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Guest Editorial: Who is the future of WWE? 10 stars ready to take the next step
By Matt Brummitt, PWTorch reader

FCW has been in the news recently, mainly due to rumors that WWE could be shutting down or moving its development facility. But, also because Jim Ross predicted some post-WrestleMania 28 introductions of FCW talent on the main WWE roster.

I personally hope WWE don’t tinker too much with the FCW set-up, as I watch it every week and think they appear to be developing some really hot prospects. What I believe makes FCW so good right now is how the promotion incorporates some green, but promising talent with some independent wrestling veterans to create a good mix.

With this said, I will profile ten wrestlers who I think are ready to make the jump now. Rather than try to arbitrarily rank them, I will do this in alphabetical order to try show no bias.

Antonio Cesaro

Antonio is very European. We know this because he tells us so. Cesaro is the ring name of former ROH tag champ Claudio Castagnoli. When WWE picked up Claudio, I was really excited because I always viewed Claudio as an independent wrestler who could be huge in WWE. Even though I was always a bigger fan of Claudio’s tag partner, Chris Hero (more about him later), Claudio seemed to me as the man more suited to cross over to the big leagues. His look is great and his character is right up WWE’s street: Stereotypical foreign heel. And, I don’t think anyone does it better than this guy. His character is similar to Alberto Del Rio's, but European and focused more on class than wealth. I should also mention he’s a fantastic athlete, entertainer, and all-round wrestler. Some people are hoping to see him join Hero to re-create the Kings Of Wrestling in WWE, but I think the singles route is best for both of them, especially with the state of WWE's tag division.

Brad Maddox

Brad Maddox really has a face you want to punch. His punchable face alone makes him worthy of a call-up. Fortunately, along with this, he’s one of the stand-out guys on the mic and a more than solid in-ring performer. If WWE wanted to bring back male managers, Maddox would be a great fit. I'm not sure if he could be a top star, but he has the skill set to deserve an opportunity.

Damien Sandow

Damien Sandow has a really stand-out character & look, which would be refreshing in WWE. His beard, towel, and robe combo makes him look like a throwback star that you don’t really see these days. Nuances like the use of a spotlight in his promos also help his character. What impresses me is how the personality he shows on the mic also carries over to the ring, as his style is intelligent, intense, and meticulous. The guy obviously takes his character very seriously.

Dean Ambrose

The man most of you know as Jon Moxley is currently doing a fantastic job on FCW. They should put him on TV as soon as yesterday and put him in there with anyone (a rivalry with David Otunga’s travel mug would steal the show). His unhinged, but yet somehow controlled personality is fantastic. His promos are gold and he’s great inside the ring. His feud with Wiliam Regal has been really absorbing, too. When C.M. Punk visited FCW a few months ago, he chose to wrestle Ambrose and spotlight just what a star this guy can be.

Husky Harris

I know it’s odd to describe a former main roster guy as “prospect,” but the oldest of the Rotunda brothers has been part of the FCW roster for 12 months now, so I think he qualifies. I was really impressed with Husky at the back-end of 2011 during his feud with Richie Steamboat where he really developed his character. Due to his look, he stands out from his peers and could have a good singles run on the main roster if given a chance. He was also in a pretty solid tag team with his brother (& former FCW champ) Bo, who just missed out on my Top 10. Together, they could add something to WWE’s ailing tag division.

Kassius Ohno

Declaration of bias: Chris Hero is my favorite wrestler. Better get that out of the way first. I should also note that Kassius Ohno is the new ring name of Chris Hero. For those of you that haven’t seen Hero, he is the best striker in North America (apologies to Eddie Kingston fans). His rolling elbow rivals any piece of art work in the past century for its pure beauty (sorry, I think I overdid it there. It is a sweet elbow, though). I could go on for 10,000 words about what I think of him, but just watch his work instead. It speaks for itself. Interestingly, Ohno’s character is, so far, very similar to Hero’s. Whether this will stay the same remains to be seen He has only been in FCW for a very short while, but in his opening promo, he said he won’t be staying there long, as he plans to soon be in WWE. I hope Chris...sorry, Kassius...is right.

Leo Kruger

When I first saw Leo Kruger wrestle, I wasn’t really that interested in him. When they put the FCW Title on him, I thought they’d made a mistake. He proved me wrong. Kruger is a South African powerhouse with an awesome build and overall look, and he has turned into a solid wrestler (and he uses the jackhammer, which I do miss). His reign as champ was one of the best I’ve seen in FCW as he carried himself like a champion. Like Cesaro, WWE will use their xenophobic booking style on him and over-play his South African heritage (which will inevitably lead to a Justin Gabriel feud), but this is not necessarily a bad thing. He has used this role to generate good heat in developmental, which I’m sure will continue on the big stage.

Richie Steamboat

Apparently this guy has a famous dad whose name escapes me right now. Jimmy “The Lizard” Tugboat? Something like that. When Richie first appeared in FCW, he looked okay, but he was just a babyfaced (literal, not wrestling term) Ricky impersonator. Since then he’s grown a beard, learned how to wrestle across the world, and had some great matches. Two feuds that stand out are the aforementioned Husky Harris one, and the more recent Damien Sandow feud for the FCW 15 Championship. (If you haven’t heard of this title before, it is an awesome concept where all matches are 15-minute mini-Iron Man matches. And, it’s a medal rather than a belt.) There is a natural fear he will live in his dad’s shadow, but I think his genuine talent and new intense character will give him at least half-a-chance of stepping out of it.

Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins is one of the most naturally talented stars this business has ever seen. Unbelievable agility, strength, and speed, combined with being a top-level technical wrestler with one of the best offensive arsenals around, makes him an absolute must-see performer. Oh, and he has a great look, too. As Tyler Black in ROH, he was World Champion at 23. In FCW, he’s the current World Champion at 25. WWE champion by the time he’s 30? Don’t bet against it. If WWE doesn’t give this guy an opportunity, they are making a huge mistake. This kid is gold.

Xavier Woods

A lot of you know Xavier Woods from his TNA run as Consequences Creed. He obviously is a very talented guy, but over the past couple of years, his career hasn’t exactly been on fire. But, at 25, he still has time on his side. In FCW, he is currently going with a motivational speaker gimmick, which I’m not that sure about, as it’s not that clear if he should be booed or cheered. However, one thing going for him is he makes other wreslters look great (he’s basically FCW’s Dolph Ziggler). Having this guy on Smackdown’s mid-card would be great because he's a great wrestler and will make his peers look better.

Bottom Line: Don’t let the recent NXT series make you suspicious about the quality of FCW’s talent. They have some great guys down there and if you have the opportunity, check out the show online, as it’s the best it’s ever been. If not, perhaps the above wrestlers will be on WWE TV sooner rather than later.

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If you have any questions or comments, email mvbrummitt@googlemail.com

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