What to do with Cesaro?

[@smarkmouth]

Watching the past few months in the booking of Cesaro, it seems that WWE is two-minded about him. They clearly have invested in him through his on-screen associations and opponents, but don't seem to know where to fit him in the big picture. He was unceremoniously vacated from Paul Heyman-Guy premises, is seldom referenced as the Andre the Giant Battle Royal victor, yet is still featured weekly (yes, mostly in losing efforts, but still a staple on programming).

When WWE merged the World and WWE championships, a side effect was a swell of candidates vying for the main title. This unification was positive move, but when I watch the program, I feel that WWE is still adapting to this transition, and a talent like Cesaro falls in limbo. It seems they are beginning a US Championship program with Sheamus, but it's a lackluster move, at least at this stage of the feud.

So what do you offer a talent who you want to invest in, yet can't find a spot on the roster for? My thought, send him to NXT. On paper, that may seem like a demotion, but bare with me. I also should note that I don't watch much NXT as the Network is yet to be available outside certain internet providers in Canada, so please correct me if I'm wrong in the following analysis.

Cesaro has been featured a few times on NXT already, despite being a main roster superstar. In those appearances, he has had three (?) critically acclaimed matches with Sami Zayn. Zayn, in his own right, has been accused in kayfabe of not being able to win the big one (?). Were I to sit in my armchair, which I reserve for booking, I'd have Cesaro walk in as a big WWE fish in the small NXT pond and dethrone champion Adrian Neville. Have Cesaro dominate in several spirited matches with NXT's best until putting Sami over in a championship bout, breaking Sami's stigma while simultaneously defeating a rival who's gotten the better of him twice already(?).

Furthermore, there's no reason to write Cesaro off of main roster television during this time. Have him walk around with the NXT belt, and maybe pick up one or two high profile wins alongside wiping the walls with the midcard. As it stands right now, even with my limited viewing, I see the NXT Championship as more relevant than the US Championship. An appearance on Raw as champion would do well for Cesaro and NXT.

I thought of this during my current frustration with Cesaro's place on the roster. Where do you see Cesaro being used best? Is he being used well now?

 

[Mudlup50]

I like this idea and you really hit the nail on the head. So many guys are trying to be pushed and there's only one major belt. I mean have you heard how mad people are about Bray getting the US title? Yet he physically can't go any higher

If anything it would address my problem with NXT and that being the fact it isn't mentioned at all on Raw so yea. The only problem is you're basically pushing the problem down to NXT. Any NXT guys can't win the belt then, but it gives Cesaro something he desperately needs

 

[FickMoley]

I hate watching Cesaro lose constantly. Kayfabe positioning has a genuine effect on how you perceive who you are watching. Watching him lose to the likes of RVD and Swagger just feels wrong.

Cesaro got himself over huge at the beginning of the year and they squashed it to make/keep him a heel. What was the point of that? If they had no plans to use him as in any effective way as a heel, why suppress the push he earned the hard way? There is nothing harder in wrestling than being a vanilla character and finding a way to become popular. Cesaro overcame yodeling and bad theme songs and listlessness to get where he was in April.

I wish they'd combine the US and IC Title in the following way: If you are an American and you hold that title, you are the U.S. champ. If you are non-American and you win that title, you are I.C. champ. Imagine a guy like Rusev winning the U.S. Title, trashing America and defacing the belt and making it "Intercontinental." Then Cesaro beats him for it at a PPV. The next night at RAW he holds up the IC title but says he cannot accept that belt… Rusev and Lana interrupt and she mocks him and congratulates Cesaro on admitting he isn't good enough to be IC champ. Cesaro goes "no, you misunderstand me. I am from Switzerland. I am proud to be Swiss, but as a young boy I watched my hero Andre the Giant write his legend. I dreamed of following in his footsteps, I dreamed of traveling to America and becoming the best. I would never be 7 foot or 500 pounds, so I had to work harder than anyone to make it here. I have lived in America for many years. I work in America, I achieved my wildest dreams in America. I make love in America and I put my head down to sleep each night in America. I call America home. And today, Rusev, I reject this Intercontinental Title that I won from you. Because I am an AMERICAN, and I will wear THIS title belt (unveils U.S. Title) that represents my home. THE UNITED STATES!" Hits Rusev with belt, swings him 10 times, the crowd never stops cheering.

