Silver Saviour

We all know that not every wrestler can main event. But there are three broad ways to become one. Immediatly, a quick build, and the card climb. Ill give my break down on what each is, examples, positives and negatives of each approach, and post the question, which is best. That being said there needs to be a mix.

Immediate Method

What it is- This is a debut wrestler who from the go get is pushed hard. This can be being pushed as a monster against a major star, thrown into a big program, and being hyped up and followed through on. This is for a person who has not yet worked in the promotion they are being pushed right away in, and are main event workers before they ever see the mid card. Eg. Desmond Wolf, Brock Lesner, Goldburg.

Postivives- When this happens the audiance can only see the debuting star as a main eventer. This is because they never were in the mid card, so there is rarely a question of 'credibility' if the push is done hard. Fans will be shocked by this sudden rise, and in turn most casual fans will accept it. This method throws someone right into the deep end, and if they swim, they were always meant to main event.

Negatives- Fans can feel this wrestler is being 'forced upon them' and in response, react with disdain, if the push is to to strong, ironic as its the only way to achieve the goal. The pushed wrestler can miss fundemental working steps, and how to work the crowd in the promotion, as well as losing greeness. Can also create arrogence, liek Goldberg, not paying dues.

The quick build

What is it- Wrestler debuts strongly, works a strong program, that they generally lose, but leave them in good steed, develop and build on character for a short time, testing the waters for main eventing, before the trigger is pulled a short time later. Eg- John Cena, Kurt Angle, HHH.

Positives- Lets the wrestler develop in a pressured situation, without drowing them. Lets them work with a credible worker, so introduce them strong, gives time to develop character values and attributes, while not forcing the climb, but just giving it a hard nudge. This lets the debuter have thoses all important 'working lessons', losing greeness, and learning to work the crowd, without wasting tme wollowing in the low card.

Negatives- Fans can actually feel more forced upon in this method. They can react feeling the wrestler is climbing to fast, since the immediate method isnt so much a climb, but a placing. Can develop bad habbits, working generic spots and contiual moves, sincenot enough pressure to grow has been forced, but not enough time to grow has been allowed. Fans can feel they dont deserve it.

Card Climb

What is it- A wrestler debuts as just anougher guy, a low card worker, or tag team member. A gradual, continual climb to the top starts, with progression coming after fan satisfaction, quality of matches bettering, and mik skills improving. Eg- Shawn Michels, Eddie Guerro, RVD.

Positives- The wrestlers standard of work is almost always great. Having to climb means plenty of experiance has been garnered. It also means the spot has been earned through talent, not size or a gimmick. Fans generally react for this wrestler, especially as a baby face, as hardcore fans feel they deserve it. These wrestlers can also work with almost anyone, because theyve worked with all low workers, mid carders, big guys, little guys, can bump, sell, job, and go over.

Negatives- Fans can sometimes turn on the wrestler, feeling they were wrong to be a main eventer the first time things go badly. The company can also drop them back to the mid card, never really viewing them as a 'huge deal', although wrestlers like HBK have obtained absoloute top guy status. Wrestlers can also lack a decisive gimmick, since thats why it took so long for them to main event in the first place.




So all this being said, agree?, disagree?, which is best?

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Originally posted by Tommy Platinum
"Silver Saviour is great. He is one of my favourate posters, he's a ledge and a cool guy 2"

horrorfan_1986

First, I'd disagree that Hunter was in the quick build category. From his debut in 1995, it took him 4 years before he was in the main event scene. While that is quick when compared to others (Bret Hart's 8 years springs to mind) he still wrestled at every stage before moving on to the next. He started his WWE career in low card feuds against Henry Godwin, Duke The Dumpster and Fatu. A little over a year later, he was in midcard feuds with Goldust and Marc Mero. He was in that position for two solid years (Partially due to injuries). Finally, he was pushed as a low main eventer after Wrestlemania 15. That's a card climber in my opinion.

I think you pretty much covered the main categories, but I would list a rare forth one - the unplanned push. These are the pushes that wasn't really expected, but something happened that caused the push to happen. Whether that means an injury, a main eventer not working out or the fans getting behind a wrestler without the WWE pushing him down our throats. The best example I can think of for this is Batista. Granted, he did have a bit of a combination of the card climber (Virtually in the span of a year) and a quick push. However, the plan was never to push him as soon as they did. It's well documented that the original WM 21 main event was going to be Triple H vs Randy Orton. However, with Orton not receiving the same type of response that he was at the end of his heel run and Batista's sudden popularity after Survivor Series 2004, the change was made. Another example would be JBL's push to the main event. Now obviously, one could easily say he was a card climber, but the actual push from the creation of the JBL gimmick to the title win at Great American Bash 2004 was the product of Eddie Guerrero's doubts. I remember hearing a lot of reports that Guerrero was going to have a long title reign. Guerrero though, just couldn't take the pressure of being champion, so they had to scramble to find a quick alternative. With the top three main eventers of the previous year gone (Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar and The Big Show) the call was made to put the belt on JBL. It may not happen as frequently as the others you listed, but I still feel as if this is one.

I'd say that most guys pushed are pushed in the manner of a combination of the three main ones. Whether it's because the company wants a back up plan in case the wrestler isn't as big of a hit as expected, there seems to be a way to slow down (Or speed up) a push. Brock Lesnar is most likely the best example of a guy who used all three main types of pushes during his original push. He was a card climber by taking out the likes of Al Snow and Spike Dudley before moving on to the Hardys then to RVD until finally the real main eventers. With Brock facing so many different wrestlers at different spots, they could have easily slowed down the push and have him wait at one place. For example, instead of going after the World Champion at Summerslam, they could have worked an angle where he feuds with RVD for a few more months. That's an example of a quick build. Finally, immediate method is clear as he was only around for five months before he was a main eventer.

There really isn't a push that's better than the others. It really just depends on what a company needs at any given time. I feel history tells us that the card climber has had the most success in the long term. By time they get to that top spot, the worker typically worked a long time to earn it. So unlike a Brock Lesnar or a Bill Goldberg, they wont take it for granted. They've also lasted a lot longer. How long has Shawn Michaels been around since being made main eventer in 1996 compared to Goldberg?

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Bigpapa42

I agree with Jim - there is no "right" option, especially if you include the fourth type that Jim suggests. It depends on the need of the promotion, and I think the particular worker. I think the card climb might be most effective for someone who doesn't necessarily have the best look.

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