DaveyBoy’s Wrestling Menu #200 – 2006 Rookie Rankings + ’02–’05 In Detail
Submitted by DaveyBoy on Wednesday, November 1, 2006 at 12:06 AM EST
THE WRESTLING MENU #200
I never thought I would say this, but….. Welcome one and all to the 200th edition of The Wrestling Menu, the column that is sure to satisfy your taste buds when it comes to discussing all things wrestling.
The big 2-0-0 is finally here & as I have explained over the past couple of weeks, I have decided to go with my annual Rookie Rankings for this milestone column. In fact, I have brought it forward by a couple of weeks to coincide with my 200th ever column. For those expecting my Cyber Sunday predictions today don’t worry yourself too much, as I will explain when I will be doing those at the very end of this column.
When asking for ideas for what to do in this column, I received many topics that I will most probably write about in the near future & 1 (or 3 depending on which way you look at it) that I have even already used (last week). Probably the most popular idea was to have another poll. I decided against that as I didn’t believe it to be a perfect fit for this edition, but fear not as I have heard the voice of the fans & will be unleashing a new poll upon you before this month ends.
Ok, this column will be long enough as it is, so let me get straight into the explanations of how it will work. I am going to not only list all my previous rookie rankings from 2002 through to 2005 inclusive, but I will also be making some current-day comments on all those wrestlers ranked as well. Following each wrestlers name, I will list what I believe to be the most relevant (or humorous) quote/comment I made from my original columns. Some of these will prove me right & some of them will prove me wrong. Following that will come my current-day comments obviously. And I will also provide the link to my original columns at the beginning of each section.
Towards the end of my column will be my Rookie Rankings for this year. And if anyone thinks that they were easy to do, then you are nuts. There was a grand total of 21 rookies (it could have easily been 24 or 25) that I have had to rank & it’s fair to state that many of them just mesh in with all the others after a while.
Finally, one IMPORTANT NOTE about each years Rookie Rankings that I feel is vital to state repeatedly, because it is what I base my rankings on: These rankings are based on my opinions of who is going to make the most impact in the medium to long-term, and not just who has been most successful in their rookie year.
Ok, with all that out of the way, it’s on with the rookie show…..
PRE-DINNER DRINKS
2002 Rookie Rankings
I am actually going to make a minor adjustment here. It’s probably one I should not make for credibility sake, but I am doing it anyway & you will just have to trust me. I originally ranked Rosey & Jamal (at the time known as 3 Minute Warning) as 1 team. I have since split up all tag-team wrestlers as individuals, but never thought to do it back in my very first column that I ever posted on the main page of this great website.
The credibility part comes in because I am going to rank Jamal (now known as Umaga) above Rosey. I can only promise to you all that at the time I did see more of a future in Jamal than Rosey. This was for 2 reasons: (1) He looked younger than Rosey & (2) He was clearly more athletic than Rosey. I hope this explanation is sufficient.
Link to original column: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2002_/articles/1037182419.php
(9) RICO: Original Comment: His in-ring ability is currently under-rated, but I have to doubt that there is too much room for improvement. I harshly rated Rico the weakest of an excellent crop of rookies in 2002. One of those reasons was his age at the time & I think, as talented as he may have been, his age still may have had something to do with his release. I don’t believe he is still involved in professional wrestling & that’s a shame as I believe he could have made a very good manager (or even a commentator).
(8) CHRISTOPHER NOWINSKI: Original Comment: The question to be answered is whether Nowinski will go down the Triple H path or the Steven/William Regal path? My tip is on the Regal path. The Regal analogy has been taken as a put-down in the past & it wasn’t meant that way. I was simply trying to suggest that Nowinski had a long future ahead of him, but I wasn’t sure that it would be in the midcard or in the main-event. I don’t think I have been proven right or wrong here, as significant concussion problems have practically put an end to Nowinski’s career.
(7) MAVEN: Original Comment: If the opportunity presents itself & Maven's work ethic is there, who knows what the future holds in store. Maven definitely had many knockers during the second & third years of his WWE tenure & I can’t say that I was one of them. I felt his room for improvement was high & his charisma, attitude & work ethic was above average. But I may have to now presume that I was wrong on those last 3 points!
(6) ROSEY: Original Comment: If they were to ever split up, I can see them really struggling to hold a roster position. Rosey actually did well to hold on to a WWE roster spot for as long as he did. Found a niche with Hurricane Helms & made the most out of it. Athletic for his size, but not so outstanding to ever be all that useful.
(5) JAMAL (UMAGA): Original Comment: They are the type of tag team that could stick around for many years to come (either as heels or faces) if handled correctly. After being released in 2004 due to some reported disciplinary problems, Jamal resurfaced in 2006 as Umaga. He has been given a pretty big push thus far as the almost unstoppable Samoan Bulldozer, but has only been allowed to show off about 4 or 5 moves. Needs to be carefully handled over the next 6-12 months, but there is some potential here as he has under-rated athleticism. Putting him with a manager was a wise move.
