ASK TITO: More WWE Talent Releases, John Cena Return?, Edge vs. Roman Reigns, Rhea Ripley, and More
Follow Mr. Tito on Twitter by going to the following link: @titowrestling
The weekend EXCELLENCE IN COLUMN WRITING has returned with answers to your questions from Email, Twitter, and the Comments section below in column form. I hope that all is well with you, my longtime readers and my newer NoDQ.com audience. I have to admit, work is kicking my arse with the economy picking back up and other projects picking up steam. In addition, I have a few personal projects on the side that are getting my attention in addition to being a family man. It’s a ton on my shoulders right now and some of you would be amazed if you saw my work ethic in action.
Now, what I continue to be amazed it is the endless droning by the haters of my column. If you disagree with the opinions presented in my column, that is 100% acceptable and that is your right. But for those who are constantly attacking me with vulgarity, requesting that I be cancelled, or just trolling me on a daily basis… Man, where do you find all of this free time? Could you share some of your free time with me?
Usually, when I dislike something, I don’t consume it… at all! When was the last time that you’ve seen me reviewing Impact Wrestling? Seriously, I could watch that show for FREE on Twitch and yet I don’t even bother. I don’t want to watch it, nor would I ever spend anytime (besides right now with this example) ever discussing Impact Wrestling. Because I don’t prefer them as a wrestling promotion, I don’t watch… Ditto for Ring of Honor and NWA… I have given both many chances and they do nothing for me.
But somehow, my columns and myself are your emotional punching bags… And for many hating on me, it’s not just me that they are attacking. Go to their Twitter pages or whatever, and you’ll see them attacking many content providers or anyone else. All negativity. Again, where do you find the free time? Can you give me advice on where you can find all of this free time?
The best part are the haters who want to cancel me. For what? Opinions… All of my columns are presented in a professional manner without any vulgarity. So it’s my opinion that Supernatural stuff, particularly anything involving Fiend and Alexa, is not entertaining. So what? Just disagree with me or go read other columns that agree with you. Is it that hard? Furthermore, if I’m such a terrible columnist, then explain why I have drawn numbers for websites for almost 23 years now (besides working for 2 great platforms). If what I do is sooo easy, producing 2 columns per week, then why aren’t more doing it? And given the trolling, death threats, slander, personal attacks, and whatnot that I receive on a regular basis JUST for writing a freakin’ column… How would you handle that?
Funny thing is that I’m doing this for fun… Neither Lords of Pain or now NoDQ has ever paid me a dime for my time. 100% voluntary from day 1. If you think that you can get me “cancelled”, for one, I’m not saying anything offensive or vulgar to deserve that and two, what are you cancelling me from? Using my own free time to provide FREE content for a website that costs you NOTHING? This column has NEVER been behind a paywall and it’s absolutely your choice to click it or not.
For those who are just crapping on me on a weekly basis, go find something better to do with your free time. If you don’t like me, Unfollow me and don’t read my columns. There is plenty of great content on NoDQ.com to enjoy to easily avoid me if you wanted to.
Did you get all of that, haters?
Good… On to my questions from my loyal readers, the ones whom I care about and give me the drive to keep writing.
——————————–
ASK MR. TITO – Your Questions, My Answers
What is your opinion of the NXT/205 Live Talent released on 6/25?
First of all, I don’t wish unemployment for anyone, including the haters of my columns (see the above rant). However, if these releases were not announced or reported on, I wouldn’t have noticed that they were gone. I barely watch NXT and never watch 205 Live. And THAT is the problem… None of WWE’s signed talent stands out from each other and that is the story of the WWE Talent Relations for the past 10 years.
You can blame the Creative Team all you want and I’ll point out that Triple H, the EVP of Talent Relations from mid-2012 through 2020, was also in charge of WWE Creative from late 2013 through mid 2019. Furthermore, WWE had AWFUL Creative during the 2000s. Care to revisit Katie Vick? Kane knocking up Lita? Mark Henry and Mae Young giving birth to a hand? Big Bossman feeding Al Snow his dog? WCW/ECW Invasion? Torrie Wilson’s Dad… Big Bossman dragging Big Show’s dad’s casket? Hot Lesbian Action? ANYTHING involving the dopes from Divas Search? Batista debuting as Devon Dudley’s sidekick named “Deacon Batista”. The FACT is that the Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental system, led by Jim Ross recruiting & signing talent and then trained by Danny Davis, Jim Cornette, Rip Rogers, etc. prepared wrestlers for anything on the WWE spotlight.
