WWE Teflon?

[chicagokmc]

Is there anyone on the active, wrestling WWE roster who, aside from any criminal or wellness violations, would never be in fear of being future endeavor'ed? (Not talking about asking to be released from contract). My assumption is that the competition isn't significant enough for WWE to ever be worried that, if they released (fill in the blank), he'd make them worried about competitive impact. I see a few, mainly older guys in this position. My quick list is:

• Big Show - did everything asked, regardless how silly. Loyal to WWE since coming over from WCW.
• Mark Henry - see Big Show.
• Kane - see first two.
• John Cena - like him or hate him, he's been such an ambassador outside of ring with things like Make-A-Wish, the talk show circuit, the kid's network shows. And he moves product.

Obviously, someone like Daniel Bryan is untouchable now, but in a few years after the yes movement has moved on to the next thing (and that will happen), I don't know if he would have done that much to be untouchable. He is certainly young enough to be around to the point of trying to figure out what to do with him.

Who would you classify as WWE Teflon?

 

[wrestler36]

I'd say Orton. It seems like his previous behavior problems are well behind him now. He's a star who's name hasn't diminished as he seems content to job to guys like Kingston and Barrett and can still be in the main event spotlight. He may be only half way through his long term contract.

 

[closet_fan]

Big Show. Aside from everything you pointed out, he's the last of the GIANTS of wrestling. He hasn't lost any of his stamina and can still go in a full match. He's our Andre The Giant. Only time we'll see Big Show no longer wrestle is when HE doesn't want to or his body can no longer go through the rigors.

I dare say he could get the Taker treatment and not have to wrestle as many dates. He'll always get a pop when he returns from a short or lengthy hiatus.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

I disagree on Orton intensely. If he gets his 3rd strike he will be gone... he isn't "essential" in the same way a Cena or Taker have been in the past.

Big Show is another who is not bulletproof. They will never release him but that doesn't mean he won't be collateral damage of the Taker/Warrior situations of this week. As a result of Warrior, they will likely tighten their medical clearence procedures and it is very likely Big Show and Khali will be be watched very closely from now on. Show is in good shape but he is months away from the same age as Andre was when he died... I can see WWE reducing his schedule drastically and Khali even further if not removing it because their immense size and acromegaly will put them at risk the older they get anyway, without the rigours of the ring. Even Nash had a heart attack in his 40's... so they're going to watch the bigger, older guys intensely... they might not get "fired" but if there is an inking of a problem they will be benched, permanently if needed.

Several talents will be on the "bubble of this"
There are some guys of course who will always be in the fans eyes "on teh bubble" but these are generally people well thought of by the WWE and Vince or invested in. Take Wade Barrett... many have suggested he is in last chance saloon, yet WWE has worked VERY hard to rehab his horrific arm injury and resolve any visa issues he had after the altercation with a police officer, which he was later cleared of... yet it did raise a problem for him... he is now well on his way to his Green Card so WWE is not likely to want to bin him after making that investment, same for someone like Drew who did get his card a few months back... they point to his "punishment" for the Tiffany incident but that was long since dealt with. Reality is closer to them putting him in 3MB as a way to keep him active while he was dealing with his mother dying etc.... if they haven't released him by now, they probably won't as there is still upside to him.

Cena is clearly the only true "teflon" guy, in that no matter what happens, he won't suffer in terms of push, be at risk of his job etc... he could be given a violation tomorrow and within 3 months he would be back at the top.

If most people are honest, Vince doesn't really do "firing" despite what his character does... they may cut people here and there but most end up back sometime unless THEY screw it up. It's very rare indeed for the door to be slammed on anyone, no one ever saw Brock coming back, much less ending the streak. No one ever saw Bret Hart or Warrior on WWE TV again... no one though Flair would come back after wrestling in TNA. Where less famous talents often make their mistake is taking their releases personally...Vince never does, unless you've REALLY done something... but if you then MAKE it something... you're pissing your career away.

 

[SuperTaco]

Big Show. Aside from everything you pointed out, he's the last of the GIANTS of wrestling. He hasn't lost any of his stamina and can still go in a full match. He's our Andre The Giant. Only time we'll see Big Show no longer wrestle is when HE doesn't want to or his body can no longer go through the rigors.

I dare say he could get the Taker treatment and not have to wrestle as many dates. He'll always get a pop when he returns from a short or lengthy hiatus.

Absolutely agreed. I enjoy watching Big Show perform as much as ever because he can still go. I've noticed recently that his workload is usually short and sweet on free TV, and he still dials it up for PPV's.

I'd like to see him work another serious feud sometime soon. Something really personal, that's where Big Show does some of his best work in my opinion. If it means turning him heel again, so be it. He is no stranger to being the bad guy.

Also, from a fan fantasy standpoint I'd love to see him come out to his old music one more time. Maybe for his last match.

