Welcome, one and all, to the glorious debut of the Rajah Debates! For years, the best and brightest minds of the Rajah forum have done battle with words about a myriad of fascinating topics from the wrestling world, seeking to answer the questions that plague the wrestling community. Is John Cena actually a good wrestler? What’s the greatest wrestling show of all time? Is anyone as good as Bobby Lashley? (No.) But for the first time ever, we’re bringing the debates to you and letting you guys act as judge, jury and executioner.
The way this works is simple. Each match will involve a maximum of 3 350 word posts from each participant going in order. At the end, you guys and our panel of judges will vote to see you moves on to the next round to get one step closer to Rajah immortality. Over the course of the next month you’ll grow to know and root for these brilliant weirdos until we eventually crown a grand champion.
Sound good? I thought so! So let’s jump right in!
The coin toss dictates that RIP will go first.
The biggest missed opportunity of the business is an easier question, and the answer is easy, The Invasion.
And one man would have saved the invasion.
1:48 if you want to get to the point.
The Invasion failed because the original plan, for WCW to be the face group, was poorly put together and the WWE fans booed the WCW ‘headline’ matches out of the building, WCW should have come in as a strong heel group and one man defined that, he came in AGAINST THE UNDERTAKER with a poorly thought out, badly designed gimmick and STILL blew the roof of the building.
Imagine him as the leader for an edgy WCW/ECW group…
DDP is the ultimate workhorse, he learns and adapts better than anyone else in the business he spent his entire career proving people wrong, proving that by sheer force of determination and personality he could achieve anything, he combines all the best qualities of Dean Ambrose and Paul Heyman in one marketable package.
He is possibly one of the most under-rated wrestlers in history, imagine that passion fuelling a stripped down hungry ECW/WCW team out to tear their way to control of the WWE…
Watch the promo, imagine THAT directed at Vince, driving a hungry team of former Champions into the heart of the WWE, imagine him going on from there to feud with Austin, Rock, HBK, HHH, imagine his impact as a manager at the side of a rising star, imagine him as GM.
Now imagine that quality involved in a war of words with Heyman, got goosebumps yet?
There are many other options and I’m sure my opponent will select a solid choice, many ‘lost’ stars would have given us some great individual matches, but only one man could have done that AND saved the lost generation, one man could have saved the Invasion and therefore there is only one logical choice.
One man.
Three letters.
DDP.
Bang!
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To be honest there’s been many missed opportunities since the Attitude Era. The roster today is far more expansive, more talented, they have a ton more TV time to play with than back then, yet the glass ceiling is still there with the same old faces at the top for years. The likes of Cena, HHH and Orton dominating the scene for years, plus the over-reliance of bringing back part-timers instead of trying to develop their young blood further.
My choice actually did achieve some success, however he could’ve been even more successful than he was and could’ve taken the company on a whole new direction breaking the status quo. Hell we never got those ice cream bars! In case you haven’t guessed it by now, I am of course referring to:
Yes, CM Punk. Heyman pushed so hard for him and he finally made it into the big leagues of WWE. He’s had some really good matches and a multi-time WWE/World Champion so why is he the biggest missed opportunity since the Attitude Era? It’s quite simple really. They had the biggest storyline in their hands with Punk voicing many fans’ frustrations with the Cena dynasty through his “pipe bomb”, he won the title from him on his way out and this could’ve been a storyline that went on for months with him holding the title hostage to make Vince give into his demands creating more opportunities for others. Instead, everything quickly reverted back to the status quo, Punk’s pipe bomb had essentially gone to waste and even though he had a title reign that lasted 434 days, he was never booked like “THE MAN” and played second fiddle to someone else all throughout that due to the same people at the top and his title matches didn’t even go on last on PPVs. He could’ve been a great company ambassador being Straight Edge and all, extremely talented in the ring and even better on the microphone. Instead WWE blew it, he got pissed off working hurt on a tough schedule with little pay-off and now pursuing MMA.
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Wow…
I’m shocked.
With a galaxy of potential untapped possibilities to go for, countess unknown but dreamed of match ups you go for…
The guy who had peaked and then quit when asked to put in some graft.
The man who had numerous opportunities and did his best to damage the company that gave him his biggest opportunities when HE quit.
The man who ‘wouldn’t work hard’ and ‘made up excuses to miss days’ the man who ‘quit because he was asked to repay a favour’ all quotes from other wrestlers.
That’s your best option? Not an MVP, a Jeff Hardy, a Kurt Angle, or even AJ Styles, Drew McIntyre or JoMo?
Damn Badger I left you so many options, so many deserving candidates who had untapped potential, unknown futures or dream feuds and that’s your best option?
CM Punk had his chances, he’d had his best matches his ‘Pipe Bomb’ led to his highest moments, but he couldn’t sustain his position, like it or not (and here’s where I lose the smark votes) Punk wasn’t a missed opportunity.
He was a ‘failed to take’ opportunity.
He had his chance, we saw the best of Punk, and it was good.
We saw 50% of DDP.
And it was great.
DDP was told again and again he had reached his peak, he went away and improved each time. Punk just went away.
He was told again and again to work hurt, he did. Punk didn’t.
He was told to work with shit, he polished it up. Punk refused, or sulked.
