The Strange Case of..........?

[Navi]

There was a discussion earlier about how boring RAW and the WWE has become. You know all the shows with the same endings, people and what not. So I headed over to the superstars section of WWE.com to have a look and see why. Considering the talent they have, it shouldn't really be that boring. Too my surprise I found something that made me wonder.

There are a lot of wrestlers under the Superstars section that have been missing in action for quite some time. Now we know that some like Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, Bad News Barrett and Ryback are out with injuries. And we know that the Wyatt's are off TV right now, and are in the process of being split, but there are other's there that just haven't been seen in forever. Maybe someone can shed some light on why?

Big E - The last time I remember Big E. was when he was in that feud that went nowhere with Rusev. As far as I know he hasn't had a match in a couple of months. I did see him briefly a few weeks ago during a RAW show, when Joey Mercury was looking for Dean Ambrose. He was standing in the back with his wrestling attire on, but he didn't appear on TV that night, and as far a I can remember since.

Curtis Axel - Since Ryback went out to recover from whatever injury he had, to my knowledge Axel hasn't had a match. I can't believe that he is only contracted to work as a tag team partner with Ryback, and this seems like a perfect time to give him some singles action. But no, he has disappeared as well.

David Otunga - Haven't seen this guy since Wrestlemania. Now I know he is married to Jennifer Hudson and he is a Harvard Law graduate, but keeping someone like him under contract when he is never used just appears to be a complete waste of time and money, on the WWE's part. I watch NXT as well, and never see him on any of their shows and he doesn't do the house show circuit. He's not that bad in the ring, but I guess they don't think that highly of him.

Fandango - He was on TV almost every week, and did the house show circuit until late July, and then nothing. He hasn't been seen or heard from since. If they are changing up his character should it really take 4 months to do so, when they need people now.

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods - I can't remember the last time I saw either one of these guys either. The last time was when they were talking about the NOD part 2, and they've been gone ever since. Woods I never saw a lot of, but Kingston was pretty much on television all the time, and there has been no word of any injury.

Rey Mysterio - The last time I saw Mysterio was just after Wrestlemania, and the he was gone supposedly with a wrist injury. Then word came that he wanted out of his contract and he wasn't going to cash anymore of the WWE's cheques. Now I'm assuming he is still under contract with them, but he isn't slated for any feuds, matches on any upcoming PPV's and it just seems like the WWE has forgotten about him.

I'm sure there are others that should be on the list but these are the ones who jumped out at me. It's just silly that with such a vast talent pool, we are watching the same old shit week in and week out. Instead of using some of this talent they already have on the main roster, we are seeing guys coming out of NXT. While that's not a bad thing, what do you think will happen with those listed above? I can see some coming back with new gimmicks and others just being future endeavored.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

There was a discussion earlier about how boring RAW and the WWE has become. You know all the shows with the same endings, people and what not. So I headed over to the superstars section of WWE.com to have a look and see why. Considering the talent they have, it shouldn't really be that boring. Too my surprise I found something that made me wonder.

There are a lot of wrestlers under the Superstars section that have been missing in action for quite some time. Now we know that some like Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, Bad News Barrett and Ryback are out with injuries. And we know that the Wyatt's are off TV right now, and are in the process of being split, but there are other's there that just haven't been seen in forever. Maybe someone can shed some light on why?

Big E - The last time I remember Big E. was when he was in that feud that went nowhere with Rusev. As far as I know he hasn't had a match in a couple of months. I did see him briefly a few weeks ago during a RAW show, when Joey Mercury was looking for Dean Ambrose. He was standing in the back with his wrestling attire on, but he didn't appear on TV that night, and as far a I can remember since.

Curtis Axel - Since Ryback went out to recover from whatever injury he had, to my knowledge Axel hasn't had a match. I can't believe that he is only contracted to work as a tag team partner with Ryback, and this seems like a perfect time to give him some singles action. But no, he has disappeared as well.