(4) DAVE BATISTA: Original Comment: Genuinely could have ranked anywhere between 8 & 1….. Reminds me a lot of Ahmed Johnson. Despite some doubts on his current fitness & abilities, I think it’s an understatement to say that Batista has made fair strides since his rookie year. Always had the size & intensity, but his room for improvement was a question mark due mainly to age. But the big fella worked damn hard to improve both his in-ring work & mic work resulting in a World HeavyWeight Title reign. May even have been a genuine superstar right now if it had not been for persistent injury problems.
(3) JOHN CENA: Original Comment: I see him as an important mid-card performer for the WWE for many years to come. Although, he might not go any further than the mid-card. Hehe… I think it’s fair to state that I was a little incorrect here. Although, my high ranking of 3 in a strong rookie class did prove that I thought he had a great future. Confidence & ability on the microphone was always going to hold him in good shape. Cena is a genuine superstar who has now starred in a movie & recorded an album. I can’t see why he can’t go on to be a WWE Hall Of Famer. Seemingly a company man, Cena does a lot of good for the WWE in many ways.
(2) RANDY ORTON: Original Comment: He is only 22 years of age….. In all aspects, he will only get better. One of the 4 rookies from 2002 that has gone on to hold a world title. Yet, I think that most people would agree that he has not made the most out of his potential. Believe it or not, he is still relatively young, still has a decent base to improve on & still has enough to get by right now. It all comes down to work ethic for Orton & keeping away from reported disciplinary problems is obviously part of that. Still could be anything for mine.
(1) BROCK LESNAR: Original Comment: If Lesnar is not a star in this company in 5 years time, I'm thinking that it will be of no fault of his own, but due to the WWE's handling of him. I suppose that I have to say that I got that one very wrong, but not in a way that anyone could have ever imagined. Room for improvement was high, size was near-perfect, work-ethic seemed excellent, he had exceptional grounding (amateur background) & then he went and took a risk on becoming an NFL player. The only contact he had with the WWE after that was in court. I still to this day view some of Lesnar’s 2002-2003 matches & am amazed by his talent!
APPETIZERS
2003 Rookie Rankings
Link to original column: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2003_/articles/1069277315.php
(16) RODNEY MACK: Original Comment: Everything about Mack is extremely fan-unfriendly… Appears to have zero charisma. I think I remember reading that Mack had been re-signed in some way, shape or form by the WWE. Even if it is as a trainer, I couldn’t see why this would be the case. Best used as a bodyguard type if anything… Probably on the ECW brand. I wouldn’t have bothered though.
(15) ZACH GOWEN: Original Comment: I just can't see much of a long-term wrestling future for him in the WWE. The one-legged youngster’s repertoire quickly became stale & he was released by the WWE in 2004. I have actually been a little surprised that he hasn’t resurfaced for a one-off match & feud in the WWE though. And I was not at all surprised to see him pop up in TNA less than 2 weeks ago.
(14) JOHN HEIDENREICH: Original Comment: Wrestling skills appear to be so prototypical big man. I also stated that it was going to be risky ranking him so low as the WWE were likely to give him some sort of a push based solely on his size. I was totally correct on that & I suppose the big fella did well to stick around for as long as he did. It may have been even longer had he been able to fit into life on the road a little better. No great loss here though.
(13) DANNY BASHAM: Original Comment: Looks fairly green in the ring right now & was promoted too early. Currently under the mask (of sorts) as one of Heyman’s Security Guards in ECW, Danny was always going to struggle finding a niche in the WWE. He did improve a little over his first 2 years on SmackDown, but it was never at the rate that was going to see any sort of singles push come to him.
(12) ROB CONWAY: Original Comment: He is too average in a number of areas to ever amount to anything but a lower midcarder. That was actually an interesting original comment that I have highlighted there, because I think it’s fair to say that it has turned out to be true. However, one to two years after making the comment, I basically would have rescinded it because I felt he had improved his charisma, mic work & look based on the small amount he had been given to work with. His in-ring work is also solid, thus leading me to conclude that he is under-used in the WWE right now & has to be seen to have a very shaky future.
(11) SYLVAN GRENIER: Original Comment: Has shown very little skill inside of the ring… But he has a very good look & is very good on the microphone… Excellent potential as a manager, or even a heel interviewer. I just knew that his look & gimmick were going to keep him on the WWE roster. I’m unsure I agree with that, but it seems to be the truth. He has improved in the ring, but it has been at such a slow rate that I just don’t see the point of keeping him around for much longer. There are only so many ways that you can recycle the same gimmick!
(10) NATHAN JONES: Original Comment: Size, body shape & look is a tremendous upside… Extremely green in the ring & already looking like he could fall into the prototypical big man category. I actually ranked Jones at #10 not just because he is a fellow Aussie, but because of his upside, which includes the fact that he did have some martial-arts & shoot-fighting skills. But alas, it was not to be & he couldn’t handle life on the road with the WWE. I believe he is mainly doing the odd acting job here & there nowadays.
