Swagger vs. Bourne: Last chance?

[punchline]

Let me start off by saying that I'm a big fan of both Jack Swagger and Evan Bourne, and love the fact that they have a rivalry going. That being said, the ability of both these men guarantees a great physical feud, but can they carry it on the mic?

I think both Bourne and Swagger are safe when it comes to jobs in the WWE, but is this their last chance to elevate themselves out of the mid-card? Also, SHOULD they move to the main event? or are they just too perfect for the mid-card to leave it? After all, even the lower-cards need wrestlers to fill those spots. What are your thoughts?

 

[J-Dogg]

I don't think Jack will be a main eventer again anytime soon, his reign as World Heavyweight Champion wasn't so great, and recently he was involved in a storyline with Cole and Lawler which did nothing to help him, except tease a face turn. Jack can put on good matches and be solid enough on the mic. In my opinion he is a good upper mid carder and thats it, as he's been a guy with a character to play off and be entertaining.

Secondly onto Evan, he's terrific in the ring, and is a good high flyer, but what he needs even in a feud with Swagger is a personality and good mic time, and i haven't seen that much, so this is one of those chances for Evan to be able to get ample mic time and form a personality of sorts to really have a title reign of some kind. But he's a mid carder for life type of guy.

 

[amazing_blue]

I think that Jack Swagger without a doubt deserves to be a main-eventer. His matches are usually some of the best in the WWE, and I think it's only a matter of time before he turns face and gets into some more meaningful feuds (perhaps with the likes of Del Rio and R-Truth).

Evan Bourne is fun to watch, but like J-Dogg said he is a midcard for life kind of guy. I think Bourne is a good opponant for guys like Ziggler, Kingston, Ryder, Sin Cara and Mysterio (who are all faces for the most part, unfortunately).

 

[Notorious718]

Seeing as Jack Swagger is already a former world champion (although that reign wasn't so great), I do think Swagger can move into the midcard at anytime. Like Chris Jericho, I think Swagger can easily transition back and forth between the midcard and main event and people would buy it because he has the credentials. Sure Swagger isn't the greatest on the mic but I still think he can hold his own as a main eventer whether or not he goes over in this feud.

As for Bourne, I look at him as not likely to break out of the midcard. Then again, maybe this program is done so Borune can break out of the midcard. If he beats Swagger, instant credibility as long as the ball doesn't get dropped on him afterwards. I don't know if Bourne will get lost in the main event shuffle if he makes it there (though it's probably likely) but I will say that I'm curious to see what he's capable of at that level. Not many people said R-Truth could make it to the main event and now he's there. Who knows? Bourne might surprise all of us and make it himself.

 

[The Suplexer Perfecter]

When was the last time Bourne was even on the mic? I can't remember.

But he's not going anywhere. I'm also surprised he got a new shirt, but the first time he wore it out he got his first win in a long time against Swagger.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Thwagger? Hmm he needs Kurt Angle to come in, then he could have a feud that might elevate him... He has improved a hell of a lot, but he just doesn't have IT!... sad but true... WWE wasted the push on him that they could and should have used on Morrison or Regal. He is certainly not on a Jericho level... nor is Miz...

Bourne... I would like to think he could still move up, cos he is the best flyer in the WWE and one of the best out there full stop... but he is just so damned boring character wise... There was him and Cody tying for worst gimmick, then Cody turned it around... Irony is that "twisted" gimmick would have worked far better for Bourne after he got hurt... make him into a sabu type, reckless twisted bastard...throw him against Sin Cara and Rey and he has a chance... now whether he could ever pull that side of things off is another matter...

 

[wwerulestnaisbad]

First off of i dont even really consider bourne even a mid-carder (though hes a great wrestler and has worked his way up). And I think some people consider Jack swagger a main eventer (I dont). But they are both people that in 5 or 8 years will be the stars because by then Cena and orton will start to slip out of their prime and guys like hhh and undertaker will be gone. So if I am wwe i wouldnt want to push it and ruin their careers. Just keep them or in my case put them in the mid-card for now.




WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[trashboy]

Why does everyone on this site, cry, moan and care about who's a main eventer or not.. can't you all just enjoy where the wrestlers are at and enjoy what they do in the ring? If they become a main eventer, fine, but I could really care less.. alot of times, I enjoy the midcarders more anyway.. but that's just me

 

[Dagger Dias]

I wouldn't say this is either guy's last chance to get out of the midcard. Swagger is a former world champion who got the opportunity to feed off of Cole's heel heat. He will easily get back into the main event. Bourne might never see anything past the upper midcard or a US title reign. Swagger's way better on the mic than Bourne, but Bourne's flying can do his talking for him. Even still I don't see him ever main eventing unless maybe for one title match that he loses. He's more of a guy to get the crowd excited for the big matches by performing early on in the card. Swagger's main evented before and will again because he has the abilities to pull off main event level feuds if they use him correctly.

 

[punchline]

Why does everyone on this site, cry, moan and care about who's a main eventer or not.. can't you all just enjoy where the wrestlers are at and enjoy what they do in the ring? If they become a main eventer, fine, but I could really care less.. alot of times, I enjoy the midcarders more anyway.. but that's just me

Because we like watching our favorite wrestlers, so we'd like to see them featured more. Before this feud with Swagger, I'd consider myself lucky to see Bourne wrestle an actual match every three or four weeks. If they move up the card, they'd probably wrestling at least every other week. That's why we all "cry, moan and care about who's a main eventer or not".

 

[blueskyy]

I like Evan Bourne a lot. I like his work ethics, and I like his in-ring style. It pains me to say this, but given his size, all he can do is stay a jobber for life. I am not discriminating or anything... but how do you expect him to gain a victory over other superstars if you're that small. You have to move faster, you have to punch harder, you have to work harder in the ring. He's at a disadvantage. Unless he develops some move sets that his opponents can't counter, it's hard to elevate him any further.

