Who Should Be The Next "Top Guy" In WWE?

[Jack-Hammer]

On the WZ main page as well as on other wrestling sites, there's a report going around that the WWE might be looking to build a new "top guy" to eventually replace John Cena as the face of the company.

At 35 years of age, John Cena still potentially has a lot of years left. However, Cena's recent elbow surgery has stirred a lot of talk as to just how much time Cena has left. Cena works extremely hard for WWE and some are worried the wear & tear of the road might be starting to catch up to him. It's said that Cena has neck issues, back issues as well as issues with either one or both of his hips, so all of this naturally has some people wondering how much longer Cena will be the top guy.

The report states that both Vince & Triple H are high on Sheamus. They feel that Sheamus has a great look, is a hard worker and is extremely loyal to WWE. The fact that he's pretty over with fans is a key issue as well. There are some in WWE that feel Sheamus himself might be too old for the spot as he turns 35 in January himself. It's doubtful that Punk will be that guy as he's currently heel and he turns 34 next month.

The report states that some in WWE feel that Vince & Triple H should look to wrestlers in their mid to late 20s when it comes to grooming the next "top guy".

In your opinion, is there anyone currently on the WWE roster that you would personally like to see take Cena's place? Is there anyone you think that currenly could take Cena's place?

 

[theBec2101]

Jack Swagger. I dont know what it is but I think he is a great wrestler. His mic work are good. I mean they could get better but he doesnt really get a chance. He does have the size and the look. His first run, he was still pretty new, then he thrown in the mix of Orton and Cena and got lost in the shuffle.

Another would be Dolph Ziggler. I know he doesnt have the size so to say. But he has the look. He has more of an HBK appeal. I think he needs some work on the mic or at least more time on it. He also needs to drop Vickie.

 

[mr.perfect88]

Im going to have to go with Dolph Ziggler. He reminds me of Curt Henning and I always thought Mr.Perfect had what it took to be a top guy. Dolph as an excellent manager, he has the look and most of all he is the best wrestler and entertainer on the roster. I'd love to see Dolph vs Cm Punk or Dolph vs Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania

 

[kcoe24]

If there looking for a guy in his mid 20's then it's either going to be Seth Rollins or hes' not with the company at the moment.

All of the top guys on the mainevent shows are in there 30's and there isn't any one else in NXT that i could see carrying the company. Now i don't think they should look for a next guy they should build multiple guys up to be maineventers but not make one that much better than the others.

And no Dean Ambrose can't be the guy cause he is clearly best serived as a heel.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The mid 20's thing is a total misnomer. None of the current guys really got pushed till late 20's and in the past the average push was mid-late 30's. WWE has to remember, there is no territory or plan b where these guys can improve and learn. So if its into WWE main event at 25 they will all be much greener and far more likely to get out young like Rock and Brock did.

Someone like Barrett is 33, that's the ideal age, a 8 years experience but he knows he is doing this another 10-15 years minimum if he gets the push and isn't banged up. So when he retires at 45, he looks acts and has the experience of a veteran.

30-35 is absolutely the right age to push guys, so Sheamus, Barrett, Ziggler and Barrett are right on the curve.

Of who to actually pick? As I have said I prefer Barrett to Ziggler as he has more long term potential as a face and internationally. As mentioned in other threads Barrett would immediately have the Euro fans if he turned face. That's half the battle. American fans so far respect and seem to like him. They could have crapped on him in Nexus but didn't.
When he talks he talks well and in another 2 years he could easily be an old fashioned "ring general". He's easily the next "Taker" if they let him be that guy.

Ziggler needs a new name if he's gonna be the guy... But I don't quite buy him, mainly down to the overselling. There comes a point where it's too much and his mic skills are nowhere near there yet.

Sheamus is the most likely candidate of the current roster - he is there, has universal appeal, the size and build and most importantly the affable character. But that is also a downer for him. The top guy in WWE should be someone above the others, Sheamus isn't in ability OR attitude at the mo. Piper had the same problem, he's too much like a guy you could hang out with down the pub.

Cena is clearly there for kids to idolise and adults to find annoying, much like Hogan. Orton is so aloof and arrogant that he seems better than the others. Hunter had the "Game" persona that set him apart. Jericho was always so good in the ring, same for Shawn that you could never do anything more than saw wow about the match, but it was still a 40 year old guy calling himself "Sexy Boy" and "Kid".

