How would you book Kevin Steen?

[MoxleyCrue]

So Kevin Steen appears to be heading to WWE around August time. Steen has always intrigued me because he looks like a guy you see on the train everyday, but his wrestling skills are top notch, and his promo work is solid as well.

I'm normally not one for re-packagaing established indy stars for NXT, but we all know that Fight Steen Fight is never going to be allowed in PG WWE.

For me, given his working class, blue collar, everyday hero appearance, I would book Steen in a pretty identical way to Mick Foley. Steen easily outwrestles Foley, but he can use a slower pace to showcase his abilities, whilst taking some hefty bumps like we've seen him do in ROH. He should be a happy go lucky guy who will do what makes him happy, but if you cross him you best believe he's going to mess you up.

How would you guys book him?

 

[Tyrant25]

Uh... I know not everyone sees things the same, but Kevin Steen looks anything but a blue-collar, everyday hero. He's rugged, he's a bit on the bigger side, but you're right, he's a great wrestler. His character sort of reminds me of CM Punk. Now, the "Kill Steen Kill" and middle finger to his opponents shtick will definitely be kicked aside, but I'd book him as someone who wants to bring "wrestling" back. WWE doesn't identify with wrestling anymore, even though they're a wrestling entertainment company, but it's not like they blur out the word "wrestling" anytime someone says it. Steen doing anything but being rebellious and anti-authority would seem odd, to me at least, considering his look and style.

His WWE career should be nice... but where the hell is Jimmy Jacobs?

 

[Y2JBL]

I'd book him into a weight loss camp first thing. Wrestling these days is already failing horribly at suspension of disbelief, I don't like watching supposed "superstars" who are in worse shape than I am on top of everything else currently being done wrong. Dude better debut in shape. If not, I'd book him into a Piggie James esque humiliation angle and fire him a few months later. If you can't tell, I don't like the guy and saw nothing interesting in him in what I saw of ROH. Again, because he was supposed to be this big bad lunatic who is in worse shape than I am.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

I'd book him into a weight loss camp first thing. Wrestling these days is already failing horribly at suspension of disbelief, I don't like watching supposed "superstars" who are in worse shape than I am on top of everything else currently being done wrong. Dude better debut in shape. If not, I'd book him into a Piggie James esque humiliation angle and fire him a few months later. If you can't tell, I don't like the guy and saw nothing interesting in him in what I saw of ROH. Again, because he was supposed to be this big bad lunatic who is in worse shape than I am.

You can't do what he does in the ring. His intensity and psychology will get him over.

You book him with someone who will bring eyeballs to him and let him get himself over like everyone else has to. Or, as a former ROH fan, team him with Zayne.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

The guy has Wyatt Family written all over him in my opinion. Him being on the short side, & also a bit chubby wouldn't matter as part of the Wyatt's. He'd almost be the "runt of the litter" as a Wyatt. His aggression would fit in perfectly.

I see this as being the best way to get Steen over in WWE. Coming in by himself, I have a hard time believing Vince is going to give him much to work with. Or I guess I should say: the TV time that is needed to get himself over.

 

[Soulblazed]

I'd book Kevin Steen as a tweener who wants to bring Canadian-style wrestling back. He could occasionally be paired up with Nattie and Tyson Kidd because I could see them having chemistry together. Steen and Tyson Kidd are both very intense wrestlers, as is Nattie when she's actually given more than 5 minutes to wrestle.

Now here's something everyone has to keep in mind-Kevin Steen will most likely have to use a new finisher because I seriously doubt WWE would ever allow Steen's Package Piledriver. With that being said, I think that a good alternate finisher for Steen could be the Crippler Crossface since that's already one of his other finishers.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

I'd book Kevin Steen as a tweener who wants to bring Canadian-style wrestling back. He could occasionally be paired up with Nattie and Tyson Kidd because I could see them having chemistry together. Steen and Tyson Kidd are both very intense wrestlers, as is Nattie when she's actually given more than 5 minutes to wrestle.

Now here's something everyone has to keep in mind-Kevin Steen will most likely have to use a new finisher because I seriously doubt WWE would ever allow Steen's Package Piledriver. With that being said, I think that a good alternate finisher for Steen could be the Crippler Crossface since that's already one of his other finishers.

The Canada thing hasn't been done in a while. Good idea. I'd actually have him (if Jericho is still around) feud with Jericho. Tell him Jericho has gone soft and that he's a shell of his former self, a disgrace to Canada, etc.

