Is it possible for the midcarders on RAW to become legitimate main eventers by feuding amongst themselves? It's pretty obvious that RAW is lacking, not necisarily in star power, but in people that fans take, or at least as i take, as credible main eventers. Can people like Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, RVD, Brock Lesnar, Booker T, Goldust, Bubba Ray Dudley, make it over that final hurdle to legitimacy by feuding amongst themselves? When you boil it down, you've basically got The Undertaker and maybe even Kane, as the the two most established draws on the show. Kevin Nash aswell but he doesnt seem to be able to stay healthy long enough to get people over. Can these midcarders get themselves into credible main event status without the help of established people putting them over, or are they fucked?
I'm not too sure. Traditionally, mid-carders get a "rub" from feuding with main-eventers. There are some exceptions. When Shawn Michaels was pushed to the upper card, it was largely due to the fact that he had just turned face and was getting unbelievably large pops. Same as Austin really. Triple H got there from a feud with Austin, Mankind never really left the mid-card. When he won the title, it seemed to be more of a "Thanks for all you've done, Mick. As a token of gratitude, you're going over Rocky for the title" thing.
"This is politics in America. 'I believe the puppet on the left shares my beliefs. I believe the puppet on the right is more to my liking.' 'Hey, wait a minute! There's one guy holding up both puppe-''Shut up!'" - Bill Hicks (1961-1994)
Yes, I think they can. If you let for instance Brock and RVD tear up the house night after night they can elevate themselves to a higher level. But it needs 100% focus from all involved, the wrestlers, the commentators and the production crew..not to mention the writers ofcourse.
Often that one little final 'rub' has to be given by a champ though. I mean..to become the new champion you have to beat the old one..but I do believe it can be done all by themselves
"...And I use that to fuck them some place fairly uncomfortable." "What, like the back of a volkswagen ?" -Mallrats
I think it can be done only if both wrestlers involved in the feud are made to look good. If one gives the other a few too many tremendous ass-whoopings, it improves the appearance of the one while lowering the appearance of the other. But I think that with good interviews, good angles and great wrestling, it can be done.
But I agree with dMp-- when it comes down to it, whoever wins the feud needs to go over an existing top guy.
“You bring what you got. The measuring stick just changed around here, pal. You're looking at it.”
--Kevin Nash, 6/10/96
Two-Time, Two-Time Randomly Selected Weiner of the Day, 5/27/02 and 7/3/02
I honestly don't think you can. I don't care how good your matches are, until the company chooses to present you as a main eventer, you're generally not going to be accepted as one. Raw last night was the first time I think the WWE tried to present Booker as a main eventer in a long time. They sent him out there to do the opening promo, he was in the main event, the question is will they keep doing it?
It can get you a long way, but it still ultimately boils down to you're just beating midcarders. I think what usually happens is two midcarders feud until they are near the top of the midcard, then they elevate one of the two men by having him feud with a main eventer, then they go back to the original pairing to give the second guy a main event feud. That is what they did for Triple H vs The Rock, Triple H vs Foley, and...uh...I can't think of a`ny others.
Mean Gene: "You know, I don't think it's a question - Goldberg, I don't think it's a question of who's next, I think it's a question of who's left?" Goldberg: "No, see, that's where you're wrong. It ain't who's left, it's - WHO'S NEXT?"
"Just how hardcore am I? Well this morning, I drank milk that was two days past the expiration!" -Norman Smiley
Nash is in pain right now and still has pull as does HBK, I think buying them a bong and some dank could get you over..... honestly though, I think it's a mixture of your own skills and what Vince and Co. think of you that decides if you get over.
I'm gonna get me an oversized guitar, gain 40 pounds, and become the next D!
I'm going to answer this question with a question. Do you remember the leaders of the factions DX and The Nation? I seem to remember them getting WAY over by feuding over the IC title. That just tells you how valuable a midcard title can be if it's treated properly.
WyldeWolf1 The Man of 1,007 holds, making him 3 holds better than Chris Jericho!
Now, I know that the person I'm thinking of was already well on his way to the top of the card by this point anyways ...
But the subtleties of the Kurt Angle-Stephanie McMahon-HHH storyline, dragged out over the six months the angle was allowed, really built Angle up in a MAJOR way.
I could sit and weep over the (then) WWF's mishandling of that whole storyline ... God, if they hadn't ditched out of that early, it could've possibly been one of the best stories the fed had ever dished out.
