Evan Bourne: What Would You Do With Him?

[Jack-Hammer]

Evan Bourne is expected to return to action in WWE sometime very early next year. Needless to say, 2012 has been an abysmal year for Bourne. He's suspended twice for failing the WWE Wellness Policy over a three month period and then breaks his ankle to keep him out of action for the rest of the year.

Backstage rumors state, according to an online report, that there's talk of repackaging Bourne when he returns. Ideas are said to be flying out all over the place, including putting Bourne back as part of a tag team to turning him heel to feud with Sin Cara, etc. Most people in WWE Creative, allegedly, think there's more of an upside to keeping him as a top high flying babyface.

Like most people, I fully expected Evan Bourne to be future endeavored after he flunked his second drug test. The fact that he wasn't and they, allegedly, have a lot of ideas flying about regarding him suggests that his future might not be the bottomless pit of despair we were expecting.

So what would you do with Bourne or what do you hope WWE does with him?

I wouldn't be surprised to find a few "put him in the main event" posts. I don't ever see Bourne as a main event guy in WWE. While he hasn't been fired, there's going to be major trust issues regarding Bourne in a top spot. I think Bourne might have some potential, depending on his mic skills. I can't remember the last time I ever heard the guy speak. As of right now, I'd like to see Bourne back in the tag team scene. I wouldn't mind seeing him team up with Tyson Kidd as I think they could possibly have a whole Motor City Machine Gun vibe going on.

 

[CM Steel]

Well the WWE already gave Bourne the tag team title run with Kofi Kingston. I don't see him as a future U.S. or IC champion. And the main event picture, NO! I think that Matt Sydal aka Even Bourne has gone as far as he can go in the WWE with two strikes against him. And with Vince McMahon as the chairman of the WWE. The WWE will always be "the land of giants" in Vinnie Mac's eyes.

So unless Even Bourne wrestles on Superstars and dark matches each and every week. There is no future for an Even Bourne in the WWE. Sorry Matty.

 

[BaconBits]

I would go smoke weed with Evan Bourne. He prolly gots tha good cheeba.

On the real, I don't know what I would do with him. He's not particularly interesting. He can be fun to watch, but he doesn't portray the kind of character that people can really connect with. Plus, his style is conducive to being injured constantly.

I'd probably future endeavor him, to be honest.

 

[LeviCook]

There isn't really much you can do with Evan Bourne. I mean you can always throw him into a random tag team, but that has already been done. You could push him as a mid carder, but he doesn't have the ability on the mic. If they were actually bringing a Cruiserweight division back Bourne would be perfect as a contender. Sadly, the chances of that are very slim. I don't think Bourne should be released. Even if they can't find anything for him, at least keep him around for some quality matches. He is a guy that you could put in the Money in The Bank or help put over heel talent while putting on good matches.

 

[Wolf Pac]

Put him in the main event.

I kid. Just put him where he last left off, in the tag team division or put him on NXT. He isn't gonna go anywhere past where he was before he got suspended, there's nothing really special about Bourne besides what he can do in the ring. I might be wrong though, maybe he can do more, but if he can then why haven't the WWE let him done more than just fly around in the ring? I'd go with their recent plans and put him in a tag team with Tyson Kidd, that would be a fun tag team to watch, but then again that team might just get dumped on Superstars for the majority of their run. I mean the WWE have a good amount of tag teams right now and the only ones they are using are just Team Hell No, PTP, Rhodes Scholars and Rey Cara, and PTP are the only legit tag team from those 4. Or they can put him on NXT to help put over talent like Seth Rollins, Chris Hero, Michael McGillicutty, and all those guys while having some awesome matches with them.

 

[hatehabsforever]

I'd vote for none of the above. There's absolutely no way that I would give him a main event push or even a mid-card title run. He has had a history of injury troubles, especially his most recent injury which has had him on the shelf for an extended period of time. And he has two strikes against him on the Wellness Policy, both of which happened inexplicably close together. Combine this with an unproven track record in the ring and an absolute and total lack of mic skills or charisma, and I simply don't see him as a candidate for any singles gold.

A tag team run? Been there done that. And again, it's risky with his recent injuries and his apparent lack of common sense which resulted in two failed Wellness tests really close together. Plus, I'm a firm believer in having to pay a price for failed drug tests, especially two so close together. Bourne was never fully punished for his indiscretions in my opinion, as he got hurt before he could be. There's no way I could reward such stupidity and arrogance with any form of title run, singles or tag team.

I would not future endeavor him. Yet. I'd have him endure a significant period of enhancement talent activity, as he does have some in ring talent and can be useful in this capacity. Ryback needs to be fed someone. The Funkasaurus needs to squash someone. And I'm sure there are plenty of other opponents who need someone to beat on their way to establishing themselves. Bourne would fit the bill perfectly here. If he is able to somehow rise above all of this after paying his dues, then I'd keep him around. If not, then I'd future endeavor him.

