Examining Neville's Direction, Upside and Long-Term Potential

Neville's magnificent physical ability will assure him success, as agility and speed of the highest order work to cover up the holes in his game.

If Neville revealed tomorrow that he is actually an alien from a planet where its inhabitants are all more athletically advanced than earthlings, fans would likely just nod their heads knowingly. Watching The Man Who Gravity Forgot bound around the ring, it's hard to believe what one is seeing. His high-flying offense is jaw-dropping.

But he is no complete package. 

The dynamo's size and mic skills create doubt about just how high he can climb on the WWE ladder. Will WWE undervalue him in favor of bigger wrestlers? Will he forever exist in the underrated-and-underused category?

The answer to both questions appear to be affirmative right now. He has been far from a priority for WWE. 

Early on, the company booked him as the guy who fought his way to near-victory in big matches. He had his hands on the Money in the Bank briefcase before losing. He made it to the finals of last year's King of the Ring before falling. And he seemed to have John Cena down for the count in a United States Championship bout in 2015 before Rusev interfered.

More recently, Neville has slid into more of an afterthought role. 

He hasn't had a sustained feud since last summer. WWE hasn't presented him as a serious title contender. A brewing angle with The Miz quickly faded away, leaving many of us to wonder what happened, as Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline did on Twitter: 

Seemingly unsure of what to do with him, WWE has tossed Neville into tag team action, six-man or otherwise. He hasn't stuck with a partner for more than a moment or two, though. His list of allies include Sami Zayn, Zack Ryder, The Lucha Dragons, Titus O'Neil and others.

Another crowded stage could await him ahead.

WWE seems to be putting the pieces together for a multi-man match for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania. That would give him a chance to show off his skills, but it speaks to the fact that he's not a featured part of the roster.

He's a midcarder providing depth, stuck in the limbo that is 50-50 booking. As seen on his CageMatch.net profile, Neville has a .500 winning percentage in 2016 so far. That's a sign of a lack of commitment to push him, but it's also proof that WWE isn't intent on treating him like a bottom-feeder, either.

Strengths 

If WWE had an NFL-style combine, Neville would blow away all the scouts in attendance. He's impressively fast, has great leaping ability and makes the most stunning of aerial moves look easy.

Neville may be the best pure athlete on the roster today.

That translates into his matches brimming with high-flying, electric action. But Neville isn't just a guy who hits big spots. He's a strong storyteller and a top-notch performer. 

Whether WWE pits him against Kevin Owens or Seth Rollins, Cena or Luke Harper, The Man Who Gravity Forgot comes through. He delivers great matches when given ring time, regardless if only minimal story accompanies the action.

When he visited NXT recently to take on Finn Balor, the kind of praise that has been commonplace for him came in from all sides. Former WWE wrestler and commentator Taz was among those who applauded his performance:

It's these kinds of standout contests that have one wondering why Neville isn't a bigger star. Everything he does in the ring is magical. It's the other elements of the mat game that threaten to hold him back.

Obstacles

Neville is 5'8'', 194 pounds, a David in a land of Goliaths. While his muscular physique has him looking like a superhero in the squared circle, WWE has often been stubborn about committing to shorter performers.

Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan and others had a steeper climb to the top than the Kevin Nashes of the world.

And even Neville himself has joked about his looks. His appearance is more Lord of the Rings than GQ:

WWE may be more hesitant to push him knowing that he isn't as good a fit for magazine covers as guys like Roman Reigns and Randy Orton. Still, WWE's history is filled with a menagerie of characters. Mick Foley is among those who succeeded with an unconventional look.

The more pertinent issue promises to be his ability to cut promos.

While he has improved as a talker over the course of his career, he is still no standout performer on the mic. He's ordinary when firing off words, a stark contrast to his otherworldly ability in the ring.

Can WWE count on him to tell a story through interviews and verbal confrontations? That remains to be seen. It's hard to imagine him holding his own in a back-and-forth with Cena, Owens or Bray Wyatt. 

That may not spell doom for him, but it will make him have to work harder to ascend the WWE hierarchy.

Credit: WWE.com

Long-Term Potential

If everything goes right for Neville, he can reach the heights that Mysterio did, becoming a semi-main eventer and world title contender. Mysterio's verbal game has never been up to par. It's been more his connection with the crowd and physical gifts that have been the hallmarks of his success.

There will never be another Mysterio, but Neville can entertain in the air like him and eventually bond with the audience as the San Diego native has done throughout his career.

Neville making it to that point is dependent largely on WWE believing in him. He's going to need higher-profile matches, well-developed feuds and more time in the ring. As Daily DDT pointed out, there hasn't been enough of that of late.

More realistically, Neville will be a guy who collects tag titles and midcard belts as fans wonder why he's not moving to a higher tier.

The Man Who Gravity Forgot is too good to ever be completely ignored. He's too special to fall off the map. He'll always at least be a part of the midcard, looking to steal the show each night.

That means he will end his career with a resume that looks a lot like Kofi Kingston's, sprinkled with gold.

Be sure to check out previous editions of this ongoing series:

• Adam Rose
• Luke Harper 
• Sasha Banks
• Titus O'Neil