And when are we going to give Eric Bischoff his just due for his successful Cruiserweight Division during 1996-1997? He not only signed the best talent to FIT the division but he had reality based Creative serving those wrestlers well. It made household names out of Dean Malenko, Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Ultimo Dragon, Juventud, and many others.
The FACT is that WWE just isn’t recruiting the right talent to fit what Vince McMahon wants to book and what longtime WWE fans expect to see on RAW or Smackdown. On top of failing to recruit good talent, the trainers at the Performance Center are failing to properly train male wrestlers. Women are doing just fine with Sara Del Rey, but Matt Bloom is struggling to prepare wrestlers and Shawn Michaels is too much of a natural to explain how to work to other wrestlers.
You can keep complaining about Creative this and Creative that… But great talent will trump bad creative any day of the week. Again, see the 2000s when Stephanie McMahon led Creative Teams pushed complete stupidity, week in and week out, but the Ohio Valley Wrestling talent overcame it. Now, however, most of these cuts are Triple H signings from just the last 8 years while many of Jim Ross’s signings and John Laurinaitis’s FCW signings are still employed.
Once again, the WWE freely cuts talent and has ZERO fear about All Elite Wrestling signing any of them.
*****
What do you think about former Kenice Mobley speaking out?
For one, I’m GLAD she is speaking out. The fact is that many former WWE employees are afraid to speak out against how BAD WWE has become as a workplace because they might need them as an employer for the future… In Kenice Mobley’s case, she had two hilarious things going against her:
(a) Worked for just a short while with WWE before being let go.
(b) Has admitted to knowing nothing about Pro Wrestling when hired.
She exits a Creative Team that also employs one Dana Warrior and 38 other writers who have failed elsewhere. Think about this for a second… The WWE Corporation employs roughly 40 writers to prepare wrestling shows and about 50 statisticians to provide Vince with analytics as to what is “drawing” and what isn’t.
If the WWE is going to terminate wrestlers and demote Triple H from Creative/Talent, then it’s time to release this idiot YES MEN/WOMEN Creative Team who aren’t challenging Vince McMahon to be better. Say what you will about one Vince Russo, but what made him great in the WWE is that he stood up to Vince McMahon backstage to present his point of view. In fact, that’s what made the late 1990s great as Patterson, Russo, Ross, and Cornette weren’t afraid to disagree with Vince McMahon.
I blame Vince McMahon and the Corporate structure for REFUSING to put the right people in the right positions within Creative and Talent Relations. But we need to admit that placing Triple H in charge of both failed, too. All of those Creative Writers reported to him, too, and he kept that system around.
*****
What are your thoughts on Edge returning to WWE and Smackdown?
Welcome back, buddy… WWE Smackdown has been starving for some starpower besides Roman Reigns and Edge is a welcome return. Question is this… Will they wrestle at Money in the Bank or SummerSlam? Or both?
Edge received a STRONG reaction by Wrestlemania 37 fans and I was shocked by that… He didn’t appear to be well received by fans online but again, that’s fans online. Fans in the stands, who adored Edge for years, were glad to see him back and headlining Wrestlemania.
I’m 100% for this… Go for back-to-back Pay Per View matches, why not?
*****
How could the WWE make a full blown “reset show” work?
I wouldn’t try it. Go to WCW during 2000 when they tried a reset show with the new Russo and Bischoff relationship and all the titles were vacated. It felt fresh at first but it soon appeared to be a gimmick to hide the many underlying problems within the WWE.
What WWE needs is time… They need to section off their rosters to allow only certain wrestlers work main event programs, specific wrestlers chasing only the Intercontinental/United States midcard titles, and concentrate on building a legit tag team division. The US/IC Title divisions and Tag Team divisions can serve as built-in farm systems to give wrestlers experience before becoming main eventers.
But the real reset needs to happen in WWE’s front office… Better management members to surround Vince McMahon instead of corporate types who know nothing about pro wrestling.
Incorporating another question received about Nick Khan, I think that he only knows how to maximize existing revenue streams. He was a sports agent, so what does he know about Creative and Talent relations?
*****
If you were king of wrestling in 2021, what are the five things that you would declare?
(1) Jim Ross is great and still has plenty left in the tank. When his contract expires during April 2022, WWE should rehire him and then provide a big staff around him for operating the Talent Relations division.
(2) Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks are problems as both wrestling talents and EVPs. AEW would be better off without them as they aren’t delivering inside the ring or for Tony Khan as promised. Cody Rhodes needs demoted to being just a wrestler and not EVP.
