Pick a Top Midcard Babyface

[Foshinzo]

There are plenty of good, even really good midcard heels: Dolph, Cody, Swagger, etc.

But, I think a lot of us would agree that there isn't a plethora of top midcard babyfaces. Sure, we have Santino and Brodus Clay, who are both very good at what they do, but is there one guy that you'd preferably see at the top?

It seems to me that a lot of midcard babyfaces fizzle out. People never got behind Big Zeke, the WWE has sort of dropped the ball on Zack Ryder IMO, Kofi has never been able to get over, Evan Bourne has ruined his own career...it just seems to never end. There are spots open for midcard babyfaces.

Who do you want to see get one of these spots? I anticipate most answers will be for Ryder, and I would tend to agree with them, but maybe get creative: why not bring in a ROH/FCW/TNA star? Bring John Morrison back, if you want. Have Dolph turn face, if that's what you'd like to see. There aren't rules, on this. Just make sure that it's a midcard performer, please. For example, if you say Samoa Joe, or an outside star, just make sure that you feel they'd be a midcarder.

For my pick, I'll go with an obvious choice and say that I'd love to see Colt Cabana in the WWE. If we're going to make all of our midcard faces a comedy character, then Colt fits in perfectly. The man is hilarious and entertaining, but he's also a very good wrestler. He would go great with Santino, Brodus, Ryder, and any other fun-loving babyfaces. Also, his history with Punk gives him an opening for something more, if he got over.

I know it's redundant to pick Colt, but it's because adding him to the roster makes that much sense, IMO.

 

[ry4]

The problem is WWE doesn't really take the time to develop stars and give us a reason to care for them. I think we would probably enjoy a lot of the faces if we were given a reason to care about them.

I'd agree, that I'd love to see Colt Cabana in WWE. But in reality he'd be in the Santino, Clay, Hornswoggle mix.

 

[ECFNW]

I would have to go with the Miz even though some people might fight me on the one, now i know his status can be debated whether hes a midcarder or a main eventer right now it looks to me like hes stuck in the mid card. The thing is i dont think he is being used correctly, theres never a good story for him, since back when he had the title, after that the high point of his career was being on team johnny a wm.

Now to the baby face part, they need to change the Miz not completely i mean but hes really annoying, change up his character make him look dominant and smarter, that awesome tag line has to go he sounds like a 12 yr old when he says it. His song is not to bad. That jacket he comes to the ring with has to go.

I think the miz can be a huge star and one of the big faces in this business in years to come. He just really needs to be tweeked a little. If not in the main even he should def be on top of the mid card group. Just my opinion

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

for me without a doubt id bring back John Morrison i always felt he was extremly talented in the ring and the best high flyer sense Shawn Michaels his only problem was he needed mic work but he could get by in the mid card with his current amount of skill so id say bring him back and put him in the mid card as the top mid carder and if he improves enough put him in the main event (improve mic wise that is.) but if he comes back he needed a legit finisher starship pain sucked and the running knee was only good as a sig move

 

[Nick Black]

HI. I am stereotypical IWC member. I <3 Colt Cabana.

Well, I'm being an ass, and a hypocrite, because I agree.

But on top of that, I want Morrison back, and I can see Miz making a face turn at some point. But if we're looking at current roster, Santino is the one and only top babyface. The crowd loves him. His stupidity and humor got him over so easily and he's always been over.

 

[Peaky1969]

All the above posters made good points. Yes, I would like to see JoMo back...people always are critical of him, and go on about being a spot monkey, maybe so, but the "spots" he can do are great...I think the best is yet to come from him....and I also think Miz would well well...the biggest problem a wrestler can have is people have no reaction to them...Miz certainly doesn't have that problem....

My no.1 pick for this is Ziggler. His work and work rate are excellent, he is far better on the mic than he was....Vicki no doubt got a lot of heat for him...I think she she could do the same to get him more over as face...everybody's pick I suppose, but I would go with a story line where Vicki's "stable" has a long losing streak, and they are constantly blaming Ziggler, and one night, he turns on vicki and swagger.

