What to do about a problem like Developmental?

[PowerButchi]

The release of Dustin Rhodes got my thinking in a roundabout way about WWE developmental.

 

In chat in the past a few of us have discussed a bridge between FCW and WWE to really polish workers (and that looks likely if this Stamford thing comes off). But I've often thought, why not use NXT?

 

A different NXT to now though, as much as I love it, but instead a roster of superb veterans and great hands working with people who are nearly ready for Raw and Smackdown.

 

What I'd personally do is have my Cesaro, Ambrose, Rollins and people of that ilk working with a permanent "established" roster of William Regal, Finlay, Dustin Rhodes and Jerry Lawler veteran wise, with young and GREAT hands like Drew McIntyre, and rehired Masters and Gallows to work with the talent in between. The first four can teach them how to work for TV in mainstream North American style, and the younger three can teach them how to do it for the modern audience. I really think that set up would polish people to fuck to go to the big brands. Finlay's doing great things on the indies, and Lawler has some amazing matches with Bill Dundee (who I'd hire if it were up to me, but Vince would see him then sack me and him in quick succession) every Friday, doing little but doing shitloads at the same time. Rhodes is one of the world's best who's young yet versed in the styles of a fair few territories, and one of the best brawlers I've ever seen, and it's a shame that he hasn't had a chance to show that off for an age. Regal is obviously Regal.

 

Drew McIntyre is so underrated it beggars belief, he knows how to tell a story better than most when he has a chance, especially when against my next hire... Chris Masters. In 2010 and 2011 he became of the best in the world. Not Jericho hyperbole, truth. Anyone who can make losing in a 90 second squash into a meaningful story, and have one of the best TV matches I've ever seen (May last year against McIntyre) gets muffins in my house. But also, he's easily the 2nd best babyface after Rey Mysterio of the past few years. His selling is perfect and his comebacks, and false comebacks, are times to perfection. Luke Gallows doesn't get half the credit he deserves either. He's been having great matches across the US for a while now. For lack of a better term, he gets pro wrestling.

 

So yeah, that's my idea. What would you do with developmental?

[Sphinx]

I couldn't go as far as to say Goldust was one of the best in the world in 2010/11 or McIntyre is one of the best in the world unless they've done something meaningful, or had a chance to have many great, decent length matches. Maybe they did and I missed it. If not, I'd say it was hyperbole.

[neil's bitch]

I couldn't go as far as to say Goldust was one of the best in the world in 2010/11 or McIntyre is one of the best in the world unless they've done something meaningful, or had a chance to have many great, decent length matches. Maybe they did and I missed it. If not, I'd say it was hyperbole.

During Goldusts last run on ECW/Superstars he had some really belting matches, to the point when various memebers of the WWE roster openly said he was one of the best wrestlers in the world bar none. I would say he's always been "good", but i'll openly shout out from the rooftops that Dustin really came into his own during his last run. Adding into that his overall Wrestling/Life experience and hes a top guy to have around.....so its a huge loss for WWE not to have him.

 

Mcintyre needs to be on TV more, because he is that good. He made Fat Hardy look like a million dollars during the last fued they had, and makes the most of his screen time, every time hes on TV. He's very very good, and stupidly under-used.

[Sphinx]

I did see some Dudebusters vs. Goldust and someone match on ECW which was good. He had a match on a PPV with McIntyre which was good too. Maybe I've not seen enough, I just tend to associate best in the world with people who've done more of note in that run.

 

McIntyre switched me off Smackdown in 2010. I couldn't be bothered to listen to him bang on and on in his feud with Teddy Long.

[Statto]

I like Butch's idea in it's principles, there's no doubt any guys they're going to bring up to the main shows should be working with guys of this type first (and he's picked ideal names, both in those under contract or those he would want to bring back).

 

However, the one (fairly major) tweak I would look to make is I wouldn't want it to be a formalised WWE 'brand' for that purpose, for the simple reason that having had a couple of years where pretty much EVERYONE new has come onto WWE 'TV' via NXT, it's been a refreshing change of pace to see the likes of Antonio Cesaro debut straight onto one of the main shows again.

 

By all means get them working with the likes of Regal, Goldy & McIntyre instead of just their developmental peers, but they can do it down in FCW sometimes, or occasionally on NXT. What I guess I'm saying in a nutshell is I wouldn't want NXT to become an enforced "right of passage" for everyone they bring up.

[Arch Stanton]

Common sense would tell us that NXT should be almost exactly as described by Butch- a show where rookies get to work TV matches with established hands until they are ready to make the step up to Raw or SmackDown. Instead, they just throw all the rookies out there together and whilst the show is nearly always good fun, it isn't set up to allow the roster to develop properly. Percy Watson won't get any better wrestling Tyler Reks.

