Can OVW be better utilized?

[The Amazing Rando 0]

Now, I do not follow Ohio Valley much at all due to it not having any sort of national television plan, but I for one believe that it could definitely be better used to help start stars on their way to bigger and brighter things.

 

For one, I would have OVW mentioned during the shows, maybe in a 60 or 90 second recap/clipjob before a commercial break. For one, it would let fans get introduced to people they have not seen, but more importantly, it would take away the idea WWE seems to have in changes gimmicks between the Valley and the 'E. The Bashams were huge rivals - then suddenly teaming (yeah, the one wasn't ACTUALLY a Basham, but you get the point), Rob Conway wasn't a french supporter, Dinsmore wasn't retarded, etc. Yes, I know that not EVERY OVW wrestler got changed - but none of them really should have in the first place.

 

Fans can't react to what they can't see or hear about - and OVW is something that should be at least mentioned more on a national scale and be recognized. The idea of keeping a character from the 'minors' to the big leagues is that OVW will be a good place to make sure the gimmick works before throwing it in front of a multi-million viewer audience.

 

 

 

Then again, I'm one that lives under the rule that the gimmick has to be serious enough that they can build whomever it is to some sort of title contention, because TECHNICALLY in 99% of every wrestler's minds should be "I want to be World Champion and I'll do whatever it takes". That is a mantra that seems lost on the Simon Deans and Boogeymans of the world.

 

But it needs to come back, and I think starting on the lowest rung and really working hard with that organization could lead to benefits that I'm not even sure WWE knows it has lurking there.

[Fökai 0]

Edit: Never mind.

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

For those wondering what just happened, bravesfan edited his post 3 times in just a couple minutes, then gave up.

[Fökai 0]

For those wondering what just happened, bravesfan edited his post 3 times in just a couple minutes, then gave up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I didn't understand what the hell he was saying in the third paragraph.

 

The first point I made was that the ability to take away the gimmick was a good thing for the WWE writing team, at least in their minds. I don't know of a gimmick that they stuck with besides the Boogeyman, which is right up the writing team's alley.

[Dandy 0]

OVW could definitely be better utilized, especially if they keep Heyman at the helm. I had an idea that they should do an OVW and Deep South Draft, complete with highlight videos, and talking about wrestlers' strengths and where they need to improve. It was discussed in another thread, and I'll search for it and post my idea if anyone cares enough about it for sake of discussion.

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

OVW would be wise to build their promotion around a REAL retarded wrestler.

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

I don't know of a gimmick that they stuck with besides the Boogeyman

M.N.M.

The Heart-Throbs (besides dropping their manager, Mo Green).

Ken Kennedy (besides changing "Anderson" to "Kennedy").

[Fökai 0]

Four in the past four years, although your point is noted.

 

Any opinions from a guy who's there right now (FBTG)?

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

Any opinions from a guy who's there right now (FBTG)?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OVW is over-rated as to what it can do for a superstar, at the moment. I hear all the time that "so and so can't work, send him back down to OVW, for six months/a year/etc." OVW has been helped by good bookers, Cornette in the past and Heyman, presently. Although Dreamer was terrible. Like Nathan Jones, I don't see a guy like Masters improving much from being sent back to OVW. He would just be booked better. Lashley is still green, and was pulled up too early, but besides becoming less green, he wouldn't have learnt much more from being there. Movesets, and lack of learning more/new moves is a negative I find with OVW/OVW training. Many of the students who go to OVW training, aren't aware of a promotion called Ring of Honor. There was like one other guy in my class that watches ROH, and was more aware of smooth chain-wrestling, unique counters, and new/original moves. I liked working with him, more than the other students who were basically WWE marks, their favourite wrestlers being Shawn Michaels/Bret Hart, and only being familar with the WWE style of wrestling. There's a lack of learning mic skills, too, but some just don't have the charisma, that's why a guy like Kennedy is pushed so fast. For the class I'm in, when we have our house shows, you come up with your own gimmick/gimmick name. Now, I like this, as it lets a student be a character/gimmick he feels comfortable with, but some of the guys have no imagination. One guy who's a Bret Hart mark, called himself "Brian Hart", another who's a Sting mark called himself "The Sadist" and dressed just like Sting, face-paint and all. These guys need gimmick/character help, which isn't given to a good enough standard in OVW. Lack of gimmick (even a crazy one like The Boogeyman) or moveset (even a bland one like Chris Masters) isn't going to get them noticed by the WWE.

 

Currently, out of the current OVW roster, I would only like to see CM Punk, Brent Albright, Johnny Jeter, Mike Mondo, Aaron Stevens and Beth Phoenix get call-ups. I would also like to see Kenny Bolin get a manager spot in the WWE.