 

[Loveless]

Miz, Morrison, Ziggler but my personal choice would be Kanderson. The guy should never have left the WWE and I remain convinced that only reason he got released was because Cena and Orton realised he was about to take their spot.
The problem with Miz is he doesn't look like a face, he looks like a guy you want to slap and I cannot see people getting behind him. Morrison has all the ability in the ring and can actually talk but not when he's scripted. Ziggler is an unknown, maybe he can be great but I think taking away his attitude and aggression would leave him toothless.

 

[RKOrob]

Alex Riley could have been a great midcard babyface but they dropped the ball with him. Same with Big Zeke (although he was a pretty boring champion) I like Kofi and Truth as a tag team but would have preferred them to stay as singles wrestlers and be in the US title picture with Santino, Ziggler, Swagger etc. I agree with the OP, there's a big lack of midcard faces. Ryback will be in the mix soon I guess (assuming he's gonna be a face)

 

[thedarkhorse]

Alex Riley and Justin Gabriel are the first two that come to my mind, both are barely being used and can easily be put in a meaningful feud with some mid card heels. Also, ted dibiase when he comes back from injury is a good choice, he got over somewhat with his "diabiase posse" stuff. And also...sin cara when he comes back, but he doesn't talk so there's only so much he can do in terms of a feud, so i think if sin cara get's a manager for talk for him (perhaps a face turn for ricardo Rodriguez?) then that would be good for him.

 

[TempestH]

Out of the current crop, I would say Alex Riley. I would turn Miz face and reunite them as a semi-regular tag team, basically the face counterparts of Ziggler & Swagger. Miz & Riley could do comic relief segments like DX or Edge & Christian, but always step up their game and get serious in the ring.

I would send Zack Ryder to NXT for a bit in order to build him back up by letting him get some victories over low carders like Heath Slater, Johnny Curtis, and McGillicutty. I believe that he's over enough to possibly make the show relevant, and also I would try to build NXT around him in order to test him as the top face of a brand in the future.

 

[CraigThe13th]

Alex Riley - hopefully be out of the doghouse soon. Has all the tools and is very over despite being buried deep.

Kassius Ohno - Far, far too many heels coming through and on the main roster. Give him the push CM Punk and Daniel Bryan got upon debut an international and indy star, only one who likes knocking people out!

 

[AwesomeRko]

Johnny Curtis: Is very charismatic, can talk on the mic and is good and developing in the ring. He could be the perfect opponent for the likes of Ziggler in a fued.

Alex Riley: During his brief run as a face against Miz and after it he generated a good response from the crowd and in his break-out promo showed he can talk. Was a little unpolished in the ring maybe but he is improving.

John Morrison: He is obviosly great in the ring and has a tremendous look. His recent video packages with the Taker/HHH parody and the skit The Negotiator display potential that I don't know he had as a talker. Would be an ideal top mid-card face.

And finally slightly more controversial but...

Carlito: The guy exuded charisma in his first WWE run, was pretty over and was just generally an intersting character. he adapted his move-set well during his face run and with WWE's close links with his father and Epico and Primo's employment within the company he could easily make a come back. Has a lot of unfulfilled potential in my view.

 

[Headman]

CM Punk is the top midcard face. He's the WWE champion which is pretty rare for a midcarder. Someday he may main event again, but he's been on the midcard even as champion since he won the title so I'm going to have to go with him.

 

[TheChosenOne10]

I have a few guys some in WWE others former...

Zack Ryder: What happened. The guy was putting on great matches with Ziggler, won the US Title then for no reason lost it to Swagger who did nothing with it. I actually had to stop and think who took it from him for a moment. But Ryder is still hot, idk why they don't capitalize on him. Fans love him, he sells merchandise, he is good in the ring and on the mike. Give him something!

Alex Riley: I believe this time last year he was going up against Miz and was getting some sort of push. He is good in the ring, he has a good look, he's not great on the mike but he doesn't get a lot of time hell get better, look at Dolph Ziggler or Miz. It doesn't take much to build a guy up, have him win a few on Superstars till he gets a little attention, move him onto Raw/SD and get him in a feud with one of the hundred guys doing nothing right now, Henry, Christian, Ziggler, Swagger, Miz, Rhodes. Put him in a feud with any of those guys and hell begin to get over. He would be a great addition to the US/IC division...