 

[chicagokmc]

I almost added Orton, I was a little skittish because of the outside the ring stuff and things I thought I read about him being on his last strike. But that's a good one.

Not now, but a few years ago I may have had the Miz on that list. He's done a few things in ring, but he still does a lot for WWE outside of wrestling, including being in WWE studio movies, teen show stuff, a show on satellite radio as "the Miz" (fantasy football. ironically Curtis Axel and Matt Morgan have similar shows with this one fantasy football expert).

I don't think he is Teflon now only because the in-ring stuff has gotten so scarce he might be at an interesting point down the line of just having nothing in ring for him (not counting commentary or training jobs).

 

[chicagokmc]

Honorary Teflon - William Regal. On national tv, got on his knees and willingly kissed another man's ass (at least JR in script was unconscious). That man should never be future endeavor'ed because that's above and below the call of duty. I'm just saying...

 

[JJ15776]

Big Show is another who is not bulletproof. They will never release him but that doesn't mean he won't be collateral damage of the Taker/Warrior situations of this week. As a result of Warrior, they will likely tighten their medical clearence procedures and it is very likely Big Show and Khali will be be watched very closely from now on. Show is in good shape but he is months away from the same age as Andre was when he died... I can see WWE reducing his schedule drastically and Khali even further if not removing it because their immense size and acromegaly will put them at risk the older they get anyway, without the rigours of the ring. Even Nash had a heart attack in his 40's... so they're going to watch the bigger, older guys intensely... they might not get "fired" but if there is an inking of a problem they will be benched, permanently if needed.

It's worth noting, of course, that the Taker/Warrior situations of this week will have no effect on anybody in the WWE. Undertaker had a concussion, which obviously has no effect whatsoever on Big Show unless big show gets a concussion...but then the same concussion rules apply to everybody, not just Big Show. As for Warrior, obviously he never would've come close to getting medical clearance, so there's literally no reason whatsoever to think his situation would have any impact at all on their current medical clearance prosecutes. Especially in regards to Big Show, considering any potential health problems he has would be completely unrelated in every way to Warrior's. But, again, it's not like Warrior was an active wrestler and WWE missed something so they need to go back and re-evaluate...he wasn't a wrestler, he didn't do anything physical, he didn't even try to get cleared but if he had they never would have cleared him in a million years. So there's really nothing for them to change even if they wanted to.

Anyway, I'm not really sure anybody in the WWE is Teflon, to be honest. Sure, it's hard to imagine a guy like Cena leaving right now, but go back to WrestleMania VII and it would've been just as impossible to imagine Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, or Randy Savage leaving. Four years later, all three of them were long gone. Bret Hart would've been considered Teflon not long before he left. There was a time when Kurt Angle would've certainly been on this list. Things can change, and they can change fast.

But in the spirit of this conversation, the only name I can think of to add is Triple H. He's not going anywhere, for obvious reasons.

 

[whoopin' ass]

Orton because they actually changed their rules for him. Orton had 2 strikes - 1 more and he was gone. Today he has 1. How? wwe changed their rules so if you were a good boy for a year, you lose one of those strikes. Isn't it funny that thus rule suddenly came out when they decided to make Orton champ?

I think that if you have been there a while(10 years at least) and get tv time, you are Teflon. A lot of there are guys who worked during the Attitude era so they know that there is no place else to go so they do as told so there is no reason to get rid of them. I think younger talent is another story.

 

[Catacomb]

big show has been fired a number of times so i wouldnt call him "teflon". if anybody is untouchable id say cena, cena is the top guy and everyone else is just pieces of the puzzle, all second fiddle to cena

 

[Pedigree1]

Agreed with THTRobTaylor. Because Ultimate Warrior Passed away suddenly,the bigger guys will be watched more closely than ever before.. Guys like Big Show who is months away from being as old as Andre when he passed. That in itself is a scary thought,Big show is almost as old as Andre the Giant.. Show is in awesome shape for someone his size and age,but again its going to take its toll on his body.. It is not normal to be that big,your body is not meant for that..

Khali,really hasnt been in the ring all that much,and I venture to say,he is not in the shape as big show is. Not even close.. While i dont see these two ever being fired,i can see their schedule being reduced.. Off the Record i think WWE is in full panic mode after Warrior dying..

Even guys like the WSM,will see his schedule reduced and medical Evaluations go up. I dont think anyone is bulletproof at all.. But Cena,is the closest one to being bulletproof. Cena would have to fuck up really bad to be released or fired..

Orton is one strike away from being fired for good.. There is a lot of truth into what Triple H has said,all world talent but never fully capitalized on it. He has gotten in his own way..

 

[beckyh]

Orton is a so-so Teflon. They would not use him but not fire him either. I would say they would not want him to go to TNA or ROH. However, I doubt he wants to go either since he has 4500.00 in child support every month.

