that fans will still get behind a squash artist.

Yoshi Tatsu and Derrick Bateman could be booked as plucky underdogs. Their size would allow them to appear more sympathetic than the other teams suggested here, and work a quicker, more athletic style that would help to set them apart.

JTG and Trent Barreta would be the last two guys left. They could work as either good guys or bad guys and would be another big man-small man combo to use. These two have so little going on right now that being paired up could only be an improvement for them.

Creating these five teams would require much work and wouldn’t stop them appearing in singles bouts on Superstars. They could simply have a tag partner with them at ringside when they appear on the show.

The main roster currently has only a few teams of note. Champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth are joined by Epico and Primo, the Prime Time Players, the MidCard Mafia and Hunico and Camacho. That’s not much of a division.

What I’ve proposed above would immediately double the size of the tag ranks, creating plenty of options for the booking team. They could even start using Sakamoto as a wrestler and pair him with Tensai. The Ascension are ready to be promoted from NXT too.

WWE has plenty of options when it comes to tag team wrestling. As I explained in my previous post there are plenty of reasons to start making better use of the doubles ranks. With RAW currently at three hours there’s ample time for promoting these renewed acts and giving them the chance to get over. The company has nothing to lose and everything to gain.