A Titus O'Neil singles push coming?

[#hamler]

Breaking news right?

- Titus O'Neil has been discussed for a singles push. This would likely mean a major de-push for his current tag team partner Darren Young. Vince McMahon has been high on Titus for some time now.

No matter how reliable or unreliable dirt sheets can be, this news intrigues me enough to the point where I'll make a thread about it. Titus O'Neil – one half of a team I find to be absolutely entertaining at times: Prime Time Players. Darren Young and Titus O'Neil haven't always been as entertaining as they are now. NXT season two was just awful for these two team mates; they showed little charisma, absolutely no mic skills and their abilities inside the ring were horrid. Fast forward a few months later Young and O'Neil are signed to Smackdown and become permanent roster members. They simply clicked with one another. Soon, we started to see Young and O'Neil doing hilarious skits and finally showed that they were something other than generic wrestlers. They oozed charisma in what most didn't see coming.

Since, they've been pretty much floating around the tag team division with absolutely nothing to show for it. They've become a reincarnation of Cryme Tyme: worthy of a tag title reign, charisma, goofy gimmick – a lot of similarities. And from the looks of it, they could be heading for a split like them too.

Does anyone actually remember the break up of Cryme Tyme and awful push that followed for Shad Gaspard? It is possible Titus O'Neil could be headed that way too. My view – it's a bad mistake. The WWE is slowly starting to reform their atrocious tag team division. With that, I don't believe it is smart to kill off a tag team that can be used to job to Team Hell No at call. By the time the mistake is realized, it'll be too late to simply pair them back together and we'll see both of these men pushed even further down the card. Titus is interesting enough that he could very well make for a solid midcarder, but honestly, how far can he go in singles competition?

Do you feel Titus O'Neil can make it as a singles star?

What to do with poor ol' Darren Young?

 

[SD619]

Firstly, even if this does happen, I don't see this happening before Wrestlemania. The Creative team already has its hands full with all the top guys and the returning part-timers. Besides, Wrestlemania season has never been the time for pushing a guy out of the blue.

Secondly, I don't see this as a long time success. He may be pushed primarily due to his build, but Titus is a guy that is average in the ring and also doesn't seem to have a character that will be over for a long time with today's fickle fans. If given a good character with a decent storyline, he could have some success as a mid-card heel.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

That would be a big mistake. Neither Titus or Darren have the ability to be very interesting on their own (Make it a win! ). Frankly, they're not that good together, but goofy enough to entertain people temporarily. I would pretty much assume what hamler brought up about Cryme Tyme. In a year, one would be on their way out the door and the other would be where JTG is currently at. Frankly, I'm surprised Darren Young survived that period of time between being ousted by Nexus and getting paired up with Titus.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I think Titus is the more entertaining of the two. He definitely seems to be more at ease on the mic than Darren Young. As of right now, however, I'd rather seem them stick together as a team. It's just a matter of time before Team Hell No drops the titles and with Team Rhodes Scholars broken up, the PTPs are worthy candidates. It looks like Mysterio & Sin Cara are back in action, given their win over THN this past Friday, and they had a brief feud with the Players a while back.

If the PTPs do break up, it'll be another massive blow for the tag team scene. Unfortunately, I had a feeling that the renewal of tag team wrestling relevance in WWE would take a big backseat during WrestleMania season.

 

[Ryberg]

While I'd like to say I'm shocked by this, I am really not. He fits into the "VKM" mold of what a wrestler should look like. Do I think it's a mistake, yes and he will fade fast once pushed.

It seems that VKM gets over on this overly "muscled" wrestlers with little talent. Ryback, Cena, Big E Langston, Ezekiel Jackson, and the list could go on for the past 30 years and who he will push and who he won't. So like all of them with the exception of Cena, a Titus push would be short lived.

LOL funny about 75% of the one's Vince is over on end up either never getting a push or fail miserably. Remember Drew who's been a disappointment and he was high on Mason Ryan also.....

 

[AhSpicyDrop]

Titus is definitely the star of the Primetime Players. I've been a fan of his since he sat down at the commentary table during one of the tag matches and started trading jabs with The King. Hell, that was months ago and they're still making "wash rag" jokes when he's in the ring. Another thing I like about him is he doesn't take himself too seriously. His ring work does need a little bit of polishing which is why they should probably keep them together for a little while longer.

As far as Darren Young goes, just fire him. There's too many talented workers on the roster that aren't getting spots right now, not to mention the guys down in NXT that they could always bring up. Darren didn't catch on when he came in with the Nexus, and he hasn't caught on now. I just see absolutely no upside to him OTHER than helping get Titus ready to go into a single's career.

I don't see the tag division really struggling any worse than it already is... They have pretty much given up on it at this point and went back to just focusing on two teams at a time. Once the Shield gets into more of a wrestling role there will be even less space for PTP to thrive.

