Quietly, There Is A New Top Heel Building Up Steam

[Glacier]

And his name is Elias, or Elias Samson.

He is a true heel, he insults the fans in every town, and he is
winning his matches.

He is not a heel like Roman Reigns, "if you boo me I get my
feelings hurt", he relishes the boos.

I expect to see more heads being cracked open with the guitar
ala Honky Tonk Man in the near future.

I think he is surpassing the expectations WWE had for him, unlike
Bo Dallas, Adam Rose, Mike Kanellis, and a host of others.

 

[Kyphael]

Elias has it when it comes to being a heel. He's a natural on the stick, has a true talent on the guitar that legitimizes his character, which fans respect, and he's solid in the ring. The sky is the limit for him, and thanks to him being in phenomenal shape and having a great marketable look, I see Vince pushing him one day as a main event player.

I even expect a Rock Concert III rock off with The Rock and Elias. Rock appreciates talent as much as any other guy.

He's definitely surpassing expectations, I had almost none from seeing him on NXT but on the main roster, I've never seen someone do more with so little. Everything he's getting he's earned, it reminds me of a line, and I forgot who said it "I only got five minutes... but it's a WHOLE five minutes for me to do something." Elias already has a catchy phrase.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

He bores me. I changed the channel on him tonight. He is paint by numbers in his heel work. The songs aren't fun or funny or even that mean. They are simple juvenile comments that just don't work for me. I'm not sure what people see in his ring work. Fans seem to be complaining about him when he sings, not giving him heel heat.

Maybe I'm wrong but I feel like he is just getting some internet praise because he is new.

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

He bores me. I changed the channel on him tonight. He is paint by numbers in his heel work. The songs aren't fun or funny or even that mean. They are simple juvenile comments that just don't work for me. I'm not sure what people see in his ring work. Fans seem to be complaining about him when he sings, not giving him heel heat.

Maybe I'm wrong but I feel like he is just getting some internet praise because he is new.

His in-ring work is totally acceptable, he's just not a flip flopper or a technical wizard. And he's not a finished product in that regard.

The songs have nothing to do with HIM, do you think he comes up w/ the lyrics? The main thing here is that he delivers them well, as if he DID come up w/ them. I totally agree that the insults and jabs at towns are generic but thats not his fault.

He's getting "internet praise because he's new"? If anything the "internet" was crapping on the guy when he called up from NXT because they felt there were "more deserving" guys down there. Since that time he has grown on people and its good to see that people can change their minds on guys and not stick to the dogmatic nonsense where unless you toiled away in the indies for 10 years, you get shit on.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

His in-ring work is totally acceptable, he's just not a flip flopper or a technical wizard. And he's not a finished product in that regard.

Fair enough but I don't have faith in him getting that much better. Definitely not enough faith to assume he can get to the point in the ring to be a top heel. Certainly not with his other deficiencies.

The songs have nothing to do with HIM, do you think he comes up w/ the lyrics?

I don't know and frankly don't care. We are supposed to believe that he is coming up with the songs. Regardless, no matter who writes them, I'm still not entertained by them or his delivery of them.

The main thing here is that he delivers them well, as if he DID come up w/ them. I totally agree that the insults and jabs at towns are generic but thats not his fault.

I disagree with his delivery. He's clearly doing what he is told but I still find it boring.

He's getting "internet praise because he's new"? If anything the "internet" was crapping on the guy when he called up from NXT because they felt there were "more deserving" guys down there. Since that time he has grown on people and its good to see that people can change their minds on guys and not stick to the dogmatic nonsense where unless you toiled away in the indies for 10 years, you get shit on.

I have no idea where he came from. I don't enjoy him, I don't see him getting much better, I think his shtick will get old on people at some point and he is not gifted enough to transition in to something else that has legs or will get him to be a top heel or even a consistent main event. He's basically Bray Wyatt with less talent.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

Elias has it when it comes to being a heel. He's a natural on the stick, has a true talent on the guitar that legitimizes his character, which fans respect, and he's solid in the ring. The sky is the limit for him, and thanks to him being in phenomenal shape and having a great marketable look, I see Vince pushing him one day as a main event player.

I even expect a Rock Concert III rock off with The Rock and Elias. Rock appreciates talent as much as any other guy.

He's definitely surpassing expectations, I had almost none from seeing him on NXT but on the main roster, I've never seen someone do more with so little. Everything he's getting he's earned, it reminds me of a line, and I forgot who said it "I only got five minutes... but it's a WHOLE five minutes for me to do something." Elias already has a catchy phrase.

Having The Rock do a Rock concert with a guy who is on his initial push and trying to establish credibility as a serious heel sounds like an excellent plan if you want to bring a guy's build to a screeching halt. The thing about Rock's talent is that it has done a great deal to get him over, but when the people he is getting over on remain and The Rock leaves, it does no favors for the business.

If you want to give him a rub from a legend, maybe he could hit Honky with a gimmicked guitar after he wins the IC title.

 

[Papa Pillman]

As an in-ring worker, I think he is the most limited, stale, bland, and uninteresting non-giant that the company has featured in years. Even guys like Mahal and Sandow look like competent workers by comparison.

Praise for Samson and the work that he has done thus far is as dumbfounding for me as the early praise for Sandow was, hopefully he will quickly suffer the same fate.

 

[Un-Bo-Lievable Jeff]

Remember when Bray Wyatt used to win matches? *sigh*

So many heels in front of him, who are so much better than him in the ring. He's got a long way to go before being considered close to main event.

I find his offense a bit boring and slow. He may prove me wrong, but I wouldn't be putting money on him.

 

[Radical]

Remember when Bray Wyatt used to win matches? *sigh*

So many heels in front of him, who are so much better than him in the ring. He's got a long way to go before being considered close to main event.

I find his offense a bit boring and slow. He may prove me wrong, but I wouldn't be putting money on him.

Haha that's a good reference point; Bray Wyatt. People almost forget his main roster debut. He WON most of his TV matches. People were getting the 'great top heel' feeling about him too. He had all the potential.

But then booking didn't help him and continues to make him relatively lost in the card.

Hopefully it doesn't happen to Elias, but WWE seems to have some troubles with mid to upper card heels and building them up without destroying their credibility too soon on PPVs.

 

[ShinChan]

I like him so far but he hasn't shown me anything that screams top heel about him. His songs have been helpful and so have been his victories over former World Champions like Dean Ambrose. But considering him a top heel is sort of saying it too early as of now.

May be he proves me wrong in future and I'm all in for it then.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

I feel like anyone who gets their last name taken away from them has limited possibilities.

 

[Glacier]

I feel like anyone who gets their last name taken away from them has limited possibilities.

Rock Johnson was changed to the Rock.

But I agree with you, and it seems strange because Elias had
a good sounding last name.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Rock Johnson was changed to the Rock.

But I agree with you, and it seems strange because Elias had
a good sounding last name.

Rocky Maivia. Trust me. They did him a favor. And he's certainly one of the few exceptions anyway, especially in today's society. They're doing it way too much now with names that don't even sound better, like Elias. Cesaro is another.