David Otunga - Haven't seen this guy since Wrestlemania. Now I know he is married to Jennifer Hudson and he is a Harvard Law graduate, but keeping someone like him under contract when he is never used just appears to be a complete waste of time and money, on the WWE's part. I watch NXT as well, and never see him on any of their shows and he doesn't do the house show circuit. He's not that bad in the ring, but I guess they don't think that highly of him.

Fandango - He was on TV almost every week, and did the house show circuit until late July, and then nothing. He hasn't been seen or heard from since. If they are changing up his character should it really take 4 months to do so, when they need people now.

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods - I can't remember the last time I saw either one of these guys either. The last time was when they were talking about the NOD part 2, and they've been gone ever since. Woods I never saw a lot of, but Kingston was pretty much on television all the time, and there has been no word of any injury.

Rey Mysterio - The last time I saw Mysterio was just after Wrestlemania, and the he was gone supposedly with a wrist injury. Then word came that he wanted out of his contract and he wasn't going to cash anymore of the WWE's cheques. Now I'm assuming he is still under contract with them, but he isn't slated for any feuds, matches on any upcoming PPV's and it just seems like the WWE has forgotten about him.

I'm sure there are others that should be on the list but these are the ones who jumped out at me. It's just silly that with such a vast talent pool, we are watching the same old shit week in and week out. Instead of using some of this talent they already have on the main roster, we are seeing guys coming out of NXT. While that's not a bad thing, what do you think will happen with those listed above? I can see some coming back with new gimmicks and others just being future endeavored.

Otunga is a unique case, something WWE rarely has... someone with more upside outside the ring/off camera than on it. He and Hudson are not actually married indeed recent reports are that they are pretty much done as a couple. But she still has quite a lot of "pull" in Hollywood circles and that is something Vince likes, perhaps Otunga was given time off to try and salvage the relationship. The other side of the coin is the Lawyer thing... Otunga is a VERY useful guy to have on staff using his legal knowledge. If he's on the road he can be the "go to guy" for any legalities and I would imagine is in effect working for their legal department most of the time. The salaries for that and a lower level superstar are probably about the same so WWE isn't losing out by keeping him around... In terms of the ring, he had a phenomenal body but an awful in ring ability. They have perhaps let him go and learn, but more likely he will show up from time to time, coffee mug in hand if the Authority need "legal advice" on TV and continue to work backstage. It's not a bad gig at all and lots of other guys like Brother Love, Harvey Wippleman, even Hornswoggle all have backstage roles within the company alongside them being occasional on air talents so it's not "new".

Kingston has become kind of a 2 trick pony, he is only really effective during MITB and the Rumble... he is perhaps being kept off screen at the moment so his big "re-debut moment" could be in the Rumble this year. In reality he is the Tito Santana of the current WWE set up and is perhaps being prepared for his "El Matador" style push alongside Woods and Big E.

Fandango as a character ran it's course and you could see with the Layla/Summer Rae stuff before he did vanish that this was perhaps the "end" of the character as we know it. Johnny Curtis hasn't hit as predicted, and ultimately the character was a bust. He's someone I can easily see being cut sooner rather than later, with guys like Devitt and Steen coming in and Neville and Zayn on the way up.

Rey is not rocket science at all, he is someone they want to keep or rather keep being able to see merch off of and who would take that revenue with him to AAA and help them launch Underground in a BIG way. ADR, Morrison, Chavo are one thing but neither are major merch shifters... but as soon as Rey also joins them then they get a massive boost in exposure, merch sales and credibility. Vince is holding Rey's contract to delay that as long as possible, until the Lucha Dragons and in particular Kallisto are ready to step up and fill the void because those are the only 2 masked guys WWE have now in reality. It's cynical and a poor treatment of a loyal talent like Rey but it's the business. Rey's open defiance shows he knows what the game is and is playing it just as well as Vince... Vince won't risk suing him so soon after the ADR debacle, as it would give the appearance of racism major creedance... Rey gets to build a new brand around #freerey and make his eventual AAA debut more of a draw and all the time he isn't wrestling, his injuries get more time to heal and he gets time to readjust his style as needed. On paper this is a major clusterfuck, but it's actually win/win... WWE gets to sell as many masks as they can before they have to bargain bin them and Rey gets a fresh start behind a leaving that hasn't really been seen since Bret.

