Rush-pushing to the Main Event: Heaven for the Upper Midcard?

[Justin Satiable]

Short straight-to-the-point post here. This thought just kinda occured to me.

We have lots of people saying that superstars are being thrusted into the main event too quickly, and that they'll fizzle out rather than become a mainstay. I, personally, don't see why this is particularly a bad thing. Should one person be thrust to the top, for example Wade Barrett, and then fail to defeat the mainstay maineventer, in this case John Cena, then his fall from grace doesn't put him on the "Future Endeavoured" list. It launches him into the upper midcard!

Case 2 is Sheamus. 2-time WWE champion, who has now crushed the IC champ, and appears to be wearing his US championship with pride. This will do wonders for the US Championship should he keep it up, as well as providing another upper midcard superstar. Should the Miz fall apart and leave the main event scene (though I don't really see this one happening) then we'll have another upper midcard mainstay.

So I'm in a bit of a rush so I can't provide more examples, but yeah, you get the point. So here's a couple of questions:

1. Do you think that these pushes really are great for the midcard?
2. Do you think these pushes damage the main event at all?
3. Do you think WWE should continue these mad pushes, whilst slowly building up "mainstays" slowly in the background?

 

[a member of wwe universe]

First things first. It is fortunate wade barette did not win the world title, otherwise he would have flopped.

There never were a problem having a young guy feuding with the top man. Lesnar and desmond wolf did fine. The problem is putting the strap on a young guy.

1. putting midcard guy in these pushes is fine IF the guy can deliver. Swagger and shamemus flopped as a champion.
2. The wwe needs to go back to the basic and pushing young guys with the old formula. Have him work his way up. Have solid and long term feud. Develop his personality, credibiltiy on his way to the main event scene
3. Swagger, shamemus, cm punk (first reign), ziggler etc. have been proven these mad pushes did nothing benefitial to them. So NO.

 

[Scuba 06]

Oh my god, Rush-pushing, as you call it, has to be amongst one of my biggest problems with WWE. I can not tell you how much of a poor decision it is to push someone into a spot they do not belong. It delegitimizes the product and only leads to further screw ups with the booking of that star. Fact is WWE is lazy. WWE is lazy because they f'ed up. WWE invested so much time working on their main events and pushing the same guys at the top, the midcard was forgotten and the guys in that division didnt get the proper build up they needed to get over as long term stars.

It used to mean something to be IC champ. We had stars who put on main event caliber matches like HBK, Hart and others like Rock and Orton who brought prestige to the title. Nowadays WWE puts the secondary title for a guy for 2 or 3 months and use that as an excuse to push them to the next level when they are not ready. Two of the guys WWE decided to make world champs over the last year did virtually nothing with their secondary title runs. Both Miz and Ziggler had two of the most mediocre singles runs of superstar who would go on to be champions. Neither of them had a meaningful feuds during their runs and neither had spent any significant time in the main event prior to their title win. Who of the former world champions did either face before they won the strap ? Miz ? No One. Ziggler ? Only Edge. Any people wonder why the Miz is not taking seriously. The Miz's career outside the his tag-team run with a morrison, has been a joke. Ziggler's is not much better but WWE was starting to book him properly lately by having him face at Edge at Rumble. He proved he could hang with Edge but before has a chance to up his game and improve his craft, WWE make him a champion. Look how long that lasted.

Just like WWE misues the secondary titles, the world titles are the most misused of all. Over the last year instead of having guys who have been preparing their craft for the last couple years, performing at a main-event level, proving themselves in the midcard and getting experience fighting the top guys, WWE decides to push guys who are not over and have no name value. Who the hell was sheamus in december of 2009. What the hell did he accomplish to push him to the front of the line ? What the hell did swagger do. I like Swagger but the guy was booked like a joke before he won the strap and thus they booked him like a joke as champion. The same thing is happening with Miz now. The WWE champion is supposed to the very best at what he does. He is supposed to be over an established star at least to a good degree. Instead of rewarding the best workers, WWE uses the title to help build their credibilty, hoping it will get them over with the crowd. So in return we get weak main events with guys who look out of place, and WWE deciding to book them to look like chumps and losers. Then they cut their program short and totally bury them to get people to forget their mistakes.

