Roman Reigns as the ace post-Wrestlemania

[Mad Dog]

I would say AJ Styles. He's shown he has legs and is over with the crowd. You could easily position him as the top guy for a couple of years while you groom Johnny Gargano to be the face of the company.

[Boss Rock]

I mean on Raw.

[KawadaSmile]

What's weird about Lashley is that he returned and did basically nothing. Much like Strowman, the only thing they've done is wrestle. Even people like Jose and Titus had more chances to develop their characters and build some sort of connection with the crowd.

 

Lashley, who's back after 10 or so years, has done nothing. It's really weird, but I love this tag team with Braun on paper.

[Mad Dog]

I would just move him over. The top guy on Smackdown isn't the ace of the company. So I would move AJ over to Raw and put him on top. Then I would put Big E on top of Smackdown as the Champion as a part of New Day.

[sek69]

What's weird about Lashley is that he returned and did basically nothing. Much like Strowman, the only thing they've done is wrestle. Even people like Jose and Titus had more chances to develop their characters and build some sort of connection with the crowd.

 

Lashley, who's back after 10 or so years, has done nothing. It's really weird, but I love this tag team with Braun on paper.

 

Yeah this has been leaving me scratching my head, you'd think he'd be a guy Vince would go crazy to push, but I guess maybe he's proof Vince's age phobia (Lashley is 41) is stronger than his muscle fetish.

 

But if that's the case, why'd they even bother bringing him back?

[Mad Dog]

 

What's weird about Lashley is that he returned and did basically nothing. Much like Strowman, the only thing they've done is wrestle. Even people like Jose and Titus had more chances to develop their characters and build some sort of connection with the crowd.

 

Lashley, who's back after 10 or so years, has done nothing. It's really weird, but I love this tag team with Braun on paper.

 

Yeah this has been leaving me scratching my head, you'd think he'd be a guy Vince would go crazy to push, but I guess maybe he's proof Vince's age phobia (Lashley is 41) is stronger than his muscle fetish.

 

But if that's the case, why'd they even bother bringing him back?

 

 

They've been very 1980s WWE about some of their recent signings. They just want them so that someone else can't have them, then they don't know what to do with them.

[KawadaSmile]

Yeah this has been leaving me scratching my head, you'd think he'd be a guy Vince would go crazy to push, but I guess maybe he's proof Vince's age phobia (Lashley is 41) is stronger than his muscle fetish.

 

But if that's the case, why'd they even bother bringing him back?

 

I don't even think age phobia is a valid point, since AJ, Cena and other names are also around the same age and getting more attention. They have *something* in store for him, but it's hard to guess what since they didn't do anything so far.

[SomethingSavage]

This line of thinking that Braun can't be champ because he can't show vulnerability is so ass backwards. He's already had shots at the title and lost. He's already traded wins with Roman. It's not like he's undefeated altogether. Maybe I could be convinced to that thinking if he was being kept away from the belt completely, but they're clearly going to use him as a challenger - so why not crown the guy? He's over, he's unique, and he can go.

 

Book him as a dominant champion. It's really that simple. People will tune in for a knockout or a slaughter if they a) LOVE the guy dishing it out or b ) HATE the guy that's going to get it. They're in Braun's corner. They'd be willing to watch him maul challengers for the first few months before you need to have him show any vulnerability.

 

Even then, all you have to do is get a little creative with the buildup. Do sneak attacks and gang-style beat downs on television. Then you book Braun to win in the end. It's really simple shit. Once that's grown repetitive, then you can change it up or address the issue of moving on.

 

But you don't abandon the idea of running with your hottest act - WHILE he is, in fact, your hottest act - just because you're worried about what his longevity will look like in six or twelve months down the road. That's absurd.

 

At that point, it's not even making a decision to *not* go with Braun. It's just indecision altogether.

 

Can you even imagine if that approach was used before? "We can't go with Hogan. He's too over to show vulnerability. He could never be champion!" "Austin just won't work if he has to show vulnerability. He doesn't need the belt, pal."

 

As far as who is better than Seth? Where do I start? AJ is better in every category. He does all the movez people like from Seth, only better. He's light years ahead when it comes to selling and storytelling. And he's an underrated talker - by far better than Seth, even before this WWE run, where he seems to have grown even more comfortable in the role.

 

Lashley has turned into a tremendous all-around performer. And sure. He hasn't been given anything substantial to do since returning, which makes it seem somehow underwhelming. But he's had the pieces all put together since about 2014. Dismissing him based on their piss poor booking would be a mistake.

