My Idea How To Use Alex Riley More Often

[TempestH]

During the Road to Wrestlemania, Alex Riley and the Miz renew their friendship. Daniel Bryan, Big Show, R-Truth, John Cena, and Zack Ryder all express their disapproval for Riley and Miz's relationship, out of concern for their friend. They all warn Riley that Miz is only out to take advantage of him, and is only using him to get back to the top. Kane also disapproves of their friendship, as The Big Red Monster believes that Riley was at his strongest when he hated the Miz, and repeatedly expresses disappointment in Riley and accuses him of showing weakness.

After winning the Royal Rumble, Miz challenges Bryan for the WHC. Bryan wins. A badly beaten Miz slowly walks out of the ring but collapses on the entry way. Riley comes out and helps Miz up, and raises his hand on the stage to a huge pop.

The next night on RAW Miz teams up with Kane to take on Riley and Zack Ryder. Miz and Riley shake hands at the start of the match, act friendly to each other, and fight a face vs face style. Kane looks visibly annoyed at seeing the two of them give up on their hate for one another. Kane is disqualified when he continues his aggression towards Ryder, and refuses to break a 5 count in the corner. Miz argues with Kane for costing them the match, and Kane attacks Miz with his chloroform move. Riley makes the save, and the two of them double team Kane, officially reuniting.

 

[juggalotus]

IMHO, this idea is not only unrealistic, but just plain dumb. They've seemingly written off Zack Ryder with a broken back. He's not going to be back in the squared circle for a very long time, certainly not in time for the night after Wrestlemania. This just doesn't seem like a realistic situation at all.

 

[GameOver]

Alex Riley has proved nothing in the time given, he will always be just a lacky.
they killed off anything he had coming off of NXT by pairing him with Miz and belittling him.

Why in the hell would Riley go back to Miz when he has seen how Miz treated R-Truth just recently.
and Miz's career has gone backwards since pairing with R-Truth.

Alex needs to go back to play school.

 

[Braxton11]

When I look at Alex Riley, I just can't get over that he seems like the kind of wrestler that is a dime a dozen. I don't hate him, I don't love him, he's just kind of there. That is not a good thing.

 

[OutsiderDX]

When booking angles, no organzation ever books moves within in a match, liking breaking a 5 count. This is all set up is all sent up by the agent and wrestlers the day of the match.

It doesn't make sense either, why would Danielson and Big Show even care what Riley did?

Its the worst timing too. Why insert a wrestler who hasn't been on tv into an angle right before wrestlemania?

I'm not saying the idea is completey bad. I could see after WM, the Miz being egotistical and mocking Riley for his apparent downfall and lack of success since turning his back on him. Miz could give Riley another chance. Or Riley could beg Miz to take him back.

From then out, they could go with a few entertaining ideas, perhaps weeks of hazing, or weeks of Riley trying to prove to Miz he is worthy. The payoff would be Miz either accepting or not accepting Riley again.

 

[justinept]

That's not really an idea to "use" Alex Riley more. It's really an idea to push Alex Riley into the main event scene, which is a place he doesn't need to be right now. The WWE currently has Cena, Punk, Kane, Big Show, Bryan, Henry, Shaemus, Ziggler, Orton, Barrett, Miz, R-Truth and Rhodes occupying their main event and upper mid card scene with guys like Christian, Del Rio and Mysterio ready to re-assume their spots once they return from injury - or in Ryder's case "injury". There's really no room for an unproven commodity like Riley to jump into the forefront of the action.

That isn't to say that he can't one day be good. He has a great look, he's a decent wrestler, and I thought he played his part last year with The Miz admirably. He appears to have a future ... but look at guys like Ziggler and Rhodes - those guys have been on TV for 5 years now, and they've only really been pushed hard in the past year. What's the rush with Riley?

----

In terms of your idea ... it's awful. That can't be understated enough. In fact, it's so bad - and there's so much about it to criticize - that I'm struggling to form a criticism that doesn't border on "rant."

For starters. There's no clear cut definition of faces or heels in your scenario. Faces are against the friendship. Heels are against the friendship. The Miz, who is currently a heel, would be challenging Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania, even though Bryan is currently a heel.

There are too many damned people involved with your angle. John Cena is going to be busy with The Rock - why in the world does he care about Alex Riley or The Miz? Kane is going to be worried about his 'Mania opponent ... again, why does he care about Riley or Miz? If you get all those people involved with The Miz and Daniel Bryan, then you're wasting time that they should be spending on their own feud.