(3) How great John Cena is. WWE has seriously lost half of their audience since he was last pushed as a serious main eventer.
(4) It’s a shame that CM Punk sits on the sidelines. 7 years of him not contributing to a wrestling promotion is a damn shame and he’s not getting any younger.
(5) Gimmick matches or No-Disqualification matches SUCK. Wrestlers and promotions need to work harder to present good matches without the reliance on gimmicks and weapons for matches.
*****
Why do you think that Rhea Ripley isn’t drawing as Women’s Champion on RAW?
This column is quickly becoming the “Praise Eric Bischoff” edition of Ask Tito… But it’s true. During Diamond Dallas Page’s early tenure as an in-ring, he had a ton of gimmicks associated with his look. He had extra pads on, different types of ring attire, and he tried to present himself differently each week. Eventually, Eric Bischoff advised him to keep it simple… Don’t overdo it on your look and keep your in-ring style simple for fans to follow. The personality will help drive the in-ring work, anyway.
With Rhea Ripley… Just look at her. She’s a beautiful woman, as you can clearly observe from her jaw dropping look from Wrestlemania 36 for example. Lately, though? More tattoos, more piercings, excessive make-up, and now we’re doing more things with her shorter hair and shaving parts of eyebrows. She’s not drawing because she’s morphing into a taller version of Ruby Riott and the WWE just released Ruby recently.
Go look at older pictures of Rhea. She is gorgeous! She doesn’t need any additional bells and whistles to be appealing to fans.
LESS IS MORE… If you’re already a talented in-ring worker who has a great natural work, why create distractions from that?
I also think that her push to win the RAW Women’s Title was too rushed and it felt undeserved by replacing Charlotte in that spot. At least Bianca Belair won the Royal Rumble and the build-up was there. Hence why Sasha vs. Bianca main evented the first night and was a more interesting match.
*****
When will John Cena return to the WWE for a match?
He reportedly told a talk show that he wasn’t done wrestling, leading to many speculating that he’d somehow wrestle Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2021 as that event’s big match.
I do think that a babyface John Cena vs. heel Roman Reigns is inevitable and could happen after Roman defeats Edge at Money in the Bank. Many think that if this match happens, Roman will defeat John Cena and that will give Roman his “big statement win”. Then, I’ll point you to Wrestlemania 28 when a part-time Rock defeated John Cena in the prime of his career. One year later, John Cena regained his win back at Wrestlemania 29.
Given Vince McMahon’s history, I just don’t see this “one and done” thing with John Cena EVEN IF Roman Reigns is his prized pig. Back during 2012, John Cena was Vince’s prized pig and he had the Rock defeat him.
With all of the Hollywood roles piling up, though, I just don’t see Cena risking his health in a WWE ring for a serious match. The money would have to be right.
So just chill… Until the next episode!
Comments and feedback are welcome. Follow and Tweet me @titowrestling or login in below to post comments.
PAST MR. TITO – NoDQ COLUMNS / YouTube Videos
– 06/22/2021 – WWE Hell in a Cell, Extreme Rules, Money in the Bank, and TLC are AWFUL Pay Per View Events
– 06/19/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – USA Network Upset at WWE?, Samoa Joe NXT Return, Eva Marie, LA Knight, Hell in a Cell Predictions, & More
– 06/15/2021 – How Wrestlers, Such as Alexa Bliss, Are Exposing Pro Wrestling with their Personal Lifes and Social Media
– 06/12/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – WWE SummerSlam, Alexa Bliss, Bella Twins, AEW on Fridays, NXT Takeover Predictions, The Rock Returning?, and More
– 06/08/2021 – Reasons Why Braun Strowman Struggled in the WWE and Was Eventually Released
– 06/05/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Andrade and Mark Henry in AEW, Booker T’s Comments on Aleister Black, More on WWE Cuts, and More
– 06/03/2021 – Does the Recent WWE Releases (Braun Strowman, Aleister Black, Lana, etc.) + Prior Firings = WWE for Sale?
