Re-booking: Kaval

[The Extract]

In late 2008, Brandon Silvestry, known mostly as Low Ki, signed a contract with WWE. He wrestled in FCW under the name Kawal, meaning solider in tagalong. WWE later changed it to Kaval. He won his only championship in WWE with Michael McGillicutty, by beating Hunico and Epico for the FCW Tag Team titles. They held the titles for a single day before losing them back to Hunico and Epico.

Kaval later debuted in NXT Season 2 alongside(in order of elimination(last to 2nd place) Titus O'Neil, Eli Cottonwood, Lucky Cannon, Percy Watson, Husky Harris, Alex Riley, And Michael McGillicutty. Kaval won the season, and was "signed" to a Smackdown contract.

He debuted on Smackdown in a loss to Drew McIntyre. His losing streak continued for a little more than 2 months, until beating then Intercontinential Champion, Dolph Ziggler. Right after the win, Kaval got on the mic and told the WWE universe that he was cashing in the title match he won from winning NXT on Dolph Ziggler at Survivor Series.

Kaval lost the match to Dolph. And he started a new losing streak. Kaval asked and was granted a release from his contract on December 23rd 2010.

So, if you could have decided how Kaval was booked, How would it be done?

IMO, Kaval should have started with the losing streak, but after Tyler Reks challenged him, have Kaval win in an upset. Then, have a strong showing at the PPV, eliminating one or two guys. Then have him challenge and win against Dolph Ziggler at Survivor Series, leading to a feud with Dolph. Have Dolph and Kaval share victories, while in some way making the feud intense, say with Dolph calling him a nobody rookie, and Kaval pissing Dolph off by mentioning his Spirit Squad days! This should push Kaval into a pretty good reign, and maybe(I might be stretching this a little) main event runs!

 

[Aquaman6686]

I never liked this guy. Wasn't a fan of Low Ki, wasn't a fan of Kaval. The only thing I would have changed is he would have been out of the company even faster.

 

[Raptor93]

At the end of the day, it all depended on wether he could get over on the mike. Ive only heard very brief bits of him speaking so I cant say much. His voice is rather deep for such a small guy from what I remember. but yea think of D-bry or Rey, his size could have been overcome .As for his character maybe some sort of really intense arse kciker? it sounds unrealistic for such a small guy i know and while wwe isn't ufc I think this example is relevant. There was a match between A tiny asain guy vs a huge 6'4 russian, massive weight difference. The asian guy ran up and did a flying kick straight after the bell and won in 8 seconds. If they booked him against someone back then who was massive like mike knox? I think he was around or the such you could have him just immediately fly kick , then maybe another massive kick or high impact move followed by the warriors way. If they really pushed the idea of him being martial arts expert I think it could work. If he started beating guys from being really evasive then hitting really high impact strikes I think he could gain enough credibility to go onto to atleast mid card

 

[cm ben]

If you remember, Kaval's mentors in NXT were LayCool. At the time, Michele McCool had just a few months until she left the company. I thought it would have been interesting to use Kaval to break up LayCool.

I woulda done THIS: after some wins, Layla would become more and more supportive of Kaval, and perhaps start an (at least implied) on-screen relationship. Fans were pretty heavily on the side of Kaval, as I remember, so Layla starts turning face despite still being associated with the heel McCool. Jealousy broods in McCool, who thinks that Kaval is coming in between her and her best friend. Layla denies this, but McCool, in bitter jealousy, beats up Layla or something. Layla sticks with Kaval and ends up winning a match that kicks McCool out of the company. Kaval and Layla become a mid-card power couple in the WWE.

Eh?

 

[The Scarred One]

Kaval was someone the WWE really dropped the ball with. Sure, he might have never been a main eventer but he would been an excellent addition to the upper midcard.

To me, Kaval/Low Ki/Senshi (whatever you prefer him as) comes across as a dedicated, disciplined martial arts badass. He's much like Sub-Zero from the Mortal Kombat video games. I've seen videos on YouTube of him doing these insane workouts and felt they could've incorporated this into his character. The WWE would've shown promos of him doing these workouts while having him narrate that he stays busy in the gym, training his body to its physical peak, while other wrestlers are out partying. With this scenario, you'd get the impression that, despite his size, Kaval could kill you. At the same time, he could dish out humor if the situation called for it.

