Is Their Any Loyalty In WWE?

[Y 2 Jake]

I just read somebody say that Funaki needs a push as he's loyal to WWE. But how so? He's a WWE jobber, he wrestles on WWE TV infrequently. Surely staying with WWE is in his best intrest. He makes money for doing almost nothing. When he does wrestle it's for less than 5 minutes. It's not a matter of him staying with WWE so TNA can't get him and push him to the moon. He stays there because nobody else would want him.

I somebody like Cena loyal to WWE? He might be. But if TNA or a better promotion offered him more money for less work would he take it? He's certainly overworked in WWE. I'm sure he's appreciated but he's had two serious injuries in two years.

Were HBK & The Undertaker loyal to WWF in the 90's, or did they just stay because Hickenbottom & Calloway would make terrible Outsiders?

 

[Dead Kennedy]

Loyalty's a fickle thing. The only one who can really be sure of one's loyalties is oneself. Not even Vince McMahon himself knows if Cena is 100% loyal to WWE or if he would stay with WWE even if another promotion offered him more money for less work.

There are of course some guys on the roster who manage to stay on simply because nobody else will hire them like Holly and Funaki but both of those guys and their "contemporaries" seem quite loyal to WWE. That's one a way to ensure "loyalty"...if a bit forced and wicked.

Complete loyalty is a rarity in any manner of business I guess. As long as there's a better job offer, most people will probably take it. That's why it's so important to treat your employees well and give them the pay and rewards they're due. You never know when a disgruntled employee could turn on you and join the other company.

 

[OIL]

Is there any loyalty?

Well, no.

I won't rule it out completly, but I honestly doubt anyone is loyal to the WWE. Mainly because if another company became huge and offered them more money for a lighter schedule, many wrestlers would jump on the chance because it's better working conditions for them and better for their family.

I said I won't rule it out completly, because I believe there are a few select wrestlers within the WWE who would stay loyal to Vince. These consist of Undertaker, HHH, HBK, John Cena, Austin (Sporadically appearing but still) and that's about all I can think of. They'd stay loyal in my opinion because they're all thankful to Vince for what he's done for them, and because the WWE is THE biggest stage in wrestling in which for them to perform. To be the best they need to prove themselves in the biggest companies, which is why some select wrestlers would be loyal to the WWE.

 

[HBK-aholic]

Loyalty shouldn't come into it too much. I mean, should Shawn Michaels be WWE champion because he's never left the company for another? Of course not. Should Hogan not get anything because he was in WCW? No. While never changing to another company shows you love the company, it doesn't show much more. And it has nothing to do with how much skill you possess as a wrestler.

 

[Miko]

I am willing to bet that the only reason Funaki is loyal to the WWE is because he gets paid more money to job there then he would to be successful in a smaller promotion.

I very much doubt that many employees are loyal to the WWE, whether it be Vince McMahon being an evil bastard and making you work through injuries etc. or it be the rumoured backstage politics from guys like HHH and HBK. If the stories are true then there is more than enough good reason's to jump ship.

I think that there are certain people who are loyal to the WWE, guys like The Undertaker who is close to the end of his career and is in the kind of position you want to be in backstage, has lots of respect and a lot of clout as well.
HHH who lets face it while he is good he wouldnt be as successful as he is without the WWE, he'd still have a great career behind him but it wouldnt be quite like the career he has, not to mention the influence he has backstage. HBK for pretty much the same reason as HHH.

Aside from those three I couldnt see why anyone else in the company would remain, Cena strikes me as the loyal type who would hang around but guys like Orton would jump ship in a heartbeat for better money and a lighter schedule. Not to mention Orton's apparent hatred for some of the older wrestlers hogging the spotlight. I think if another company were to rise much like WCW did it would be like the 90's all over again with the top talent jumping ship.

 

[Rusty]

Yes I actually do believe there is loyalty in the WWE. Funaki may not be the best example, but anyone that can accept being a jobber with hardly any appearances deserves respect. Funaki could do a Carlito and complain to Vince that he needs to be booked stronger, but he doesn't. He accepts the fact that he is payed to put others over. He could certainly leave to go to TNA for possibly a better role, but he hasn't. He is loyal in my opinion.

John Cena is of course another example. I don't care what anyone says, but I don't think Cena would ever go to TNA no matter how much they offered him. He has said many times before that working for the WWE has been a lifelong dream of his. He loves the busy schedule and copes with it very well. He has made his own rap album and has acted in 2 movies, yet he still says that nothing beats working for the WWE. That's loyalty.

Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Undertaker are all veterans that have been loyal to the WWE for over 10 years. Sure they have power backstage which means that they are in a good position with the company, but I can't see one of them in TNA anyway. Loyalty is important. Look at Kurt Angle in 2006, he was released due to injuries but then signed with TNA months later for the money they offered him. Sure, most wrestlers will choose money over anything, but the loyal ones don't care much about the money.

Loyalty doesn't affect a wrestlers ability. It isn't really important to us fans, but it's important to the WWE. I think a guy like Matt Hardy is loyal and earns his accomplishments by being a hard worker. Thats loyalty. If you don't like your position with the company, you either don't try hard enough, or are just in the company for the weekly paycheck. And thats not being loyal.

 

[SilentMassacre]

I can't see Cena leaving for TNA, or any other promotion.. EVER. Nor can I see HHH, HBK, or the Deadman leaving.. if not because it's almost guaranteed they're loyal to the company, it's because of all the power they have backstage.. plus Trips is married to Stephanie McMahon

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Were HBK & The Undertaker loyal to WWF in the 90's, or did they just stay because Hickenbottom & Calloway would make terrible Outsiders?

