The Post-Lesnar Landscape

[Nate DaMac]

So the general consensus seems to be that Lesnar will be done with the WWE after Wrestlemania. I for one can not wait for that to happen. I'm not someone who hates Lesnar, I enjoy most of his work and Heyman is still gold but I can't pretend that the entire company hasn't seemingly come to a standstill. They're just trying everything they can to fill time in between Lesnar's dates and while it has provided some younger guys with the spotlight, it doesn't feel like anyone is gaining any ground. For example, you have Ziggler give an impressive performance at Survivor Series and normally you'd try and strike while the iron's hot and move him up the card. However, with no real aspirations to have other than being the Intercontinental Champion, he's hit a brick wall. There are a lot of guys in the same position right now. Guys who could be challenging for the WWE WHC but are instead just treading water, waiting for Lesnar to go away. Let's look at the potential contenders/challengers after Mania, regardless of who the champion is.

Faces
John Cena
Roman Reigns
Daniel Bryan
Dean Ambrose
Dolph Ziggler
Randy Orton
Ryback

Heels
Seth Rollins
Bray Wyatt
Rusev
Wade Barrett
Luke Harper
Cesaro (A stretch)

There are a lot of new faces who are or are close to being viable champions and contenders that won't have the chance to shine until after Mania. So is anyone else looking forward to the different possible matches/feuds that we will have coming up after Mania?

 

[rge2010]

When Lesnar leaves WWE are going to need 'that guy' to be the heel. Looking at the list you posted I cannot see anyone. Personally I would have Heyman turn on Lesnar at Mania 31 and in the process have Reigns turn heel. Heyman can be his mouth piece and help Reigns become 'the next big thing'. I think long term this will help Reigns grow (its easier to be hated than liked) and when all the stars align then they can push the button on a Reigns face turn.

Orton is coming back as a face, Bryan is a super face who will be back soon and Ryback, Ziggler and Ambrose are all getting big pushes at the moment - and of course there is always good ol Cena too. Turning Reigns heel is best for business. The only other face in that list I can see turning heel is Dean Ambrose as it would fit his character well.

Also, if the rumours are true of Bray Wyatt feuding with Undertaker I see them both (as a feud) knocking it out of the park and in the process Wyatt increasing his stock and getting cheered more and more. I think a face turn for him awaits in 2015. Also, we cannot forget the incoming influx of NXT talent - Neville, Zayn, Balor, Itami, Owens. You would expect the majority of these to be on the main roster in 2015 so that will see the pack being shuffled.

 

[Navi]

When Lesnar leaves WWE are going to need 'that guy' to be the heel. Looking at the list you posted I cannot see anyone. Personally I would have Heyman turn on Lesnar at Mania 31 and in the process have Reigns turn heel. Heyman can be his mouth piece and help Reigns become 'the next big thing'. I think long term this will help Reigns grow (its easier to be hated than liked) and when all the stars align then they can push the button on a Reigns face turn.

Orton is coming back as a face, Bryan is a super face who will be back soon and Ryback, Ziggler and Ambrose are all getting big pushes at the moment - and of course there is always good ol Cena too. Turning Reigns heel is best for business. The only other face in that list I can see turning heel is Dean Ambrose as it would fit his character well.

Also, if the rumours are true of Bray Wyatt feuding with Undertaker I see them both (as a feud) knocking it out of the park and in the process Wyatt increasing his stock and getting cheered more and more. I think a face turn for him awaits in 2015. Also, we cannot forget the incoming influx of NXT talent - Neville, Zayn, Balor, Itami, Owens. You would expect the majority of these to be on the main roster in 2015 so that will see the pack being shuffled.

What would be the good of turning Reigns heel? The WWE is looking for a new top face to replace Cena. Orton isn't that guy and Bryan is on the shelf. Besides if Reigns turns face, then you have to turn Rollins heel so he can cash in the MITB, considering Reigns is supposed to defeat Lesnar at Mania. Leave Reigns as he is right now, turn him later, but he really needs to get his feet under him first.

Now to the list the OP gave.

Faces
John Cena
Roman Reigns
Daniel Bryan
Dean Ambrose
Dolph Ziggler
Randy Orton
Ryback

I wouldn't even be looking at Daniel Bryan right now as I said before he's out and no date for coming back. He might even need more surgery, really don't know what the hold up with making that decision is. You would have thought if he needed additional surgery it would have happened by now. Ryback isn't ready for a title run, neither is Reigns. I do think Ambrose is, but he has to start winning some matches first to raise his stock. So we're back to Cena and Orton. Ugh.

