World’s Most Dangerous Column 11.10.13: I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

You know what? I just couldn’t stay away! Turns out the grass isn’t always greener on the other side…

The fact is, going away made me miss this place even more. The readers, the staff, even ol’ #39 himself! (That’s Larry Csonka, if you weren’t sure.) I wouldn’t come back and try to take back the Wrestling 5&1. Tony’s got that thing locked in, and I’m feeling quite creative. So hopefully this pisses you off a little, or at least initiates a little discussion in the comments.

Welcome to…The World’s Most Dangerous Column!

speculation that Roman Reigns is being primed for a big baby-face run, and the end could be near for one of the best groups introduced by the WWE in recent memory.

Well I say we need the pump the breaks on this Shield break-up talk! I agree that for these guys to truly flourish and take over as the mega superstars of the future, a break-up will be necessary. But there is one more major story that needs to be told before this happens…

The WWE Needs To Turn The Shield Face.

When they first debuted at Survivor Series 2012, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns set the WWE on fire. They were different—different than anything in the company. They were main event players from day one, something that is completely unheard of. Once they started to make legit ring entrances, they did so from the crowd. And the crowd ate it up.

After their first dominant run (that included a WrestleMania 29 victory over Randy Orton, Sheamus & The Big Show), The Shield cooled off a little, finally losing as a trio. They did, however, win the United States and Tag Team Championships, and were used to put over the return of Cody Rhodes & Goldust in a major way. Since the advent of “The Authority,” they have been both used to do Triple H & Stephanie McMahon’s dirty work and manipulated by the corporate power couple on numerous occasions. Remember the 11-3 handicap match?

One thing remains constant for The Shield since the early days of their run: a face pop. Their entrance gets the crowd going, and their chaotic style is crowd pleasing to say the least. Fan girls have plenty of reasons to love all three men, and if you check out Twitter, you’ll see that they do. It wouldn’t take much to turn the trio face.

Say what you want about The Authority (it is growing a little stale), they draw insane amounts of heat. A simple edition of Raw can see Stephanie and Triple H are mad at an individual member of The Shield (let’s say it’s Seth Rollins) for failing to win a specific match (we’ll say it’s against The Big Show). They order some “punishment” for Rollins, and they want it to come at the hands of Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. Everything is set for a Reigns spear on Rollins. But Reigns doesn’t spear Rollins, he spears the COO. Ambrose attacks Kane.

You think The Shield gets a face pop now? Imagine the face pop during the following Monday’s Raw, when they interrupt The Authority. Imagine the support for Roman Reigns when he faces Randy Orton in a non-title match, and the pop when he pins Orton thanks to a distraction provided by The Big Show. There’s tremendous merchandise sale opportunity for The Shield as a face trio. More great matches. Crowd buy-in to all three men as they prepare to take hold of the company.

Hell, imagine the excitement when The Shield runs wild during The Royal Rumble, only to finally go face(s) to face(s) with The Wyatt Family? Then, imagine the build to The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family at WrestleMania 30. It literally writes itself. The Wyatt Family wins, and Ambrose and Rollins turn on Reigns at RawAfterMania—making Reigns the mega face the WWE (reportedly) wants him to be. Then you can have Ambrose go on a heel run with The Shield as his back-up. You can add a new third member, bringing up someone ready from NXT.

Roman Reigns can be the top flight face the WWE wants. He has the look, the size, the moves, and a natural charisma. As my good friend Andy Critchell describes him, Reigns is “always the baddest mother fucker in the room.” But do it right.

The possibilities are endless. I’m not saying never break-up The Shield. I’m saying in no way should the WWE do it before one last major story is told: a face turn for The Hounds of Justice—The Shield.

You Decide: What Is The Shield’s Next Step?

So you know what I think—what do you think? Should the WWE break up the Shield now? Should they turn face? Something else? You tell me!

