When was the last time you were truly impressed with a new debut?

[lenguy]

Wrestlers come and go, far too often. People debut and make little waves among shrouded mystery and hopeful renewed relevancy. There seems to be this trend among debuts. Bigger guys are pushed to the moon as massive muscle brutish monsters.

They go on this campaign of carnage and destruction and plow through the competition. Whether they spend weeks eviscerating nameless jobbers or are thrust straight towards the top and take out big name guys like John Cena or Randy Orton. Usually within the time period, its make or break for that guy. If he hasn't proven his capacity to hang with the big boys and get over in that time frame, he's regarded as a bust. If this is the case, this so called monster is thrown into the pits of contemptible hell where this wrestler is fated to float in the sea of irrelevancy until the company has no further use for him.

This brings me to WWE's newest flavor of the month; Braun Strowman. I feel he is destined for things that are opposite of greatness. I just don't buy into this whole thing anymore. Where the big guy debuts and goes on this unstoppable rampage over the roster. I can't fault him but I can fault the habitual spadework of this mundane execution of the monster push. Why should I care? Why should any of us care? Why should we care about a guy who comes in and dominates a guy like Cena for weeks only to be jobbing out to a guy like the Miz a few months later on Superstars? What is wrong with this whole process? Why are crowds completely apathetic towards these types of debuts these days? Is it a bit of Deja Vu? Perhaps just too much of a cliche? I think we've just seen it too many times and crowds withhold their extreme lack of enthusiasm in massive contempt. I digress though. I feel it was important to bring this up. I say this because as far as debuts go, I think it not only comes down to WWE and how they book a guy but it also comes down to that guy to truly seize that moment and leave a lasting impression. Even if they are given nothing to work with.

So, with that being said, I want to know when was the last time a wrestler or wrestlers debuted on the main roster where they actually left an impression on you? For me, its simple; The Shield. Here were a couple of relativly unknown guys who came out of the left field and debuted at Survivor Series 2012. Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins; The hounds of Justice. They swiftly came in and disposed of Ryback, helping CM Punk retain the WWE Championship. What really made me buy into these guys was the fact that they all brought a different personality to the table. 3 different personalities unified by a singular goal. After their debut match at TLC the following month, my endorsement over the group was cemented. It wasn't the fact that the match itself highly impressive, no. I saw something that day, not in just one, but all 3 guys. I could tell that they would sore to great heights as a team but I also knew that they would also find great success as individuals.

Here we are today, Seth Rollins the first ever WWE World Heavyweight United States Champion, only getting started. Dean Ambrose, the lunatic fringe. A guy that has a great presence and has become massively over with the crowd. Roman Reigns who has probably the greatest unlocked potential who can only get better over time.

So there you have it. The last time I was truly impressed with a debut. Now I want to know your thoughts on this. Help me understand the state of these types of pushes and give some insight on how WWE can resolve this. So sound off below and let me know the last time you were truly impressed with a new debut!

 

[whoopin' ass]

I look at it 2 ways - there is the actual debut, the first time you see them and and the impression they make, and then their first angle which is supposed to build the chatacter. For both, I would say The Shield. They brought them in, made them a threat - it worked well. wwe rarely does that anymore. Usually what happens is you get a video hyping someone is coming and then when they finally do show up, the video was the best part. Anyone remember Brodus Clay? OR you get someone like Bo Dallas who comes out there but his first feud does more to bury him than to help him. Outside of The Shield, it has been a long time since someone impressed me with their actual debut or thier first angle - most of those come off as just poorly done.

 

[GeneralKarim]

Well, they can't resolve anything until they have a change of mentality. Until they grow a pair and actually push a guy and actually invest into him they won't go anywhere. I'll be straight-up, I thought Rusev was fine after his losses from Cena ( even though I despised that in a way ) but his "redebut" as a midcarder who lost everything sounded at least like they had a direction. What do we have now ? A shit show. You couldn't give me money to care about his feud right now with DZ.