With the so-called glass ceiling seemingly in place, I don't see how ANY wrestler can truly get over in the WWE today. The last one to really have a grass-roots surge in popularity was RVD, but his main-event push was cut short after a few months. Whenever a mid-card guy gets over, he is seemingly always undermined the next week.
I was born in a manger, like that other guy. You know, he wore a hat?
Big Bad: With the so-called glass ceiling seemingly in place, I don't see how ANY wrestler can truly get over in the WWE today. The last one to really have a grass-roots surge in popularity was RVD, but his main-event push was cut short after a few months. Whenever a mid-card guy gets over, he is seemingly always undermined the next week.
That's why Nash's injury may be a blessing. Dumb Him, Austin, Hunter, Hogan, Taker, etc. and you have room for new stars.
I'm gonna get me an oversized guitar, gain 40 pounds, and become the next D!
Benoit is a recognized former World Champion, Booker T is as well, The Big Show is a former World Champ...but they don't ever mention it. Ever. So, you can see that the WWF WANTS US to buy Benoit and Booker T as main event stars. And I disagree with the earlier contention that Mick Foley wasn't a main eventer. He and The Rock put each other over. The Rock/Mankind feud cemented both as bonafide stars...and gave us some cool, cool matches too. See also: Triple H/Foley feud of Late 1999/Early 2000.
Bart: Hey, immigrants! Beat it! Country's full! Sailor: OK people, you heard the lady. Back into the hold. We'll try Canada. [the immigrants moan] -- "The City of New York Vs. Homer Simpson"
"That's what the Internet is for, slandering others anonymously" Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back
Who said Foley wasn't a main eventer? I think you're talking about me, I'm the only one who mentioned him, and what I said was that he was a main eventer and that's why they used him to elevate Triple H.
Mean Gene: "You know, I don't think it's a question - Goldberg, I don't think it's a question of who's next, I think it's a question of who's left?" Goldberg: "No, see, that's where you're wrong. It ain't who's left, it's - WHO'S NEXT?"
"Just how hardcore am I? Well this morning, I drank milk that was two days past the expiration!" -Norman Smiley
It was me who thinks that Mick Foley wasn't a bona-fide main-eventer. Maybe he and the Rock put themselves over and stuff, but when main-eventers lost the main title, they generally stay in the main event, attempting to get the gold back. All Mick Foley did after losing the title was feud with Al Snow and Val Venis. Sure, he teamed with The Rock, but it didn't get him any higher to the top of the card, did it? He was only champ after Summerslam that year to transition the belt over to Hunter. He didn't get back to a main event-like position until the Cactus Jack character returned.
"This is politics in America. 'I believe the puppet on the left shares my beliefs. I believe the puppet on the right is more to my liking.' 'Hey, wait a minute! There's one guy holding up both puppe-''Shut up!'" - Bill Hicks (1961-1994)
BHSR said that you cannot get over to main event until management is behind you. Ofcourse bookers, etc have to give you the time and angles to get yourself over. That's why I said it needs 100% focus and dedication.
I figured the question being more as 'without involving a current main eventer can 2 midcarders get themselves over to main event' and thus I said yes.. The Rock/HHH feud in the dx/nation days is a great example.
Another question - what makes one a main eventer? RVD and Brock can push one another to the moon, for instance but not hold a title. Are they main event then? Are you only main event if you headline a ppv? If they push one another to such heights that everyone is anxious to see what happens to me they are main event. Doesn't matter if they then go feud a little with someone else over the title. At that point they are already main eventers.
"...And I use that to fuck them some place fairly uncomfortable." "What, like the back of a volkswagen ?" -Mallrats
Originally posted by dMpBHSR said that you cannot get over to main event until management is behind you. Ofcourse bookers, etc have to give you the time and angles to get yourself over. That's why I said it needs 100% focus and dedication.
Yeah, you can get 100% focus and dedication into a storyline that still doesn't present you as a main eventer. I don't care how long RVD-Eddie would have feuded and how good the storyline was, until one of them was put over a main eventer, they wouldn't be bought as such.
Originally posted by dMpThe Rock/HHH feud in the dx/nation days is a great example.
But they didn't make it to main events with that feud alone. They fought each other, than Rock went to main events by feuding with Mankind and Steve Austin, then they brought up Truple H/Rock's history so that they could fight again to elevate Triple H.
Mean Gene: "You know, I don't think it's a question - Goldberg, I don't think it's a question of who's next, I think it's a question of who's left?" Goldberg: "No, see, that's where you're wrong. It ain't who's left, it's - WHO'S NEXT?"
"Just how hardcore am I? Well this morning, I drank milk that was two days past the expiration!" -Norman Smiley