The Main Event Picture
By Brady Lewis

Randy Orton should not be in the World Title picture.  Chris Masters will soon be in the World Title picture, even though he shouldn’t be.  The WWF is really high on a few young guns, and want them to be main event superstars as soon as possible.  They do this, in my opinion, because they are thinking in professional football terms. 

In football, if you have a young superstar, they will bring you wins for many years.  Who would you have right now in football, a young up-and-coming superstar like Roy Williams, or an aged veteran like Jerry Rice with only a year or two left in him?  Of course you would say Williams.  It just makes sense.  The younger guy will make you more money by being more athletic and having more talent right now. 

It doesn’t work that way in wrestling.  At least, it doesn’t work that way nowadays.  If someone is on top too long, they get stale.  The fans just don’t want to see them.  Consider that under good conditions, a wrestler can still go into his early forties.  However, let’s just say that Chris Masters wrestles until he is 40.  I don’t know his exact age, but I’d say about 25 or so.  Even if it takes another year until he is in the main event picture, that means he will be at the top for about 14 years.  It takes a very special wrestler to stay on top that long and have the fans still care about him in this day and age.  The Rock could have.  Brock Lesnar was close.  The closest example to someone succeeding like that in the USA is Ric Flair, but he hasn’t been in the main event picture for quite some time.  I suppose you could also lump Sting into that group, as well as the Undertaker.  (Hulk Hogan doesn’t count because he keeps leaving and coming back on his own whim, and Shawn Michaels was gone for years.)  That’s three guys that have actually done it, and two who could have had the potential to do it. 

However, I used the above football analogy for a reason.  In football, you make more money buy having a younger player who will stick around a long time and win you games.  But having a young World Champion in wrestling isn’t good in the long run.  Unless they are convincing, they will not draw money.  Once they get stale to most fans, they will not draw money, or at least not as much.

When someone is in the main event, they are seen once or twice a week all year round.  This is why Triple H is getting so very old in the eyes of fans.  However, this is also why Batista, despite being about the same age if not older than Triple H, is still very fresh.

I am of the belief that the best time to elevate a wrestler to main event status is their early thirties or later.  I believe this for a few reasons.

First of all, that is when a wrestler usually hits his prime.  He may not be in the best physical condition of his life, but he is mature as a person and can hold his own in the ring against any wrestler of any skill level.  He has at least enough charisma to get by, which is at least a little bit if he is being considered for the main event picture. 

Second, he has paid his dues.  He has worked his way up the ladder and had nothing handed to him.  The adds to the maturity element not only inside the ring, but outside as well.  He also has the respect of his peers, which would prevent any locker room fuss about a young guy coming in and going straight to the top.

Third, this lets the wrestler create a persona that the fans can connect with.  They can develop and hone their character and in-ring ability for at least 6 years (depending on their age when they get into the WWF). 

Fourth, at his current age, he will only be around for another 8 years or so.  This is about how long someone should remain on top.  The fans are interested as long as other wrestlers are elevated to create new opponents.  At the end of their tenure, they are well respected by not only their peers but by the fans as having had a successful run at the top.  Hell, they’ll probably get a 3-disc DVD set out of it. 

Now, let’s look at some examples of wrestlers who not only were successful with this formula, but those that WWF didn’t want to follow this schedule. 

Let me see here, I think we’ve all heard of Stone Cold Steve Austin.  And Triple H.  Two of the biggest names in modern day wrestling, if not all time.  These guys followed this schedule and are now some of the biggest stars of all time.  And they did it at a time when WWF was almost going to die.  Sure, Triple H was forced into the title picture at first, but he handled himself well.

Randy Orton is the current failed experiment.  Chris Masters will be the next.  These guys just haven’t been around long enough to connect with the fans.  I won’t say what most people on the internet say, that being that they are untalented and shouldn’t be on TV ever again.  That is stupid.  Each has potential.  However, they are going to fast, and the fans are not buying them as equals to Triple H, or Batista, or Kurt Angle.  Give them a few more years, McMahon.  Then they will net you some money.

What about Batista or Bradshaw?  They became main eventers much later in their careers, as both are in their late thirties.  However, note that I said a wrestler should be elevated in their early thirties OR LATER.  Bradshaw may have seemed rather forced, but at least he was still on schedule. 

What about The Rock, or Brock Lesnar, or even Goldberg.  They both got into the main event fairly early in their careers.   First of all, for those of you who don’t remember, The Rock was forced down our throats ever since he came into wrestling.  Him and Triple H were forced upon us, but fortunately the fans caught on with them, unlike Orton and Masters, both of whom have not caught on.  Then there is the cases of Brock Lesnar and Goldberg.  They are rare exceptions.  These are guys that the fans DEMANDED into the main event picture.  The fans made the choice to put them there, and so the likelihood of them getting old was remote. And remember:  the fans are very seldom wrong. 

The WWF is may be going too fast with some prospects, but at least they are right on schedule with their latest batch of superstars for tomorrow.  Shelton Benjamin and Carlito Cool are going at a pace that when they face off for the World Title at a WrestleMania a few years down the road, the fans will be excited to see it, all because these wrestlers have developed into complete performers.  Follow this schedule as best you can, Vince, and your product will not be stale for quite a while.

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