 

[ThePrawnCurry]

A pity that AW got canned for running his mouth last year

with him along, the Prime Time Playas had a real shot at a longtime feud with Team HellNo

AW could have been the new Jimmy Hart, hitting folks with his megaphone

 

[DX Mols]

I can see Black John Cena (aka Darren Young) getting shitcanned at some point once they split this team. Titus has the potential, the size, and the look to be something special. And he's gotten a lot better on the mic since his "Make it a Win" days on NXT.

Darren Young is the deadweight/Jannetty of this tag team and has got to go. Titus has a future. D Young does not.

 

[akathelaw]

Don't count out D-Young. He's a solid talent who works his ass off to make the show look good. His moves ALWAYS get a reaction from the live crowd. His afro is quite brilliant too, because all he has to do is lose it if he wants to change his gimmick. I think he'd look awesome with a flat top and facepaint, like Sting used to rock.

 

[ultramattman]

WWE has definitely been testing the waters with Titus. On Raw, he stood his ground against Ryback, at least for a moment. Then on Main Event, he was showcased in a long singles match with Tensai, where Tensai turned face.

But it feels WAY too early to split up PTP and expect either guy to get over solo. Prime Time Players are just starting to come into their own. There's nothing wrong hanging around the midcard for a while while audiences get used to seeing you.

 

[ultramattman]

Don't count out D-Young. He's a solid talent who works his ass off to make the show look good. His moves ALWAYS get a reaction from the live crowd. His afro is quite brilliant too, because all he has to do is lose it if he wants to change his gimmick. I think he'd look awesome with a flat top and facepaint, like Sting used to rock.

He's really not bad in the ring at all, and has a GREAT finisher in my opinion. He's got a great look and physique, too. Unfortunately, I think he'll always be limited on the mic - just not creative enough. There's a reason they just give him simple catchphrases to repeat (ain't nobody got time for that!) while Titus does the talking. But as long as he just has to stand there and pick his afro, he's hilarious.

 

[SaveUsCMPunk]

I just hope they get a tag team title reign before and if this split happens. Titus has got a lot of charisma, mic skills and the look that Vince McMahon loves. I don't know what the hell they're doing with PTP these days. They're terribly misused. Are they heels or faces? If they're heels, why was Darren Young one of Santa's reindeer on that God-Awful episode of Raw? Darren Young is actually a pretty good wrestler and his mic skills are a bit underrated.(He's more than just, "No one's happy if your hair is nappy.") I don't know why they hold back on these guys. They're plenty entertaining on WWE Inbox and Backstage Fallout. Why not let them cut promos on WWE TV?

Charisma wise, the edge goes to Titus. Wrestling ability goes to Darren. I could definitely see Titus being the breakout star. Sadly, Mr. No Days Off, D-Young would probably end up jobbing to Santino and Zack Ryder....again. What's just as bad is that if they split, no more "Millions of Dollars" dance! Let's hope they stay together because WWE needs tag teams.

 

[tomthebodz]

I've never been a fan of Darren Young, he really annoys me, so if WWE release him I wouldn't care.

I am however a big fan of Titus O Neil. I thought he was brilliant in NXT. My first thought was that he is a future world champion, and I stick to that today. I do feel that the PTP gimmick has hurt him in the short run, but that's just my opinion.

If/when PTP split I can see him leaving TV for a while so that he is fresh upon his return and a singles push. I just think that he'll need a slight character change. If all goes well for him I can see him as a US/IC champ in 2013.

 

[soooooperdragon]

PTP is a horrible tag team it should be called prime time titus cause titus pretty much does all the work in that team darren just stares off into space how he got a contract with wwe i have no idea.but if titus gets a singles push he would prob get buried within a month so for now keep them together.And pray that darren improves his mic skills and in ring skills.

And if wwe was serious about re-vamping the tag div they need to scrap all these random thrown together teams and bring in legit tag teams like the briscos,maybe give the young bucks another shot?,or hell maybe call chris hero up to main roster have claudio drop the us title and re-form the kings of wrestling.Now that would be some epic tag team action

 

[Headman]

Young reminds me a lot of Billy Gunn. The less he does, the better people think he is. As for Titus, I don't see a real future for him as a singles competitor. I'd like to see them keep PTP together. I still find them entertaining even though they've lost some of their charm without AW.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I've never been a fan of Darren Young, he really annoys me, so if WWE release him I wouldn't care.

Well, heaven knows he was in limbo for a long time before his reemergence with Titus, so it wouldn't be too surprising to see Darren released. Too bad; the guy looks good and works hard.

On the other hand, I don't get the enthusiasm regarding Titus. Yes, he's a big guy, but he seems gangly and awkward....almost uncoordinated, at least as professional wrestlers go. Vince McMahon has gotten excited about performers before based on size alone (hello, Giant Gonzalez) but once their lack of ability shows itself, the experiment comes to an end.

