Next guy to win the title...

[Youth N Asia 0]

Who's next to win the Raw or Smackdown belt who hasn't already been a WWE champion?

 

The money bet right now looks like Edge I'd say...but then again I would have dropped 10 names a year ago or so before Bradshaw. So who knows

[Dark Age 0]

Edge or Orton seem likely. On SmackDown!, Cena or maybe (big maybe) Booker T. Other than that, I see no one. Christian, Batista and RVD are all long shots.

[AndrewTS 0]

Cena or Orton.

[Guest Staravenger]

Safe Bets:

- Randy Orton

- Edge

 

Possibility:

- John Cena

- Rob Van Dam

- Batista

 

Long Shot:

- Shelton Benjamin

 

 

Booker T really shouldn't count. He's been a 5x World Champion in WCW, and won it once in WWF during the Invasion from Angle on a RAW in August or September. I guess it can be argued that the heritage is no longer valid in WWE, but it's a matter of opinion.

 

All the above have never held a world title. And no, I don't count OVW, since their world is one state.

[Guest Calandro]

Cena. Plain and simple. He has it all and can get a crowd reaction like only a few others have ever gotten. He has to get a shot.

[Styles 0]

Orton. Call it a hunch.

[DerangedHermit 0]

Cena, Orton, Edge and even though this sounds like a longshot - Eugene.

[Dark Age 0]

Cena. Plain and simple. He has it all and can get a crowd reaction like only a few others have ever gotten. He has to get a shot.

Except the fact that he's shit in the ring.

 

And Shelton will deffinitley be champ, but it will be a while.

[SuperJerk 0]

And Shelton will deffinitley be champ, but it will be a while.

Shelton + Orton-style megapush = money.

[Dark Age 0]

Shelton Benjamin >>> Orton

[SuperJerk 0]

Shelton Benjamin >>> Orton

Agreed.

[redbaron29 0]

Im pulling for Orton personally.

 

 

...Although I wouldnt mind seeing Shelton eventually. Cena could probably take smackdown out of it's lull.

 

 

So basicly anyone but Edge and we are ok.

 

 

Shelton Benjamin >>> Orton

 

Just wondering why you think that?

[Guest JoeyStyles]

Most likely Orton and Marky Cena.

Big longshots:

RVD

Batista

Edge

[Youth N Asia 0]

How can you put Edge as a longshot? I really thought he was main event ready when he got injured, and the fans are going nuts for him.

 

Sadly I don't see it happening for RVD anytime soon. They've knocked him so far down from the top that I just don't see them even trying with him again.

[redbaron29 0]

Don't get me wrong, I think Edge will probably have the belt before Survivor Series. I think we all KNOW that they will put the strap on him. I just saying, in my eyes he will never be above a mid-carder. Now if your questioning my reason behind that heres the reasoning.

 

-Post injury he seems to have slightly better mat skills then Hogan.

-As a face, my dog can carry the mic better

-His crowd reactions have pretty much sucked in the past month

-There are others who should have it before him.

-and on a personal note...I hate the way he bounces.

 

So thats why I personally don't see why you would give him the strap. But hey, rest assured, Vince hasnt listened to a damn thing I told him in the past three years. So I'm sure your boy will have the belt before the year is out.

[Dark Age 0]

Shelton Benjamin >>> Orton

 

Just wondering why you think that?

Well......

 

For one, Shelton is alot more technically gifted. In the ring, I'd take Shelton over Orton any day. Outside of a couple of matches here and there (Jericho and Edge on Raw), Orton bores me. I've NEVER got that with Shelton. He hasn't had a singles push like Orton has had for the past year, so it's hard to compare both guys' work. However, my favourite Orton match (Foley excluded) was against Shelton. More so, I've enjoyed the few singles matches Shelton has had more than most of Orton's. His match with Benoit just after his debut, the match with Triple H on Raw, and his matches with Rey Mysterio have all been alot more enjoyable for me than most Orton matches.