Unless they can tap that quality in the next guy it's pointless. That's why I think Ziggler will fail and Barrett could succeed, Barrett has always had it, since the first episode of NXT. He just looked and acted better than anyone else. Bryan is almost too normal, Punk is too much the wise-ass.

 

[i'm a cm punk girl]

Mid 20's? I'll just have a look at WWE guys (main roster) that are in their 20's.

Camacho - 29
Cody Rhodes - 27
Curt Hawkins - 27
Drew McIntyre - 27
Evan Bourne - 29
Heath Slater - 29
Jindar Mahal - 26
JTG - 27
Primo - 29
Sin Cara - 29
Ted DiBiase - 29
Trent Barreta - 25
Zack Ryder - 27

Yeah, that's not very promising. Cody is really the only one that I could see getting that push and making it work, and he's not really proven as a face. Maybe someone in development, or a new signing?

 

[IHW]

No one on the current roster will be the next John Cena. For many, its too late. Most guys I looked at as the next Cena are from ages 27-35. So, in this case, they are too old for what WWE needs. WWE needs someone fresh. Someone from 22-25. Not to green, but not to wel known. Then, they need to build him from scratch like they did with Cena.

So, who should be the next top guy? No names we know.

 

[BringBackJWangYang]

Honestly the problem is that most of these guys spend 8 years training before they are even known to the casual fan. By the time they get tv time their in their late 20s and by the time they can main event they are about 33-34. WWE needs to encourage people to come to the company earlier, or WWE needs to have a better developmental ring. Punk was in wwe in 2006 meaning he started in ecw (wwe brand) when he was 27-28. Had he started at say 24-25, he would have about 8 more SOLID years in the company. Its almost like they didnt plan ahead for this stuff to happen. In the meantime, id like to see a super long cody rhodes vs dibiase jr rivalry, with both of them getting a push. Maybe their could even be a bad blood thing going on to get the older fans. Something where dusty rhodes and ted dibiase sr get into words on raw about who's son is better. It would be entertaining and people who are no longer fans as they grew out of it would tune in to see the million dollar man and the american dream a few times.

 

[TempestH]

The Miz should be the next top face. He's a bit lacking in size, but he's got a marketable look. He's great on the mic, and his ring skills are decent.

He's 31, but he's been a featured regular on WWE programming for 6 years and has been wrestling for a decade. He's already reached a moderate level of notoriety due to his reality TV past.

 

[NotoriousMEAT]

I like Ryback in this spot. Seems he gets mixed reviews from the IWC, but he's what the WWE needs. At least in this viewers opinion. I miss bad asses in wrestling. Haven't had any for a while, and Ryback clearly fits the mold. He's jacked, he's getting OVER, he has so many character traits and even a few catchphrases. He doesn't have to talk, but he can if he needs to (loved Skip Sheffield on NXT), and like Cena, Austin, and Hogan before him.. he can make stars by being beaten. You beat Cena, you've made it.. or at least relevant on a new level. Ask Edge, ask Orton, Sheamus, The Miz, and CM Punk. If Ryback rides out this undefeated streak to a World/WWE Title reign.. who ever eventually beats and dethrones him becomes the top heel by default. Everyone wants Ziggler to be a top guy. Imagine him cashing in his Money in the Bank sometime in 2013 to dethrone Ryback, and be the first to "beat" him. WWE needs to strap that rocket ship to Ryback's ass and let him take everyone to new heights.

I also like The Miz & Jack Swagger as eventual top faces. Not THE top guy, but definitely think serious face pushes for these guys who have both been heels throughout their entire careers could be great for them and WWE.

 

[smizzy]

Honestly, I couldn't possibly look at the roster and give you my final answer. The new "main-guy" seemingly comes out of nowhere. We could all throw a name out there and there's a good chance that not one of us would be correct. The next top draw may not even have been signed to a deal yet. He may not show up on the WWE for another three years. But I do agree with the idea of the article; they need to start planning it out now!

 

[Boourns]

This will probably seem weird but, I did the averages on all the top guys since (and including) Bruno Sammartino and essentially the perfect WWE top guy would be 31, 6ft3 and 254lbs. Weirdly enough (and this will please a certain notorious clan of marks...) The best person statistically for this job then would be Drew McIntyre. He's currently 27 weighs 254lbs and is 6ft5, if he was pushed for the next four years he could be their logical top guy. Ofcourse without the "IT Factor" no one really can be the top guy after all that is the most important thing. Again this shouldn't be taken too seriously but, y'know, food for thought. Another interesting thing to note here is that there's only a handful of guys in the WWE right now that weigh more than 240lbs and as shown above a very small number of guys below thirty that could be the next top guy but, to be fair a lot of the top guys were like 33ish when they peaked and were still main eventers til they were in their mid thirties so, who knows? Again, food for thought.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I don't think there will be a next Cena. They have enough younger guys with potential that they shouldn't have to rely on one guy like they have with Cena.

