Are "Big Returns" Bad For The WWE Long Term?

[Rated sj]

Recently there have been many guys such as Brock Lesnar, The Rock , HBK, Triple H, and Steve Austin returning to the WWE. Now as much as I respect these guys we all know they will be back on a temporary basis. The only reason Vince is bringing them back is to make loads of cash (short term), but what happens once these guys leave again. What big stars will be left to carry the company long term, only Cena really. My problem is that I think the WWE should instead spend this money and time to build new stars.
So do you think returns are bad for the WWE long term?

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

NO. For once WWE is starting to improve after a long time and some people are still bitching about it. Brock Lesnar is 34 and he is still young. Brock Lesnar needs some more title reigns. I would rather watch Brock Lesnar vs John Cena or Randy Orton in place of a boring Cody Rhodes match.

Its WWE's job to make future stars which they are already doing. Fans don't need to care about how WWE makes stars in the long term. Just enjoy the product. WWE still has Alberto Del Rio, CM Punk, Sheamus, Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan who are all future stars.

 

[Rampage Bentley]

No, these returns are investments in the long term.

People who normally wouldn't watch tune in to shows or buy PPV's to see The Rock or Brock Lesnar, and they're exposed to CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, and all the new guys.

These returns are pretty much a form of advertising to get new eyes on the current product.

 

[legendkiller1979]

Yes they are. How does it help anyone on the roster to job to someone that is only around short term? I'm interested to see what the E has in store for The Rock. There's no way he is going to be around very long. He mentioned going after the WWE title. So he might make one appearance every couple of months and then be gone again for another 7 years. The only reason I'm half way interested in the future of The Rock is the fact that he beat Cena at mania. It makes no sense to have someone who's been gone for so long beating the face of the company.

now onto Brock Lesnar. Am I the only one who remembers wrestlemania 20? He faced Goldberg. It was one of the worst matches in the history of mania. Both guys were on their way out so they put on a horrible show. The whole match was rest holds. Why should we expect anything less this time? Does anyone really believe that he's going to be back beyond wrestlemania 29? I fully expect that to be his last match for the second time. And I fully expect it to be another terrible match. He proved that he doesn't care about the fans at mania 20 and I don't see how anything has changed.

Maybe I'm being harsh but I think time will tell that I'm right.

 

[silrock316]

I agree that these guys work as advertisers and I think it goes a little deeper than that also. Now you have fans of the Rock who may only know him as Dwayne Johnson maybe tuning in to see him on WWE which brings more viewers. You have the OLD SCHOOL wrestling fans as myself(I have always watched though) who may have stopped watching but tuned back in to see the Rock. Chances are they like Brock, so bringing Brock back the same night as Rock says he wants to be champ again is GENIUS.

To me it seems like the fans that are crying are the ones that really like the current wrestlers and werent around for the attitude/ruthless agression eras and just dont want their favorite wrestler bumped.

To those people I say this: These guys being back will only HELP your favorite wrestlers. UFC fans of Lesnar may tune in to see him wrestle. Theres just no down way to look at this right now. Vince is NOT going to completely BURY Cena. This is going to help bridge the gap from those eras and this one.

 

[silrock316]

Yes they are. How does it help anyone on the roster to job to someone that is only around short term? I'm interested to see what the E has in store for The Rock. There's no way he is going to be around very long. He mentioned going after the WWE title. So he might make one appearance every couple of months and then be gone again for another 7 years. The only reason I'm half way interested in the future of The Rock is the fact that he beat Cena at mania. It makes no sense to have someone who's been gone for so long beating the face of the company.

now onto Brock Lesnar. Am I the only one who remembers wrestlemania 20? He faced Goldberg. It was one of the worst matches in the history of mania. Both guys were on their way out so they put on a horrible show. The whole match was rest holds. Why should we expect anything less this time? Does anyone really believe that he's going to be back beyond wrestlemania 29? I fully expect that to be his last match for the second time. And I fully expect it to be another terrible match. He proved that he doesn't care about the fans at mania 20 and I don't see how anything has changed.

Maybe I'm being harsh but I think time will tell that I'm right.

Are you the only one that forgot Brock got seriously ill and was questioning whether he would ever be fully Brock again? This occurance has changed Brock and you could see it on Monday night. WWE use to only be a stepping stone for Brock. He wanted to play football, he wanted UFC, his heart was NEVER really in this. It will be now.

 

[Xumer]

I don't see brock "bringing in" anyone. The people who are marking out for him now, marked out all along and were already watching. There's not alot of wrestling fans who quit watching because brock left and I don't see many MMA fans who weren't wrestling fans to begin with tuning in because brock is there. Brock really wasn't endeared to the hearts of any MMA fans who weren't also wrestling fans and not alot of fucks were given when he quit.