 

He doesn't seem as lost as Orton does at times. Go back and watch the series with Tajiri and Eddie last year. He knows how to pace himself, when to work restholds, how to use them, etc. Orton has improved with his intesity and facial expressions when using a chinlock or neck vice, but you still get the feeling that he's wasting time, rather than using the holds for a purpose or to contribute o the story. Granted, Shelton is doing this in tag matches, so he has an advantage.

 

Shelton's match with Triple H told a better story than most any Orton match. Triple H not knowing what he's getting into, underestimating the kid, Shelton with something to prove. Just the instances of Shelton slapping Triple H on the cheek after having it done to him were great to me. Shelton owning him on the mat, then firing off everything in his arsenal and shocking the Game with nearfall after nearfall. Shelton busting out stuff he's never used before to take down Trips (Stinger Splash, tp rope clothesline, etc). It was only a 15 minute tv match (with commercial), yet I haven't seen an Orton match I've enjoyed as match as that.

 

Shelton had a better match with Eddie Guerrero in 4 minutes last year than most matches Orton has had. It was just 6 weeks after Shelton's debut, yet you could tell he was something special. His tag matches against Los Guerreros, Eddie/Tajiri and Rey/Kidman were WAY better than most/all Orton matches (diffeent type of matches I know, but it's hard to compare a tag wrestler to a singles).

 

Shelton has alot more 'character' to him as well. Watch the 'APA is Crap' segment. He showed more in that than Orton has in anything, in terms of charisma and attitude.

 

That's all I got for now.

[Guest WCW Thunder]

On the smackdown side I would like to see it on RVD or Cena.

 

For Raw Edge

 

Bradshaw is Evil

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Shelton Benjamin Vs. Randy Orton, Main Event at Wrestlemania!

[CanadianChick 0]

Edge. I think soon, he'll be put in a feud with Triple H. If you have a good, two-sided feud with HHH, you're a main eventer.

 

Orton will get it sooner or later, especially if Triple H goes off to make a movie. It's obvious they are trying to make Orton/Edge the Rock/HHH of 2004, which is fine by me. It gives either guy something to do all the time. When in doubt, they feud with each other.

 

I don't see Cena getting it anytime soon, actually. He doesn't really need the title with his reactions yet. WWE will milk this puppy as long as possible, which I disagree with, because if someone is getting monster reactions, it's logical to give them the belt.

[Hoff 0]

But (and this is touching on what I said in the other thread), isn't there something to be said for a guy finally getting the belt after being over for so long? It's possible to stay hot for years. Guys used to do it all the time. I say, given Cena's charisma, let him run for awhile, do some fun stuff, maybe turn him heel at some point. It needn't be forever, but I think even waiting another year would make a Cena title win more important and more special. It might even allow him to improve in the ring.

 

There's certainly nothing wrong with giving the hot hand the title, but as they say, the money's in the chase.

[David Blazenwing 0]

Shelton Benjamin Vs. Randy Orton, Main Event at Wrestlemania!

Please? A main event at WrestleMania and Triple H isn't involved?

 

If you pitched this match idea to Vince, he'd fire your ass just for the lack of Game-age.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Shelton Benjamin Vs. Randy Orton, Main Event at Wrestlemania!

Please? A main event at WrestleMania and Triple H isn't involved?

 

If you pitched this match idea to Vince, he'd fire your ass just for the lack of Game-age.

Sad, but true.

 

Just me wishful thinking.

[Guest Calandro]

Cena.  Plain and simple.  He has it all and can get a crowd reaction like only a few others have ever gotten.  He has to get a shot.

Except the fact that he's shit in the ring.

 

And Shelton will deffinitley be champ, but it will be a while.

He's much better in the ring then most of the other people you guys have mentioned. Plus he is entertaining. Something that Orton and Shelton are not.

[Dark Age 0]

I listed Shelton, Orton, Booker and Edge. All are better than Cena, with Orton maybe equal. Cena hasn't been fun since Mania. Once he won the US Title he went right down the shitter.

