What next for Raven?

[Hollywood Naitch]

As we all know, Raven has been released from TNA after his participation in the EV2.0 stable. At his age and physical condition where do you guys see him going now? Was that his last real run in the major leagues?

I honestly cannot see Raven being back on our TV screens in an active competitor role. Although his actual in-ring performance is pretty much the same as it always was, he was never spectacular and was basically just a brawler, he really looked bad during his last TNA run. Really out of shape, pale and old, I felt a bit bad for the guy. I think its probably time for him to retire, as I want to remember the Raven from ECW, where he looked awesome and even the Raven who won the NWA title about 5 years ago.

While I dont think he has that much more to offer in the ring, and should probably call it a day as an active wrestler, with his promo ability and knowledge of the business, I would love to see Raven continue to contribute to either TNA or WWE as a manager, commentator or be involved backstage in someway writing the storylines or passing on his experience and skills to new talent.

So, where do you see his future? Back wrestling on the indie circuit, returning to TNA as an agent/manager/commentator or doing the same in WWE?

Discuss

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

I remember Raven from his Polo days in the WWF and find him a charismatic individual. I think he has always had the intellectual insight as to how a character should be embraced by a wrestler. So he could work backstage and help out younger talents in the future.

I don't see him commentating, but wouldn't be surprised if he becomes an agent in TNA in a coupla years.

Indies, yep for some time, he will kick that horse.

 

[Trivia247]

even as an active wrestler he always had the manager role apart of any persona he has. Raven always has to have a Flock. He does do great on the mic and is a ring psychology expert.

 

[LSN80]

I think this is the last we'll see of Raven as an on-screen character in any major promotion. Even for him, he was very out of shape and couldn't work a long match. He looked sloppy and uninspired in the ring, other then during his match with Tommy Dreamer at HardCore Justice. I dont see Raven as being credible to the point where he brings anything other then name recognition, so he'll likely work the independent circuit at this point.

The other rumor I read is that he was considering doing stand-up comedy. Its hard for me to imagine him even cracking a smile unless he's brutalizing someone, so this is a stretch for me. I think he'll head back to the independent circuit and make a nice living based upon his name recognition and past success. But as an on-screen peformer in any company, he's simply not relevant or inspired enough in 2010 to make any kind of impact.

 

[Hardcore Murphy]

Commentator I would love to see Raven as a commentator. Although I think his style of speech and mannerisms would need to be a bit downplayed. If you haven't already, check out Ravens 'Best of' DVD, Nevermore. On the special features, he and Terry Taylor do the commentary on some of his own matches. Although it wasn't a real commentary, Raven's definitely comfortable behind a table. Also I think Taz needs to be replaced as soon as possible.

Manager He would be great for someone like Hardy in TNA. Hardy's new character is similar to Raven's, and if Raven was just to help Hardy with his promos or something like that, it would be great for Jeff. Even though Hardy has improved a lot with promos since his heel turn, I feel as if he could still use a lot of help.

Backstage Role Raven has a great knowledge for wrestling, and I think he could definitely help younger talent improve their mic skills, and help them develop their characters. He could even be a writer in TNA, I mean anything beats Russo.

I hope Raven gose on to take up one of these roles, but I think he won't, I think Raven will be an indie wrestler for a while before retiering. But I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

The other rumor I read is that he was considering doing stand-up comedy. Its hard for me to imagine him even cracking a smile unless he's brutalizing someone, so this is a stretch for me.

I think The Natural might just choke himself to death with a flannel shirt when he reads this tid-bit LSN.

I think he is best in that Dean Malenko/Al Snow role now. Work extensively off-camera but make some high profile run-ins to break up brawls.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I think The Natural might just choke himself to death with a flannel shirt when he reads this tid-bit LSN.

HAHAHA! I nearly did spit my drink out when I read the stand up comedy bit!

Thinking about it though, Raven is a very smart guy, I remember reading somwhere that he is a member of Mensa??? and in shoot interviews you can tell by the words he uses that he is very intelligent.

I suppose that his intelligence could be good at certain styles of stand up comedy, rather than the type where the comedian just stands up and swears and insults people. Here in the UK, alot of the top comedians are very well educated, or at least they used to be. Being smart can give you an advantage when it comes to wit and thinking of jokes.