Most of the guys WWE pushed the moon who were not ready either were terrible champs, like Diesel, Yokozuna, and swagger or didnt they didnt stay around long term because their egos had them think they were bigger than the business, like Lesnar. Before WWE recognized when they made mistakes like pushing Orton too fast in 04. Now WWE will give the title too anyone. Look at Austin in 97, they could have given him the WWE title for WM 13, but they decided to let him get better and work his craft. He spent the rest of the year doing just that and fighting the big names. It was only natural for him to win the next year. The same goes for guys like Hart and HBK who did bust their asses and proved they could hang with the best. WWE is just lazy and it is leading to weaker main events and weaker midcards. Just a deterioration of the product as a whole.

 

[CelticCorey]

Oh my god, Rush-pushing, as you call it, has to be amongst one of my biggest problems with WWE. I can not tell you how much of a poor decision it is to push someone into a spot they do not belong. It delegitimizes the product and only leads to further screw ups with the booking of that star. Fact is WWE is lazy. WWE is lazy because they f'ed up. WWE invested so much time working on their main events and pushing the same guys at the top, the midcard was forgotten and the guys in that division didnt get the proper build up they needed to get over as long term stars.

It used to mean something to be IC champ. We had stars who put on main event caliber matches like HBK, Hart and others like Rock and Orton who brought prestige to the title. Nowadays WWE puts the secondary title for a guy for 2 or 3 months and use that as an excuse to push them to the next level when they are not ready. Two of the guys WWE decided to make world champs over the last year did virtually nothing with their secondary title runs. Both Miz and Ziggler had two of the most mediocre singles runs of superstar who would go on to be champions. Neither of them had a meaningful feuds during their runs and neither had spent any significant time in the main event prior to their title win. Who of the former world champions did either face before they won the strap ? Miz ? No One. Ziggler ? Only Edge. Any people wonder why the Miz is not taking seriously. The Miz's career outside the his tag-team run with a morrison, has been a joke. Ziggler's is not much better but WWE was starting to book him properly lately by having him face at Edge at Rumble. He proved he could hang with Edge but before has a chance to up his game and improve his craft, WWE make him a champion. Look how long that lasted.

Just like WWE misues the secondary titles, the world titles are the most misused of all. Over the last year instead of having guys who have been preparing their craft for the last couple years, performing at a main-event level, proving themselves in the midcard and getting experience fighting the top guys, WWE decides to push guys who are not over and have no name value. Who the hell was sheamus in december of 2009. What the hell did he accomplish to push him to the front of the line ? What the hell did swagger do. I like Swagger but the guy was booked like a joke before he won the strap and thus they booked him like a joke as champion. The same thing is happening with Miz now. The WWE champion is supposed to the very best at what he does. He is supposed to be over an established star at least to a good degree. Instead of rewarding the best workers, WWE uses the title to help build their credibilty, hoping it will get them over with the crowd. So in return we get weak main events with guys who look out of place, and WWE deciding to book them to look like chumps and losers. Then they cut their program short and totally bury them to get people to forget their mistakes.

Most of the guys WWE pushed the moon who were not ready either were terrible champs, like Diesel, Yokozuna, and swagger or didnt they didnt stay around long term because their egos had them think they were bigger than the business, like Lesnar. Before WWE recognized when they made mistakes like pushing Orton too fast in 04. Now WWE will give the title too anyone. Look at Austin in 97, they could have given him the WWE title for WM 13, but they decided to let him get better and work his craft. He spent the rest of the year doing just that and fighting the big names. It was only natural for him to win the next year. The same goes for guys like Hart and HBK who did bust their asses and proved they could hang with the best. WWE is just lazy and it is leading to weaker main events and weaker midcards. Just a deterioration of the product as a whole.

Ziggler's IC title run was medicore? ROFL. Ok maybe 20 years ago it would've been mediocre; but by today's standards, his IC title run was pure gold. I'll remember Ziggler's IC title run and I will judge it well. He actually brought PRESTIGE back to the IC title. He made it look really good. I am not as big of a fan of the Kofi/Ziggler feud like Kofi/Ziggler classic is; but it was a damn good midcard feud. It got time between two great midcarders. Who could ever forget Ziggler vs. Bryan? I mean they only had like three matches or so but Ziggler looked so damn good in defeat in each and every one of those matches. Ziggler was putting on good matches against JOHN CENA.