 

[TempestH]

While I wouldn't reward him with an actual title run, and he isn't worthy of a high profile role due to his screw ups, I think he'd be good as a possible contender for the United States Championship, since the title's prestige seems to have been diminished to a lower midcard title now. I'd have him drafted exclusively to the SmackDown brand, keeping him confined to the obvious B-show and never put him on RAW ever. While he'd get some semblance of TV time, he'd put people over as a "featured jobber".

 

[stonecoldstv86]

I think Evan should be on VERY Thin Ice if he isn't already. He is accedent pron and has got suspended. If he dosn't soon get released there is very little they could do with him. He isn't made for the main event. He has already been tag team champ. As some other people said, I don't think he should get a push for the IC or US title anytime soon.

After they bring him back he should be just a jobber for a while. After that he is one of the people that would benifit from WWE bringing back one of the light weight belts. That way people like him can go for that for his first singles title. Then build up for a US or IC title run and thats pretty much the biggest he could get.

 

[Pedigree1]

Bourne messed this up for himself! To be honest they should just future endeavor him. Reason being he already had his run with Kofi with the tag titles! He doesnt have what it takes to be a main event player in the E IMO. He just cant seem to stay clean and one more strike he is out anyway! No one really has missed him since hes been gone he isnt going to add much to the scene when he comes back.

Now that said i think he could be fine in TNA! Get a new start. In the E he just is sinking and sinking. He messed this up for himself because he cant stay clean. I hope the time off hes had,hes at least got himself some help!

 

[Klown_Karnage]

Bourne is a bit of an odd situation. In my opinion, he thought himself a bigger star than he was and thus thought he could get away with as much as a main eventer could. Not the case and I think he's learned his lesson here. I think this has really given him a solid view of just how far he can go and that it isn't as far as he thought it was.

Now, what would I do with him if I had my druthers? It would require changing a lot about how the WWE tends to handle their talent, but I'd turn him into a cruserweight heel. I'd play on the IWC's opinion of him, have him claim to have been set up regarding the wellness policy because "certain people at the top" wanted him fired. I'd have him cry conspiracy and start targeting main eventers in sneaky and back-stabbing sort of ways...and I'd make him reasonably successful at it. In short (pun intended) I'd make him the little mosquito that bites everyone but nobody seems to be able to catch in order to swat. At least for a while. No titles, in this role he wouldn't need any, but perhaps he could be instrumental in the loss of several titles before he's finally punished. In the end, he'd be thrashed by multiple people, but at least stretch it out before he is.

Unfortunately, we know that sort of thing is not going to happen. I think the WWE will simply keep him on the back burner as a jobber (like Jamie Noble was near the end of his time with the WWE) and future endeavor him at soonest opportunity. I think it would be better for him to go to Impact or ROH and play the disgruntled ex-WWE wrestler card. As bad as his decisions have been regarding his substance indiscretions, he's a talented athlete and extremely good at what he does despite his size disadvantage.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I would bring back the tag team Air Boom. Bourne and Kofi had a great tag team that could still be used as the focal point of the tag team division. Team Hell No are not going to be around forever and when they inevitably split up, the division will need a team that it can be centered around on a more permanent basis. Air Boom could have been that team. They still can if they get back together. I'd rather see this happen than a singles push for Bourne and I certainly don't think they should get rid of him. The tag team with Kofi is the way to go.

I personally doubt that Kofi's current Intercontinental Championship run will get him anywhere. At least as part of Air Boom he was the focal point of a division, one that needs more people. I enjoyed their initial run and would welcome another. Kofi just can't seem to make it in singles action and Bourne would be lucky to even make it to a midcard title on his own. The tag team benefits them both as well as the tag team division. When Bourne returns he needs to reunite with Kofi to bring back the Air Boom team.

 

[Mustang Sally]

While he hasn't been fired, there's going to be major trust issues regarding Bourne in a top spot.

That's the essence of it. Why in the world the company would choose to build angles around a guy who's shown himself as undependable is beyond me. In fact, I can see his case being used by other performers who are threatened with termination for their misdeeds. They could say to management: "If you didn't fire Evan, how can you fire me?"

But since they're determined to have him back, he can still be used as a jobber, to sit backstage and cool his heels until they need someone to fill in. This way, they wouldn't have to depend on him to show up.....and if he didn't, no storylines would be ruined.

Sure, if he behaves himself for awhile, they might throw a couple of mini-pushes his way, but this is something they've done before and have never seemed to amount to much.

It's not paradise, but still beats the unemployment line.

 

[IHW]

If I had what I want, it would be Evan Bourn and Justin Gabriel in a tag team. Bourn To Fly, or something along those lines. They would mesh better than Tyson and Gabe. This would free up Tyson to give a singles career a legit run. I think he can do well as a mid card champ. Plus, if Evan and Justin ever simultaneously hit their finishers, I'd probably mark out.

 

[JBK2008]

With 2 strikes against him, Evan Bourne should just be glad he still has a job. That said, he's fun to watch in the ring and the crowd always pops for him. He may not connect that well outside of the ring, but inside he always gets some oohs and aahs!

For his size and no cruiserweight division around (yet), find him a parnter and place him into the tag team division. It's at least something for him to do. I'd assume he'll job for a bit to serve as punishment for the failed drug tests even though he's been out for over half a year with injury.

