How about a "United Nations" stable?

[LODemolition]

So I posted this in a thread yesterday when somebody asked what should happen with Del Rio next.

I've had this idea for a while now where Zeb Coulter decides to become an American traitor because the country is "going to hell in a handbasket". Swagger and Cesaro continue to lose, and he gets fed up. So he comes out to the ring and says he wants to call a truce with all foreigners in the locker room and that he's decided he wants to help any foreigner in the WWE obtain their American citizenship. Zeb says he'll help them to become American citizens so they can keep their jobs in WWE, and in return he wants them to bring him championship gold. He says there's power in numbers, and just Swagger and Cesaro can't do it alone. So he's looking for more talent to put together the biggest force in WWE. "Together, we can take on the entire world and there'll be no stopping us", he says.

Each week, when he comes out and makes the same speech, a new wrestler could come out from the back and join them. This would keep happening until there were between 4 and 6 guys. I definitely wouldn't go higher than 6, because after that it doesn't feel exclusive anymore. After he has all of his members, they could begin doing segments on Raw and/or Smackdown where Zeb is teaching the guys all they need to know to pass their citizenship tests. These wouldn't be dead serious promos, in fact I would see these as being pretty funny where the wrestlers just ask very stupid questions because they don't know much all that much about America.

Now, as for who should join? I think anybody from a foreign country (or at least billed from a different country) and lacks mic skills would be the perfect guys for this stable. Zeb could speak for them all in the same way he does for Swagger and Cesaro since he's pretty damn good on the mic.

Potential prospects:

Alberto Del Rio (Mexico): The upper level guy of the group who can be the leader and occasionally challenge for the WWE or World title.

Sheamus (Ireland): Same goes for him. His mic skills aren't very good and he's much better as a heel than the happy-go-lucky face who tries to tell corny jokes.

Kofi Kingston (Africa): The time for them to make a change with him is LONG overdue. He could be the guy in the group who's always in the US or IC title picture.

Wade Barrett (England): I've always liked Wade and don't think he sucks on the mic either, personally. However, this could really benefit him and I think he could actually get back into the hunt for the WWE or World title. He's another one that be in the leadership role of this stable as he's been in Nexus and The Corre.

Great Khali (India): He'd simply be the muscle of the group. He could join Zeb at ringside and occasionally help win matches for his stablemates. He'd never have to speak again, and that's a good thing because we can't understand a single word anyway and it's really annoying.

Drew McIntyre (Scotland): We all really thought this guy was going places at one time. It never panned out, but it's not too late. He's only 28, so instead of continuing to waste him in 3 Man Band, I'd bring him to this stable and give him his old theme music back (which was pretty good I always thought). Usually a stable needs a tag team and I've always liked the idea of him tagging up with Barrett or Sheamus.

International Air Strike (Canada and Afrca): Like I said, usually a stable needs a tag team. Kidd and Justin Gabriel should be a team again regardless of whether this stable happened or not. Neither of them are doing anything at the moment, and we've already seen how good they work together in the ring. Add Zeb in to manage (maybe even Natalya as a valet) them and they'd make great champions.

Of couse there's other guys that would be eligible to join being foreign, but I just don't think we need to WWE investing time into them with this storyline, or they're better on their own. One or the other would apply to The Usos, Regal, Mahal, Tatsu, and Santino.

So with all that said, I would narrow it down to these 6 guys for the United Nations stable...

Jack Swagger, Alberto Del Rio, Wade Barrett, and International Airstrike.

I think it's time Cesaro goes solo again and cuts ties with Zeb and Swagger. I like what he's done with them, but he's clearly a breakout guy who deserves to be challenging Langston for the IC Title, not being stuck in a mediocre tag team.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I like that idea.

A British stable seems to get bought up often enough. That idea would be terrible. Sheamus isn't British either and surely he'd be the leader of the fucking thing. Looking at the people suggested, I'd say instead of United Nations lets have an E.U. stable. Then you don't need to include has-beens like Khali and never was' like Kofi Kingston.

Imagine the contract in reception from America to when they they perform on the European tours.

 

[CyberPunk]

I actually like the idea. It'll give these guys something meaningful to do. I'd not put Khali in there as he's better left as a jobber. However, if this idea is about him not putting his steps inside the ring at all, I am fine with it. Leadership role can go either to Shaemus or Del Rio. Both can challenge for a world title from time to time. Now all you'd need (if you don't include Khali) is the muscle of the group. Everyone can be included in their individual program as well as from time to time come together to help the other stablemates. And Zeb Colter as the mouthpiece would work IMO.

