Ask WNW
Forcing Cesaro Heel, WWE Stars Finding Gyms, WWE Network Replays, Who Deserves A Push
The following is today's edition of Ask WNW. Ask WNW is the most popular feature on the website where Richard Gray answers four questions daily, Monday through Friday. To submit your question for the next installment of Ask WNW, click here
I believe Cesaro and Paul Heyman being paired together is a great idea but it looks like Cesaro is being overshadowed by Heyman constantly talking about Lesnar. No focus on Cesaro at all. With Cesaro getting more over with the crowd, why are they trying to force him as a heel?
Here's the quandary WWE is in. They've booked Cesaro as a babyface since the beginning of the year but now want to pair him with the manager drawing nuclear heat over Brock Lesnar ending the streak. Heyman was given the task of working his magic on Raw but it still felt forced. Making matters worse, WWE is trying to blow off the underlying feud between Cesaro/Swagger, with the thinking being there has to be a payoff. I agree the idea of Cesaro and Heyman is genius but will this be a short-term bump in the road or a long-term problem that forces WWE's hand? That's a question only time will tell.
How do WWE superstars go about training in gyms? Obviously since they are only in the same city for a couple days they don't have memberships for each gym so does WWE organize where the superstars workout?
The first task for WWE workers is finding a gym when they get to a particular city. I can't give you the details for each worker/city because it depends on the situation, however, most gyms are willing to accommodate their situation. When John Cena was on WWE's loop of West Virginia last year, I received photos of him at the local YMCA, Applebee's, etc. The boys are on their own when they travel but are required to be at the building at a certain time so they can go over plans for the show.
Can we expect to see replays sooner than 30 days on the WWE Network?
Shows that do not originate on WWE Network carry a 30-day window due to existing TV deals, something I do not see changing in the immediate future. However, now that Elimination Chamber has been added, all pay-per-views will be available immediately after their conclusion since they will be WWE Network original programming. Speaking of which, we're still awaiting WWE's new domestic TV agreement, with an announcement expected at the end of this month/beginning of next.
In your opinion, what superstar deserved a push that never got one?
We could spend the rest of the day going over WWE's talent roster, measuring talent against success. The bottom-line is it comes down to opportunity and the right situation. Sometimes things work, other times they just don't. There are a lot of guys that have been given opportunities that I don't think have deserved them, while there are others that been cast into oblivion. When a worker is given an opportunity, it's ultimately up to how they handle it to see where it goes from there. Most of the time, a worker will break through if talented enough.
From the Ask WNW vault…
July 2013: It seems that Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler have been fan-favorites for quite a long time now, even during their respective runs as a heel. With Ziggler's recent face turn and Bryan's main event push, how much of an influence does the WWE Universe have backstage in determining the role of the the characters? - While Vince McMahon has the final say backstage, the fans ultimately have the final say. How they react, or don't react, determines how workers are booked. Let me me explain. WWE planned to push Steve Austin under the very successful Austin 3:16 gimmick as a heel yet it was so over-the-top and entertaining, the audience turned him babyface. That's an example of a success. An example of a failure would be that of Lord Tensai. WWE tried to bring him back as a top heel. After making some tweaks, such as the Tensai name and losing the manager, it didn't work. They ended up paring him with Brodus Clay and he's found a gimmick that works. The "monster heel" didn't work but the mid-card comedy babyface did. The fans ultimately have the final say. People will say well what about John Cena? I can see the comments now, most fans want to see him turn heel. No, most IWC fans want to see Cena turn heel. John is still a top merchandise seller and his segments are highly rated. WWE is aware of the IWC hatred, which is why they promote that "no one draws a reaction quite like John Cena," but ultimately the audience has the final say.
The next installment of Ask WNW is scheduled to run on Thursday, April 24, 2014.
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WWE NetworkAntonio CesaroPaul Heyman
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