When I read the article it did stand out that they said Punk didn't have "the look." It makes me wonder if he simply isn't big enough size wise, or if it is something else like his tattoos and his less than perfect physique. A guy like a Daniel Bryan or a Cody Rhodes, who are around the same size of Punk but they have more muscle definition. So I honestly don't know 100% what they mean.

Taking that into account there are a few under the radar guys whose names I could throw out that they could try to groom as a top guy.

Camacho-This name is probably a bit surprising but he does have two things going for him. He has decent size and look, and his dad is Haku, so he has lineage. He needs some heavy work, though.

Ryback-You can call him a poor man's Goldberg all you want, but he is over. His ring skills aren't great, especially for a guy who has worked with the WWE in some form since 2004.

DiBiase Jr.- Ted has some solid in ring skills, and he has a connection with the fans through his DiBiase Posse Party, but he isn't very good on the mic. He has decent size and physique and with his clean cut look he could be the face of a company.

There are also a few guys in developmental who could fit the bill.

Husky Harris/Bray Wyatt-He is only 25 and at this point he looks like he will be a better heel than face, but watch his promos as Wyatt and tell me he isn't a future star. He has a pretty unique in ring style, and since he has been playing Wyatt he has shown a good ability to tie his character into his ring work. There were reports that they want him to drop some weight but at 6'3 300lbs. he can be a force.

Jake Carter-Carter played college football at Oklahoma, so you know he has some athletic ability, and he has a good physique. He is also Vader's son so that should help. He has only been wrestling for the E for about 6 months though.

 

[Hunted-RKO]

WWE don't have a potential main eventer and future face of the company who is in the mid or late 20's at the moment. The perfect time to push a guy to the top is in my eyes, 30,31,32. Randy Orton is still only 32, Punk is 33 turning 34 next month, Zigger is 32, Miz 31 and Cena is still 35 and could even go on for another 5-10 years. Look at Undertaker 47 years of age i think and 7 years ago at 40 years old he was still going at it every night and putting on superb Matches. There main event guys are still at the peak of there careers in there mid/early 30's Then they can still rely on Brock, The Rock, Undertaker, HHH To come in and draw viewers. WWE don't need to be looking for a new top guy anytime soon. There fine as it is, but if they did want to push someone, i would choose Ryback. He's 30 years of age, just debuted, undefeated, went over The Miz clean on RAW and had a last minute stare down with Cm Punk. He has the size and attributes that the WWE Love in a guy, and look to be a main eventer. He's mic skills may be questionable, but anybody can work on that. Reportedly he is a bit dangerous in the ring, but a bit more time and he will be fine. Ryback would be my pick, or maybe a guy who is not currently on the Roster? But WWE don't need to go looking for a new top guy for at least 3-4 years.

 

[HereComesThePain53]

Noone can be the next "top guy." After Cena, Punk, HHH, etc. are gone, WWE is gone. No one and nothing can replace guys like them and Stone Cold and the Rock and The Undertaker. The fun, entertaining, and promising years are..gone. Now, Vince is looking for 20 year old nobodys like Cody Rhodes and Trent Barreta and other superstars that noone cares about to be the next top guy? Hell no. No matter how hard WWE tries, there will be no next top guy. All the good superstars hanged up their boots/will hang it up over the next few years.

 

[thatboyD-BRY]

Curt Hawkins. He's been with the company for years, can wrestle really well, is good on the mic, and has shown some personality(Teaming with Reks on NXT). And to top it all off he's only 27. They can capitalize on him & build him similar to an Edge like top star.

 

[The Great King]

The only people I can think of that fits the bill is Seth Rollins and maybe Cody Rhodes but I don't know how well he would do as a face. Both of them are young and I can see both of them being a poster boy for the WWE.

 

[Da Solo]

Ideally, it really should be CM Punk, but he has too many things going against him in regards to becoming the face of the company. He's from the indies (VKM would never let a talent that wasn't homemade get that much shine), his character makes him a much better heel or at least borderliner (let's see if that catches on) than face, he pushes too many buttons behind the scenes and he's pretty much the antithesis of the top WWE superstar. To their credit, they did look like they were centering the product around him once he won the title, but we all know how that turned out, and it's no wonder he wants to be a heel.

