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Indy wrestling right now is under a huge surge in popularity. There are more wrestlers, more talent, more promotions, and enough TV time to drown in. Wrestling is coming back in a big way.
The affect that this has had on the WWE is huge. Not only can WWE essentially snare ready-made talent with a good start of drawing power, but those WWE talents who get lost in the shuffle have a legitimate avenue of escape. WWE might give you drawing power, but the room at the top isn’t infinite. Three members of the class of 2002, the continual returns of the Rock, even names such as Kurt Angle now are being used in favored spots because they make money.
What they don’t make is new stars and this is where other federations stand to gain from the WWE’s business model. I’ve got fourteen names, two of whom are tag teams, and I’m going to run them down one a week because I believe that these are people who would do better outside of the WWE.
I’m Tom Colohue and this is Winner Leaves Town.
Follow Tom Colohue on Facebook and @Colohue for updates.
To say that Neville was never given a push would be a complete fabrication. As one of the first NXT tag Champions and one of the earliest Cruiserweight Champions, Neville has been consistently positioned high on the card of whatever show he was on at the time. Almost since his debut, Neville was placed in the ring with big names and, using a combination of his immense potential and the actualised talent of those competing with him, he was able to put on tremendous performances that rallied the crowd hugely behind him.
If I said that Neville was one of the best talents in WWE right now, I don’t think you’d find many people ready to dispute it. He is undeniably charismatic, completely unique in his offense, and developing quickly with his mic skills. Neville has all of the tools necessary to be the next Shawn Michaels, the next Seth Rollins, the next A.J. Styles.
His breakout match, when he truly announced himself, was undoubtedly the championship match against Seth Rollins; it was a match in which everything was perfectly placed to put Neville over. When’s the last time you saw a match this openly determined to make the challenger a star?
Matches with other top names followed, particularly John Cena. In the mix there was another match with Rollins, a King of the Ring final, and instant pushes on to PPV cards. Neville was clearly going places. He was in the picture for the World Championship tournament after Rollins was injured, he was in the Royal Rumble, and then it all came crashing down.
An injury during what should have been a marquee match with Chris Jericho curtailed a hugely promising start for Neville. He missed WrestleMania, where he seemed destined to be a player in the Intercontinental Title ladder match.
After a few months off, Neville would return and enter the Cruiserweight Division, taking a division devoid of star power on to his back and personally working incredibly hard to build it upwards. For a long time Neville was the reason people were tuning in and he was also the reason that the cruiserweights were getting PPV time. Now released from that, we will see what happens next.
The rumors are that he is currently negotiating his next steps with WWE. The potential match ups, particularly on Smackdown, are mouthwatering.
So why do I think that Neville can do better?
As usual, there is an oversaturation problem, but for Neville one of the key problems he now has to face is that, after a prolonged run in the cruiserweight division, and given his wrestling style, he might be placed in a box that’s very hard to get out of.
Look at how long it’s taken someone like Cesaro to gain prominence. Then look at the recent champions and the people currently competing for the top spots. Outside of A.J. Styles, can we really say that anyone like Neville is being pushed right now?
Sure, there are a few guys on the roster who wrestle at the top level like cruiserweights. Styles, as mentioned, Rollins, Balor. Styles is the only one even close to a belt right now. With Neville on Raw at the moment he’s going to have to be able to compete with Lesnar, Reigns, Joe, Strowman and the like if he wants to break through.
Being put into a box isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Miz is on a fantastic run right now and he’s still unable to free himself from the shackles of being the big talker who can’t back it up. WWE main eventers typically wrestle a specific style and it’s not Neville’s.
Certainly that could change, but Neville is in that unfortunate position that he has established stars ahead of him and every time a new NXT guy comes up he takes the push of another NXT guy who’s been there and gone flat.
Elsewhere the possibilities are endless. Neville could make it with his style in Lucha Underground, in New Japan, in Ring of Honor, anywhere. Personally, I’d love to see Neville follow in the footsteps of Styles and take the Impact X-Division back to its former glory.
And keep an eye out for a brief Xavier Woods appearance early in that one.
With Impact, or TNA, or GFW or whatever it is now, all talent run a risk given how in flux the management is. That said, they are WWE’s closest competitor and they have built the stars upon which WWE is now feasting. A show needs talent throughout and Neville could move to greater prominence outside WWE by championing the X Division before moving smoothly up to the top level.
Impact also allows its talent to compete more freely outside of their federation, allowing Neville the opportunity to follow Cody Rhodes if he so chooses. There will undoubtedly be temptation in Japan, though I believe there will be world titles for him in Impact but none in Japan.
Neville has immense talent and a high ceiling. WWE could quite easily book him stronger and move him up but those top spots are heavily crowded and titles are earmarked for Owens, Nakamura, Balor, et cetera long before Neville has a chance of getting there. Impact for me offers great things for him just as he could undoubtedly offer great things for them.
Follow Tom Colohue on Facebook and @Colohue for updates.
NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS COLUMN: COLOHUE: Winner Leaves Town: Emma – WWE Talent Who Would Do Better Elsewhere
Wade dude, you actually pay for this stuff? Neville was pushed to the moon, even had a bit with the TV Green Arrow, NXT, 205, he got it all and then when the tide moved to others, he walked out. Bye Bye.