How does The Ascension get repackaged for success?

[wrestler36]

I didn't watch NXT when they were there, but I heard they were actually really good and over with the audience. Now, these guys seem lost, the gimmick's not working and there's a lot of misuse with the term 'buried' on these forums, but these guys are the definition of buried. They haven't won, have no compelling story and they are on there way to nowhere fast in just a few months.

That being said, there's still a lot of talent here that can be salvaged. How would you do it? I can see them being influenced by Wyatt and joining their clan. It adds a new element to his group. They can keep Harper and a returning Rowan as singles guys, tweak around the wardrobe and face paint of the Ascension and have them be the tag team of the family.

Or, I can see them cutting their hair, putting on suits and somehow bullying their way to be the security team for The Authority, making J and J faces or ultimately disappearing.

Finally, they can just disappear for a few weeks or months. And then when PTP or whoever's the champ at the time wins a big match and are celebrating in the ring, they can jump in out of nowhere and hit Fall of Man. Have them do that to a few teams and maybe some singles wrestlers. Subtly change their outfits, lose the shoulder pads and the 'welcome to the wasteland' catchphrase. Humanize them more, yet make them darker.

What do you think? Would either of these scenarios work? How would you repackage The Ascension?

 

[Stan Hansen]

Having them be the muscle for Rollins is an interesting concept. I get why they are using J and J given Rollins current character but I don't think it's the best way to go about it. The same with using Big Show when they had him. I get why they did it but it wasn't a good fit.

The guys have talent but the gimmick limits them too much.

I could see them joining the Wyatts too. It would be relatively easy to do. I can't help but be flustered as to why the WWE has not had Wyatt "influence" anyone and join his family. Is that not what his character is about? What is the point of all the preaching nonsense if he can't get anyone to listen? I understand that you can't go adding new members every week or even month but one or two new guys along the way should have happened.

 

[ASKane]

Ascension don't need repackaging they just need to be booked strongly. If they beat all other tag teams convincingly they would look strong. They have a gimmick that can only work if they are booked to be dominant so to rebuild them just make them look strong, Elimination Chamber was an example of this, make them look strong and they look good, have them lose every week and they look weak

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

I agree with some of the above posters. Have them replace J&J as the security team for Rollins. Their current gimmick has potential, but it's being wasted.

 

[laodaron]

They get sent back to NXT. Not everyone has to be on the main roster, and there are far more talented guys in NXT than The Ascension. As far as I'm concerned, if a call up can't make it on the main roster, they go back to NXT and repackage there. Let someone else get a shot on the main roster while they're finding the gimmick that actually works.

 

[BigLuther]

The biggest thing that hurt them was their promos. They needed to be silent ass-kickers, but instead they had them cut promos that made em sound like a cheesy power team from the early '90s. No one took them seriously from the start. They need to make a real statement by attacking PTP and just leaving them laying. No words, just a pure beat down. Have them pull it off a couple weeks in a row, and that will get people's attention.

 

[BeastFromTheEast]

They don't need repackaging, just better booking. They can't be taken serious by losing all of the time. WWE dropped the ball with these guys. Their debut was terrible and underwhelming. Instead of having them trash talk all of the past greats they should have had someone like Roadwarrior Animal endorse them as the next dominant force in the tag division. Doing so would have basically been like stamping approval on Ascensions very similar image to Roadwarriors/LoD thus making it more likely for the WWE audience to accept them and think "hey these guys are like the modern day LoD" instead of "just a couple of LoD wanna be rip offs.

 

[HORRORHOLIC]

They could slowly change them back to what they were like before their debut. Don't fix what isn't broken.

 

[GOOZEKING]

I actually think they should have formed the new wyatt family with bray instead of harper. I mean it would do wonders for their careers

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

They should repackage them by "unpackaging" them. What they had worked, no face paint, corny promos, ripoff L.O.D. ring gear…they just went out and beat the shit out of their opponents week after week. They were essentially the Brock Lesnar of the tag division in NXT, and it worked great.

The second they got called up and got tinkered with (presumably by Vince) is when things started going south. They just need to get back to basics.

