How would you introduce NXT Developmental wrestlers to Raw or Smackdown? - Part 1

[DJS92491]

WWE seems to be having a bit of a hard time doing it, so let's give them a hand!

How would you introduce the following developmental Superstars to Raw or SD:

1. Kassius Ohno

2. Richie Steamboat

3. Paige

4. Leakee

5. Big E. Langston

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Side Note: Even if you believe they're not ready yet, this thread isn't about that. Give it your best shot regardless!

 

[DJS92491]

I'll keep it short and sweet with my opinions.

1. Kassius Ohno - Smackdown - KO's jobbers will his elbow to get over. You could legitimize it to be more like Big Show's WMD, and less like Santino's Cobra.

2. Richie Steamboat - Smackdown - His moveset doesn't deviate from being like his dad's, so you could perhaps air a several vignettes of his likeness to his hall of fame father. You can even have his dad accompany him to the ring. Then, to spice it up a bit if he gets over, have him turn on his father and say that unlike him, he will become a WWE Champion. His biggest ceiling is as a tag team wrestler, but that's all I got for him.

3. Paige - Raw - Vignettes of her Anti-Diva image, pretty much take Kharma's place in a less aggressive way (I miss Kharma), have her go over Kelly Kelly who fits the barbie doll image Paige is against, eventually put the Divas title on her in one of Raw's two minute Divas matches, and have her call it the Anti-Divas Championship just for kicks. She's attractive enough to get over, and plus the fact that she's British can give her the international following that WWE loves so much.

4. Leakee - Smackdown - Just introduce him one night, just another Samoan lineage, and perhaps make Vickie his mouthpiece. He has the look that WWE loves, so he's the type that WWE will bring up to just see if he sticks.

5. Big E. Langston - Raw - Vignettes that show off his strength, stress the fact that he works out with Cena in said vignettes (lol), and perhaps start him off as the muscle of a tag team. WWE likes color coding for some reason, and Kofi/R-Truth probably won't last forever, so sticking him with them would probably be a good idea. That, or if Mark Henry wants to make one last go of it, then create "The World's Strongest Tag Team".


That's my take on it, folks.

 

[BigThunder]

Paige is the only one of these I'd debut ASAP, and she'd be the vqlet of the Ascension when they debut on Smackdown. After a few months, I'd have her snap and go after Kelly Kelly, since she seems to be Paige's thematic opposite. Or conversely, have Paige as a face, Kelly's emo best friend, and play them semi-comedically as a contrast in personality, with Paige as the Daria of WWE.

The other possibility: bring her on as Taker and Kane's half-sister and have her do a stalking Kane angle before the secret comes out.

Richie is probably almost ready. For his debut, I'd probably have a special ceremony for Ricky Steamboat where he gets honored for a lifetime achievement, only to be jumped by a mid-carder. Richie then makes the save for his dad, and instant feud.

I like the idea of Mark Henry taking Big E. under his wing, but I don't think he looks ready. I know Chris Hero's credentials, but his Ohno persona has really fallen flat for me. Ascension is almost ready, as is Kruger. Rollins needs a ton of work on the mike, otherwise he'll be John Morrison II with a lamer finisher, but if he gets better in that area, he could rise to the top fast.

 

[The Great King]

1. Kassius Ohno- Cesaro beats Santino for the US title, he holds on to the title for a couple of months and after a while he claims he dominated the singles division and now looks to dominate the tag team division and brings in Ohno.

2. Richie Steamboat- Series of vignettes, he says that he is going to do what his father never did and win a world title.

3. Paige- DJS92491 idea is better than anything I could come up with.

4. Leakee- Can't really think of anything right now.

5. Big E. Langston- Have Mark Henry manage him and have him say he found a new person to put people into the Hall of Pain.

 

[The Scarred One]

Kassius Ohno - I'd have him come in and take out a couple of jobbers before moving onto a big fish. Someone like Rey Mysterio as he's always good at getting a heel over. I'd also would like to see him go after the Intercontinental Championship somewhere down the road, since his buddy Antonio Cesaro has the United States Championship.