– 06/02/2021 – The Top 5 Greatest Nintendo 64 Pro Wrestling Video Games
– 05/31/2021 YouTube Video – Unwrestled Mysteries: The Infamous Macho Man Randy Savage and Stephanie McMahon RUMOR
– 05/29/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – WWE & New Japan, Ultimate Warrior Documentaries, John Cena/China, AEW Double or Nothing Predictions, More
– 05/25/2021 – WWE Creative Has Ruined Lives and Caused Unemployment for Many Wrestlers
– 05/22/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Zombies in WWE, Velveteen NXT Release, AEW Dynamite Television Changes, and More
– 05/18/2021 – Tony Khan’s Jacksonville Jaguars Signing Tim Tebow is Like AEW EVPs Signing Talent
– 05/15/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Zelina Vega Returns to WWE, Velveteen Dream, Miro Wins TNT Title, RIP New Jack, and More
– 05/11/2021 – Should AEW Dynamite Move to Monday Nights to Challenge WWE RAW?
– 05/08/2021 – YouTube Video: The Great Debate between Mr. Tito and Virtue – The Future of WWE with Roman Reigns, early AEW vs. Current AEW, and WWE Women’s Rankings
– 05/08/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Daniel Bryan, Mick Foley on WWE’s Women’s Wrestling, Eva Maria, and More
– 05/04/2021 – The Future of Roman Reigns in the WWE: Remain Heel or Return to Babyface?
– 04/27/2021: Without Tony Khan, Things Could Actually Be Worse in AEW
– 04/24/2021: Ask Mr. Tito – Mickie James and WWE Garbage Bags, CM Punk, Ronda Rousey’s Pregnancy, More
– 04/20/2021: How to Repair Seth Rollins’s WWE Character
– 04/17/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – WWE Releases, Charlotte’s Return, Pat McAfee on Smackdown, NXT/AEW Viewership, & More
– 04/13/2021 – Celebrity Newcomers Should NOT Dominate Pro Wrestling Veterans in the Ring
– 04/11/2021Mr. Tito’s PHAT WWE Wrestlemania 37 Night #2 Review with Match Ratings and Show Grade
– 04/10/2021 – Mr. Tito’s PHAT WWE Wrestlemania 37 Night #1 Review with Match Ratings and Show Grade
– 04/10/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – WWE’s Post Wrestlemania 37 Plans, Becky Lynch’s WWE Return, All-Time Wrestlemania Questions, More
– 04/07/2021 – Should Hulk Hogan Be a WWE Co-Host for Wrestlemania 37?
– 04/06/2021 – WWE Wrestlemania 37 Predictions – Who Should Win and Who Will Win?
– 04/03/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Chris Jericho on Steve Austin’s WWE Network Show, Hurt Business, and More
– 03/30/2021 – What if Rob Van Dam Wasn’t Suspended During 2006 in WWE?
– 03/27/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Peacock Censoring WWE, Daniel Bryan, More
– 03/24/2021 – Supernatural Stuff Has No Place in Pro Wrestling
– 03/22/2021 – Edge = Wrong WWE Veteran for Roman Reigns
– 03/20/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Cornette/Miro, WWE Fastlane, Bischoff, More
– 03/16/2021 – Triple H is the Ultimate WWE Yes Man
– 03/13/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – John Laurinaitis for WWE Talent Relations, More
– 03/09/2021 – Forget Christian in AEW, Where is CM Punk?
– 03/06/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – AEW Big Surprise, Shaq, Crockett, & More
– 03/03/2021 – Statistical Findings on AEW Dynamite’s Viewership
– 02/27/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Gina Carano in WWE?, Paul Wight/AEW, More
– 02/23/2021 – The Problem with the Miz as WWE Champion
– 02/20/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Lacey Evans & Ric Flair, Jim Ross, and More
– 02/16/2021 – How to Push Big E in the WWE
– 02/13/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Nia Jax, Sammy Guevara, Edge, and More
– 02/09/2021 – Are WWE Wrestlers Softer Now than Before?
– 02/06/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Follow-up on HHH, Bianca Belair, Lars, and More
– 02/02/2021 – Triple H’s Incompetence Helped Edge Win Rumble
– 01/31/2021 – Mr. Tito’s PHAT WWE Royal Rumble 2021 Review
– 01/30/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Ronda Rousey, WWE Rumble Surprises, More
– 01/26/2021 – WWE Network, NBCU’s Peakcock, and YOU
– 01/25/2021 – What Makes the WWE Royal Rumble Great
– 01/23/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Bryan/Nakamura, USA Network & WWE, More
– 01/20/2021 – What is Wrong with Being a WWE Cruiserweight?