Ziggler was either successfully defending the IC title on PPV or TV, he was stepping up his A game or when he lost, he still looked terrific. To me, that was a terrific IC title reign, ESPECIALLY in today's WWE. And add to the fact that Kofi fought for months to get it back and time after time of trying, finally won it. But ever since then, it has been lackluster. I agree both of Miz's U.S. title reigns did little to nothing for me; but Ziggler was one of the best IC champs in a long, long time. He looked perfect with that belt and was actually a champion. Not a prop holder. And I will say it was B.S. that Ziggler got the title reign he got. WWE ruined what would've been a great markout moment for me. Ziggler earned his spot and got his push the old fahsioned way but then they dropped the ball. They could've just had Edge win at the Rumble, in between that time Ziggler and Edge feud in segments (NOT IN THE RING!!! Fuck this WHC future being in the hands of Kelly Kelly and this Clay Matthews B.S.) and THEN they tease the tension for E.C. and they are the last two standing there and then Edge wins, feud over.

It would be so much better if it was just Morrison vs. Ziggler. Is WWE too afraid that that match would steal the show? Because I'm pretty sure it would. So to disguise that they throw in Trish Stratus (Sorry Trish, no offense), Laycool and SNOOKI!!! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!? WHY IS THIS BITCH FAMOUS?!?!? What did she do to become so famous? She has NO TALENT except for being a loudmouth party girl ****!!! I have no talent- why am I not on Rolling Stone? Why am I not going to Wrestlemania?

Sheamus' push was too soon. But at the time, IMO, it was needed. Somebody, anybody, someone new to take that title away from Cena and I was sick of the same old people. So Sheamus got me back into wrestling. I wanted to see Swagger as champ but just not the way it happened.

The Miz also earned his spot. He went from a guy with a goofy looking mohawk to the last great tag team IMO to a singles guy who became U.S. Champ twice and tag champ simultaneously, plus Money in the Bank. Not to mention he worked his ASS off to get where he is now. He dedicated himself to the company. Only in the eyes of the IWC does hard work get you a promotion I guess.

But I am taking Miz seriously now. He is here to stay. He has a bit of mainstream power behind him. His Hello I'm Awesome shirt sells (I have seen a couple of them at every RAW/SD lately and I have seen them by youtube users and even in person) Miz has owned Cena time and time again. It was 5 years ago that I couldn't take Miz seriously. Now though, he is someone I don't wanna fuck with.


So while I agree that with you that WWE does a lot of lazy booking and it;s bullshit that the midcard titles aren't what they used to, Ziggler was outstanding as IC champ IMO and Miz has been golden in this RTWM.

 

[UltimateHitman]

I don't actually have a problem with it. I think it's a good way to see what a guy's made of. We're living in a society that wants more, more, more, faster, faster, faster, so it's either do that, or listen to people complain about the same two or three people in the main spot forever.

That's my bigger complaint is the indecisiveness of the people. Before this happened, people were bitching about the belt being passed around between Cena and Orton. Before them, Triple H. Now they're mixing it up and giving us new ME feuds, and people still bitch. Can't please everybody, I know, but damn.

I think it does good for both the ME and the mid-card. If a guy doesn't get over (i.e. Swagger even though I still don't understand why for the life of me) then he's still a solid mid-card guy and it just helps the product as a whole. Being a mid-card Swagger is more beneficial and marketable than, say, a lower card Ryder, Tatsu, or Masters. Can't argue that.

Another thing is that it keeps main events from getting too stale w/the same two guys handing the belt back and forth. Even if the new guy doesn't win the belt, it keeps the feuds fresher by interjecting a newer challenge here and there. It actually helps the product as a whole.

I do see the problem with doing too much at one time, however. There is such a thing as overkill or overwhelming people at one time or too quickly. I honestly believe that they are not doing that at this time, though. Sheamus had a pretty good run for what it was worth w/the belt. He was a believable champ and solidified his spot on the roster. Bryan grabbing the U.S. belt was a nice, refreshing change having a "fighting man's" champ. Miz' heavyweight title reign has actually been very surprisingly successful and refreshing. It also gave Cena some credibility in being a chaser again.

It also gives the place a more "competitive" feel. What I mean is, is that a person knows that if they step up to the plate and make a good showing, they can get themselves a good spot. That way, your guys are always trying to make an impact and gives the product as a whole a better feel all around.