People don't like The Miz. People don't care about Alex Riley. I don't think you realize how much emotional investment people would need to have in order to "pop" when Riley raised Miz's hand after 'Mania. Emotional investment like that takes years to build. Two examples:

1) Randy Savage/Miss Elizabeth at WrestleMania VII. After losing to the Ultimate Warrior in a retirement match, Savage was attacked by Sherri before being saved by Elizabeth. When Savage and Elizabeth reunited, it was one of the biggest moments in 'Mania history. Those two were together for 2 1/2 years before splitting ... they were the "first couple" of the WWF before WrestleMania V. They were a part for TWO years before reuniting. That moment was two years in the making and had 2 1/2 years of build prior to that.

2) The Undertaker raising Jeff Hardy's hand after their Raw Ladder Match. Taker was dominant. Hardy was the ultimate underdog that fans came to love over the previous four years because of his dare-devil ways. The moment was created because fans had been invested in Hardy for a while and knew that 'Taker was a bad ass. This was a sign of respect ... the old dog in the locker room telling the young gun that he was ready to go to the next level.

Your Miz/Riley angle lacks any ingredient in either of those. If Miz got his ass kicked by Bryan ... passed out a top the ramp ... and Riley came out to help his friend raise his hand - fans would SHIT all over it.

Furthermore, the following night on Raw - you have Kane/Miz teaming up. That would suggest that Miz is a heel ---- even though he would HAVE to be a face during this story line. Again, that makes NO sense. If Miz is a heel, why are people giving him a "pop" after Riley helps him?

 

[GameOver]

and why do people care. Miz is not gonna be a face anytime soon, he's just too damn annoying. and Riley is just background noise.

What they need to do is give him some airtime and actually putting him in matches which they aren't, all he's really done in months is a run in.

 

[scottyshowman82]

At least you have plans for him. Doesn't seem WWE does lately. It was really exciting when Riley turned on Miz, great segment. But I worried what would Riley do after that. Kind of like Matt Hardy when Edge moved on from their Lita feud. Riley is a HEEL.
He's great at it. He lit it up on NXT 2 being the best all around guy. The cocky fratboy who bullies smaller people. Have him hand around with Horswaggle and then turn on him. Instant jerk heat. Have him join Vicki's stable and he's a man back on track.

 

[MWRedskins]

i like the idea of using Riley more, but i dont like this idea at all. i mean, first off, in order to get Miz face, you will have to find a way to get Miz cheers or turn him face. Second, i dont think Miz or Riley should be faces.

Now MY idea to use Riley more is either have him get into a feud with either the US Champion Swagger or IC Champion Rhodes, maybe have someone else involved too that's a face. have Riley a face at first, then turn him heel and have him in chase mode with another mid carder and the midcard champion and that would get Riley used more. i think Riley has potential, but i think he's best as a heel.

 

[Spunky]

From what I gathered Alex Riley had quite a bit of heat on him backstage, no idea how he got it but he sure as shit won't be pushed until that dies down. My best guess is he will have to work hard and show those in the back he is worth pushing before he gets any exposure again, and it isn't any good arm chair booking, especially when they are terrible ideas.

 

[The Eighties]

This is very convoluted and also requires turning The Miz face which isn't a good move for him. It's also 0-100 booking, he needs to start off simply getting involved in the mid card title scene, preferably after a heel turn.

However given he was squash fodder for Brodus Clay this week I wouldn't hold your breath for any kind of push in the near future.

From what I gathered Alex Riley had quite a bit of heat on him backstage, no idea how he got it but he sure as shit won't be pushed until that dies down. My best guess is he will have to work hard and show those in the back he is worth pushing before he gets any exposure again, and it isn't any good arm chair booking, especially when they are terrible ideas.

The heat came from him being arrested for drink driving, more than once I think.

 

[Altabane]

Re-pushing Riley while gearing up for WrestleMania is not only bad timing, but pointless. Alex "Sand-Bags" Riley is deadweight who was briefly over due to being put against The Miz, who the crowd hates, and getting a theme song that's easy to pop to.

WWE is starting to realize in developmental that you cannot hire guys who couldn't make it in the NFL. You need to hire wrestlers who actually want to be there and have been working to be there from the start.

 

[DeathClutch]

This is why we need the Hardcore championship brought back, Alex had some decent pops but as a whole was easily lost in the shuffle and hasn't done anything to stand out, now if the Hardcore championship was brought back you could just slot him in that division and see how he does and if he can get himself noticed.

No 24/7 rule, too many guys are just floating around and could do with that one opportunity to get themselves noticed, plus it gives the lower card guys something to go so their relevent and not just in the background.

 

[hatehabsforever]

What do Alex Riley, Curt Hawkins, JTG, Heath Slater, Tyson Kidd, and a couple of other guys have in common? Recent squash victims of the Funkasaurus. So if anyone thinks that there is anything of significance in Alex Riley's near future, they must be dreaming.