Voting is open through Wednesday night, and you can vote once per hour!
Share your comments below!

Kassius Ohno Released By WWE NXT…Chris Hero Is Back?

News broke Friday night that WWE/NXT superstar Kassius Ohno, formerly known as Chris Hero on the independent scene, was released from his WWE developmental contract. PWInsider broke the news, and at the time of this writing Dave Meltzer hasn’t reported on how he knew it was happening. I’m sure he will.

The news was met with the expected reaction on Twitter. Most were a combination of upset and happy. As was I. I hate to see a guy lose his job. He traveled up and down the road to get this opportunity, and as someone who has lost a job it sucks to see him gone. But when I lost my job in 2011, I got a great opportunity, and it led to my getting promoted and getting a second raise in 2013. I feel like Chris Hero will land on his feet.

Before we look to the future, we need to look at some facts:

Chris Hero is 33 years old, and will turn 34 on Christmas Eve. Daniel Bryan is 32, and has been on WWE television since 2010. CM Punk is 35, and has been on WWE television for seven years! Both men made their TV debuts at the age of 28. 28, by the way, is the same age as Cody Rhodes, who has been on WWE television for six years. My point here is simple: the calendar did not work in Chris Hero’s favor.

Chris Hero failed a WWE drug test, testing positive for steroids. This delayed his developmental contract, as reported by WrestleView in 2012. The reports later indicated he didn’t actually take steroids, but has a naturally elevated testosterone level. Either way, this is going to put on one notice in the WWE, which is another strike against Chris Hero.

The WWE is back on a big man kick. Whether or not we choose to believe it, there are numerous reports that the WWE is back to promoting the larger, more built superstars. If true, this also doesn’t support Hero’s cause, who was allegedly removed from television at least once due to his lack of dedication to his physique.

I honestly believe Chris Hero was behind the 8-ball with the WWE from day one, and it would have taken a miracle go see him make an impact.

Look—as independent wrestling fans we already have CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Antonio Cesaro and Luke Harper in prominent, televised roles. For a WWE who loves former football players and completely homegrown talent, this is a pretty good ratio. Two of those guys are former world champions, and I can see who more holding that gold at some point.

More importantly, Chris Hero still has a great future. Many already expect him to sign with TNA, where he could potentially do well. I’m not 100% sold on TNA using him effectively. Physique concerns aren’t limited to the WWE, friends. For every James Storm, you have a Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, Chris Sabin, Magnus, etc. Sure, they have Samoa Joe, but he’s Samoan. Hero is pale with red hair. Harder to get away with that physique!

Chris Hero would be given a—wait for it—HERO’S WELCOME on the independents, where he could flourish. He was a draw on both coasts (and in the Midwest) before his WWE signing, and he’s even more of one now. Gabe Sapolsky seems to get first crack at these guys, but I fully expect him to end up in Ring of Honor as soon as his no-compete clause allows it. I know he’s already announced for Pro Wrestling Syndicate, but they’re more of a supershow promotion than an ongoing independent. Outside of ROH, some of Hero’s best work took place in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, where he could once again have lots of fun (he’s already announced for PWG’s All-Star Weekend 10). And I’d imagine a return to CZW isn’t out of the question.

Outside of the indies, Chris Hero now has name value in both Mexico and Japan, and his style is quite popular in Europe.

Don’t cry over Chris Hero—he’ll be fine. And don’t cry for yourself. The WWE has out more independent talent on television than many of us could have reasonably imagined, and Chris Hero was likely destined to be just this—a casualty of a crowded roster and an office initiative to push people who look a little differently than he does. While I’d argue that he’d fit in just fine with The Wyatt Family, it wasn’t meant to be.

Unselfishly, I feel bad for Kassius Ohno. Selfishly, I am excited to see Chris Hero back in the environment that suits him best. He doesn’t belong on a “grand stage,” he belongs in a wrestling ring.

