Finn "Prince Devitt" Bálor Thread (Raw Spoilers ahoy!)

leggo

I think we're so far away from what we'll end up seeing him doing long-term that it's too tough to predict. Look at all of the above, just a complete fluke with talented wrestlers getting the right gimmick over at the right time. It's a case of trying a million keys until you find one that fits. Daniel Bryan's is probably the biggest proof of that: his push came from a midcard comedy tag-team act that probably was only meant to last a few weeks and keep both guys busy. And I don't see Devitt having the same trouble a, say, Cesaro has coming up with his own ideas to stay fresh and relevant.

Even Joe Cabray said it in the interview I did with him a few weeks ago - he's not going over with one or two ideas, he's going over with an entire book full. If you have talent, workrate, attitude, a look, that's the last piece of the puzzle right there. The only other thing that could stop him is bad injury luck or just not liking it that much (an important consideration that shouldn't be overlooked, mind).

Stereomaniac

Well didn't he resist America for a long time? I could be totally off the mark but I thought that I read somewhere that he was offered different deals over the years and always said no ultimately. Here's hoping he doesn't end up getting burnt out by the business as so many others have. I mean, generally when I listen to shoot interviews there's more negativity than positive memories. But as you were saying leggo, so much of wrestling seems to be a case of right place, right time. I have always believed that if Steve Austin hadn't started doing his cool heel gimmick in 1996, someone else would have done it eventually.

rovert

I don't think Devitt is going to run into the problems Luther Ward did. Devitt is the golden boy on the fast track. Also NXT has kind of changed the last few months as Demott is on thin ice these days and one other problem coach has gotten the message and changed. Politics are what they are but Devitt has innate drive and wherewithal: him and Paul Tracey brought Wrestling to them, then Fergal took the leap to go American & Japan, survived the New Japan Dojo etc

Anyways where's the fecking RTE documentary lads?

Stereomaniac

If you don't know where the RTE documentary is, then I doubt there's many other people on here who would be able to provide you with the answer to that question! However, would the goalposts of such a thing suddenly shift if he is with WWE now? I know that they would not own anything to do with it, but I could imagine they'd make things difficult for it very easily.

rovert

Stereomaniac wrote: »

If you don't know where the RTE documentary is, then I doubt there's many other people on here who would be able to provide you with the answer to that question! However, would the goalposts of such a thing suddenly shift if he is with WWE now? I know that they would not own anything to do with it, but I could imagine they'd make things difficult for it very easily.

It IS offically scheduled for December. I've asked for further details of the exact date.

mrkiscool2

Stereomaniac wrote: »

If you don't know where the RTE documentary is, then I doubt there's many other people on here who would be able to provide you with the answer to that question! However, would the goalposts of such a thing suddenly shift if he is with WWE now? I know that they would not own anything to do with it, but I could imagine they'd make things difficult for it very easily.

No, it couldn't. The only way they would have any say is if a. he was a WWE superstar at the time of taping (he wasn't) or b. It revealed pre-maturely that Devitt was going to WWE (already been revealed). So they would have no way to get around the contract.

rovert

There was WWE footage in the documentary maker's film on Fit Finlay. Wouldn't stress either way. The yoke will be on RTE in December.

Stereomaniac

mrkiscool2 wrote: »

No, it couldn't. The only way they would have any say is if a. he was a WWE superstar at the time of taping (he wasn't) or b. It revealed pre-maturely that Devitt was going to WWE (already been revealed). So they would have no way to get around the contract.

I know that. But I was thinking more along the lines of them getting pissed at him.

leggo

rovert wrote: »

I don't think Devitt is going to run into the problems Luther Ward did. Devitt is the golden boy on the fast track. Also NXT has kind of changed the last few months as Demott is on thin ice these days and one other problem coach has gotten the message and changed. Politics are what they are but Devitt has innate drive and wherewithal: him and Paul Tracey brought Wrestling to them, then Fergal took the leap to go American & Japan, survived the New Japan Dojo etc

Anyways where's the fecking RTE documentary lads?

I don't mean in terms of the same problems as Ward, the one thing we always had with WWE lads coming over was how much of a job the whole thing became and how it'd suck the enjoyment and passion you have of wrestling out of you. Look at Punk for a better example than Ward. Raven put it well to us before when he said, "Imagine landing your dream job. Then imagine how **** it'd all be when you realise that the thing you've dreamed of and worked for all of your life isn't all that it's cracked up to be." We always assume, I guess because we're fans and haven't wrestled with WWE, that it's all perfect once you get in with them. But that's definitely not what the first-hand reports say.

I don't think it's a weakness or slight of people's character if they don't love it. WWE, like all promotions, have a certain way of doing things that mightn't mesh with what some people want from wrestling. Devitt will surely know that he could do well outside of the company, especially once he gets added exposure from WWE (and by that stage he could have a Green Card, like Drew). So he may just not like it that much and decide to move on elsewhere. It's worth considering with every new talent, especially the one's who know that a world exists outside of WWE (i.e. not the NFL players).

rovert

https://twitter.com/RMacBhloscaidh/status/534484038820851713

The Ayatolla

Class

Stereomaniac

Is that the guy who made the film?

rovert

Stereomaniac wrote: »

Is that the guy who made the film?

Yep.

Stereomaniac

Nice one. I gave him a follow there. Did you say he also made the one about Dave Finlay as well?