(9) ORLANDO JORDAN: Original Comment: If the WWE couldn't make something out of Ron 'K-Kwik' Killings, how will they succeed with Jordan...??? While I feel that original question still needs to be asked when it concerns Killings, it definitely wasn’t the WWE’s fault for Jordan’s failure. If anything, they gave him too much opportunity to be successful & he was severely overused. This resulted is one of the worst (U.S) title reigns in recent history. Simply did not improve at all after his rookie year & I was not at all surprised to see him released.
(8) PAUL LONDON: Original Comment: I almost feel guilty ranking him this low. Extremely talented inside the ring. Still to this day, I feel guilty ranking London this low. And even in retrospect here in 2006, it was too low. Having said that, his future isn’t all that much clearer 3 years on than it was back in 2003. But the fact that he has shown patience, slightly modified his wrestling style & made an impact in a division that has not been given a great deal of help should clearly be a positive for his future.
(7) BRIAN KENDRICK: Original Comment: Good work ethic & above-average ability. Seems to have excellent charisma. Very confident for such a youngster & it shines through in his microphone work... Good look which attracts female fans. Probably a mistake of me to rank him above London. Then again, they are both doing the same thing right now. Unsure how much of a negative (or positive) leaving the WWE in 2004 will be. Hasn’t hurt him thus far. But in all honesty, I can’t see him breaking past the midcard at all, where-as London does have a chance.
(6) SHELTON BENJAMIN: Original Comment: Has enough wrestling ability for a 27 year old to be close to the top of this list… Unfortunately, both his lack of size & charisma may result in him being nothing more than a lower midcard wrestler in singles action. I am still embarrassed by this ranking, although I promise everyone that I actually thought about ranking him #1 in 2003. How I settled on #6 is still beyond me though. Having said all that, I did pick his lack of charisma (along with his mic work) as being a problem & that has definitely held him back in his career. My guess is that the WWE will be patient though, as Shelton could be anything in TNA.
(5) GARRISON (LANCE) CADE: Original Comment: My main concern will be his ability to stand out from the pack. Only 23 years of age, so the room-for-improvement factor is high. To be honest, I’m not all that much of a fan of Cade & wasn’t even one back in 2003. But something still tells me that the WWE may not give up on him. Hey, he reminds me a lot of a young Justin ‘Hawk’ Bradshaw & that guy went on to become World HeavyWeight Champion!
(4) DOUG BASHAM: Original Comment: Very confident & charismatic. Microphone skills are sure to be top-notch. I still think this guy has been totally wasted & am convinced (whether rightly or wrongly) that he would be great on the mic. Obviously, I would have given him a better chance as a singles wrestler, but at the very worst, this guy could be a very effective manager. But instead, I can’t even see his face, he is silent & on the ECW brand! What a waste! Then again, he may be useless & I simply got it terribly wrong!
(3) RENE DUPREE: Original Comment: Room for improvement here is unlimited… Any possible negative I can throw up could seemingly be learnt over time. The future is in his own hands & he could easily be the biggest star from this list in 5-10 years time! Fair to state that I am starting to have my doubts that he can main-event in the future. Injuries haven’t helped, but motivation has appeared to be a problem also, which definitely isn’t a good sign. Still young enough to improve, but how much damage has already been done? And how the hell can he succeed on the ECW brand?
(2) MATT MORGAN: Original Comment: Ranking Morgan here is a huge risk & is more on gut feeling than anything else. Fantastic look which must have Vince McMahon drooling. Not so huge that he necessarily has to fit into the prototypical WWE big man. Great motivation & work ethic. I was convinced that Morgan would stick around the WWE for years on end, no matter what level of success he achieved. I almost feel that there has to be something we don’t know about to prompt such a quick release. Bottom line: I was wrong. I wouldn’t totally write off a comeback though.
(1) CHARLIE HAAS: Original Comment: Possibly has less chance of becoming a main eventer than about 3 rookies ranked below him. But he is the most well-rounded professional wrestler on this list. Man, did I get the 2003 rookies wrong! I think I was having a bad week at the time. Anyway, back at the ranch… I was initially upset at the lack of any sort of singles push for Haas & I’m unsure if he took it personally or if they were right in doing what they did. I don’t believe he should have been released though & his comeback has really failed to ignite since then. Unfortunately, Haas seems destined for the scrap-heap & this #1 pick looks to be a bust.
ENTREE
2004 Rookie Rankings
Link to original column: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2004_/articles/1101286756.php
(8) RYAN SAKODA: Original Comment: Just did not have the look required to succeed in the WWE. Hard to tell what his strengths were in the ring as well. A bit puzzling as to why he was hired in the first place, to be honest. I really cannot add much more!
