WWE: how far could Slammy award winner Neville fly?
COMMENT: As gifted as he is inside the ring, success on the grand stage is not certain for the Newcastle man
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Is it an eagle? Is it a torpedo? Is it a shooting star? No, wait, hold on… it’s the “Red Arrow”! It’s Neville! You don’t get called “The Man That Gravity Forgot” by being a run-of-the-mill competitor. On the contrary, this talented Geordie is anything but normal. His physique looks like it has been chiselled from granite and his phenomenal manoeuvres are executed so naturally by him that you have to speculate if he has come from another planet.
He may have only debuted on the main roster in March, but the newly crowned Breakout Superstar of the Year has already made his mark on WWE television with a number of outstanding matches in 2015. And fans are keen to see his career flourish to heights that not even a high-flyer like Neville can reach.
Arguably the most accomplished wrestler to come out of WWE’s developmental brand, Neville is the longest reigning NXT Champion in history – having held the title for 287 days – and the only man to have won both the NXT and the NXT Tag Team titles.
His unique style never fails to get the WWE Universe off of their seats and his spectacular "Red Arrow" signature move makes a shooting star press look very easy in comparison. Every time he climbs the turnbuckle and leaps into the air, you can’t help but hold your breath and enjoy the ride.
When he answered John Cena’s U.S. Open Challenge on the 11 May edition of Raw, he took the face of the company to the absolute limit and would have won the United States Championship had it not been for Kevin Owens causing a disqualification. Likewise, three weeks before SummerSlam, Neville fought Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in what turned out to be an instant classic, and once again the Geordie came extremely close to winning the title. These two pay-per-view quality bouts proved that the former NXT Champion is more than capable of being in the main event picture.
However, as gifted as he is inside the ring, success on the grand stage is not certain. Despite his ability to wrestle a world class match, it’s clear that his promo work and a lack of direction for his character are holding him back. And WWE’s failure to build a character that suits him as well as a string of weak feuds and storylines makes one wonder if he will ever develop into a main event calibre superstar.
In an industry built on charisma it will be very difficult for Neville to grab the imaginary brass ring that Vince McMahon always goes on about purely on ring ability, just ask Cesaro. “The Swiss Superman” is arguably the best technical wrestler on the current roster but he has struggled to climb the card due to his apparent lack of star power.
Therefore, it’s difficult to assess whether Neville can ever reach the heights that he can jump without enhancing his persona and refining his promo-cutting skills to entertain the WWE audience on a weekly basis. The Slammy Award winner has had had limited time on the microphone since he has been on the main roster but that’s not to say he can’t master the art of storytelling in the future with the right gimmick. Nevertheless, this should have been addressed while he was at Full Sail University and he should never have made the jump from NXT until these skills were solidified.
Many refer to former three-time World Champion Rey Mysterio as someone who reached the pinnacle without having the ability to deliver engaging promos, but “The Master of the 619” was more captivating than Neville during his run with WWE.
WWE has to put more time into Neville’s character development and stop presenting him as simply a Geordie. Fans cheer for him based on his magnificence inside the squared circle but just how much progress can he make with that alone?
Creative must find a better way of booking him if they are to turn his character into a profitable brand. With WWE teasing an alliance with The Miz and a potential heel turn on the cards, 2016 could very well be the year for Neville to excel in a brand new role.
The only fear is that company officials have no interest in turning him into an engaging superstar, rather it appears they want to turn him into nothing more than a global attraction. The type that can put on a spectacle but say very few words. Poor booking could put the 29-year-old in that predicament, however, blend strong personality with his dynamic in-ring ability and this energetic lad from Newcastle could very well become the first English-born WWE World Heavyweight Champion in history.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments