Is WWE screwed by the time 2011 comes around?

[Nic Nemeth]

- Undertaker is retiring or at least on his last legs (literally)
- HBK isn't getting any younger
- Finlay is in his 50's and is being used less frequently (I wouldn't be shocked if he pulled a Noble to put McIntyre over)
- Dreamer isn't even wrestling anymore now that he hosts ECW
- Edge hasn't even been watching WWE lately, who knows if he decides to pull a JeriShow and quits for a year
- Jeff isn't coming back unless he's innocent
- Regal is a suspension away from going away
- Rey is probably one more knee injury from forced-retirement
- Batista has been considering retirement for a year now
- Shane and Linda are gone
- Lawler has a political career now (Actually I would love him gone)
- JR hasn't even signed a new deal due to his attack (Wouldn't be shocked if he's gone)
- Kane has a political career too

In fact by the end of 2010, we may left with:

- Triple H
- John Cena
- Randy Orton
- Christian
- Big Show
- Chris Jericho
- CM Punk

7-main eventers if you count Christian.

I hope they don't give up on Swagger or Ziggler, cause they will need them by this time next year.

[Perpetual Nirvana]

If Kofi continues at his current rate he'll be a main eventer by then. See they always push new people, especially when they have no other option. I don't see the problem.

[Nic Nemeth]

Nov 26, 2009 19:30:15 GMT -5 Perpetual Nirvana said:

If Kofi continues at his current rate he'll be a main eventer by then. See they always push new people, especially when they have no other option. I don't see the problem.

It took them like 3 years and when half their main-event was at their worst to do it >_>

Anyways, my prediction for the new main-event in 2011:

Raw - Triple H, John Cena, Randy Orton, Kofi Kingston, Jack Swagger, The Miz

SD - Christian, CM Punk, John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, and a long shot but Ted Dibiase

[Sam Punk]

Undertaker's been talking about retiring for, what, ten years now? I'll believe it when it actually happens.

[diegorivera]

The only guys you mentioned that will be of any real consequence when they're gone are Taker, HBK, Edge, Rey, Batista and JR.

Dreamer, Regal and Finlay have had pushes here-and-there but I don't think anyone aside from the hardcore fans are really going to miss them. They're hardly the guys who really move merch or are the biggest draws. Lawler's got a lot of tenure and familiarity, but can be replaced. They got by when he left back in 2001, they'll do it again if need be. Kane's been jobber to the stars seemingly forever. He'll leave a bit of a gap, but it can be filled.

While there's still a lot of things to be fixed, WWE's problem isn't a lack of younger/newer talent, it's giving them pushes and gimmicks that make people care. Raw's finally showing some improvement in that regard with Kofi, Miz, Shamus, and Legacy. SD has McIntyre, Morrison, Ziggler and Punk who still has a lot he could do in the E. There a lot of young talent in ECW and FCW as well to pull from as well as the indys. Plus they can wave some money at various TNA talents when the opportunities present themselves. All-in-all the situation is looking less dire all the time. They just need to give them something that get's the crowd into them.

[Deleted]

Nov 26, 2009 19:35:44 GMT -5 Nic Nemeth said:

Nov 26, 2009 19:30:15 GMT -5 Perpetual Nirvana said:

If Kofi continues at his current rate he'll be a main eventer by then. See they always push new people, especially when they have no other option. I don't see the problem.

It took them like 3 years and when half their main-event was at their worst to do it >_>

Anyways, my prediction for the new main-event in 2011:

Raw - Triple H, John Cena, Randy Orton, Kofi Kingston, Jack Swagger, The Miz

SD - Christian, CM Punk, John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, and a long shot but Ted Dibiase

AJ Styles has been the future of TNA for how long?
Main Eventers take a long time to make and half the time they've tried recently they backfire (Lashley,Lesnar,Kennedy)

[Solid Stryk-Dizzle]

Nov 26, 2009 20:51:12 GMT -5 @tagteamspecialist said:

AJ Styles has been the future of TNA for how long?

Roughly 4 years

to the OP, Short answer: No. Long answer: Nooooooooooooooooooooo.

[xxshoyuweeniexx]

The influx of new talent isn't the thing. It's more about the process of main eventers like Cena and Orton sharing the rub to guys around their age (early 30s, late to mid 20s) so they can have great matches and feuds together (guys like Miz, Kofi, and Sheamus), and I think that they can do that

And its also about older main eventers (Trips, Taker) slowly fading into the dark, giving up their spots to the Cenas and Ortons of the company, so a new "old" guard can come in, while a new "new" guard rises (McIntyre, Danielson, loads of FCW and indie guys in a few years).

[greeby]

IMO, WWE will be screwed before 2010 is out if they don't move on from these old names . I've been thinking about why Raw went full-bore with pushing new people this week. And the main theory I have is that Vince has seen the buyrates for HIAC and Bragging Rights, and that they were abysmal.

