WWE Enhancement Talent

[Ferbian]

We hear it every day, someone saying X wrestler is a jobber, he's the enhancement talent of WWE's locker room to make the mid-carders / main event wrestlers look better.

The guys included in these lists are usually a guy like Evan Bourne (pre-push) Chris Jericho, Kane (pre-push) and Christian.

These guys are doing great at making the young talent look good, Christian and Chris Jericho doing it on a weekly basic, Christian currently putting over Dolph Ziggler, and Chris Jericho putting over Evan Bourne.

These guys are very valuable for WWE and helps to push the talent of tomorrow, giving us a guaranteed credible main event wrestler or upper mid-card wrestler that will be credible enough to carry the company, to put on great matches for the fans when the current guys step down into retirement.

The question I'm gonna pose to you although is the following:

Who do you feel is the best enhancement talent? Why do you feel he is the best enhancement talent?

Who makes the opponent look the best, and does a better job at putting them over? Why do you feel that he makes his opponents look the best?

 

[Cookie14]

For me, the best enhancement talent in WWE has to be Chris Jericho. He can cover for any weakness that his opponent may have, either in the ring or on the mic by being so entertaining himself he makes his opponent look better.

If you want to look creditable as an up and coming wrestler, what better way to do it than by beating a SIX-TIME World Champion?

Jericho is a genuine Main Eventer. No matter who he loses to, or how many times, he will always be a top level guy, relevent. No-one else in the company can put people over and look as good doing it as Jericho.

Hell, Jericho could lose to a five year old girl one week, and I could still believe him winning a title the next

 

[Fuel The Fire]

My Vote is going to go with the 8th wonder of the world. Andre the Giant. Wrestlemania 3 Vs. Hulk Hogan. With the slam heard around the world and the match that I believe put hogan to where he is.

Andre never lost a match before he went against Hulk Hogan. Also he never felt like he needed to hold a title.

If you just look at the stats between Andre and Hulk Hogan for Wrestlemania 3 it looked like Andre could take him easily. During the match it looked impossible for hogan to win.

In my eyes the biggest enhancement "or passing of the torch" was Andre the giant to hulk hogan.

 

[Uncle Chester]

Definitely has to be Chris Jericho. He can make someone look very strong but at the same time maintaining his position as a main-eventer. He is basically everything Triple H is not.

 

[gers09]

Jericho he is what he says he is he is the best at what he does and right now one of the best in wrestling Jericho did the right thing he took a couple years out and IMO is now at the top of his game the best he has ever been he is a credible world heavyweight champ one week and a jobber the next and the next week a champ all over again the next and he just as credible as the first week. he doesn't mind jobbing to someone to get them over not many top stars will do that and do it as well as he Jericho does

 

[Slack]

Apparently my last comment in this thread was a spam, so I better explain what I mean.

I say folks like Jericho aren't enhancement talent, whereas folks like Chavo, Regal and Santino are.

When people think of enhancement talent, they think of what is basically a glorified jobber. Someone who will lose a match, but the match won't be a total squash. Folks like the three mentioned and others will come in, wrestle a midcarder or an upper midcarder and make them look good, maybe not dominant, but look at as far as work rate goes.

Not saying that Jericho doesn't do all that, but I view Jericho more as a gate keeper type. What I mean by that is that he's basically at the entrance of the glass ceiling between the lower and upper levels of wrestling and basically for someone to get into the main event level, where Jericho is, they have to prove that they can get into onto that next level.

 

[Ferbian]

Apparently my last comment in this thread was a spam, so I better explain what I mean.

I say folks like Jericho aren't enhancement talent, whereas folks like Chavo, Regal and Santino are.

When people think of enhancement talent, they think of what is basically a glorified jobber. Someone who will lose a match, but the match won't be a total squash. Folks like the three mentioned and others will come in, wrestle a midcarder or an upper midcarder and make them look good, maybe not dominant, but look at as far as work rate goes.

