WWE: 5 Ideas That Would Make Lord Tensai Relevant to WWE Fans

Matt Bloom excelled in Japan.

Japanese audiences were thrilled to see this six-feet-six-inch, 300-pound man exchange holds with the best technical wrestlers in their country. Fans from outside Japan, who were lucky enough to come across some footage of the the man formerly known as A-Train, could not believe this was the same man who quietly left the WWE in 2004.

Now as "Lord Tensai," Bloom has become another big man with a limited move-set and even fewer fans. The skills Bloom displayed in the Land of the Rising Sun have been consumed by a gimmick which has become a charisma vacuum akin to a black hole.

The window of opportunity to use Bloom as a productive part of the WWE system is closing fast.

Here are five ideas might turn Bloom's career around. 

The Gimmick Switch

Several theories have been suggested for the reason why Lord Tensai has not connected with fans, but the situation appears to boil down to the fact that the character is dull.

Other commentators may see this as a snap conclusion, considering that the character has only been on television for a number of weeks. However the general disinterest from the WWE Universe suggests that the audience might have been lost already.

A re-brand is not the answer either. From Prince Albert to A-Train, Matt Bloom has not been able to keep a consistent character throughout his WWE tenure, so another transformation will not help his cause.

The best option is to a gimmick switch as part of a story-line.

One possible situation involves Lord Tensai turning on John Laurinaitis at the moment "Big Johnny" thinks he is about to get the better of John Cena. The sudden reveal that Lord Tensai character is actually a decoy that has allowed Bloom to learn Laurinaitis' plans would be good television.

Bloom, who is a former teacher, has the intelligence and auditory skill to pull off such a role. Smart big-men are not a common feature of WWE programming so a move like this would be a refreshing change.

Regardless of how the WWE might choose to do such a gimmick switch, a character overhaul is the best way to enhance Matt Bloom's longevity within the company.  

Change Lord Tensai's Finishing Manoeuvre

The "Green Mist Claw" could be one of the most misjudged creative decisions in modern WWE history.

The move looks outdated, especially in a world where MMA is prevalent, and evokes thoughts of drugging people against their will. Some would go as far as saying that this move has been one of the biggest reasons why people have been turned off by the Lord Tensai character.

A far better choice of finisher would have been the "Bernard Bomb" which Bloom used in Japan. Essentially an elevated sit-down powerbomb, the move looks incredibly impactful while showing some real skill in the process.

A match-ending move in that vein would really help fans respect Lord Tensai.

Open Up Lord Tensai's Move-Set

Bloom was brought back to the WWE due to the vast improvement of his in-ring work (as well as friends in the business). This makes the WWE's decision to seriously limit Lord Tensai's move-set all the more perplexing.

Part of the issue might be the transition from Japanese to American style of pro-wrestling but that cannot be the full explanation. Another contributory factor could be Bloom's proneness to the odd in-ring mistake.

Such an occurrence happened on Monday Night Raw when Bloom failed to properly elevate CM Punk and the two made a pig's ear of a double-handed chokeslam.

However, Bloom has proven himself to be far more reliable when allowed to start a match with some technical wrestling (as he did in Japan). Bloom is not the only big man to prefer to get into a rhythm when competing, as Kane also prefers this method of getting things started.

Opening up Bloom's move-set will fire the interest of pure-wrestling fans and a fanbase will emerge by itself. 

Turn Tensai Into A Manager Enforcer

The Lord Tensai character must be an intelligent man considering the fact he dominated in Japan. Surely this means that the character also realises that John Laurinaitis will only remain loyal while "Big Johnny" has a use for him.  

Therefore Tensai will, sooner or later, be moving on to feud with someone else in the WWE.

Keeping in the spirit of WWE's current creative direction, Lord Tensai could turn himself into the ultimate enforcer manager. His unique connection to the Japanese wrestling scene would mean that he could bring in ex-WWE talent who have also excelled in Japan.

Tensai would make a great dual-threat manager and enforcer. His combination of strength and political awareness, after previously allying himself with John Laurinaitis, could make him a significant figure in the management game.

This would be a great addition to the current manager revival and something new to WWE television.

Create Empathy Towards Lord Tensai

One of the biggest flaws with Lord Tensai's character is his alien nature. Most of the references to Japanese culture are misunderstood by average fans unless they have immersed themselves in the culture.

This leaves the character coming off as cold and distant, so fans don't connect with the new wrestler.

An easy, although arguably cheap, way to reconnect fans with the character, is an angle where the audience can empathise with the character's motives. The obvious choice for this is a revelation to why Lord Tensai is following the word of John Laurinaitis.

Feeling trapped by a circumstance beyond your control is something that all people feel and so it would be easy to empathise with the character from that moment on.