[Boss Rock]

This line of thinking that Braun can't be champ because he can't show vulnerability is so ass backwards. He's already had shots at the title and lost. He's already traded wins with Roman. It's not like he's undefeated altogether. Maybe I could be convinced to that thinking if he was being kept away from the belt completely, but they're clearly going to use him as a challenger - so why not crown the guy? He's over, he's unique, and he can go.

 

Book him as a dominant champion. It's really that simple. People will tune in for a knockout or a slaughter if they a) LOVE the guy dishing it out or b ) HATE the guy that's going to get it. They're in Braun's corner. They'd be willing to watch him maul challengers for the first few months before you need to have him show any vulnerability.

 

Even then, all you have to do is get a little creative with the buildup. Do sneak attacks and gang-style beat downs on television. Then you book Braun to win in the end. It's really simple shit. Once that's grown repetitive, then you can change it up or address the issue of moving on.

 

But you don't abandon the idea of running with your hottest act - WHILE he is, in fact, your hottest act - just because you're worried about what his longevity will look like in six or twelve months down the road. That's absurd.

 

At that point, it's not even making a decision to *not* go with Braun. It's just indecision altogether.

 

Can you even imagine if that approach was used before? "We can't go with Hogan. He's too over to show vulnerability. He could never be champion!" "Austin just won't work if he has to show vulnerability. He doesn't need the belt, pal."

 

As far as who is better than Seth? Where do I start? AJ is better in every category. He does all the movez people like from Seth, only better. He's light years ahead when it comes to selling and storytelling. And he's an underrated talker - by far better than Seth, even before this WWE run, where he seems to have grown even more comfortable in the role.

 

Lashley has turned into a tremendous all-around performer. And sure. He hasn't been given anything substantial to do since returning, which makes it seem somehow underwhelming. But he's had the pieces all put together since about 2014. Dismissing him based on their piss poor booking would be a mistake.

 

I never said Braun shouldn't be champion. I absolutely think they should put the belt on him. My concern is with him as a long-term champion. With his monster aura, it's more difficult to book feuds for him without making him look to vulnerable. Sure, you could do an injury angle or a gang-style beatdown, but how long can that go on?

 

You also mentioned Austin and Hogan. Austin and Hogan had the benefit of not being on TV every single week. Overexposure is the name of the game in WWE unless you're Brock Lesnar. So unless they're going to take him off TV for a few weeks here and there (which I don't foresee them doing) he's going to be there every single episode. I don't trust WWE to be that creative in how they book Braun for that long without making him wrestle matches almost every week.

 

And sure, A.J. is better than Seth. But A.J. is also on Smackdown. He's been the anchor of the show for two years and they don't usually move people from brand to brand unless it's during the shakeup. Even come this time next year, I could easily see them keeping A.J. on Smackdown unless they make Bryan the star. So they have to work with what they have now on Raw.

 

And Lashley strikes me as someone who's a much better heel than a face.

[Flyin' Brian]

 

 

This line of thinking that Braun can't be champ because he can't show vulnerability is so ass backwards. He's already had shots at the title and lost. He's already traded wins with Roman. It's not like he's undefeated altogether. Maybe I could be convinced to that thinking if he was being kept away from the belt completely, but they're clearly going to use him as a challenger - so why not crown the guy? He's over, he's unique, and he can go.

 

Book him as a dominant champion. It's really that simple. People will tune in for a knockout or a slaughter if they a) LOVE the guy dishing it out or b ) HATE the guy that's going to get it. They're in Braun's corner. They'd be willing to watch him maul challengers for the first few months before you need to have him show any vulnerability.

 

Even then, all you have to do is get a little creative with the buildup. Do sneak attacks and gang-style beat downs on television. Then you book Braun to win in the end. It's really simple shit. Once that's grown repetitive, then you can change it up or address the issue of moving on.

 

But you don't abandon the idea of running with your hottest act - WHILE he is, in fact, your hottest act - just because you're worried about what his longevity will look like in six or twelve months down the road. That's absurd.

 

At that point, it's not even making a decision to *not* go with Braun. It's just indecision altogether.

 

Can you even imagine if that approach was used before? "We can't go with Hogan. He's too over to show vulnerability. He could never be champion!" "Austin just won't work if he has to show vulnerability. He doesn't need the belt, pal."

