A Change in WWE Coming?
Now I’m not sure if FightGameBlog is powerful enough to reach WWE quite yet. I would like to think so, and I know for a fact of at least one person in the company who reads this blog (more for the Boxing coverage than anything), but this news does come as a bit of a pleasant surprise.
Yesterday, I outlined in my column the problems WWE would be facing in the future if they didn’t straighten up now. Well perhaps somebody got the freakin’ memo.
Last night on Wrestling Observer Radio, Konnan pointed out that he had heard from somebody within WWE that Stephanie McMahon-Levesque has actually “opened the creative gate” (sounds like a Japanese belt title) and is now taking suggestions from the talent to improve the product. Whether or not this is one of those situations done to simply boost morale (a technique a lot of companies use outside the wrestling business) or if creative is really and truly are burnt-out and in need of ideas remains to be seen. Still, even the fact that WWE would entertain this idea is a step in the right direction.
While last night’s Raw put me to sleep in more ways than one, I was actually very happy to see guys like MVP and The Miz get more mic time and more of a spotlight put on them. Over on the Smackdown brand, John Morrison is about to receive the biggest push of his career and CM Punk may actually break out. WWE may be starting to recognize that a lot of the older stars are about to hang up the boots and that now is the time to prepare for the future. I still think the developmental portion of the “Titan Ship” is plugged with a variety of holes and sinking fast, so they will need to quickly drop anchor and clean up the mess on the starboard side. How’d you like that metaphor-play?
In the next coming months, all we can hope is that new guys get put into prominent roles and that they begin to scale back on guys like Triple H and Batista. While the wrestling mark inside of me doesn’t want them to scale back on Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, the reality is that they are on borrowed time. So if there was ever a time to push MVP, Punk, Morrison, Miz, Swagger, and the like, the time is NOW! This start-stop push garbage MUST stop.
To quote a great man:
“There IS no tomorrow!”
This is kind of what I was writing yesterday in the comments. You even heard Konnan talk about it on the show.
When WWE has to, they know how to make new stars. But it’s just that they don’t necessarily do it unless they believe there’s a true reason.
One of the positives to injuries is that new guys will be thrust into new and bigger roles and they kind of have to let them sink or swim. The one negative to that is if Morrison sinks, they’ll very quickly be ready to put a Kane or Big Show into the role.
We’ll see what happens, but I like that MVP was definitely a bigger focus of that show, even though they didn’t necessarily do what they needed to do with him. I’m hoping it’s just a bit of a slow build.
I agree. I think MVP should probably go ahead and beat Regal on TV a couple of times. Then maybe put him in a short term program with another mid-card heel on Raw, perhaps even Miz. Even though I would like the Miz and Cena to be a short TV feud and eventually have at least one PPV match. Even if Cena wins the PPV match, it’ll give Miz a rub on PPV being in there with a top guy.
I don’t think they can go Miz/Cena just yet. He has to go through other guys first.
As for MVP, I think he needs to beat Regal in some good matches, and then go through the ranks too. Maybe he should tag with Big Dave a few times to get that rub too.
This stuff isn’t that hard, but just a few months ago, the dude was on a losing streak. They have a bit of work to do.
While I would like to see more of a consistent effort made with all those guys, I think the problem runs deeper than that. I just don’t believe any of them are the type of guys you can build the show around. Maybe i am wrong, but i just really don’t see it.
I honestly believe that the next generation of top stars is going to have to come from new signings. I just don’t think the talent is there to elevate.
I would probably agree with you except for Morrison. I think MVP can be a main eventer, but not one whose going to be the kind of star they need.
But I think Morrison is the real deal, as is Swagger. Those are two you can build around.
And who knows about Teddy D Jr? He hasn’t been able to let loose yet.
New signings from WHERE? Have you seen FCW? There IS no good talent avaliable right now. I mean sure, they can nab a buncha ROH guys, but will they push them?
You do have to remember that they are the biggest wrestling company in the world. They can steal whoever they want pretty much, and its not like there is a shortage of great wrestlers in the world. Every small promotion you go to nearly has at least one guy that could be something.
Agreed Duan, but they’ve had their chances throughout the years to take a lot of talent. They’ve had tons of talent under their umbrella that has hordes of potential that they have let go (Spears, Cabana) and hell, they had top workers under deals 10 years ago (Danielson, Daniels, etc). They care more about looks than anything and even with a lack of talent, I still think they’d rather hire somebody who looks like Johnny Prime than anybody else.
Here’s what’s different though, and we’ve continued to talk about it. They have to do these things now. So maybe they will.