Kozlov: One Streak to Another?

[TheOneBigWill]

In roughly a year, from April 4th, 2008 to March 2nd, 2009.. Vladimir Kozlov went undefeated. In the span of 1 week, from March 2nd, 2009 to March 9th, 2009.. he's lost (technically) 3 matches, and been made to look extremely weak.

Is this a sign that Kozlov's days within the company are coming to an end? Is this also a sign pointing to how undefeated streaks are more hurtful than helping?

Kozlov dominated Shawn Michaels in his Raw match a week ago, literally destroying the Show-stopper.. only to be caught with an elbow drop, and a Superkick and his streak was over. That following Friday, he apparently lost to the Undertaker, once again without cause. And finally, on Tuesday night's E.C.W (taped on Monday) he was eliminated with ease, by the Great Khali, in the battle royal, without even so much as a statement made by the Russian destroyer.

So I have to ask, in almost One solid year, Kozlov went from destroying jobbers and no names, to trying to build himself up against relatively bigger names, only to finally lose.. and now he's reversing his streak, and instead of winning, he's constantly losing. Is this a sign of things to come? Will he be jobbed all the time now? Or will he end up released?

What is your opinions on this situation? What do you believe will be next for Vladimir Kozlov, now that he's streak isn't only gone, but destroyed in the span of 1 week?!

Please add opinions and detail your thoughts. Make sure to explain why you think the way you do. Thank You.

 

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

I think they've finally woken up and realized that Kozlov, simply put, sucks. He doesn't have the talent to be someone that could headline the company or anything. Beating jobbers isn't fun or entertaining anyway (unless you're Umaga, in which case, that guy seems to always make decimating opponents funny to watch lol) so they really had nothing to stand on. Mic skills are lacking, talent is lacking, no entertaining push....where's that lead? Nowhere.

I think and hope they've given up on him and he'll be released within the next few months. What they should do in my opinion is draft him over to ECW or Raw (just to seem like its a "big draft" or something), not have him show up a whole lot, and put him in a program who needs a push. Someone like Kennedy when he returns. Have that guy soundly defeat Kozlov, so he looks good, as Kozlov still has a little bit of steam left in his character that can be transferred to someone else. But the more people that beat someone, the less it means, so after that person, you need to do a basic "sorting algorithm of pushes". By that, I mean you need to have the next highest up person beat Kozlov so they get rub, then the one who is the immediate spot lower do the same, then the next immediate spot lower than that guy beats Kozlov, and so forth, until you reach that breaking point where the only people left are on the Funaki scale for the WWE Hierarchy. When that comes around, Kozlov has lost all of his worth completely, and you can release him.

As it stands right now, think of Kozlov as a candle that has a very dim light and is waiting to be extinguished. He doesn't have much time left where he can burn, so before the wick falls off and you run out of a purpose for him, start using those embers to light up other candles and get them on fire. Sacrifice the no-talent Russian to give a little lift to your people like R-Truth (ugh, hate him too lol) who have a better chance.

 

[jazwaz1]

They've just simply realized he sucks. At first, you see the guy... you think, oooh... a bad ass Russian. He's got a size factor over others, which we know Vince loves. But when you have size, in today's WWE you're certianly going to need some talent. During the midst of his undefeated streak push you could see the guy just... sucked. He would not perform moves correctly, I mean BOTCHING a snake eyes?! Twice in one match, might I add. And if you watched him take moves, chances are... he took them quite awkwardly. Over time, they've just realize all his suckiness in the ring is not worth for him to have an undefeated streak. Had he had some lick of talent, I guarantee ya... he wouldn't be losing so much now.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

Over the past several years, it has been shown that undefeated streaks are not always a good thing. There have been many wrestlers who at one point had undefeated streaks and then get released shortly after. I'm not too sure, but wasn't Heidenreich undefeated for a little bit? After his first loss, he continued to lose, until we was left on TV for a while before because a face, then released. Eugene was undefeated for his first 4 months, but after his first loss, his win/lose record was not relevent. Bobby Lashley was one of the few people that losing his undefeated streak didn't hurt him much in the long run. Mr. Kennedy was undefeated until losing two matches in a row, against Eddie Guerrero by DQ (last match) and Matt Hardy, a match that he got injured in and didn't return for 7 months.