 

[silrock316]

I don't see brock "bringing in" anyone. The people who are marking out for him now, marked out all along and were already watching. There's not alot of wrestling fans who quit watching because brock left and I don't see many MMA fans who weren't wrestling fans to begin with tuning in because brock is there. Brock really wasn't endeared to the hearts of any MMA fans who weren't also wrestling fans and not alot of fucks were given when he quit.

Obviously theres a lot of fucks that care that he is back. Bottomline is this..Rock and Brock were back for ONE WEEK and the ratings rose from the go home show. Say what you want, but facts are facts. However I will be more sold if they draw a better number next week. Generally the Raw after WM does well so I will refrain from saying this is all but a guarantee that Brocks return will reengage his older wwe fans and im sure there is a few people that will watch from ufc. I know this for a fact because a friend of mine that doesnt watch wrestling and did like Lesnar in UFC will watch him now.

 

[JakeAdams]

I think to most MMA fans this will make him look like a joke. The way that he arrived just further cemented that sentiment. I am just a proponent for creating and building homegrown talent up to be the face of your company. Not bringing in vets so that everyone gets lost in the shuffle.

 

[silrock316]

I think to most MMA fans this will make him look like a joke. The way that he arrived just further cemented that sentiment. I am just a proponent for creating and building homegrown talent up to be the face of your company. Not bringing in vets so that everyone gets lost in the shuffle.

34 years old with 3 years of wrestling is a VET? Are you kidding me? Lesnar is "homegrown" as is The Rock.

What is wrong with you fans? You will NEVER EVER be happy with wrestling.

 

[JaylisJayP]

My opinion is that they didn't used to be. And, I wouldn't say "bad", I would say "harder to get excited about". It used to be a guy returned, and he was back. Now, if it's a huge name...they're back for a few months and then you know they're leaving again. It's hard to get excited about one feud and one match. At least it looks like Jericho will be around for at least one more PPV. His segment on Raw with Punk on Monday was the best thing he's done since coming back.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

I think to most MMA fans this will make him look like a joke. The way that he arrived just further cemented that sentiment. I am just a proponent for creating and building homegrown talent up to be the face of your company. Not bringing in vets so that everyone gets lost in the shuffle.

Brock Lesnar is 34 and he is a WWE made guy. Brock Lesnar is WWE's homegrown talent as much as Rock and Cena are.

Looks like some people who are whining about Brock's return weren't even watching when he was around in the WWE.

 

[TLK]

34 years old with 3 years of wrestling is a VET? Are you kidding me? Lesnar is "homegrown" as is The Rock.

What is wrong with you fans? You will NEVER EVER be happy with wrestling.

Agreed 100%.

To add, I don't understand the "bringing in vets to squash new talent" argument. Rock has only beaten Cena 1 on 1. Cena is far from being considered "new talent." It's not like he ran through the entire roster before beating Cena. He gave Miz/Truth the biggest match in their careers. Brock appears to be targeting Cena.

 

[3:16]

I think it is good because if you bring back certain people you also bring back their fans who may have stopped or taken a break from wrestling. This will up the ratings and get people to buy the newest merchandise of their favorite wrestler. Also if the wrestler(s) that have returned are in PPV then more people will buy that PPV or buy tickets to see the PPV. At the same time it let fans see current talent and hopefully keeps them around.

 

[Negrodamus]

Vince will always do right by guys like Austin, The Rock, Undertaker and the other early attitude era guys because they won the war. Period!!!!
Vince owes his company to these guys in his eyes they are his war heroes.

The locker room should never complain, there has always been returns there has always been celebrities. This is WWE it has not changed except it just seems now like the locker room is filled with selfish guys and dont know whats good for business.

 

[Peridot]

Put it this way, the older fans aren't going to be as annoyed with the product if they see someone who entertained them previously come back and actually do it well. It all depends on how each individual return is booked. You can't just make a sweeping statement like "Oh returns are bad because they take away from the product". Well, no. This can only be said if the person returning does nothing to enhance the product. This is what the rock has done over the last year, by actually giving cena an opponent we can actually legit say, "Cena could really lose here" which we haven't had in a while and makes him that bit more interesting.

So no i think this statement is too general and it's not valid.

 

[rge2010]

Who cares? The current roster isnt up to it at all. There isnt a Rock, Brock, Austin, Taker in sight. Punk could potentially be that guy but he will never be a big draw like they were. Plus nobody to help him.

I hate threads like this, really negative. WWE are doing a good thing and I would much rather see Brock get it on with Rock or Taker than Ziggler fight Daniel Bryan.