Not saying that Jericho doesn't do all that, but I view Jericho more as a gate keeper type. What I mean by that is that he's basically at the entrance of the glass ceiling between the lower and upper levels of wrestling and basically for someone to get into the main event level, where Jericho is, they have to prove that they can get into onto that next level.

While I do see your point about Chris Jericho being a "gatekeeper" he is still considered somewhat of an enhancement talent.

Enhancement talents are someone who does matter of a fact makes his opponent look great, Chris Jericho does that, and he does not only loose to people going into the upper mid-card / main event, because he looses to guys that will be stuck in the mid-card forever as well to further feuds and make them look good going into a Pay Per View match.

So by definition Chris Jericho is enhancement talent, as you put it yourself, a glorified jobber.

The others you mention would probably not even cut it as enhancement talent, Santino doesn't put talent over, he wrestles for entertainment against Chavo and William Regal, who have also been somewhat degraded to comedy acts, Chavo to say the least, William does put on some enhancement talent matches from time to time.

 

[Max Headroom]

I would have to agree on Chris Jericho. He was my favorite for the LONGEST time he's the reason I got back into wrestling after i stopped for a short period. It saddens me to see him lose so often, but at least it's what he wants and he does a hell of a job at making BOTH people look great. IMO him & Bourne's match outshined every other at the FFW PPV. He's probably one of if not THE only wrestler right now that could do a match that good and put someone else over while keeping yourself relevent. Y2J Chris Jericho all the way, though I feel ONE or maybe two more world titles need to find their way to him, then when he loses it that would be the unltimate way to put someone over, and not like how Swagger won but have a nice legit match.

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

Without a doubt, it's Jericho. He's a guy who has won multiple titles in ECW, WCW, and WWE. Multiple time world champion, and one of the best wrestlers in the business. He knows what it's like to be a star. However, he also realizes that he is getting older, and his career will have to come to an end sooner or later. Because of that, he realizes that the WWE needs to start building it's stars of tomorrow. That's why we have seen him put over the likes of Evan Bourne and in a way, Jack Swagger.

Also, the fact that he is great in the ring makes these young stars dish out their best against him. We've seen it in the past couple of weeks, he has had A+ matches with Evan Bourne. Before Jericho, Bourne was seen as a jobber because he was small. Once Jericho and Cena got on his side, he was able to be used on TV more and more. Now that he is in his feud with Jericho, we've seen him give 110% in each one of his matches. Why? Because Chris Jericho is the ultimate enhancement talent. He brings out the best in superstars.

 

[JGlass]

I think it's Jericho. Unlike Chavo or Santino, where you know it's a guaranteed win for the opposing superstar, Jericho still adds a sense of excitement; you don't know if he's going to win or not.

Case in point, last Monday on RAW. Evan Bourne had the first two matches on Jericho, one clean in and one DQ win (that actually wound up looking good for Bourne), but Jericho got the win on Monday in a match everyone thought was going to go Bourne's way.

Also, unlike Santino or Chavo, the WWE can make a feud out of Jericho. Jericho isn't a one dimensional character like the two aforementioned talent enhancers. He has depth, he's angry, a little bit crazy, but still calculating. He puts off others with his arrogance but expects his charm to win him allies. And most importantly, he ignores logic and believes that no matter what, he is right, and he is the best. This sort of personality makes for a volatile feud between him and someone who clashes with him, someone like Evan Bourne.

While Christian has helped put over some WWE talent, I'm not convinced he's a full-fledged talent enhancer yet, where Jericho admits that is a role he is interested in pursuing. While Christian is involved with Dolph right now, I don't think Christian is done for good in the main event scene. Therefore, Jericho is without a doubt the best talent enhancement in the WWE.

 

[The Doctor]

Like everyone said, it's easily Chris Jericho. The man is a consummate professional that doesn't mind taking a loss while making his opponent look good. He is a multiple-time world champion, so whoever beats him has credibility there, and no matter how many times he loses he will never lose his credibility because he's that good on the stick.

