WWE stars on Raw and SmackDown are crying out for something totally fresh!
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00:00Even if you are the greatest wrestler ever, you need to try and always stay fresh,
00:03even from a smelling point of view, which is a weird thing to say.
00:06It's one of the reasons Chris Jericho has been on top for so long, but it doesn't always work.
00:10Remember when Steve Austin wanted to turn heel at WrestleMania 17?
00:14In hindsight, he shouldn't have done it.
00:15Moving on to 2023 though, it does feel like there are some superstars who need a little bit of a
00:20shake-up. So yeah, here is 10 WWE stars who are in desperate need of something new.
00:27And I'm not referring to their clothes.
00:3010. Hit Row
00:36So what is the deal here?
00:37Because ever since Top Dolla screwed up a dive, it just feels like they're public enemy number one.
00:42I mean, every single time he's in the ring, Michael Cole is going,
00:45Top Dolla, he couldn't do a dive over the top rope.
00:49So if you've just started watching Smackdown, you have no idea what's going on.
00:53Now Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observer Radio recently kind of hinted that maybe
00:56people backstage don't like Dolla, which is why this is happening.
01:00But then it came out, actually no, Hit Row got brought back to the company
01:04because Triple H felt like the tag team division needed some depth.
01:06It has hurt B-Fab and Ashante the Adonis though.
01:09And if we do want to light a fire under their ass eventually,
01:12when you are making it really hard for yourself, these guys lose in like 3.2 seconds.
01:18I mean, I cannot remember a group that were this much in the mire.
01:21They basically don't do anything.
01:23So if the game does want to keep them around,
01:26well, yeah, I think we're going to have to repackage them.
01:29Just do something.
01:30It ain't clicking at the moment.
01:32Number nine, Shotzi.
01:33I like Shotzi because she gives everything 100%.
01:36She has green hair and she comes out in a tank.
01:39When it comes to wrestling, sometimes that's all you need.
01:41Problem is, outside of this, I don't really know much about her.
01:45I mean, she turns up to Smackdown, usually has some kind of random match.
01:49A lot like Hit Row, just loses and loses and loses.
01:52She also loves having brand new tag team partners.
01:56She goes from team to team to team.
01:58You do have to give her a lot of props because she's made it to WWE.
02:01I swear sometimes we forget about this,
02:04but I just think we need to develop her character or give her a little bit of a different gimmick.
02:08Because now she does come out a bit like, all right, I need a reason to care.
02:12And why would you invest in the match?
02:14Otherwise, especially when someone does have, well, a pretty pants win-loss record.
02:19It would surprise me if there were some casual fans
02:20who didn't even realize she had come up to the main roster.
02:24So again, let's look at our divisions and realize we can use everyone.
02:28It doesn't need to be in the story like the bloodline.
02:31Even if it's just, oh man, I need a mentor and someone takes her under the wing, that'll do.
02:36Number eight, Xia Li.
02:38I mean, forget something new.
02:39Just give Xia Li anything.
02:41Because ever since she was called up, she has done nothing.
02:45She walked around for a bit going, I am the locker room protector.
02:48But she was terrible at that job.
02:50She didn't protect anyone.
02:52I mean, there was that one point too when she came out in a hoodie
02:54and helped Bayley in damage control.
02:57But we never got a follow-up to that.
02:59And now she can't even get on television.
03:01I mean, she's not bad.
03:03She's pretty good.
03:04But my word, she needs to have the platform to show it.
03:06I also do think when it comes to the women's division,
03:08there's absolutely a depth issue there.
03:10So many other people could be plugged in.
03:13So just do it.
03:14Even if you give her a random feud against, I don't know, Sonya Deville, that will do.
03:18But also the women's tag team titles.
03:20You always need teams for them.
03:22We're going around in circles.
03:23This one has never made any sense.
03:25It is proper two plus two equals potato stuff.
03:28Look at me.
03:28I'm starting to go wibbly wobbly.
03:30My brain can't keep up.
03:31Seven Rick Boogs.
03:32Now, do I totally agree with this one?
03:34I don't think I do.
03:35Because Rick Boogs and his current guys makes me feel warm and fuzzy in my tum tum.
03:40They're just so silly.
03:41I do need more nonsense from my wrestling.
03:43But when you do tune in, well, sometimes you see him on Raw.
03:46Sometimes you don't see him on Raw.