 

As far as who is better than Seth? Where do I start? AJ is better in every category. He does all the movez people like from Seth, only better. He's light years ahead when it comes to selling and storytelling. And he's an underrated talker - by far better than Seth, even before this WWE run, where he seems to have grown even more comfortable in the role.

 

Lashley has turned into a tremendous all-around performer. And sure. He hasn't been given anything substantial to do since returning, which makes it seem somehow underwhelming. But he's had the pieces all put together since about 2014. Dismissing him based on their piss poor booking would be a mistake.

I never said Braun shouldn't be champion. I absolutely think they should put the belt on him. My concern is with him as a long-term champion. With his monster aura, it's more difficult to book feuds for him without making him look to vulnerable. Sure, you could do an injury angle or a gang-style beatdown, but how long can that go on?

 

You also mentioned Austin and Hogan. Austin and Hogan had the benefit of not being on TV every single week. Overexposure is the name of the game in WWE unless you're Brock Lesnar. So unless they're going to take him off TV for a few weeks here and there (which I don't foresee them doing) he's going to be there every single episode. I don't trust WWE to be that creative in how they book Braun for that long without making him wrestle matches almost every week.

 

And sure, A.J. is better than Seth. But A.J. is also on Smackdown. He's been the anchor of the show for two years and they don't usually move people from brand to brand unless it's during the shakeup. Even come this time next year, I could easily see them keeping A.J. on Smackdown unless they make Bryan the star. So they have to work with what they have now on Raw.

 

And Lashley strikes me as someone who's a much better heel than a face.

Unless he was injured, Austin was on tv every single week.

[SomethingSavage]

Yeah. They kept Austin fresh with creative ideas, stunts, and crazy situations. God forbid the writers have to come up with anything like that to keep a championship reign interesting.

 

And you're still just making a laundry list of excuses to not go with the guy - failing to realize that this same list could/would/should be applied to ANY and everyone in today's landscape. Everyone not named Brock is faced with overexposure. So what? Your solution is to only book part-timers as champ until that changes? That, in itself, is hardly a long-term solution either.

 

This whole mentality is weird to me. You're essentially worrying about problems that may never come.

[Boss Rock]

Yeah. They kept Austin fresh with creative ideas, stunts, and crazy situations. God forbid the writers have to come up with anything like that to keep a championship reign interesting.

 

And you're still just making a laundry list of excuses to not go with the guy - failing to realize that this same list could/would/should be applied to ANY and everyone in today's landscape. Everyone not named Brock is faced with overexposure. So what? Your solution is to only book part-timers as champ until that changes? That, in itself, is hardly a long-term solution either.

 

This whole mentality is weird to me. You're essentially worrying about problems that may never come.

 

Only book part-timers as solutions? I never once said that. Could have sworn I said the guy shouldn't have to be on TV every week and that trying to build up challengers for a guy who's whole gimmick is that he's nearly unstoppable could run the risk of damaging his aura. And sure, they could be creative and find ways to protect him. But if you keep the belt on him for too long, he's going to need show ass at some point. I recall a time when Brock got laid out by the Authority and that went over like a lead balloon.

 

And yeah, it's pointless to worry about these kinds of things because WWE has always done a great job of booking talent over the last few years.

[Boss Rock]

That being said, I think you could possibly make Braun look vulnerable without sacrificing his aura too much against a big guy like Lashley or maybe Roman if they turn him heel. The only problem is that the rest of Raw's heels are pretty much scrubs.

[SomethingSavage]

Yeah, but you don't dumb down your champion and book them down a level.

 

You build up new challengers. This is why the Fed made its bread & butter being a heel factory for so many years.

 

It's the same problem they've had with Brock since at least 2015, if not earlier. They can't book anyone strong enough to oppose him in the interim between his dates. So, even when he does show up, it rarely feels like as big a deal as it should. There's just no competition.

 

Braun's aura is already suffering. The shit with the kid and all the humor-based segments that feel like they were written more specifically for a Rock type than a badass Austin type haven't done that aura any favors. So it's dwindling if they just continue down the current path anyhow.

 

Might as well make the most of their most over act and, ya know, actually strike while it's hot.