 

[DCLXVI]

Kofi Kingston is actually usually on Superstars or Main Event every week and I see him as more of a talent for live shows... he gets huge pops but usually loses to someone like Bo Dallas, etc. and doesn't have a character/mic skills. Great wrestler though. I think starting out with the fake Jamaican accent/gimmick and never changing his name hurt him honestly.

Big E was also on Superstars or Main Event this past week (I can't remember which) and fought Rusev as the main event. I don't care about his physique or how strong he is, he is one of the most boring faces on the roster. That short period of time they had him talking like a southern preacher or something during that brief Rusev feud was painful.

So just saying... a lot of these guys still wrestle on WWE's "b rate" shows which also have to be filled just like the main shows...

Fandango - I wasn't watching during his introduction or beating Chris Jericho, so I never saw when he was "over" with the crowd. I know a lot of chicks dig him... the character just sucks out right and I can't even remember how he wrestles and I've seen him a lot. Definitely needs repackaging, not sure how or what they will do.

Curtis Axel just has no connection with the crowd to me and needs some retooling and I honestly think he should play off of his father's character (not sure if he could, may need a manager).

David Otunga I thought was great for the backstage segments and being a corporate stooge and definitely fit Vince's idea of a body type, not sure where he went. He was definitely getting a lot of attention about his wife/girlfriend whatever.

Rey has been hurt forever, no clue about him. I think they are trying to develop "a new Rey Mysterio" in Kalisto in NXT teaming with Sin Cara.

 

[DCLXVI]

Also supposedly Ryback is now medically cleared to wrestle again. After HIAC would be a good time to throw him in the mix as a serious upper-midcard singles threat to fill that void a little. I think he's the dude with some character tweaking/as a face because there are already too many heels and that didn't go so well for him with the "bully" character.

 

[Navi]

Otunga is a unique case, something WWE rarely has... someone with more upside outside the ring/off camera than on it. He and Hudson are not actually married indeed recent reports are that they are pretty much done as a couple. But she still has quite a lot of "pull" in Hollywood circles and that is something Vince likes, perhaps Otunga was given time off to try and salvage the relationship. The other side of the coin is the Lawyer thing... Otunga is a VERY useful guy to have on staff using his legal knowledge. If he's on the road he can be the "go to guy" for any legalities and I would imagine is in effect working for their legal department most of the time. The salaries for that and a lower level superstar are probably about the same so WWE isn't losing out by keeping him around... In terms of the ring, he had a phenomenal body but an awful in ring ability. They have perhaps let him go and learn, but more likely he will show up from time to time, coffee mug in hand if the Authority need "legal advice" on TV and continue to work backstage. It's not a bad gig at all and lots of other guys like Brother Love, Harvey Wippleman, even Hornswoggle all have backstage roles within the company alongside them being occasional on air talents so it's not "new".

Kingston has become kind of a 2 trick pony, he is only really effective during MITB and the Rumble... he is perhaps being kept off screen at the moment so his big "re-debut moment" could be in the Rumble this year. In reality he is the Tito Santana of the current WWE set up and is perhaps being prepared for his "El Matador" style push alongside Woods and Big E.

Fandango as a character ran it's course and you could see with the Layla/Summer Rae stuff before he did vanish that this was perhaps the "end" of the character as we know it. Johnny Curtis hasn't hit as predicted, and ultimately the character was a bust. He's someone I can easily see being cut sooner rather than later, with guys like Devitt and Steen coming in and Neville and Zayn on the way up.