 

[Navi]

So what do you offer a talent who you want to invest in, yet can't find a spot on the roster for? My thought, send him to NXT. On paper, that may seem like a demotion, but bare with me. I also should note that I don't watch much NXT as the Network is yet to be available outside certain internet providers in Canada, so please correct me if I'm wrong in the following analysis.

Actually you can watch NXT on Sportsnet 360 or video stream it from their website. I have the WWE network here in Toronto, and the show isn't on it.

When it comes to Cesaro I don't think they have a clue what to do with him. First he was part of the Real Americans, split from them, became a Heyman guy, and now is kissing HHH's ass.

Not only that he's been used as a jobber for the last few weeks. All I can say is he must have pissed someone very high up off. I hope they can get him into a meaningful feud which will end up somewhere, because right now he's lost in the midcard.

 

[L@RISANO]

Actually you can watch NXT on Sportsnet 360 or video stream it from their website. I have the WWE network here in Toronto, and the show isn't on it.

When it comes to Cesaro I don't think they have a clue what to do with him. First he was part of the Real Americans, split from them, became a Heyman guy, and now is kissing HHH's ass.

Not only that he's been used as a jobber for the last few weeks. All I can say is he must have pissed someone very high up off. I hope they can get him into a meaningful feud which will end up somewhere, because right now he's lost in the midcard.

I still believe the wrong guy split from the Real Americans,tbh.

Yes, WWE can easily push Cesaro again at some point and he'd get over easily in this day and age, in the same way ppl clamour for a Dolph push even though he was/is in the same position as Cesaro is right now.


That said; Cesaro was de-pushed because WWE had the Shield as the Focal point going forward, whilst Bray also needed focus, thus he unfortunately had to lose all his momentum, hence why his heel turn was done(Swing was stopped, etc.)


Just imagine Rusev vs Cesaro instead of Swagger vs Rusev....THAT would have blown the roof of any arena off, when Cesaro got to do the Giant Swing on the Bulgarian "Russian" Brute.

 

[Chicago1989]

I have said this plenty of times before, but it has to be said again. If you're constantly saying "yes" to everything you're told, all you're going to get is crap and not care about it. I hate to see someone like Cesaro continuously get misused, but at the same time, he's had plenty of time and opportunities to become a full-fledged main eventer. He's still trying to find that character that can connect with the audience and still doesn't have the mic skills to have people care for him. He's extremely talented and can do what not many people can do in the ring, but the time has come where in-ring talent alone isn't doing much for him.

He needs to have a chip on his shoulder and start making noise. Go out there and get noticed. Even if you upset someone in the back, to hell with it. You have to do what you have to do to be a success in the business. You can't always be nice and humble and be a puppet.

He won the Andre the Giant battle royal, got a WrestleMania moment, was under Paul Heyman's guidance, and now he's pretty much back to square one. I would start to question why am I being taken for granted if that happened to me.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

I think the first thing that should happen is decide which of the 50 personas he's had since entering WWE they want to go with, and then stick to it.

He's been:
-a rugby player
-Aksana's boyfriend
-A yodeler
-A Swiss militant (or something?) rap theme music, sunglasses, beret, towel, etc.
-A Real American heel
-A Real American face (this is where the big swing starts)
-A Paul Heyman guy
-whatever the hell he is now.

The point is, it's very hard to get over without an identity. If someone who was watching for the first time asked me to describe who Cesaro is, my answer would be in simple terms "Incredibly strong, and a very good wrestler". So if we know those are his fundamentals, then let's start making some use of those qualities.

Start over basically from when he left the Real Americans. Make him a face (because there aren't enough of them), have him perform feats of incredible strength in his matches, let him connect with the foreign markets, show the fact that he speaks 5 languages as a GOOD thing, show kids the power of intelligence, have him outsmart the heels.

Honestly, in my opinion he has one of the highest potential upsides of anyone on the current roster, he is the type of guy that I think could be positioned as a serious contender to Lesnar, but with the way he's been booked lately he couldn't be any farther from that.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

They should do a double turn with Sheamus. Fans will be behind Cesaro the US Champ for a while, and then he'll drop the title to Rusev around January, en route to winning the Andre Battle Royal again at WM31 and capitalizing on it properly this time.

