Could another mafia angle work in this WWE era?

[CM Steel]

Though this is the WWE-PG era in wrestling. But could another mafia angle work in this WWE era? Remember the APA (Faarooq & Bradshaw)? When they ran their own mafia business backstage at WWF/E events, in where superstars would come up to the APA for protection. And the APA were all about that (beer) money and kicking ass!

And later in the WWE. The WWE's version of the F.B.I. use to run gambling pools backstage. When superstars use to place bets on matches, like a WWE title match with Lesner vs Benoit in late '03. And the heel A-Train aka Tensai place a bet on Benoit while in Brock Lesner's camp.

I remember a few short years ago in FCW Ezekiel Jackson had a gimmick somewhat of a Suge Knight-gangsta like wrestler. Sad to say look where he is right now in the WWE.

So could another mafia angle work in this WWE era?

 

[supernatural1981]

yeah it could work to an extent but i guess it depends who they used the idea with. Someone like a ryback for instance if his push continued could well be the guy who people go to and pay to keep the likes of big show from attacking them.

you would need someone who seems like a tough guy who isnt afraid to take anyone on. So yeah maybe a ryback or even a brodus clay?? if they tweak his gimmick in the future

 

[ccotreau1]

Yeah like supernatural1981 said, it could work, if done right. Like we know that Ryback has dominated the locals, and it seems he is starting to beat the jobbers in WWE, like Curt Hawkins. If the WWE continue this route, they could do something like having these jobbers get some help by someone like Big Show, similar to what Hornswaggle did when he was supposed to face Carlito and Coachman in a handicap match, he had gotten help from the APA...these jobbers pay Big Show X amount of dollars to destroy Ryback

 

[CM Steel]

I just think that the whole backstage element is missing from today's wrestling era, atlease in the WWE. Wrestler's playing cards, drinking beer, smoking cigars, ECT. How we took the Hardcore division for granted. The WWE backstage functions were as part as what's going on inside a ring promo.

Now I'm not saying that today's WWE should be anything like "Hardcore Pawn" or anything. But if you ever watched WWE's Youtube series, you should know what I'm talking about.

 

[c13vyper]

There was going to be another Mafia type stable, Heres a direct quote from Tajiris Wikipedia page:

"He formed a short-lived stable with Akio and Sakoda known as "Kyo Dai". Kyo Dai was originally planned to have been portrayed as a group of Japanese gangsters by WWE writers, but Tajiri refused this proposal, fearing it might anger the real Japanese Yakuza if they saw the gimmick as an insult."

Smart move on Tajiris part.