 

I liked Cena ALOT last year. He was one of my favourite wrestlers, and he had (was carried) a fair share of good matches with Angle, Taker and Eddie. Plus he was one of the best characters on the show. This year, however, he has sucked. He's had one decent match all year, against Taker. Everything else has been awful. He's shown ZERO improvement all year.

 

But hey, if you find guys saying 'the poopie the poopie the poopie' entertaining, then good for you.

[CanadianChick 0]

There's certainly nothing wrong with giving the hot hand the title, but as they say, the money's in the chase.

True enough. But there is such a thing as waiting too long, no? If WWE does it right, yes, money is in the chase. But if they wait until Cena's popularity goes downhill, there's no money to be had because the fans aren't as interested. I might have worded it wrong in my post, because I don't believe Cena should get the belt this instant. As long as the guys on top are getting reactions (Taker, Eddie, Angle and now JBL are getting strong enough reactions), it's alright to have an extremely popular mid-carder. But as soon as Cena is getting a significantly larger reaction than everybody else (it'll happen), he needs to be in the main program and the top challenger or champion.

[Hoff 0]

All right, then let me ask the following: is there a "too long?" I think, as long as a guy stays over, and has something to do, he should be kept away from the world title. Cena's a great example, as, despite having been around for a couple years, has really only had one "run" and done one thing. They can change the act, they can repackage him, and as long as he can work the crowd he *should* stay over. It'll be a test of whether he's getting the rap gimmick over or vice-versa, to be sure, but it's probably good to test someone in that way.

 

But as soon as Cena is getting a significantly larger reaction than everybody else (it'll happen), he needs to be in the main program and the top challenger or champion.

I can't say I necessarily agree with this logic. Maybe, rather than shoot the midcarder to the top, it should serve as a wake-up call to the main eventers to try a little harder. I'm not saying that's always the case, but it could be argued in some situations.

[Guest bigm350]

Edge. I think soon, he'll be put in a feud with Triple H. If you have a good, two-sided feud with HHH, you're a main eventer.

 

Orton will get it sooner or later, especially if Triple H goes off to make a movie. It's obvious they are trying to make Orton/Edge the Rock/HHH of 2004, which is fine by me. It gives either guy something to do all the time. When in doubt, they feud with each other.

 

I don't see Cena getting it anytime soon, actually. He doesn't really need the title with his reactions yet. WWE will milk this puppy as long as possible, which I disagree with, because if someone is getting monster reactions, it's logical to give them the belt.

You make a good point that Edge/Orton could be Rock/HHH of 2004 but I also get the impression that Benjamin/Orton could be that type od feud as well.

[CanadianChick 0]

All right, then let me ask the following: is there a "too long?"

 

To me "too long" is when his popularity wanes.

 

Cena's a great example, as, despite having been around for a couple years, has really only had one "run" and done one thing. They can change the act, they can repackage him, and as long as he can work the crowd he *should* stay over. It'll be a test of whether he's getting the rap gimmick over or vice-versa, to be sure, but it's probably good to test someone in that way.

 

Disagree, completely. You can't expect an over wrestler to stay over after being repackaged. That's like saying that Steve Austin should have been as over as the Ringmaster compared to being Stone Cold. The gimmick works for Cena. As time goes by, little adjustments can be made to give depth. But I don't think it's necessary to repackage him completely to prove that he is good enough and will stay over enough to get the title.

 

I can't say I necessarily agree with this logic. Maybe, rather than shoot the midcarder to the top, it should serve as a wake-up call to the main eventers to try a little harder. I'm not saying that's always the case, but it could be argued in some situations.

 

Can you imagine if they kept the Rock in midcard when he was so over and kept the main eventers the same and hoped for the best, in terms of them getting better? The most popular wrestler shouldn't be in the mid-card, unless they are all comedy or a short term gimmick (which can be argued that someone like Eugene might be). The company should be headed by wrestlers people care about above everybody else.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Cena is already the top babyface in the company...but I'd hate to see him get the title with that gimmick.

[Dark Age 0]

Eddie is more over than Cena.