How do you ever make another Austin?

[humongous2002 0]

When RVD entered in 2001, he was as popular as Austin/Rock at their peaks, it's just that Vince and co. decided to ignore it.

Take it easy......the guy was VERY popular but to say he was as popular as Austin or Rock in their prime is a little overboard.............Austin and Rock were in a different stratosphere from everyone else as far as popularity.

For those few months back in 2001, RVD was as over as Rocky or Austin were in their peaks, the guy was over after his first match, he main evented for the wwf world title a few months later, he was more over than Y2J,Angle and Taker even though he was a heel for the Alliance, and after he's been misused and almost buried by the powers that be he's still over with the fans while Kane's monster charisma is getting stale. RVD could still make it as the next Austin but it's up to Vince to finally decide that he wants to make money or just be a jackass and have HHH run his company to the ground.

[Fökai 0]

For those few months back in 2001, RVD was as over as Rocky or Austin were in their peaks

 

::jaw drops::

 

I hope...you're kidding.

[cabbageboy 0]

The question here is this: why was RVD a shocking breakout star when he arrived in the WWF? I wasn't shocked, I fully expected him to tear it up. By mid 2001 the WWF in ring style had gotten so dull that someone like RVD would stun fans.

 

Eddie and Cena are the guys here. Eddie moreso right now because he's by far the better wrestler, but Cena can cut a great promo.

[Austin3164life 0]

How do you make another Austin? You can't, because there never will be one.

 

The next huge breakout star will probably be John Cena. He's had a pretty consistent push ever since he released his rapper gimmick, and now he's in a feud with the hottest superstar in the WWE. He's got charisma and owns the crowd (and he's a heel). Give him another year to hone his in-ring skills and he'll be the WWE's hottest commodity.

[Damaramu 0]

Eddie's character is just something I don't think the fan's have seen. I mean he's a cheater and that's always been a heel thing but the fans are behind him because of the way he embraces it and the cool way he does it. I mean he doesn't just put his feet on the ropes...he knocks the guy out and then puts his feet on the ropes because he can. He tricks the ref into DQ'n the other guy when it was Eddie who cheated all along. If Eddie hit's it really big I hope everyone doesn't start doing this...like the way every face became a defiant badass after Austin.

[Guest Adrian 3:16]

For those few months back in 2001, RVD was as over as Rocky or Austin were in their peaks

 

::jaw drops::

 

I hope...you're kidding.

I wouldn't say that 2001 RVD was as over as Rock and Austin at there absolute peaks, but definitely as over as when they started to blow up (late 97 for Rocky, late 96 for Stone Cold).

 

They've had chances to have a new breakout star more than once, they just never pull the trigger on it. The WWE today is sadly a very different place than it was 5 or 6 years ago. If Austin were to debut today, he probably would be held back too so as not to upset the status quo.

 

I'm a fan of both Cena and Eddie, but character wise they're both kind of gimmicky to be the next Austin. An evil white rapper and a compulsive cheater are both rather one-dimensional compared to Austin's often complex character.

 

But I could buy either of them being the next Rock...

[Guest webmasterofwrestlegame]

I'd rather not look at what it takes to be a star specifically as if we all knew and could manufacture one we would all be millionaires.

 

Rather, lets look at the conditions that have been historically in place when a new star has threatened to break through. Correct me if I am wrong, but Austin broke through properly a short while (say, less than half a year) after firm stars Scott Hall and Kevin Nash left the company?

 

Right now WWE is loaded with 'top level' talent - Vince isn't desperately seeking a breakthrough star. He desperately wants to know a way to get production (buyrates etc.) from his huge payroll. To me, a new star breaking through into the main events would be Vince's last resort. If the WWE writing team cannot come up with a good way to create compelling TV with their current main eventers - how can they do the same with a new star pushed to the top i.e. Randy Orton? Trust me, the novelty of a new wrestler at the top will go away after a few weeks with a poor storyline.

 

But I think at the end of the day, it all comes down to serendipity with regards to maing new stars, the conditions for doing so, and getting wrestling 'in' again.

[Secret Agent 0]

Uhh... what about Kurt Angle? He can wrestle, AND talk on the stick!

[KTID 0]

But he can't do either especially well.