 

Sorry if some of these points aren't what Rando had in mind for the topic, just some of my OVW thoughts.

[Alro 0]

Currently, out of the current OVW roster, I would only like to see CM Punk, Brent Albright, Johnny Jeter, Mike Mondo, Aaron Stevens and Beth Phoenix get call-ups. I would also like to see Kenny Bolin get a manager spot in the WWE.

 

Sorry if some of these points aren't what Rando had in mind for the topic, just some of my OVW thoughts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Kenny Bolin is best suited to be a manager in a local promotion. He serves his purpose in OVW, but he does not need to be in a WWE ring.

 

I agree with you on Punk and Albright. I've not seen enough of Aaron Stevens to really have an opinion. Phoenix looked good when she was with the Troubleshooters, so I can see her getting called up. Mondo doesn't do anything for me.

 

Matt Cappotelli and Johnny Jeter are good examples of booking in OVW vs WWE. Heyman has done his job of making me care about them. Their feud was very well booked. The problem is, I have no confidence in the WWE creative team to make me care about them should they get called up. I can see Punk and Albright getting over. Phoenix probably would. Jeter and Cappotelli would probably be overlooked andjust be generic wresters stuck on Velocity or Heat. If they don't get over, sending them back to OVW won't help. They will be booked better again and should they get another call up, they will likely flop again and in the eyes of the WWE creative team, it will be Cappotelli and Jeter's fault that they can't get over on the big stage.

 

I also like the idea of doing a weekly feature on OVW and Deep South on RAW and Smackdown.

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

Currently, out of the current OVW roster, I would only like to see CM Punk, Brent Albright, Johnny Jeter, Mike Mondo, Aaron Stevens and Beth Phoenix get call-ups. I would also like to see Kenny Bolin get a manager spot in the WWE.

 

Sorry if some of these points aren't what Rando had in mind for the topic, just some of my OVW thoughts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kenny Bolin is best suited to be a manager in a local promotion. He serves his purpose in OVW, but he does not need to be in a WWE ring.

I know, but he's entertaining. He's better than any WWE valet. He'll never get on WWE TV, but I love the guy.

 

Mondo doesn't do anything for me.

Mike Mondo is my trainer, so I talk to him more than most of the other OVW guys. He knows his stuff. He's good at comedy, too, the type which WWE likes. I could see him as being a comedy side-kick guy for somebody, like Kennedy or Carlito, or maybe a tag team with Simon Dean. He would never get a big role, but he would fit in nicely on the undercard.

 

 

The Jeter/Cappotelli feud has been good, I like Jeter but hate Cappotelli. He's never impressed me, and he's a homophobe too.

[hyperchord24 0]

Recognizing OVW exists I think would be breaking kayfabe to a certain degree, and the 'E does NOT like doing that.

[Alro 0]

How would that be breaking kayfabe?

[The Amazing Rando 0]

What I meant by the third paragraph was something like the OVW feud between the "Bashams". If WWE plays it off as their "starting point" for talent, then it doesn't break kayfabe, but had they continued that history between the "Bashams" from the OVW to the WWE and had them work their first mid-card angle against each other in some form, it could have helped them. The fans could see through OVW clips what their feud has been like and see in front of them in the ring what it has evolved into.

 

If they did their first few weeks or so on WWE TV against each other and then went there seperate ways to be built up, by the time one of them got a title (IC or US) then there is a ready-made feud right there they can use. (I would say it's similiar to the HBK vs. HHH saga, but not as overdone. We know that they don't like each other, and it got tread out whenever they needed a space-filler.)

 

The same could go for the Jeter/Capotelli storyline they are running right now EASY. Show them as a team in OVW....show their breakup...and maybe have the face get "called up" first and after a week or two the heel can come out of the crowd and lay down the whooping sticks. If the announcing put it over as "Hey, that's Johnny Jeter from OVW attacking his rival!" and ran with it, it has alot better chance of getting over than "I read poems", "Buy my Simon shakes!", and probably even "Kennedy.......Kennedy".

 

 

As for FBTG, those are great quotes about the system in place down there - and I wish it was better. I mean, not everybody NEEDS mic skills or whatever, because that kind of thing can be covered up, but I *do* think more people need to have unique ways of working the ring, either via new or different movesets or at least a few creative spots. If a guy has mic skills but barely any ring skills - well then they need to work on the in-ring stuff and if they can't get that any higher - well then they are at a crossroads.