You mentioned Strowman. I couldn't be more....indifferent? to him. Yeah indifferent. I just didnt care when I saw him. His babyface also irks me. Sue me. My biggest problem with him is we all know how this will end up. Bray is gonna go nowhere cause of horrible booking since his debut, Strowman will prolly get released at some point after jobbing to someone on Superstars for a while and poor highly talented Luke Harper will still be stuck in "tag-team or mid-carder" limbo.

I won't write a book on who impressed me as a debut, but I will just say that The Shield did because I actually wasnt aware of them ( besides a few youtube videos of John Moxley ) and they made a big impact instantly and then went on to be carry WWE, almost literally. And now they are all in pretty good positions with Seth I think being the best improved one of the 3, imo.

Their start and stop problem needs to go away. We need to see some confidence in their decisions. They are too careful. They own the yard so they can be careful and not take risks. But John Cena is 38 and the months are rolling in. They dont have that much time to create someone big. They dont have to be a John Cena type or even be the face of the company, but they need a big star. And with how they are booking everybody, I dont see it.

My problem with any debut that they do now is that I have so many memories of failed pushes and start'n'stops that I can't really take any debuting character seriously anymore. Will I be pumped if Badass Baron Corbin shows up to help the Shield, fuck yeah, but problem is...it's a moment. A decently cool one but, what's next ? Will something materialize from this ? History shows that that is a pretty small probability.

It's like WWE are throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks, and when it sticks they clean it up. If there ever was a time to let the shit on the wall....

 

[Aquaman6686]

I need to go back quite a ways for mine. The last time a debuting superstar really blew my mind was 2008 when I watched the first few matches of Jack Swagger. His in-ring abilities impressed me tremendously and I correctly predicted he'd be a champion within a few months. Jack Swagger is one of the most impressive guys on the roster and it's a shame that his own bad habits and WWE's lack of faith in him have conspired to screw him over time and time again. He should have been the guy to beat Rusev last year, but he didn't, and I think that was the last chance for Jack Swagger to be a big star again.

 

[Sexcellence of Sexecution]

Well I'm gonna go with the obvious answer and say Kevin Owens.

First match in the WWE, he beats John Cena. That's just about the biggest impact you can make when you first arrive. Not only did he beat John Cena, he beat Cena in one of the greatest matches of the modern era. Then he followed it up with two more amazing match of the year performances. His promos with Cena were also great. It was a feud that felt personal and the matches had a big fight feel even though this guy had been on the main roster for only a couple months. That's a testament not only to his ability but to Cena's ability to get somebody over. Well done all around.

I'll also agree that the Shield felt like a big deal, not only because they were attacking big names when they first came in, but because they were presented as something unique. Right away they had an aura about them. They were put over as a legitimate threat, they had a unique entrance coming in through the crowd, and they used a handheld camera for promos which was different from everybody else. Pro wrestling is a genre that rewards innovation, and while the Shield obviously took influence from a bunch of sources like the Freebirds, NWO and the Nexus, it was put together in a unique package and the fans responded to it because wrestling fans crave something that's different. Also in terms of booking they were protected more than anyone since Brock Lesnar when he first came in. They destroyed everybody in their path, and we didn't see them drop a fall for like half a year. The mystique the Shield built as a dominant force was a testament to the power of proper long-term booking. Plus since there were three of them it was easy to hide their individual weaknesses and they were able to deliver very fast-paced, action-packed matches. Go back and watch those 3-on-3 matches the Shield had, they were fucking crazy. Seth Rollins legit almost killed himself every night.

 

[therockiswwf]

I need to go back quite a ways for mine. The last time a debuting superstar really blew my mind was 2008 when I watched the first few matches of Jack Swagger. His in-ring abilities impressed me tremendously and I correctly predicted he'd be a champion within a few months. Jack Swagger is one of the most impressive guys on the roster and it's a shame that his own bad habits and WWE's lack of faith in him have conspired to screw him over time and time again. He should have been the guy to beat Rusev last year, but he didn't, and I think that was the last chance for Jack Swagger to be a big star again.

I actually have the opposite feeling of you. I thought WWE gave him way too many chances. His mic skills are very bland (including once him saying Cena you're dead meat and Cena responded with a deadpan "that's it") and his in ring stuff is nothing special. I view Alberto Del Rio the same way. Way too many chances.

Which is weird considering my choice is Alberto Del Rio. The ring announcer. The cars. Beating Rey Mysterio in his debut. For awhile, everything was great. His in ring and mic skills were great. I loved him until a little after his rumble win.

He seemingly started regressing on the mic. It might have been that he was never great on the mic in the first place and that moving into a big feud exposed him. He became very band as time went on and I still don't entirely get what happened.

 

[Navi]

I would have to go with the Shield. All three guys came in unexpectedly and immediately made an impact. All through their time together they were booked perfectly, and they in my opinion are one of the best factions the WWE has ever put together.

You had Rollins, the high flyer. Ambrose, the brawler, and Reigns the muscle. They complimented each other and ran through the locker room like there was no tomorrow.

The only drawback was that with Ambrose and Rollins both being so good on the mic, it hid the fact that Reigns wasn't. While that is a good thing if you are going to keep them together, it's a bad thing when you want to make Reigns the new face of the WWE. We all saw how that worked out at the Rumble.

Rollins has gone on to the first wrestler to cash in the MITB at Mania. Also he is the first wrestler to hold both the WHC and US titles at the same time. Ambrose had a dismal run as US champ, and I think the WWE doesn't know what to do with him now. But he's still one of the over wrestlers on the roster. And if the rumours are true, Reigns is still in line to become the next face of the WWE.

Whatever happens I think a lot of fans are waiting for Sierra, Hotel, India, Echo, Lima, Delta.....Shield come over the loud speakers. I know I am.

 

[kadroan]

I was impressed with Owens' debut. He had a poise about himself. I like even just having the NXT title with him, he stood to Cena like an equal.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Is it a bit of Deja Vu? Perhaps just too much of a cliche? I think we've just seen it too many times and crowds withhold their extreme lack of enthusiasm in massive contempt.

That statement adds credence to the logic of WWE marketing to children, don't you think? They haven't 'seen it all before' as adults have.....they still marvel at qualities such size, strength and mystery the new performer brings. Plus, the business logic is that these young people will still be with WWE long after the old folks are either gone or watching something else.

This brings me to WWE's newest flavor of the month; Braun Strowman. I feel he is destined for things that are opposite of greatness.

I, on the other hand, still am fascinated by today's debuts.....so to answer the OP question, the Braun Strowman introduction was the last one that impressed me. I'm still willing to suspend disbelief enough for 3 hours on Monday night to enjoy what WWE is bringing. I thought this guy was amazing, from the 'black sheep' contrast to Erick Rowan to the super size of this guy, and what he could bring to the Wyatt Family in the months to come.

Will his push fade? Sure..........Will Braun fall in with the rest of the pack, in which his raw power somehow becomes less intimidating and easier to combat? Definitely.

It's the nature of the beast. Still, I was greatly impressed with his debut.....and glad I can still feel that way after years of watching pro wrestling.

 

[adam]

Owens is likely amongst the top 3 workers in the company right now. The
Shield however impressed from the first day in the company and will be at
the center of the WWE programming for the next 5-10 years.

 

[Prince Vee]

Well there have been quite a lot of impressive debuts in WWE in the Reality era. It starts from The Shield, through The Wyatt family and could end with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. But the OP had asked for the last seen best debut. Undoubtedly its Kevin Owens. He had an impressive mic fight with John Cena and he had won that beaten him clean and night not only in the ring but also on the mic on his first showing. There could be nothing that can go bad for that debut. So there it is. Kevin Owens!!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'm still willing to suspend disbelief; if you're someone who isn't, then I have no idea why you continue to watch WWE or any pro wrestling at all. I wait to see what happens with a guy before I get invested, I don't immediately start organizing fantasy booking scenarios and set myself up for disappointment/frustration because WWE doesn't read my mind by doing what I want. As a result, I tend to not worry so much about debuts or all the hype surrounding new arriving talent until I get an idea of what they bring to the table.

