Morrison: Tweener - Is it time?

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

(Move accordingly if you think so, mods, and the standard "blah blah blah" I always write first.)

I've been debating about posting this topic for a few weeks now, ever since the first live Dirt Sheet. But now, I just read this report:

Prowrestling.net is reporting that some people in WWE feel John Morrison doesn't know hot to generate real heat, thus explaining why he hasn't received a huge push in the company. A few have criticized him for acting "too goofy" with his character and going more for laughs than boos.

The fans do like Morrison and Miz, but Miz is the only one that seems to actually get booed as a heel. Morrison seems to get either no reaction, cheered, or people laugh at the jokes he makes. Clearly, he's very talented in the ring. But is it time for him to turn face or, better yet in my opinion, can he turn tweener?

Morrison's current gimmick is along the lines of a cocky guy that makes fun of everyone but isn't a cowardly heel that needs to cheat to win. When he was taking shots at Mark Henry/Chavo, the fans laughed. When they took shots at Finlay/Hardy, they booed, but not nearly as much as they could've. When the fans don't know what to do, it seems like they typically do nothing - you know, the reaction that every single new "talent initiative" wrestler has received during their debut (and sometimes, even afterwards).

So while the WWE is in need of faces in their midcard/upper-midcard/main event, and Morrison seems to be popular enough that the fans are seeing the Dirt Sheet (which, albeit, I'm a fan of Morrison, but the DS has been less and less humorous lately now that they keep doing slapstick comedy and skits), is it time for him to start moving away from a heel role and start becoming more of a tweener, or should they just force him into a feud with someone where he can try to be a manipulative bastard like he used to be against Punk?

 

[Dead Kennedy]

Hmm. Interesting. Yeah, I think it could be about that time that Morrison starts a soft tweener/face turn. Morrison seems like a guy who could play a pretty good face, but of course I don't know that for sure. Morrison, as talented as he is, gets little reaction from the crowd as the "joking" heel character, so maybe an alignment change would do everybody some good.

Morrison has the charisma, look and moveset to go all the way in WWE. But before that gets underway, he needs to start getting some reaction. I can't really remember that well, but I do think he got pretty good heat when he first won the ECW Championship and played the spaced-out poetry reading bad guy. As his team with Miz and Morrison started, he became more of a joker guy. Those kind of gimmicks rarely get over, especially when you're a heel and moreso with a guy like Morrison who deserves a better gimmick. I think if WWE are serious about making him a main eventer some day, he needs to change his gimmick - not his look or ring name or anything like that, but just the way he does stuff, a guy in a fur coat doing impressions? It just makes little sense.

Again, I have this sort of feeling that Morrison could do a great job as a face. Sort of the same way I have a feeling (okay, so I know) that Punk would be fantastic as a heel. But exactly how they'd go about turning him...I really don't know.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

Morrison for some reason cannot make people hate him. He doesnt have the charisma/mic skills to pull off enough heat. Melina was always the main heat magnet in MNM and now the Miz is. I think WWE should turn Morrison either face/heel and make him a "surfer" edge like tweener from back in the day. If you put him in a good feud with The Miz then someone like MVP it might work.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Morrison for some reason cannot make people hate him.

That's because he performs high-flying moves 80% of the time, and people enjoy seeing risks. If Morrison quit doing those moves, and took a Steve Corino approach to almost 'banning' any type of aerial movesets.. people would lothe the guy in a heartbeat.

I guarantee you, if Morrison quits with the Dirt Sheet (which is a comic routine at best, which also isn't going to gain you heel heat, as much as comedic laughter) drops the flash and pop, and quits doing moves that make the crowd go "aweeeee YEAH!" he might have a chance to get booed.

He doesnt have the charisma/mic skills to pull off enough heat.

The thing is, and I hate admitting it.. he doesn't have hardly any mic skills at all. And his charisma left him and went to the Women's Division on Raw. He's got 'something' but what that is, I just don't know anymore.

I'm a BIG John Morrison fan, and I'll continue to love watching the guy regardless of who he's with, or what he's doing.. but a year ago he was headed somewhere.. now, he's likely only headed down and out unless something changes.. fast.

Melina was always the main heat magnet in MNM

Melina was what made Morrison famous to begin with.. heel heat or not, she is why people even know OF Morrison to begin with. (most people, anyways) I think they need to be reunited.

and now the Miz is.

Stupid thing is.. Miz isn't getting the correct type of heel heat, he used to get the "I literally can't stand this guy, I'm changing the fucking channel" type of heat.