Part of the reason the elevation of new talent is being rushed now is that the same main eventers have carried on for years and years while an entire generation of undercard wrestlers has come and gone.

[carter 15]

This is generally how wrestling goes.

Well, not generally, it's just always how it goes.

As long as Vince is alive and in charge, WWE is A-OK.

[rrm15]

All the old stars possibly leaving soon, not properly building up the future stars, Vince not getting any younger, the growing influence of MMA, and ratings not improving at all certainly don't bode well.

But 2011 is too soon. They'll be ok...for now.

[The Charismatic Enabeler]

Wait a minute! Kane has a political career?

[AriadosMan]

Actually, I think your list of future ME's is good unless if they botch the potential pushes of EVERYONE who is not an ME yet.

Ted will never be a true ME with his lack of charisma...but Kofi likely will, and Danielson has a good shot at a Benoit niche.
JR...probably should go. He's too old to do the classic "JR Voice" spots and his health won't be getting any better. Same for Taker.

[rrm15]

Consider this for a moment:

it has been said before how paranoid Vince is of his spot. Vince is, and we ALL know this, involved in every single aspect of the WWE's output. He is himself, and while he has advisers, there isn't anyone who is as involved with EVERYTHING about the WWE as he is.

In other words, if Vince McMhaon dies tomorrow (God forbid, I am merely saying), there is NO ONE that could do what he does.

NO ONE.

Think about that.

[Citizen Snips]

Between Wrestlemania 8 and 9, they went from Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ric Flair and the Ultimate Warrior to Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon and Yokozuna. Hart's title win wasn't even televised. Razor and Yoko had their first PPV match at Survivor Series 92, Razor had a World Title match at Rumble 93 and Yoko won the Rumble.

It was an awkward transition, but they eventually made it. I'm sure they'll figure it out this time too.

[Hawk Hart]

I hope JR retires in a classy way i.e. calling the Main Event of Mania then a send off on Raw.

I'd say by next year Raw's ME will look like...
Cena
Trips
Kofi
Miz
Morrison
Jericho

With Smackdown being...
Punk
Jeff Hardy
Christian
Big Show
Orton
Big Zeke

[AriadosMan]

Nov 27, 2009 1:19:22 GMT -5 @rrm15 said:

Consider this for a moment:

it has been said before how paranoid Vince is of his spot. Vince is, and we ALL know this, involved in every single aspect of the WWE's output. He is himself, and while he has advisers, there isn't anyone who is as involved with EVERYTHING about the WWE as he is.

In other words, if Vince McMhaon dies tomorrow (God forbid, I am merely saying), there is NO ONE that could do what he does.

NO ONE.

Think about that.

So what you're saying is that the only irreplaceable part of WWE is McMahon himself? If so, I don't think any of his successors will have his impact.
In time, that "not buying UFC thing" will end up being WWE's version of Blockbuster not buying Netflix when they had the chance.

[Big L]

Nov 26, 2009 19:30:15 GMT -5 Perpetual Nirvana said:

If Kofi continues at his current rate he'll be a main eventer by then. See they always push new people, especially when they have no other option. I don't see the problem.

exactly!

[Bubble Lead]

Nov 26, 2009 20:51:12 GMT -5 @tagteamspecialist said:

Nov 26, 2009 19:35:44 GMT -5 Nic Nemeth said:

It took them like 3 years and when half their main-event was at their worst to do it >_>

Anyways, my prediction for the new main-event in 2011:

Raw - Triple H, John Cena, Randy Orton, Kofi Kingston, Jack Swagger, The Miz

SD - Christian, CM Punk, John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, and a long shot but Ted Dibiase

AJ Styles has been the future of TNA for how long?
Main Eventers take a long time to make and half the time they've tried recently they backfire (Lashley,Lesnar,Kennedy)

Lashley and Kennedy are WWEs fault.

Comparing TNA to WWE is also not relevant, WWE fans take a lot more convincing to accept a new guy suddenly compared to TNA fans [see Desmond Wolfe].

As far as WWE goes, by 2011 I am sure they will have some guys established. Its pretty obvious that they need to build a few guys to that level this year and its been in the works since the draft.

[Deleted]

Nov 27, 2009 2:12:28 GMT -5 Bubble Lead said:

Nov 26, 2009 20:51:12 GMT -5 @tagteamspecialist said:

AJ Styles has been the future of TNA for how long?
Main Eventers take a long time to make and half the time they've tried recently they backfire (Lashley,Lesnar,Kennedy)

Lashley and Kennedy are WWEs fault.

Comparing TNA to WWE is also not relevant, WWE fans take a lot more convincing to accept a new guy suddenly compared to TNA fans [see Desmond Wolfe].

As far as WWE goes, by 2011 I am sure they will have some guys established. Its pretty obvious that they need to build a few guys to that level this year and its been in the works since the draft.

Eh I don't really see Wolfe as accepted as a Main Eventer since dude's just got there but how was Lashley WWE's fault? didn't he leave because they fired Kristal?

And Kennedy dug his own grave repeatedly