"The Next Big Thing" (is not Brock Lesnar)
 

Do you guys think anyone in the WWE or TNA right now has the potential to be the next Rock, Hogan or Austin? Or do you think the right guy isn't there yet? I know they're trying to push Lashley and Cena, but I mean a guy who brings the ratings back up into the 6's or 7's again and whose name will live on forever. Do you think anyone in the WWE or TNA right now can make another big "boom period" happen, or will we need to wait for someone else?

:wave:

Cena could have been if they didn't change his character into a lame vanilla wannabe.

There not really an answer. I remember everyone talking about how Cena and Orton were the next Rock and Austin back in 04. Didn't pan out.

I think Orton could potentially be. But no italics can stress the word potentially enough.

Nah, I think his ship has sailed. He could get over bigger and be a sucess, but seriously, they've already given him the world title push, he's been around for so long and done so many high profile fueds. He's not exactly potential in a bottle. He's wasted and failed potential that could get a second chance.

I think they've kinda hit the reset button on him though and we all know how the WWE just likes to pretend stuff never happened. I dont know if he'll ever make it to Rock-level but I think he still could. WWE could package him that way but along with some of your points I dont know if the entire fanbase will receive him that way.

First of all when you talk about Rock level, you're talking about a fucking goat. The most successful mainstream crossover star, a god amongst fans and arguably the biggest star in the history of wrestling, with only one or two names that could even be uttered in the same breath.

So when you say Randy Orton has potential to be the next Rock now, you better have some fuckin strong confidence in his ability to be so. And as for the entire fanbase, well if you get a huge push and don't have the entire fanbase then you're not The Rock or Austin, you're John Cena.

^

I agree. I dont know if it will work, I think he could be as over as The Rock but I doubt the WWE's ability to successfully package him that way and also doubt if the whole fanbase will receive him that way.




And he needs to learn a little more improv skills rather than running in and out of the ring with a chair.

I also think the more they try to make Orton like the Rock or Lashley or Batista like Lesnar, the less likely they will be to succeed. I think they guys that seem destined to be "the next big thing" rarely are (Diesel or Brock Lesnar, anyone?) and that what catches fire often times is just as suprising. I think the guys who tend to be in the mold of a previous performer virtually always fail, and I think it's because they bring nothing new to the table. They're just a watered down version of the performer they're emulating. Agree or disagree?

I think he's got a lot of the same gifts as The Rock. However he lacks that charismatic ring presence, and he's not as "electrifying" as ridiculous as that may sound. He's way more slow paced than the exciting Rock.

And the most glaring difference is the mic skills. Rock is one of the best ever, Orton isn't anything special. Not bad, but certainly not great.

Jericho was the next big thing in 2000. And I mean that.

Orton has, i would say, slightly above average mic skills, so in that department he is nowhere near The Rock. And I agree that you cant try and make him like anyone else. He has to be his own character that gets him over.

That got me thinking, that if Jericho were to come back. Long term, not just for a couple of appearances. If Jericho came back I think he could be on that level. Because there is such a lack of that kind of guy right now, he would have the spotlight almost entirely to himself and he would be "the guy" in the company (if WWE would let him). I think the fans would receive him has the savior of wrestling this time, too.

Yea dude, if he comes back at a time where he's got the oppurtunity to be the guy, his time off may have been the best thing to ever happen to him.

Jericho has the most potential right now, to be the biggest superstar in the world today, but he is NOT going to get the ratings to Rock or Austin levels. I honestly just don't think there is anyone, in any promotion, on any level, who is going to be the next HUGE name star. Orton could have been the next Triple H, but as before mentioned his ship sailed. I think Jericho and Orton are really the only two people with potential huge drawing power, and yet I don't think either is going to get the right chance to shine at the right time.

HAHAHAHA OMFG anyone watch Reymon14's newest youtube shoot?

he touches on this exact topic and predicts the new Rock will be....................................








MVP

The Alpha Male Monty Brown! oops wait I mean Marcus Cor Van.

JOHNNY DEVINE

MVP sucks, but dude you must realize nothing matters now to what happens tomorrow.

If you told me Rocky "smiles" Maivia and Stunning Steve Austin would each become as big as Hogan, I'd be ROFL too.

if MVP becomes the next big thing, Reymon's true genius will be confirmed.

