Who should step up to Cesaro's challenge for USA?

[Lance Uppercut]

Special shoutout goes to



The CHAMPION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

[YiHammer]

Bearded Swagger

[froggyfrog]

Swagger since people will actually know who he is

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

Alex Riley. The feud with Miz should lead to Riley returning and him and Miz renewing their bromance. Cesaro would dump the United States Title and bring back the European Championship. Riley would be Miz's "little brother" trying to "get his groove back" and he wins the title from Cesaro. Riley would keep the Euro title after winning it (a minor oversight that we'll ignore simply because the U.S. Title doesn't deserve to be treated as a low tier belt).

[Abdullah]

Swagger. If they don't go in that direction, then I'm not entirely sure how they could rebuild him - coming back as a heel won't cut it.

Then again, I also somehow don't see Miz losing yet Swagger winning. It wouldn't feel right.

[Starshine]

Whatever gets Bateman on my tv.

[Wolf Hurricane]

Match of the Year candidate, right there.

[Hit Girl]

No one.

The USA should officially surrender to the power of the Swiss

[Ben Wyatt]

Swagger.

[Slingshot Suplay]

Richie Steamboat.

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

Jan 8, 2013 7:10:48 GMT -5 Abdullah said:

Swagger. If they don't go in that direction, then I'm not entirely sure how they could rebuild him - coming back as a heel won't cut it.

Then again, I also somehow don't see Miz losing yet Swagger winning. It wouldn't feel right.

I think they need to rebuild Swagger as a heel due to Miz and Del Rio's turns. The face side already has Cena, Sheamus, Ryback, Miz, Alberto Del Rio, Randy Orton, and Team Hell No. The heel side has CM Punk, Ziggler, Big Show, Wade Barrett. That's why all the lower main event faces are stuck fighting 3MB to kill time, because there aren't enough perceived main event heels. Swagger is one of the few people on the roster that just needs a solid match with the right opponent to gain credibility. Guys like Ziggler and Miz lose all the time yet WWE will just tell you they're a big deal, and will do the same with Swagger. Plus if Swagger turns, a lot of guys I want to see pushed as faces will get even more lost in the shuffle.

I can see Miz losing, at least in some fluky way. The United States Title has been the new European Title ever since Ryder won it. Even in Miz's depushed status, he's above the U.S. Title.

[Abdullah]

Jan 8, 2013 12:46:58 GMT -5 CATCH_US IS the Conversation said:

Jan 8, 2013 7:10:48 GMT -5 Abdullah said:

Swagger. If they don't go in that direction, then I'm not entirely sure how they could rebuild him - coming back as a heel won't cut it.

Then again, I also somehow don't see Miz losing yet Swagger winning. It wouldn't feel right.

I think they need to rebuild Swagger as a heel due to Miz and Del Rio's turns. The face side already has Cena, Sheamus, Ryback, Miz, Alberto Del Rio, Randy Orton, and Team Hell No. The heel side has CM Punk, Ziggler, Big Show, Wade Barrett. That's why all the lower main event heels are stuck fighting 3MB to kill time, because there aren't enough perceived main event heels. Swagger is one of the few people on the roster that just needs a solid match with the right opponent to gain credibility. Guys like Ziggler and Miz lose all the time yet WWE will just tell you they're a big deal, and will do the same with Swagger. Plus if Swagger turns, a lot of guys I want to see pushed as faces will get even more lost in the shuffle.

I can see why you would say that in terms of balancing things out. I'm viewing it in the sense that Swagger seems to be a natural face so I think it could rejuvenate his career. If he has to be heel, then he needs to be one in the mold of Daniel Bryan lately - not evil, just a goofy pest who is a threat in the ring.

If that doesn't work, he could simply be a Smackdown guy and not take up much time if he has to be on RAW.

[wallabylikeyou]

Mr. USA, pity he's injured.

[Andrew is Good]

Derrick Bateman with the USA guy gimmick would be great. He's injured right now, but you could build up vignettes and him wrestling different guys, building up to facing Cesaro.

[Crappler El 0 M]

Lex Luger...longest U.S. Champ ever...Made in the USA, he can be our hero! Too bad he's too old and not in Total Package shape any more. If he still looked like he did in 2001 during the WWA in Australia days he could have put Antonio over and it would have been a nice thing for WWE to let Luger do.

[Abdullah]

Jan 8, 2013 13:38:50 GMT -5 Andrew is Good said:

Derrick Bateman with the USA guy gimmick would be great. He's injured right now, but you could build up vignettes and him wrestling different guys, building up to facing Cesaro.

I remember a great poster said months ago that Bateman got 'smark cred' for hanging out with Bryan while not being very remarkable at all. I don't know about that, but I can definitely agree with the lack of uniqueness to him. I watch a lot of NXT and while he has this quiet, irreverent quality to him, I cannot remember one match where his ring work really stood out for me.

I'm all for Bateman getting on one of the main shows though, so maybe they could do a fake-out where Derrick runs out for the save only to be quickly disposed of. Then Swagger makes his triumphant return. The 'All American' needs to be rebuilt more than the USA guy needs building at this point.

[Cela]

Anyone to get the belt off the guy with the gentle deadlifting finisher.

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

If I have to choose between Bateman and Swagger it should be Bateman. But instead of having Bateman feud with Cesaro right off the bat, he should feud with a heel Swagger over "Who is the true American Hero?" Bateman would go over, but Swagger can easily get his heat back with a 15 minute TV match against Cena or Sheamus.

Bateman has a decent comedy character and would make a good solid filler for Smackdown. I wouldn't have him dethrone Cesaro, but he'd make a good nuisance for now.

Bateman hasn't been jobbed out like most of the regular low carders, so he's a clean slate that can be inserted into any level of the card. Swagger needs rebuilding, but the roster needs balance. If Swagger turns face, someone has to turn heel. Outside of an Orton turn, and a possible Hell No breakup, there isn't any uppercard face who could turn heel. And most of the guys on the lower end of the card are better off as faces, so I wouldn't turn them.

[Abdullah]

Jan 8, 2013 14:05:37 GMT -5 CATCH_US IS the Conversation said:

Swagger needs rebuilding, but the roster needs balance. There isn't anyone on the face side who could turn heel, who would be accepted as a heel, WITHOUT wasting possible face potential.

How are we gauging face potential, because I honestly feel like Kofi is at the end of his road as a face and could turn heel in a few week's time.

[mrbananagrabber]

I won't lie, I would mark pretty hard for Swagger turning up to a hero's return. He'd probably get crickets though, which would be a shame.