(7) MORDECAI (KEVIN THORNE): Original Comment: Given a difficult gimmick to work with… Strange body shape & it seemed to transcend into his wrestling style; An interesting combination of strength & innovation. I think he definitely showed enough to see him back in the form of a new gimmick, but too risky to rate higher. Despite the low ranking, I feel my comments here were spot on. I am really glad that Kevin Fertig (his real name) has been given another chance in the form of the Kevin Thorne character. Looks great in that role too. Seems to be using the same repertoire as before, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
(6) KENZO SUZUKI: Original Comment: Decent size & look, but very ordinary in the ring. Very sloppy at times & his offense is very weak. Despite slightly getting over in a face comedic rule (of all things), Suzuki’s lack of talent was always going to see him be released eventually. I still shudder at the fact that the WWE once wanted to push him to a main-event spot.
(5) TYSON TOMKO: Original Comment: Good look & probably has the ability to put on more muscle if needed… Doesn't look great in the ring… Charisma & microphone work also looks ordinary. Tomko wasn’t totally horrible, but at the end of the day his deficiencies just added up to too much. I couldn’t see a future role for him in the WWE of great significance & was not at all surprised to see him released earlier this year (from memory).
(4) GENE SNITSKY: Original Comment: Done reasonably well considering the responsibility he was given. Pretty much a prototypical big man, although not the worst I've seen. Nowhere near the perfect look, but could serve a purpose. Strong & should learn how to use it better with greater experience. Snitsky is still on the WWE roster, but any semblance of a push seems to have disappeared & it now seems just a matter of what month during 2007 he will be released. Having said that, I feel he deserves his current roster spot & is a pretty respectable jobber of sorts.
(3) NICK ‘EUGENE’ DINSMORE: Original Comment: Given the most difficult of gimmicks on debut. To state that he has portrayed it successfully is a huge understatement… Not exactly perfect body shape & look. The other question mark is whether or not he will have this gimmick his whole career. Well, the gimmick is still with Dinsmore & I’m unsure that’s a good thing. I genuinely believed that he would have shaken it by now. He’s nothing more than a jobber & good fan favorite on tours nowadays. There are always roster spots for those types I suppose, but I’m unsure how long he can continue portraying such a character.
(2) LUTHER REIGNS: Original Comment: Seems confident in what he is doing, both in the ring & on the microphone. Not young, so room for improvement is marginal. Basically quit wrestling in early 2005, which was a bit of a shame as he had the confidence, look, size & skill to stick around in the WWE for a few years. I don't regret this high rating & believe it was simply a case of the heavy WWE schedule catching up with Luther.
(1) CARLITO CARIBBEAN COOL: Original Comment: Most room for improvement in this batch. Still young, but is already good on the microphone & in the ring… His poise & confidence are exceptional... Plenty of time for improvement. I wrote a column topic earlier this year on Carlito concerning the fact that he was slowly showing us his repertoire on purpose. I was proven correct a matter of 2-3 months later. Potential to main-event is still there, although is not a certainty. I actually feel he has been hurt a little due to his premature face turn. If he could have remained a heel another 6 months, I believe his face turn would have had a lot more impact.
MAIN
2005 Rookie Rankings
Link to original column: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2005_/articles/1132731425.php
(14) JESUS AGUILERA: Original Comment: I saw him recently at a live show & his wrestling skills looked extremely suspect. Furthermore, has never showed me much charisma of sorts, although he never had much opportunity to. Appears to be injury prone. Quickly released by the WWE & although he had a decent size & look about him, I can see why. Would have had to have improved a lot to be recalled.
(13) DANIEL PUDER: Original Comment: Ultimate fighting background provided some variation & he had a decent look about him. Charisma was a question mark, but Puder proved he was popular throughout the Tough Enough competition. The Tough Enough DVD did not shed a positive light on Puder & I think there were some backstage problems that may have caused his prompt release by the WWE. At the time, I thought he was worth persevering with, but we may never know the full story here.
(12) MUHAMMAD HASSAN (MARK COPANI): Original Comment: Would have ranked him in the top 3 had he not been released & reportedly stated that he is looking for another career! Did show enough in the ring to suggest he could improve… On the microphone, he was terrific in showing great poise & confidence after being given a difficult gimmick. Nice size & look with good charisma. We never got to see his full potential because of the lame-brain booking of the character that just had to cross the line.
(11) MATT STRIKER: Original Comment: Solid, if unspectacular in the ring. Also seems to have a decent charisma about him. But I don't feel his size, look & style will get him over in the medium to long term. I don’t have much to add to my original comments. Striker has proven he can get genuine heel heat both on Raw & in ECW, but I just can’t see how his size, look & style can result in him sticking around for all that long. Then again, he could become the type of jobber that the WWE likes & have a roster spot for years to come. He won’t progress past the midcard though, if that high in the first place.
(10) TREVOR MURDOCH: Original Comment: Seems to have been transported out of the 1970's with his body shape, look & wrestling style. In all honesty, he isn't all that good in the ring. But he does have a character which could possibly stick around & be useful for a few years. Again, I can’t add much more. His character has continued to get him noticed, but that’s about all. As I stated, these are the types that tend to stick around for a while treading water. Personally, he does absolutely nothing for me in the ring, even in an old-school sense.
