Examining Apollo Crews' Direction, Upside and Long-Term Potential

Apollo Crews is a powder keg of potential, one that could just as easily ignite as it could end up being damp and unused.

One of WWE's most gifted athletes, the recent NXT transplant has all the materials one wants in a Superstar—explosiveness, agility, speed, power, a body fit for a Greek sculpture. Whether those elements all add up to stardom is no certainty, though.

He needs WWE's support, a creative presentation and a mastery of the nuances of the mat game.

Crews was one of the many NXT stars who rose to the ranks of the main roster after WrestleMania 32. The company touted a New Era as it introduced its audience to the likes of Baron Corbin, Enzo Amore and Crews.

Quickly, the man once known as Uhaa Nation on the independent circuit found himself lower on the food chain than his fellow rookies.

He garnered a number of wins in a row, but they were all against low-rung wrestlers like Heath Slater and Curtis Axel. Many of those victories came on the little-watched Main Event and Superstars shows. And there was no real narrative for Crews early on.

The powerhouse has since found a rival who could help propel him, however.

Sheamus' frustrations with being passed over in favor of those representing WWE's New Era led to him attacking Crews. Bad blood has grown between the two, seemingly setting up a future set of clashes between them.

That's a refreshing change from the directionless approach WWE took with Crews early on. Battling The Celtic Warrior will allow him to grow, better connect with the crowd and start making his way to the mountaintop so many believe he is destined to stand on.

Strengths

Moments into a Crews match, one's jaw is bound to drop. He darts around the ring with ease, leaps high into the air and shows off eye-opening power when he flings his opponents around. He is an impressive specimen.

Promoter John LaRocca wrote for F4WOnline.com, "He is one of the most exciting and naturally gifted athletes that I have seen in a quite a while."

Crews has the physical tools WWE looks for in every prospect. As a result, he can deliver a versatile offensive assault. He is part powerhouse, part high-flyer, excelling with both high-impact and gravity-defying moves.

In addition, Crews looks like a Superstar.

Credit: WWE.com

He's handsome, boasts a well-built physique and has a smile you expect to be accompanied by a cartoon sparkle and ping sound. It will be easy to market him to kids and women. 

Obstacles

We have mostly seen one note from Crews—the smiling, gung-ho babyface. After Sheamus attacked Crews backstage a few weeks back on Raw, the WWE rookie emerged from the curtains his normal, bubbly self.

Vaughn Johnson of Philly.com was one of many who pointed that out:

Over the course of his career, Crews will have to be vengeful and hurt, playful and vicious. He hasn't yet showed that he has that kind of range.  

His promo skills aren't nearly on the level of his in-ring ability, either. So far, he's been underwhelming as a talker, showing minimal charisma. As Fighting Spirit Magazine tweeted, some of that is due to how WWE has handled him:

How well the company manages to harness his personality will play a big role in how successful Crews is. WWE Creative will have to find inventive ways to showcase him, knowing his limitations on the mic. The introductory vignette that NXT aired when he was a part of the developmental brand is the kind of thing WWE needs to do as well.

It didn't help Crews that he arrived to the main roster with so many other fresh faces. Someone was bound to get pushed to the background as WWE juggled its new talent.

Once the Raw and SmackDown brands split in July, that should free up space for him, but there's no guarantee he will be a priority for WWE. He hasn't been to this point.

Long-Term Potential

More than anyone else on the roster, there is a massive gap between the possible futures for Crews. 

Should WWE book him well and he develop more of a well-rounded character, the top tier will await him. If he fails to evolve into more than an athletic marvel and WWE continues to feed him generic lines, he will end up a footnote.

A lot of things have to go right for him to reach his full potential. He has to build on his strong foundation of natural ability. WWE has to find the ideal ways to showcase him.

None of that is a sure thing.

Crews himself sees major success ahead. "I definitely see myself holding multiple titles in my career," he told Jason Piscia of the State Journal-Register. 

He's probably right. The safe bet is that his immense talent overcomes everything else, carrying him past his shortcomings. 

Crews' ceiling is being a world champion several times over, a main eventer and popular star who ends up in the Hall of Fame. His career path should look a lot like Batista's, a marquee guy who ranks below the all-time greats.

That all starts with a successful feud with Sheamus and WWE plugging him into high-profile storylines afterward. Crews is a star in the making. He just needs a place to shine.

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

• Rusev
• Sami Zayn
• Darren Young
• Charlotte