Just based on sheer first impressions, I was impressed with Braun Strowman for the same reason most other people were: the guy's a huge mountain of muscle and looks intimidating as hell. We see a lot of big guys in pro wrestling come and go, some with Herculean physiques, some who're 7 foot giants, some who weigh around 500 pounds, etc. but Braun Strowman has a different look to him. Strowman's between 6'6" and 6'8" and is about the 350 to 375 pound range, but we don't see many men that heavy who're that muscular. He's about the same weight as Brodus Clay, yet look how much more intimidating he looks because of the build and the beard. Just based on looks, Mason Ryan was a Vince McMahon wet dream come to life, yet look where his career went.

Now, still using Strowman as an example, I'm very reluctant to declare him ready for greatness just based on his look. A HUGE reason why is that Strowman is about as green as it gets, I mean Hulk level green, as he hasn't even been in the business for a year, so how much knowledge and ability can he really have? We could very well be looking at a taller, harrier, 250 pound heavier version of Eva Marie in terms of ability; we saw how awful Eva Marie was, though it wasn't entirely her fault as it was Vince who decided to put her on television in matches before she knew the difference between a side headlock and a Prada purse.

 

[whoopin' ass]

Owens is a good example of how wwe doesn't really get characters anymore. His initial debut was impressive - the guy who comes in and attacks the top man in the company, isn't afraid of him. But quickly they turned him into kind of that cowardly heel - saw more than once where he backed away from fighting Cena which is totally opposite of his style initially. That's why I look at them differently - his debut was great but the debut angle was bad. They could have achieved the same thing but made a better angle if they had kept Owens strong and had Cena just barely beating him. It gives credibility to Owens and shows that the only reason Cena won was because of his experience. You could move Ownes to other main event level guys and keep doing the same thing while be beats up and win over midcard guys - shows he is a threat but is just missing something but when he finally does beat a top talent or wins the title, people will buy into it.

With Strowman, the debut may have been good but he is being thrown into a dead group so what's the point? People love Wyatt but the Wyatt Family really hasn't done anything in wwe. Compare them to The Shield - all 3 members have held titles, been in main event or near main event matches and have done really well. What has happened with Wyatt? No titles, they broke up the Wyatt Family but none of them did well on their own so they are putting them back together. You can say Wyatt was in feuds with top guys but he lost all those feuds and just continues to float around while those guys go onto bigger and better things. Makes you wonder why they would want to put Strowman into there unless they have plans for him and this is just a stepping stone (think Deacon Batista). Otherwise it is another classic wwe debut - great first impression, then downhill.

 

[TDFG]

I'll go with The Shield as well. I don't watch much of NXT or stay up to date with indies so the debut of these three caught me by Surprise and grabbed my attention.

A lot of fans want to see a Shield triple threat, these guys will be headliners for years to come.

 

[lenguy]

I'm still willing to suspend disbelief; if you're someone who isn't, then I have no idea why you continue to watch WWE or any pro wrestling at all. I wait to see what happens with a guy before I get invested, I don't immediately start organizing fantasy booking scenarios and set myself up for disappointment/frustration because WWE doesn't read my mind by doing what I want. As a result, I tend to not worry so much about debuts or all the hype surrounding new arriving talent until I get an idea of what they bring to the table.

This I fully agree with.

Just based on sheer first impressions, I was impressed with Braun Strowman for the same reason most other people were: the guy's a huge mountain of muscle and looks intimidating as hell. We see a lot of big guys in pro wrestling come and go, some with Herculean physiques, some who're 7 foot giants, some who weigh around 500 pounds, etc. but Braun Strowman has a different look to him. Strowman's between 6'6" and 6'8" and is about the 350 to 375 pound range, but we don't see many men that heavy who're that muscular. He's about the same weight as Brodus Clay, yet look how much more intimidating he looks because of the build and the beard. Just based on looks, Mason Ryan was a Vince McMahon wet dream come to life, yet look where his career went.

So are you telling me that's all it takes to impress you? There are certain people that come in and you can tell almost immediately if they have "it". Strowman does not have "it". I'm positive that is not what you were trying to get across but to me he looks like nothing more than an over grown Bray Wyatt. Its just a matter of been there done that, you know? Its failed more often times that it has succeeded and I think crowds these days are just tired of it.

