Does Everyone Want To Be A Champion/Main Eventer?

[Chicago1989]

Honestly, I question that myself alot of the time. Do these young mid-carders really want it? Or are they there only for the fame and money?

I do believe that there are politics and the "glass ceiling" philosophy in wrestling, but can't a handful of these mid-carders start making noise and raise a little hell? I only see Dolph Ziggler, AJ, The Shield, and Ryback show passion and pride for what they do. These other mid-carders seem to just not care about ascending and become too comfortable in their comfort zone.

These are the guys that need to be released to stop taking space. In my opinion - David Otunga, Yoshi Tatsu, Hunico and Camacho, Curt Hawkins, Drew McIntyre, Jinder Mahal, Mason Ryan, Tensai, and Ted Dibiase are guys that show lack of passion and look like they're only there for a paycheck. I don't like that attitude.

[Rayne]

You don't get into professional wrestling without being a little bit of a famesucker, and more often than not, a lot of a fame sucker.

Are there guys out there that are happy they just get to be a professional wrestler in the WWE? Assuredly. Remember Kenny Dykstra? He lives in my area, you can run into him if you know what bars he frequents, and still rides off of the fact that he wrestled at a WrestleMania. Gets him a lot of townie cooze too, so, more power to him.

But ask every last one of them if they'd rather have the money and prestige of John Cena. The guys that tell you that they're just glad to be a part of the team are the ones that are full of shit, or perhaps the biggest marks of all. You don't get into professional wrestling if you don't dream about hearing a crowd of people chanting your name, and who chants for Justin Gabriel except people trying to be deliberately ironic?

I've said time and again that there are more roles in a company than "world champion", and I stand by that. Only a few guys get to hold that role, and people often (wrongly) measure a professional wrestler's success by how many titles he's held for how long. There are plenty of jobs out there in a professional wrestling company, but people are only happy to be Horatio if they can't be Hamlet.

[Spinebreaker]

If you compare it to music, which I think is a a fairly good comparison... Money, touring, entertainment, there are similarities, definitely.

(Hed)pe chose to leave their major label deal for a number of reasons, (largely controlling their own creative direction) and are happier on an independent label. Because they don't have to compromise on the sound, they sell well. I know small-ish UK bands who've been offered numerous record deals and turned 'em down. I know several bands made up of, let's just say 'older' chaps, who are happy doing the same 20 gigs a year in the same 12 pubs and a couple of small festivals and don't want any more of a schedule than that...

I'm sure there are guys happy with 100 low card appearances a year, a fairly light schedule and the fact that they may get to go for a beer with Dolph Ziggler. It's a story for your friends right?

[THTRobtaylor]

I think the question is do WE want everyone to be a main eventer or champion. In the past, guys could have a great career without ever getting a title shot, much less a belt or perhaps the IC title was the peak of their career. Since Bret's push in 1991-92 though, it's been a template that everyone HAS to have the IC, then the World and if they don't move up then they've failed.

Someone like Kofi is a prime example of a modern WWE guy who doesn't ever need a world title, would be employable and over for the long term but who many will deem failing cos he hasn't had that big push. Tito Santana never got it, Rick Martel never got it, Greg Valentine never got it but they were major parts of WWE for years and years. By some on this threads reckoning that would be a lack of passion... maybe some are just realistic, not everyone is the champion, not everyone headlines but every card needs solid guys to build matches around and some like a DiBiase or McIntyre are exactly those kind of guys.

It's lazy push building coupled with wrestler's sense of entitlement that has got us here... people don't see belts as props or rewards, they see them as their right and if x gets one then they damn well better be next in line or they're gonna go to TNA...someone who doesn't like Drew, who wants to be in WWE or nowhere is seen as a loser or not trying... it's better to be on the best team and not start every game than to be bottom of the table but starting...

[Piotr Yazputin]

I think everyone gets into pro wrestling with the desire to see their name in lights. They want to be world champion, headline Wrestle Mania, all that jazz. I'm sure guys lower on the card wish they were higher, but I think eventually they realize they can make a good living doing something they love, because lets face it as grueling as the travel schedule and the pain you put your body through you have to love it, and they accept that.

It is just like most pro athletes I'm sure. No kid dreams of being the 25th man on a baseball team or the 3rd string quarterback, but in the end I think most of them are happy to be on the team making a living doing something they love, and making more money than the average Joe. Most of them will never stop striving to be better, but I doubt many of them will set down at the age of 45 and say "Looking back I wish I would have gotten a desk job instead of going pro."

[Mustang Sally]

Pro wrestling is like a play on stage. Whereas in the movies or (non-live) TV, if something gets messed up, the director yells "Cut!" and they try it again. In a stage play or pro wrestling, you get one crack at it in front of a live audience.....and it goes however it goes.

On Broadway, the members of the cast know their places in the hierarchy. They start out as "extras" and try to work their way as high as they can; the rewards being greater fame, exposure.....and money. To that end, it's probably what pro wrestlers do, too. Sure, they'd like to win championships, but since results are pre-determined, it isn't the aspects of competition they're looking to scale; it's the fact that the path to winning a title is paved with more appearances in front of live crowds, which leads to more money. I'll bet it's a hoot to play before 15,000 people, too.....but even jobbers get to do that, which is kind of the point of this post.