Daniel Bryan is another name I can see thrown in there. Sure, he has the indie thing against him, but he really found his place at WWE, and did it a lot less controversially than Punk (excluding the 1st firing, which was pretty stupid anyway). Unfortunately, he is pretty small for a top guy, and that might be enough to keep him down.

Dolph Ziggler very well could do it. He just needs to improve his mic skills. They're passable, yes, and he has improved them, but they could use some more polishing.

Wade Barrett is in the perfect position to be that guy, in my opinion. He's young, great in the ring and on the stick, made his name with ONLY the WWE, has no glaring strike against him behind the scenes. I think he's probably the top candidate right now. The only thing I could see stopping him is his thick accent. While it sounds pretty badass, I wonder sometimes if WWE would have a foreigner as their main man for the job (not to discriminate or anything, legit concern).

Sheamus is in the same boat as Barrett, and considering HHH is taking over day by day, he probably might be the top gun.

A couple of wildcards I'd like to throw out are Ryback, Cody Rhodes, Kofi Kingston, Titus O'Neill, and Seth Rollins

 

[Jmallett]

idc what you say about it kofi kingston should be a top guy people love his gimmick and should of won the title way before the miz who is god awful

 

[Headman]

Not too many of the guys named are really that much younger than Cena. I would think the next top guy probably isn't around yet.

 

[DJS92491]

To be honest, the next "guy" if we are going by John Cena's standards does not exist within WWE yet.

To be the guy, you have to have the following: Mainstream status, "the look", charisma in and out of the ring, a cult like fan following, and a squeaky clean image.

Mainstream Status: Celebrities, and news outlets pay to see/meet you, and (in this day and age) they follow you on Twitter.

The Look: See any current picture of John Cena. If your physique is the same or better, you have potential to be the guy.

Charisma: Notice how I didn't mention wrestling ability. I bet that if you asked anybody in WWE, being a great wrestler would only be considered as a plus instead of a requirement. I mean, you've got to be passable, but being able to throw a convincing punch is preferred compared to being able to perform a proper suplex. That's because, above all else, you have to be charismatic. That's all ring psychology is, really. You're able to draw a crowd to your matches, tell a story through your actions, and all while making the correct facial expressions or reactions to every event that occurs in a match. There's too many times where wrestlers in WWE pay too close attention to what spot they'll execute next instead of paying attention to how the fans are reacting to the match. To be "the guy" you have to be able to keep asses in seats, plain and simple. Make people want to hold it in if they have to use the bathroom. Make your friend who doesn't even watch wrestling shut up if the guy's trying to talk on the microphone. THAT'S the it factor.


Cult Like Following: Guess what, Cena detractors? Did you know that you're actually a Cena fan? Now, before you call my bs, realize that whether you're cheered or booed it doesn't matter in WWE. The ONLY WAY you can truly not be a fan of a guy is if you don't react to him at all. That's the mistake fans that chant "CENA SUCKS" make. Any loud reaction is a good reaction. You are apart of his cult like following. A wrestler will never ask you to cheer or boo him. They'll only ask for you to react in however way you want to. That's the point, folks, and it always has been.

Clean Image: Cena's divorce was amazing. That's definitely among one of the oddest sentences that I've ever typed, but it's true. Somebody of Cena's status got into a divorce, and not even a month later nobody is even talking about it anymore. That would never happen if Cena was married to someone with some type of celebrity status. Imagine if Cena did date a celebrity, and he got a divorce. It could potentially scar his image if he came out as the bad guy in it. He would never hear the end of it. But no, it was just his high school sweetheart. No harm, no foul. No steroid scandals, no criminal records, nothing. It's the biggest reason why Randy Orton's movie star looks have not garnered him Superstar status. And to all of the snarky people in here who'll retort with "everyone's a Superstar in WWE", shut up. lol


NOW THEN! Does anybody besides Cena fit this image at all? No. The closest was CM Punk. The reason why he never became the guy? Because he won't be anything other than CM Punk. That's very admirable to be yourself, and he makes a great role model, but every controversy he has been involved in has had negative effects. He always means well, but no matter how offensive a fan's remark can be, you just cannot tell a fan to drink bleach or say that he has a vagina(lol). You can take a stand against Chris Brown, but that only gives you so much mainstream media attention until Chris releases another smash hit single that makes everyone forget about it. Definitely doesn't help that Rihanna forgave him as well.

