WWE's Patient Approach to Building Up Neville Is the Right Move

Neville's story is one of a rookie brimming with promise and foreshadowing greatness as he tangles with some of WWE's best.  

This story doesn't need him to pile up wins. Going this route since he moved up from NXT allows him to build a fanbase over time. It treats him like a star on the rise, not some meteor sure to burn bright for only a moment.

Not every introductory narrative needs to include an undefeated streak. Not every newcomer needs to do as Goldberg, Ryback, Rusev and Bo Dallas did. 

On Monday's Raw, WWE continued its alternative path for Neville. 

Dolph Ziggler was without an opponent thanks to Seth Rollins choosing to face Kane instead. The Showoff issued an open challenge, and Newcastle's own Neville stepped up.

It was by far the best bout of the evening. Ziggler hit a DDT that drove Neville's head into the mat like a tent stake. Neville responded with an Asai moonsault, some good work on the ground and a 450 splash off the guardrail.

The action was fun and fast-paced, and it was easy to walk away from it with a greater appreciation of The Man Who Gravity Forgot.

Just like last week, Neville took on a popular, successful member of the roster and pushed him. He made Rollins fight hard for his victory last week and now had Ziggler earn the win.

He also earned Ziggler's respect as seen by the moment they shared after the match. Before Sheamus broke things up with an assault on Ziggler, The Showoff reached down and patted Neville, seemingly praising him for his efforts.

For some, much of that gets lost in the result. 

Neville lost to Ziggler, just as he did to Rollins. He opens his main roster run with a 2-2 record. Goldberg's 173-0 that is not. 

This recent setback has fans and writers alike bemoaning how WWE is booking the former NXT champ. Benjamin Tucker of the Pro Wrestling Torch, for one, thinks that Neville can't afford any more defeats: 

Fans like Anthony Cancelliere have already pronounced Neville a jobber:

"

So its official Neville is a jobber #RAWLondon #wwe

— Anthony Cancelliere (@Tonycancelliere) April 14, 2015"

Stats don't tell the whole story in sports; they often tell us even less in sports-entertainment.

A pair of losses on two editions of Raw does not a jobber make. Jobbers don't get to have big moments like that 450 splash. They don't have their foes reeling. They don't control the matchup and dictate the pace as Neville did against Ziggler.

They simply suffer steamrollings, something Neville has certainly not done so far. 

WWE's plan is working. Neville was the talk of Raw. He was the highlight of the show. The company is putting him up against high-profile opponents and allowing him to showcase his otherworldly athleticism.

Even the competition is taking notice of Neville:

That kind of reaction is more important than wins and losses, at least early on. Neville is just getting started. Besides, WWE is having him balance things out with victories over Curtis Axel.

It's more important who he's facing and how WWE presents him. Remember that Dallas had a long undefeated streak. He struggles to get on TV today.

Look at the first four matches that Dallas, Adam Rose and Xavier Woods had when they moved to the main roster. Notice that while those rookies were on a roll record-wise, the name power of their foes wasn't as great as Neville's.

(Note: This doesn't count Dallas' first short stint on the main roster before his re-debut in 2014.)

Adam Rose

• Damien Sandow (Win)
• Jack Swagger (Win)
• Jack Swagger (Win)
• Heath Slater (Win)

Bo Dallas

• Sin Cara (Win)
• Sin Cara (Win)
• Xavier Woods (Win)
• Kofi Kingston (No contest)

Xavier Woods

• with R-Truth vs. 3MB (Win)
• Heath Slater (Win)
• with R-Truth vs. Tons of Funk (Loss)
• with R-Truth vs. Tons of Funk (Win)

Early on, Dallas was 3-0 with a no-contest. Rose was 4-0. Woods had one more win at this point than Neville, but would you really say that the high-flyer is in the same place as Woods right now?

While Rose was taking on Slater and Dallas was beating up on low midcarders, Neville's first two losses have come against the current WWE champ and a former world titleholder.

Credit: WWE.com

Dallas was never booked as a threat. Rose was treated like a comedic sideshow. WWE didn't act as if Woods was important.

That's been far from the case with Neville.

In the course of his first few battles, WWE has played up Neville's strengths and begun to plant the idea in the audience's minds that he will be a formidable force in the future.

The announcers heap praise on him. John Bradshaw Layfield called Neville "incredible" and "unbelievable." He talked up Neville's championship accomplishments at NXT with an excitement in his voice. 

The other commentators painted him as a tough, hard-nosed competitor in addition to being an athletic marvel. At one point in the match against Ziggler, Booker T said of Neville, "The kid is going to be great one day."

That's how you get a guy over. Sell the fans on how special he is and allow him to prove it between the ropes. Put him in the ring with high-quality competition, sit back and watch him go to work.

Neville wouldn't be better off if he was acquiring wins by knocking off Slater or Darren Young. He's been put in there with two great performers so far, and that's smart.

The narrative can now be about his journey upward at WWE. It can feature him working his way up the company hierarchy over time. Let fans take that journey with him, watching him grow, improve and eventually contend for championships.

The wins will come in time. 

All match statistics courtesy of CageMatch.net.