 

I mean, I could probably be a GREAT manager, because I can talk. But I'm only 5'9" and 135 lbs soaking wet, so taking bumps or doing alot of strenuous in-ring work would probably kill me. I could never be a wrestler, but it's not exactly concievable for a green Lashley or Masters to be a manager unless they play the silent valet type like Nash did as Diesel. That could work, but only if those guys were also getting trained and trained and trained to see what improvements could be made or at least what could be done to hide their not-so-great skill. Going back to the Diesel example - whether he drew or not, whatever, but he made a credible champion with a very limited moveset. He had speed (originally) and could destroy you in so few moves, the idea was that you had to try and take them like a man and hope he messes up, or be smart enough to outwit the guy. That could work in Lashley's case, but maybe not Masters. He plays up the fucking Masterlock too much (Just Put It On, Idiot!). Heels should NEVER play up their finishers for the crowd, even if it's just to get heel heat. The sudden lock-on of a submission as a heel gains more heat than a stalled "I'm Gonna Get YOU!" face and hand-motions from behind the face as they stagger like fools.

 

 

Sorry...went off on a tangent there. Thanks for the input though, guys.

[pochorenella 0]

What about Elijah Burke? I've heard great things about him. Wasn't he a former cop or something?

[Epic Reine 0]

The only time I remember OVW being mentioned on TV is when JR announced Russ Haas' death on Raw years ago.

[Guest Lee The Man]

CM Punk is the best wrestler in OVW at the moment

[Guest [censored]]

looking at their website DA Beast stuck out to me as having the WWE look. From his bio it seems like he should be a good athlete as well. Can anyone give me a review of him? I'm not able to watch OVW.

 

As far as it being used better, I think so. I was greatly dissappointed that Doug Basham didn't bring his Machine character to the E. I thought it was great. I also was shocked when Leviathon showed up as the Decon or whatever. what a waste I thought, but I guess it worked out for him.

 

I think having it as a web show or perhaps a best of webshow and then keeping the characters true from OVW to WWE could be a way to create a small but initial fan base.

[Fro 0]

I think using some stuff from OVW or DSW would be great on TV and a better investment than a lot of things they can do. It wouldn't be breaking kayfabe as long as they mention it as a "minor league" system and not as a "training school".

 

However, WWE wants to control all these guys' gimmicks.

 

Even MNM and the Heart Throbs are significantly different from their OVW gimmicks. Heck, the Heart Throbs aren't even the same act. MNM had all three guys on equal footing getting mic time, whereas you'd think Nitro and Matthews are mutes in WWE. "The Boogeyman" is a WWE-created gimmick.

 

Ken Kennedy is the same character, but again, he rarely gets any time to be in a backstage skit or interview... he just gets to do his announcer spiel (and there is so much more to his character). It's just inexcusable with a guy who's got as much charisma and mic skills as he has.

 

The big thing is that Cornette and Heyman book to guys' strengths and weaknesses and WWE is booked by a group of people who don't know wrestling, by and large. Beyond the top guys who have enough political clout to protect themselves, or hosses, Vince and Stephanie book people to entertain themselves instead of producing a good wrestling product. They want to fit everyone in a round hole instead of letting guys do what they do best.

 

I do agree that the training regime guys do is too one-dimensional, but a lot of that is the fault of what WWE wants.

 

OVW was teaching Lesnar and Benjamin SSPes and 450 splashes back in the day.

 

Snow seems to be doing a better job than whoever was in the position in making sure guys learn at least a couple different moves. Even with a real good training school, you're going to get a lot of guys with a very similar style.

 

And to whoever asked "Da Beast" is still terrible and shouldn't touch the WWE with a 10-foot pole.

 

Mike Mondo would be great with his "little brother" in OVW storyline terms, Gene Snitsky. (He was "Mean" Gene Mondo in his 3 weeks on OVW TV. The whole Snitsky look was Mondo's OVW look). In fact, he'd be an ideal manager... he was really good doing the Fonzie deal with Blaster Lasheley.

[cabbageboy 0]

I do agree that Da Beast has a good look but the guy is basically an unskilled jobber on OVW. Just gets squashed by Albright or whoever.

 

Elijah Burke is one guy who gets pushed on OVW that does jack shit for me. Even at the OVW house show I went to at my brother's old middle school...I thought Burke was just bland and not at all exciting or interesting (he also does WAY too much X-Pac offense). Aaron "The Idol" Stevens is also a guy Heyman is pimping on OVW that strikes me as the drizzling shits.

[Guest JMA]

The only time I remember OVW being mentioned on TV is when JR announced Russ Haas' death on Raw years ago.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I remember JR subtlely mentioning a developmental league when Mark Henry returned to RAW.

[Scroby 0]

Is there anyway to watch OVW other than the live shows?

[Fro 0]

Is there anyway to watch OVW other than the live shows?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

DVDs/Tapes are available at ovwrestling.com and ROH's web site.