The future of Heath Slater

[NegativeFeedback]

WWE released Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal, leaving Heath Slater as a One-Man-Rock-Band once more.

The fact they kept Heath around is odd. Whatever Heath can do, the others could do too. I was a fan of all 3 of them, so this isn't a knock on Heath. I'm just frankly puzzled as to why one of them was deemed more valuable than the others.

Now, bearing all that, what do you think the actual plans are for Heath?

They obviously sat down in a meeting and decided that 3MB wasn't worth keeping around, but Heath Slater was.

So do you think there's plans for a Heath push? Or is this simply a case of trying to keep a few comedy jobbers on the roster?

 

[THTRobtaylor]

They will put him in the Clem Layfield gimmick form the JBL and Cole show and use that. It's a reasonably fun character and helps JBL be a bit more than the vanilla guy he's become... perhaps even get him out from the desk to let Regal in to take the spot as should be.

The "One Man Band" has run it's course but there is some mileage in him being Clem, being "outed" as JBL's "idiot" nephew and how embarrasing for JBL 3MB was etc... perhaps even setting up an eventual match between the 2.

It's not highbrow but it will keep him in a job...

 

[Softcore Holly]

Probably the Jobber part, although Sandow seems to have the "joke of the week" slot fully covered so not sure why they would keep Slater on for that same role.

 

[James]

Heath about to become the new member of the Shield and you all don't even know it. It's finally time for him to get his payback from 2 years ago jobbing to legends.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I ultimately look for Slater to continue down the road he's been going down: talent enhancement. Slater's been a jobber for several years now in WWE and with new talent ready to be brought up from NXT at anytime coupled with the fact that Slater has nothing going on, I don't expect that to change.

As for why they didn't release him, I think it may have something to do with the fact that he & his wife just had a baby. I don't know for certain, of course, but it's what I'm leaning towards. Vince is extremely image conscious and probably feels that firing a guy just after his wife gives birth might not necessarily look good.

 

[Slash-LN]

I don't know what they plan to do with him.
Even though I know it's unlikely they should team him with Adam Rose or have him feud with Adam Rose. I think either would work for some comedy at least.

I hope they do something to explain 3MB no longer being a group. Given they've had a lot of screen time lately. It would be kind of dumb to just get rid of Drew and Jinder and not make up a story for why they did. Hell Heath could come out and say they were holding him back or something.

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

Ready made gimmick of the band member outgrowing his partners and going solo - as has happened so many times in real life.

If used correctly (big if), Slater, who is a decent wrestler, could easily be built into a solid mid-carder.

 

[Ace Amoeba]

Jinder and McIntyre were Heath Slaters supporting wrestlers for the gimmick. The fact that they released those two shows that they are not all that high on Slater, but are keeping him around for some reason.

This reason could be that if they released the entire faction they become more valuable to TNA as a threesome. If they keep Slater emplyed but keep him off TV or send him to superstars then it'll be safe to assume that this theory is true.

 

[Reflection]

Sierra. Hotel. India. Echo. Lima. Delta. BAYBAY!!!!!
Heath Slater can be a new recruit for The Shield. He is a good actor, and should be able to believably go from a joke character to a serious one. Well... I hope
But for that to happen, Slater will have to take his wrestling skills to the next level. Being a poor man's Cody Rhodes wrestling-wise won't do.

 

[J.J.]

I felt they should've left Heath Slater a solo performer and avoided 3MB. I actually enjoyed his promos a couple years back as "One Man Band". Back in Jericho's WCW days he went through a period where he had a losing streak and would snap after matches and throw tantrums(not as extreme as Alicia Foxx). Then he started on a winning streak and the crowd really got behind him. I'd keep his one man band gimmick and let him build some steam.

 

[Kizzani]

Heath "Brooklyn Brawler" Slater, you wonder what will happen to him, Up lets see he lost before 3MB, He lost with 3MB and we are wondering what will happen.....Oh I think he is going to get a title run......COME ON stop being so dumb no wonder the WWE can't make fans happy, they are clueless and moronic.