Drew McIntyre: This guy needs a change. Turn him face, have him be a tough guy who won't back down (similar to Finlay or Bob Holly). A guy who loves to fight. He isn't over as a heel and needs something fresh. He has the look to be a tough badass type and since all the faces are comedy characters this would be a good for the heels and wouldn't make them look weak to lose to a guy like Drew.

John Morrison: The guy is great in the ring. He was a threat to main eventers and always entertaining with his innovative style. He wasn't good on the mike but he didn't need to be. You can be a mid card guy and not speak often, its the main event guys that need to be more fluent. Morrison put on great matches with Miz, Ziggler and Henry among others. He could work with anyone big or small, strong or fast. Bring. Him. Back.

MVP: Another guy who would be great addition. He was good in the ring and on the mike. He may be better suited as a heel but his face run wasn't all that bad, and everyone got behind his "ballin" elbow drop.

 

[Antichrist]

I have always wanted to see a Miz face turn, but he'd make a better tweener as a face, he couldn't be a Mr America, apple pie yadda yadda face, a Miz face turn would be as well received as Mr Perfect or Eddie Guerrero doing the same, but my answer is Brodus Clay on RAW and Ryback on Smackdown are the immediate future and Big Show and Santino are the present. Don't bring back Jomo unless he's a heel.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

Christian - Very Underrated. I hope he turns face and wins the Intercontinental Championship from Cody Rhodes. Christian deserves to be World Champion some more times.

 

[#heel420]

Kofi Kingston is the guy that has been the top midcard face the last couple years. He's been very consistent with his US and IC title reigns and amazing performances in the MINTB matches. I fear that he might be reduced to Shelton Benjamin status never reaching his full potential.

 

[gdkeen]

I'm not just saying this to be different, but I honestly think Hunico has the potential to be a good mid-card face. He's young and reasonably attractive. He's been very good on the mic even when he's "feuding" with idiots like Ted Dibiase, Jr. His in-ring style is very amenable to a babyface pop (he filled in for SinCara and arguably performed better than the original).

I'd like to see a del Rio / Hunico feud to put him over as a face, and I think he would need to change his ring gear, but I honestly believe WWE is missing out on a something with him.

 

[Principino]

Probably Ziggler for me, break him away from Vickie and Swagger, all he's doing now is jobbing to Brodus Clay. WWE should have carried on his push from his feud with Punk but in typical WWE fashion they drop him back down, have Swagger turn on his and turn him into a face. We could see some good feuds with Miz, Rhodes and others.

 

[The Major Broski]

Saw the live video of ryders entrance for superstars and the crowd went nuts so still over and raw is coming back to LI soon perfect time to push him back they need to get him away from eve and kane maybe put him back with cena since he is fighting johnny and he has be blamed in storyline for ryders poor start to the year and that would help get him back on raw and hopefully back in th US title picture and really hope we get ziggler ryder for mania 29 WWWYKI

 

[ThatWeirdGuy]

I think we should see a Miz face turn, and he could fill in the role as the "number four" face, behind Cena, Punk and Sheamus.

Have him get frustrated with Johnny for helping him win at Wrestlemania and then Johnny not rewarding him and instead wasting all of his time on Brock Lesnar. Lesnar then takes Miz out so he can film his movie and he can come back to get some retribution on Johnny.

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Here's what will happen if the Miz turns face: Initially he gets big cheers for turning on and beating up a heel. He sustains this popularity for a short time by making cheap jokes about the heels. They give him a run with a midcard title, the crowd gets bored of him after a few weeks and next thing you know he's Alex Riley #2.
Some midcard faces of the future: Ryback, Derrick Bateman, Justin Gabriel, and Zack Ryder. I have this sinking feeling that once Ryback's big run is over, he'll be trapped in the midcard for most of his career. Zack Ryder is hugely over, good in the ring, super dedicated, and awesome on the mic. Justin Gabriel is fun to watch so I put him on here. I have yet to see if he can cut a good promo. Derrick Bateman is my dark horse. I love his character on NXT; he is hilarious and relaxed. His ring work is pretty good and I'm sure he could get himself over.
In the short term, it will be much harder to find decent midcard faces. I say drop Big Show to the midcard, promote a few guys like Mason Ryan and Zack Ryder, and maybe try a Jack Swagger face turn (what the hell, he can't get over the way he is now).