Swagger as World Heavyweight Champion: Did he have the "It" factor?

[No Count Pup]

Jack Swagger won the WHC the first Smackdown after WrestleMania 26. But why? Is it possible that WWE truly believed he was next in line, that they had to catch lightening in a bottle? Did his ECW Title reign blow away backstage officials? Did I miss something? What could have happened backstage that led to Swagger seizing the title?

Not only did Swagger become champion, but he went on to score victories over Edge and Jericho (triple threat), John Morrison, and Randy Orton. That is a massive push.

Here's the thread topic:

From a business standpoint, from a marketing standpoint, or from an "It" factor standpoint, what qualities did Swagger possess in 2010 to warrant such standing? Maybe he didn't possess any. Thoughts?

 

[Steve-O-Matt]

Swagger has skills. That's his appeal, in the ring he's deadly, solid and smoother than silk, I don't think I've ever seen him botch! The problem was, they kicked him down as soon as he won the thing. When he cashed in and won it, I was thinking "Yes! Things in Smackdown are moving up, can't wait to see Swagger's reign!" But they didn't build him up what-so-ever. You mentioned that he had vicitories over guys like Edge, Jericho, Cena and Orton, but I don't remember that what so ever. Sadly the only parts of his reign that stick out was him looking like a idiot in front of the Big Show and losing to everyone on Smackdown.

Swaggy had the potential, sure he was pushed too quickly, but that wasn't the problem. It was the booking. I don't know if he was caught out or suspended during his reign which might have been the problem, but I hated that reign and wished it would be something a lot more. Swagger has always had the IT factor, the trouble was stuff like him getting caught with weed and stuff like that.

 

[Lance]

So im going to be the asshole here.
Yes Swagger did and does have the it factor the problem is he also has a really bad lisp and speech problem on top of that getting DUI and caught with weed when you work for public traded company who focuses it's marketing on children you will not be promoted as a top guy.

 

[Blade]

He certainly has presence and that kind of charisma that's hard to put your finger on. He's also fairly fun to watch in the ring, when he's slamming people around. But the problem was, whenever he opened his mouth, all of that good stuff was made null and void.. He was just painful to listen to. You don't have to be the Rock on the microphone to be a main eventer. But you have to be tolerable to listen to.

 

[Meth Head]

I've been saying this for a long time but Swagger only became world champion due to WWE's absolute desperation at the time to create new stars, and that's all there is to it. 2011 was a troubling time for the main event picture. Shawn Michaels, Edge, Chris Jericho, Batista were all on their way out and 'Taker was only making appearances three times a year. I don't blame the 'E for feeling as nervous as they did due to lack of credible main eventers at the time, but the way they passed the world titles around to newcomers hoping and praying the crowd would accept them was ridiculous.

Swagger, Miz, Del Rio... all great guys who could have had better careers if they didn't peak too damn early.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

If you look at Swagger, and watch him in the ring, there's no question as to his surface appeal.

This is a 6' 7", 250+ lb guy with serious ring skills. I'm sure someone looked at him and saw a Kurt Angle replacement...and that's the way he's been pushed.

It's not even his lisp -- with the right spin, that could've been a benefit to his character if he were able to exhibit some personality on the mic. The problem is that he just can't exhibit any character, any kind of personality when he talks.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Swagger looks good when things are looking good. When he is asked to go out and lose he always looks horrible doing it. He can't come back from that. You either have to keep pushing the guy or let him just be what he is in 2014. Either WWE was not aware of how bad Swagger makes himself look in defeat in 2006 or they would try to give him the biggest push reasonably possibly so he could ride out his long career with at least the title of "former world champ" to help carry him.

And the lisp, and WWE kind of desperate for new talent at the time.

 

[Mustang Sally]

That is a massive push.

....and the problem with massive pushes that kick off a guy's WWE career is pondering what caused WWE management to choose this path for him in the first place. Is it Vince McMahon saying: "The fans will take to the performers I want them to get behind" or is it that they truly believe this guy is the one who has the goods to turn the wrestling world on it's ear from day one?

A guy like Jack Swagger has "recovered" from the premature push, at least to the extent he's still around. People like Drew McIntyre also had the world handed to him at the very beginning but was given too much, too soon. Now, he's losing one-on-one matches to dwarves and it's hard to see him getting another chance at some good stuff, much as I'd like to see it. He's a fine example of someone who learned that being started at the very top leaves you nowhere to go but down.

Swagger's initial push to the world title probably surprised and upset a lot of folks who had been working their way honestly thought the ranks for a long time. Honestly, though, he did (and still does) come off as too goofy and awkward to take seriously as a top attraction. Sure, he knows his stuff, but when that point comes up, it reminds me of Mick Foley writing about a guy he worked with in the independents who could do it all in the ring (I don't remember his name), knew how to work a match, work a crowd......do all the things necessary to make it big as a pro wrestler. Problem was, he weighed 140 pounds and eventually became a manager because whatever assets he may have possessed, he would never be believable in a professional setting. (And please don't throw Rey Mysterio at me to counter this point; Rey is an acrobat, not a technical wrestler like Foley's guy).

So, no......I don't see Jack Swagger as having the "it" factor, at least as it pertains to standing at the very top of his profession. Fortunately, there's plenty for him to do on the mid-card.....and he's doing it.

