SUMMERSLAM: HEYMAN TURNS ON LESNAR, CENA GOES HEEL

[thedarkness214]

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I can remember sitting at Vince’s dining room table, at the very dawn of the Attitude Era as we laid out the initial groundwork.

“Let’s just blow it up, ” I said to Vince. “If the audience thinks we’re going one way–then let’s take them another.”

The idea was to keep the audience off-balance, take the predictability of the product that they had become accustomed to over the years and smack them across the face with the unexpected. Always keep them guessing. If you do this—and, you do it right—you are creating both a sense of urgency and MUST SEE TV. The audience CAN NOT and WILL NOT miss an episode of Monday Night Raw in fear of missing—SOMETHING.

The WWE has gotten so far away from that concept in 2014, that I honestly don’t even know if they could understand it if it were pitched to them today. Every week—same old, same old. Aside from the turning Of Seth Rollins, which by no means “shook up the wrestling world”, a fan of professional wrestling who has been watching for only a year, would probably be able to tell you the outcome to every match, storyline and angle at a 90% rate. And, with that being the case—-THEN WHY WATCH? If I know the outcome of a baseball game, am I really going to watch it on DVR? The only difference is that the game has already taken place. With the WWE—you pretty well know the finish before the first pitch is even thrown.

Man, as I was being bored to tears this passed Monday, my mind just began to wander as John Cena cut an excellent promo to set up his match with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. While Cena was stating that he would do ANYTHING NECESSARY to defeat the beast, Lesnar, I started to think about the possibilities if John was indeed—telling the truth. If anything and everything were fair play in the WWE, and creative wasn’t sitting at their desks in a uniformed line inside a cardboard box—what could the possibilities actually be?

Then my mind went a bit further. Cena has been getting frustrated with the response of the crowd for a VERY long time now. The WWE has kept Cena a babyface, despite the fact of that run being over for years. Why? I have no idea—I don’t work there. Merch sales too valuable to give up? Maybe? But, regardless, they are at a point now where they are actually hurting Cena’s career and not advancing it. It’s starting to get that NWO feel, where Eric Bischoff marched them out every Monday night until they meant absolutely nothing. Let’s say, for argument’s sake–but, also as part of the storyline—that Cena has been making his frustrations known to the WWE brass. For the past year, he has been telling them that NOW is the time to turn him heel—only to be fallen on deaf ears.

In the meantime you’ve got Paul Heyman representing BROCK LES-NAR. At this point, there is really no heat on Heyman–in my opinion—being that he just goes out there every week and cuts the same promo on what a “physical specimen” Brock Lesnar is, and how he’s going to dismember every opponent he faces. When you think about it—do we really need to waste Paul Heyman’s skills on just stating the obvious? Wouldn’t we pretty much get the same effect if Lesnar went out there and did what Heyman says he’s going to do, without saying a word—or, having anyone else speak for him? Just be a killing machine—go out there and destroy people. My point is—maybe–storyline wise, there is a bit of frustration on Heyman’s part as well–feeling that he may be being under utilized.

What if prior to SummerSlam there was a clandestine meeting between Cena and Heyman in the back of a coffee shop somewhere in Brooklyn. What if both filed their company grievances with each other, concerning their mounting frustrations towards their employer the WWE. remember—this is all STORY NOW.

WHAT IF: We went to SummerSlam and Cena/Lesnar were having the Hart/Austin match from years ago, that slowly flipped the other–Bret heel–Austin babyface. You’d have to get Patterson to lay this out, because nobody else alive could deliver to the degree that he would. Any way, as the match progresses—both men are pretty much out on their feet, but one can’t put the other away. False finish, after false finish, they are exhausting each other.

WHAT IF: Seth Rollins comes down with his briefcase. With both men now working on adrenaline alone, Rollins, with his briefcase, appears as if he’s going to cash it in as soon as a new Champion is crowned.

WHAT IF: In an effort to pull out all the stops, with everything he has left, Lesnar goes for that one big finish, accidentally catching the referee, who takes a hellacious bump and is out. The match now continues with no referee. At this point, Cena’s heel tactics kick in. NOW he is determined to win this match just as he had stated a week prior—BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. Unfortunately, he still can’t put the Beast away.

WHAT IF: With both men selling on opposite sides of the ring, Heyman helps pull Lesnar up in his corner. As Lesnar gets to his feet, and turns back towards Cena, Rollins throws Heyman his briefcase, and Heyman clocks Lesnar senseless with it upside the head. Lesnar goes down—Cena covers–ref comes to–Cena over 1-2-3. Long stare down with Cena/Heyman—big embrace–Cena puts Rollins over for being an intricate part of the plan—we are off to the races.

The next day the two cut a promo. Cena cuts a Helluva promo telling the WWE “Universe”, “You wanted to boo me—NOW YOU CAN BOO ME! At SummerSlam—I MADE IT OFFICIAL!” Heyman then brings it home with the promo of his career, stating that he’s more than a carnival baker for the strong man at the circus. What brought him to the dance in the first place was his mind, and the ability to be one step ahead of everybody else—including Vince McMahon himself. Heyman speaks of his complacent days as a company “schill” being over. It is now time for him to remind the fans—of the genius he actually is. He then goes on to belittle his “former” client BROCK-LES-NAR, who then proceeds to hit the ring and tear apart everything in his site, with the exception of Cena and Heyman who barely escaped with their lives.