I wish he could be in the U.S or I.C title picture, but with his injury prone style in the ring combined with his drug issues, I just can't see it happening.

 

[Kris Benwa]

Why in the world the company would choose to build angles around a guy who's shown himself as undependable is beyond me.

Well they do it to Randy Orton so why the hell not do it with everyone else! IMO both Orton and Bourn should be out of WWE future endeavor them both dammit! But if they insist on keeping them both around which they shouldn't make Bourne a jobber and because they see Orton as a valuable assest for some reason let him float around the main event but NEVER WIN THE TITLE EVER AGAIN.

 

[cotb16]

Bourne would probably do what Curt Hawkins was once doing -- a jobber to the Brodus Clays, Tensais and Rybacks of the world. I agree that Bourne would have to pay some big-time dues to get back to pre-suspension pushes again. Not to mention he would probably spend about a year kicked out of the locker room for it too.

 

[madnumber24]

In my opinion they need to break up Kidd and Gabriel, let Kidd get a singles mid card push and team Gabrial up with Borne. Can you imagine the high flying involved in a Borne/Gabrial vs Cara/Mysterio match/feud? would be amazing. Just wish Psicosis and Juventud Guerrera didn't burn their bridges with the WWE(Juvi yes, psicosis not too sure, forgot how he left the wwe) and wish Super Crazy and Taka Michinoku never left the WWE, Having tag or singles matches with those eight would be great.(I was a fan of the WCW luchadores, so i wish they would bring that back)

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

If I was WWE, I'd probably bring him back and book him with Tyson Kidd for the tag team division. Or potentially make him a legitimate threat at the US Title. But I'm not WWE, and I have no desire to be a multi-million dollar publicly traded company.

Now, as a wrestling fan, I'd get him the hell out of the WWE. I know personally, he probably wants to stay there as long as he can. The money is second to none, and everybody wants to live out their dream as a globe-trotting philanthropist Superstar. But again, as a fan of the best professional wrestling I can get, take Evan Bourne and get him the heck over to TNA. Why? Because TNA, when they have them on their roster, can use cruiswerweight wrestlers. THe X-Division is totally dead, but for complete lack of talent, not attempt on the part of TNA.

If Evan Bourne stays in WWE, he's going to sit in the same place as guys like Justin Gabriel. As Tyson Kidd. Johnny "Fandango" Curtis. Yoshi Tatsu. He's going to sit around, work house shows, dark matches and episodes of Superstars and Saturday Morning Slam...and not much else. Basically, he'll be a tool for WWE to use as a filler and to pop the kids. But I'd put money on the fact that WWE won't use him in any real way in the next two or three ways. Even if they make him a fixture of the midcard, Cody Rhodes was the last legitimate IC Champion to do anything of merit with the belt.

Call me a cynic, but I don't have any - read: zero - faith in WWE's use of talents who aren't John Cena. It's a long shot, but I think TNA would, and could really use a guy with the talent level of Evan Bourne.

 

[#tamale]

House shows, Superstars, NXT, SMS, jobber. Any one of those. Which is fine by me. I have never seen potential in Evan Bourne. His only redeeming quality is that he has a nice finisher. Plus, with 2 strikes against him and now injury prone how would they trust him coming back.

 

[Jdulemba1001]

Now, I picked mid card. But what I would do is send him to FCW and make him a trainer for the cruiserweights. he doesnt offer much on the main roster anymore, but you could learn a lot about high flying from evan.

 

[American Dragon D-Bryan]

I think Evan Bourne will eventually be released from his WWE contract. He is a talented athlete, but he isn't what WWE wants or needs. I believe he will be released because there isn't any other option available for him. He obviously will never be a main event star, he doesn't have the "it" factor to be on the middle card, and he has already been used numerous times in a tag team. I think its in the best interest for both Bourne and WWE if he were released. He could move onto bigger and better things in my opinion, by making a name for himself in promotions such as TNA.

 

[Artemis Paradox]

Sorry, but Evan Bourne is Evan Gone in my eyes. I haven't missed him, he is on ice thinner than Paris Hilton, and he really isn't main-event material yet, nor do I think Vince wants him holding the US or IC titles. He'll be lucky if TNA picks him up.

 

[Limitless]

I think He's Gone soon, the wwe just doesn't have a need for him unless they are going to bring back the cruizerweight division. Otherwise he will be nothing more than a mid carder. I wish him the best, because I do believe he's a good talent but elsewhere. His Mic Skills lack and his size doesn't help!

 

[Mustang Sally]

If they plan to release him soon, I don't know why they're bringing him back in the first place, especially after so long an absence. Remember, they had a perfect excuse to dump him after he failed two drug tests in rapid succession.

Still, even after all this time, it would be just like WWE to put him back on TV again.....only to drop him after a few weeks. We'd be left wondering why they bothered at all. Stranger things have happened.

 

[Diet Soda]

I think the WWE will probably keep Evan Bourne around for the reason that he appeals to younger fans because he does all the flippidy shizzle. If there's a specific audience who demand to see Bourne, then WWE will showcase him.