If you want to be truly successful in this business then you must meet 3 requirements. Probably what WWE would consider most important is look. You have to have a great marketable look that you can sell to people and merchandise the F'in crap out of. The more you get that face out to the public, the more awareness you create for your product.

Number 2. You have to have personality. Once you get the people to tune in, you have to generate a reason for them to get invested. Some guys can come out and talk and cut a decent promo, but fail to connect. Its not enough to just come out and talk. You need to generate that buzz with your promos. Show some flare and make people actually buy into to the words you are speaking. John Cena does this very well. It works well for Cena because he believes what he actually is saying, which makes it easier for the crowd...or at least half the crowd to swallow what he is preaching. He has the passion and the heart and translates through his actions and words.

Number 3. You need the ring presence. I was careful enough not to use the term ring skill. You can have all the skill in the world but just like during promos, you have to be able to connect with your audience in the ring as well. A guy like Steve Austin who wasn't very technically sound in the ring still managed to bring people in because of his ring style and attitude. He was fun to watch. Not because he could pull off a 450 splash but because he had flare and the crowd were drawn to his mannerisms and to pull off the little things that most people these days over look.

If you posses all three of these traits then then only thing that can hold you back is yourself. Sure, its totally possible to get by with just one or two these traits but all the major legends like Hogan, Rock, Austin,, Flair, Michaels, HHH and Cena have possessed all 3. I just don't currently see any of that in Strowman. So why should I care when I know he very likely won't amount to anything?

Now, still using Strowman as an example, I'm very reluctant to declare him ready for greatness just based on his look. A HUGE reason why is that Strowman is about as green as it gets, I mean Hulk level green, as he hasn't even been in the business for a year, so how much knowledge and ability can he really have? We could very well be looking at a taller, harrier, 250 pound heavier version of Eva Marie in terms of ability; we saw how awful Eva Marie was, though it wasn't entirely her fault as it was Vince who decided to put her on television in matches before she knew the difference between a side headlock and a Prada purse.

Its like I said. if deep down, people are realizing this then why? Why bother getting invested? I'm just bored of it all. The big guy coming in and getting this big monster push only for it to sizzle out and go absolutely nowhere. I'm trying not to be a negative nelly here because there are many great things going on in today's product that are worth getting excited over. Its just when it comes to stuff like this, I can't help but get a sense of "Oh here we go again...." Some times it works, some times it doesn't but I just feel like maybe its time for a different approach to it all.

Also I see a many bunch of people mentioning Kevin Owens. Yes his debuted was great. Yes his matches with Cena that followed are easily match of the year candidates. However, as good as it all was, I just wasn't blown away by it. That might have to do with WWE's way of handling Owens and not Owens himself. Having him come in and defeat Cena on his first main roster PPV match was smart. Having him lose every match after that was not. Owens should have been the one to take the title off Cena. Just how I feel. He made an impact but exactly where does that leave him now?

 

[Planet_Velvet]

It's been a long time since that happened. The element of surprise in wrestling is gone thanks to dirt sheets. We find out who is checking into hotels before major PPV's. We hear about who is backstage at live events. Contract negotiations get covered from beginning to end. So I haven't really been impressed in a long time because thanks to everyone trying to figure wrestling out instead of letting it be, I already know what's gonna happen.

 

[Slash-LN]

The last one for me is Owens.

I didn't watch his NXT stuff and watched just some of his ROH stuff so while I knew some of his stuff I wouldn't say I knew the total package.

I thought he showed poise in the ring and had killer promo skills. It seems less often anymore that people live up to the hype but he did.

 

[MartialHorror]

So are you telling me that's all it takes to impress you? There are certain people that come in and you can tell almost immediately if they have "it". Strowman does not have "it". I'm positive that is not what you were trying to get across but to me he looks like nothing more than an over grown Bray Wyatt. Its just a matter of been there done that, you know? Its failed more often times that it has succeeded and I think crowds these days are just tired of it.