When WWE needs someone to propel a midcard face, they choose Chris Jericho. He is simply the best enhancement talent anyone could ask for.

 

[gers09]

IMO Jericho is the only guy that can beat and top tier star one week lose to a mid-carder the next and still be one the top stars him self and lose no legitimacy

 

[Slack]

Yeah but if go by the fact that enhancement talent is someone who is suppose to make a others look good, then you can call all wrestlers to a point enhancement talent. Wrestlers are trained to do 3 things, make the match look good, entertain the crowd and keep each other safe.

But when wrestling folks talk enhancement talent, they are usually talking about that guy everyone knows is going to lose or most likely will lose, but they have enough talent and ability to make the match look good. If you ever notice, squash matches for most matches are don't by local indy wrestlers who are basically jobbers. Enhancement talent are usually the guys on shows like Superstars.

So we must have a different definition of enhancement talent.

 

[Goliath Uterus]

I think it boils down to two men. The already mentioned Chris Jericho and Kane. Chris Jericho is a former champion, a great talker, and has all the heat in the world. When someone beats him, the crowd goes wild, Jericho acts totally pissed, and the winner is now recognized as the guy who shut Jericho the hell up, thus boosting his status.

The reason why Kane is such good enhancement talent is cause.........Well he's Kane. Just look at the man and you'll realise why pinning him on the mat for a 3 count is immpressive, he's a good 7 feet, 300 or so pounds, and looks like he'd murder you grandma in a second, beating him gives you instant credibility.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Its funny how wrong everyone is, and how plainly fucking obvious this is.

Batista. Cena. Jeff Hardy. Benoit. and now Sheamus.

What do they all have in common? Whipping the shit out of Triple H, repeatedly. Batista, repeatedly, even in Trips signature match. Cena, numerous times, also multiple times by straight up tap out. Same with Benoit. There IS no more decisive way to beat someone than to tap them. Im sure everyone will come loping in here, citing that Hardy never pinned Triple H. In this, they will also exhibit how fucking dumb they are, and how they dont actully understand what "putting someone over" means. Shit, who jobbed to Hulk Hogan in 2002 to prove Hulkamania was back, alive and strong?

Of course, we have seen what Sheamus did to him. He hasn't come back since.

the majority of WM main event calibre guys have went over Trips in the last 5 years, and have done so decisively. Yet still, he can walk in the WWE tonight, on RAW, and be one of the top 3 most over guys.

Triple H is far and away the best enhancement talent in the WWE.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Call me crazy but I have to agree with Norcal. The thing with Jericho is that your profile gets raised by beating him but not as much as HHH. Benoit and Batista won titles off of HHH and Cena made him tap at the biggest stage of them all. HHH is still considered one of the top three guys in the business the past decade and beating him is still a huge accomplishment. The same could be said for Shawn Michaels as well.

 

[JGlass]

Its funny how wrong everyone is, and how plainly fucking obvious this is.

Batista. Cena. Jeff Hardy. Benoit. and now Sheamus.

What do they all have in common? Whipping the shit out of Triple H, repeatedly. Batista, repeatedly, even in Trips signature match. Cena, numerous times, also multiple times by straight up tap out. Same with Benoit. There IS no more decisive way to beat someone than to tap them. Im sure everyone will come loping in here, citing that Hardy never pinned Triple H. In this, they will also exhibit how fucking dumb they are, and how they dont actully understand what "putting someone over" means. Shit, who jobbed to Hulk Hogan in 2002 to prove Hulkamania was back, alive and strong?

Of course, we have seen what Sheamus did to him. He hasn't come back since.

the majority of WM main event calibre guys have went over Trips in the last 5 years, and have done so decisively. Yet still, he can walk in the WWE tonight, on RAW, and be one of the top 3 most over guys.

Triple H is far and away the best enhancement talent in the WWE.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you there NorCal.

True, Triple H has put over a lot of the main event stars the WWE has produced over the years. In fact, your list is probably only a fraction of people that Triple H has helped put over. I can tell you already that you're missing Orton and Edge.

