Has the WWE permanantly ruined Lashley's career?

[Arturo Classico]

Some guys should never be world champions. Look at Al Snow, Nova, Finlay and Regal. All are amazing but not main event level superstar. You can't really teach that, It's the natural charisma that makes someone a star, honestly I do not feel that Lashley has "it".

[ronsimmons]

Lashley is doing well in my opinion, I've marked for him since his debut and that Simon Dean squash.

[carter 15]

I'm suprised by how many replys made sense and wasn't the usual LASHLEY IS THE DEVIL thing, obviously, winning the ECW title is a huge step for his career.

[JLAJRC]

beast147 said:

First of all, be careful with any Brock Lesnar knocking. Since

a) Lesnar, personality aside, was teh awesomes.
and
b) Wrestlecrap is pretty much Lesnar Country (I forget who said that).

Moving on, I think Lashley is really good. His summer feud with Booker was among my favorites of last year and went a long way in helping him learn how to work AND getting him over (by the time Great American Bash rolled around and the crowd learned he couldn't compete, just listen to those "Let Him Fight!" chants).

However, the problem with Lashley is the same problem Nitro has, which is not the fault of either of them but of WWE's star-building methods. They put titles on guys as a way of helping to get them over to the point where fans will buy them in their role as champion. This is in stark contrast to the attitude era with guys like Steve Austin, who was MONSTROUSLY over long before he won the title. By the the time his shot came around, fans were SCREAMING for them to put the title on him because Steve Austin was a guy they bought already as world champion and had already for a long time.

You can't put the Intercontinental title on Nitro and say "We'll worry about getting him over later" or, even worse, "Don't worry about it. The belt will make people care about him." That just won't fly today. You need only look at guys like Randy Orton, who was working perfectly at getting heat and slowly gaining main event credibility in his role as Intercontinental champion before WWE jumped the gun and DECIDED the fans were ready to see him as a main eventer. That's not how it should work at all. As a result, Randy was given a world title and cornered into a situation that required he turn face (since no one was going to buy HHH as a face at that time), a decision that chopped him off at the knees. Randy has taken the better part of two years recovering from it when if they'd just waited a year, hell, half a year longer, the fans would have been more ready to accept Randy as legitimate.

Lashley was over on Smackdown, but not main event over. That's the second prong of WWE's star creation methods. The minute a guy gets the least bit over he's shunted into the main event. (And situationally over, not generally over - that is to say that a guy like Batista was hugely over because of the situation - the feud with HHH - and less so on his own merits. The transfer to Smackdown hurt him because JBL couldn't make him look as good as HHH could) Lashley, in his current role, is not being taken as seriously as he could have been as if they'd just held off a bit longer on putting a world title on him. But hey, I'm not the head of a publicly traded company, and the fact is that Vince (like myself and a lot of others on here) sees something in Lashley.

We'll see where this all goes. But one thing's for damn sure. Lashley needs better opponents, STAT. I don't care how big of a badass Hardcore Holly is in real life. He'll never NOT be seen as a jobber in the eyes of fans, and beating Holly won't do much in the way of getting you over. You're better off moving Finlay over to ECW. He's part of the reason Lashley got better so much faster. Plus, he's a badder ass than half the ECW lockerroom.

What you said is exactly what I was trying to point out. I like Lashley, just not what he is doing now. It is definately not his fault, I agree. The Orton thing is the best example.

THe biggest problem with ECW as a whole is that outside of RVD and Sabu (CM Punk is gaining momentum, but not quite ready for the main event, and I actually can see bright futures ahead for some of the "New Breed") there is no credible talent. Dreamer and Sandman are never gonna be champions, so we're left with Test? Hardcore Holly? Snitsky? Don't think so.

[Dr. T is an alien]

What Lashley needs is to be paired with opponents that "give him fits". Move Finlay, Regal, and Taylor over to ECW and have them be a group of veterans who just cannot stand the fact that someone the likes of Lashley has the belt. I would have Finlay as the leader of this group, and maybe throw Burchill back in with Regal as the guy that the veterans are grooming to become the future of the industry. Lashley can be kept busy by the veterans while the long term program would be that Burchill is getting groomed to take the title away from Lashley. I figure if Lashley has no real personality that this is a scenario that is guaranteed to get him the right kind of heat.