Heels
Seth Rollins
Bray Wyatt
Rusev
Wade Barrett
Luke Harper
Cesaro (A stretch)

Rollins is the only viable candidate out of the bunch right now for a title run. Wyatt doesn't seem interested in winning any title at all. He's never really spoke about it, well except for once. He want to save people, not win a belt. Rusev will save judgement on until after he's defeated. I am interested in seeing what plans they have for him after this monster push. Barrett will have to get back into it he's been gone awhile. He has a lot of fans, but I think even it's too early for a title run. Same with Harper and Cesaro, who the WWE seems to have forgotten about.

Mind you it all depends on what happens at the Rumble and intimately Mania. But I do agree it seems like the train has ground to a halt because of the Lesnar situation, and once he's out of the picture, it can get going again. What a waste of a year.

 

[Mustang Sally]

It's true WWE has been in a "lull" period since Brock Lesnar became champion. It's an entirely different landscape when the champion isn't really a WWE guy; one of the people who work day in and day out to further themselves and the company as a whole......and if the champion is strictly a mercenary who doesn't care about the product, how can the fans get behind it?

John Cena, for all the silly "hatred" and "boredom" he seems to inspire, represents the company well for how hard he works and how he's always around. Anyone else who serves as world champion does the same, albeit with less impact than Cena.

So when Brock goes......sayonara! Thanks for your time, hope the big bucks you earned allows you to wear diamonds and sable.

If Brock does leave after WM31, however, the timing might coincide with the return of several people who make the company go: guys like Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton. Roman Reigns just got back; he's one of those people .....and even Wade Barrett qualifies, to a lesser extent. If they all come back around the same time, it should help the company transition out of the Brock era....and do it with a rush of activity that hopefully makes us realize the best formula for success is the one that involves a lot of good people plying their trade.... rather than one part-timer who comes around only when he contractually has to.

No problem with Brock; if I had the opportunity, I'd surely do what he did in terms of taking a lot of money for very little work. But as a wrestling fan, I'd rather have Cena on top than Lesnar, thank you very much.

 

[chuckmdubya]

Post Lesnar WWE I think will see some great improvements. Not having the strap on TV has done more to hurt WWE than they imagined. It's like going to church with no religion, not having a title in wrestling is just dumb. Mainly I think we will be getting a healthy dose of Daniel Bryan. It's been announced recently that they expect him back in about two months, just before Brock leaves. A returning Wade Barrett and Roman Reigns will add new entertainment value. When Orton comes back as face, he will be well liked, he's been getting cheers as a heel for a while now. And they've gotta do something new with New Day, these 3 are great wrestlers that get a silent crowd when they come out.

Lesnar has been given legend status that was not fully earned. People keep saying he's the hottest star WWE has, but is he really? Is he really worth all they've given him? The tv ratings say he is not, the return that was hyped on the internet so much turned out to be their lowest rated show in 2 years.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

You know, they're gonna be alright because this seems like a dress rehearsal. Remember how people said 'why remember the territorial days when the champ came on special occasions, by golly thats how its gonna be with Lesnar'. Except that's not how it is completely. It's more like Brock is forgotten the next Raw or the next PPV unless the E plugs his next return date.

I'm happy there is no title on TV, I actually am because now WWE doesn't hotshot anyone without reason, doesn't make upper mids just 'fight for the title'for the heck of it. Now they can develop a character, see how the crowd connects with him (if they do), and then see if he sinks or swims with the champ. I firmly believe if the WWE isn't sure about Reigns or Ambrose, if they see anything less than a ground swell like they did last year with D.Bry, keep the strap on Brock. And let someone step up next year and culminate to SSlam 2015 or Mania 32 against him.