If I had the chance to re-book him, I would've maintained his momentum following his NXT win. Have him win a couple of matches against lower to midcard guys and then put him in a program with Dolph Ziggler. Kaval would cash in his title shot against Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship, but come up short. Then, have Ziggler brag about how he conquered the battle-hardened World Warrior. This would light a fire under Kaval's ass to work harder to defeat Ziggler. Eventually, he does so and has a good reign as Intercontinental Champion. I agree with cm ben in incorporating him into the eventual LayCool split. After winning the Intercontinental Championship, Layla begins showing a possible romantic interest in Kaval, eventually beginning a face turn. Michelle McCool becomes jealous at this and beats up Layla, signifying the split. Layla would then beat McCool in a Loser Leaves WWE match and she and Kaval become a power couple.

Kaval was definitely over in the WWE. He wouldn't have won NXT had he not been. He had the charisma and mic skills, judging from his freestyle rap that he did. His deep voice would've made him stand out more.

Kaval never saw success for two reasons. 1) The WWE gave up on him way too soon and 2) The WWE had no plans for him in the event that he did win NXT. Looking back on it, it was obvious the WWE was pushing for Alex Riley to win that season. Just look at how he stayed on the main roster as the Miz's lackey not long afterwards. I believe that was the season the WWE allowed fan voting, so they probably didn't think they would vote for Kaval they way they did.

But I believe Kaval was a missed opportunity for the WWE. Who knows what might have been?

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

I remember when listening to an interview with Kaval/Low-Ki, when asked what he wanted out of this he said he wanted a feud with Rey Mysterio. Kaval would be the heel antagonizing Mysterio as some sort if Villain to Mysterio's superhero like personality.

Suffice to say I would have liked to see that. Kaval was pretty good in the mic and could start a rilvarly with Mysterio. Plus both have a similar size so I can see some great matches with these two.

It would have given Mysterio a meaningful rivalry while putting Kaval on the map. Plus Lay-Cool were with Kaval at the time so they could have been inserted in this rivalry as well.

 

[JuviJuiceIsLoose]

If you remember, Kaval's mentors in NXT were LayCool. At the time, Michele McCool had just a few months until she left the company. I thought it would have been interesting to use Kaval to break up LayCool.

I woulda done THIS: after some wins, Layla would become more and more supportive of Kaval, and perhaps start an (at least implied) on-screen relationship. Fans were pretty heavily on the side of Kaval, as I remember, so Layla starts turning face despite still being associated with the heel McCool. Jealousy broods in McCool, who thinks that Kaval is coming in between her and her best friend. Layla denies this, but McCool, in bitter jealousy, beats up Layla or something. Layla sticks with Kaval and ends up winning a match that kicks McCool out of the company. Kaval and Layla become a mid-card power couple in the WWE.

Eh?

I like this idea, but I'd change it up a little bit.

I'd have Layla siding with Kaval obviously, but I'd align Michelle with Cody Rhodes.

So, that way Kaval would be feuding with Cody for the I-C Title and their respective women would be by there side and get involved.

This would lead up to Layla beating Michelle in a Loser Leaves WWE match.

They could turn the feud personal by acknowledging that Cody and Layla once dated, but once Cody became "disfigured", she dumped him.

Another thing I'd do is film vignettes where Kaval and Layla go out on "dates".

Have them going out to dinner, dancing, etc.

Basically portraying Layla as the hot, yet slightly annoying girlfriend and Kaval as the hyper serious athlete type.

Basically have Layla help Kaval come out of his shell and not be so serious. It would help Kaval with the "entertainment" crowd.

At the end of the date, they'd show them going in for the kiss, when all of a sudden they're attacked from behind by Cody Rhodes and Michelle McCool.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I don't think Kaval/Low-Ki should have even been on NXT.

Low-Ki got over everywhere he went because of his talent. He was succesful in TNA from its early days because his unique martial arts style was totally different to anyone else the company had to offer. The same would have been true in WWE, because there is no-one, especially not on Smackdown, who does anything like Ki.

I would just have let him debut as himself, but renamed obviously for the WWE trademarking, he didn't need LayCool as his coaches on NXT, it was ridiculous. He could have come in initially as a hooded, silent warrior and would have wowed the fans with his array of kicks and martial arts manouvouers, before eventually having his hood removed and turning face.