Who has "face of the WWE" potential?

jakecronus8 · Post #1 » by **jakecronus8** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 1:35 pm

You can take this any way you want to, whether it be based on your opinion as a fan or who you think Vince/Trips believe.

For me the obvious choice today is Daniel Bryan. Even though wwe has done everything they could to sabotage him, he still resonates enough with the fan base to be the top guy.

My other pick is Zayn. He is as good a worker as I've ever seen, and has that natural underdog feel to him. If he's booked properly it won't take long for the mainstream fans to latch on to him. Everyone loves an underdog, and Zayn has that DB feel to him in this aspect. I also think his look is more marketable than Bryan.

Naturally the heel of the next decade should be Owens. Keep booking him like Lesnar and you have another star heel except he doesn't need a Heyman on the mic. Breeze can be another top heel but they need to tone down the comedic aspects of his character.

I've cooled a bit on Ambrose and Ziggler, who I previously thought had that potential. I wish they'd let Dean have more control and we'd see more Mox in him. Dolph is the best at getting others over I've maybe ever seen, but does little to get himself over and somehow his promos are near Reigns level cringe worthy.

Anyways, what say you?

Post #2 » by **Stanford** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 2:18 pm

Keeping in mind that there has been 1 Face of the WWE for a decade, I must say that I don't think that person is on the roster at the moment. I think that person needs a special collection of skills and blessings; Vince's backing, a great look, capable of leading main event matches, and at least Cena level promo ability. I don't see that in any of the current guys.

skbucks1985 · Post #3 » by **skbucks1985** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 3:47 pm

Although I'm incredibly critical of his current push, I still think Reigns is the most likely to be that guy. Most of this battle is having the backing of the right people and he's got that in spades. He's gotta find his voice as a promo and become more sound in the ring but more than anything else the guy has to get humbled. You read these interviews he does and he sounds like a clueless, entitled douchebag. Beyond him, he's done fantastic heel work but I still think Seth Rollins' long-term future could be as a babyface. When The Shield were babyfaces for a few months, his babyface comeback was incredible. Sami Zayn, like Bryan, probably fits the current cultural zeitgeist better than anyone else but Vince McMahon is not attuned to the cultural zeitgeist so that doesn't really matter. People love the rebellious anti-authority (no pun intended) babyface and if done properly Kevin Owens could be that guy but I think there's less room for error with him than anyone else, Ambrose could also be that guy.

Post #4 » by **Stanford** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 3:51 pm

Yeah, the most likely guy is Rollins, clearly. I think he fits into all the criteria I mentioned. But he's not huge, and that always makes me hesitate to assign a limitless upside, being that Vince is still in charge.

Post #5 » by **Stanford** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 4:11 pm

Someone asked about Wyatt, and I made a reply… but then he deleted it. Here was my response:

Have you ever seen Wyatt interviewed for television or radio? Contrast those with the appearances that Cena and Bryan do. The latter are personable, entertaining and engaging; the former is awkward, cryptic and uncomfortable. If we get to the point where he conducts interviews like Bryan and Cena, he’ll no longer be Bray Wyatt. I think he’s best off taking the Undertaker role.

skbucks1985 · Post #6 » by **skbucks1985** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 4:51 pm

Stanford wrote:Someone asked about Wyatt, and I made a reply… but then he deleted it. Here was my response:

Have you ever seen Wyatt interviewed for television or radio? Contrast those with the appearances that Cena and Bryan do. The latter are personable, entertaining and engaging; the former is awkward, cryptic and uncomfortable. If we get to the point where he conducts interviews like Bryan and Cena, he’ll no longer be Bray Wyatt. I think he’s best off taking the Undertaker role.

I'm not sure why he deleted that.

Anyway, I don't know if I'd say Cena is entertaining in interviews as he just tends to spout off corporate talking point after corporate talking point, but that's he is definitely personable and engaging. And Wyatt's interviews to me are fantastic but they are a little weird, and honestly Wyatt shouldn't even be doing interviews like that.

But even removing that component from it, Wyatt's kind of incredible because he's gotten to where he is despite him having a fairly aimless character. The presentation is great but he still speaks vaguely, he still doesn't have a mission statement and no being the new "face of fear" doesn't count. Even if we ignore the outside the ring stuff, until there's a greater focus from this character he won't be in that top position.

edfmx86 · Post #7 » by **edfmx86** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:53 pm

God I hope it's Dean Ambrose...

I sure hope he gets a big push sometime in the future. For now, I just wish they stopped making him lose every damn PPV event. I hope he gets the belt at mania, but I'm not expeting it.

WRau1 · Post #8 » by **WRau1** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 7:44 pm

Reigns is the only guy that I can think of that fits the majority of what the WWE looks for in a top star. I would hope it would be guys like Rollins, Ambrose, Balor, Wyatt and Rhodes but I just don't see it. The WWE is reportedly super high on Corbin, maybe he gets a monster push after WM and ends up being it.

Post #9 » by **loserX** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 8:39 pm

(How do you make pictures into green font, again?)

Post #10 » by **kdawg32086** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:28 am

Right here...and it's absolutely beautiful

TRNBA12 · Post #11 » by **TRNBA12** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:37 am

One thing about the face of the WWE is the pattern so far is a zig then a zag. Bret Hart was WWE fans going the opposite direction of Hulk Hogan. Stone Cold was complete opposite of Bret Hart and The Rock was also pretty far away from Bret. Then they went once again went in the other direction of Stone Cold with John Cena and the PG era. Roman Reigns is like Hulk Hogan so timing wise this doesn't fit the pattern as a reaction to the Cena era. Right now I would pick Sami Zayn since the other top NXT guys are basically out of the running cause Balor and Neville are from the UK and Owens is natural heel

Post #12 » by **Stanford** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:17 pm

Roman is more like Batista.

Dunthreevy · Post #13 » by **Dunthreevy** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:01 pm

TaxiDriver · Post #14 » by **TaxiDriver** » Sun Apr 5, 2015 8:59 pm

Without doubt, Seth Rollins. This guy is going to be considered as a legend before it's all said and done.

Post #15 » by **Ruzious** » Sun Apr 5, 2015 9:51 pm

Stanford wrote:Keeping in mind that there has been 1 Face of the WWE for a decade, I must say that I don't think that person is on the roster at the moment. I think that person needs a special collection of skills and blessings; Vince's backing, a great look, capable of leading main event matches, and at least Cena level promo ability. I don't see that in any of the current guys.

I think that's probably true. And it's gotta be someone who can develop some mainstream appeal, as well. Kdawg might actually be on the right track in that it doesn't necessarily have to be a guy. But if I did go with one of the diva's, I'd go with Charlotte. She's got everything - even the bloodlines, and I could see her going on various morning shoes and representing the WWE well.

Post #16 » by **Ruzious** » Sun Apr 5, 2015 9:57 pm

TaxiDriver wrote:Without doubt, Seth Rollins. This guy is going to be considered as a legend before it's all said and done.

He's definitely ahead of Ambrose, but I don't see him as the face. Rollins is so good in the ring that he could be the 2 or 3 guy for the next decade.