“We don’t have any plans for you.”

WWE creative has one main job, to keep fans watching the product. They do this by providing a compelling story and making the superstars as interesting as possible. What bugs me is when I hear stories of someone being released because creative “has no plans for your character.”

Why is creative not actively working with talent and creating a long term plan? Long term can be a couple months or even a couple years. I understand some superstars don’t want to hear the immediate plan is to simply squash their character, but sometimes it is needed. When that happens though, a long term goal needs to be set with the result being positive growth. Continual jobbing isn’t good for individual stars or the business in general.

When I hear of a star being released due to a lack of creative direction, I can’t help but wonder why? Many talented stars have been let go because of this lame excuse. Take recently MVP. MVP has decent all around skills. He could work a mic and perform in ring. He was let go because he was floundering. A simple push would have been fairly easy, even if it was just making him more popular with the fans.

Obviously not everybody can work the main event regularly. This is understandable. There is more to a push than a title shot. Good feuds that showcase talent and let a character grow to potentially one day contend for the title is what everyone wants. It is what wrestlers want, and it is what fans want to see. Not being able to write these feuds is a clear fault on creative and should be addressed.

I am unaware if meetings take place between creative and superstars, but a discussion every month or two to discuss the path or a wrestler would be appropriate. Get an idea of where they want to go with their character and where creative wants to take it. Work out a balance between the shows needs, creative’s goal, and where superstars want to go themselves. Stars should know they are appreciated and will be used at some point. Ideally there will never be a release due to a lack of vision from creative.

Dangerous ground with CM Punk

WWE is heading into dangerous grounds with CM Punk taking over the Nexus. Punk on his own is a great superstar and a great heel. As the leader of a stable, he hasn’t been great. The straight edge society never took off on Smackdown. Punk and his group were squashed by everyone and never taken as a real threat.

Now combine another failing stable, the Nexus. Nexus broke out as a stable to be feared. They destroyed Raw for weeks, and Wade Barret was given multiple title shots. All of this was for nothing as they never had one decent win. They were squashed at Summer Slam and after that, they never really took off again.

We are left with the remnants of two failed stables that both had huge potential. Now creative is combining them in a desperate hope to rekindle interest in Nexus. I’m left wondering how two failed stables will suddenly transform into a great one. The way I see it, there are a few simple solutions.

Nexus needs credibility. They have been destroyed by just about everyone. They can get this with titles. They need to win them quickly. The WWE title is set to be between Miz and Orton. CM Punk will likely not be involved directly in this match. To get into the title picture Punk needs to either interfere in this match or win the Royal Rumble. Either option would be plausible. Having his army of Nexus behind him, Punk could easily be seen as a legitimate threat to win the rumble. Any interference in the title match would also set him up to fight in the Elimination Chamber.

As for the other members, Harris and McGillicutty need to challenge for the tag title belts. Gabriel and Slater have already held them and their reign was dismal. The tag division is already fairly weak and this could help establish Harris and McGillicutty as legitimate superstars. Otunga could even be used in a similar manner to the way Laycool defended the titles. Nexus are the tag team champions and any member can defend on any given day. This allows all members to stay active.

Slater and/or Gabriel need to contend for other titles. I’m not sure if the time is right for Daniel Bryan to drop the US title, but I imagine a feud between him and Justin Gabriel would have show stealing potential. Even though Gabriel hasn’t been built up to title shot level, the threat of Nexus behind him and the pull of CM Punk could help make this match happen. Slater could almost be turned into his lackey, similar to how Alex Riley aids the Miz.

With an established new order of the Nexus, the former leader is in a tough spot. Few would question the ability of Wade Barret. He grew into a main event role very quickly. He had three title shots, yet managed to lose all of them. Since then he has fallen off the radar and fans’ opinions of him are dropping. Once seen as a dominant heel, what can be done to save him?

WWE is trying by moving him to Smackdown and having him feud with the Big Show. I fear another squash coming. Barret will gain nothing from this feud unless he completely obliterates Big Show, something I don’t think WWE will allow. If Barret could not win the title with the help of Cena and five other men, what chance does he have on his own? I fear WWE may have sunk this character a little too far. Barret needs to dominate someone established. If WWE wants Barret to remain a main event contender, he will defeat the Big Show at the Rumble and earn a spot in the elimination chamber.

Barret could also start a program with the Undertaker when he returns. He did lead the assault and burial of the Taker. Unfortunately, I am not sure when he is set to return, but this could be set to be a match at Wrestlemania. Keep Barret in mediocre feuds until then.

Two failed stables combine and one former leader is sent packing. The results could be great, but only if WWE is willing to try new things. Cena destroying this new Nexus will lose viewers and be a bad idea. An actually dominant stable can create new stars and change the main event scene for a while, both are great for business.

John Morrison's Title Loss Raw 01/03/11

Not many people are happy with the way John Morrison is being used on Raw. We finally saw him break out of the “mid-card” level and earn a WWE title shot. Fans were horrified to learn he was cashing it in on Raw, as titles hardly even change hands on Raw. We were even more horrified to learn it would open the show. The chances of a win for Morrison were slim to none in most people’s minds. While he did in fact end up losing, I contend that his loss was not necessarily a bad thing.

John Morrison showed he can be in the main event. His match versus the Miz was incredible. Morrison held his own and stole the show. Many are even arguing he carried the Miz through the 20+ minute bought. Until you are given the opportunity to be in the main event, fans and management can’t actually predict the quality of the feud and interest of the WWE universe. By showing he can hold his own and getting a positive reaction from most, Morrison can easily contend again at a later time. Nobody will even blink if one day Morrison is announced to be the new #1 contender. That is huge for any superstar’s future career.

John Morrison now has every single option open to him. Before this match he was going to contend for the title once and potentially be buried again. By having the match early in the month, Morrison now has time to rebuild his image, start another feud, or enter the Royal Rumble. With Randy Orton set as the #1 contender for the WWE title, a rematch between Miz and Morrison is unlikely to happen before the Royal Rumble. Daniel Bryan hasn’t been used frequently on Raw recently. Morrison could easily start a feud with Daniel Bryan for the US title. Morrison could have a match with Alex Riley at the Royal Rumble to continue his feud with Miz. He could even win the Royal Rumble to gain another title shot. While there was an immediate downside of losing the match, a whole new world opened for Morrison.

Keep in mind that Elimination chamber is the next PPV. That match will require six competitors that fans can accept as legitimate threats to the title. Right now on Raw there aren’t many, especially with Cena injured, Jericho touring, and many who have departed the company. Morrison has now almost guaranteed himself a spot in that match. I could easily see the match as:

The Miz vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus vs. Morrison vs. CM Punk vs. Cena (or Barret is Cena is still out)

There are heated rivalries throughout that match and a good mix of faces and heels. As a fan I would love to see those six superstars compete. Any one of them could win, and Morrison’s performance Monday proved it.

Don’t count Morrison out just yet. He proved he can handle being in the WWE title picture. I expect to remain a big player and come back from this loss. Morrison will be a champion one day, but for now he is better used as the underdog. He’s a fan favorite many want to see win. Having him as champ, he would no longer be the underdog and would run the risk of growing stale.