To be fair, Braun hasn't really had the opportunity to show his stuff. Remember when early in the Undertaker's career, he was presented as an almost literal zombie who was incredibly slow and immobile, but super strong? Looked super boring to me, but he ended up becoming a legend over time.

Braun is just being built up as one of those guys who seems invincible only so he will lose to someone relevant and he will probably be a jobber. His mic skills dont' sound as terrible as I had heard- and if anything, seems more menacing than Rowan. Do I think he will be the next big thing? Not yet, but it's too early to judge.

I thought Bray would be the 'next big thing' early last year and that didn't happen.

As for me, Owens for sure. His debut was awesome. Neville's wasn't too bad either, primarily because it was just him stylishly squashing Axel- the best kind of squash. I don't think Vince- or someone behind the scenes- really gets the appeal of NXT though, so most of the call-ups are brought up with a lack of enthusiasm or gimmick change.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I was impressed with Kevin Owens' main roster debut, I thought the way WWE initially booked him was superb, making him look like a genuine star and a real threat to John Cena. It was rare to see a new guy on the roster being booked so strongly. However, I had seen Owens (as Kevin Steen) in CZW and ROH for a long while, so I knew his moveset and repetoire so it wasn't as shocking for me as it was for others.

I reckon the last time I was VERY impressed before that was with The Wyatt Family.

Knowing that Bray Wyatt was Husky Harris earlier in his career, it was a huge (and pleasant surprise when I found out Bray was Husky, as the characters were so different and he looked so different that it was like a totally separate person. I loved the Bray Wyatt character from the first time I saw it, the whole cult leader persona was so believable and creepy and that theme song...wow.

I'm disappointed with how WWE have booked Wyatt over the last year or so- he just continues to lose all the time and until we saw the debut of the giant Braun Strowman (or however you spell his name), Bray hadn't even introduced a new follower since entering the WWE with Erick Rowan and Luke Harper, which is ridiculous as the guy is supposed to be a cult leader who can manipulate minds.

He's still young though so has los of time to fulfil his potential as a top star, so hopefully he'll get another shot soon.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

They got Owens spot on, such a shame they then ruined it...same for Bray Wyatt...

It's actually been a VERY long time since I was truly impressed with a newcomer...indeed, at the risk of being decried and lynched...it was probably John Cena. That's the last guy I remember watching their debut (against Angle) and saying "He's gonna be the guy..." not the next guy, but THE guy... and will never forget my brother's reaction of a screwed up "really?" face... ironic how not only did it happen, but that is the exact face 90% of people pull now when Cena appears.

WWE has lost the art of debuts because it's so obvious now... the new convention is someone debuts in NXT, we learn their old name and then get their new one... then after NXT they move up so it's not really a debut. They need to change up a bit and have some guys never go to TV in NXT if they want to be able to get the aura back they once had... someone like Apollo Crews, there was no need for them ever to be on NXT TV - do some shows then straight up to the roster for a proper debut.

 

[ComeOnVince]

For reasons already stated, most actual "debuts" are not exciting or impressive. It takes a bit for me to see what the character is all about.

Having said that, one comes to mind anyway.

Y2J's WWE debut was excellent. From the "mysterious" build to it, to the execution, to the "surprise" -- I was impressed with Y2J's debut in WWE.

 

[The Warlord]

The last debut I was impressed with was Bray Wyatt's. I was blown away. The vignettes, entrance, character, and in-ring ability....amazing. Its funny how the WWE struggles on keeping these guys fresh

 

[Greg4WWE]

Kane almost 20 years ago. John Cena, The Shield are all up there. Lesnar was a nice debut as well. Heck even Santino had a pretty awesome debut but it went downhill for him after that.

 

[King Patrick Star]

Debuting is one thing, but debuting against the WWE top SuperStar is something on another level. I was so excited about it as it was happening, and I was really impressed with who he targeted at his first at bat in the majors.

 

[LBGetBack]

Sasha Banks.

I'd read the name many times on the internet, and heard about how good she was but I didn't watch NXT.

It did not take long at all for me to realize that she's well worth all the hype. She's going to be one of the best wrestlers, period.