No, the fact is the WWE has plans for him on SmackDown! -- yet they still want to use him on RAW. Jesus Christ. lol

Pull your head out of your ass an realise that people in management see dollar signs in A-Ri.

You could, but it'd make you a retard. The WWE planned to scrap Riley from his role, but then said "Oh shit! The guy is really good in it! Let's keep him there." The storyline is the fucking point. In the written storyline, the WWE WANTS Alex Riley to be involved with The Miz, even when The Miz is heading into a WrestleMania main event.

It means the WWE want Alex Riley to be associated with a top star, and have no problem with him being featured in that role. It's a good thing. Anyone who thinks that Riley is "just a lackey" is buying into what the WWE is presenting them -- they're a mark (not that that's a bad thing -- makes enjoying the product a lot easier).

Now, I've got no real problem with you, man, we've coexisted around here peacefully for a long time, and I feel your posts add more than they take away -- but please don't talk down to me like I'm an idiot when YOU are the one not getting it. Of course it's all a storyline -- but they've CHOSEN A-Ri specifically for these storylines. You imply that I don't get it's a storyline, but then you ask "Did you ever just think that they paired The Miz up with whoever his NXT rookie was?" Well, why did they choose A-Ri to be The Miz's NXT rookie? Because the two have glaringly similar personas that mesh well, and have continued to mesh well through a WrestleMania main event up until today (despite Riley not technically being a part of the RAW roster anymore).

If you can't see the WWE are grooming A-Ri, you are a moron. If you think the WWE would trust anyone to go into the ring and work with Stone Cold Steve Austin in this day and age -- well, I personally think you are trying to hard to NOT accept that someone, somewhere, with more of a say than you or I, has a massive hard-on for Alex Riley. And although I don't watch RAW much, from what I have seen, the guy seems extra smooth out there. He doesn't stick out like a sore thumb in a spot that many guys can't handle. Ever. They just can't. Sure, this could be the high-point of Riley's WWE career, but if he becomes more solid in the ring, and even better on the mic, and stops drink-driving -- then I personally believe the guy will have a bright future in the WWE. And the evidence, as much as you try to ignore it, is on my side.

CSL mentioned Jackson Andrews. To be honest, the guy didn't really need to do much at all, except stand there and look scary for Kidd, and occasionally toss a guy around on the outside and pretend he didn't know anything about it when the ref asked him. But the WWE decided that he wasn't ready. Yet Alex Riley has been paired with The Miz for how long now? Yeah, the WWE clearly has nothing for him. :roll:

This all certainly took an unexpected turn, but it will probably make me an even bigger Alex Riley fan somehow.

No doubt about, the man gets a reaction out of people.

They see dollar signs in Yoshi Tatsu. That's why he's fucking employed. lol. They see dollar signs in David Otunga... Curt Hawkins... Hornswoggle... Doesn't mean it's retarded to pick the most mundane little storyline twists and be like "OMG THIS MEANS HE'S THE NEXT BIG THING YESSSSSSS!!!"


So to get this straight... assuming that they didn't go from "We're gonna drop him, we're done with him and Miz" to "OMG HE'S SO GOOD! LET'S KEEP IT GOING!" in one week and actually had the whole thing as part of a storyline (even if it was a lame one)... retarded.

If you say "They wanted him heading into WM with The Miz", you atleast have some kind of a point. But NO. You have to claim that WWE... planned to scrap Alex Riley (I don't think that was the case, but if you do, that doesn't actually help your point.), actually went through with it, and then in that one week between Raws said "Oh shit! The guy is really good! Let's keep him there."? ... not retarded, right? So, that's 100% the way it all went down I guess. lol

That would be grasping at a straw to make yourself believe Riley is destined for something amazing. You jump on the "NO YOU'RE RETARDED IF YOU DON'T SEE HIM AS WWE'S CASH COW OF THE FUTURE! NO STOP SAYIN HE WON'T BE!!! LALALALALALALALALAL! RETARD GRR!!! LALALALALALA!!!" Just like I've been explaining this whole time.


If he becomes more solid in the ring and better on the mic, he has a solid future in WWE. If this is your stance... we really don't need to discuss it. That pretty much goes without saying. I do watch Raw though. He has work to do. You can't predict potential though skill-wise. He could have topped out. No one knows.

And I do watch Raw weekly. And he is The Miz' lackey. Whether you think that's "markishly buying into what WWE is trying to make me believe" or not. He comes to the ring with The Miz and stands there... very rarely given the chance to showcase these ring and mic skills that everyone seems to be so sure WWE sees in him. He is there a lot of the time to get beaten down by someone so Miz can escape the fight. That is a lackey. In every sense of the word.

Guys have been paired with people way more over than them before and it's gone on to mean absolutely nothing. Him being paired with The Miz alone means little more than WWE likes Miz having a lackey and Riley is good at that job. It could mean more. To just make up this fantasy world of things WWE has planned for him by taking any little thing he has done and turning it into "Oh, they did that because he's gonna be a huge superstar" is an example of blind markishness for the guy. When he's main eventing, putting on actual wrestling matches that show whatever skill he may have and giving promos that don't include him awkwardly calling John Cena a toilet, THEN I'm right there with you and others on the A-Ri bandwagon. Til then, he's just Miz' lackey.