So, I really think that WWE should really think before they give someone an undefeated streak that will not benefit them in their future WWE career. Vladimir Kozlov, though he might not be the best asset to WWE, he can (or probably does) help WWE gain more money in their international markets. I think that those 3 losses won't hurt him much due to the fact that all 3 losses deserved to be won by his opponent. HBK had to beat Kozlov to face Undertaker at Wrestlemania, to make WWE more money and more buys. The battle royal on ECW, had only a 1-in-25 chance of everyone winning and since he just recently won a battle royal to be in the Elimination Chamber match at No Way Out, and plus Christian really deserved it. Finally, if Undertaker lost to Vladimir Kozlov twice, this close to Wrestlemania, he would lose all momentum and would have absolutely none going in to his match against Shawn Michaels, besides the obviously momentum of the streak itself.

I'm sure that Kozlov will go back to his winning ways soon. He'll probably just put more people over for a bit and then his push will contine and then we'll see what happens after that. A face turn wouldn't be completely out of the question (with a manager).

 

[truk24]

He is actually does bring some solid ring work to the table for a man his size. His presecence is gold, and who cares if he isn't going to be the next HBK, or HHH. What foreign personality (other than Iron Shiek, or some British personality) ever been great? When the WWE decides to take someone who is obvisouly foreign most of the time the gimmick is stale within a month for me.

The foreign personalities that are memorable because they reached the likes of Hogan, or Austin. It was merely their gimmick, or physical look that made them memorable. Look at Yokozuna, and Ludvig Borga. Perhaps even Nikolai Volkoff could be proof as well. These weren't great entertainers or wrestlers, but just solid personalities of the gimmick they had. Which again usually had something to do with their ethinic background. Even if you weren't what they told you to be, you were asked to be that gimmick because he or she may have looked Japanese, or mid eastern. This happened with Yokozuna. He was Samoan, and not Japanese.

Kozlov really never had a chance. The only thing I think the WWE could do at this point is to just use him in as a creative way as they can. For example, maybe Jericho has some old Russian Wrestling Legend come out so that he can do his thing. This time Jericho goes out of his to pay off Kozlov to come out, and attack his guest. If you look at how he lost his matches it wasn't his fault. Neither of those stars were willing to make their wins look weak. If they were real workers they would have done this no problem.

HBK could have won still, but in a manner that would leave fans wondering if. If, someone wouldn't have come down and distracted Vladmir. Even during the Taker match. Neither of these two old vets really wanted to put him over. Why should they? In all reality they don't, but they should have. They don't lose anything by winning, and even if they win with doubt who cares? Barely winning a match should have been prominent in their matches against Kozlov. Instead Kozlov wasnt' booked like this, and so now he looks rather weak.

Do you think he would have been in a position like this had his matches against Taker/HBK appeared as though he should have won? It happens to "face" wrestlers all the time. They lose to the heel, possibly because of outside interference. Why not in this situation? No, Vladmir isn't a "face", but the point here is not that he wins. Instead it is that he still looks like a threat no matter what. Having a match booked against HBK/Taker with him only losing due to outside interference wouldn't have taken so much "edge" off of him.

Honestly I think Kozlov should come out, and ruin the match against Taker/HBK. What I mean by ruin is exactly what most of you don't want to happen. That would be the match ending in the most bizarre way of all time. Kozlov should come down late in the match, possibly at a time when the ref is in the ring, and the Deadman/Taker are outside brawling. Kozlov comes in, and lays out the ref with a vicious release German suplex. Both Taker, and HBK stop fighting. Kozlov calls them both in the ring.

Both men come in the ring and charge at Vladmir. He dodges both men, and hits them both with a double clothesline. That way there isn't a call in one wrestlers favor over the other. Kozlov should destroy both men in the ring, and leave them in a bloody mess. It makes sense because both of these men would be so tired at the end of their match it would be tough to stop this Russian Bull. Kozlov standing over both men in victory he goes to the ring, and grabs some Vodka. He pours it all over them, and then turns to the entrance, and out comes Jericho.

Jericho says that Taker, and HBK are exactly what he has been bitching about the last few months. This ofcourse would be the same night in which Jericho wins against what ever "Legend" he faces that night. Ultimatley using Kozlov to make a statement. On top of that receiving huge heat for ruining WM 25, as this match will likely be match of the year. It would work well for Jericho, and Kozlov. Solid way to mesh to different heel characters, their stoyrylines, and feuds all in one. What do you all think?

 

[Mr. TM]

I have to agtree with you one your main point. Streaks are pointless for the most part. Because if you have one guy that is perfect, than one single loss will make him look like a joke. Streaks are used to build a guy up in a short amount of time, and they hardly ever work. Umage had a streak, now he is a joke. Khali was unstoppable, now he is nothing. Man have come and gone, bot none will live up to a wrestler who has put in the wins with losses that create your character. I will use Goldberg as a refernce. WCW created this beat, who had put up an amazing streak, just to lose one match against Nash and look more like a joke. Fans looked at that lose, and realized that the monster could be stopped, even if the lose was by other means.