The biggest celebrity he's friends with is Paramore's Hayley Williams, and I most certainly would not be surprised to see her guest hosting Raw if her next album is successful (I predict it even), but it isn't enough if you willingly dress up and call yourself the greatest heel of all time: The Devil. Imagine the backlash (and the greatness) Punk would generate if he came out dressed as Satan and started blurting out satanic rituals (Taker kind of did, but it was more implied...also kind of funny that Punk recently said that he models his career progression after Taker's)? It would be very entertaining, but A LOT of people would not like it.

Cena does nothing, I MEAN NOTHING, controversial and Punk telling him that Cena should run for president isn't as farfetched as one might think. Definitely since I believe that Cena actually could. What if Vince was breeding Cena to be president of the United States? Wouldn't that be crazy if that was the plan all along? I mean, I wouldn't vote for him, but still.


In summary, Cena is the only Superstar in WWE that meets WWE's standards as the guy. Just each possible guy doesn't have "it" yet. I can see Ryback as the next feasible attempt by WWE, but it just won't happen. Even Goldberg who wasn't the most charismatic guy in the world just oozes it compared to Ryback. Sheamus? Del Rio? Both have international followings, but let's be real. WWE wants an AMERICAN MADE, MEAT EATING, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE to be the guy. Not necessarily a presidential candidate, but you get what I mean.

Just don't be TOO surprised if you see this in your future: CENA FOR PRESIDENT 2028!

 

[smizzy]

This will probably seem weird but, I did the averages on all the top guys since (and including) Bruno Sammartino and essentially the perfect WWE top guy would be 31, 6ft3 and 254lbs. Weirdly enough (and this will please a certain notorious clan of marks...)

Very analytical. I like this. Going off of the averages you calculated I found a great match.

And this isn't who I'd put money on being the next number one by any means..

Roman Reigns (Leakee); Billed at 6'3, 265. He is 27. He also, in my opinion has a great look.

Spoiler

On the mic:

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]WPu84X0K5KY[/YOUTUBE]
You gotta skip ahead to 2:40 to hear him.

In the ring:

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]A51AAxQcAXs[/YOUTUBE]

I'm not that familiar with his in ring work because I never watched FCW or NXT but I do know Jim Ross praised him in his blog saying: " I will say that one, home grown product in WWE Developmental that seemingly has unlimited potential is Leakee, the son of Wild Samoan Sika and a former defensive lineman at Georgia Tech. A natural athlete with drive and toughness, Leakee is 6'3"-260 pounds and is a bright young man who seems to be grounded and has an excellent work ethic. Time will tell how he evolves but don't be surprised if Leakee doesn't make some noise in WWE in the future."

Click this to go straight to the blog entry I'm referring to.

 

[Just Do It]

Something fresh about Ryback frankly. Like a throw back to my youth of an unstoppable monster the bad guys should be scared of. Imagine in a couple of years when this OVER monster turns heel! oh my!

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Very analytical. I like this. Going off of the averages you calculated I found a great match.

And this isn't who I'd put money on being the next number one by any means..

Roman Reigns (Leakee); Billed at 6'3, 265. He is 27. He also, in my opinion has a great look.

Spoiler

On the mic:

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]WPu84X0K5KY[/YOUTUBE]
You gotta skip ahead to 2:40 to hear him.

In the ring:

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]A51AAxQcAXs[/YOUTUBE]

I'm not that familiar with his in ring work because I never watched FCW or NXT but I do know Jim Ross praised him in his blog saying: " I will say that one, home grown product in WWE Developmental that seemingly has unlimited potential is Leakee, the son of Wild Samoan Sika and a former defensive lineman at Georgia Tech. A natural athlete with drive and toughness, Leakee is 6'3"-260 pounds and is a bright young man who seems to be grounded and has an excellent work ethic. Time will tell how he evolves but don't be surprised if Leakee doesn't make some noise in WWE in the future."

Click this to go straight to the blog entry I'm referring to.

He has also had family in the E. His brother was Rosey, and being part of that famous Samoan family won't do any harm. He should make some noise.

 

[wrestlingfan]

Right now Orton & Punk are the big choices. They are some of Cena's biggest rivals and could both be strong anti-heros to lead the WWE if Cena left.

But If I have to choose a guy it'd be The Miz. He's one of the few stars in WWE that actually has mainstream attention with the outside world, has charisma on the microphone, etc.