Rey is not rocket science at all, he is someone they want to keep or rather keep being able to see merch off of and who would take that revenue with him to AAA and help them launch Underground in a BIG way. ADR, Morrison, Chavo are one thing but neither are major merch shifters... but as soon as Rey also joins them then they get a massive boost in exposure, merch sales and credibility. Vince is holding Rey's contract to delay that as long as possible, until the Lucha Dragons and in particular Kallisto are ready to step up and fill the void because those are the only 2 masked guys WWE have now in reality. It's cynical and a poor treatment of a loyal talent like Rey but it's the business. Rey's open defiance shows he knows what the game is and is playing it just as well as Vince... Vince won't risk suing him so soon after the ADR debacle, as it would give the appearance of racism major creedance... Rey gets to build a new brand around #freerey and make his eventual AAA debut more of a draw and all the time he isn't wrestling, his injuries get more time to heal and he gets time to readjust his style as needed. On paper this is a major clusterfuck, but it's actually win/win... WWE gets to sell as many masks as they can before they have to bargain bin them and Rey gets a fresh start behind a leaving that hasn't really been seen since Bret.

Oh I thought Otunga and Hudson were married. Some of the reports said they were, and I know they have a child together. But your explanation seems reasonable enough if they are using his legal knowledge. That explains why we haven't seen him in the ring.

And I did know Rey was supposed to be injured and Vince prolonged his contract because of it, but I thought it had all be resolved by now.

Fandango I can see going or changing. The character wasn't really working and with Layla leaving him for Summer Rae, yea pretty much killed it.

Kingston also is good in the ring, a fan favourite and seems kind of unusual they don't use him more.

Kofi Kingston is actually usually on Superstars or Main Event every week and I see him as more of a talent for live shows... he gets huge pops but usually loses to someone like Bo Dallas, etc. and doesn't have a character/mic skills. Great wrestler though. I think starting out with the fake Jamaican accent/gimmick and never changing his name hurt him honestly.

Big E was also on Superstars or Main Event this past week (I can't remember which) and fought Rusev as the main event. I don't care about his physique or how strong he is, he is one of the most boring faces on the roster. That short period of time they had him talking like a southern preacher or something during that brief Rusev feud was painful.

So just saying... a lot of these guys still wrestle on WWE's "b rate" shows which also have to be filled just like the main shows...

Fandango - I wasn't watching during his introduction or beating Chris Jericho, so I never saw when he was "over" with the crowd. I know a lot of chicks dig him... the character just sucks out right and I can't even remember how he wrestles and I've seen him a lot. Definitely needs repackaging, not sure how or what they will do.

Curtis Axel just has no connection with the crowd to me and needs some retooling and I honestly think he should play off of his father's character (not sure if he could, may need a manager).

David Otunga I thought was great for the backstage segments and being a corporate stooge and definitely fit Vince's idea of a body type, not sure where he went. He was definitely getting a lot of attention about his wife/girlfriend whatever.

Rey has been hurt forever, no clue about him. I think they are trying to develop "a new Rey Mysterio" in Kalisto in NXT teaming with Sin Cara.

I can see what your saying about Axle, he is boring, but without Ryback maybe he could have got some singles action, even if he's only jobbing.

And I'll admit I try to watch all the shows, but sometimes I miss Main Event and Superstars because of work, so I had no idea that Kingston and Big E had appeared on them. It's kind of sad though that they are now appearing on the C and D shows and not on Smackdown or RAW.

Oh and if Hudson and Otunga are done as a couple, will she still use her Hollywood connections to help the WWE, and did she in the past? I know she's an Oscar winner, but I would have thought the Rock would have been more beneficial to the WWE in Hollywood circles than Jennifer Hudson.