[Tetsujin]

About the whole "Who should be the new Ace project" thing... What about Ambrose? Remember how hot as a top babyface he was in 2014? How he carried the 2016 Road to WM? How behind him the crowd was when he won the title? The guy's always over, even with poor booking. He's great at promos, one of the most consistent tv and house shows workers of the company (even with his in ring flaws, but I think he's kinda underrated at this point). He even sold more merch than Cena at one little period of time in 2014 and draw better than Reigns in house shows of 2016. And he's still young enough. If I were Vince, I would give him that chance throughout this current year, alongside with Bryan and Strowman (and maybe Rusev, yeah). Just think about it.

[KawadaSmile]

And Lashley strikes me as someone who's a much better heel than a face.

 

His TNA stint reached its apex when he was Lashley the Destroyer and had all the belts. Was very good as a heel

[Badlittlekitten]

But you don't abandon the idea of running with your hottest act - WHILE he is, in fact, your hottest act - just because you're worried about what his longevity will look like in six or twelve months down the road. That's absurd.

 

 

This is just what you are doing with Rollins.

[SomethingSavage]

Except that Seth's not, in fact, their hottest act if Braun's right there.

 

Plus I never mentioned Seth's longevity as a knock against him. If anything, that would be one of the few things in his favor.

 

And Seth is a proven failure, with a dreadful run on top in 2015 and another terrible run as a main baby face in 2016 against Owens, Hunter, and company. Seth got a chance and flopped miserably.

 

What I was criticizing was the suggestion made to pass on Braun altogether & not give him that chance, based on the idea that they're worried he will eventually cool off.

[Badlittlekitten]

Im not sure its that straight forward deciding who the hottest act is. Rollins seems to have got the biggest reactions at least the last couple of weeks. Im not Seths biggest fan, hus last run was indeed awful (though not entirely his fault). I agree hes a bad promo but then I dont think Bryan was particularly good when he got hot. These things can be overlooked if the demands there.

 

I also want to see Braun get the run more than anybody else on the roster. I just think youre being unfair on Rollins.

 

Im starting to think nobody is getting this ace push though. Theyve put Reigns in this weird position where hes the guy but not really and thats that.

[C.S.]

Bobba "Hee Haw" Fulton says Reigns would have been fired during the territory era. He also begins sentences with "I'ma." What a goof. Despite all of the current missteps we've seen with Roman, there's no way in hell any 1970s-80s territory would have fired him.

 

http://wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2018/0508/639717/pro-wrestling-legend-says-that-roman-reigns-would-be-fired-if-he/

[Alucard]

About the whole "Who should be the new Ace project" thing... What about Ambrose? Remember how hot as a top babyface he was in 2014? How he carried the 2016 Road to WM? How behind him the crowd was when he won the title? The guy's always over, even with poor booking. He's great at promos, one of the most consistent tv and house shows workers of the company (even with his in ring flaws, but I think he's kinda underrated at this point). He even sold more merch than Cena at one little period of time in 2014 and draw better than Reigns in house shows of 2016. And he's still young enough. If I were Vince, I would give him that chance throughout this current year, alongside with Bryan and Strowman (and maybe Rusev, yeah). Just think about it.

 

Really liked his WWE title run. Loved the build up to SummerSlam 2016. There was one promo seg with Dean and Dolph where Ambrose really came off like 'the man' and I thought it was excellent.

[Loss]

Of course they would have. Guys just as valuable got fired many times. Wrestlers were more willing to push back because they had 25 other places they could work. Remember, Ole Anderson had no use for Hulk Hogan in Georgia and sent him packing.

[Brandon-E]

Someone on another forum before Wrestlemania 34 actually said that Jeff Jarrett's push in 2000 WCW wasn't as forced as the Roman Reigns push because WCW never had Goldberg lose clean to Jarrett.

[SomethingSavage]

Maybe I'm remembering it wrong, but didn't Ambrose get painted with the brush of being not ambitious enough or something? Back when he did the Austin interview, I seem to recall there being some talk about them seeing him as too casual or carefree or whatever. I don't know. But it does sound like something they'd use to limit or label a guy.

 

But yes. If not Braun... or Roman... or Lashley... then maybe Ambrose.

 

But definitely not Rollins.

[Strummer]

Of course they would have. Guys just as valuable got fired many times. Wrestlers were more willing to push back because they had 25 other places they could work. Remember, Ole Anderson had no use for Hulk Hogan in Georgia and sent him packing.

Not territory days but Ole also had no use for Undertaker despite his look ( which would stand out more in WCW where everyone wasn't huge) in 1990. Dan Spivey I guess would be another example. He wasn't really pushed hard by either company despite his look and both gave up on him. Obviously Spivey never became a big star but he was always pegged as one