03:48And after his horrible injury from WrestleMania, when we broke up his tag team with Shinsuke
03:52Nakamura, I don't think management really knows what to do with it.
03:56That does mean that there's a disconnect here because we're not using him enough.
03:59And you know the deal with wrestling.
04:01When you do fall into that pit, you're going to need a little bit of a reshuffle.
04:04We've kind of missed the boat on this one because when he did make his big comeback,
04:08that would be the time to pull the trigger.
04:10But you know the phrase better late than never.
04:12But better never late.
04:13Also, the fact that Rick doesn't take himself too seriously at all means you can do anything
04:18with him.
04:18And I bet he makes it entertaining.
04:20I was kind of excited about LA Knight Rick Boog's feud a few months ago.
04:24And that lasted one evening, which I think underlines my point.
04:296 EO Sky.
04:30And the good news about this is that by the time you see this video, I think we may have
04:34actually done something with EO Sky because I think she's going to leave Damage Control.
04:37I think she's going to feud with Bayley.
04:39And I think she's going to win the money in the bank.
04:41That's right.
04:41It's also the correct move because ever since this group debuted at SummerSlam 2022,
04:46they have been pretty good.
04:47When it comes to 2023, well, they just ran out of steam.
04:51I also think if you do do the big program between Bayles and Sky,
04:54you can really send EO to the moon because Bayley is basically a star maker.
05:00I can't stand here and wait for you to come up with a bad Bayley match.
05:03That's right.
05:03They don't really exist.
05:04Fans have also started to realize that EO Sky is so damn talented in the ring that she
05:09should be a mega babyface.
05:11That's why I like this one.
05:12There is a clear path in front of us.
05:14All we've got to do is walk down it and she's going to kick ass.
05:17Number five, Aaliyah.
05:18I mean, seriously, where the hell did Aaliyah go?
05:21And even after the 2023 draft, she's still on the free agents list,
05:25but she doesn't even go to NXT.
05:28The last time we saw her, she had a vomiting gimmick.
05:31I don't want to talk about it.
05:32It wasn't great either because before that on SmackDown,
05:34she was booked to play the ditzy idiot.
05:36And I just think we're kind of past that in 2023.
05:40And if I'm meant to like someone, don't tell me that they're stupid.
05:44Somehow she is a former tag team champion,
05:46although you could use it as a positive when she does come back.
05:49But when it is time to do that, my word, she cannot be the same character.
05:53Nobody's going to buy it.
05:54And I tell you, I know the modern day fan.
05:56No one's going to take it seriously.
05:57Also, don't just give in after three weeks.
05:59WWE loves doing that.
06:00Let's actually see if she does connect with the audience.
06:03And if she doesn't, well, at least you tried.
06:06And you can't say fairer than that.
06:08Before the new day.
06:09That's right.
06:10I disagree.
06:11I said it.
06:11However, teamwork culture is a democracy.
06:13And there are a lot of people in our office that do believe
06:16the time has come to do something with the new day.
06:18I kind of get this too.
06:20They have fallen into somewhat of a pattern.
06:22One, I just happen to love that pattern.
06:24And two, whatever this may be, do not break them up.
06:28We don't need to do it.
06:28We've done it a thousand times.
06:30Everybody else.
06:30I mean, personally, for me, I do think they're one of the best groups ever.
06:33And also when you do give them proper microphone time and just let them run wild,
06:38they still do make me laugh because they're utter goofs.
06:41I suppose, really, though, the opportunity is there now because, of course,
06:44Kofi Kingston is about to come back from injury.
06:46We don't know what's going on with Big E, and I just hope he's healthy and happy.
06:50And because of all this, we haven't seen Xavier Woods on TV for a while.
06:53So when they do return, yeah, you could come up with something new for him.
06:57Maybe we could add just a little wrinkle to the act or switch it up a bit.
07:01But if you need words better than mine, go and watch the recent interview we did
07:05with Xavier Woods over WrestleMania weekend.
07:07He summed this up brilliantly.
07:10That's why I love the new day.
07:12Until the day I die.
07:13Number three, Johnny Gargano.
07:14So a few days ago, as I'm recording this, everyone was like, well, Raw's in Cleveland.
07:19Johnny Gargano will definitely return.
07:22Now, here I am in the future.
07:24That boy didn't come back.
07:25I know this is trading on old ground, too.