Honestly, all that came off the top of my head as I was writing it. There really wasn’t that much thought put into it at all—I just went with the flow. My point–what if that were the flow of the WWE creative meeting this week–a week before SummerSlam–where ALL the possibilities were just laid out there with the freedom of ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN in professional wrestling. We write it, there is no right, or wrong, just the freedom to create—opposed to Cena over, Lesnar over, what’s the finish? That’s the beauty of being a writer in the wrestling business. You make one “unscheduled” turn, and now you have a completely different set of circumstances. THAT, ladies and gentlemen is how you keep the product FRESH and EXCITING.

Think about it. What show is going to draw you the larger audience the next day? The traditional finish—or, this one? Then, once you’ve got them there, all you have to do now is step up your game to keep them there.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Actually not the worst thing I have ever read. Say what you will about a lot of Russo's ideas, but if Heyman and Rollins aligned with Cena and screwed Brock Lesnar out of the WWE World Title, you'd shake things up in a really bizarre way. Lesnar could take more time off and return on a rampage against Heyman and possibly Cena. Would it be in the Royal Rumble Match? Where would Cesaro stand in all of this? Would he align with Heyman down the track, or would he assert himself against Heyman and his dark forces? Would Dean Ambrose and Brock Lesnar be forced into an alliance? Would Daniel Bryan be one of the WWE's only hopes against Heyman and Cena, and, ironically, The Authority's only beacon of light in getting the WWE World Title off those traitors.

[Innovator]

Not only does it not make sense with all the characters involved, it shits on the streak ending.

[Innovator]

For fuck sake stop with the SWERVE bullshit, I know we all grew up on it in the late 90s but stop it.

[XL]

That's all well and good but it's not really the writers at fault here. Vince is the man with the final say, if he doesn't want a Cena heel turn, we don't get a Cena heel turn. The writers have to work within the restrictions presented to them.

[whiteyford]

Cena doesn't want it either, all the merch money he'd lose.

[XL]

Well that too. Fact remains, even if Cena wanted it, it goes nowhere if Vince doesn't.

[FourFifty]

Not everything Vince Russo says is worthy of a thread.

[Sepholio]

....I actually like the idea.

[Ruien]

Where does it lead? Who does it benefit? Another Brock vs Cena match where Brock is on the mic to build that match is nothing I want to see. Is Brock going I use appearances to build this up? Seth does not need Heyman. Cena does not need Heyman. Brock needs Heyman.

Didn't Cena really do the third idea in the first match?

It would be cool if Seth came down with the briefcase and watched the match. That would not be swerve worthy though. Just another element to the match.

[Ruien]

There are a hundred ways to turn Cena heel too. If it is done it should be done right. Not just to keep the audience guessing for the next Raw.

[Simple Fan]

Cena wont turn heel until Bryan returns. I think with anyone else fans would cheer Cena.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Heel Cena vs. Face Bryan would, creatively, be the goods. Can understand why they wouldn't turn Cena though.

I don't think Seth should come out and even watch the match. Why would Dean Ambrose allow that? They beat the shit out of each other in the Lumberjack Match and that's all we see of Seth on that night.

[Mr Burns]

I felt dirty agreeing with Russo

[Shisen Kopf]

I'd go along with this but only if we can somehow get David Arquette into the mix

[Sepholio]

David Arquette gonna win next years MitB

[Vastardikai]

If you're going to turn Cena heel, and I think they really should but know they never will, I'd say make him the face of the Authority and totally embrace the role. Like he knows he gets special treatment for various reasons, and instead of simply benefiting from it, he starts to expect it.

[Simple Fan]

Originally Posted by Tommy Gunn tl;dr, but I think Cesaro should come out and manhandle Brock, embarrassing him, and cost him the match.

You might be on to something there. Cesaro has been acting strange about leaveing Heyman

[Damian Rey]

Cesaro has been acting like a loser since "leaving" Heyman. And it's barely been mentioned on air. Having him get involved makes no sense, and he has zero momentum right now. He just lost to Swagger, clean I might add. He has no business in this match.

[Fignuts]

Cena won't turn heel until they've properly established Reigns the top guy of the company, and even then it's unlikely.

[RVDmark]

Originally Posted by Innovator For fuck sake stop with the SWERVE bullshit, I know we all grew up on it in the late 90s but stop it.

I love the irony of this post, someone named "Innovator" saying stop the SWERVE bullshit.

The predictability in wrestling IS ruining it.

WWE is an entertainment show, Breaking Bad was an entertainment show, was full of swerves, and one of the best shows on TV in recent years. And I say that as someone in the UK, where Breaking Bad never aired.

Not everything has to be a swerve, TNA takes it too far the other way, but done right, it does make for can't miss tv.

[Jura]

I like the way you swerve them hips gurl.

[Vastardikai]

I think the biggest issue in WWE, and perhaps wrestling in general, is having to answer to stockholders more than fans.

If WWE didn't have to answer to stockholders, they might take more chances, rather than relying on the safe option.

[XL]

Originally Posted by RVDmark I love the irony of this post, someone named "Innovator" saying stop the SWERVE bullshit. The predictability in wrestling IS ruining it. WWE is an entertainment show, Breaking Bad was an entertainment show, was full of swerves, and one of the best shows on TV in recent years. And I say that as someone in the UK, where Breaking Bad never aired. Not everything has to be a swerve, TNA takes it too far the other way, but done right, it does make for can't miss tv.

Let's be fair, Breaking Bad was 62 episodes over 5 years, a total of less that 47 hours total. WWE pumps out 5 hours of prime time TV a week plus 12 PPVs a year, call it around 230 hours a year (consideration taken for commercials, etc). If WWE/wrestling delivered SWERVES at the rate BB did, the audience would quickly get bored of it/assume Russo was back.