I like Swagger too. I think he is much better on the mic than most people give him credit for. He is quite good in the ring too. But given that he hardly had any proper matches nowadays, I reckon he would just fall into his "comfort zone", and start "jobbing" -- that's not a good thing.

 

[punchline]

I like Evan Bourne a lot. I like his work ethics, and I like his in-ring style. It pains me to say this, but given his size, all he can do is stay a jobber for life. I am not discriminating or anything... but how do you expect him to gain a victory over other superstars if you're that small. You have to move faster, you have to punch harder, you have to work harder in the ring. He's at a disadvantage. Unless he develops some move sets that his opponents can't counter, it's hard to elevate him any further.

A few years ago i would agree with you 100%, but look at the current roster. you have guys like Rey Mysterio, Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth, Sin Cara, Daniel Bryan, and Kofi Kingston, many of whom have already dabbled in the main event and gotten prominent pushes. Are you telling me they can't give Bourne believable wins over these guys? I mean, they're not really much bigger than him.

 

[ThUnDeRpHoEnIx]

A few years ago i would agree with you 100%, but look at the current roster. you have guys like Rey Mysterio, Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth, Sin Cara, Daniel Bryan, and Kofi Kingston, many of whom have already dabbled in the main event and gotten prominent pushes. Are you telling me they can't give Bourne believable wins over these guys? I mean, they're not really much bigger than him.

Agreed.In a few years these guys will be main eventing.Give Bourne another finisher that isnt diving like some sort of Acrobatic DDT. Otherwise Bourne needs to set them up for the SSP every match he is going to win. In a few years most matchs will be people the size of Bryan instead of HHH.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

I think neither should really be anywhere near the main event scene right now. They both are fine in the midcard where they are. Is it there last chance? I doubt it. I mean look at Kane last year. How many people said he'd never win another world title? And look what he did. He was world champion for five months. Swagger and Bourne are simply in feud because WWE wants to show them on television. Swagger works fine as a bully character getting his comeuppance. It works for what it is. A midcard feud.

 

[Wrestlingfan100]

SWagger he's really dissapointed management with his world championship run. Evan Bourne is not just a flash in the pan spot monkey everyone makes him out to be here if you watch his matches, he's a great mat wrestler and great chain wrestler/catch hand wrestler and has 11 years of experience and is still young at 28. The whole problem is although the likes of Jericho, CEna, Bret Hart, Steamboat even Triple H and stephanie are pushing for him but from what I've heard Vince still isn't sold on him because of his size, I remember reading from a lot of sources last year that Triple H told Vince that Matt/Evan could be the next hbk, chris jericho, rey mysterio etc. Evan Bourne and Bryan Danielson are the eddie geurrero & chris beniot of our time, well Evan's a bit more like a mix of billy kidman jushin liger and dean malenko in ring wise but the fact of the matter is he's been a hardworker, he's very modest{watch his podcast with colt cabana, he's TO modest.} and he's been there 4 years, well 3 on screen, if he become world champ in OVW and be a substancial upper midcard talent in ecw why not make him a staple of Raw, he doesn't have to win just keep him on television, have him job to uppermidcarders and have him decimate lower midcards like they are doing now.

 

[The Crock]

This isn't a "last chance" for either man, this is just your basic midcard feud. I don't see Bourne ever jumping out of the midcard, he's just not right for the main event. He's small, generic look, just not the right type of wrestler. Jack, on the other hand, has a great look, he's huge physically, and he's good in the ring. He won't use this or any feud soon to jump back into the main event, but he'll be back up there again. He's too good of a talent to not use at that level. He just needs to refine the gimmick and work the mic a little better and he'll be a top tier talent.

 

[ULTRASTARZZ]

- If the RAW writers are smart, they would build them up to be a face tag team ...

 

[JamJam]

Both guys are pretty good in the ring and are atop the higher midcard. Personally, I think they should've turn Jack Swagger face and send him over to Smackdown! He could even be the number 2 face in Smackdown! after Orton. Actually, I'd have both guys be on Smackdown! since it's more wrestling oriented there. Their mic skills do need some work though.

 

[LSN80]

No, and here's why. This isn't a main event feud, or anywhere near it. It's not even for one of the mid-card titles that have such little value these days within WWE. This is more of a baby steps feud for both men on the Raw brand. I know Swagger was World Champion on Smackdown, but so was Dolph Ziggler, and Alberto Del Rio wrestled for the World Title 3 times as a member of the Smackdown roster. As for Bourne, he hasn't wrestled much since returning shortly before Wrestlemania, so I'll withhold judgment before labeling this his "last chance."

The thing anyone evaluating these men need to know is that they're both still young. In WWE time, they're not really seen as up and comers any longer because both have been around for 3-4 years, but Jack Swagger won his first World title quicker then John Cena did his. I think WWE missed the boat with Swagger in not turning him face at the tail end of the Cole/Lawler feud, but there's still time for him, even if he loses this feud, which I doubt he will.

As for Evan Bourne, there's not much more to say about the guy that hasn't been said already. I commented in the Alberto Del Rio thread about how all Ive seen from him is one promo after another since coming to Raw, and the opposite is true with Evan Bourne. I can't remember an Evan Bourne promo, ever, for the life of me. The guy is an amazing talent and a tremendous athlete but he's small and doesn't talk, which hurts him. He's likely to stay in the mid-card for the rest of his career, and there's nothing wrong with that. But to pass judgment on either man, both of whom are very young, based on the outcome of this feud is very shortsighted.