But in addition to beating Triple H, another thing all those guys you listed have in common is that they were already well established as main eventers when they feuded with Triple H. Cena, Sheamus, Orton, and Edge all won World Championships before being put over by Triple H. Hardy, and Benoit all won their first championship in a match involving Triple H, but had already been well established as main eventers. You could argue Batista had made his way into the main event, but I would agree with you that it was Triple H who put Batista over as a main eventer.

The only two men on that list that I would say Triple H got over as main event status wrestlers are Batista and Orton. They were both in the WWE and had limited impact until they were selected to be in Evolution, a stable which was clearly the brainchild of Triple H. It got them over as heels, and then faces, establishing them as champions.

Other than that, you could argue that other wrestlers were the ones responsible for the other men on your list's rise to main even status.

Sheamus was put over by Jamie Noble, and then Cena.

Cena was put over by a lot of people, but most importantly, Angle, Big Show, and JBL.

Jeff Hardy was already popular from his wars with Edge, and had a brief but important feud with Orton.

Benoit was established as a machine by making Big Show and Brock Lesnar tap out to his Crippler Crossface, and then solidified himself as a main eventer when he won the Royal Rumble from the Number 1 spot.

So while Triple H would eventually put these guys over, he did it after they had been put over by other wrestlers. There's no doubt that he has contributed to their careers, but right now Jericho is helping put over the careers of a lot of young wrestlers who were not main event status until they came in contact with him. Swagger beat him to win his first World Heavyweight Championship, he and Miz formed a short-lived alliance that got The Miz even more heat, and now he's in the process of elevating Evan Bourne.

While Triple H has elevated talent, I would argue that what Jericho is doing now is more helpful to the young guy's careers than what Triple H has done for the others.

 

[Ferbian]

If we're really going down the lane of Triple H considered as enhancement talent, well I do certainly agree to some extend, considering while he may not be considered the exact definition of "enhancement talent" in the ways I intended to start with, considering I thought more of the definition of a "jobber to the stars" like Chris Jericho and Kane is.

But as I said, if we're going down that lane, Vince McMahon has to be the superior enhancement talent.

Feuding with Vince ment automatic greatness, the list of greats that have feuded with Vince, and has benefited from it, or have experienced a great feud that kept them getting the positive reaction from the crowd (Stone Cold being put over due to Vince, but Bret Hart getting positive reaction due to Vince to make an example)

Vince has feuded with the majority of great faces in this business ever since he revealed himself as owner of WWE, ever since he was feuding with Stone Cold, Vince has been putting over talent and making them look great by feuding with the boss, even if he weren't involved in the matches, the fact that the face from time to time came out the winner of Vince's "insane" obstacles proves how much Vince puts people over so simply.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Right, so Cena's shit match with JBL in a match no one remembered was a bigger deal than him tapping in THE match of WM 22? Benoit tapping out the dominant champion in the ME of the 20 year aniversary wasnt a solidification? Hardy was in the ME, but he wasnt legit until he was made to look Triple H's equal.

What people need to understand is if you receive title matches and are in ME matches, it doesnt necessarily make you a real ME guy. I am talking about being put over to be legit, to look like they truly belong. Knocking Cena off a rope into a table isnt the same as going toe to toe in the biggest one of the year, and then putting the man himself out of action for months on end.

In the end, nothing you have said refutes anything I said. Triple H, did in fact put all those guys over, legitimize them, lost to them cleanly and decisively, and is still one of the top guys in the WWE....Isn't that what the thread asked for?

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I'm gonna have to disagree with you there NorCal.

True, Triple H has put over a lot of the main event stars the WWE has produced over the years. In fact, your list is probably only a fraction of people that Triple H has helped put over. I can tell you already that you're missing Orton and Edge.

When has HHH put over Edge?