After all, when people decry wrestling as "fake"....let's face it, aren't the results of Broadway plays pre-determined, too? Where's the big difference?

Another thing; being a jobber for WWE is still better than being a star in TNA, if your goal is money. Maybe the absolute top guys in TNA earn more than bottom guys in WWE; I don't really know. But when I consider this question, I think of Rory McAllister (of the Highlanders) criticizing Drew McIntyre last year, claiming that Drew was sitting in the back with nothing to do because he wasn't brave enough to lobby for an increased role ....further saying Drew was "happy just to have a job and reluctant to tip the apple cart."

Well, I don't know if Drew's activity has picked up because he followed Rory's advice or it happened because he served his time until Creative finally had something for him, but he probably realized it's more lucrative to wait around the company that's at the pinnacle of his profession than anything else he might try to make a living, especially after training to be a wrestler since he was a kid.

Such is the life of a pro wrestler. Everyone can't be a star at the same time.....and many will never be at the top.....but that's no reason to stop trying.

[THTRobtaylor]

In someone like Drew's case, he wasn't upsetting the applecart because his ex-wife had done that plenty for him already. We have seen how ridiculous some firings are in WWE, Finlay for example or more recently Goldust. You don't actually have to do very much wrong to be gone, but if you do something AND are a squeaky wheel then it's easier to get rid.

McIntyre didn't actually fail with any of his pushes, he carried the titles with maturity and if anything it was the "chosen one" gimmick that set the bar so high that he was set up to fail if he wasn't there by now. I remember when Ahmed Johnson debuted and JR expressly said on commentary he "is a future WWE champion" and JR was "in the know" at the time, does that make him dumb for saying that or was he just guilty of premature overhyping?

Also in Drew's case, he had the issue with his mother's illness to deal with, something WWE would also have been very aware of... Firing a guy who's mother has just died of a type of cancer doesn't work with their "Susan Komen" stuff... perhaps they all agreed that it was better for Drew to work "lighter" till it was resolved so he could focus on his family...

But the issue is that it's only really the IWC who pass a judgement, that Drew IS still employed, with a moderate push and considered "a good hand" is what's important. His title resume is already pretty stacked, but when it comes down to it I'd rather be the most decorated jobber in WWE than the most decorated indy wrestler from WWE.

[Tyrant]

Daniel Bryan in CM Punk Best in the World documentary: There are a lot of people who just do this for money, lots of them. You know? There are guys who are hiding in the back right now, hoping that they don't get picked for a Superstars match, tonight. 'Cause they just like to chill out and earn their, earn their money just not do anything. - Roughly around the 1 hour and 29 minute mark...


Should answer the original question for this.

[KJ]

Originally Posted by Tyrant

Daniel Bryan in CM Punk Best in the World documentary: There are a lot of people who just do this for money, lots of them. You know? There are guys who are hiding in the back right now, hoping that they don't get picked for a Superstars match, tonight. 'Cause they just like to chill out and earn their, earn their money just not do anything. - Roughly around the 1 hour and 29 minute mark...


Should answer the original question for this.

Not at all, actually. That just basically sums up guys who'd get Future Endeavored if WWE didn't feel guilty about it right now. You don't go up the cards or keep your spot on the roster by wishing to have the night off.

[Tyrant]

Originally Posted by Killjoy.exe

Not at all, actually. That just basically sums up guys who'd get Future Endeavored if WWE didn't feel guilty about it right now. You don't go up the cards or keep your spot on the roster by wishing to have the night off.

The question was "Does Everyone Want to be a Champion/Main Eventer?". Thus if even one person does not want to be a champion/Main Eventer, than the answer is simplified as "no". If the question were phrased as "Do most superstars want to be a Champion/Main Eventer" then a survey would be required to find the percentage of Superstars who aspire to be a Champion/Main Eventer.

All technicality aside, WWE does not feel bad nor feel guilty. It is a vastly successful company, that will make the best decisions they perceive for their business. They may keep the likes of Drew McIntyre, Tyson Kidd, and other low carders or even in some cases no carders around. It most likely is not because they would feel guilty releasing them. Their motives may not be widely known past the point of speculation by the Internet Wrestling Community.

I imagine there are a lot of people who do not wish for the responsibilities, schedules, and risks involved with being a main eventer. Things such as all the media that goes with it, outside of their actual wrestling job along with still needing to exercise, workout, plan matches with the other members of the locker room involved. People who stay lower on the card and what not, also tend to not be in as dangerous matches, You don't see JTG in a Hell in the Cell match or an Elimination Chamber match or a ladder match that much.

As for why WWE keeps these lower tier performers around, again one may only speculate that it is because they know the wwe's style, they can help the larger tier talent for example Joe Henning aiding the Rock's in ring work, to prepare for his match at the Royal Rumble. They are also good for a decent story line here and there and for jobbing to newcomers that the WWE wants to push past them. Not to mention when the WWE does start it's own network, it will need a lot more content than just Raw and Smack Down and Shamwow commercials.