Over the years, some of the storylines…most of the storylines that WWE have done are either far too similar and simple or far too convoluted for anyone to understand and follow. Other storylines go far too into the depths (re: Katie Vick) to mean anything other than “get that garbage off my TV.”
In years’ past however, the WWE paid a little closer attention to the details in characters and storylines as well. Tag teams that broke up more often stayed broken up and always fought when anywhere near each other. But one summer in particular, a storyline emerged from the logistics of another and helped book the main event of SummerSlam 1990. Perhaps WWE can look to the past to get at least one month of programming and possibly elevate another guy in the process.
What Was The Storyline?
At the 1989 Royal Rumble there was a silly little posedown between Ravishing Rick Rude and The Ultimate Warrior. After Rude ambushed Warrior, the stage was set for WrestleMania V. But instead of mauling Rude like he did everyone else, The Ravishing One was able to outwrestle, and with the help of Bobby Heenan outthink the neon covered maniac to win the Intercontinental title. Warrior would win the belt back at SummerSlam and then continue his path of mayhem on his way to becoming the WWE champion. In the meantime, Rick Rude feuded with a few more guys, noticeably Roddy Piper before showing up shortly after Warrior became the man. Rick Rude came back looking even more chiseled than he already was, a new haircut, and vignettes that showed him training vigorously. He’d let The Ultimate Warrior know that he beat him before for a title and will do it again at SummerSlam.
Did Rick Rude's Reinvention Work?
In a manner of speaking it really did work. Most fans didn’t actually think that Rude was going to topple The Warrior at SummerSlam, but the logic behind the storyline and the dedication Rude put into making himself leaner and therefore quicker than the meathead cast enough doubt that it made the match, and storyline compelling enough to cast a small shadow of doubt - "well he did beat him before, maybe Rude does have his number."
It also did help make Rude a star. After a spat over his payday, he headed to WCW, where he would target another painted up babyface, the Stinger and eventually win the WCW title. It’s easy to assume had he not felt slighted over his payday that Rude would have continued on or near the top of card and perhaps indeed have gotten the WWE title.
How To Pull This Off Today
At the moment, the field of challengers on Raw and Smackdown for both champions is really starting to look thin. But let’s stick with Big E for a moment since WWE currently has unfortunate problem of no one being believable or credible enough to beat Roman. Big E, while everyone is elated for him is currently part of a roster with several stars that have defeated him in the past. Most notably of all people, Apollo Crews. Yes, it’s easy to currently dismiss Apollo thanks to the lack of a push and then the mild mid-card stop and start of a push. But a few minor tweaks and some vignettes to show just how hard he trains and how bad he wants a title shot, because he beat Big E for a title at WrestleMania no less would drastically alter how the crowd sees Apollo. One week show a vignette where he makes the challenge and lifts an ungodly amount of weight. The next week, WWE can show another training vignette and give him a win, then a big win. Big E dismisses challenge at first and then he realizes how serious Crews is and then he too starts training hard. Crews won’t win but you just spent some time on WWE TV building this man a bigger star than he was when you first started the program. The WWE’s past way of telling some of their stories really is a pretty easy way of building up talent.
Should it be Apollo Crews? Yes it should be. It’s time to start building characters who haven't been atop the cards for years and invest in them as opposed to cutting talent left and right and starting to mildly push guys just because their contract is almost up (looking at you Kevin Owens).
If not Crew fine, we’re not championing him in a booking meeting, but use this old school storyline as a template, and get a few weeks of television out of the storyline. There are plenty of other guys in the locker room that you can work this story thread through and build a new guy, who can eventually be seen as a new top guy if you work a believable story and not ping pong the guy with 50/50 booking.