But in addition to beating Triple H, another thing all those guys you listed have in common is that they were already well established as main eventers when they feuded with Triple H. Cena, Sheamus, Orton, and Edge all won World Championships before being put over by Triple H. Hardy, and Benoit all won their first championship in a match involving Triple H, but had already been well established as main eventers. You could argue Batista had made his way into the main event, but I would agree with you that it was Triple H who put Batista over as a main eventer.

Cena wasn't seen as a credible champion in 2005. He was against a fan favorite in Jericho and Kurt "Lack of Heel Psychology" Angle. Everyone was practically begging HHH to take the title off of him. At the end of his match with HHH, everyone knew John Cena was for real. HHH put him over more than JBL did.

Sheamus was seen as a fluke champion after he defeated Cena at TLC. He didn't start being what he is right now until he feuded with HHH and put him out.

I like to know when was Benoit considered a main eventer. He had one main event match against Kurt Angle at the Royal Rumble and was in the midcard the rest of the year. Benoit was not a maineventer before he faced HHH and HHH put him over.

Hardy had that one main event match against Orton but nobody took him seriously after that until he had those matches against HHH. Hardy came close to defeating HHH in all those matches and HHH made him look real credible.

The only two men on that list that I would say Triple H got over as main event status wrestlers are Batista and Orton. They were both in the WWE and had limited impact until they were selected to be in Evolution, a stable which was clearly the brainchild of Triple H. It got them over as heels, and then faces, establishing them as champions.

Other than that, you could argue that other wrestlers were the ones responsible for the other men on your list's rise to main even status.

HHH gets a bad rap for what happened to Orton in 2004. Orton wasn't ready to be in that position.

Sheamus was put over by Jamie Noble, and then Cena.

See above.

Cena was put over by a lot of people, but most importantly, Angle, Big Show, and JBL.

Which Cena are we talking about when you say he was put over by Angle? The midcard Cena or the main event Cena because if you're talking about main event Cena, you are mistaken. If Angle did what heels are supposed to do, then Cena wouldn't have been in a bad position when he was about to face HHH.

Jeff Hardy was already popular from his wars with Edge, and had a brief but important feud with Orton.

The Hardy feud was just WWE killing time until Cena returned.

Benoit was established as a machine by making Big Show and Brock Lesnar tap out to his Crippler Crossface, and then solidified himself as a main eventer when he won the Royal Rumble from the Number 1 spot.

So winning the Royal Rumble means solidifying yourself as a main eventer? I guess Mysterio was a main eventer when he won the Royal Rumble. I already explained my statements on Benoit.

So while Triple H would eventually put these guys over, he did it after they had been put over by other wrestlers. There's no doubt that he has contributed to their careers, but right now Jericho is helping put over the careers of a lot of young wrestlers who were not main event status until they came in contact with him. Swagger beat him to win his first World Heavyweight Championship, he and Miz formed a short-lived alliance that got The Miz even more heat, and now he's in the process of elevating Evan Bourne.

While Triple H has elevated talent, I would argue that what Jericho is doing now is more helpful to the young guy's careers than what Triple H has done for the others.

That Miz/Jericho alliance barely existed. The Miz had always been getting tons of heat before he met Jericho. Bourne doesn't have main event status yet. Neither does R-Truth. When HHH puts somebody over, that is when you achieve main event status.

 

[JGlass]

When has HHH put over Edge?

Survivor Series 2008. Granted, it was a surprise return and Edge won after HHH and Kozlov beat each other senseless, but it still was putting Edge over as a heel, because lets face it, Edge never comes off looking particularly strong. He won his championship in a horribly dirty way, which is exactly what Edge does, thus, HHH put him over.

Cena wasn't seen as a credible champion in 2005. He was against a fan favorite in Jericho and Kurt "Lack of Heel Psychology" Angle. Everyone was practically begging HHH to take the title off of him. At the end of his match with HHH, everyone knew John Cena was for real. HHH put him over more than JBL did.

But Cena was already over with the crowd at some point and was a legitimate competitor. It's not like he went into that match with nobody expecting him to win. I'm not saying Triple H didn't put Cena over, I'm saying he's not the one who ultimately elevated him to main event status.

