If I've learned anything in the last 20 years of watching the WWE, it's not to get my hopes up. From not delivering Flair vs. Hogan at WrestleMania 8, to the absolute flop that was the WCW invasion, to Brodus Clay debuting as the Funkasaurus, they've always found a way to drop the ball. So, I know I shouldn't be as hopeful as I am, but with the recent influx of new talent, it's hard not to get excited about the future of the WWE.First and foremost, you have to talk about Ryback. His squash matches got real old, real fast. Since he started taking on real opponents, however, they've done a great job booking him. Yes, he's a monster and goes out there and destroys people, but that isn't what makes Ryback special. It's the fact that they've had him lose and still look strong that allows Ryback to be a big draw. Punk defeated him with the help of Brad Maddox at Hell in a Cell and The Shield defeated his team at TLC. This leaves doubt about his matches in viewers' minds, which means more pay-per-view buys and higher ratings (in theory). I don't know if he'll ever surpass Cena as "the man", but the fact that he's publicly stated that that is his goal is great.
The alliance between Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee really didn't interest me at first. I felt that Ziggler was beyond having AJ skipping around him like a child. Throw Big E Langston into the mix, though, and everything changes. They go from being a couple to being a stable, and that's a great thing. It should be beneficial for Big E to work with the more experienced Ziggler. Leading a stable should be good for Ziggler's character, especially once he has the World Heavyweight Championship around his waist.Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns, collectively known as The Shield, have been a real shot in the arm for the WWE's main event picture since their arrival. Unlike TNA's misuse of the Aces & Eights, WWE has kept The Shield looking strong ever since their shocking debut at Survivor Series in November. Although Roman Reigns is somewhat of an unknown, Abrose and Rollins have both enjoyed a great deal of success on the indie circuit.
The team of Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow, known as Team Rhodes Scholars, have played an important part in keeping the tag division in the forefront. This pairing has rejuvenated a somewhat stale Cody Rhodes, and it has elevated Damien Sandow to a higher level in a very short period of time. But I don't expect this team to last long, as there is just too much singles potential in each of these guys.
Another entertaining tag team that's new to the scene is the Prime Time Players. Darren Young has slowly been improving, but the real standout on this team is "The Big Deal" Titus O'Neil. He can cut a good promo, he was killer at the announce table, and his in-ring work isn't awful. It seems like the only thing O'Neil can't do is pin someone without looking like a fish out of water. Given some time and a proper singles push, Titus O'Neil could certainly live up to his moniker.
WWE's talent pool is virtually bottomless. They can draw talent from any promotion, any organization, and any country they want. It's refreshing to see them using that power to bring in quality wrestlers and quality talkers. If they don't mess this up, we might be witnessing the birth of the post-PG Era.
Contact me on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling :
@TheAlexArcher | #FTLOW