[Arturo Classico]

I would buy a Burchill vs Lashley feud. Except they would need to make Burchill a threat and maybe take the title off of Lashley and have Burchill world champion. I really think this feud could help both. Also I feel Burchill has the potential to be a legitamate main event heel. Watch his OVW stuff he is great. Really as "The Ripper" I feel he already is better than most heels on the mian roster(except for Kennedy, MVP and Edge)

[manx21]

lashleys career isnt ruined. i just think he needs some decent feuds, some competition and a mouthpiece.

[royboy8]

These threads are really annoying me. Did you hear the pop Lashley got in his match vs Holly this week? It was also a pretty damn good match. Lashley is young, Ecw champion and over with the mainstream fans, to go along with a pretty good workrate. Now I'm not a huge fan of Lashley, but how could him being ECW champ ruin his career?

[The Boss]

godhand said:

It didnt ruin Lashley's career but he does run the risk of burning out to quickly.

That's exactly what we (or at least I) mean. Yes he's champion now, but what about the near future? He's never had a chance to develop into the wrestler he has the potential to be. But now that he's world champion he'll be expected not to change his image at all. But his current image doesn't seem (in my opinion) to be one that can carry the company. So he will be forced to either change his image, which will then be looked at as a desperate move) or move back to the mid card and forever be looked at as a kid who got a luck break but couldn't carry the ball. Much like Tommy Rich.

[Arturo Classico]

Yeah I agree he might be the next Tommy Rich or Brock Lesnar. I think it's idiotic that keep doing this. Truthfully I would rather Kennedy, Edge or Orton as world Champ instead of Lashley who is still very green.

[The Boss]

kingsofwrestling said:

Yeah I agree he might be the next Tommy Rich or Brock Lesnar. I think it's idiotic that keep doing this. Truthfully I would rather Kennedy, Edge or Orton as world Champ instead of Lashley who is still very green.

Wow. When you bring up those names Lashley doesn't sound all that bad. How sad. Pro Wrestling is in such need of a true star. Not just someone who is pushed as a star, but someone who is truely able to stand out and win the fans on his own.

Until that day comes, give me HOLLYWOOD HULK HOGAN vs Ric Flair any day.

[Arturo Classico]

Are you serious? Edge, Orton and Kennedy are far, far better than Lashley. I don't think anyone would argue that point. Well except Vince maybe.

[Dr. T is an alien]

kingsofwrestling said:

I would buy a Burchill vs Lashley feud. Except they would need to make Burchill a threat and maybe take the title off of Lashley and have Burchill world champion. I really think this feud could help both. Also I feel Burchill has the potential to be a legitamate main event heel. Watch his OVW stuff he is great. Really as "The Ripper" I feel he already is better than most heels on the mian roster(except for Kennedy, MVP and Edge)

Building up Burchill was the purpose behind my suggestion that he be paired with Finlay, Regal, and Taylor. The three veterans can actively feud with Lashley (which would slowly build the tension for the eventual feud with Burchill, while also providing Lashley with a wealth of star-building TV matches) while talking up how Lashley shouldn't be the future; Burchill should. In the meantime Burchill can go on a tear to build him up for the eventual time that he takes over the feud with Lashley himself. During this time the veterans can be with Burchill during all of his matches, but he needs to be getting mostly clean wins in order to be a legitimate main event threat.

[JLAJRC]

drtompki said:

kingsofwrestling said:

I would buy a Burchill vs Lashley feud. Except they would need to make Burchill a threat and maybe take the title off of Lashley and have Burchill world champion. I really think this feud could help both. Also I feel Burchill has the potential to be a legitamate main event heel. Watch his OVW stuff he is great. Really as "The Ripper" I feel he already is better than most heels on the mian roster(except for Kennedy, MVP and Edge)

Building up Burchill was the purpose behind my suggestion that he be paired with Finlay, Regal, and Taylor. The three veterans can actively feud with Lashley (which would slowly build the tension for the eventual feud with Burchill, while also providing Lashley with a wealth of star-building TV matches) while talking up how Lashley shouldn't be the future; Burchill should. In the meantime Burchill can go on a tear to build him up for the eventual time that he takes over the feud with Lashley himself. During this time the veterans can be with Burchill during all of his matches, but he needs to be getting mostly clean wins in order to be a legitimate main event threat.

I agree with you, but I think I would use Kane instead. He's a veteran with a similar style, is willing to help newcomers (see Umaga), and could use a title reign again. He's certainly better than Snitsky.

[The Boss]

kingsofwrestling said:

Are you serious? Edge, Orton and Kennedy are far, far better than Lashley. I don't think anyone would argue that point. Well except Vince maybe.

Yes they are. I'm saying that the WWF talent pool is very weak right now.