(9) KHOSROW (SHAWN) DAIVARI: Original Comment: Draws good heel heat… Super small & with only an ok look. He could stick around for a few years, but I just can't see him having too much success. I actually copped a bit of flak for ranking him so low last year, but I think it’s fair to state that I have been proven right… thus far. Still young, but the WWE hasn’t been in any hurry in returning him to the ring to wrestle. Draws good heel heat still, so I would hope they could at least persist with him as a manager.
(8) ROMEO ROSELLI: Original Comment: Short in stature, but with a good body shape & look. Nothing sensational in the ring, but seems to have good basics & wrestles the WWE style well. Hard to know what to believe when it comes to The Heart-Throbs’ release from the WWE. Backstage problems (the ‘Byte This’ incident) may have expedited it. His look could have been useful for the WWE & may get him a look in over the next couple of years.
(7) ANTONIO THOMAS: Original Comment: Antonio is a similar height to Romeo, but is quite a bit stockier. He probably isn't quite as good in the ring, but he is still more than sufficient. Could have some future, as I can see he has some charisma & microphone skills. He also has strange facials that is the type of thing that Vince McMahon looks for. I genuinely thought Antonio had some future in the WWE, so felt it was a shame that he was prematurely released. Again, it could have been backstage issues that were to blame here. Just seemed to me to show that he could play some sort of a role & also find a singles character that struck a chord. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see him re-surface in the WWE again.
(6) JOEY MERCURY: Original Comment: An under-rated wrestler, he is actually quite flexible when it comes to his wrestling style. Quite small in stature, so I doubt he could ever become more than a singles midcarder. But his adaptability could serve the WWE very well for many years to come. It looks like Joey has encountered some drug problems which can’t be a good thing. But it appears as if the WWE will bring him back when ready, which is some sort of positive. I still don’t think it will mean he will ever have a great deal of success as a singles wrestler, but if used wisely by the WWE, he could play an important role, most probably as a member of a tag-team.
(5) PAUL BURCHILL: Original Comment: I don't have too much doubt in stating that Burchill is actually the best wrestler of this year's rookies. This guy can get it done in the ring in almost any way… Speed & flexibility are top-notch… May get typecast as the stereotypical overseas wrestler. I don’t hide the fact that I am a huge fan of Burchill & I think it’s a real shame that we aren’t getting to see him perform on a weekly basis. I’m starting to have my doubts as to whether his style will fit in with what the WWE wants. But will they release him to TNA where he could become a genuine superstar?
(4) JOHNNY NITRO: Original Comment: I seriously considered ranking Nitro as the #1 rookie… Has a great look & a decent stature… Charisma & microphone ability is ok & improving by the month. More importantly, his work in the ring is also improving. Many scoffed at me with my “considered ranking him #1” comment last year & I now scoff right back at you. It seems I saw through to his potential, but was a little gun-shy when wanting to rank him a little higher. Has genuinely improved his in-ring work by leaps & bounds, and while not great on the mic by any means, he is sufficient & improving. A potential World Champion is here in this Tough Enough graduate.
(3) CHRIS MASTERS: Original Comment: Has the size, body shape & look that the WWE absolutely love. He is also very young, so he has a lot of time to improve… Tends to stumble over his words & is quite raw in the ring… May struggle with a face turn. What a difference a few months made for Masters who clearly returned from an imposed hiatus a lot leaner than before. Because of that, he is stuck in character limbo right now & may not be good enough to work his way out of it. Then again, he is by no means terrible & if his work ethic is good, he could stick around for a few years. I still worry about a potential face turn though, as I just can’t see him pulling it off.
(2) BOBBY LASHLEY: Original Comment: Huge & has the physique of a power-lifter. Has a good look to boot, although there are doubts that his charisma can match that physique… His robotic-like movement around the ring worries me. But has the look & strength to suggest the WWE will give him every chance. So far so good from big Bobby as he has clearly improved more than enough a little over a year after his debut. Has eradicated most of that roboticness & seems quite comfortable wrestling matches of decent length. Shows flashes of genuine greatness & hopefully consistency will come with more experience. Understated mic work is working fine for the time being, but he must find a little edge to his character eventually.
(1) KEN KENNEDY: Original Comment: Has charisma & mic ability which can be adapted throughout his career. Has a decent look about him & good facials. He acts cocky & angry well… Decent body shape & has the size which is actually quite flexible… Room for improvement factor is questionable. A rather serious upper-body injury threatened to stall his career, but Kennedy not only came back, he worked through what appeared was going to be a career trough to be wrestling in the upper midcard. There are still doubts as to his in-ring prowess, but it’s more than sufficient & he has recently proven that his ability to tweak his character will become a priceless advantage in the future. A genuine future World Title contender & despite Lashley’s flashes of greatness, I’m sticking by my #1 ranking here. I believe it’s vital that the WWE do not turn him face prematurely!
