The OC, as a faction, has had a fairly stagnant start to their reunion and even that may be putting it lightly. AJ Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows always work well together as a trio but for whatever reason, it just doesn't feel like WWE has caught lightning in a bottle with them this time around.
You could argue that it's been done to death, but in our mind, it's more than that. We tend to believe that adding one or two more members, at the very least, could inject some real-life into a group that so desperately needs it.
10 JOIN - Mike Kanellis
There’s no point in pretending like Mike Kanellis has had a successful run with WWE thus far, because he hasn’t. The guy has had his fair share of notable demons, and while that alone shouldn’t be enough to warrant a big push, he certainly hasn’t been given much of a chance to succeed.
Instead of being embarrassed on a weekly basis, why not give him something that he can really sink his teeth into? He’s got a great independent background and would slot into the group with flawless ease, so let’s make it happen.
9 WON’T - EC3
This isn’t going to happen because it’s quite obvious to see that WWE will cut EC3 at the soonest possible opportunity, which will more than likely lead to him joining All Elite Wrestling.
EC3 has all the potential in the world and should be one of the top guys in the company, but WWE just doesn’t see things that way which is a shame. For now, the likelihood of him continuing to rot in the lower echelons of the card seems incredibly likely. Perhaps sending him back to NXT will give the guy a glimmer of hope.
8 JOIN - Rey Mysterio
It’s going to sound odd, but we think this could actually work. If The OC are able to turn themselves into something of a tweener group, this could do wonders for Rey Mysterio’s character development.
He doesn’t need to be an outright heel in order to shift his momentum in a different direction, and that’s what a lot of fans – and writers – don’t seem to understand. Mysterio has had a solid revival in recent weeks but it isn’t going to be enough if they don’t capitalize, and he could fit in quite nicely in The OC.
7 WON’T - Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe is the kind of guy that would add value to any stable, especially one that contains a man he has a lot of history with. The key component of that, though, is that Joe doesn’t need a group in order to succeed. His strength, brute force, and overall abilities have taken him to the very top of the mountain in every promotion he has been a part of.
If there’s a chance of him becoming a world champion in WWE, it’s going to happen when he spends time away from factions instead of with them.
6 JOIN - Robert Roode
Robert Roode could find success as a singles star every single day of the week and then twice over, but WWE clearly doesn’t trust him to do so just yet. So then, the next natural step would be for him to follow in the footsteps of Rick Rude and enter into a faction.
Roode is a different sort of character to the three current members and while some people may not enjoy that dynamic, we believe it could be exactly what The Glorious One needs to gain some purpose once again.
5 WON’T - Shinsuke Nakamura
Historically speaking Nakamura has fought against the likes of Styles, Gallows & Anderson, in both WWE and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Why tamper with that?
Nakamura is the kind of outlaw that works as his own character, and while we aren’t all too keen on his current heel persona, it’s better than nothing.
We can understand why people would be intrigued by what Shinsuke could bring to the table, but we vote in favor of keeping the King of Strong Style away from it all. Perhaps if he mixes things up, that could change.
4 JOIN - Cesaro
The enforcer. That’s it, that’s the role. The Swiss Superman has been without any kind of meaning or substance on WWE television for far too long now, and he needs something fresh to really sink his teeth into.
It’s going to be a long time before he’s viewed as a legitimate world title contender purely based on how WWE has booked him, but this is an important first step. Then, somewhere down the line, much like Batista did in Evolution, he can burst into the limelight and take over as the real ‘leader’ of The OC.
3 WON’T - Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler is the kind of ‘alternative’ act that proves popular in many factions, but in The OC, he’d just be taking up room that could be utilized by a younger star. Dolph still has potential but unlocking that potential is incredibly difficult, mainly because he just feels like a bit of a stale persona in the modern era.
Ziggler himself is a consistent and strong performer and will be until the day that he retires, but putting him anywhere near the line-up in The OC would serve as a detriment to both parties.
2 JOIN - Finn Balor
It’s just a matter of time before this happens, purely based on the teasing and history that comes along with it. Finn Balor and AJ Styles are two of the most integral figures in the history of The Bullet Club, and given that The OC is pretty much just a renamed extension of that, it makes sense for them to interact with one another on WWE television from time to time.
Some kind of a power struggle storyline would be perfect for Balor and AJ, but before all of that, they can have a strong and stable run at the top of the card.
1 WON’T - Randy Orton
Randy Orton and factions go together hand in hand, as Evolution, Legacy, The Authority, Rated-RKO and FTRKO will tell you (there are probably more, come to think of it).
However, at this stage in his career, Randy is best left away from a group like The OC. Orton is the definition of a stereotypical ‘WWE guy’, and for some reason, it just feels like that is exactly what the group wants to push back against. Orton should stay with The Revival because those guys have done a lot to help get him back towards the main event scene.