07:27But given that Vince McMahon is now back in charge, you have to imagine that Gargano
07:31isn't going to be pushed in the way that we all hoped.
07:33However, there is still a glimmer of light.
07:35Because on the episode of Raw I just mentioned, Tommaso Ciampa did return.
07:39So let's just do the obvious, because why the flub not put DIY back together,
07:44do a feud between them and Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn and watch the WWE Universe go wow.
07:49And I know if you watch a lot of NXT, you're bored of this.
07:52But the thing is, the mainstream WWE audience doesn't have a clue.
07:56Given how good Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano were a couple of years ago,
08:00of course, they're going to be able to do this again.
08:02Then you can split them up.
08:03Then you can do the feud.
08:04And once again, come on now.
08:06They're just so badass.
08:07They know what they're doing.
08:08But it also seems like we're putting the way back together.
08:10So that's another reason you can do something special here.
08:14That's why I hope Candice LeRae and everybody else benefits, too.
08:18So I'm standing here, keeping my fingers crossed,
08:20because I tell you the potential's there.
08:22Number two, the street profits.
08:24An interesting one, this.
08:26It kind of does feel like WWE is dragging its heels.
08:28We start at 2022 and a little bit of 2023.
08:31It was quite clear Montez Ford was being tried out as a single star.
08:35When all of a sudden, Angelo Dawkins was like, oh yeah,
08:38how about I become twice the performer I was?
08:41And all of a sudden, it was like, man, I don't know what to do.
08:43Dawkins also came out recently and said he too doesn't want the team to break up,
08:46which I do understand.
08:48So once again, I think this is an obvious one.
08:51Let's turn them heel.
08:52I mean, do you remember that match we had recently when it was Montez Ford versus LA Knight?
08:56Ford was getting booed and he leant into it.
08:59And I was like, hot damn, he can do it.
09:01I bet Angelo can be a right dick if he wants to as well.
09:03And he is a big guy, so you wouldn't mess with him.
09:05It would also allow the team to reach a new level before, yes,
09:08they can go and try and get single success.
09:11But that doesn't mean you have to split them up.
09:13Just have them as some kind of structure that works together.
09:17One's going after the US title and the other's going after the IC.
09:20I do want to point out that they are so much better than they get credit for.
09:24I think we take the street profits for granted.
09:26Anybody would be lucky to have them.
09:28Number one, Bianca Belair.
09:29Do you want to know the dumb thing about this?
09:31It has absolutely nothing to do with Bianca Belair.
09:34Ever since she finally did defeat Becky Lynch to become the Women's Champion,
09:37WWE has never actually put her in a decent feud.
09:42All the matches have been amazing against Becky, against Oscar, and against Alexa Bliss.
09:46But the preamble beforehand, it just feels like nobody cares.
09:50I care.
09:51Give it to me.
09:52The good news is, though, is that I think WWE has realized this.
09:55Because Bianca did lose her belt to Oscar and all of a sudden she stormed out there.
10:00She got in Charlotte Flair's face and was like, oh, you think you can just walk back in
10:04and try and trace a championship?
10:05Well, I don't think so.
10:07So now you've got to deal with me.
10:08So all of a sudden she had this brand new edge.
10:11Not Adam Copeland.
10:12She was also yelling at Adam Pearce and basically saying that everybody else was an idiot.
10:16But she wasn't doing this in a heelish way.
10:18She was just being a strong baby face, which is her biggest trump card.
10:22My word, is she so easy to like.
10:24This also ties into the same kind of thing, because being the 100% happy,
10:28smiley, good guy will only take you so far.
10:30And now we need to get that depth.
10:32And if we do do it, I promise you, you can use Belair probably until the year 2076.
10:37So I am hopeful for this one because all the cards are in place.
10:41And do you know how hard it is to find someone that fans actually gravitate to and actually do like?
10:46I mean, see John Cena, see Roman Reigns.
10:50Sometimes it does not go well.
10:52So given that this has fallen into our pocket, let's take advantage of it.
10:55Now I shall turn it over to you.
10:57Because do you know of any WWE superstars that need a bit of a reshuffle?
11:00Let me know in the comments below before you click the video that's on the screen right now.
11:04Whatever it will be, you can watch another damn list.
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11:14Simon at 316 and WhatCulture, WWE.
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11:26Let's stop that and end the video.
11:28Goodbye.