Evizda

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: C+

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: B

Psycho: Dallas is a peculiar specimen. He has a great look, he seems passable on the mic, and his ring talents are present. He’s always trying to get the crowd engaged, which is important, and he’s always filled with a lot of fire. Yet…something’s missing. He feels fake. This newer, louder crowd seems disconnected from Bo, and has apparently turned on him a bit with last week’s “Bo’s A Diva” chant. I have to give respect to his selling efforts because he tries to make each move look devastating, but sometimes it’s too unbelievable, or he overdoes it when it wasn’t necessary. I think he’ll eventually make the main roster, but he won’t get far past that.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: C

– Bleeds charisma
– Has a great connection with crowds
– Dynamic and smooth in the ring
– Immediately recognizable look
– Second generation wrestler
– Wrestled all over the world
– Is natural in promos

Pros:
– Tremendously experienced
– Shows comfort in all aspects of wrestling, in and out of the ring
– Monumentally epic beard

Cons:
– Still adapting to WWE style
– Gimmick lacks focus
– Is a better taped promo than a live one

Cewsh: Kassius Ohno, (previously Chris Hero to you indy fans,) has a lot going for him. He has a solid look, he has easy connections to two guys on the main roster, (Antonio Cesaro and CM Punk,) and he has a wealth of experience from wrestling in virtually every promotion on the planet over the past 10 years. All of that makes him very comfortable in the ring and on the mic, and he’s adapting quickly. But it’s important to understand that he’s not there yet, and he’s still trying to work the kinks out of a new in ring style and a new kind of character, just like CM Punk, Low Ki and Daniel Bryan had to. Ohno isn’t the talent those three are, but he’ll be a solid addition to the main roster in a year or so.

Psycho: Ohno seemed like an awkward fit for WWE. His former partner, Antonio Cesaro, was a shoe-in, but could Ohno make himself known in this environment? After a rough start, Ohno seems to be growing comfortable with the WWE style, and as a result has really been putting in some awe-inspiring performances. His name-gimmick tie-in is a tad cheesy, but in the last few weeks of NXT he has really made it work with his barbaric tendencies and offense, and portrays him as an awkward, and unstable man…and the crowd eats it up. His ongoing feud with Steamboat is something to speak about, and will get both men quite over. I don’t see him floating around in development much longer.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: A-

Pros:
– Great look
– Solid fundamentals
– Second generation wrestler (VADER’S KID)

Cons:
– Green

Cewsh: I think you get the idea here. Carter is absolutely competent in every way you’d want him to be at this stage in his development. But he’s not anywhere near fully formed as a talent yet. He could turn out to be the next Randy Orton or the next Harry Smith. At this point it’s impossible to say.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: C

Ready For Main Roster: No

Psycho: Jake Carter has quite the name to live up to with his father being the legendary Vader. He exudes a charisma when he gets in front of a crowd, and he is big enough for WWE to consider him a star. He can never be the physical juggernaut that Vader was, but Vader’s success came from the fact that he understood his role in the ring and utilized strong psychology. Whether Carter carries this trait or not is what will put him ahead of the pack. From what I’ve seen…the tools to succeed run in the genes.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: C+

Pros:
– Polished in ring performer
– No ceiling to his potential in the ring
– Much improved as a character

Cons:
– Has a TON to live up to by actually getting to use his father’s name
– Isn’t a great promo
– Richie? We’re going with Richie?

Cewsh: For the longest time Steamboat has been stuck with this label of being good in the ring but totally lost when called upon to be a character. So for a few years now Steamboat has worked hard, and slowly but steadily improved across the board. At this point he is the most ready of anyone in developmental in terms of in ring skills, and has come far enough as a promo and as a personality that I think he can only improve further by interacting with guys more talented than himself. The Son of the Dragon is finally ready to get his shot. Turn him loose.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: B

Ready For Main Roster: Yes

Psycho: When I first began checking out FCW, Steamboat was possibly the blandest person getting exposure. No personality, average wrestling talent, and only given the time because of his lineage. Sounds pretty familiar…where have I heard this before(Hint: It’s the person above Steamboat)? By the time I started watching regularly, he duking it out with Husky Harris in their feud over Aksana. Steamboat felt like he had effort behind his matches that had not been there before, but this did not become so apparent until he became the Jack Brisco 15 Champion, where he was turning out first-class match after first-class match. The mic skills are still non-existent, but he has carved a niche for himself as a fluid competitor who almost resembles a stoic warrior. Just like his daddy. If they nail his character and he learns to talk, he’ll be one of the next big stars of the WWE.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: B

Pros:
– FUCKING HUGE
– Stunningly quick and agile
– Great connection with the crowd

Cons:
– Still a bit green
– A little short for guys of his type
– Unclear how good he can be in an extended match

Cewsh:Get ready for a long entry, because this guy is something special.