Orton, a face Edge in his current character, Lashley (simply because they won't stop pushing him), Cena, Kennedy, Punk... all have their potential.

The thing is you can't predict who will be amazing and even if you had a hint of what they could be there's no real way to say just how far they'll go. It's a matter of taking advantage of a hot act that just spontaneously takes off.

I see the MVP thing...I mean the guy is like the rock version 2...except the whole sucking thing...

Cena? I mean, I agree but how much bigger can he be. He's gotten the biggest push since probably Hogan in the 80s. And in a few weeks, the case will likely be that he won and retained the title in his third consecutive wrestlemania, going over Shawn Michaels. Since he's had the title for 2 years aside from momentary drops, and has gone over everyone the company can throw at him I don't see how they can make him any bigger.

OK, as long as he's doing that stupid Overdrive move, he's not going anywhere. That's a guarantee.

Getting pushed means nothing. It's how many fans you can attract that's going to measure the success one has had.

Cena is the only one with any potential out of the current talent.

I just wish they'd push Edge harder. Even as a heel, he could still be pretty big for them. Personally, I dont see him as having potential to be the next Rock or Austin by any means, unless he pulled an onforseen face turn and got over huge that way.
But as a heel and draw, I see him being somewhere along the lines of HHH if they allow him to be. Always on top, always making others look good, and always being a solid heel to build fueds and new talent around as well as being a major supporting player for the big faces.
They just have to allow him to be. And the problem is maybe they don't see him as physically big enough to build as a dominant heel, rather than a sneaky cheating one. Which is a shame because Vince is still hung up on size.

Don't forget, so is the audience. Size is a large factor in the mids of the average fans, especially women and children.

despite our bitching, cena has become what WWE wanted him to be, and he has potential for continued growth. Just because he's not Austin or Hogan doesn't mean he can't be the companys top draw and lead horse. Think Bret.

(not even comparing Bret and Cena in any way shape or form, other than company role)

It'd bet Cena can out draw Bret (domestically.)

Alex Shelley. He might be a bit undersized, but he has 'it', I don't doubt that for a second.

Kennedy seems to have his head screwed on straight too, if they don't go crazy and shove him down everyone's throats he could be very big.

I don't see much in Shelly. One of the more over-ratted guys out there in my eyes. But everybody has their own tastes, not gonna argue about him.

I see a bigtime superstar in Kenny who is left out from the WrestleMania equation. Wwe is wasting talents like Chris Masters, Carlito, Simon Dean, Sylvan, Conway and many more on the hitlist.

I would say the reason so many people on here gush over Shelley is because they have likened him to Chris Jericho. And since they compare him to Jericho, they want him to become him. Personally, I see it but only superficially. I don't see much potential in him outside of being a mid to uppermidcard player.

That's the point, that can't MAKE him bigger, it just has to happen. As long as a guy has the main tools (mic skills, charisma, marketable look) then anyone can make it big.

He probably already has, on a scale of Bret's best year vs Cena's best year. Main difference is that nowadays WWE is more of an ensemble drawing card, relying on the WWE name and the whole card rather than just one top guy like back in Bret's day (even tho the lower card guys' pay doesn't reflect this).

I legitimately want to know how much money replicas, toys, and novelties of or regarding that damn spinner championship have made.

I agree about Edge being somewhere along the lines of HHH.

Definitely Ken Kennedy and CM Punk.

Bingo. Those are the two guys who, come as they are, have the best shot, in my opinion.

John Cena will be the top heel in the WWE in a few years, in my opinion. Don't ask me why, I just see him being the "next Triple H". A lot of people have given that honour to Edge. I think Edge will ultimately end up on SmackDown!, or something, and Cena will be top heel on RAW.

As M-A-G said, it's not about who you push, as it is the opportunities you take. When Matt Hardy returned in 2005, the crowd was HOT for him. Then the WWE had him jobbed the fuck out at Summerslam, and even after Unforgiven (that Leg Drop off the cage was bittersweet revenge), they still managed to pussify him. I think the moment they went wrong with Matt Hardy was actually when he cut his first promo after returning. He thanked Vince for signing him back. He should have been all "Fuck you for firing me in the first place!" But ah well.