That's what I think will happen with Titus O'Neil if a singles push is in store. Whether he's decent on the mic or not, it eventually comes down to wrestling ability, no? I just don't think he looks good enough in the ring to make it solo.

 

[BaconBits]

If either of the PTP are to be pushed for a singles run, then it's obviously going to be Titus, because he's so much better on the mic than Young. He doesn't look all that great in the ring, but we all know that matters less in today's WWE.

That said, both of them have been jobbed out for so long, if they're split up how does either come across as a legit threat to anybody?

 

[CrazyMatt88]

I really think it would be the wrong move to break up Prime Time Players at the moment. In a tag team division screaming out for genuine tag team talent, these guys have proven to be among the top 3 tag teams in the division, and now with Rhodes Scholars splitting, its now crucial that they keep Young and O'Neill together in the long term.

 

[Dmbfantomas]

Titus is 35 years old. They need to capitalize on him as soon as possible. He's got the body, he's got the charisma, he's got the mic skills and he's good enough in the ring to be a star on Smackdown, especially if he's just having beatdown brawls with other huge guys on the SD roster (Big Show, Sheamus, Mark Henry, hopefully Ryback in the next 6 months, etc). I am very big on Titus and would love to see him get a run with the midcard title to prep him for a world title run some time in the near-ish future.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Titus could make it as a singles star some day, but it is way too soon to split up his tag team. It would be better to keep the Prime Time Players together for a while loger so they can not only help improve the tag team division but also establish themselves a bit more. If the split did happen soon then Titus could see a midcard heel push. That's about it though. I wouldn't find him believable in a role higher up on the card at the moment. Even a midcard champion would be pushing it at this time. If they want to push him, that's fine, but don't do it too soon. If it happened today he'd be lucky to maintain the fans' attention. The team is better as a team than either wrestler would be by themselves. What would we get, a midcard heel who doesn't end up getting very far in Ttitus and a jobber in Young? I'd rather they stay a team instead they can become the most successful heel tag team since Miz & Morrison.

I don't see things going well for Young if the team splits up. They can always use more jobbers and I doubt he would be used for much else. There's the idea of the inevitable split leading to a feud between him and Titus where Titus gets the heel push and Young turns face to get defeated by his partner while trying to earn sympathy support from the fans. I hope he does not get future endeavoured, which unfortunately would also be a possibility. If the team is kept together longer it benefits them both. They would both get a better opportunity to further establish Titus into a credible heel to push by himself and it keeps Young safer from being future endeavoured. Plus, why split them up before they have had the chance for a run with the giant pennies? Seriously, who else would be better to defeat Team Hell No right now that's actually in the division? That is something which I am still hoping to see happen before they split.

 

[NotoriousMEAT]

I love both Titus O'Neil and Darren Young, but WWE had not even begun to scratch the surface with this tag team. As much as I would enjoy a singles push for Big Titus, I would forever be disappointed that the Prime Time Players didn't get enough time to shine. The OP mentioned Cryme Tyme, but they were together a good 4 years before finally splitting after almost no success as a team. Before the formation of Team Rhodes Scholars, the PTP's were the top heel tag team and I really thought they would be groomed during Team Hell No's title reign to become the eventual next champions. That has not been the case, but I still have hope for this duo.

 

[DirtyD79]

But it feels WAY too early to split up PTP and expect either guy to get over solo. Prime Time Players are just starting to come into their own. There's nothing wrong hanging around the midcard for a while while audiences get used to seeing you.

This has been WWE's problem with tag teams for quite some time. They split teams up and usually the two wrestlers are both stuck back at square one trying to get over again instead of riding the momentum from their tag team run.

 

[NotoriousMEAT]

This has been WWE's problem with tag teams for quite some time. They split teams up and usually the two wrestlers are both stuck back at square one trying to get over again instead of riding the momentum from their tag team run.

Exactly. Don't they realize that the most successful tag team star turned singles star main eventer was in LONG TERM tag teams? Edge, Jeff Hardy, JBL, Triple H (DX), Bobby Roode. I'm sure there are plenty more.

 

[theBec2101]

I don’t know why it won’t last long. His push is going to come to a crashing halt as soon as VKM realizes he is black and then Titus is going to hit the invisible ceiling that the wwe has.

 

[jacdnwarrior]

Split them up to release one if not both of them. Neither of them are good enough to be on their own, not yet anyways. It's not like Sandow and Rhodes, who have experience on their own, Rhodes being a part of Legacy and being a former IC title holder, can be on their own and play a role. Prime Time Players need time in the tag division and could use a title run to help their development on the roster and in the eyes of the audience. Like said earlier, the momentum of having a successful run gives the performers momentum. Also Titus and Darren (to a lesser extent) still needs more development in the ring.