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My attempt at Funaki:
Vince McMahon announces a roster draft, and one of the picks to RAW is Funaki. He shows up on RAW in new attire, ready to make his debut against someone like Shelton Benjamin. The two work a pretty neat match together, but Shelton can't put Funaki away for some odd reason. Shelton eventually leaps to the top rope, but Funaki headbutts him down, and then follows with a Kamikaze Headbutt. 1-2-3! JR points out that the Kamikaze Headbutt was old-school Funaki.
The next week, Charlie Haas takes a crack at Funaki, but he he can barely even get any offence in the opening minutes of the match. Funaki is just on top of everything. Lawler says that the reason Funaki is stepping up his game to get noticed, or something. Funaki picks up the win with The Rising Sun. Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas beat-down Funaki after the match, but Stone Cold Steve Austin (Funaki's real-life friend) runs down and Stunners both men. Austin helps Funaki up, and holds Funaki's hand in the air. Jim Ross talks about how he has spent days on the ranch with Funaki and Austin, and he knows that Funaki knows just as much about wrestling as either of them. He's finally showing the world that.
The next week, Johnny Nitro is Funaki's opponent. Nitro goes for his corkscrew moonsault, but Funaki dodges and hits a Kamikaze Headbutt for the pin. Vince McMahon approaches Funaki, and says that he knows the reason he was hired. He was the best wrestler in Japan, better than Tajiri, better than The Great Muta, better than Ultimo Dragon. He didn't want Funaki to go to the competition so he tried to move Funaki into an announcer role. He threatened to fire Funaki if he didn't lose matches; Funaki accepted because he wanted the millions of dollars Vince provided. McMahon tells Funaki that now he wants to show-up his big guys, and befriend the man who helped shave Vince bald? Vince fires Funaki then and there on the spot. No. Better yet, he puts Funaki in a match at Backlash against Umaga; if Funaki doesn't win, then he's fired!
Funaki uses his shoot-wrestling background to try and take it to Umaga strong and early in the match. For a guy his size, he really does hold his own against Umaga. Stone Cold Steve Austin comes down to ringside to cheer on Funaki. Umaga goes for the wrecking ball, but Funaki dodges through the bottom and middle rope. Umaga's back hits the turnbuckle. Funaki climbs and hits a missile dropkick on Umaga. The big man won't go down. Sweet Chin Ongaku by Funaki! Umaga finally topples over! Kamikaze Headbutt by Funaki! Umaga manages to kick out at a two count! Funaki then hits a Stunner on the Samoan Bulldozer! 1-2-3! Funaki is only the third man in history to pin Umaga, and is the new Intercontinental Champion!
The World's Greatest Tag Team runs out for revenge after the match, but Austin and Funaki hit respective Stunners on Haas and Benjamin to clear them out. Austin sloshes back a few brewskies, as Funaki holds his newly won Championship up high, as Vince McMahon appears on stage and does not look happy.
I won't go into too much detail, but that's a way to set up Funaki as a babyface with an ally in Stone Cold Steve Austin, enemies in Haas and Benjamin (who he can work great matches with on a constant basis, always going over), and it puts the IC Title on Funaki cleanly. It also lightly touches on why Funaki used to lose so many matches: Vince was asking him to throw them because he didn't think Funaki was big enough to represent his American-based sports entertainment company.
From here, and this is without too much detail, I'd have Funaki, as Intercontinental Champion, thus default #1 Contender, challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship. Make it Title for Title, like Hogan/Warrior at WrestleMania 6. John Cena gets Funaki in the STFU, but Funaki refuses to tap. Vince McMahon comes out and tells the referee to ring the bell, which registers the submission, and Funaki is screwed ala Bret Hart. John Cena is the new Intercontinental Champion. This gets under Shawn Michaels' skin for some reason, so he and Funaki form an alliance against John Cena and Vince McMahon.
At one of the PPVs, you can pull a 2000 King of the Ring, and have Cena and Vince vs. HBK and Funaki, where the maker of the fall becomes the new WWE Champion; his partner Intercontinental Champion. In this match, I'd have Funaki pin Vince, which makes him the new WWE Champion, and Shawn Michaels IC Champion. That adds tension between Vince and Cena.
As well as a new look for Funaki when he jumps over to RAW, after he reveals himself as Stone Cold Steve Austin's friend, and have a mind and talent for the business, I'd also change his name to "Shoichi Funaki". It just sounds more complete, and can wash away some of the jobber images.
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