The Ascension's Current Push On The Main Roster

[Wrestling Mind 300]

Since The Ascension made the jump from Nxt to the main roster, they've been completely destroying every challenge put in front of them so far leading me to believe that after Cesaro and Kidd, they without a doubt will be receiving a shot for the tag team championships at Wrestlemaina.

This is all good as the wwe are starting to put more focus into the division and its refreshing to see a team from Nxt receive a push instead of seeing Goldstar and The Usos wrestle each other every week (thank God that's over), however is it just me or does The Ascension come across as corny on the main roster? The way that they were booked on Nxt was that they a silent monster of a team and only sound coming out of their mouths were "YAAAAH" who will tear any team apart.

Now on the main roster, they rely on disrespecting legends and tag teams of the past such as the LOD, New age Outlaws and recently Ric Flair with promos in which we would see them shouting like a bunch of little boys in a playground making their promos sound annoying.

Now I'd like to pose a few questions to you all regarding The Ascension.

1. What do you think about The Ascensions promos so far?

2. When do you think The Ascension wins the Tag Team Championships?

3. Do you prefer The Ascension as a face or a heel tag team?

 

[Stan Hansen]

I haven't been watching NXT that long as I haven't had the Network but personally I don't care for the Ascension. I never have though, it isn't just since their main roster debut. I personally find them boring and I'm not entertained by their matches. That doesn't mean they aren't good, I am just not a fan. I think the two have potential but the gimmick stinks.

 

[OYDK]

1. The only promo I can remember them cutting is the one on the LOD. And the only part of that promo I remember is when Konnor said "Ohhhhh what a joke". I'm sure they've cut more but I can't for the life of me remember them. That should tell you all you need to know. They shouldn't be cutting promos at this point, they should just be kicking ass. They seem to not be that over with the crowd either, so they need to find a groove soon if they are going to live up to their potential.

2. I think they win the Tag Titles at Wrestlemania, but not necessarily because they deserve it. When they first debuted, I said in another thread that they were going to win the titles at Mania because of the lack of depth in the Tag division and it seems like that's whats going to happen. If WWE decides to go with the feel good Mania moment for The Uso's, than I see The Ascension winning them the next night on Raw, but I can't see them not being in a Title match at Mania.

3. I don't know. I'm not 100% familiar with their NXT work so I haven't seen them as faces. Can't be much worse than their heel run right now though. Just to clarify, I'm not trying to bash The Ascension, but for somebody who listened to all this hype about this team for so long.... this is what we get? I haven't seen anything special.

 

[GeminiGarlord]

The ascension has never been amazing, but they were fine and well booked in NXT so they worked.

While I sorta of like their run on the main roster I quickly coldened to it.

First of all the less talky and more minimalistically dark persona they had in NXT works a lot better than this shouting-puns-in-makeup gimmick they have now.

The second problem is that the tag team division matters nothing currently in WWE, so when they squash keyfabe-losers like gold/stardust or the matadores, nobody cares. Even if they squashed the usos I doubt anyone would have cared.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

1. What do you think about The Ascensions promos so far?

They're all the same thing. It's them doing their (best?) Batman voices & grunting about how great they are, even though they've mostly just had squash matches on the B & C shows.

2. When do you think The Ascension wins the Tag Team Championships?

I actually wouldn't be surprised it they never win them at this rate. Right now it looks like their following in the foot steps of the last several failed NXT experiments. They'll have a small streak of sorts for a little while until the one person who likes them backstage gets sick of them & they become just more wondering mid/lower-carders like Bo Dallas, Adam Rose or The New Day.

3. Do you prefer The Ascension as a face or a heel tag team?

I don't prefer them as anything yet because they simply haven't done anything to make me care about them one way or the other.

 

[L@RISANO]

1. Don't really watch NXT but I do follow the progress of certain Superstars on that show. Obviously the Ascension gimmick change didn't go down to well, and as such they took a backwards step immediately on their Main Roster debut.

2. Eventually, they will have a run with the Tag titles. Problem is, is the Tag division interesting enough? How over do they want the Ascension to be? IF the WWE's intention is for the Ascension to be formidable heels for anyone, which is possible given how they literally beat the shit out of Reigns and Bryan on the SD! Tag Turmoil episode... then, perhaps, the Ascension should be doing more than just squashing different tag teams, no?

3. At this point, they are better as heels. Not like anyone seems to like them, and the gimmick change meant that those who know from NXT weren't going to extend any goodwill either. But, as I said above, what is the Ascension's purpose, given the depleted Tag division?

 

[MartialHorror]

They're a heel team. Eventually they might make good tweeners, shield style, but it's FAR too early for that. I have to presume that they're going to challenge the Uso's next, as Cesaro/Kidd feels too much like credible fodder. After that, who else is there?