Riley seemed to be getting a bit of a push there for a little while. But for some reason, he has fallen out of favor with the powers that be. Maybe it was the DUI. Maybe it was his generic look or his general lack of ability or personality, I'm not quite sure. But he has done nothing of consequence for quite some time, and with his pathetic squash at the hands of Brodus Clay last week, the question may not be how to use Alex Riley more, but rather, how to continue to use him at all, as opposed to him being future endeavored.

I expect to see Riley in the Rumble match tomorrow night. For about 30 seconds, and then he'll be gone. The only question which remains is, how long before we see him again? Or for that matter, will we see him again at all?

 

[Altabane]

The Hardcore Title would be too hard to do in the PG environment, particularly with headshots being as dangerous as we now know they are.

If they really wanted to add a new title, I believe it should be something totally new. Maybe something like the FCW 15 Championship.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I like the effort that went in to this idea. You presented a story with a beginning, middle and end. You added some reasons for said event to occur. However, not to beat a dead horse but this idea is a lot of wishful thinking (the fans accepting Miz as a face) and puts too many resources in to a storyline that would be very low on the Raw pecking order.

Gun to my head if I was forced to create material for Riley I would go one of the following two similar directions:

1) Have Riley start impersonating Cena. Riley is kind of a broken man and kind of has a Cena look. What if Riley in a desperate attempt to be successful tries to comedically impersonate Cena's look and moveset? He could even throw on a wicked thick Boston accent. I am not sure where this would lead or for how long but it may be good for a few laughs. If the unthinkable were to happen and Cena turned, this Riley character could be even more appropriate. He could go around begging the Make-a-Wish Foundation to let him see some kids or hugging every service member he sees in the crowd and on the street.

2) Riley greatest success was as a lackey and then battling his mentor. What if he went around begging guys to mentor him? Then in a short time he would find a way to comedically get the mentor to reject him and the fight would be on.

Alright I like idea #1 better and think it has more potential but neither idea is that great or well developed. Anyone think they can build on this or should we just assume Reilly should keep his nose clean and patiently wait to see if a push ever comes?

 

[Mustang Sally]

What do Alex Riley, Curt Hawkins, JTG, Heath Slater, Tyson Kidd, and a couple of other guys have in common? Recent squash victims of the Funkasaurus. So if anyone thinks that there is anything of significance in Alex Riley's near future, they must be dreaming.

Well said. Quite often, we read a post in this forum with the message: "Why don't they push ______ ______?" The writer will point out that the guy works a great match, looks good and has all the assets needed to be a big star. It's just inconceivable that this guy isn't a huge star!.

But when you take all the guys and gals in the back and look at them en masse, it's obvious that (1) there are too many for everyone to get pushed at the same time and (2) there's not that much difference between a lot of them.

Yes, the stars are the stars. John Cena and C.M. Punk will stand out because of their natural gifts. It's possible for the organization to leave them behind, but self-defeating since the company would be doing themselves out of a performer who can carry a show. Most everyone else falls into another category; people who need pushes and distinctive programs written for them in order to succeed. It's no disgrace to be in this group; a good performer needs good writing to make him stand out.

Then, there's Alex Riley. Several folks have written that they can't figure out why this guy hasn't been pushed to the moon. When you think about it, what does Dolph Ziggler have that Alex Riley doesn't? Yes, some folks might ask if I've lost my mind for saying that. Yet, both have good physiques, good ring repertoires and fine work ethics. To my mind, the difference between the two is their push. Dolph appears constantly on both brands, has been given a valet with an obnoxious personality and has been involved in storylines. Alex, after his pairing with The Miz, has had nothing done for him, culminating with the Funkasaurus embarrassment this past Friday.

I say Dolph Ziggler has nothing more going for him than Alex Riley. I say if the company did for Riley what they've done for Dolph, Alex could eventually become the guy about to enter the main event scene.

Maybe it all happens someday. Perhaps WWE has this "waiting list" method of doing things, keeping guys on the roster until something opens up for them......and remember, guys, keep your mouth shut and be a good soldier while you wait......and you might become the next Dolph Ziggler!

And no more DUI arrests, Alex.....that sends you to the back of the line, where the waiting process starts all over again.

 

[Altabane]

Alex Riley, the same guy that sand-bagged Jack Swagger and makes tons of notable mistakes in big time match spots, as good in the ring as Dolph Ziggler?

Sorry, you lost me there.

 

[cmedge]

Alex Riley is one talented guy he has charisma and the mic skills but he is very bad in the ring I think they should leave him on Superstars for now until he really hones his craft like Chris Masters last year and then they should push Riley. He has the potential to be a big time player in the WWE someday.