Well, that's about it. I don't think it hurts, I think it helps. Gives us fresh faces to look at, changing feuds, and if they don't quite make it they can still become a nice, stable, steady addition to the roster (again, Swagger as an example) that they can always go back to to help freshen things up yet again. I'm enjoying it.

 

[darbare]

You know what I never thought of it like that before...one person that immediately came to mind was Kane...he won a world title for a day, and the rest of his career was upper midcard instantaneously.....same thing with Sheamus or Swagger..I can never in a million years see the two of them dropping below upper midcard because they have that world title accolade that gives them credibility if they are ever needed in the main event, just in case talent is thin one day....same comparison could be made with Big Show who never got over as a true main eventer, but does have like 5 world titles to his name....now that I look back on it, Swaggers reign wasnt so bad because he has a guaranteed job for the rest of his career, barring a stupid fuc*kup on his part....not everybody can be an Orton, Rock, Cena, or Triple H....it almost appears CM Punk is already in this position because he has 3 world titles but has yet to consistently stay in the main event...he almost reminds of Mankind in the late 90s...great stories, titles here and there, but never the main event fixture like Rock or Austin...

 

[The Ram]

I enjoy building up through the steps because it grants more excitment. Like when Shawn Michaels won the wwf championship for the first time people were happy and it was a good moment. He evolved from being a rocker, to the Heart Break Kid shawn Michaels and made a name for his self. Same goes for Stone Cold. People dont usually point out from 1991 - 1995 he was almost a nobody. yes this is correct information. He used to be apart of the hollywood blonds in WCW and he spent 91- 95 in WCW and then he was in ECW not even for a year then he finnaly came to WWF built his self up and made a name for his self now if you were some one who followed "stunning" (yes that was one of his nick name) Steve Austin, when he won the WWF championship it would have been a good moment for you. Or even Triple H evolving from Hunter Hearst Hemsley or The Rock evolving from Rocy Mavia. Or even CM Punk evolving from the Straight Edge Superstar to the Straight Edge Enforcer and being in ROH and other places before coming to WWE. He kind of took the steps of getting from mid card to main event while in WWE even though he won the world championship that 1st time too soon. And I dont care what anybody says The Miz took his steps too. from tag team to U.S. Title to WWE title.

Like I said earlier when you take the steps to getting the World championship everybody is gonna want the person to win the world title. Like Christian and Morrison. When someone is pushed too quickly I won't be excited when the person wins the World title.

 

[tripleddd]

The problem is two fold
1. Having the WWE title and WHC title - two champions doesn't work - it pushes guys into champions before they are ready. One WWE title means less champions - it also encourages these new guys to work themselves up the ladder - remember its not just wrestling skills its mic skills and personality too.
2. The two brands two main event titles made it boring Cena Vs Orton, Cena vs Edge, Edge vs Orton etc over and over again
3. Ive no problem say with a sheamus breaking into the main event and holding the title for a good six months - it would make a statement plus on the way up and while defending his title he would of faced Cena, Edge, Orton , Triple H etc - a bit of variety
4. Swagger was rather unfortunate in the fact ECW came to an end but they should have created his character when he came to Raw/Smackdown and taken him down a Kurt Angle route IC champion or US champion and give him 2 or 3 good feuds on the way
5. Masters is a joke character again when he first turned up alot of promise but ..... he should be in the shake up but his character needs to be thought about may be a tag team for a while even say with Swagger
6. In short to your post - no

 

[xsKiitz]

SNOOKI!!! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!? WHY IS THIS BITCH FAMOUS?!?!? What did she do to become so famous? She has NO TALENT except for being a loudmouth party girl ****!!!

That's pretty much the qualifications to be a part of Jersey Shore



I must say though, I'm really loving what WWE is doing with John Morrison. They're not rushing the belt on him, but instead are making him look like someone that could wear it one day. The best example of this would be the Raw's chamber this year. Him and Punk STOLE the show, both putting on magnificent performances, only to be screwed over by SuperCena.

I'll admit, I was both raging and disappointed that he (or Punk) didn't win. But then I realised this is only a stepping stone to his rise into a champion. If he HAD won it and become champion, sure we would've been happy, but he might be seen as a Miz-type of champion. Pre-mature and not built up properly.
offnote; Punk seriously should've won that damn chamber.

And really, I was hoping that Ziggler's 'title-reign' wasn't serious and didn't count.
Way to screw that one up.

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