How to book a break-up!
Happy New Year everyone! This is what hopefully will be the first of many articles on the site by me. I’ll start off with some introductions. I am Tony Romera. I’ve been a life-long wrestling fan. I’ve been around the Montreal indy scene for a few years now as well.
I will use this weekly rant as a means to voice my opinion and views on different subjects within the wrestling world. One week it could be what I see as a fantasy booking, or what I feel was write or wrong with recent bookings and storylines.
Legacy. They are Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase. They were a really hot item in 2009. They were properly booked. They came off strong. The purpose of Legacy was to create and push new names for future “one on one” feuds; more specifically, feuds for Randy Orton. Mission accomplished. Both Rhodes and Dibiase have very strong looks and are good wrestlers. However, much like the Diamond of Evolution was Orton, the diamond of Legacy is Ted Dibiase. He’s got the looks, the size and the brains to be a main eventer.
There was talk back in the summer of a Dibiase face turn for December, in time to promote his feature film debut: The Marine 2. It was smart of WWE to hold off on those plans, mainly because he isn’t quite ready. The people aren’t ready to cheer him either. However, with the right booking and enough time, 2010 will be the year of Dibiase.
In 2004, almost all the elements were in place for Orton to branch off of Evolution and make it on his own. The people wanted it. This was clear when he was heavily cheered while the face Edge was booed. The timing was on. As it was only logical for Evolution to suffer it’s first defection. What was working against him was his backstage attitude and lack of main event opponents. Creative dropped the ball and were forced to fodder feed him to Triple H. His backstage attitude at the time was piss poor. This clearly didn’t help as he was immediately dropped to mid-card status after dropping the belt some 3 weeks later.
In 2010, we find ourselves watching history repeat itself. This time however, the diamond is ready to shine. The reason I see Ted as the Diamond and not Cody is simple. Dibiase has those poster boy looks of John Cena and the wrestling ability of Randy Orton. His backstage attitude seems to be in check, as the dirt sheets have nothing on him. To be Vince McMahan, I would be salivating right now. The big question now is: How do you break up Legacy and push Ted Dibiase? The answer is slowly.
The people are itching for Legacy to break up. Not because they are sick of seeing them week in, week out. They want this much like people wanted to see Darth Vader throw Darth Sidious down the energy shaft at the end of Return of the Jedi. It took 3 movies for the true evil to be vanquished. Therefore, logically it should take many months for the break up of Legacy to be finalized. It nearly broke my heart when I watched Raw last week and saw Orton contemplating the end of Legacy like a pussy. They shouldn’t even tease fans with this blow-off break up. It would ruin a huge pay off for everyone.
They should begin now for a Summer Slam goal. There’s no need for a title to be involved just yet even. Cody and Ted should stop teaming now and begin focusing on singles matches. You don’t need to bury Rhodes, just don’t let him out shine Ted with bigger victories. Keep Orton close. Have a US title tournament with Dibiase becoming No. 1 contender. All this time, they should keep the belt on Miz because his heat is nice and strong that it would help the people complete turn Ted face. This should go down around the time of Backlash. Have Ted go on a nice win streak with the belt.
This is where WWE can be brilliant! Put the world title on Orton around June. This would create much jealousy within the group, as Rhodes would be the only one without a title. Tease Orton booting Cody out. Have Ted stick up for his partner, only to receive an RKO for his efforts. The next week’s Raw would have a confrontation between Ted/Cody and Randy. All the meanwhile, the powers that be (guest host or GM) announce a Battle Royal for the No.1 Contender slot for the WWE title. It’s not important how but both Cody and Ted are in it. Have Ted win. Now you have a full-blown feud.
The following week on Raw, Orton takes the night off. Have Cody congratulate Ted and challenge him to a US title match. Give the 2 guys enough time to show the crowd why they’re the future. Then just as Ted is about to continue his hot streak, have Orton cost him the match and title. Reveal that Cody and Orton had planned this out. In doing this, you get the remaining people who weren’t behind Ted to cheer him. You also get Cody over strong as a conniving heel, and Orton the extra heat for the road. By this time you should be at Summer Slam. You have your main event. You have a new face in Dibiase, and 2 strong heels for him to build off of.
Will WWE be smart in the evident turn of Ted Dibiase? For everyone’s sake I hope so. This was just how I would do it.
Be Awesome.