Obviously the WWE has to keep some sort of Jobber.

Did anyone really give a terd about 3mb, boring, lame, I mean damn they all lost and put on pathetic shows with a "Little person".

The only thing I am happy about is no more 3MB vs Lameadors every week in and week out and again on Smackdown, and again on live shows and again. Thank god that crap is done.

 

[Trill Co$by]

It's simple really...

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There have been reports for a long time now that WWE's looking to strengthen their tag teams, and as far as heels go; they've done that. They've got the Wyatts, Rybaxel, and even Ascension waiting the distance. They even have The Shield, Las Matadores, and Usos as face teams... And you've got Goldust teaming with Partner of the Week. So why not reunite Gabriel & Slater? They can work as a tweener tag team and I think they're just the two to pull it off.

Separately, they have nothing to offer, but together... they were the tag team champions of Nexus and The Corre. They've held the gold 3 times together, and never got the chance to go back there. So why not reunite and go for the titles one more time. I've been wanting to see them unite again since they split, and now feels about right.

Also, yes... people did like 3MB. So much in fact that fans actually bring "I paid for 3MB (no seriously I did)" to the arena. They were entertaining and fit really well together. But now Slater's got the chance to get back on a serious track and so does Gabriel.

 

[milkman12]

I like Heath Slater. He is fine is his solo jobber role, or in future varying comedy roles. He has more charisma and energy about him the Jinder or Drew who actually is sort of terrible but all you nerds love so much for whatever reason. I think that Slater is the best out of the 3 and even looks like a natural jobber who does not mind acting ridiculous and taking loss after loss. Not everyone can be Tim Duncan or Lebron James, there has to be guys they beat up on too.

 

[RipRoarin75]

I wouldn't mind seeing him paired with Adam Rose. I think there's overlap in genre of gimmick, but enough odd couple angst between the two that could be extremely comical. The Adam Rose gimmick has a similar shelf life to that of "The Funkasaurus". Both gimmicks are buoyed by a slick entrance. The "Funkasaurus" run lasted as long as it did because Tensai was added. The organic nature of that pairing was unplanned for sure.

 

[Dagger Dias]

What I would want to see happen is for Slater to be given a chance at a legitimate push. Sadly I don't see that ever happening. It would be more realistic though for him to reunite with Gabriel and go after the Tag Team Championship again. I also like RipRoarin75's idea of having him with with Rose. Slater would fit right in with the silly crowd of partiers who follow Rose around and they would be a very fun tag team. Anything is better than making him be a comedy jobber forever. Hey, at least he still has a job with the WWE.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I don't think management has anything in mind for Heath beyond doing what he did for 3MB, at least in the foreseeable future. He'll job, and when he's done jobbing......he'll job some more.

When he got a chance to talk before his match with Rusev and promised some good old-fashioned American retribution against the forces of evil, I had brief hope he might be allowed to back it up by giving Rusev a battle before succumbing.

In the end, of course, it was another quick win for Rusev, making me wonder why they'd have the good old American boy look like a foolish blowhard.....and further cementing my feeling that Slater 's heading nowhere.

 

[RipRoarin75]

Dagger Diaz thanks for the response to my post. I think tag-teams are the best route for performers to take when "Creative" has nothing planned for them. It appears the performers have more liberty to expand upon their character and situation. Both Rose and Slater are very sound wrestlers and their schtick WOULD get them over.

To Mustang Sally, part of the problem with WWE not having anything in mind for Slater, is because of how it appears they prioritize giving performers their push. It's no longer sufficient for someone to merely be capable in the ring or to sell tickets. Now, they want individuals who can really promote the product to the media and eventually cross over into other mediums (movies, music, tv). WWE knows that their long term bread and butter is content and having talent who can extend beyond wrestling will eventually mean more revenue for them.