There’s a feeling you get when you see certain guys where it just seems like they not only have charisma but have the ability to channel it into something that excites the crowd. It’s not something I see very often, but when I watched the September 26th episode of NXT, the first match I’d seen of Langston in months, he completely and utterly had it from the second he walked out of the curtain until he left. The crowd went absolutely nuts for his 5 count gimmick, chanting for it in the middle of the match, and it just worked tremendously well.

The majority of big muscular dudes don’t pan out because, even though they may try their best, they just never move with enough confidence and aggressiveness to convince you that they really are wrecking machines. A lot of big guys are like that because they’re usually afraid that they’ll hurt people since they’re so big all the time every day and it seeps in. Ezekiel Jackson had that issue, Bobby Lashley had that issue and overcame it towards the end, and Tensai has it big time in WWE, (likely afraid to hurt main event guys by being too stiff.) But Langston just looks great and convincing in the role. He’s not tall, but he’s built like a tank, and he moves unbelievably fast. Really, in charisma and style, he reminds me of a more muscular Monty Brown, and that is very much a compliment. And, apparently, Cena has taken him under his wing, which would certainly explain the progress.

He’s not ready for the main roster just yet, (plus there’s already a big muscular dude wrecking things up there at the moment,) but I’d put money down on this guy being successful. Like, bags and bags of money.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: A

Ready For Main Roster: No

Psycho: Don’t let the funny haircut and unnecessary heavy-breathing fool you: Big E. Langston is an intimidating force that has come out of whatever shell he was in. He commands your attention, and while his mic time never really leaves you impressed, his dominance in the ring will wow you. Since the last two months of FCW, I had never seen a bad Big E. match, and they seem to get better with time. He gave Rollins his first good match as champion, and shows that he understands how psychology and a WWE wrestling match works to get the crowd involved. I can only see him moving up from here, and if they push him steadily without ruining his reactions, he’ll be a fantastic WWE Champion.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: B+

Pros:
– Charismatic
– Great athleticism
– Television experience

Cons:
– Hasn’t improved since his NXT season
– One dimensional gimmick
– Forgettable

Cewsh: I like Percy Watson. If you watched his NXT season, you probably like Percy Watson too. Unfortunately, Percy Watson has gotten stuck in a bit of a rut since his initial charming run, and his stock has dropped considerably. He’s still fun, he’s still athletic, and he still has potential. But more and more it appears he may have peaked in the opening weeks of NXT.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade:C-

Ready For Main Roster:No

Psycho: I really do not have much to say about Percy. He’s a good man to have in the ring, and he could be a dependable person to work with if you want to guarantee a match won’t absolutely bomb. He has a notable personality, but not one you necessarily want to see on TV every week. As I said to Cewsh before this: He’s a decent talent, but I’m pretty confident he has a ceiling.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: N/A

Pros:
– Eye catching gimmick
– Solid teamwork
– The best team in development

Cons:
– Connor O’Brien isn’t a great fit for this gimmick
– Their entrance is great, but needs fine tuning
– The only team in development

Cewsh: Welcome to the Brood 2.0. The Ascension is made up of two guys who really weren’t doing a whole lot, who went full goth and have really found something to work with as a result. They’re a solid, (not great,) team, that could really get big really fast once they get a hold of the production values of the main roster for their entrance and shenanigans. Of everyone on this roster, these are the guys most likely to get called up in the next few months.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: B-