Cena is Teflon for right now. They guys who are in their mid 30s and over should have some worries. When you are that physical on your body and it goes through that much damage/pain/contact, then you do not have the same longevity as someone who works in an office. It becomes a numbers game at some point.

That does not, however, mean Cena or a select few would leave the WWE, they just might not wrestle.

 

[Mustang Sally]

[*]Mark Henry - see Big Show.

I'd take Mark Henry off the list and put him on the "can be discarded" pile. Honestly, I'm surprised he's still here.....and kind of wonder why he hasn't retired already, as we read he was going to a couple of years ago. Seems the guy can barely move around the ring anymore, although it can be argued that the type of wrestler he is doesn't need to. Still, even if he isn't finished yet, I can see him staying too long at the fair and being Future Endeavored by a company that's grateful for his service, yet tired of keeping around such a one-dimensional performer.

To the Teflon list, I'd add Dolph Ziggler. One one hand, you might think he could be let go at some future time, yet if there's any mid-carder the company believes is destined for greatness, it's Dolph.....I'm not quite sure why, but the amount of TV exposure this guy has been given the past few years, along with the excursions he's made to main event level even though (imo) he doesn't belong there..... and never will..... makes me believe he's here to stay; a permanent part of the WWE silverware collection.

 

[chicagokmc]

Disagree on your Mark Henry comment. Teflon to me doesn't just mean how well you do in the ring but the ambassador type stuff you do outside as well. Henry is another one of those guys that participates in a lot of the things like bullying campaigns, tribute to the troops, etc. He also fits the Big Show description of being intimidating enough by size alone to put guys being pushed impressively over. Most importantly, the fact that he has been around since the 90's, and they've let him stay around despite some serious injuries, makes me think he's a WWE lifer.

Ziggler, I don't think he's Teflon. I just think he is useful at the moment and there is no need to let him go now because he along with Sheamus are the face anchors of the mid card. If Adam Rose and Bo and these folks from NXT successfully make an impact, there could be several current mid carders suddenly without anything for them.

 

[DDevine]

I don't even think that Triple H is safe. If something happened on a personal level, and he and Steph split, it would be bye bye Paul.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Ziggler is anything but... if anything he is on the hit list due to the Max Landis movie... remember how he got announced for it, by the director tweeting a pic... not WWE announcing it... it's likely Zig's contract "allows" it but he may not have gone through channels first. That alone would put him at risk, notwithstanding the issues with his brother, mouthing off, injuring opponents and 2 concussions in a year.

Show is in such good shape cos he elected to have his pituitary surgery young. It cost him a bit of his agility and made him heavier but far less so than had he not done it. Khali didn't do it until a few years back and thats why he sucks more now than he did then...it's basically brain surgery.

Henry has long been Teflon... he was signed to a BIG money deal by Vince as was Show... Million a year for 10 years as a rookie... THAT is commitment from Vince. He had a wobble in 99 or so when they sent he and Show to developmental but both men sorted themselves and made the required adjustments and grew into what WWE wanted. Henry got another similar deal, though not as long and will be allowed to retire next year with a big send off because he's a loyal guy, has never made mistakes off-camera with the law etc and has repayed the faith Vince showed in him... for most guys that is what we're talking about when we're saying "teflon".

It's not that "nothing will stick"... if you fuck up badly enough it will stick, but if you impress Vince enough to give you a major role, you come through on it, you don't cause unneccesary problems backstage or hurt your co-workers and "stay clean" or free from wellness issues then you are on the way... but ultimately it is if Vince likes, respects and trust you... The guys who have had the most chances like Davey Boy, Hall, Waltman, Regal and Orton, Ric and Orton are all close friends with Vince...

Even guys who serially fuck up can be "teflon" in that they'll get another go if Vince sees them as a good person or in some cases if he has wronged them. Marty Jannetty is the classic case where he was wrongly fired, Vince gave him a do-over or Billy Martin because that incident had damaged Marty... He then screwed it up but he kept getting the chances cos if Janetty hadn't been wrongly fired gotten the push when intended and not been the victim... maybe he wouldn't have been the screw up... Daniel Bryan is another example from his "firing for the tie".

Some like RVD are not, they had their big shot and blew it... sure time will heal and the Orton thing was wrong, he still has 2 strikes but that rule change was was designed for RVD as he now lives in a state where Weed is legal... this is purely why he has the breaks, so he has "on periods" where they know he will be using weed and then not while he is "with the WWE". The first was probably the try out. They can't test or "strike" a guy for taking something legal in his home, only stipulate not within a period of working for the company, so that rule change was not to help Randy (although if he has benefited it's pretty bad) but to move with the laws as weed will be likely nationally legal within 5 years.