DESSERT
2006 Rookie Rankings
Before I reveal this years rankings, I want everyone to note that I have left out both members of the Cryme Tyme tag-team as well as Montel Vontavious Porter. I just don’t believe that I have seen these guys wrestle enough as yet to make a fair evaluation of their futures. Don’t worry though, they will be ranked next year. I also have not included the likes of Finlay & Johnny Parisi (remember him?) as they have had prior experience with WCW & ECW respectively, so I just don’t class them as true rookies.
Finally, before I get a flood of emails, I have chosen to continue not ranking the WWE women. It’s just too difficult to compare them with the men, judge when they actually begin their WWE careers & compare the wrestlers with the eye-candy. I will also not include any TNA rookies this year. I simply don’t see that as feasible due to the grand total of one event that I have seen in 2006. However, I will be including 2 ECW wrestlers as I have seen them often enough to form some sort of an early opinion.
And don’t forget that my main criteria is that these rankings are based on my opinions of who is going to make the most impact in the medium to long-term, and not just who has been most successful in their rookie year.
Ok, now that the formalities are out of the way, it’s time to reveal my always controversial Rookie Rankings for 2006…..
(20T) JESSE GYMINI: Along with partner Jake, has been around the traps for a while. Looked to have some sort of future in the tag-team division on SmackDown when given some television time under the management of Simon Dean earlier this year. Injuries postponed any sort of run to the titles though. Decent look for a tag-team, but nothing more than that. Not all that young & room for improvement is minimal. Pretty predictable strength-based offense that is rather ho-hum but not terrible by any means. A little risky ranking The Gymini this low as they are still contracted to the WWE, but I just don’t see much of a future at all for either member.
(20T) JAKE GYMINI: Jake & Jesse are one & the same as far as I am concerned. I can’t really tell the difference, so “see above” for comments.
(19) CHAD DICK / TOLAND: Much like The Gymini, The Dicks were given a little push towards the tag-team titles on SmackDown earlier in 2006. Injury initially stalled their run as well, but both men have since been released from their contracts. ‘The Dicks’ gimmick wasn’t exactly a positive & the characters they were given to portray didn’t help either. I have ranked them above The Gymini though as I think there are possibilities that one or both of the Tolands can be brought back as a singles wrestler. Chad didn’t quite have the look of James, hence the slightly lower ranking.
(18) JAMES DICK / TANK TOLAND: Had a slightly better look than partner Chad. Apart from that, “see above” for comments.
(17) RORY McALLISTER: Currently part of the predominantly comedic team of The Highlanders on Raw. Debuted at an opportune time with The Spirit Squad’s title reign seemingly coming to an end. Were not given a title run though & that is a bad sign for their futures. With his bald & plain look, Rory’s future seems to be solely as a tag-team wrestler. Not terrible in the ring by any means, but I can’t say he is anything great either. Scottish accent may mean that Rory will be typecast as the stereotypical foreign wrestler. Wouldn’t surprise me to see him cut within a year, but they could stick around for entertainment’s sake in the lower card.
(16) ROBBIE McALLISTER: Robbie is the one with hair! Appears younger & has a better look than Rory. May not be quite as good in the ring though. Hard to tell anything about his mic work with his one line catchphrase of “I’m Robbie”. Apart from that, “see above” for comments.
(15) ‘THE BOOGEYMAN’ MARTY WRIGHT: The Boogeyman somehow found himself on the WrestleMania 22 card after breaking into the WWE under interesting circumstances when lying about his age in a Tough Enough series. Is actually 42 years of age, so hard to see him sticking around for the long-term & room for improvement should theoretically be minimal. Then again, he can’t get much worse in the ring, as he has sloppy limited offense. In fact, has prototypical big man offense, even though he isn’t all that big! Released from the WWE a few months back, but strangely re-hired only recently. His character is the kind of crap that Vince likes, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him stick around for the next year or so. Not much longer though.
(14) GUNNER SCOTT / BRENT ALBRIGHT: Loses 3-5 spots on these rankings simply because he was recently released by the WWE. This was a puzzling decision as he had been around the WWE developmental territories for years before being promoted. I can’t help but think there was something we don’t know about that resulted in the release. Not super young at 28, but not too old to suggest he couldn’t improve. Stocky 6-0 physique was pretty run of the mill, although I feel he actually has a decent look. Solid mat-based wrestling skills are undoubtedly a plus, but charisma appeared to be a real question mark, as he didn’t seem to be able to connect with the fans on any level. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see him back presuming nothing extraordinary led to his release.
(13) NICK ‘MITCH’ MITCHELL: Loyal readers of my column will know how much this guy annoys me. I wanted so badly to rank him at #21. For those with a keen eye, you would have noticed that he has hardly wrestled a match in his time in the WWE. Hell, he hardly participates in the many Spirit Squad run-in. Thankfully was eliminated early in the final Tough Enough series due to his annoyance factor & that seems to be the trait that landed him a role in The Spirit Squad. Pretty good look though, with a build that can be worked on well if he has any work ethic at all. Those 2 reasons, plus the fact that Vince seemingly likes annoying people, are the only reasons he ranks this high. I personally cannot see him ever improving sufficiently as a wrestler to have much of a future.