Oddly, the Ascension was protected in the Tag Team turmoil match when the Uso's were not.

 

[kadroan]

Since The Ascension made the jump from Nxt to the main roster, they've been completely destroying every challenge put in front of them so far leading me to believe that after Cesaro and Kidd, they without a doubt will be receiving a shot for the tag team championships at Wrestlemaina.

This is all good as the wwe are starting to put more focus into the division and its refreshing to see a team from Nxt receive a push instead of seeing Goldstar and The Usos wrestle each other every week (thank God that's over), however is it just me or does The Ascension come across as corny on the main roster? The way that they were booked on Nxt was that they a silent monster of a team and only sound coming out of their mouths were "YAAAAH" who will tear any team apart.

Now on the main roster, they rely on disrespecting legends and tag teams of the past such as the LOD, New age Outlaws and recently Ric Flair with promos in which we would see them shouting like a bunch of little boys in a playground making their promos sound annoying.

Now I'd like to pose a few questions to you all regarding The Ascension.

1. What do you think about The Ascensions promos so far?

2. When do you think The Ascension wins the Tag Team Championships?

3. Do you prefer The Ascension as a face or a heel tag team?

They're like a tag team version of Randy Orton's Legend Killer gimmick.

I think they'll win it on the RAW after WrestleMania 31. I got a feeling WWE just going to do like they did last year, book a multi-team tag match just to get more people on the WrestleMania card. Then, on RAW, the Usos and The Ascension have a match where The Ascension finally win the titles.

Right now, heel. There's not really any legit heel tag teams right now so they hold that lane down.

 

[shafe_41]

Personally, they've never wowed me. Never really watched a lot of them in NXT but their matches on the 2-hour specials never blew me away. None of the tag teams in NXT honestly blow me away. So I actually get sort of bored watching them.

1.) As someone stated already, they're all the same. Yawn.

2.) When will they win the titles? Probably at some point around Mania. Ascension/Usos for the Tag Titles wouldn't shock me as a pre-show match. At the same time, it also wouldn't shock me if they never win them. Other than the Usos, there's no ACTUAL tag team out to even compete. Kidd and Cesaro will last a few hot months but that's because they have nothing else to do. So there's a couple teams they'll beat, but my prediction of them is they're not going to be around long. There's nothing intriguing about them.

3.) Don't care because they don't excite me either way. Maybe they can prove me wrong and turn me into a fan of theirs, but I don't really care.

 

[Mustang Sally]

They look so soft! Flabby and not muscular, sort of like 6-year old boys dressed up as the Road Warriors. The fierceness they try to project looks ridiculous .....and it's too bad, because I really would like to see a new team come up from NXT and rejuvenate the tag division.

That whole business with them being beaten up by the Legends was bad theater. At a time they should have been destroying everything in their path, they were sent sprawling by a bunch of AARP members. It's one thing to do this to Heath Slater in that amusing series of several years ago; nobody was looking to depict Heath as a rising, destructive force. Doing it to Ascension was almost begging us to not take them seriously.

Plus, especially with the ring gear they wear, of course they're going to be compared to the original Road Warriors.....and hell, how would you expect Ascension would come off against that standard?

 

[laodaron]

I honestly don't believe that the Ascension were ever ACTUALLY supposed to be pushed on the main roster. But the face tag teams need some heels, and the main roster needs some jobbers, so the Ascension gets the job for a while. They're probably making peanuts for checks.

They really are the worst looking wrestlers since probably Eugene. They're also probably the worst gimmick since Eugene. And I'm counting their NXT gimmick.

 

[Olan]

They need a better finisher. Sorry but that Fall of Man reminds me of the old schoolyard push over a kneeling man trick. They don't have the monster look thatis their persona

 

[chuckmdubya]

At this point, in my opinion, they just suck, I pretty much hate everything about them. They look dumb, its like they anted to try to look old school, hardcore, but were afraid to go all the way. All the conspiracy theory illuminati freemason stuff in their video is dumb. All of their so called promos and mic work have sucked. If your character is someone who wants to disrespect the legends of the past, don't make such an effort to emulate someone you don't like.
On top of that, they have them squashing all competition, which is very predictable and boring. Well at least now we know they were actually trying with the new day, and not just burying them, lol.

 

[ShatteredDreamsProduction]

I really don't get what wwe have done to them, in NXT they were this dominating, gothic, brood-like destroyers that beat everything in their path, they had a great entrance, and were entertaining in feuds, with the making everything go dark and appearing in the audience and it had an old 90s brood/ministry feel to it.

Whereas now they are covered in face paint and pretending to be lod or demolition. It makes no sense, it's as if a heel Charlie haas and Eugene started a tag team. I was hoping that the match with the nao would stop all this and they would go back to their NXT personas but obviously not.