Ready For Main Roster: Yes

Psycho: Kenneth Cameron and Conor O’Brian have both had some singles competition, but they have found something interesting in their tag team alliance. Going the Super-natural route with your gimmick is always a risky venture, but it’s something everyone wants to see pulled off right. Not everyone can be an Undertaker, though, and while these guys have the intensity and skills in the ring, I feel there are weaknesses in their portrayal. At times it feels too much like a joke, and I feel if they didn’t themselves so seriously when they do their battlecries(that always border between menacing and corny) and such acts to show how “dark and evil” they are, it would be pulled off better. Still, they’re one of the more interesting things going on in NXT, and they have a variation of the Total Elimination as their finisher…so…they’re pretty cool in my book, and they should be in the WWE Tag Team division. They need it anyway.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: B+

Pros:
– Incredible gimmick
– Gifted promo skills
– Unique in ring style

Cons:
– Not as big as you’d like
– Gimmick may be too complex to have mass appeal
– Somewhat injury prone

Cewsh: If you are prone to listen to my ramblings on this website, it would be virtually impossible for you to have missed the praise that I’ve directed at this man and his gimmick. His demented southern preacher type character has drawn comparisons to Waylon Mercy and they are both seemingly culled from the same source, (Robert DeNiro in Cape Fear). But Wyatt is taking the kind of character that Mercy only began to explore and is taking is to it’s frightening conclusion. If he comes up to the main roster carrying this gimmick and performing like he has been, he may well be the biggest breath of fresh air that WWE has seen in years. …or he might not. It’s a gamble, expecting that this gimmick will translate to a large audience, and while Wyatt is killing it, the risk factor is still present with something this volatile, especially in the hands of a writing committee. He has my full endorsement, but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t all go according to plan.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: A-

Ready For Main Roster: Yes

Psycho: If you’re even reading this review, you have probably heard all the buzz about Bray Wyatt, giving Dean Ambrose a run for his money. Husky went from a nobody with a recognizable look to the most captivating man who has made an appearance on NXT, and he’s been gone on injury the whole time. He’s unsettling, hypnotic, and he sends chills down your spine just watching him make subtle movements. He’s only wrestled around the ball-park of 5 matches since his gimmick change, but he has put everyone on alert…and I have a strong feeling he’ll be called up no later than a couple months after WrestleMania, and the only reason they would keep him is to let him flesh out and test his character more.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: A

Pros:
– Great promo skills
– Really unique style and mannerisms
-Whatever the “It Factor” is, he has it

Cons:
– Former deathmatch wrestler
– Hit or miss in ring style
– Potential for overhype

Cewsh: Of everyone down in developmental, there is one guy who is quickly developing the most rabid fanbase, and his name is Dean Ambrose. He came in FCW like a whirlwind and immediately found himself embroiled in blood feuds and carved out a name for himself  as one of the most interesting and dynamic heels to come along in some time. While there were some initial concerns about his deathmatch past, he’s overcome his critics by turning in great performance after great performance. The fact that he isn’t already on your television can only mean that they have big plans for his debut, because seriously, this guy is ready yesterday.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: B+

Ready For Main Roster: Yes

Psycho: If there was such a title as “Godfather of FCW Having Talent,” Dean Ambrose would hold that title. Until Wyatt came around, he was the only man other than long-time ROH stars that had wrestling fans talking and hyping his legend. What a lot of us did not know yet was that hype was true, and this man has definitely been destined for stardom. He has a dark air around him, and I feel his mental indiscretions are more real than fiction, but it all adds to the allure. Is he really that off his rocker? Is he just a mad genius? Whatever the case, he is someone that snatches your attention and staples it to his face so you can not forget him. With solid wrestling skills and a masterful psychology, it’s only a matter of time before he graces our TV screens on Monday Night RAW.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: A

Pros:
– Good look
– Athletic
– Great at selling

Cons:
– Bland
– Bland
– Bland

Cewsh: Mike Dalton is Shannon Moore circa 2003. Whatever positives and negatives that suggests fit right in here.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: C-

Ready For Main Roster: No

Psycho: This firecracker is someone to watch. From a glance, you may think he’s just a Dolph Ziggler look-a-like, but he has plenty of talent to set him apart. He is easily one of the smoothest and creative wrestlers to step into a WWE ring. His late work on FCW was a show-stealer, and while he was not the best candidate for the FCW Championship, he deserved to hold on to it longer than he did. His weak point is in the fact that I have never heard him talk, and I can only assume part of that means he isn’t too fancy. He’s worth keeping an eye on, but he has quite some time before he’ll be ready for the spotlight.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: C