 

[L@RISANO]

So the general consensus seems to be that Lesnar will be done with the WWE after Wrestlemania. I for one can not wait for that to happen. I'm not someone who hates Lesnar, I enjoy most of his work and Heyman is still gold but I can't pretend that the entire company hasn't seemingly come to a standstill. They're just trying everything they can to fill time in between Lesnar's dates and while it has provided some younger guys with the spotlight, it doesn't feel like anyone is gaining any ground. For example, you have Ziggler give an impressive performance at Survivor Series and normally you'd try and strike while the iron's hot and move him up the card. However, with no real aspirations to have other than being the Intercontinental Champion, he's hit a brick wall. There are a lot of guys in the same position right now. Guys who could be challenging for the WWE WHC but are instead just treading water, waiting for Lesnar to go away. Let's look at the potential contenders/challengers after Mania, regardless of who the champion is.

Faces
John Cena
Roman Reigns
Daniel Bryan
Dean Ambrose
Dolph Ziggler
Randy Orton
Ryback

Heels
Seth Rollins
Bray Wyatt
Rusev
Wade Barrett
Luke Harper
Cesaro (A stretch)

There are a lot of new faces who are or are close to being viable champions and contenders that won't have the chance to shine until after Mania. So is anyone else looking forward to the different possible matches/feuds that we will have coming up after Mania?

I have been saying this for quite a while... there is a lot of talent that needs to be unleased in the WWE and I do hope that WrestleMania 31 is the starting point of that.


Guys like Ambrose, Reigns, Rollins and Wyatt are the first of those "New Gen" guys that need big moments at the Biggest Event of All to establish themselves and make the Main Event scene more crowded than it has been in a long time. That can only be a good thing for everyone involved from those in the company to us fans.


Given the kind of booking Brock Lesnar has had since breaking the streak, I can't help but agree that his eventual exit could prove to be a good thing for the business to move into the next era. However, that can only happen if those who are seemingly next in line can be positioned in such a way that they are ready to step up to the next level.

Of course, the likes of Cena, Orton and even Sheamus(if recent rumours prove true) will still be around whilst the still very over Daniel Bryan might well make a return soon enough as well which can only be good for the product as a whole.


Speaking for myself, and I have said this before, I am looking forward to seeing how the Roster and the Main Event scene especially, shapes up come SummerSlam 2015, because it has potential to be AWESOME!

 

[Da Solo]

And this is why I've been turned against the idea of Lesnar as such a long reigning champion. What is the point of the superstars brawling for supremacy if there is no title to fight for, and WHY would no one demand a title shot during PPV's when he's not there? Granted, we have seen many positives during this period, but people are so quick to think that it's because of Lesnar's unique schedule and it's not:

-Ambrose/Rollins' come up doesn't have much to do with an absent title making more space. The crowd invests in them, they are extremely talented, they had solid careers to justify their ME spots and they put on quality matches. It was bound to happen.
-The IC title getting more spotlight really has nothing to do with the fact that the main title is gone, it coincides with Ziggler's come up (proof: as beefed up in rep as it got, it hasn't main evented a single RAW or PPV). Speaking of which:
-Ziggler's rise to higher places similarly is not because of the IC title being the last one left. Honestly, it's because the higher ups know he's loved and they needed another dependable face to match up with the Authority (Reigns is out, Bryan is out, Sheamus is out, Orton is filming, Show/Henry had no steam left or time to build it up, Ambrose doesn't fit the bill and would've left Bray with not much, Ryback is still getting his shine back and Swagger isn't worth retrying over Ziggler point blank).
-Even the US title gaining steam is because Rusev's gimmick sells itself; not because the midcard titles are the "last ones left" to talent.

And if we look at the directly correlated negatives:
-Since Brock won the title has felt way too exclusive for a company with so much airtime. He's had the title for 4 months now and has defended it once, and only to Cena.
-Speaking of, Cena being the only one with clout to challenge Brock seems so stunting to guys like Ambrose, Ziggler and even new Ryback, who've gained so much steam but can only move horizontally instead of trying to climb higher.
-The main goal of being in WWE is not acknowledged at all for weeks to cover for Lesnar being absent, which is ridiculous. At least Rock made it back to defend at the PPV's (which imo is the ideal for a part timer to hold the belt under the "territory days" style: make your matches special to the crowd, sure, but ACTUALLY HAVE SOME FCKING MATCHES)

My point being that the post-Lesnar scene will be very bright just because the title is now open, and all the development (that imo would have come with or without a part time champ) will now have a place to show itself outside of the Authority storyline, which could have survived with much less superstars involved. Imagine now an ME scene and PPV main events with title matches fought by guys like Reigns, Rollins, Ambrose, Wyatt, Ziggler, Ryback, Rusev, Bryan and maybe even some wild cards like HHH, Jericho, RVD, Barrett, Mysterio, etc.