 

[Stingersplash89]

Didn't see much of their nxt stuff but from what I do see of them now - they absolutely suck.

 

[MartialHorror]

The sad thing is...The Ascension doesn't suck. The general consensus is that their good- but not great- workers who got over in nxt thanks to great booking. I honestly think their promos are fine in an old school way. He deliver every line in an over-the-top, guttural growl, in contrast to the more grounded, comedic promos that are more popular these days. Hell, even the writing isn't technically bad. It's just a dumb gimmick.

The Ascension feels very anachronistic, which is amusing considering how much they bash the past. The match quality hasn't been great, but their matches have been short and usually have been against solid- but unexceptional workers...and jobbers. They fought the New Day in what was more-or-less a squash and Goldust/Stardust usually don't deliver phenomenal matches.

Rusev seemed to get similar backlash upon his debut. No one realized how good he could be because WWE was adopting a slow burn push. The difference is...Rusev had pretty good booking. He fought guys who were full time employees, starting off low and gradually moving on. The Tag Team division can't work the same way because there aren't enough teams, so the Ascension spends most of their time taking down jobbers who are only there to take a beating. Great matches are usually competitive, but even when they had the opportunity to stand out (against Bryan and Reigns), they had to immediately be DQ'ed.

So I will continue to have hope until they finally feud with the Uso's. If those matches aren't great and the storyline isnt reasonably compelling, then yeah, I'll consider the Ascension a failure. But I take more issue with the booking and JBL's tendency to bury them than anything they themselves have done.

 

[WarroBODFan]

I'm sorry for any Ascension fans here, but I think they're trash. NXT did their very best for them, gave them a big push in their tag-team division, and even I at first thought they were decent. But now, I'm not a fan of them at all. I don't agree that they're good or even decent workers. Viktor isn't bad, but Konnor is horrible in my opinion. I'm so irritated by him shouting "YAH, YAH, YAH" everytime he's stomping someone who's in the corner of the ring. It's to a point now where NXT and more knowledgeable WWE crowds are mocking him for it. In NXT, they were somewhat intimidating, and could pass as a dominant heel tag-team thanks to the booking. But yeah, I think they look ridiculous with the facepaint and the whole LoD getup they wear during the entrance now.

I do not find them entertaining in any way, shape or form. NXT have produced/enhanced some outstanding talents, but the Ascension is not one of them in my eyes. Sad thing is though, I do actually get the appeal for anyone who likes them. I'm all for an imposing, intimidating tag-team who are booked like beats for an extended period of time. I'd be lukewarm at best to them if it was purely the NXT version of the Ascension, but I think they look ridiculous, and how am I supposed to find them imposing when all they're doing is beating local wrestlers?

 

[Sheamus' Suntan]

Unfortunately, since Cameron got fired, the ascension has been doomed to fail. Konnor and Cameron were a much more dominant and impressive team, and were what wowed me to begin with. I've never enjoyed them with Viktor, primarily because of his stature.

If you're going to have a dominant team like this, you have to look imposing. They don't. They look flabby and short. They look up to their opponents more often than not.

I can't see them lasting in this incarnation. If we're going to do anything with them, bring back the brood style gimmick with the dark entrance and little speech and let them beat more credible names, even go on a tiraid of attacking other teams. Make them do something... Interesting.

 

[Hem]

I am not the biggest fan of the Ascension and their run on the main roster. The cool part to them which was their entrance is changed, they couldn't cut a promo that was half decent at the Raw Reunion episode surrounded in the ring by legends. They can't wrestle a good 15 minute back and forth match or even a passable match. Lastly I believe the end was near when the original Ascension was broken up.

I could see them get released or preferably sent down to NXT for new character changes. I don't want them as the champions solely for the reason that there are too many teams ahead of them, including NXT tag teams who deserve a title shot.

Hopefully things look up for the duo and they put in the effort to get good.

 

[chicagokmc]

I think WWE will still try to do something with these guys. Don't be surprised to see them in a triple threat or fatal four way at WM. It's a way you can put a team in something that seems important without them having to carry the match or even do much. And I wouldn't make them champs but if creative wanted to do that you can even have slip their way into titles by pinning someone other than cesaro/kidd.

 

[kadroan]

I think WWE will still try to do something with these guys. Don't be surprised to see them in a triple threat or fatal four way at WM. It's a way you can put a team in something that seems important without them having to carry the match or even do much. And I wouldn't make them champs but if creative wanted to do that you can even have slip their way into titles by pinning someone other than cesaro/kidd.

Yeah I could see it. WWE always have that tag match with a bunch of people thrown in it. I couldn't see them making The Ascension vs. PTP as a serious feud.