THE ROCK
Love or hate him and his hypocrisy, the fact is this : There's no-one out there right now who can get a crowd into something as much as the Rock. There's nobody out there who does as much to put over other people as The Rock. That's why he's in my promotion. That and the fact that he'll be signed to an exclusive wrestling deal, no movies, no TV, no commercials, just plain wrestling. By my reckoning, I'd keep him a year, and use him to build up the rest of my chosen roster to megastardom. His final task before he slinks back off to his Hollywood career would be to put over Kurt Angle cleanly and make him into an even bigger star than he is now.
KURT ANGLE
Simply put, there is nobody better in the ring right now than Kurt Angle, and you just can't overlook that. He's second only to The Rock in terms of selflessness and mic work. Angle as a heel is one of the finest things to behold in this business. It's hard to remember that Angle is a still a relative rookie (he's only been on TV for just over three years) to the business and has a good 6-10 years left in him, barring injuries. Once The Rock leaves, THIS is the guy that the promotion builds itself on.
BROCK LESNAR
And here's his understudy. Barring the Olympics, Lesnar has a pretty similar background to Angle. He also has 8 years on him, so with Lesnar, I'm preparing for the generation after Angle. I get the feeling these two will have a rivalry like Hogan and Flair over the years to come, so why not tap into it? Lesnar's speed is uncanny for a man of his size, and when we finally see the fabled Shooting Star Press, the legend of Lesnar will be sealed forever. Brock is coming on with his mic skills too, which is something I would be working on with him in my promotion.
CHRIS BENOIT
Enough of this rubbish with Benoit being a fan's favourite and playing to the crowd. Benoit is at his best when he's a silent assassin. Turn him heel and have him go back to viciously assaulting people from one end of the arena to the other. Add to the fact that he's in the top two in the WWE when it comes to technical skill and it's a hell of a mix. Yes, having him turn heel means the end of the Benoit/Angle series, but hey, I can live with that - no turn is ever permanent, after all. With Benoit on the roster as a heel, it's an ideal way to bring through some new stars on the face side of the roster.
SEAN O'HAIRE
Which is where Sean comes in. I always thought that O'Haire was going to be huge in this business, right from the first time I saw him in WCW. Maybe he wasn't ready for the big-time when he debuted for them, and the stint in Ohio Valley probably has done him good, but within 2-3 years, I think O'Haire is going to be massive. He has the look, the ring skills, an unusual mix of aerial and ground attacks, and a recently discovered talent on the mic. Current gimmick aside, O'Haire is one for the future - I really think an O'Haire / Lesnar feud will be in the works a few years down the line.
ROB VAN DAM
RVD has been hard done by in the WWE, the victim of backstage shenanigans and depushed and jobbed out left, right and centre. Yet still he remains as over as anybody in the company with the fans. Why? Because he’s different. Because he’s not one of the usual punch-n-kick merchants that inhabit the upper tiers of the WWE roster. And that’s why I would snap him up. RVD is a huge star already, and it’s only him that realises it... so far. Give the guy a decent push, and someone willing to sell for him, and the sky’s the limit.
REY MYSTERIO
Same goes for Rey - he’s a bit different from the 6 foot plus muscle-bound freaks that inhabit the upper card of the WWE, and he’s a bigger star in the WWE in just over 7 months than he ever was in WCW. I would be building a nice little cruiser style division, and Rey is at the heart of it. If Rey was 2 or 3 inches taller, he’d be a world champion in the making, but alas, it’s not to be. Still, as one of the most popular names (and mask) out there right now, it’s be criminal not to poach him - plus there’s good marketing possibilities with his mask too - ha! Ever the businessman!
MATT HARDY
Any new promotion must feel the effects... of Mattitude! For my money, Matt is one of the best heels out there, but the Mattitude idea is so versatile that a face turn is easily possible, just by altering his promos slightly - that makes Matt a very nice prospect for filling out a roster. Add to that he’s solid in the ring, and still getting better every week. Matt is the best long term bet of the Hardy brothers, that’s for sure.
EDDIE GUERRERO
Every promotion needs at least one slimy little heel that everyone loves to hate - and there’s nobody better than Eddie at being that guy. Eddie can work a crowd into a psychopathic frenzy of hatred. Sometimes, he wrestles, too. Seriously though, Eddie in the ring is as good as anyone at crossing the lines between the usual US style and the more aerial Lucha style - Eddie could quite happily work the heavyweight or cruiser divisions, and he’s a must for my promotion for that reason.
SIMON DIAMOND
Yes, Simon Diamond. Of everyone out there I could pick up, I’d take Simon Diamond. Why? This guy has everything you need to be a major star, and it’s amazing to me that he hasn’t been picked up by the WWE already. He has the look of a big star, and he can work a match too, with a couple of great finishers to boot. I would take Diamond on in a shot and push him as a mid-card heel for a while, just to re-establish him, but in my eyes, Diamond is a future main eventer in the making.
So there’s my ten picks to start a company with - and I left out a lot of guys I’d love to have put in : Jericho, Rhyno, CW Anderson, Jerry Lynn, Kanyon, Tommy Dreamer, Steve Corino, Edge, Tajiri and Christian to name but ten... but I’m quite happy with my little roster.
Until next time, have fun, go mad.