But for the love of god I hope I dont see Raven in a comedy club in the near future! I want to see him managing Jeff Hardy, mentoring him and helping Jeff to develop the mind-game playing heel role made famous by Raven.

 

[Next Jericho]

I think Raven was a very good wrestler back in the days of ECW and I also enjoyed him in his days as the flock leader but to be completely honest I would lose a lot of respect for Raven if he finished his wrestling career in the Indy so that is out off the way.

I think a role that would help Raven a lot is if he were menotring NXT Conor O'Brian or Eli Cotton Wood as they both have charters of being outcast in the wrestling world and with Raven being Raven I think he would get them to form a stable of outcast like he is and probably go after the tag team titles. I also think if Raven took on a mentoring role of Cottonwood and O'Brian then I think he could get them over with the audience.

 

[Xtreme_Animlas2314]

I've really enjoyed Raven's work over the years. You got to give the guy credit for changing his character as the time went on. If you look at all the promotions from WWE to WCW to ECW to TNA. You can see a guy almost different everytime the guy showed up somewhere. Which isn't a bad thing.!


I think he can really do whatever he wants to do as long as he has some type of control of whatever that might be. He can commentator or
manage just about anyone or work behind the scenes but I don't think that's his style though.

The best way to really use this guy and help the wrestling business out is make him a commentator with him wrestling time to time like Taz or Lawler maybe. OR Let him run his own stable like a Paul Heyman or James Mitchell type of stable. We've seen him do it before but possible more a darker stable then we've seen him do though. TNA would be the best place for him to be a manager unless some where in the indy scene which I don't think would go well.

I really liked his last stable Serotonin but I think it got cut short before really anything got to develop to me. If he could take control of Abyss and Jeff Hardy mabye one or two more people that isn't a big talker. Mentor them becoming a great heel and psychology then this would really help TNA.

Plus with Hardy and Raven history for the WWE days can some how come to help build his story. Hardy is doing decent job but a guy like Raven or James Mitchell needs to come in to really push him over to be a great heel. If you don't want to bring in Mitchell then why not use Raven simple as that.


I kind of wish he had at least one more decent title run or something but he's better off these days mentoring and helping new comers into the wrestling business.

 

[INDYjon22]

The indie circuit will come first, followed by a return to TNA, and then a return to the indies. Pretty simple actually. He will get an invite back to TNA within the next 6 months for a mini storyline and as soon as it ends he will leave the company once again. My wishful side likes the idea of him actually commentating or doing interviews, but alas I don't really think that is a great option. He isn't all that great on the microphone anymore. Every now and then he can cut a decent enough promo but the Raven of ECW and early TNA fame is long gone and so are his promo skills. I hope he finds something worthwhile, but I foresee him only jumping from the indies to TNA a few more times until he retires, and then maybe he will get a backstage job as a trainer or something somewhere.

 

[UltimateHitman]

I think he needs to work on getting back in shape first and in doing such get back a little motivation. This past run w/EV2 just looked embarrassing. Don't get me wrong, I have been a fan of Raven since the inception of that character, but seeing him in EV2 made me feel sorry for the guy.

I don't know what he's possibly been through in his personal life, but he's horribly out of shape and terribly rusty in the ring compared to his past runs. I know he's not too old to get back in shape and put on some decent matches, but I just think the motivation is not there. If he's not up to doing that, then some easy money in the indies based on name power would be good, or maybe just do the comic con circuits. But he definitely needs something more than what he brought to the table recently.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I think he needs to work on getting back in shape first and in doing such get back a little motivation. This past run w/EV2 just looked embarrassing. Don't get me wrong, I have been a fan of Raven since the inception of that character, but seeing him in EV2 made me feel sorry for the guy.

I don't know what he's possibly been through in his personal life, but he's horribly out of shape and terribly rusty in the ring compared to his past runs. I know he's not too old to get back in shape and put on some decent matches, but I just think the motivation is not there.

I think you may be right about the motivation. Raven must know his days at the top of the card are over and understandably at the tail end of his career he isnt as interested in working out as before.

However, I am pretty sure he has some sort of intenstinal illness or something like that where it means you put on weight realllly easily and find it almost impossible to lose it, which is why he looks so out of shape now.

But, looking that pale was awful. If nothing else, and he wants to continue wrestling, he needs to get a tan. He looked awful compared to everyone else on that front. Also, dude...dye your hair dark again, the blond look sucks