 

[Soulblazed]

The Canada thing hasn't been done in a while. Good idea. I'd actually have him (if Jericho is still around) feud with Jericho. Tell him Jericho has gone soft and that he's a shell of his former self, a disgrace to Canada, etc.

That's something that could actually work! I've been waiting a long time for Jericho to get into a truly challenging feud against someone long-established in other companies but new to the WWE whose name isn't Fandango. Say Steen actually does end up feuding with Jericho the way you suggested. Steen could also do this to Jericho-Steen interrupts a Jericho promo on Raw, comes sauntering through the crowd and gets into the ring with Chris Jericho's birth certificate. Steen grabs one of the videocameras out of the hands of one of the cameramen, zooms in on the paper and says "Look! Jericho was born in Manhasset, New York! You're a complete fraud, Chris!" From there they'd brawl into the crowd and the feud could possibly lead to a best of 3 series of matches, possibly culminating in a submission match with Steen's Crippler Crossface going against Jericho's Liontamer.

 

[MoxleyCrue]

Uh... I know not everyone sees things the same, but Kevin Steen looks anything but a blue-collar, everyday hero. He's rugged, he's a bit on the bigger side, but you're right, he's a great wrestler. His character sort of reminds me of CM Punk. Now, the "Kill Steen Kill" and middle finger to his opponents shtick will definitely be kicked aside, but I'd book him as someone who wants to bring "wrestling" back. WWE doesn't identify with wrestling anymore, even though they're a wrestling entertainment company, but it's not like they blur out the word "wrestling" anytime someone says it. Steen doing anything but being rebellious and anti-authority would seem odd, to me at least, considering his look and style.

His WWE career should be nice... but where the hell is Jimmy Jacobs?

I think that angle works, but not for Steen. Down the road I would like to see an 'indy' stable of Cesaro, Rollins, and Bryan who are on a crusade to bring back wrestling. It will never happen though.

 

[MoxleyCrue]

You can't do what he does in the ring. His intensity and psychology will get him over.

You book him with someone who will bring eyeballs to him and let him get himself over like everyone else has to. Or, as a former ROH fan, team him with Zayne.

Book him against Zayn. Watch their ladder match series from 2011 and you can see how easily the guy can get over based on his wrestling ability.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Book him against Zayn. Watch their ladder match series from 2011 and you can see how easily the guy can get over based on his wrestling ability.

That ladder match works not because of just the match, but because of the emotion behind it. It's not simply that they had a good match. That was a great story.

That's why you book Steen against someone who will bring more eyeballs to him. Get him over, get him settled, then you can branch out. Otherwise, booking two relative unknowns? No.

 

[bko]

I would put him in a Tag Team with Mark Henry and call them "Ebony and Ivory" ever that or "Vanilla and Chocolate" and since WWE love changing names I would call him "White Chocolate". They could come down to the ring holding hand and make out post-match. I think it would do wonders for WWE's anti bullying campaign and promote equal right among straights and gays.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

The guy has Wyatt Family written all over him in my opinion. Him being on the short side, & also a bit chubby wouldn't matter as part of the Wyatt's. He'd almost be the "runt of the litter" as a Wyatt. His aggression would fit in perfectly.

I see this as being the best way to get Steen over in WWE. Coming in by himself, I have a hard time believing Vince is going to give him much to work with. Or I guess I should say: the TV time that is needed to get himself over.

Adding him to the Wyatt Family is the first thing that came to mind. Seen would definitely have the right look to be a member of the stable, and apart from growing out his beard a bit he'd fit right in with them. Plus, his brawling style would go well. and his high flying would add another element to the office of the group. I do think it's unlikely there will bre any more Wyatt's added, espacially if they remain face.

But, the worry for me is that Steen will find opportunities limited because orf his size and weight. We all know Vince's preference is for the hugely ripped wrestlers, and you do see below-average performers given more changes/time to impress than the more regular-sized performers although admittedly this seems to be getting less frequent as time goes on.

I fully expect WWE to insist Kevin Steen attempts to lose some weight and tone up, but its a good sign that he has even been given a deal and several years ago that would never have happened due to the way he looks. I jus hope WWE don't hold his look against him and fire him if he can't look jacked within a few months. Steen is very talented and if he gets a fair opportunity in WWE he'll be alright.