(12) NICKY NEMETH: Only just missed the 2005 Rookie Rankings when playing the character of Chavo Guerrero’s golf caddy. Has a decent look & actually possesses good technical wrestling ability. Being included in The Spirit Squad has actually been a good thing as it has brought out some energy in him, as well as making him use more traditional professional wrestling. Still comes off as rather bland to me though & it’s going to be difficult for him to improve so much to move up the card. At 26 years of age he is young enough, but he wouldn’t want to dilly-dally too much longer.
(11) THE GREAT KHALI: The Giant 7 footer Dalip Singh was always destined to make an appearance in the WWE some day & I’m surprised it took until he was in his mid-30s. He is just too big & physically imposing for Vince McMahon to ignore forever. Absolutely horrible in the ring though & I think he even surprised the WWE with how bad he was. Hence why he was taken off a pay-per-view card at the very last minute. The Undertaker actually did a decent job in carrying him once or twice. I’m not at all surprised to see him return, although I can’t see how the ECW brand is going to help all that much. The possibility for future returns is always a chance due to his size, if only for a one-off feud. His grunting English always humored me & I only rank such a terrible wrestler this high due to his amazing size.
(10) SYLVESTER TERKAY: Speaking of grunting wrestlers… Terkay doesn’t appear to have much charisma or microphone ability, even though he does have a character to play off of. That is one of an imposing shoot-fighter with an amateur wrestling background. The WWE have had trouble booking such characters previously, but there is at least something to work with. Great size at 6-6 & 300 pounds with a decent look to boot. He also has experience wrestling in Japan which should help him out. But personally, at 36 years of age I feel he is going to have enormous problems adapting his style to the WWE way. The fact that he was signed & released from a WWE contract previously proves this to some extent, as does the delay in giving him a ppv bout this long after debut.
(9) MIKE KNOX: Rather bland looking in the Gene Snitsky mold with similar good size (6-5 in height). Doesn’t look to be filled with charisma, but it’s been a little hard to tell thus far. At 28 years of age, does have some time to improve in that area. Has experience wrestling in Japan which will help, but otherwise would appear on face value to have prototypical big man wrestling skills. I’m not so sure though, as he has broken out the odd top-rope maneuver & looks pretty comfortable performing them. It may be that the WWE are limiting him… for now. Still, even if that was the case, I can’t see Knox ever getting past the midcard.
(8) MIKEY MONDO: Tough to rank as he has some positives & some negatives. Looks to be decent in the ring, if not spectacular. Major drawback is his height (listed at only 5-7) & I’m still unsure if his stocky figure makes that better or worse. Major positive is his enthusiasm which really stands out. This is both in & out of the ring. In his mid-twenties, this will usually translate to good work ethic & improvements in all aspects of professional wrestling. Looks already to be comfortable on the microphone & able to handle anything the WWE throws at him. In my opinion, he should be kept around for a few years as flexible depth at the very least.
(7) ELIJAH BURKE: A risk ranking him this high seeing he has more negatives than positives. Doesn’t seem to be anything special in the ring (he is not terrible by any means) & I was a little disappointed his recent bout against Rey Mysterio didn’t stand out more. Seems to be that in-between height (6-1) where he could get lost in the mix & apparently has a boxing background which is actually a bad thing. Seems comfortable on the mic & appears to have decent charisma. In fact, I wonder why he wasn’t given the MVP gimmick upon debut. Maybe it’s because he knocked back an earlier offer to debut in The Spirit Squad… I wonder if that will come back to haunt him!
(6) JOHNNY JETER: Probably deserves to be ranked a little higher on wrestling ability & charisma. Was apparently very impressive coming through the ranks in OVW & has shown flashes of being very entertaining as part of The Spirit Squad. Body size is a definite problem, but is not overly short & has age on his side to build his physique up. Has an interesting wrestling style which does get noticed & could fit the WWE well if used properly, but could also hurt him if used badly. Hasn’t had much of an opportunity to show his mic work, but his charisma suggests he would be sufficient. Gives me the impression he could add depth to the WWE & would be able to pull off both a face & heel character. I doubt if he will ever get past the midcard though.
(5) KC JAMES: Possibly the biggest X factor of this batch, I thought about ranking him anywhere between 3 & 11. On first look, he appears to be nothing but a Jeff Jarrett wannabe (not to mention reminding me of Shane Douglas & Ricky Morton). But I think there is more to him. Taller & solider than he appears, he is also young enough (24) to improve on all facets of professional wrestling. Appears solid in the ring, without being sensational. Microphone work appears to be a question mark, but that can improve with experience. Probably the most important thing is that he appears to have a character he can build off & above average charisma to fit that character. Could be a hit or miss prospect, but should be given every chance to prove himself.