Who Betta? I’ll Tell You Who…

WEEKLY POWER RANKINGS! Honorable Mention – Roman Reigns Last week: N/R Many see Roman Reigns as the Shield member most likely to be a mega star, although Dean Ambrose is at worst a close second. Reigns’s spear has been featured prominently during The Shield’s rise, and we all know the WWE loves them some spears. This past week, he speared The Big Show on television, as part of what the WWE likely felt was RAW’s most important segment. This is no mistake, my friends. #10 – Eva Marie Last week: N/R According to Dave Meltzer, there’s backstage heat on Eva Marie. I think it’s jealousy. She isn’t a well trained professional athlete (although she was a collegiate athlete, which people seem to gloss over). She didn’t “earn” her spot like many feel Paige or Emma have. Basically, Eva Marie is hot, and she’s on WWE E! Total Divas. Last I checked this was show business, and the more marketable star is going to be featured. That’s the way it works, and after getting her first televised win on Monday’s RAW, the redheaded knockout (pun intended) is obviously making the most of it. #9 – Big E Langston Last week: N/R Big E scores a huge WWE poll victory, earning 75% of the vote against The Miz (13%) and Dolph Ziggler (a shocking 12%). Big E then went out and delivered an amazing performance against the WWE Champion, and he had the crowd fully engaged for the entire match. Seriously, they were hot for the finish, thinking Big E was going to pull it off. Obviously he didn’t, but he came out of this match looking like the future world champ he is. #8 – The Wyatt Family Last week: N/R Had I debuted last week as planned, The Wyatts would have been much higher. Their random attacks of violence have stepped up in prevalence, and they are now feuding with CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. While it’s natural to see this as a demotion of the former world champs, this is more of a promotion for the WWE’s current hot new trio. Add in the fact that Bray and company aren’t showing any timidity in the spotlight, and I think this things has legs. Lucky #7 – Chris Hero/Kassius Ohno Last week: N/R As I outlined above, Chris Hero (formerly WWE’s Kassius Ohno) was released from his WWE contract, reported on Friday night. This makes him the perfect candidate for the “Lucky 7” spot, designed to be more independent focused. And let’s face it—the news of his release has us talking more about Chris Hero than any single event has in the past year. #6 – Bobby Roode and Kurt Angle Last week: N/R Thursday’s Impact Wrestling featured the oddest thing. Two guys feuding because one guy thinks he’s better than the other, and thinks his most recent victories are legit. The other, older guy wants to prove he still has it, and believes he lost via circumstance in their two matches. So they brawled repeatedly, because they have grown to dislike each other. They have a storyline history dating back to 2011, and their repeated pull-apart brawls were entertaining and left us wanting more. TNA even used some effective foreshadowing, as they are the best finals match-up on the TNA World Championship Tournament (which is not a WWE rip-off, by the way). Take note: there is no authority figure involved, no outside forces pulling any strings. Just two guys who don’t like each other, embroiled in a feud that will elevate both guys from where they previously found themselves on the roster. And bonus points to Roode for wearing a legit wifebeater (hey, another random Chris Hero reference!), not the girlie kind with the skinny straps that Shawn Michaels used to love so much. #5 – The Big Show Last week: N/R You want power? The Big Show apparently has “naked pictures of Linda” power. He was fired (and banned for life) yet received new merchandise and still has his theme song. He’s broke but he can apparently rent a tractor cab. And unlike Cody Rhodes, who had to put his own, his brother’s and his father’s jobs on the line, Big Show was basically handed a WWE Championship match at Survivor Series by the WWE Board of Directors. Who new Patricia Gottesman was a big (show) fan? #4 – Bully Ray Last week: N/R The leader of Aces and Eights pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes on Thursday’s Impact Wrestling, keeping his crew together and entering a full-on feud with Mr. Anderson. This was TNA’s best show in quite some time, and it outperformed WWE’s RAW and Smackdown efforts. Not in ratings, but in entertainment factor. On a show that saw The Main Event Mafia disband, I was glad Aces and Eights stayed together. This is a once powerful group that deserves to be split up due to a loss, not because of an implosion. And he’s technically still banging Brooke Tessmacher, at least from a storyline perspective. #3 – John Cena Last week: N/R The World Heavyweight Champion went “Training Day” on us last week (thank you Tony Acero), but he went “poster-boy” this week. Cena’s positioning as the front-man for the WWE’s Susan G. Komen campaign is a harsh reminder that even though Randy Orton is the “Face of the WWE,” John Cena is the actual face of the WWE. And deservedly so. Outside of that promo, Cena was victorious in a 6-man tag match on Raw, and went over Ryback on Smackdown. Business—literally and figuratively—picks up when he’s around. The intensity has been higher on WWE television since his return, and his presence is unmatched. I know I’m pining for the WWE to find someone new, but someone has to step up and take it. Until then…long live the king. Going #2 – Curtis Axel Last week: N/R Seriously, how much does it suck to be Curtis Axel right now? He had one thing going for him: Paul Heyman. Now Heyman is in “Europe” with his doctor, trying to heal the injuries suffered at the hands of that dastardly CM Punk. Axel wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire when Heyman was behind him, but without his anointer, Axel is literally the shits. (Now do you get it what I’m doing with the #2 spot?) Axel lost to Mr. 12% Dolph Ziggler in less than 5 minutes on Raw, following it up with a defeat to CM Punk on Smackdown. Axel’s only saving grace was yet another cancelled match against Big E Langston. Langston obviously has his number, so Axel might as well kiss that Intercontinental Championship goodbye. He ain’t doing anything with it anyways. (Truth be told, I like Curtis Axel. His in-ring ability is underrated, but he doesn’t evoke much of a reaction from the crowd.) #1 – Randy Orton Last week: N/R Who has more power than Randall right now? No one, that’s who. He’s the “face of the WWE,” which is being treated as more important than his coveted WWE Championship. He is being protected by Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Kane and The Shield. He ended Raw standing tall over The Big Show, and the hard work was mostly done by The Shield. Couple that with Randy Orton’s amazing match with Big E Langston, and I can’t argue against putting the master of the RKO in the top spot.

