Has WWE Given Up On The Ascension?

[Vince McDonald]

I do blame WWE for some of this, but........:

1. they shouldn't have these brought these guys up unless they were 100% certain that they would do well (sometimes it's not possible to know this for sure, however).
2. maybe WWE did see something in them, then realized that they weren't fitting well with the current talent - there could be lists of reasons.
3. perhaps these guys pissed off the wrong person in upper management. Althought if this case, and even though it seems unfair, in any business you do have to play your cards right. Not everyone can pull a "Punk" and get away with being asn asshole and champion.

I think that sometimes we, as fans, just default to blaming the WWE for all this. When, most likely, that is the case here. But, sometimes guys just mess it up for themselves and don't perform like they should or fit the character well that they claimed they could do. WE can never know the whole story here.

Plus, i thought that these guys were alright in NXT. They always seemed kind of stale to me.

I completely agree, they never showed much character. I didn't get what the big deal about them was.

But, I don't think they pissed anyone off, I think WWE just doesn't know what to do with them.

See Adam Rose, Zach Ryder, Layla, Emma, Summer Rae, and half the roster WWE isn't using.

 

[Twista XL]

Their entrance looked cooler in Full Sail, they seemed unstoppable down in NXT but they always lacked a good program. Until the Hideo/Balor angle was anyone truly invested? Seasoned guys like Sami Zayn and Solomon Crowe (who have been in big feuds/programs - even if it was on the independent circuit) go to NXT to learn the WWE style of wrestling, working a match and perhaps to get them more used to talking in front of crowds but this isn't all development should be used for. The WWE see that these guys they have natural story-telling ability (as well as obvious wrestling ability) but see they aren't accustomed to the in-ring style so they work on that. The Ascension had the look, even the gimmick but they lacked any real intensity in regards to telling a story or playing out a feud. The only way you can teach that or show them how to flesh out feus and get the crowd invested is by practice. Ascension had little to none. I think they were in that awkward position of losing any appeal they had in Full Sail but they were always going to be a guaranteed failure on the main roster.

 

[Farooq]

Why were they even brought up? They haven't done anything important except get their asses kicked by the Prime Time Players and legends. They can be rebuilt to be a tough tag team, but I don't see WWE putting an effort into them anymore.

 

[Twista XL]

Why were they even brought up? They haven't done anything important except get their asses kicked by the Prime Time Players and legends. They can be rebuilt to be a tough tag team, but I don't see WWE putting an effort into them anymore.

They were brought up because their story had finished (if you even consider it a "story") down in Full Sail. No matter how great it is, NXT is the development brand, everybody has a lifeline down there. Adrian Nevile is a shoe-in to be called up because his story has finished, other than the first few Full Sail call-ups, any other call-ups had finished their arc in NXT. The Ascension's NXT story was that they were the unbeatable, unstoppable force that dominated for what, two years? Once Lucha Dragons put to bed the question of whether any team in NXT could beat them, that narrative was finished. They put over Hideo and Finn and then they had nothing. What could they possibly do down on NXT? They'd done everything; been champions, gone unbeaten, finished their narrative and put over two new guys. They had to get out of Full Sail so the likes of The Vaudevillians, Enzo and Cass & The Dubstep Cowboys could start getting developed. That's how a farm league works. So the 'E decided to bring them up to the main roster where they were quickly exposed for the inept tag team that they were.

Unless it truly becomes a third brand, most (I say most because guys like CJ and Mojo will probably be kept around as jobbers because they have gimmicks and some sort of familiarity) guys NXT careers have trajectories with an end point. Once you reach that end point there is realistically two options; 1) get released or 2) give them a shot on the main roster. If the latter option is chosen; it's sink or swim time. Ascension are rapidly sinking.

Not that it can't be turned around with good, solid booking - nearly everything can - but good, solid booking is a thing that is few and far between for the WWE Creative.

 

[Leo C]

You know, I think even if the guys aren't that good, shouldn't you try? I mean, what good does it do to bring them up and bury them immediately?

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

You know, I think even if the guys aren't that good, shouldn't you try? I mean, what good does it do to bring them up and bury them immediately?

wrestling needs jobbers. Not everyone is booked to win matches

these two fit the bill

 

[Leo C]

wrestling needs jobbers. Not everyone is booked to win matches

these two fit the bill

Well, if that's what they were going for, then they hit the nail on the head. But it just feels like they intended to bring them up to be more meaningful members of the roster considering the vignettes and all, but just failed miserably to do so. Maybe I'm wrong though, maybe they just wanted them to be job guys from the get go, but I don't think it's what they wanted.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Well, if that's what they were going for, then they hit the nail on the head. But it just feels like they intended to bring them up to be more meaningful members of the roster considering the vignettes and all, but just failed miserably to do so. Maybe I'm wrong though, maybe they just wanted them to be job guys from the get go, but I don't think it's what they wanted.

They had vignettes? lol. I missed that. My understanding was they showed up and started losing matches almost right away, which to me just sounded proper considering my stance on them.

 

[Twista XL]

Weeeeeelllll ... I guess they KINDA tried when they first got called up.

-Beat Miz and Mizdow in their debut
-Destroyed jobbers for a few weeks
-Looked like they were going to attack nWo on RAW Reunion but got attacked
-Retribution by beating Outlaws at Rumble
-Were even protected in the gauntlet Reigns and Bryan had to run as they lost on disqualification

Then the PTP stuff happened and they've been jobbed out ever since. So they kind of got a bit of a shake but it seems obvious they had no concrete plans.

 

[Leo C]

They had vignettes? lol. I missed that. My understanding was they showed up and started losing matches almost right away, which to me just sounded proper considering my stance on them.

No, they got a couple of wins, mostly over jobbers but I think they beat Miz/Mizdow on their first night (granted that's not saying much, but still), beat the Outlaws, had the vignettes, which all indicates that they weren't meant to be job guys right away. In fact they only lost once on Raw, I think. But yeah.

 

[Trip in the Head]

Trying to recreate the team as "an extension" or whatever of the Road Warriors/Demolition was one stupid ass idea IMO. I wanna know who convinced them painting triangles on their foreheads was a good idea after the moved up to the main roster. Talk about stupid. And I LOVED these guys in NXT. Damn you WWE creative.

"welcome to the wasteland" - really? :facepalm:

 

[Lackin]

Don't watch NXT much but how long were they at NXT before getting called up?

 

[Trip in the Head]

Don't watch NXT much but how long were they at NXT before getting called up?

Quite awhile. They were tag champs after The Wyatts moved up and held the title for months before losing them to the Lucha Dragons.

 

[Leo C]

Konnor was in NXT since the beginning (of this incarnation). In fact, the "old" Ascension (with Bram) was from the FCW days.

 

[Prince Bálor]

Quite awhile. They were tag champs after The Wyatts moved up and held the title for months before losing them to the Lucha Dragons.

Yeah, they were the champs for 364 days. Wondering if/when that record will be broken...