 

[DCLXVI]

Ryback and Curtis Axle shouldn't have been put together to begin with... it felt forced but they did their best with it. Ryback has way more potential than Curtis Axle, even though Curtis is a good hand in the ring.

I don't know how helpful being with Hudson was to WWE, but I think it was kind of a double edged sword and drew some attention to Otunga but made him ultimately known as "Jennifer Hudson's husband". Maybe.

 

[Navi]

Ryback and Curtis Axle shouldn't have been put together to begin with... it felt forced but they did their best with it. Ryback has way more potential than Curtis Axle, even though Curtis is a good hand in the ring.

I don't know how helpful being with Hudson was to WWE, but I think it was kind of a double edged sword and drew some attention to Otunga but made him ultimately known as "Jennifer Hudson's husband". Maybe.

I'm not really a fan of either Ryback or Axle just thought it was strange that one goes out with injuries and we never see the other one after that. Doesn't usually happen with tag teams. And lets face it that all I've ever seen them do for quite awhile now is tag team.

I had no idea until a few months ago he was with Hudson. I saw their picture together on another website. So being known as Jennifer Hudson's husband really didn't help him. I'm sure most of the under 14 crowd have never heard of her.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

The last I heard, Vince was flip flopping on whether or not Big E. Kofi & Woods would be a babyface or heel faction. For the past few months, they've tried them in each role at house shows. I don't really know what the hold up is.

I read a report earlier this week stating that Axel would be returning to TV soon along with Ryback, who's been out recovering from shoulder surgery I think. I know he's had surgery and I THINK I remember reading it had to do with his shoulder, but I won't swear to it. So, if true, Rybaxel should be back before too long.

I think that David Otunga works with Stephanie McMahon when it comes to helping promote the WWE brand. I think he also does work with WWE's legal department, while I can't say for sure, I have a feeling that WWE won't waste the opportunity of having an attorney who graduated with honors from Harvard. Best place for him really because his in-ring career was going nowhere and I don't think he was all that special anyway.

As for Mysterio, I think things have finally reached a breaking point. There's been tension between WWE management & Mysterio for years reportedly due to contract issues. Rey's been one of the highest paid guys on the roster and has wanted to stay that way, yet he's been on the shelf with one injury or another. He's also failed the WWE Wellness Policy twice. I think the breaking point came about when Mysterio appeared either on an AAA ppv or on the El Rey Network for Lucha Underground. Personally, I'm of the opinion that if WWE is looking for a "new" Rey Mysterio, I mean a top babyface Mexican wrestler, there's real potential in Kalisto.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Fandango as a character ran it's course and you could see with the Layla/Summer Rae stuff before he did vanish that this was perhaps the "end" of the character as we know it. Johnny Curtis hasn't hit as predicted, and ultimately the character was a bust.

The character as originally presented is a bust, but I don't know that it means the entire Fandango program failed.

Surely, management had to know this gimmick had a limited shelf life. How much could it possibly be altered to keep it fresh? I would think Johnny Curtis, after having spent a few years in the locker room, waiting for a chance to do something significant, was happy for the whole gimmick .....even knowing it was a temporary gig. Better to shine for a while than not at all.

When Fandango was introduced, the time he and Fandangirl spent dancing at the top of the ramp was covered by the camera 100%. But once the production people started cutting away from the dancers to show shot after shot of the crowd watching them, you knew the whole Fandango program was existing on borrowed time.

As to the rest of the performers named in this topic, I can't think of any who could freshen up the Raw or Smackdown storylines enough to make much of an impact. Guys like David Otunga and Curtis Axel were never going to have the type of appeal to carry significant segments of the show.

Still, it's worth it to wonder what became of them.

 

[Navi]

The character as originally presented is a bust, but I don't know that it means the entire Fandango program failed.