(4) MIKE ‘THE MIZ’ MIZANIN: It’s fair to say that The Miz rubs a few fans the wrong way! He is annoying, but he is sort of annoying in a good way when it comes to wrestling. The guy has a character that he can play off & it seems to draw rather natural heel heat. In the ring, he is fairly solid & probably won’t show his entire repertoire until he turns face. And I think he could handle a face turn (some time in 2008) rather well. Deceptively tall’ish (6-1), he moves around the ring well when he wants to. He is 26 years of age, but actually looks younger, which is a positive. Mic work is good, despite the embarrassing stumbles a couple of months back. The Tough Enough DVD shows how much he wants to be a wrestler & I think his major positive will be work ethic & motivation to improve himself.
(3) IDOL STEVENS: Interesting looking man who reminds me a lot of a young (& tanned) Edge circa 1997. Perfect height at 6-4 & while not overly strong, remember that he is only 24 years of age, so he has time to add extra bulk. Moves around the ring decently for a tall man & seems to sell nicely. Offensive repertoire looks a question mark, but it’s too early to call right now. The little things he does tells me he has good charisma & will be good on the microphone if given the opportunity. One thing that amazed me about him was that he was allowed to book house shows while in OVW. That suggests he has a good mind for the wrestling business & that can never be under-estimated. Tremendous upside.
(2) CM PUNK: Please note that I have seen none of Punk’s ROH work. Just tall enough (6-1) to be a potential main-eventer, but it doesn’t appear he can add much extra bulk that the WWE may want. Has a good look (although the bags under his eyes wouldn’t be preferred). Punk uses an interesting mixture of wrestling styles that has to be treated very carefully. It should be a major positive, but he doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed in any way. Very assured on the microphone & has good charisma. In fact, I would go further & state that he may have that mystical “IT” factor, as he connects with the crowd so very well. It’s a positive that he even signed with the WWE initially & appears to be willing to be patient for his push… for now. May need to replace his Anaconda Vice finisher, although the chances of him using his top-rope pedigree are 0.00% while Triple H is still around!
(1) KENNY DOANE: While he isn’t a certain future world champion, I would suggest Kenny has as much potential as any wrestler that has debuted in the past 4 years!!! Think about it for a while; He is only 20 years old. He is 6 foot 4 inches tall. He weighs 250 pounds. Yet, he can move around the ring as if he is a cruiserweight. This doesn’t necessarily make a main-eventer (look at Mark Jindrak & maybe Paul Burchill as examples), but the upside is huge. Has the time to add bulk to his already impressive frame. He seems to know the basics of professional wrestling well already, having been trained by Killer Kowalski. Has a decent enough look. Hell, the major negative seems to be rumored backstage & ego problems. So as long as he doesn’t turn into another Randy Orton, this kid should be a lock to be a future World Champion. I just hope the WWE are patient & do not push him too high too soon.
Ok, so there are the 21 rookies of 2006 ranked. It's always an enjoyable challenge to do these rankings, but this year's batch was almost too much! I do think that the top 4 or 5 stood out from the rest this year, and being harsh, I really am not confident that anyone ranked between 6 & 21 will have a great future in the WWE. But I really hope that they can prove me wrong for the good of the WWE. Only the top 3 are most likely to be holding a major title some time during their career. That’s not a great strike rate, but the potential of those 3 (especially Doane & Punk) could be worth it. I just hope that many of these rookies are still around entertaining us in 5-10 years time!
So that's it for the milestone edition #200 of 'The Wrestling Menu'. I hope it was fitting & you all enjoyed it. As is the case every year, I would be extremely interested to find out what you thought of my rookie retrospectives & 2006 Rookie Rankings. With the sheer quantity, I would request you not to rank them all yourself, but just to tell me which of my rankings or updates you most disagree (or agree) with. I will include some of that feedback in next Wednesday’s column. My e-mail address is DaveyBoy123@bigpond.com. But if you are an LOP Forums member, it would be much appreciated if you could leave feedback on my thread at http://www.lopforums.com/showthread.php?t=217&page=2
BUT….. before next Wednesday, I’m going to serve up to you a very special weekend course of ‘The Wrestling Menu’. It will be posted some time on Saturday, although I haven’t fully worked out what time during the day it will be. Included in it will be my predictions for the Cyber Sunday ppv & a review (of sorts) of SmackDown. Furthermore, I may get an opportunity to view TNA’s ‘Bound For Glory’ pay-per-view before posting that column, so if you are lucky, you may get a PPV review of that event. So be sure to look out for that special column on Saturday. Until then, this is DaveyBoy signing off & asking you to remember that dinner is best served in 3 courses.
DaveyBoy’s Wrestling Menu. 2002-2006
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***DIRECT LINK*** Must See! McMahon FAMILY PHOTOS! Shane's Wife & More! Very Rare!
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