Agent Coulson

Stereomaniac wrote: »

Nice one. I gave him a follow there. Did you say he also made the one about Dave Finlay as well?

grames_bond

Check out who features prominently on the wwe.com article "who is the future of the wwe"



Article here: http://www.wwe.com/inside/10-superstars-who-could-be-the-future-of-wwe

Angron

grames_bond wrote: »

Check out who features prominently on the wwe.com article "who is the future of the wwe"



Article here: http://www.wwe.com/inside/10-superstars-who-could-be-the-future-of-wwe

And, like Rollins, he’ll have the same mass appeal as Jeff Hardy without any of his unfortunate faults.

Burn on Hardy.

Eire-Dearg

As great as it'd be for Dolph to become something more, I feel the ship has sailed on that one unless something drastically changes.

Still though, there's a crop of talent there can be really amazing if given time and room to flourish. A Man Utd Class of '92 kind of thing. And that list doesn't include Steen, Rollins, Wyatt, Neville, Ryback (I live in hope).

Palo Alto

Neville will never amount to anything.

He has the charisma of a two day old petrol-station sandwich

Insect Overlord

Palo Alto wrote: »

He has the charisma of a two day old petrol-station sandwich

Worked for Philip J. Fry!

harney

Palo Alto wrote: »

Neville will never amount to anything.

He has the charisma of a two day old petrol-station sandwich

Phil or Gary, there's got to be something between the two of them :cool:

leggo

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

As great as it'd be for Dolph to become something more, I feel the ship has sailed on that one unless something drastically changes.

I dunno, I probably would've said the same months ago but I think WWE's continued efforts to keep him on top of the card suggest they rate him. I think his constant stop-starts are down to bad luck when he's been getting a push or him just not fitting into their current plans when he's healthy (of course you also have to make your own luck when you get a small opportunity and turn it into something big - so Ziggler isn't completely blameless either).

But he's only 27, same age as Rollins. And the likes of Cena and Orton don't have much time (or juice) left carrying the top of the card, so they're gonna need these people soon and are going to want to work with the guys they've developed themselves rather than parachuting someone else in.

It's the likes of Sheamus, who has neither age nor momentum in his favour, who may have missed out as a top guy.

DM_7

Dolph is a good bit older than 27. In his mid thirties by now.

Lord TSC

Wiki has him as 34.

I love Dolph, but after his horrific reign and feud with ADR, I just don't seem him ever being THE guy...

A Brad Maddox Guy

Lord TSC wrote: »

Wiki has him as 34.

I love Dolph, but after his horrific reign and feud with ADR, I just don't seem him ever being THE guy...

I don't think anyone ever saw Dolph as "THE guy" but there's no reason he can't be an important guy near the top. In my opinion he's coming out of this feud excellently after a fairly strong IC Title reign. My only worry is where he fits in once Survivor Series is over; Cena, Ryback & Orton will be the 3 main faces so unless Dolph turns heel then he could get lost. But then this is easily his best face spell so I'd be a bit disappointed if they went that route. I'm so conflicted Haha watch Ziggler get taken out before the match and replaced with Orton now.

laoch na mona

Agent Coulson wrote: »

that topless old fella is a mad bastard,
also I like his approach to people who say wrestling is fake

gerrybbadd

Palo Alto wrote: »

Neville will never amount to anything.

He has the charisma of a two day old petrol-station sandwich

Have to disagree. I find him to be good on the mic, has a great connection with the audience (even though they likely haven't a clue what he's saying), and has an awesome move set. He's got everything

Lord TSC

A Brad Maddox Guy wrote: »

I don't think anyone ever saw Dolph as "THE guy" but there's no reason he can't be an important guy near the top. In my opinion he's coming out of this feud excellently after a fairly strong IC Title reign. My only worry is where he fits in once Survivor Series is over; Cena, Ryback & Orton will be the 3 main faces so unless Dolph turns heel then he could get lost. But then this is easily his best face spell so I'd be a bit disappointed if they went that route. I'm so conflicted Haha watch Ziggler get taken out before the match and replaced with Orton now.

Meh, I don't think he's been booked great tbh. He's pretty much Cena's bitch, who The Authority beat up rather than have Cena getting beaten down week after week. That happens every now and again; they want a feud where Cena is "losing" every week but don't want Cena taking the beatdown. He's even lost his title as a prop to put the odds against Cena (the guy he lost to went had zero build up and moved on to a different feud two hours later...), while HHH has been burying him with insults that happen to be 100% true, while not letting Dolph get a word back in defence.

Post SvS, he'll be back in the midcard, losing to the heels they want to push up the card and keep there.

leggo

My bad, I had 27 in my head for some reason.

I don't know why but I'm liking the idea of Dolph turning heel that's been gaining momentum for the past week. And it's much easier to shoot up the card as a heel than a face.

A Brad Maddox Guy

Lord TSC wrote: »

Meh, I don't think he's been booked great tbh. He's pretty much Cena's bitch, who The Authority beat up rather than have Cena getting beaten down week after week. That happens every now and again; they want a feud where Cena is "losing" every week but don't want Cena taking the beatdown. He's even lost his title as a prop to put the odds against Cena (the guy he lost to went had zero build up and moved on to a different feud two hours later...), while HHH has been burying him with insults that happen to be 100% true, while not letting Dolph get a word back in defence.

Post SvS, he'll be back in the midcard, losing to the heels they want to push up the card and keep there.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with your summation. When I said he's come out well I meant more so in terms of what WWE want the crowd's perception of him to be. Ziggler as a face has never really been anything other than a "some fans really love him but we're not giving you any reason to" character. Whereas in this feud they've really pushed the (and I hate saying this) never-say-die, never-give-up craic. That no matter what is thrown at him, no matter how badly they beat him he's still determined to fight back. It's pretty similar to SuperCena in a way, but much more human because he actually comes across as vulnerable.