– 01/16/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Chris Jericho, Roman vs. Owens, More
– 01/13/2021 – How the WWE Can Use Nostalgia to Grow Again
– 01/09/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Donald Trump & WWE Hall of Fame, More
– 01/06/2021 – The TRUTH About New Japan Pro Wrestling
– 01/02/2021 – Ask Mr. Tito – Brodie Lee/AEW, Luke Harper/WWE, More
– 12/31/2020 – Mr. Tito’s PHAT 2021 Wrestling Predictions
– 12/26/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – WWE Creative, Slammys, Rousey, More
– 12/25/2020 – My 2020 Awards & Wishlist for 2021
– 12/21/2020 – For 2021, the WWE Should REDUCE Ticket Prices
– 12/19/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – WWE/USA Network, TLC Predictions, More
– 12/18/2020 – WWE Should Bring Back Jim Ross
– 12/15/2020 – Is Kenny Omega a Draw to Wrestling Fans?
– 12/11/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – AEW/Impact, Sting, 2021 WWE Rumble, More
– 12/08/2020 – Why Do Fans Hate Chris Jericho Now?
– 12/03/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Sting, Patterson, AEW/Impact, and More
– 12/01/2020 – In Defense of WWE’s Vince McMahon…
– 11/28/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Lana & Nia Jax, Undertaker, and More
– 11/26/2020 (Thanksgiving) – Top WWE Survivor Series Moments
– 11/24/2020 – WWE and Wrestlers Need Better Marketing
– 11/22/2020 – Mr. Tito’s PHAT WWE Survivor Series 2020 Review
– 11/21/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Kenny Omega Hall of Fame?, Zelina Vega, and More
– 11/19/2020 – Can Zelina Vega Survive as a Twitch Streamer?
– 11/14/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Zelina Vega’s WWE Release, Bellas, More
– 11/11/2020 – How to FIX Brandi Rhodes in AEW
– 11/6/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Sting in AEW?, Full Gear Predictions, and More
– 11/2/2020 – The POSITIVES in Pro Wrestling Right Now
– 10/30/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Jericho, Hager, WWE 3Q Financials, and More
– 10/28/2020 – 1998 = Peak of Wrestling and American Politics
– 10/25/2020 – Mr. Tito’s PHAT WWE Hell in a Cell 2020 Review
– 10/24/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Jericho/MJF, WWE Hell in a Cell Predictions, More
– 10/21/2020 – Wrestling Fans and COVID-19
– 10/17/2020 – YouTube Video: The Great Debate between Mr. Tito and Virtue – Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt/Fiend, and Vince Russo vs. Paul Heyman
– 10/17/2020 – WWE Draft, Roman’s Submission Hold, and More
– 10/14/2020 – Good, Bad, & Ugly of the WWE Draft
– 10/9/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – WWE Draft, Retribution, Cody/TNT, More
– 10/7/2020 – AEW and NBA Gambling on 18-49 Demo
– 10/3/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – The Rock’s Politics, Roman Reigns, and More
– 9/29/2020 – WWE Needs to Appreciate Paul Heyman
– 9/26/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Road Warrior Animal, Retribution, and More
– 9/23/2020 – The Rock and John Cena Returning to the WWE?
– 9/19/2020 – WWE 2K Battlegrounds Video Game Review
– 9/16/2020 – My Job Application to Join WWE Creative
– 9/12/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Miro in AEW, Tessa Blanchard, More
– 9/8/2020 – Time for AEW To GROW UP
– 9/5/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Sasha/Bayley, Jey Uso, and More
– 9/1/2020 – The Value of Brock Lesnar to the WWE
– 8/30/2020 – WWE Payback Review & Roman Reigns
– 8/29/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Roman Reigns & Paul Heyman, More
– 8/26/2020 – Who Wants to be the Next WWE Main Eventer?
– 8/23/2020 – Mr. Tito’s PHAT WWE SummerSlam 2020 Review
– 8/22/2020 – Mr. Tito’s PHAT NXT Takeover XXX Review
– 8/22/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Rene Young, WWE Thunderdome, and More
– 8/18/2020 – Maybe WWE Has a Triple H Problem?
– 8/15/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Randy Orton/Ric Flair, Dixie Carter, Kamala, Pat McAfee, and More
– 8/13/2020 – YouTube Video: What’s Wrong with Wrestling – Foreign Objects
– 8/11/2020 – Does AEW have an EVP Problem?
– 8/9/2020 – YouTube Video: The Positives in Pro Wrestling for 2020
– 8/8/2020 – Ask Mr. Tito – Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee, Rock vs. Daniel Bryan?, Blood in AEW, and Much More
– 8/4/2020 – WWE is an Unorganized Hot Mess
– 8/1/2020 – WWE and AEW Blew It with COVID-19
© Mr. Tito and NoDQ.com – 2020-2021