 

[ASKane]

I think this idea sounds good but Colter is not Slaughter. No one really cares what he does so his turn against America would be uneventful, uninteresting and wont work well.

However I think a British Invasion of Barrett, Sheamus, McIntyre, Ryan, Neville and Paige led by Regal would be a good stable.

I also think a Samoan stable would work with Uso's, Reigns and Tamina given there real names and have the heritage acknowledged.

On Raw I saw the start of what could have been a new Nation of Domination when Henry and Langston teamed together, throw in Kingston and they will have something good

 

[Eyebrows]

However I think a British Invasion of Barrett, Sheamus, McIntyre, Ryan, Neville and Paige led by Regal would be a good stable.

I wouldn't advise trying to tell an Irishman that he's British.

I think the concept of a foreign heel stable is something that's not really considered much these days because of the dangers of playing to national stereotypes. Sometimes it can be funny, Regal as the snooty Englishman was gold to watch, but I cringe sometimes when the E comes to London and thinks Brits are all bowler-hats, umbrellas, Hackney cabs and double-decker buses. I think they are especially careful now that they have a massive world-wide audience.

 

[Dagger Dias]

It could be extremely cool if done with the right people. The idea reminds me of TNA's World Elite stable. While I doubt WWE would ever do it, this stable could potentially have someone competing for every single title, assuming the world titles have been unified at the time of the stable's creation.

Albert Del Rio
Wade Barrett
Drew McIntyre
Jack Swagger
Antonio Cesaro
Natalya
and Zeb Coulter as the manager/speaker

It would start with Zeb expanding upon his team in Swagger and Cesaro. If Cesaro could be in The Real Americans without being american then they would be able to add Alberto, Barrett, and Drew into the group. They would compete for the WWE and midcard titles while the Real Americans pursue the giant pennies. Natalya would be their diva recruit. The thought of this group holding all of the titles at one point (assuming the two world titles are unified by then) as they all stand in the ring united under Zeb while he gives an epic promo about it before a WE THE PEOPLE chant. That would be awesome.

Then the real fun starts. A face stable would be needed to feud with the United Nations group. The subsequent angle could be quite fun to see play out. Granted WWE would probably never do it though, which is unfortunate. It would benefit everyone involved.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

I think the concept of a foreign heel stable is something that's not really considered much these days because of the dangers of playing to national stereotypes. ... I think they are especially careful now that they have a massive world-wide audience.

I agree with this especially now that the global market place is as big as ever the WWE would not want to risk of upsetting it's overseas fanbase. I don't seeing foreigners as heels but having a stable just because they are not American isn't going to bold well to a global audience.

I still remember the La Resistance angle where they didn't support the Iraq War and Chris Nowinski and Scott Steiner debate about it. Naturally WWE made people against the War as heels. As a fan who is not American that didn't really go well for Wrestling fans here. So the WWE needs to start creating angles that not too Pro-American centric especially when it comes to current and political events.

 

[Winds-Of-Change]

Great idea.. gives these guys something to do instead of floating around the mid card.

Oh, for the record.. Sheamus is NOT British. He is from Ireland, not Northern Ireland. Ireland is NOT part of the UK. Northern Ireland is. THAT Really bugs me when people refer to Sheamus as British.

Its like calling Bret Hart American.

 

[Fabulous Freebirds]

I like the idea as well. TNA had a faction like that called World Elite with Eric Young, Homicide, British Invasion and a Japanese wrestler whose name I forgot. It was actually pretty cool group.

 

[MCMG]

People STILL think Sheamus is British.

I think this type of stable could work. It has been done before and replicating it could bring success, with or without Coulter.

Looking at the potential candidates: Sheamus, Barrett, Del Rio, McIntyre, Cesaro, Gabriel, Neville, Mason Ryan and Jinder Mahal. If this was a heel stable one would imagine that Neville and Gabriel aren't prime candidates. Also, Mahal is pretty average but he could at least add numbers. I would suggest that Sheamus doesn't need to be in a stable although that could be an interesting way to use him for a few months.

I would have: Sheamus (only initially) Del Rio, Barrett, McIntyre, Ryan and Cesaro. If Coulter is being used in a "United Nations" or Anti-American stable then Swagger is probably fucked and there would be no point in keeping Cesaro with him.