 

[rge2010]

What would be the good of turning Reigns heel? The WWE is looking for a new top face to replace Cena. Orton isn't that guy and Bryan is on the shelf. Besides if Reigns turns face, then you have to turn Rollins heel so he can cash in the MITB, considering Reigns is supposed to defeat Lesnar at Mania. Leave Reigns as he is right now, turn him later, but he really needs to get his feet under him first.

I think you mean 'turn Rollins face'.....but no you don't. That is an absolutely flawed logic in an era where heels battling heels happens sporadically (Wyatts/Shields?). And any way, Rollins can attempt on whoever he wants, he attempted Lesnar a few months ago - it doesn't mean he has to go into a full blown feud with them, even more so if he fails.

Heyman would really help him grow. Like I said, it is much easier to be hated than liked.

 

[Trail_Blazin]

You know how you establish major heel heat?

Have Reigns defy all odds after he gets mauled by Lesnar. Barely kicking out, barely able to move. As Reigns hits the Superman Punch and connects with a spear, he covers Lesnar for the win. New WWE Champion. He lays on Lesnar for a second, unable to get much uumph. As he slowly crawls off and begins to come to a knee, the referee slides the title under his face, and a huge smile crosses Reigns face.

Without music, Rollins comes running down with a referee. Before Reigns even knows he's there curb stomp into the title. Rollins hands the brief case to the ref. The bell rings. Rollins covers the downed Reigns. New WWE Champion. Heyman shakes Rollins hand after. Next night on RAW, Heyman explains that Rollins was insurance. And that insurance paid off.

Now you have a monster heel and a face to chase him.

 

[L@RISANO]

You know how you establish major heel heat?

Have Reigns defy all odds after he gets mauled by Lesnar. Barely kicking out, barely able to move. As Reigns hits the Superman Punch and connects with a spear, he covers Lesnar for the win. New WWE Champion. He lays on Lesnar for a second, unable to get much uumph. As he slowly crawls off and begins to come to a knee, the referee slides the title under his face, and a huge smile crosses Reigns face.

Without music, Rollins comes running down with a referee. Before Reigns even knows he's there curb stomp into the title. Rollins hands the brief case to the ref. The bell rings. Rollins covers the downed Reigns. New WWE Champion. Heyman shakes Rollins hand after. Next night on RAW, Heyman explains that Rollins was insurance. And that insurance paid off.

Now you have a monster heel and a face to chase him.

I think assuming Brock Lesnar is leaving post-Mania, this might be the best way to establish fresh Heel heat for Seth Rollins.


As said, have him cash-in at Mania itself in front of the loads of people in the arena itself and those watching at home.
Have Rollins follow up his handshake with Heyman by revealing himself as the New Heyman Guy on the Post-Mania RAW, with Brock making a final appearance to give him his blessing, perhaps Brock F-5s Roman Reigns in the process also.


What that allows is a fresh WWE title programme to get Reigns up and running with sympathy and a storyline, and also allows Rollins to get a huge rub in front of the Mania audience which can only be a positive for him going forward with Paul Heyman as his new Manager.


Maybe at some point, Dean Ambrose can then be inserted into the Storyline in time for SummerSlam to build for That 3-Way many have been asking for since the SHIELD broke up.

 

[Navi]

I think you mean 'turn Rollins face'.....but no you don't. That is an absolutely flawed logic in an era where heels battling heels happens sporadically (Wyatts/Shields?). And any way, Rollins can attempt on whoever he wants, he attempted Lesnar a few months ago - it doesn't mean he has to go into a full blown feud with them, even more so if he fails.

Heyman would really help him grow. Like I said, it is much easier to be hated than liked.

Oh yes that's what I meant. If Reigns who is a face now turns heel, then Rollins has to become a face. The plan is for Reigns to win the title from Lesnar and Rollins then only has 4 months to cash in the MITB suitcase, and as you say you can't have a heel against a heel.

That would also make all the work Rollins has done this past year, aligning himself with the Authority go to waste. Reigns doesn't need a manager. If he's to become the next big thing, he has to learn to sink or swim on his own. Once he gets better on the mic he'll be fine.