Now he's somehow come down with Morrison's disease in which fans just don't really know what to do regarding him because he's funny at times, and boring at other.

I think WWE should turn Morrison either face/heel and make him a "surfer" edge like tweener from back in the day.

'Surfer Edge'?? As in, the Edge that was a face during his Rob Zombie entrance music days?? Why would you call that a 'surfer' look?? Because he had blonde hair?!?!

Morrison wouldn't work as a face anymore than he's working as a heel right now. I think people honestly like watching Morrison, but don't WANT to like him. He has the cocky attitude down pat and I think because of that, people just generally don't want to care for him anymore.

I don't exactly know how they could turn him face, and expect any type of different reaction.

If you put him in a good feud with The Miz then someone like MVP it might work.

A feud with Matt Hardy is likely in the books sooner or later, short of Mark Henry rewinning his title back with I can't see happening. (short of assistance from Mr. Free*mouth*bird)

 

[Davi323]

Morrison wouldn't work as a face anymore than he's working as a heel right now. I think people honestly like watching Morrison, but don't WANT to like him.

That pretty much sums up the entire discussion for me. Morrison is caught in the middle, lukewarm. Perhaps it is the ECW effect, I don't know. When he was on RAW, challenging for the IC title, I could hate him. But dammit, on ECW, him and the Miz are too amusing to hate. That right there is the problem. Really, we are supposed to hate Santino Marella as well, but, we end up liking him too, because he amuses us. When I look at Morrison, I don't see Johnny Nitro. Johnny Nitro was perfectly okay for me to hate. John Morrison however, is more a goofy heel, and I tend to like the goofy heels. I know I am not supposed to, I just do.

 

[bigdogg1991]

I agree with Davi323. John Morrison is in between at the moment. However, i still manage to like the guy(although i have always prefered heels). But I believe if WWE want to make him a main eventer, the need to make him do something to shock the world, like what edge did to win the title of cena a few years ago.. To be at the top I believe thet have to turn him heel or face. But then again, he is in a tag team at the moment, so WWE probably doesn't care right now.

 

[Rusty]

I totally agree with NoFate. I can't believe I didn't make a thread on this yet. Anyway, I've been saying it for about a month, Morrison needs to turn face. I also noticed he isn't over as a heel like he should be. John Morrison is very talanted in the ring and he does high flying moves, which only babyfaces usually do. As like someone mentioned earlier, he isn't the heel that makes you boo him, he is the heel that you laugh at and is the type that you want to see wrestle each and every week. So it is partly the WWE Creative team's fault, but it is also Morrison's fault for wrestling a specific style.

But I mean on ECW, who does Morrison face that is mega over as a face? Matt Hardy is way over, but that's about all. Finlay isn't over enough to help Morrison gain heel heat. Wrestling new guys like Evan Bourne and Ricky Ortiz isn't going to get Morrison more heel heat. With Smackdown being loaded with upper mid-carders at the moment, if the WWE really wanted to push him soon I'd suggest he move to Raw. But quite frankly, the whole heel Morrison thing just isn't working out. So once he moves to either of the 2 big brands, I would really love to see the guy turn face. His character and wrestling is just too easy to like. For a heel, that isn't a good thing at all.

Another possible option is getting The Miz way more over as a heel (maybe a feud with Matt Hardy), so then Morrison and Miz can breakup and have a feud with Morrison finally turning face and gaining the fan support. It could work if booked well in my opinion. So in a few months of leadup, I would personally love to see John Morrison turn babyface. When it happens, I hope and think the crowd will really get behind him as I think it could be a huge face turn, if booked correctly and properly of course. The guy has it all to be the next big thing. He is good but not great on the mic, he is always entertaining in the ring and the guy has charisma. The guy has a chance at winning the Money in the Bank ladder match at Wrestlemania to become a World Champion next year. I really hope either Morrison or MVP wins that match.

John Morrison is consistant on a weekly basis and deserves a major push and a face turn. But this time, forget putting him in a tag team or a stable. Let him breakout as a superstar on his own. He is very talented and I can't remember the last John Morrison match that I didn't enjoy. So the guy should turn a tweener in the near future, so he can finally turn face and be the superstar he really should be. The fans will LOVE Morrison, mark my words.

 

[Manjmonkey]

I think morrison would make a good face or tweener but he cant be a heel right now unless he drops the dirt sheet and turns on miz. Right now I like him but he isnt getting anywhere and the reason he doesnt get heel heat is because he jokes around a lot i t hink

 

[Tim]

Morisson needs to turn face. He would probably get over with the fans as a face, he is gold on the mic, he has a good look and he can actually wrestle well. But I don't think he would work well as a face, so why not make him a tweener?