Why would HBK leave the WWE when he had so much stroke back stage in those days? He was cemented within the top 3 guys in those days along with Bret and Taker. Why leave a company where you and you're close friends are manipulating the day to day goings on, especially where the rival comapny has 20 odd guys already there doing the same thing and it being a clusterfuck of guys screaming to be in the spotlight?

As for Taker, he left WCW after never being used at all and that was before Hogan and everyone else came along to feed their egos, and within 12 months of working for Vince he was the champ and totally over. Why would he jump ship from a company that is clearly loyal to him?

As for other talent leaving it's hard to say. I believe Kurt Angle left WWE because he didn't want to be a shark in a bucket of water (ie being moved to ECW) and wasn't happy about not being the champion. Booker T left after getting pissy about his suspension and losing to HHH. Christian however left because maybe after 10 years he felt he was never going to escapt the mid-card (although he probably would have).

Loyalty is down to the person in the end, but when it comes to business, loyalty is irrelevant really. You have to do what's best for you and you're business. If Kurt genuinely wasn't happy about the work schedule in WWE then TNA was the smart choice for him to make. I personally don't believe that was the only reason.

As for guys like Funaki and Noble and Holly. As said before, where else are they going to go at their ages? Nowhere, that's where, so why leave a stable job with guys you know and love?

 

[Fizzy]

It's tough to decide. Nobody can say they wouldn't go to a place that offered more money for less work because if they said no they would be lieing. Honestly though I can think of maybe 3 wrestlers who are really linked to WWE and wouldn't leave it. The jobber theory is just plain stupid considering no one knows if their really loyal. They get paid for going in the ring for 5 minutes once a month. No one can really ask for better then that, so you really can't say their loyal to the business. So to sum it up I 100% disagree that jobbers should be pushed cause their loyal when we really don't know if they aren't or not.

 

[JESUS iS JERICHO]

Loyalty? ehh..

I'm not so sure...To me it seems like the more merch you sell and the mroe you whine and complain backstage betters your chances of being high up in the WWE..I mean look at these superst...err I mean "Entertainers" for example:

John Cena - Sells a CRAP load of merch and is over huge with the young demographic WWE is currently catering to

Batista - From what I've heard he's a complete hot head and egotistical freak backstage...with rumors of threatening to leave the company or retire if he's not in the title picture..

Jeff Hardy - Ok..now I used to really admire Jeff..I respect him but I could honestly care less anymore...once again MERCH SALES..He has already been into trouble with the Wellness Policy and since he's been back he already has two strikes agane...Even with his bad habits its almost as if WWE will push him to title opps. regardless of his bad rep...due to his merch sales he seems to get great oppurtunitys

Well I guess that's kind of a typical comment...but hey that's the way I see things so to me it seems its all about how over you are and how much merch you sell rather than pure ability..

 

[Harthan]

There's three guys who would not jump ship under any circumstance, I think, and two of them are too old and too rooted in their gimmick to change and one is married to the company. Clearly, this would be HBK, Undertaker, and Triple H.

Everyone else would probably leave offered enough money. Any day. The problem? No one else can match WWE's money. WWE could probably top anything TNA could make by 10 times. It's just that some people are have principles and won't "sell out" to WWE. Or some get fed up with WWE, not getting a push or they don't like backstage. Hence, your Kurt Angles and Christian Cage's of the wrestling world.

John Cena would jump, but who could pay for John Cena? Who could top what WWE pays him? TNA can't. Who else is on TV? No one. Nobody's gonna buy this guy out, so he's "loyal" to the WWE in that sense, I guess.

There's probably some guys who wouldn't go to TNA or elsewhere. I haven't talked to them, I don't have any idea. I can rationally assume the above three wouldn't. John Cena could be loyal to WWE in heart, maybe he's not all about his contract. I'm illustrating an example there.

I assume the majority of people would jump somewhere else given money or other incentives, and that's why you got all the jumping from ECW to WCW or WWE, and between WWE and WCW. Nowadays, no one can top WWE, so you either get pissed off and leave or stay.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

I really don't think many wrestlers have loyalty. If the money was right in any situation most guys would jump ship. When talking about loyalty as staying with a certain company than no I don't believe it really exsits. People say Funkai & Val Venis are so loyal to the WWE and have been employed with the for so long that they deserve a push. The thing is no other company would want thoes two and they are getting paid alot of money regardless if they get pushed.

Guys like HBK & Undertaker are seen as loyal because they didn't jump back in the day, but I think half of the reasons why they didn't jump is because WWE were paying them good and they were in good position with the company. There was no guarantee that they would suceed and go on to have fufilling careers in WCW(Bret Hart). So yeah maybe Cena would be loyal but until another company offers him the same paycheck, and movies, and the fame we will never know.

 

[Mexican Geek]

It's pretty clear that loyalty means little to nothing in the wrestling business. Money is king, and always will be. Also, with a guy like Vince, a wrestler could never know what would be next on his career. what happened to Bret Hart for me is the clearest example.

The guy was a huge main eventer and Vince didn't treat him like hims deserved. Bret stated that he wanted to stay in the WWE because he had his family alongside, good money, some friends who supported him and the biggest showcase in the form of the biggest company, the WWE.

What happened after that, shows us that loyalty is not the top priority, even for the biggest stars. What happened to The Rock? i think he said one time that he would never leave the business or something like that. He's long gone (and I don't blame him, he's making BIG, BIG money in Hollywood) same thing could happen to Cena, no matter how loyal he says he is.