WWE: Analyzing Debuts That Forever Changed the Company

On this day 10 years ago, WWE changed forever when a generic looking guy in generic tights with generic theme music power walked to the ring to answer Kurt Angle's open challenge.

“Ruthless aggression” was the first two words uttered on WWE television by John Cena before he delivered a slap to Kurt Angle's face. Little did we know things would never be the same. 

Little did we know that this guy was next in line to be “the guy.”

In 2008, WWE produced a DVD on Triple H's career and in a sit down interview, Triple H revealed that he told Cena that he wasn't very good in the ring.

When you watch Cena's first match against Angle, you have to agree with Triple H's assessment.

Cena's offense was shocking the crowd. Fans expected an established name to come answer Angle's challenge and got a new face who quickly made an impact with a slap and clothesline sending Angle out the ring.

The remainder of that match was pretty straightforward with Cena taking bumps. The theme of the match was for Cena to kick out a bunch of times; his status as an unknown made his kick outs that much more impressive (and the commentators did a great job amplifying this).

It's interesting Cena got put in this position. It lets you see how those in charge a decade ago were better at scouting and predicting future wrestling stardom. Cena couldn't put on a great match then (and depending on who you ask, he still can't). But what they saw in Cena was the ability to be entertaining and to put people in the seats. Cena was also in great condition and had a passion to learn the business-side of wrestling.

And early on, he also was allowed to show off his talents with a microphone.

Just a bit of irony: when bringing Angle to the ring, Vince McMahon noted how Angle just made Hulk Hogan tap days earlier. A few days later he would take on a guy who would become the future of an wrestling era—just as Hogan had once been.

Now, let's take a look at some other debuts of talent that would go on to be the biggest names in WWE.

Before he was Stone Cold Steve Austin, he was The Ringmaster. This was an opposite situation from John Cena's debut. There was no doubt The Ringmaster could perform in the ring, but in order for this to happen, WWE would have to let the real Steve Austin separate himself from his bad-guy persona.

WWE would eventually be at a creative loss and would have to let Steve Austin be himself. Austin would turn into one of the biggest stars ever.

Then there is Rocky Maivia.

His debut resembled that of John Cena's. He had the athleticism and he continued to get better in the ring. Again, just like Cena, it would take a few months for WWE to realize Rock Maivia needed an injection of attitude to thrust himself to the top.

Looking back at these debuts is fun because I remember watching them live as they happened.

At the time, I certainly didn't predict that any of these guys would rise to the heights they did.
With all of the talent debuting on WWE this year (as the roster goes through a shift) be sure to capture their matches on DVR, as you never know what the next industry-changing debut might be.

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