Bret Hart, Triple H, Stone Cold, The Rock. They all lost when they started. But they were able to get back on the saddle, and keep up a 75% winning record or so, and move to the top. Then fans can look at those losses and see that the man is able to come back. People that have streaks do not have that option. They lose, and they lose all of their momentum.

 

[eXtremely-Priceless2K9]

I personally HATE him he has NO mic skills NO tech talent NO Safety level and NO selling ability.
While I hope this losing streak continues its only 3 loses so far so you know maybe he has very little hope, if he ever gets inducted I will personally be responsible for the death of who put the idea in mcmahons head.

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

Im glad Kozlov is on a losing streak, his matches are boring, he is terrible in the ring and i dont even know why he's still in the main event...in the WWE at that

 

[Mjolnir]

I am not sure that this is really a losing streak. Koslov has "lost", if you will in the Elimination Chamber, tag team matches, etc., and IMO a battle royal is no different. There is a difference between winning and not losing. There is a constant need in wrestling to make all the guys look strong in some way or another, wrestlers win and lose. No one said that the Undertaker was ready to become a jobber and get sold down the river when Koslov beat him clean a couple of weeks ago.

The only reason that he lost to HBK and Taker in the last week or so is simply to give them both a big boost towards Wrestlemania. What better way to set up the match of the year then to have them both win over a previously unbeatable monster.

P.S. Occasional botches aside, I actually like Koslov (although this may just be a remnant of his original interviews where he claimed that he couldn't wait to come to Double Double E!).

 

[hArdyPUNKmArk]

Kozlov will still have a while to prove himself a bit more. Maybe not in the main event scene anymore, will probably be dropped to the midcard section. Could go after one of the midcard belts, or even the ECW belt if he gets drafted there.

He'll still have something to do, if he doesnt succeed in the mid card though, WWE will wish him well.

 

[Rusty]

This is a classic example of why no talent should ever be pushed too fast and too soon. It's something that I've firmly believed in for many years now.

Vladimir Kozlov didn't have a special debut. He beat jobbers for months in boring matches. Hell, at the House Show that I attended last year, Kozlov beat Funaki at a fricken House Show. I haven't been a huge fan of him thus far, but he does have some potential. He shouldn't be anywhere near the WWE Championship at this stage of his career. He would make a great United States Champion, but at the moment he hasn't shown enough on why he would make a great World Champion. He isn't ready yet.

I hope Kozlov doesn't go on a massive losing streak like MVP did. He needs some credibility, so have him feud with the mid-carders such as Mr Kennedy, MVP and R-Truth. He could make a terrific US Champion at this point, since Shelton really needs to drop the Title now because he's had a truly horrible reign as champion. But Kozlov shouldn't be wrestling the Undertaker and Triple H right now. I know Smackdown is in need of heel main eventers, but isn't that what Edge and the Big Show are for?

I doubt he will get fired, but I mean, what else can he possibly do in the main event? And winning a World Title is simply not an option at this stage of his career. Dominating heels with undefeated streaks always start off very well, right until they lose their first match. In all honesty, heels have a better chance of succeeding when they actually lose matches. That way, they look just like any other superstar, instead of some supernatural being where they can beat anybody, no matter how long their opponent has been in the business. I doubt Kozlov will go on a losing streak, but if he does, then I'll wish him well on his future endeavers.

 

[jimrosslovesskittles]

Im going to say it.

I love Kozlov. I think he has great agression and he IS skilled wrestler. If he did had mic skills it would not suit him one bit. He has been pushed too fast and probably will be released but I think he is outstanding and is still main event quality.

 

[Shaunzeee]

I feel for Kozlov i really do. I cant stand watching him and cant stand him being in main events but he was just filling time til Wrestlemania n now after months of regular PPV slots he isnt even on the card. We all knew it was gonna happen he will just rot in the mid-card now til he's released... similar to Khali, Heidenreich, Snitsky etc etc

 

[kenvin100]

Kozlov does have potential, but again his gimmick is just awful..for the love of god give this man more than 4 moves..let him talk properly on the mic (I checked his resume on wiki, and he has performed in plays, so he might have hidden mic talent)

Its funny how in 2 weeks, he has spiraled and fallen off the mountain, yea hes losing to the top faces but it just shows u how old some gimmmicks can get..In fact, this reminded me of "The Brian Kendrick"..same formula every single week...he wins and gets his boy to do something...