[TheFranchise 0]

When RVD entered in 2001, he was as popular as Austin/Rock at their peaks, it's just that Vince and co. decided to ignore it.

Take it easy......the guy was VERY popular but to say he was as popular as Austin or Rock in their prime is a little overboard.............Austin and Rock were in a different stratosphere from everyone else as far as popularity.

I was actually thinking about this at work today coincidently, RVD really WAS super over when he first came in, i think even more so than Austin or Rock.

 

WWE made the biggest mistake in the last 5 years by not pushing him with the title

[Fökai 0]

But he can't do either especially well.

Coming from a "RVD MARK", that's GOLD.

[TheFranchise 0]

But he can't do either especially well.

Kurt Angle can't wrestle well?

[Guest webmasterofwrestlegame]

But he can't do either especially well.

 

You are joking, right?

[cabbageboy 0]

Kurt Angle has a major problem and it's not really something he can change easily: He comes off as an insincere dickhead. This was fine when he first debuted and it was his gimmick, but now that he's the alleged top face on SMDN it's a detriment.

 

In terms of his ring work, I've always thought he was very good but has a drawback. His matches come across like a skilled guy doing tribute matches to other wrestlers. At one point Angle was using Ken Shamrock's anklelock, Benoit's German suplexes, and even Bret's old figure 4 around the post.

 

I actually find Eddie a very complex character. He lies, cheats, steals...but he's quite honest about it. Yet he also seems loyal to his family and nephew Chavo, and relates silly stories like the one on his great great grandma recently. Hell he even takes in orphans off the street (Little Timmy~!).

[KTID 0]

But he can't do either especially well.

 

Kurt Angle can't wrestle well?

 

But he can't do either especially well

 

You are joking, right?

 

 

I said not ESPECIALLY well, meaning i don't think he's like this "GOD OF WRESTLING" everyone makes him out to be. I like him, but this love of him on this board is really ridiculous.

[Guest Mulatto Heat]

Uhh... what about Kurt Angle? He can wrestle, AND talk on the stick!

Well, he's had several runs at the top, unlike Eddie, so Kurt not reaching Austin levels by now doesn't strike a lot of confidence in me that he ever will.

[humongous2002 0]

Angle has been given the ball as a champ plenty of times already, i'm a big fan of him but i do admit he is nowhere near Austin's or Rock's level, he's truly the Bret Hart of our generation, he's over but not enough to take wrestling to that next level like Austin and Rock and even Hogan did. Now back to RVD, lets give the man his props like him or not, he was truly super-over when he first joined in in the WWF at the time, i can't even remember if that has ever happened before or not, if him giving promos was going to be a problem Vince has the loot to get Fonzie or even Heyman to talk for Rob and actually do something with him, but he decided to listen to other people *coughHHHcough* and just drop the ball with RVD. RVD might still have a chance to be a breakout main eventer since the fans are still dying to see him with the world belt, they were chanting his name after he was buried on that cage match, if that's not a wrestler who's over with the fans then i don't know what is.

[Guest Palumbo the Janitor]

I need some more Windex. This glass window is old and dirty, but at least the damn hooligans aren't breaking it anymore.

[KTID 0]

Pulumbo's my new favourite poster!

[Guest RollingSambos]

I don't see it happening in the current political atmosphere. Back in 1996, Vince had to listen to the fans and push Austin to the moon because he needed a weapon against Ted Turner in the ratings wars. Now that WCW is dead, Vince can push or not push anybody that he wants and it doesn't make a damn bit of difference.

 

Austin also had established stars like Bret and Taker helping to "make" him...but this is 2003 and the established stars like HHH and Taker don't job. WWE also has this big thing about "paying your dues" these days, which kills big stars' pushes right off the bat (i.e. RVD). Did Mick Foley have to "pay his dues" when he signed in '96? No, the first thing he did was murder The Undertaker.

 

The only way that Vince is going to start pushing people to the moon based on crowd reaction is if NWA-TNA starts beating them in the ratings, because he only panics when another wrestling company is coming up on him. For some reason, he's not threatened by the NFL, etc. and doesn't see those entities as competition.

[cabbageboy 0]

It's kinda hard for the NWA to beat WWE in the ratings considering they don't have a TV show, just PPV.