Just As The Tag Line Says…A Girl!

What better way to kick off The World’s Most Dangerous Column’s gratuitous female picture than with the most request DeMarcette of all time?

Scarlett Bordeaux on Facebook: facebook.com/ScarlettBordeaux
Scarlett Bordeaux on Twitter: twitter.com/Lady_Scarlett13

Closing Time…

Plenty of items to discuss in the comments below, but here are a few suggestions:
– Does the WWE break up the Shield, turn them face, or do something else?
– Did Kassius Ohno/Chris Hero deserve to be released? What’s next for him?
– Does Eva Marie deserve more credit? Does Curtis Axel?
– Was TNA’s Impact Wrestling the best wrestling show on national television this week?
– I’m back—you mad, bro?

About The Author…

Greg DeMarco is a graduate of Virginia Tech (Bachelor’s in Business Management) and Arizona State (Master’s in Higher & Post-Secondary Education). He works in online higher education. Greg started in improv comedy in 2001, making his stand-up debut in 2004.

Greg first appeared as a ring announcer for Rising Phoenix Wrestling in Phoenix Arizona in 2006 and served many promotions in both on-stage and back-stage roles for over six years, most notably Ring of Honor in 2010. He began writing for 411Mania in October 2010, founded The Greg DeMarco Show in May 2011 and joined the VOC Nation in November 2011. Greg’s writing credits include Bleacher Report, Yahoo, Wrestling Inc and Pro Wrestling Powerhouse. Greg returned home to both 411Mania and the VOC Nation in November 2013.

Follow Greg on Twitter: twitter.com/gregdemarcoshow
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Until next week…