Pros:
– Likable
– Solid in ring skills
– Fancy pants

Cons:
– No stand out skills
– Forgettable
– Fancypants

Cewsh: Well, at least he’s not Corey Graves.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: D+

Ready For Main Roster: No

Psycho: I have seen plenty of CJ Parker’s material, and I hardly remember any of it. That is not a good sign, but it’s not a damning statement considering he has plenty of time ahead of him. He is mostly solid, and with previous experience, he would make a strong fit for a tag team player. He’s a likeable, yet non-descript wrestler. If he finds a character somewhere, perhaps he’ll become something, but at this point, he’s just eating up space.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: C-

Pros:
– Looks like the world’s biggest douche

Cons:
– Looks like the world’s biggest douche

Cewsh: If he makes it in WWE you can slap me with a fish. Seriously. It isn’t going to happen. His look is just outright off putting, his skills lend him towards being a tag team specialist in an age when those aren’t in hugely high demand, and he hasn’t even done any real character work that I could tell you about. If you were wondering who the bottom of the NXT barrel is, you’re looking at him.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: F

Ready For Main Roster: No

Psycho: Corey Graves rubs me the wrong way because he looks like a middle-aged high school creeper, and I do not really see the appeal in that. Conversely, it does make him feel ominous, which I suppose could add some interest, if not concern. I don’t believe he’s ever spoken, but his work as a tag team with Jake Carter was top-notch stuff. Why they are no longer featured together baffles me, because their sum is better than the parts. Quite the library of moves and mostly solid, but I question his psychology. He has quite a lot of work to do.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: C-

Pros:
– Gimmick and look draw the eye
– Solid in the ring
– Great set of moves

Cons:
– No real connection with crowd
– Still Developing personality
– No obvious main event potential

Cewsh: I typed something here, and then I looked and Psycho said what I said almost word for word. So take it away Psycho.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: C+

Ready For Main Roster: No

Psycho: Rick Victor has something in him. He has a strong arsenal of maneuvers, and he actually knows how to use them well, but he’s not the most charismatic man. He tries, and he definitely is an oddball of a character, but I don’t think he has anything the fans can relate with yet. He’d make a good midcard contender at this point, but he has a path to improvement before he can deserve some gold on his waist.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: C+

Pros:
– Amazing look
– Tremendous natural athlete
– Member of the Samoan wrestling heritage (Sika’s son)

Cons:
– Still green
– Not great on the microphone
– Roman Reigns? You guys aren’t even trying anymore.

Cewsh: So he’s a direct member of the incredible Samoan wrestling dynasty, (he’s the son of Sika and the brother of Rosey,) AND he was a professional football player? Somebody at Titan Towers must have had the best orgasm of their life when Roman fell in their lap. He’s not even close to being ready, but when he is, good lord will you know about it.

Cewsh’s Prospect Grade: B+

Ready For Main Roster: No

Psycho: This had to be said. When FCW was separate from NXT and it was the official development camp, the crowd was mediocre. You would get the occasional fun chant, and I personally enjoyed a handful of people shouting, “RIIIIIIIICOLA” when Antonio Cesaro did his former finisher, the Ricola Bomb. Yet, it never felt like the crowd really cared about what was going on. Skip a few weeks into the FCW/NXT merger, and that’s all changed. The crowd seems rowdy for each taping, and they make the episodes and the wrestlers come alive. Creative chants, interaction with the wrestlers, and just generally being marks for a sport that they all apparently love. Give this show TV exposure, and let people see how a show SHOULD be ran.

Psycho’s Prospect Grade: A+

Well that’ll do it for this scouting report, folks. We hope you enjoyed this run through of what the developmental system has to offer, and remember that you could see any of these guys or girls at any time. Maybe we’re right about them, and maybe we aren’t, but at least now when they swing down on a chandelier to attack the Great Khali with a fish, you’ll be able to turn to your friends and say “What the hell, that guy wasn’t even remotely ready for this. BOOOOO CALL UP STEAMBOAT”. And everyone there will think that you’re cool. Probably. We mostly guarantee it.

But what do you guys think of WWE’s future? After all, Psycho and I disagreed on many of these guys, so who do you think is the future of WWE? Hit us up in the comments or on Twitter (@CewshReviews) and let your voice be heard, Cewsketeers. It’s the only way we’ll learn.

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