I actually think that is a pretty strong stable. There are potentially good feuds and it could help make superstars. It is also a better use of guys like Mason Ryan and Drew McIntyre who are doing very little. They could form a tag-team with Cesaro and Del Rio competing at mid-card level. Sheamus then Barrett would be the main guy with Coulter as the mouthpiece. I could definitely get behind that.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

It's something that MIGHT work and be interesting, depending on how it was approached. I've personally mulled over a somewhat similar idea a time or two in the past about having all of the various wrestlers from Celtic centered countries forming a stable. Sheamus, Wade Barrett, Drew McIntyre, maybe Adrian Neville from NXT as the high flyer and possibly William Regal as sort of the guiding hand of the group. I dunno if it'd work, but no harm in wondering.

If WWE created a stable of wrestlers from different countries, I think the biggest pitfall they need to avoid is some sort of "foreign invasion" schtick. I think it'd lose momentum right from the start if they portrayed these guys as a bunch of pissed off foreigners who hate America. These days, I think the only way that sort of angle is going to gain any real heat is if you had a stable of wrestlers of Middle Eastern descent, but that'd probably be too risky with political correctness being taken to extremes. If people got pissed at WWE for having two FICTIONAL characters like Jack Swagger & Zeb Coulter raging against immigration, just imagine the reaction of having a bunch of Iraqis, Iranians and Afghanis saying how much they hate America.

At any rate, the pissed off foreigners who view themselves as superior to Americans period is something that I personally believe they'd need to leave alone. Nothing wrong with portraying the faction as being proud of their heritage and using that pride to unite them into a cohesive unit, however. But the other way has just been done to death and there's no way to really go about pulling it off without genuinely pissing off sponsors, fans and/or other overly sensitive people who forget that pro wrestling is as scripted as any other program on television.

 

[BaconBits]

No. Just no.

Such a group would have to play off of national/racial stereotypes, and in in an overly PC world, that isn't going to fly. They'd drive off sponsors in droves, and eventually, fans too. They'd be hated within a few months. Not hated in a great heel way, but hated in "get the fuck off of my television" way.

Stables are overrated anyways. They most often drag on far too long and end up destroying wrestlers careers. Almost all stables end up end up serving just one or two guys, and the rest fall off by the wayside into career obscurity and/or jobbing on a regular basis. Think about it, one of the largest criticisms of TNA is their reliance on stables. One of the biggest reasons for WCW's downfall was their reliance on the NWO. The WWE has had more success with stables and such, but for every Evolution or Shield there has been an Oddities or J.O.B. Squad that was beyond stupid.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

It would be a good idea for a stable, but it would contradict why he thinks the country is "going to hell in a hand basket." Is he so upset with all the foreigners in the country that he's going to leave and start a group with 100% foreigners?

 

[LODemolition]

This wouldn't be an anti-American stable just to clarify. Zeb would just have a change of heart that we're stronger united than divided and he decides to help these guys obtain citizenship rather than try to take on the foreigners when he's far outnumbered. This would be his way of "improving" the country rather than driving it into the ground.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

This wouldn't be an anti-American stable just to clarify. Zeb would just have a change of heart that we're stronger united than divided and he decides to help these guys obtain citizenship rather than try to take on the foreigners when he's far outnumbered. This would be his way of "improving" the country rather than driving it into the ground.

So Zeb Coulter would just have a random change of heart out of the blue, that would hold water provide the foundation of an entire stable? You would need a better reason than "he had a change of heart" if you want this idea to be any good right out of the gate.

 

[LODemolition]

After thinking about it more, Kofi would be a guy I'd definitely throw in there. He needs a change probably more than anyone else I listed. If you want enough people to compete for every title, then Natalya could be the diva of the stable seeing how she's Canadian. She could also valet when Kidd & Gabriel have tag matches. So it would be Del Rio, Barrett, Kingston, Swagger, Int'l Airstrike and Natalya. I'd really like to include Sheamus, but he doesn't need the help of having Zeb speak for him like the rest of these guys do. His promos aren't entertaining, but they are sufficient. Swagger would stay with Zeb just to further prove that he's Zeb's sheep and doesnt think for himself. Plus it would also illustrate that it's not a stable for foreigners only, and that an American can see things from an outsider's perspective.

 

[The Boss]

A United Nations stable? Blaaaaah. The only way a UN stable would work is if the US member lead the rest to lift sanctions on Iran (represented by the Iron Sheik) so they could aquire nuclear weapons like the real UN did.