You've just proved WWE has more faith in Alex Riley as a manager than Jackson Andrews. Considerably more. Congrats. I'm sure all the Jackson Andrews fans will have something to say about that.

I'm not leaving this thread alone until Wolfpack423 acknowledges Alex Riley as the second best Alex in wrestling today.

ABT: TPWW's #1 Alex 'Pug' Porteau fan

http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile...754_2752_n.jpg

I don't think Alex Porteau counts anymore. Not since he changed his name to Charlie Haas.

I just want everyone to know how badly I would like to be king of the gays

:'(

and also how badly I would like to hang out with Alex Porteau

CSL said it best. Lol wow, indeed.

I've never said that Alex Riley is the next big star -- I've merely said that the WWE sees potential in him, and is obviously grooming him for a top spot. That's why he's in that position when guys like Yoshi Tatsu, Curt Hawkins and Hornswoggle aren't.

I don't know what you other points even mean. The WWE wants A-Ri to be associated with a main eventer. If you can't understand why that is a good thing, or why appearing at every PPV in an active role is a good thing, and that the storyline of being a lackey is getting the guy exposure -- I can't help you. I really can't help you.

Yo, what did you guys think about Alex Riley on Raw last night?

Not only does the WWE think the Miz/Alex Riley thing was a good pair they did the same exact thing with the NXT pairing of Alberto Del Rio and Brodus Clay.

Riley got a pretty big ass pop and even a Riley chant last night. He was the real breakout star of NXT Season 2 and he has the whole package as far as I can see. He's also been featured in matches with John Cena and he's taken the Stone Cold Stunner. This breakup has been slowly building up and last night it was perfect. The Mega Awesome Powers have exploded and now the Miz has his next PPV match cause he's done with the WWE title scene for awhile.

The crowd broke into a Riley chant, I thought I heard it all when a Masters chant broke out a couple years ago.

Riley has so much upside, that back then, Master's wasn't remotely close to matching.

I'm ecstatic with how they pushed Riley last night, though I can't help notice that while Riley can't come close to beating up Cena (last week) or Orton (that beat down on Smackdown the week of the draft), he had no problem taking out Miz. Hopefully, just poor oversight on the booking, as opposed to them trying to make Miz look weak.

Maybe it was just that Riley was fired up and had something to fight for that made him so strong.

Last night reminded me of the Ruthless Aggression days. Such a great beatdown.

Yeah that or just the rule of wrestling that heels instantly become tougher when they turn face.

As far as lackeys go, he's definitely more Diesel than Virgil. Now let's hope he's booked as such.

Cause I really really really want him to succeed.

Trying to think of other lackeys/henchmen that have been successful on their own

Batista obv
Sid kinda but he was already a big deal
Road Dogg

Ummm I dunno drawing a blank

I guess Triple H counts too but he wasn't really a lackey

Was more of an equal partnership

Oh The Rock duh. So stupid.

I thought it was great that Riley beat up Miz.

Dolph Ziggler was once Chavo Guerrero's caddy :p He's done alright for himself.

Cody Rhodes was sort of a lackey, and now he's sort of a success.

<font color=goldenrod>Riley is the man. I'd love it if he wrestles on SmackDown this week only for Miz to interfere.</font>

<iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WrjwaqZfjIY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Who's Alex Riley?

Miz is weak, that's why he cheats to win, that's why it's okay for Cena to easily beat him, or Alex to kick his ass. It's the fucking Miz, come on. If you do not understand this concept then you are greatly lowering the average IQ of Wrestling fans across the world.

I think that ship sailed a long time ago.

So WWE doesn't have more faith in Alex Riley than Jackson Andrews!? Could have fooled me.

Comparing the two is imbecilic. Jackson Andrews was just a big muscle bound guy with no personality.

Alex Riley has the chance to be one a top star in the WWE, but not as a manager. Riley/Miz will be one hell of a match if it happens at Capitol Punishment.

Miz will do everything in his power to make sure that Riley get over just like Riley helped The Miz.

Bingo. This is what makes Alex Riley perfect for the WWE. He's got every tool he needs to succeed on a main event level there. The beat-down of The Miz was fucking beautiful, and made A-Ri look like an absolute killer when he is pissed off. He's perfect for the type of "entertainment" the WWE is.

The only thing I have a problem with, is that I don't see the point in Riley being on SmackDown! now. His big face turn happened on RAW, and he is a ready made program waiting for him there. I hope they keep Riley there, and have him face The Miz at Capitol Punishment. I would actually be invested in that match.

And you can say that I am vastly overestimating Riley's abilities - but my personal tastes have me more interested in Alex Riley after RAW than pretty much anyone else in the WWE (for now). Strike while the iron is hot.

Ummm... I didn't make the comparison. Noid did. Talk to him about it.

Except we agree on the two...

The point was that they had the same roles, but Alex Riley:

a) Kept his through the main event of WrestleMania.

b) Has used it to make a career for himself.

That face turn last week was incredible. Mz went all out to put him over

I'm just going to go out on a limb and say that Alex Riley is the best wrestler on the face of the planet, hands down.