I can definitely see the MVP thing. I recently just decided to go back and look over the WrestleMania events participated in by the big dogs before they headlined. The magic number seemed to be 3. Sometimes it took more, but very rarely did it take less (save for Cena and Batista, but I'm not counting them, because the WWE had an itchy trigger finger). This is MVP's first WrestleMania. He's wrestling Chris fucking Benoit for the United States Title. Come next WrestleMania, he should be in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, or something. He might even get some kind of personlised grudge match. But when it comes time for WrestleMania 25...the guy will be "there", in my opinion. More than ready to take flight as the top guy.

A guy I see a lot of potential in, that never gets mentioned in these sorts of things is Joey Mercury. Johnny Nitro is on the rise, so I wouldn't count out Mercury, who can very easily be instantly zapped up to the level Nitro is (on account that they are even-levelled tag team partners). Mercury can talk, he can wrestle, he's got personality; what's more, he can let it out in the ring. I really think Joey Mercury could be the next Stone Cold Steve Austin. There is a bizarre quote people can use against me.

You do realise that the WWE probably scripts everything, and the guy hasn't had a real program since coming to the WWE, and that Shannon Moore getting in a few lines against CM Punk isn't going to make Punk a star?

Alienoid if I didnt love you I would use that Mercury/Austin line against you

:kiss:

I think I should specify: When I say "the next Austin" I don't really mean personality wise, per se. I just see MNM as kind of a "Hollywood Blondes" type tag team. I can very easily see Mercury becomming the singles star who at one stage was primarily a tag team guy, with no meaningful singles career in sight.

It's kind of bothered me that people haven't said Samoa Joe yet. Keep in mind he hasn't won his first World Championship yet (not counting the ROH World Title). I have a feeling TNA may be saving it to when they can go "Joe's finally done it!" and people will listen.

I don't see how you can deem CM Punk the next big thing, I mean I like him. But he's more likely to be the next big IWC rant topic. With a push he could be a star, but not a huge icon.

alienoid i am right there with you about mercury. i am a big mercury mark myself.

Are there similarities? In terms of size and the kind of cocky character he has, yeah there probably are. But he's a totally different wrestler. I've seen him work heel and face equally well, his mat wrestling is top notch, and he's still very, very young. He just needs time.

I don't see much room for upward growth for him in TNA

Neither do I. Doesn't mean he won't make it though. Jericho (ugh, using the comparison again) didn't have much upward mobility in WCW.

It's true, Shelley would benefit from some great timing and circumstance. Jericho was fortunate enough to make the jump from WCW to WWE at the right time during the right time period.

In TNA, theres not much of a chance he will move upward, and with the current status of WWE, his chances of jumping there and seeing the changed success that Jericho did are slim too. Just because of how things are and the lack of neccesity to push young, new, unconvential wrestlers.

I know you don't like using the comparison, I'm just using it for the purpose of this discussion and their situations.

Ken Kennedy, need I say more really. Fantastic on the mic, good in the ring (he improves week by week) and his feud with the Undertaker had some of the best promos of late 2006. When he bashed Taker's head in with the Silver microphone I marked the hell out big time. If handled correctly I think we may see Kennedy pick up a World championship after Summerslam (maybe No Mercy).

C M Punk, he needs to get the hell out of ECW and onto one of the main shows, and then he'll probably develop twice as fast.

MVP, in my opinion he has 'it'. I instantly liked him when he arrived on Smackdown. He can cut promos and he can wrestle. I hope he gets a lengthy US Title run this year.

The next big thing is the result of the taco dinner I just ate and is currently turning in my bowels

Kennedy has loads of potential. If booked in the right way he could be huge.

The Kennedy - Taker feud was very well booked. Kennedy got a decent rub off the feud and didn't lose his heat when he lost at Armageddon. He then preceded to lose all the momentum he gained from that Taker feud by jobbing to Dave and Bobby for a couple of weeks.

If Benoit only had a little bit more charisma, he could have been pushed like Bret Hart

Nah, I'm pretty sure the WWE does get guys to memorise scripts. They didn't do it for Austin/Rock, but it's something that's come in with the more modern WWE times.

Watching him in that Steel Cage Match against John Cena and Shawn Michaels; it's amazing all the little things Mercury does.

According to Mick Foley's new book, that came in around about the time he was Commissioner. Also, he says they even have run-through rehearsals for exactly how the promos will go nowadays.

Big names/trusty mic guys probably get a lot of artistic license, though, I expect.

Cena has mic skills but his promos sound so scripted.

They need to go to a little place Mick likes to call Promoland.