 

[Creepy Old Man]

Swagger is horrible. Sure, he can wrestle, but ironically that's the least important thing in pro wrestling. Charisma is the top dog, and Swagger has none. And before someone says Bret, Benoit, Rey etc. have none, establish what charisma actually is. Those men had tons of it, hence why arenas went nuts for them at one time.

 

[Pedigree1]

Swags is someone who was pushed way too soon.. In the ring,no doubt he is a beast. 6'7 265 pounds of rock muscle.. Solid amateur background,for someone his size he moves like a cat and is amazing to see..

I am not quite sure why swagger never caught on. True enough on the mic,his lisp has hurt him more than help. Not his fault,but i think the one area he lacks is charisma. He is just not very charismatic at all. He was supposed to be our Kurt Angle replacement,but no one ever bought into it full time.. He is thriving right now in the Mid-card,i think one day he can be a ME player again,just not right now

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

They have just putted him in fire. I remember when he won it, it was out of nowhere and no one expected it(except me, told friend before that Wrestlemania that he would maybe won ). He wasnt build too much, he was just losing midcard feud after midcard feud and after that he just won MiTB without any relevance before it. Naturally without any previous big experience and without skills to adjust(even now he needs Zeb Colter to do the talking so he can get some better relevance) he failed. And he failed hard...

Bad thing is that guy has pretty good in-ring skills. But pretty bland character and charisma.

 

[a member of wwe universe]

i still laugh at those who believed swagger would make decent progress as champion. He was not ready. Ppl were not ready. Good in ring work worth very little if the guy has zero charisma. Hell he was not even credible as a midcarder at that time. There were plenty of guys better than him at that time. I bet wwe booked him to win the title for the sake of shock value and in a desperate attempt to make a main eventer to carry SD.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The "Thwagger" thing doesn't help him, it's cruel in some ways but too funny for most not to use to describe him. The name is a bit dumb, same as Dolph Ziggler is... both sound like "Fake wrestler names" whereas Jake Hagar or Nick Nemeth are better names, sadly they can't be trademarked and thus Vince creates these stupid names. It makes a big difference to say "WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton or John Cena" to "WWE Champion, Jack Swagger or Dolph Ziggler"... One set have some legitimacy the others sound like bad 89' wrestler names and that makes a difference.

In terms of ability he has the package to actually be at an Angle level. The problem with every "new" champion of the last few years is you know there's "no room for error" and as such has to work pretty much immediately or it's the classic South Park "...is champion...and it's gone..."

In Swagger's case, the initial MITB win was quite a surprise and his swift cash in even more so but it was so clearly hotshotted that he almost had no chance... He was kinda face/kinda heel at the time, they clearly hoped the win would help fans take to him so they could make him a face but it just didn't work. They booked him horribly and it was ended so quick that he actually was worse off for winning it, just as Ziggler was both times...

The lisp is part of him and won't change, the stupidity of his bust in reality is on him...but again his push came from nowhere seemingly... he suddenly wins the #1 contendership and you can imagine HIM not knowing or even expecting to actually go to Mania... so he didn't change his ways or no one said to him to be extra careful in what he did etc... if they'd said 3-4 months before "You're our guy going into Mania. If you're doing anything, stop now" then he probably would have done.

It's the danger of hotshotting someone, you have to take them as is, there's no change up period in or out of the ring... it's why this WWE title situation now is so dangerous... guys like The Shield, Wyatt, Cesaro even a newcomer like Rose could end up in the mix but it'll seem rushed and they're all at delicate stages of their "evolution" into top stars that a botched or short run could derail it as much as a poor turn or an injury. Swagger is not irredeemable, he could still do it... but whether he gets the chance is another matter...

There are other guys ahead of him and better all round, if anyone SHOULD be pushed right now it's Barrett... but he has some experience of working the top feuds AND time served now... Swagger has spent a lot of time in and out of the show and that has hurt him but he's not really changed or evolved... Barrett has and if they're gonna pick one of the two to try again with it'll be BNB...

 

[No Count Pup]

There are other guys ahead of him and better all round, if anyone SHOULD be pushed right now it's Barrett... but he has some experience of working the top feuds AND time served now... Swagger has spent a lot of time in and out of the show and that has hurt him but he's not really changed or evolved... Barrett has and if they're gonna pick one of the two to try again with it'll be BNB...

No question about it, Barrett is ready. He's never been world champion, but he carries himself like a world champion. That's his greatest attribute. BNB may be the sleeper star of the next five years. I'm a big fan.

On Swagger, I respect his skills set immensely. He's probably one of the top 5 legit tough guys in WWE. Chances are he would have found success in MMA. Perhaps the World Title was a carrot WWE used to keep him around.

 

[RedRegan1005]

I think Swagger had a lot of potential. When I look back on it though he got pushed fast, which would have been fine if WWE had stuck with the push. Instead they cut his legs out from under him and he fell so hard he never recovered. Too bad too. He has alot of talent in the ring, and more charisma then many realize. However he's been handled so poorly that I think the chances of him getting over are shot.

 

[That N Word]

He is a great wrestler.But he doesn't have any personality or mic skills so I say no. Dutch Mantel is his personality and mic skills.Guy's like Big E and Cesaro may not be good on the mic but at least they have personality.Big E has a silly character for the kids and he dominates for the adults.Cesaro is a bad ass I don't give a damn German who can throw you farther then Mark Henry and Big Show can.What does Jack has that is not really from Zeb.To answer the other question he won it because Vince saw something in him but Swagger proved him wrong.