I strongly equate this team with a modern day Hart Foundation in many ways. Viktor is the technician (Bret) and longtime friend of the Hart family, where as Konnor is the muscle that delivers the power moves (Jim). I still believe this team has more than enough potential to be very successful, but WWE needs to start respecting the tag division first.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

I wouldn't delete them , I'd definetly change the costume and color palettes of these guys. I'm not buying the idea of adding them to The Wyatts or a new J and J ....those scream temperary fix to me with future endeavored envelopes following. Keep them active in the tag team division with a new manager that can cut a short promo for these guys and help them win matches ala Mr. Fugi. I say short promo because realistically ..even New Day gets limited air time but they sprint with it.

They already have this power tag team gimmick, give them dark face paint and black costumes with a new manager ....completely remaster the move set with their double tag team finisher just being ONE of their double tag team power moves......tag teams need to have more double team moves like The Steiners did in the late 80s , they seemed to have dozens of double team moves, like The Quebecers and Brain Busters who mastered the double team, ring mastery skills.

 

[wrestler36]

Keep them active in the tag team division with a new manager that can cut a short promo for these guys and help them win matches ala Mr. Fugi. I say short promo because realistically ..even New Day gets limited air time but they sprint with it.

I remember when Paige debuted, people were talking about having The Ascension with her. She's only what, 22 or 23? And already a two time champion. I wouldn't mind her breaking away from the diva division for a little while and teaming up with them and being their mouthpiece.

 

[Vanilla Midget]

I like the idea of pairing them with Rollins, but keep their gimmick the same. I don't want to see them in suits, then they're J&J part two (electric boogaloo).

They're faux leather gimmick fits with Rollins weird ninja suits. Muscling for the WWE world champion would give them a decent rub. I'd book them to take J&J's spots by force. Have them beat down the returning midgets.

I'd also swap out red for another colour. If they join Rollins I'd do so visually by having them add silver or gold in place of red. The red and black combo is too evocative of LOD and/or demolition. Black and gold might be too Goldust, so silver would be my choice. That or solid black. I might ditch the loin cloths too, but they need some individuality.

Making them corporate or making them Wyatts would just dilute a mixture that already is struggling. Making them The Ascension, just aligned with Rollins, is the best way to get them over.

I gotta ask though, why get them over? I'm not seeing dollar signs, I went back and watched a lot of their NXT stuff and I wasn't super impressed then. A lot of the NXT lustre was rubbing off on them at that time. That and they weren't giving awful promos or wearing red on the reg.

I don't see these guys drawing a dime so I'd say they're fine where they are. If WWE believes in these guys, then their so called Architect needs to develop some new blueprints for success, and younger, hungrier muscle would do just that.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

They could slowly change them back to what they were like before their debut. Don't fix what isn't broken.

It's broken beyond repair. No one takes these guys seriously.

 

[kadroan]

Ascension don't need repackaging they just need to be booked strongly. If they beat all other tag teams convincingly they would look strong. They have a gimmick that can only work if they are booked to be dominant so to rebuild them just make them look strong, Elimination Chamber was an example of this, make them look strong and they look good, have them lose every week and they look weak

Exactly! I don't know why they just had them lose. Not everybody can say they beat NAO.

 

[jpickens]

Repackage them like they were before being called up plus if they want good LOD clone bring in Reno Scum.

 

[WrasslinPittsburgh]

Make them a stable. Give them a female member, and evil mouthpiece. have them crush their way through the mid-card telling people to join The Ascension or face their wrath. Anybody who doesn't join gets destroyed. Drop the paint and shoulder pads give them the long cloaks they had in NXT and their old music

 

[DirtyD79]

Ascension don't need repackaging they just need to be booked strongly. If they beat all other tag teams convincingly they would look strong. They have a gimmick that can only work if they are booked to be dominant so to rebuild them just make them look strong, Elimination Chamber was an example of this, make them look strong and they look good, have them lose every week and they look weak

Exactly, perception is reality in wrestling. If wrestlers are booked to look like chumps that's how the fans will see them. They don't need to be part of some stable or get a new gimmick, they need to actually win matches and look like the dominant powerhouse they were in NXT.