 

A similar thing could be said about FCW, I suppose. They don't use people like Regal often enough. I'd have the likes of Jerry Lawler and Goldust working down there regularly.

 

I do agree with Statto completely on his last point about NXT though- it shouldn't be for everyone. If you've got someone that you want to get over as a star from the start, a stint on NXT will only detract from their aura.

[Dirty Eddie]

Isn't the reason that they won't ever use NXT as an "official" part of developmental because they don't actually want all their future starts to debut on a shitty TV show that most people don't watch?

 

I'm sure someone has said before that they don't want potential 'Superstars' slumming it will a bunch of no-marks on TV for a year before moving to RAW or Smackdown. They'd rather have the option of waiting until they are ready for "proper" TV (like they did with Cesaro) than stick them on something like NXT where they could be over-exposed far too early on in their careers.

 

That's why they don't put FCW online or on youtube or anything; they don't actually want their fans to see the new guys before they are ready to get a giant push. I think it kind of makes sense. There certainly would have been far less impact for something like a Brock Lesnar debut (the original one) if he had been working a dull TV feud with Hugh Morrus on Jakked for 6 months before he first hit RAW.

 

Also, why would anyone want Drew McIntyre training them, the man gets no reaction whatsoever. I agree with the veteran names that were listed, but I don't get having Drew there at all?

[Teedy Kay]

I'm sure someone has said before that they don't want potential 'Superstars' slumming it will a bunch of no-marks on TV for a year before moving to RAW or Smackdown. They'd rather have the option of waiting until they are ready for "proper" TV (like they did with Cesaro) than stick them on something like NXT where they could be over-exposed far too early on in their careers.

 

It worked well for Punk growing in ECW.

 

One thing I truly feel is lacking for peoples development is the distinct lack of tag team wrestling. Look at the talent that have emerged from Tag Team wrestling, HBK, Hart, Austin, Jericho, Edge etc

 

To a lesser extent, Morrison, Miz, Rhodes etc

 

It can give young up and coming talent the ability to work with experienced guys, either as a partner or against them and give them something to actually compete for. It can create a fantastic backstory for them, if you can get a Rockers-esque split come the end of a nice run, awesome, if not, phase one member to Smackdown and the standout performer to RAW and continue their development.

 

A decent Tag Division can also give some of the older guys with little or no direction a place to go, Money Inc being the finest example of that.

 

I've been keeping an eye on FCW as of late, namely for Ohno and the wonderful Bray Wyatt, and I think there are some good teams in the making that could be brought up.

 

Obviously, if the talent is so good it's not necessary, whack 'em on RAW and watch the money roll in.

[Cobra1000]

I'm sure someone has said before that they don't want potential 'Superstars' slumming it will a bunch of no-marks on TV for a year before moving to RAW or Smackdown. They'd rather have the option of waiting until they are ready for "proper" TV (like they did with Cesaro) than stick them on something like NXT where they could be over-exposed far too early on in their careers.

 

It worked well for Punk growing in ECW.

 

One thing I truly feel is lacking for peoples development is the distinct lack of tag team wrestling. Look at the talent that have emerged from Tag Team wrestling, HBK, Hart, Austin, Jericho, Edge etc

 

To a lesser extent, Morrison, Miz, Rhodes etc

 

It can give young up and coming talent the ability to work with experienced guys, either as a partner or against them and give them something to actually compete for. It can create a fantastic backstory for them, if you can get a Rockers-esque split come the end of a nice run, awesome, if not, phase one member to Smackdown and the standout performer to RAW and continue their development.

 

A decent Tag Division can also give some of the older guys with little or no direction a place to go, Money Inc being the finest example of that.

 

I've been keeping an eye on FCW as of late, namely for Ohno and the wonderful Bray Wyatt, and I think there are some good teams in the making that could be brought up.

 

Obviously, if the talent is so good it's not necessary, whack 'em on RAW and watch the money roll in.

 

this is a fine post.

 

Some people work growing through the ranks, while others don't. there is no reason to say that any guy on NXT right now couldn't be brought to Raw or Smackdown and grow into an established star. At the same time some people should come up from Developmental straight on TV, it just depends on the person and the scenario and what they want to achieve.

[Dirty Eddie]

Just to clarify, I wasn't saying that I thought ECW/NXT/any other TV development idea was bad, just that WWE didn't seem to want the developmental guys to become widely known (and therefore not on "proper" TV) before they decide what they want to do with them.

 

I thought the ECW idea was much better than the current NXT. At least they had a title to strive for and it didn't seem like they were stuck on a never-ended gameshow that nobody seems to win. Everyone on NXT seems to hate being on NXT too, which doesn't help!

 

 

I agree entirely on the tag teams front (as mentioned above), but that's a whole different (and probably done-to-death) thread.