Surely, management had to know this gimmick had a limited shelf life. How much could it possibly be altered to keep it fresh? I would think Johnny Curtis, after having spent a few years in the locker room, waiting for a chance to do something significant, was happy for the whole gimmick .....even knowing it was a temporary gig. Better to shine for a while than not at all.

When Fandango was introduced, the time he and Fandangirl spent dancing at the top of the ramp was covered by the camera 100%. But once the production people started cutting away from the dancers to show shot after shot of the crowd watching them, you knew the whole Fandango program was existing on borrowed time.

As to the rest of the performers named in this topic, I can't think of any who could freshen up the Raw or Smackdown storylines enough to make much of an impact. Guys like David Otunga and Curtis Axel were never going to have the type of appeal to carry significant segments of the show.

Still, it's worth it to wonder what became of them.

I remember the dancing at the top of the ramp. Wasn't there also a feud with Jericho and his partner from Dancing with the Stars. Or was that someone else? Just seems like so long ago now. Actually the first time I saw Tyler Breeze on NXT, he was wearing kind of the same pants Fandango wears and I thought that was him. I wondered for a few minutes why is Fandango on NXT, till I looked at the face.

And yea pretty much everyone else but Mysterio and Kingston was never going to amount to much, but it's strange that there were on TV and then it's like they never existed.

 

[Navi]

The last I heard, Vince was flip flopping on whether or not Big E. Kofi & Woods would be a babyface or heel faction. For the past few months, they've tried them in each role at house shows. I don't really know what the hold up is.

I read a report earlier this week stating that Axel would be returning to TV soon along with Ryback, who's been out recovering from shoulder surgery I think. I know he's had surgery and I THINK I remember reading it had to do with his shoulder, but I won't swear to it. So, if true, Rybaxel should be back before too long.

I think that David Otunga works with Stephanie McMahon when it comes to helping promote the WWE brand. I think he also does work with WWE's legal department, while I can't say for sure, I have a feeling that WWE won't waste the opportunity of having an attorney who graduated with honors from Harvard. Best place for him really because his in-ring career was going nowhere and I don't think he was all that special anyway.

As for Mysterio, I think things have finally reached a breaking point. There's been tension between WWE management & Mysterio for years reportedly due to contract issues. Rey's been one of the highest paid guys on the roster and has wanted to stay that way, yet he's been on the shelf with one injury or another. He's also failed the WWE Wellness Policy twice. I think the breaking point came about when Mysterio appeared either on an AAA ppv or on the El Rey Network for Lucha Underground. Personally, I'm of the opinion that if WWE is looking for a "new" Rey Mysterio, I mean a top babyface Mexican wrestler, there's real potential in Kalisto.

I can see why Otunga would be of TV then. Mysterio I knew there were issues, but I thought I had read they either were resolved or getting resolved. If the guy is done, then cut him loose, they do have Kalisto as a backup. And I notice a lot of what the crowd does, and used to see a lot of kids wearing masks, don't see that so much anymore, I guess with Mysterio off TV no reason too. As a matter of fact didn't notice any Mysterio merchandise for sale at the last house show I was at, and they pretty much had everyone represented there.

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

A Ryback return as a babyface to go up against Rusev could work. I think in the midst of an anti-American tirade, Feed Me More hits and out comes the big guy... you'd actually see a pretty good pop. Especially if they choose Ryback to be the guy to actually defeat Rusev. If they just have him job like Swagger or Henry, then he'll be forgotten and back in a nothing tag team again within a month.

 

[Navi]

A Ryback return as a babyface to go up against Rusev could work. I think in the midst of an anti-American tirade, Feed Me More hits and out comes the big guy... you'd actually see a pretty good pop. Especially if they choose Ryback to be the guy to actually defeat Rusev. If they just have him job like Swagger or Henry, then he'll be forgotten and back in a nothing tag team again within a month.

I would rather see that than Angle against Rusev. But what do you do with Curtis Axle then. He's been waiting in the wings for Ryback to return, and I just can't see Axle as a face.