Richie Steamboat - I think having his dad introduce him would be the best way to bring him in. But then have him turn heel due to the constant reminders of his lineage and the pressure of living up to it. He could come across as being someone who says "I'm not my father, I'm my own man." It would also point out how his father was too much of a nice guy to ever win the big one in WWE, so he's going to be ruthless and accomplish what his old man could not.

Paige - I agree with others on this thread that having her feud with Kelly Kelly would be the best way to bring her in. Paige and Kelly are pretty much polar opposites. Kelly is the hot blonde girl next door while Paige is the emo with a chip on her shoulder. There can also be the fact that Paige comes from a wrestling family while Kelly is just a bikini model who was fortunate to get signed.

Leakee - I think having him debut as a client of Vickie Guerrero would be best for someone like him. I haven't thought much of him to really think of anything better.

Big E Langston - I also agree that having Mark Henry taking him on as an apprentice so to speak is a good way to bring him in. When Henry does finally retire, he can name Langston as his successor.

 

[yellowdog22]

1. Kassius Ohno - This may seem beneath Ohno but I think it could be rather funny and a little old school. Kassius to me seems like he's got that metal'ish personality to him and almost would look like he'd fit in at a rock concert. I had kind of a goofy idea about Heath Slater getting a groupie and a roadie. Put Kassius in that spot for a little bit and have him beat up whoever Heath is fighting and Heath keeps acting like he's the biggest thing in the world. Then finally pull that same angle that Shawn played w/ Sid and have him give him the night off/Kassius says nobody gives me the night off and beats up Slater taking the groupie of Heath Slater w/ him. Plus the fans should be behind once he sends Slater packing.

2. Richie Steamboat - I don't mind the pairing of Steamboat with his father. I could definitely see him pulling more of a Chris Adams angle from WCCW where he starts out as a fan favorite, but maybe he wins a title very early on and gets a girls interest. He starts living life like a star and he can do an angle with his father where he starts believing in the nightlife/the women/the cars, etc. and talk about how when he was growing up he always respected RIC FLAIR more than his father. Something like that... but that seems more like an angle that a "WRESTLING COMPANY" would run.

3. Paige - I'd definitely like to see her paired up with Drew McIntyre. Possibly a revitalization of his career and maybe even let him feud with The Miz. Maybe have Miz/Layla start to have a bit of a connection on screen and do some mixed tag matches there. Miz is playing that tweener role and in this feud he could play the face to McIntyre's cocky heel and maybe even have McIntyre talk about how in his country that he's been releasing movies left and right and have fake promos for movies. Just have a bit of fun with it and let Miz elevate but eventually defeat McIntyre in the feud.

OR

Paige/McIntyre vs. Kidd/Natayla (though I think Natty really needs to get on a "BRATTY" Natty (bringing in the BRATITUDE era)

4. Leakee - I'm a big fan of 6 Man Tag Team matches and having him brought in by the Uso's makes a lot of sense between of the Samoan Connection. I could see them feuding with Hawkins/Reks and maybe a returning Trent Barretta? Would of been perfect for The Prime Time Players w/ Abraham Washington vs. them as well.

5. Big E. Langston - There's a gimmick that I thought of for Bobby Lashley that I could see putting on this guy. The OMA - The One Man Army and he could talk about his arms being the 21 Guns and signal the 21 Gun Salute prior to delivering his finisher. Maybe have Tensai come out and talk about how Americans like the discipline of the Japanese culture and how they don't know anything about structure or order... Tensai says, "Who else can give an order and have people follow it." (SGT. Slaughter's music hits, Sgt. Slaughter gets beat up and SGT. says he has to make a call and THE OMA will debut alongside of him.) Maybe get some Tensai/Sakamoto vs. OMA/Sgt. Slaughter matches.