As a tweener, he could wrestle both heels and faces, which opens up more people for him to wrestle. And I reckon a good feud would be the classic splitting of a tag team, one guy turns on the other, and have Morisson feud with the Miz. Morisson could go into the ME and finally get a big push, which IMO he deserves.

 

[The Snake]

Morisson needs to turn face. He would probably get over with the fans as a face, he is gold on the mic, he has a good look and he can actually wrestle well. But I don't think he would work well as a face, so why not make him a tweener?

Please explain this again, he is perfect at everything you need to be a face and would probably get "over with the fans" which is EXACTLY waht he needs to do to be a success, yet you don't think it would work??? Makes no sense whatsoever, if you have all the boxes ticked, why won't it work.

As a tweener, he could wrestle both heels and faces, which opens up more people for him to wrestle.

IMO he is already a tweener (sort of), you would cheer for him if he went vs. Mark Henry but would boo against Matt Hardy, ECW does not have enough people on the roster for him to be an out and out tweener, because there are only 2-3 people in the same quality bracket. Ok, maybe he isn't a tweener per se, but he does not get the reaction of the face or a heel in my eyes, he plays good cop to Miz's bad cop, but because the Miz gets strong reactions, he gets more air time (even Miz has his fans now - Myself being one)

And I reckon a good feud would be the classic splitting of a tag team, one guy turns on the other, and have Morisson feud with the Miz. Morisson could go into the ME and finally get a big push, which IMO he deserves.

I don't see how Miz vs. Morrison, both ECW wrestlers can mean either of them automatically feud and the winners gets to become World Champion quality. If a tag team splits it usually means some sort of mid card push is imminent, Edge and Christian and the Hardy Boyz being prime examples, only 1 of 4 has become a World Champion (ECW does not count as ME/World Champion status), and that took a good 4 years. I'm a huge Morrison fan, and believe he can get to the top one day, but he is not Shawn Michaels or Edge, nor is he close to being as good as them, that's not to say he can't be in any way. He is in a strong position with Miz, both wrestlers cover each others deficiencies in that team (Miz Speaking, JoMo Wrestling are the 2 strong points, the other in the team not as good as their partner at those things), they have not become stale, in fact, they suffer from lack of competition, ECW either needs 0 tag teams or more tag teams, 1 on the show is not enough.

Anyway, Morrison should stay how he is, we don't need him becoming a star tomorrow, there is a lot of established people up there at the moment, I say just keep improving him for a few years, wait until Triple H and Batista step down (Undertaker might be another one, but he will be at the top for quite a while, albeit sporadically) and let Morrison come in when he is needed, not when he will become surplus to the main event once the "New Kid on the Scene" type thing wears off.

 

[DrFeelgood624]

John Morrison should be made into a tweener, I mean the only time he was ever really getting decent heel heat was his feud with CM Punk, and what was that 10 months ago? Theres really no risk in turning him tweener, I mean he's not going to get any less reaction from the crowd then he gets now.

The best way for this to happen is to get Miz and Morrsion on separate shows. (i know I'll be sad too.) They don't need to have a feud between the two, maybe just a trade between brands, or heck wrestlers don't really need a reason to switch brands anymore. Then Miz and Morrsion can go on in their singles careers and hopefully be reunited down the line, with Miz as a heel and Morrison as a tweener.

 

[Crush1]

Its about damn time, i cant even recall the last time morrison got some decent heat.Lets face it people love this guy too much to hate him so turning him into a tweener or a face would make sense.I would prefer if he would be a tweener that would give morrison more opportunities to wrestle different guys.I hope in the future we get to see morrison vs edge or morrison vs cena as a tweener but first things he needs to do is generate some damn heat!

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

John Morrison is the type of person who no matter what he does, the fans will always be forced to cheer for him (mostly ladies), mainly due to his physique. I actually just began to gain a certain liking to Morrison as I normally hated his guts. A face or tweener turn for him is possible, but not at this point. That being because Miz and Morrison vs. Cryme Tyme is the hottest tag team feud going on now and the few is only a couple weeks old and it would be horrible if it ended now, due to Morrison becoming a face. After the feud is about 1.5 months-2 months old, Morrison could attack Miz, saying that Miz caused to many losses for the team. The only thing is that usually in tag teams, it's one person who happens to become the heel attacks the partner with the attackee being the face. You'll see that in the case of The Rockers, Paul London & Billy Kidman, Los Guerreros, and many more teams.