C.S. Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Would a tag team with Kofi get over as an opening match-type act? No, because Kofi is over-exposed and isn't over at all. A tag team with two "newer" people - maybe Neville and Harry Smith, like I suggested above - would be a better bet. A tag team is a good idea, but Neville + any stale WWE midcarder wouldn't work. It needs to be fresh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Even if all he can do is highspots, that seems to be the only thing WWE crowds consistently pop for anymore, so his chances of getting over are good if that's a big strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisZ Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 The reason why I'm not really believing the mask deal for Neville is when was the last time they had a non-Mexican in the company wearing a mask on a regular basis and not some screwiness like Mr. America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Does Kane count? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Would a tag team with Kofi get over as an opening match-type act? I think it would be a much better option than teaming him with another dude who has absolutely no charisma like Harry Smith. A Harry Smith/Adrian Neville team doesn't get off Superstars. Smith/Kidd couldn't get anywhere and I think Kidd is better and also has more personality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisZ Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Kane is a slippery slope in the discussion as he wasn't your normal masked guy...kinda like Mankind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S. Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 I think it would be a much better option than teaming him with another dude who has absolutely no charisma like Harry Smith. A Harry Smith/Adrian Neville team doesn't get off Superstars. Smith/Kidd couldn't get anywhere and I think Kidd is better and also has more personality. Which is why I said this earlier: If I had to give Neville a gimmick, I'd go with a modern-day spin on the British Bulldogs (minus Matilda). Hell, why not bring Harry Smith back and make them a team? Not "The New British Bulldogs" since "the new anything" always falls flat on its ass, but something in that spirit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Yea I'm not sure why you're re-quoting that at me considering I'm specifically saying I think Harry Smith is a terrible partner for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S. Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Yea I'm not sure why you're re-quoting that at me considering I'm specifically saying I think Harry Smith is a terrible partner for him. Because you sort of missed the point of what I said. I never suggested plain, vanilla Harry Smith. I suggested some kind of British Bulldogs type of gimmick for them (but not specifically "The New British Bulldogs," as that never works - but rather something in the same spirit) . Something with color and flash, pomp and circumstance. But I'm not hung up on Harry Smith specifically. That was just an example. Primarily, I meant that someone "new and fresh" should be Neville's partner in this scenario - not a stale WWE midcarder like Kofi who has been overexposed for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 I didn't take the "Mighty Mouse" thing so literally. I didn't take it as literally dressing him up as a cosplay superhero rodent, I took it as booking him like Dynamite Kid. I guess I'm too naive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S. Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 I didn't take the "Mighty Mouse" thing so literally. I didn't take it as literally dressing him up as a cosplay superhero rodent, I took it as booking him like Dynamite Kid. I guess I'm too naive. I didn't take it literally to the point that they'll put him in a mouse costume (although I wouldn't put anything past the WWE), just that it's going to be some goofy, kid-friendly, lame, uncool, opening card purgatory gimmick. I think we'd all love it if they booked him like Dynamite Kid, but I'm not sure how you got Dynamite Kid out of Mighty Mouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Basically, the only upside Neville has at all is to be the guy who jumps on people for Wade Barrett in flashy beatdowns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Yea I'm not sure why you're re-quoting that at me considering I'm specifically saying I think Harry Smith is a terrible partner for him. Because you sort of missed the point of what I said. I never suggested plain, vanilla Harry Smith. I suggested some kind of British Bulldogs type of gimmick for them (but not specifically "The New British Bulldogs," as that never works - but rather something in the same spirit) . Something with color and flash, pomp and circumstance. But I'm not hung up on Harry Smith specifically. That was just an example. Primarily, I meant that someone "new and fresh" should be Neville's partner in this scenario - not a stale WWE midcarder like Kofi who has been overexposed for years. You could put Harry Smith in a rainbow outfit and it's not going to do him any good, the guy has no charisma. Kofi is stale but he was still getting reactions before the stupid New Day crap and he has more charisma and ability to connect to the crowd than Harry Smith & Adrian Neville put together. I'm not stuck on Kofi, I'm just saying if the point of putting him in a tag team is to hide his weaknesses you'd want to put him with someone who can engage the crowd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S. Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 You could put Harry Smith in a rainbow outfit and it's not going to do him any good, the guy has no charisma. Kofi is stale but he was still getting reactions before the stupid New Day crap and he has more charisma and ability to connect to the crowd than Harry Smith & Adrian Neville put together. I'm not stuck on Kofi, I'm just saying if the point of putting him in a tag team is to hide his weaknesses you'd want to put him with someone who can engage the crowd. I agree with your general point, but I think they'd be better served finding someone new and fresh who fits that bill. Kofi has stale midcard stink all over him. I was hoping The New Day would be a heel gimmick that would give him a character and rejuvenate his career, but alas, that's not what ended up happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Crackers Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 WWE missed the boat by 30 years: http://luchawiki.org/index.php?title=Super_Raton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stiva Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 I think the problem with giving Neville any sort of cartoony gimmick is that a certain section of the crowd is going to chant for his NXT name. The guy could be out there in full Mighty Mouse regalia but you're going to hear "Adrian Neville" chants throughout his matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 WWE missed the boat by 30 years: http://luchawiki.org/index.php?title=Super_Raton Got NO problems seeing Adrian Neville in that. It didn't stop Super Raton from having insane bloody brawls with dudes dressed like Thundercats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBscout Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 Over in ProWres section, I made a Top 10 of the 2010s thread now that the decade's half way through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blehschmidt Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 What about pairing Neville with Justin Gabriel. He can do flashy highspots, and everyone forgot he exists. Give them some matching tights, let them work the 'Dusts, it could be fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 He could have a Heathcliff the cat themed character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mini Bennett Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 An ACL injury put a quick end to Adrian Neville and Joel Redman, which was a fun team for it's brief existence in NXT. I'm not nearly as down on Neville as others. All the tools are there for a nice career as a mid-card babyface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 Orton and Barrett both returned tonight on the road. Never thought I would say this even like 3 months ago but I'm kinda psyched about Orton coming back as a babyface. I hope they do the natural program with Rollins. Rollins/Cena is already played out but I think they keep that going somehow. Barrett is eternally stuck in a directionless limbo even when he's healthy so I don't have high hopes for a good run or anything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 He could have a Heathcliff the cat themed character. A wrestler named Jim Davis is gonna rip him off and become a zillionaire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 He could have a Heathcliff the cat themed character. A wrestler named Jim Davis is gonna rip him off and become a zillionaire? I had operated on the assumption that Heathcliff was a shitty Garfield rip-off for years! I'm flabbergasted to find out that Heathcliff came first. It's insane the things I learn here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJRogers Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Yup. Heathcliff strip debuts in 1973, Garfield in 1978. To be fair, their characters and worlds are vastily different enough that all you got are that they are both orange tabby cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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