 

[The Beast Incarnate]

I think Cesaro should be the guy to unify the United States and the Intercontinental Championship. I know this seems like a stretch because of where he is now, but he should have an Ultimate Warrior-like reign. Capturing the WWE World Championship while still holding the Intercontinental Championship. No unifying, just holding both titles. Either that, or hold the Intercontinental title till Money in the Bank, win the briefcase, and possibly lose the IC title within a couple weeks. Take the briefcase and cash it in RVD style at Survivor Series next year. Reason I say Survivor Series, is because the briefcase has never been cashed in at that PPV. Another scenario could see the current WWE Champion at that time, be involved in a classic 5 on 5 Survivor Series match, and after it's over
, Cesaro cashes in on a fallen champion.

 

[cmpunkguy]

This may not be the popular thing to say but Cesaro is not a main event caliber guy in terms of putting the top title on him and having him lead the company. The World titles were watered down in recent years due to having 2 top titles and not enough top guys to feud for them. As a result you saw a lot of guys get the belt but not the status or responsibility. Look at the Miz, Sheamus, Del Rio, Ziggler, even Christian. Compared to these guys - yes Cesaro could be the champ, but the reality is we now have just one top spot again, the way it should be, and Cesaro isn't the guy who's the obvious fit and it will be very hard for him to get it unless a series of injuries happen to those in his way - Reigns, Wyatt, Ambrose, Daniels, Lesnar, Cena, Orton, and maybe even Rollins. I'm a huge fan of Cesaro and have been since I first saw him in PWG but he is best suited to be an upper card guy fighting for the IC Title (the work-rate title) and putting on some excellent main events with any of the names listed above when the time is right, getting close to the big title but in the end making the tops guys look better. This is a much needed and under appreciated role in the WWE and it's important to remember not everyone gets to be the man.

 

[ITBITW]

Just team up Rollins and Cesaro and have them dominate the tag team division.

 

[GRIMLOCK]

He seems to be heading in a filler feud with Sheamus at NOC. The only way I won't hate this is if he wins the title and then Zeb returns and admits he sided with the wrong Real American after taking a kick to the head and Swagger letting him down.

 

[stonecoldhell]

Character deveolpment.

He need to build on his character.

Sadly Paul Heyman buried that chance. He should have stayed on his one and building himself up.

 

[TDFG]

I would turn him face and make him the man to defeat Rusev in the long run, maybe around WMXXXI.

I would have him rebuilt, possibly back under Zeb Coulter, also building up to an eventual run in with Heyman.

 

[L@RISANO]

I would turn him face and make him the man to defeat Rusev in the long run, maybe around WMXXXI.

I would have him rebuilt, possibly back under Zeb Coulter, also building up to an eventual run in with Heyman.

This.

Agreed entirely. Cesaro was way over around WMXXX and I feel WWE purposely took away his "over" stuff such as the Real American theme with the chant and his Giant Swing move, because the main plan for this year was to push the Shield trio and Bray Wyatt, to a lesser extent.


Judging by the reactions, it has worked, as Cesaro is basically in limbo at this point, and it is unclear what direction he will go. However, it is clear that Cesaro has a big future going forward and it is only a matter of time until he gets a big push.


Being the guy to end Rusev(Imagine the Giant Swing on Rusev, or better yet, Lana ) instead of a John Cena or Roman Reigns, would do wonders for him going forward and set him up for an extended Main Event run.


Ultimately, I see Cesaro as an Upper MidCarder with the occasional foray into the Main Event.

 

[stingray11214]

Folks;

Cesaro has always been better as part of a tag-team. Screw Cesaro for a sec: CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI should pull a CM Punk and demand his old partner Kassiu..er, CHRIS HERO rehired and brought to the main roster to take the tag belts off the Usos and Dust-o's. Those two kicking ass as they did in RoH would rejuvenate a tag-team division that is sorely in need of it. Otherwise, he is going to end up like Chris Masters: Unused, "Future Endeavored", and back wrestling in bingo halls.