Sheamus was seen as a fluke champion after he defeated Cena at TLC. He didn't start being what he is right now until he feuded with HHH and put him out.

It's not like he put HHH out of commission in the most noble of fashions. He attacked him backstage when he was totally off guard. If he took Triple H out when Trips had a fighting chance, then I'd say that this particular event is more significant than his win at TLC, but since it's just as backhanded, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you.

I like to know when was Benoit considered a main eventer. He had one main event match against Kurt Angle at the Royal Rumble and was in the midcard the rest of the year. Benoit was not a maineventer before he faced HHH and HHH put him over.

He headlined Wrestlemania XX along with Shawn Michaels and Triple H in one of the best matches I've ever seen. And like I said, when you can beat names like Lesnar and The Big Show via submission (which as NorCal said is the most dominant way to win), you know the guy means business.

Hardy had that one main event match against Orton but nobody took him seriously after that until he had those matches against HHH. Hardy came close to defeating HHH in all those matches and HHH made him look real credible.

Oh, so coming close now constitutes putting someone over? No doubt that Triple H made Hardy look like he might be able to win, but it was Edge who lost the triple threat match to Jeff.

HHH gets a bad rap for what happened to Orton in 2004. Orton wasn't ready to be in that position.

Orton was not ready for that, I agree, but there's no doubt that before Evolution, nobody took Orton that seriously. During Evolution and soon after, everyone knew Orton was going to have a serious presence in the WWE.

Which Cena are we talking about when you say he was put over by Angle? The midcard Cena or the main event Cena because if you're talking about main event Cena, you are mistaken. If Angle did what heels are supposed to do, then Cena wouldn't have been in a bad position when he was about to face HHH.

He took midcard Cena and showed the world that this guy had main event potential. Hell, in his first match with Angle, he kicked out of the Angle Slam and survived the Ankle Lock. No doubt Angle made John Cena look strong. Since Cena almost beat him and looked strong doing it, that means he was put over, right?

The Hardy feud was just WWE killing time until Cena returned.

Still happened.

So winning the Royal Rumble means solidifying yourself as a main eventer? I guess Mysterio was a main eventer when he won the Royal Rumble. I already explained my statements on Benoit.

If you win the Royal Rumble, you participate in the main event at Wrestlemania. That's a pretty huge freaking deal. And Mysterio went on to win the WHC at Wrestlemania by beating Orton and Angle, and then went on to beat Orton, Angle, and JBL, forcing JBL to retire. He then lost it took Booker T after Chavo turned on him. I'd say he was elevated to the main event following that Royal Rumble win.

That Miz/Jericho alliance barely existed. The Miz had always been getting tons of heat before he met Jericho.

I can't argue with you there, but there's no doubt that allying himself with Jericho helped him even more.

Bourne doesn't have main event status yet.

No, but it's clearly being worked on.

Neither does R-Truth.

Where is R-Truth coming from? I didn't mention anything about him.

When HHH puts somebody over, that is when you achieve main event status.

Once again, I have to disagree. Most of the guys we have discussed were over as main eventers when they faced Triple H, and Triple H helped to further their main event status.

 

[WWE Manster03]

I think there is a huge differnce between a jobber and enhancement talent. A jobber is someone that no matter what you KNOW they are gonna lose 90% of the time. Brooklyn Brawler/Chavo/Santino would fall into this category. Chavo shouldn't but he does. Enhancement talent is someone that I personally think has a chance to win every match they are in and it would be believeable. Jericho/Kane/Christian/Big Show would be people that fall into this category for me. Jericho is the best at it, but since he is the popular pick I want to change it up. Kane runs a VERY close 2nd to Jericho. He is good enough in the ring that with the right people(aka someone who can work) he puts on good to really good matches. He also has the size and name recognition that beating him holds some merit. Beating Kane definately still means something in the business and because I don't wanna pick Jericho I'll pick Kane .