 

[Headman]

It basically comes down to the fact that there is nobody even remotely close to being on Cena's level. Not even CM Punk. This is why they have to bring people in to put up a believable challenge. You can't blame it all on booking either. The WWE has given guys chances and they're still not getting as over as they should be. One thing I will blame on booking is the devaluing of both the world and WWE championships. Their idea of putting the title on someone to make them look legit instead of putting the title on legit main eventers has brought both titles down to the upper mid card or worse. Everything else I'm putting on the talent since they seem to be the ones dropping the ball.

 

[TLK]

I agree with the comment about the titles to an extent. I think the MITB concept has devalued them somewhat. However, it also transformed someone like Edge's career. I think it works for heels such as Edge and Bryan to catapult them to the next level. Bryan's character evolved and he found his own shortly after he cashed in and won the WHC. Throwing the belts on just anyone (Del Rio, Sheamus, etc) is in line with what you're saying, though. There just aren't enough legit main eventers to put the belt on. I thought Henry did a superb job with the title. He earned it, though, and he was built into becoming a legitimate, believable threat. That's how it's done. You don't give them the title and THEN cross your fingers in hopes they'll become believable. It's this backwards booking that leaves lots of fans scratching their heads.

 

[dakikko049]

I don't mind as long as the younger guys are given the majority of the PPV main events, as long as the older guys don't become champion as a face and as long as Rock and Brock don't headline Wrestlemania or Summerslam or something. That would all suck in my opinion.

 

[zephyrs]

Bringing back part-timers is a way for WWE to buy time while they try to figure out a way to build new guys up.

I know a lot of people look at part-timers as being guys that are taking top spots from new guys that should be getting pushed. I can agree with that definitely, but at the same time, WWE has really seemed hesitant to really push guys. I think much of it has to do with WWE wanting to get specific people over, rather than just putting wrestler out there and going with whomever the crowd reacts best to.

Ideally, you'd bring in part-timers to feud with new, up and coming guys to give them some credibility/

 

[xavyer]

That is a 50/50 question, it can be good for ratings, it can be good considering that at this moment there are not exactly many main event players in the WWE other than Cena, Triple H, the Undertaker are basicly part time wrestlers now, and there isn't anyone at this moment who's at Cena's level, or even close to his level, not Punk, or Orton, so they have to bring someone big from the past, Wade Barret looks like he's on his way to become a big heel, kind of like Triple H, but he's injured at the moment, now on the other hand is bad because right now the WWE isn't exactly giving the actual roster much of a chance to show what they are made of, guys like the Miz, Ziggler, Sheamus were starting to get some momentum with the fans, they were geting better, but all of a sudden Jericho and The Rock decided that they want a wrestlemania pay day and forget all about these guys, some people are saying that The Rock and Jericho are leaving soon, and i think they are right, Jericho is about to start a tour with Fozzy and needed the wrestlemania pay check to make that happen, and i think the Rock is also close to leaving and returning in time for wrestlemania 29 only to leave again, and i don't know what the deal is with Brock Lesnar other than he's a part time wrestler, but if the WWE is going to put the current roster on hold for the returning superstars, at least doit if the superstars are here to stay, not only for a few months and then leave again, or have them job for someone from the current roster that needs a good push, that is the only way i can see it become a win/in........

 

[dotty_84]

There is a yes and no asnwer to this.

Yes, if who ever is a big name returns just to face Cena.

No, if they let them fued with an up and comer, yes Cena versus whoever will sell but it does nothing long term for the development of talent.

 

[TheMainMan32]

No, are not bad for the WWE long-term because VERY few of the new guys have "it." There is no one whose name isn't Cena or Punk that can even possibly carry the company. So, like someone said previously, these returns let Vince figure out how to build up some of the new guys, while at the same time, not boring the audience to tears. It also helps build up the new guys but giving them someone to get a rub from. Some of these guys could benefit greatly by looking credible against some of the best ever.

 

[Paralyzer Z]

I think the OP is somewhat on to something here. Once Brock, Rock, and whatever other big star that has returned are gone we are left with Ziggler, Del Rio, Miz, and Barrett as challengers left to Punk, Cena and Orton. Big difference in star power isn't it? On the other hand WWE didn't invest in Rock or Lesnar short term.

If you look at what the Rock said about one day winning the WWE championship again, it can play it two ways. One: Rock stays long term at earns a match (less likely) or Two: Rock waits until Wrestlemania 29 or Summerslam to wrestle again this time for the title (more likely). Regardless or not if they actually wrestle I'm sure over the next couple of months (or even a year) we will get a good amount of appearances from both guys. Look at the Wrestlemania buyrates, 1.9 million buys, and a high Raw rating as a result of The Rock/Cena and it will continue next week with Lesnar. The point is these guys have already helped WWE short term (short on Brock's case not so short on Rock's case) and they invested in them to keep them around.

One day we will have to face both men leaving, how soon it is and how many other big stars will have been made by the young guys (that I mentioned above) remains to be seen. I say just enjoy that they are around for now and at least over the next year.