DDP helped others Show, Jericho, Hall all credit Page as being massively responsible for their careers, Punk tried to bury the career of several youngsters, Ryback in particular is vocal in his condemnation of Punks actions.
The biggest miss helps the product not just NOW but in future generations by example and training, who not only shows WHAT to do but HOW.
You went for the obvious answer in a soft attempt to appeal, but as is often the case the obvious answer simply does not stand up to scrutiny.
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I’ll start with your alternative choices first. The likes of MVP, Drew and JoMo are solid midcarders but not really missed all that much as there’s an abundance of more talented stars on their roster and coming up through the ranks. AJ never worked for WWE so he’s irrelevant here. Jeff Hardy was given chance after chance but kept fucking up. Angle was a major health risk who was so driven and couldn’t slow down, he could still get one more run but definitely would have to be a part-time schedule.
Now let’s talk about DDP. The stalker angle was horrible I agree, but he was not the biggest missed opportunity of even that angle let alone the past 14 years. The real missed opportunity was WWE running that angle without securing the REAL big names like Hogan, Flair, Hall, Nash, Steiner and Goldberg for example. They got them later but it was too late by then. The whole angle flopped due to Vince’s ego of embarrassing the WCW guys in favour of his own. You say DDP was a missed opportunity in the angle yet you talk about his yoga program which is irrelevant to your whole Invasion storyline argument.
Punk was the champion for a long time, but was still booked as an afterthought. He lost the passion for his job and he quit, something that everyone is entitled to do. It’s better than him still working and phoning it in. He’s pursuing a new career and he’s enjoying it. Is he outspoken? Yes, but he does make good points about the WWE healthcare policy in the handling of the way they treat their talent. If Punk was booked properly, we could’ve seen him in a ton of good feuds and matches today with the likes of Ambrose, Rollins, Owens, Cesaro for example. They could’ve still got mileage out of him today in the ring unlike a 59 year old DDP.
I went for the obvious answer because in my view it is obvious. Appealing to the masses is what this whole thing is all about Rip!
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Quick question for you first Badge.
Did you read my post, or just decide to set off on a pre-conceived semi-relevant at best rant?
The issue isn’t the invasion, it’s the man, the invasion simply offers a nice illustration of the skills he could offer, the tools he could bring, had you passed more than a dismissive eye over my initial comments you should have noticed that.
The invasion would have offered a superb starting point for the supremely talented DDP to move on as a top tier heel, opening the door to a series of mouthwatering feuds against some of the greatest stars the business has seen, at their prime.
As you decided to mention the Yoga, let’s look at it sensibly shall we?
Mainstream media reports, massive social media response and invaluable benefits to past, current and future athletes, Chris Jericho for one has gone on record as to the huge benefits of following the programme, without mentioning Hall and Jake.
It was nice of you to bring up Punks reign by the way, it was a wholly underwhelming time both in terms of product and buy-rates, in fact that only adds to my point regarding Punk wasting his opportunity as opposed to DDP not getting one.
Which brings me to your cheap age quip.
Really Badge? That insulted the readers intelligence, I’m sure no-one is stupid enough to fall into that trap and think we are discussing DDP getting his shot now.
But since you called it to mind.
Owens, Rollins, Cesaro, in smarky dissillusioned matches with the current creative.
Or…
HBK, Austin, Rock, Taker, Edge, in their prime infront of energised enthused crowds with the greatest creative in our time?
Hmm. Which set of feuds appeals more?
Badger, CM Punk had his chances, he had his runs, and sorry to all the fan-girls but he didn’t fulfil his potential.
DDP never got his shot, he consistently worked his balls off to make shit gold, imagine him with the right tools.
Admit it, as a wrestling fan that has to make you drool.
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The point of my “semi-relevant rant” was that in your original post which I did read was that you were painting the picture of him as the leader of an edgy WCW/WWE group, and I am saying it would’ve made no difference. You would’ve still had the same problem of the sides being heavily imbalanced and they would’ve still had to put WWE guys onto the Alliance side to even things out. If Vince had put his ego aside and forked out for those big star contracts, then the storyline could’ve been much more compelling than it was. THAT was the real missed opportunity.
Also, you say DDP would’ve went on to have great matches with the likes of HBK, Austin, Rock, Taker, Edge if he had been given a shot? Well, post-Invasion he still continued to wrestle and in 2002 he was too hurt to go on any longer and WWE allowed his contract to expire. Age is a factor here because DDP had a shelf life as he couldn’t go the way he used to and those dream feuds you mentioned had no chance of happening. My point of bringing up the Yoga is you’re arguing two different things. You’re saying if he was given a better role in the Invasion storyline and it would’ve opened up doors for him, but he was too hurt to go on much longer regardless. The benefits he brought to Hall, Jake et al are different.
Those failed product and buy-rates you mentioned shouldn’t all be blamed on Punk’s reign. If WWE had booked and treated him properly, then those buy-rates could’ve increased, but instead the primary focus was always on other people and not Punk when he was champion. Punk put in all the graft he could, he busted his ass in night in and night out, but it was like trying to push water uphill and anyone would’ve struggled in his situation. They a really hot angle in the “Summer of Punk” and they blew it with the booking. Booking DDP better during the Invasion wouldn’t have made a difference.
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