Best Long-Term Feuds for Neville After WWE Extreme Rules 2015
After making his debut just a few weeks ago, there's little doubt that Neville is set to make one of the smoothest transitions from NXT to the main roster thus far.
A man with his talents is always going to find a following, and his first few bouts have done just that. Between the Red Arrow and his other feats, he's bound to be a star—and his war crate has plenty left in store.
Now what's crucial for the continued development of The Man That Gravity Forgot is a strong feud for him to sink his teeth into. One-off wins and losses are fine for an introduction, but to really engage with Neville, fans need to see him enter into a rivalry.
Neville could likely win over crowds by wrestling a paper bag, but a top-flight opponent will get him where he's headed a lot quicker. Here are some of the best picks for Neville to set his sights upon.
5. Sheamus
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Since his return to our screens last month, Sheamus has been on a roll. The Celtic Warrior has made it clear that he's out to rid the roster of what he's described as "vertically challenged runts," and it would be very interesting to see what Neville would have to say to that.
Pitting Neville against the towering Sheamus would allow for his high-flying acumen to really shine. Levelled against the power of the Great White, it's not difficult to imagine a very interesting dynamic to their matches.
Both men have demonstrated their skills in the ring time and time again, and with a storyline prebaked thanks to Sheamus' disparaging comments regarding the shorter athletes on the roster, all that's left is the spark that prompts the two to collide.
NXT fans know that Neville is perfectly primed to undercut what Sheamus is saying—his deadlift German suplex would be a very fitting way to demonstrate that size isn't everything.
4. The Miz
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Now that The Miz is seemingly done with his stunt double, he'll need a new foe—and Neville could be just the man for the job.
It's hard to think of two WWE superstars more different than The Miz and Neville. While the former has built a career around his media savvy and his crossover appeal, the latter has carved his niche through international competition and in-ring excellence.
That's the sort of contrast that could make for a no-nonsense TV feud that fans can engage with. The Miz is a hated villain following his mistreatment of Mizdow, so why not play up his superficiality to the benefit of a brand-new fan favourite?
Miz could poke fun at the way Neville looks and his Geordie accent—he'd get his own back with a flurry of kicks and a perfectly placed Red Arrow. As long as The Miz learns to catch an opponent going for a suicide dive, this could be a very entertaining feud.
3. Randy Orton
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Safe prediction time: At some point, we're going to see the Red Arrow countered into an RKO.
It's no secret that Randy Orton can't resist hitting his finishing move out of nowhere. Many will fondly remember his RKO to Evan Bourne mid-AirBourne a few years ago, and he can no doubt go one better with Neville's aerial assault.
However, that's just one element that could add to this feud. Orton has looked completely re-energized since his return to active competition. His match with Seth Rollins at WrestleMania was gripping, and hopefully that pairing can produce the same magic come this Sunday.
Paired with a stellar up-and-comer, there are few who can do as much as the Viper. Even as a newly minted fan favourite, he's a great option to feud with Neville; the Englishman is going to win fans by putting on great matches, and Orton is no stranger to that.
The only question is whether it's best to wait for Orton to return to his villainous ways. That's where Randy is at his zenith even if the fans are too attached to let him lurk in the shadows for too long. Still, even if the rivalry was based on friendly competition, these two would undoubtedly knock it out of the park.
2. Seth Rollins
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Neville's match with Seth Rollins on Raw was excellent, but it was just a taste of what the pair could offer up.
Obviously, Neville is nowhere near the front of the queue for a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. This feud wouldn't have to be about the belt for now; instead, Neville should be chasing the win that he fell short of in their earlier encounter.
Losing to Rollins was a statement as to Neville's position on the card. If he can pull off a win a few months down the line, it will speak volumes about his progression over the time in between.
Of course, he'll have to remain potent over the course of that time, too. Neville and Rollins seem ideal for an on-again, off-again feud, crossing paths every now and again to attempt to one-up their last encounter. These are two of the best in-ring performers in WWE, so it would be wise to see what they can come up with together.
1. Cesaro
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If WWE wants Neville to deliver on his potential, he needs in-ring opposition that can match his skills. If you're looking for in-ring expertise, the first name on anyone's list should be Cesaro.
We've seen the Swiss Superman deliver great matches with all kinds of opponents, but when he's battling graduates of the independent scene, he's nigh-on unmatchable. These two have squared off in NXT before, but both men have perfected their craft even further since.
This is the sort of pairing that could easily make the best of a long television feud. This type of talent knows how to keep a match fresh, building on previous encounters to produce an ongoing rivalry that keeps audiences gripped.
A best-of-seven series could allow the two to shine, delivering weeks of top-draw TV action before things come to a head at a pay-per-view.
As more and more NXT talents graduate to the main roster, there are going to be a lot of matches that fans are desperate to see become a reality. It's a competitive list for sure, but Cesaro vs. Neville has to be near the very top in terms of pure in-ring action.
Who do you want to see The Man That Gravity Forgot take on? Let us know in the comments section below.
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