5 Ways to Ensure Lars Sullivan Remains WWE Fixture for Years
Following months of anticipation, Lars Sullivan finally debuted on the April 8 edition of WWE Raw and made an immediate impact by decimating WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle.
Since then, he has been on an absolute tear that has seen him target the likes of The Hardy Boyz, Rey Mysterio and R-Truth. He was also assigned to SmackDown Live in the 2019 Superstar Shake-up, which is the best possible place for him right now with Raw being the land of the giants.
Although Sullivan has had a strong start on SmackDown, it is imperative that WWE continue to protect him in the months ahead. He proved during his time in NXT that, if pushed properly, he has what it takes to be a fixture on the roster for years to come.
With Big Show, Kane and Mark Henry no longer active competitors, Superstars such as Sullivan and Braun Strowman will have to step up to fill the massive void they left behind. Those larger-than-life athletes had such longevity in the company because of how they were handled, and Sullivan should be allowed to follow in their footsteps.
The first year of any competitor's career in WWE is crucial to their future success, and one wrong booking decision can cripple their career forever. The company must avoid making the same mistakes with Sullivan that it has with so many other promising prospects, and these five steps will ensure he remains on the right track to superstardom.
Maintaining Momentum in Feuds with Credible SmackDown Stars
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The 2019 Superstar Shake-up definitely took its toll on SmackDown Live with AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Rey Mysterio all moving to Monday Night Raw. However, their departures could lead to immediate opportunities for a fresh face such as Lars Sullivan.
Before he begins contending for championships or feuding with someone the level of Roman Reigns, he must first be built up through rivalries with credible competitors in SmackDown's midcard scene. WWE kicked off this process last month when he targeted R-Truth the moment he arrived on the blue brand.
Having held the WWE Tag Team and United States Championships on multiple occasions over the past decade, Truth has taken on almost everyone from both brands at one point or another during his storied stint in WWE. He has been perfectly positioned as a stepping stone for up-and-coming athletes in recent years while remaining popular with fans through his wacky antics.
Sullivan got the better of Truth in his first two weeks on SmackDown by annihilating him with ease. When the time comes for them to go one-on-one, expect Sullivan to win in dominant fashion, as he should.
From there, Sullivan can enter rivalries with the likes of Chad Gable, Apollo Crews and Ali. Holding victories over these established stars will make him that much more of a force to be reckoned with.
A slow and steady approach to his push early on is the way to go.
Winning Gold Before the End of 2019
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Lars Sullivan never had the honor of calling himself a champion while in NXT (though he did come close to capturing the NXT Championship at TakeOver: Chicago II in June), but that should change very soon on SmackDown Live.
The Superstars who have had the greatest rookie years in WWE history all clinched a title or two soon after debuting on the main roster. Kurt Angle became intercontinental champion in under three months, while Ronda Rousey won the Raw Women's Championship in her third-ever televised singles match.
Interestingly enough, Sullivan has gone on the record in saying that winning the WWE Championship in 18 months is a major goal of his. It may not be as far-fetched as it sounds, either, considering how quickly Brock Lesnar rose to superstardom years ago and knocked off The Rock for the prestigious prize within months of his WWE arrival.
In other words, don't be surprised to see Sullivan set his sights on Kofi Kingston's coveted piece of gold later this year and potentially win it. If nothing else, he'd generate great heat for that.
It'd be more realistic for Sullivan to first get involved in the Intercontinental Championship picture and beat Finn Balor for his belt, likely by SummerSlam. He is the antithesis of everything that title stands for, which is why it would work so well.
Remaining Undefeated for the Next Year
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The longer a Superstar stays undefeated in singles competition, the more of a threat they will become (and the more it will mean when they ultimately lose).
It's a tried-and-true formula that has worked wonders in wrestling over the years, with Asuka being one of many recent examples. She was booked to be unstoppable for over two-and-a-half years, and at WrestleMania 34, she finally suffered her first one-on-one loss to Charlotte Flair.
Granted, it was all downhill for The Empress of Tomorrow from there, but the point is that she was solidified as a star through her unprecedented undefeated streak. Sullivan doesn't need to go unbeaten for that long, but it's safe to say he shouldn't be pinned at any point over the next year given how he's been portrayed thus far.
Long-term booking isn't always WWE's forte, but Sullivan should be the exception. He has come across like an unhinged monster on the main roster in the last month, and eating defeat so soon after his debut would undoubtedly hurt the mystique he has at the moment.
This step in his ascent is a lot easier said than done. Although WWE may commit to Sullivan as a future main event player now, there's no telling how officials will view him by the close of 2019 and if they'll decide to end his undefeated streak so another Superstar can temporarily benefit from breaking it.
Less Is More on the Mic
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Most monsters in WWE let their destruction in the ring do the talking for them, but it doesn't hurt for them to have a mouthpiece.
Thankfully, WWE realized that was the case with Brock Lesnar early on in his run and partnered him up with Paul Heyman, one of the greatest talkers in the history of the business. Those two have been the perfect pairing ever since and should never be split up.
Having Heyman manage Lars Sullivan isn't an option for the foreseeable future with WWE announcing Lesnar's return to the squared circle, but there are other options if WWE wants to give him a mouthpiece. After all, NXT recently signed Stokely Hathaway and Robbie E to developmental deals, and both men have been working exceptionally well as managers for various wrestlers lately.
If WWE didn't want to fast-track either one of them to the main roster, it's entirely possible the company has Sullivan remain silent instead. He actually got quite a bit of mic time in NXT and usually fared pretty well for himself in his promos, but the material he would be given to work with by the WWE writers would likely be subpar.
He hasn't uttered a single word since his WWE debut the night after WrestleMania 35, and considering how dominant he's been over the past month, perhaps his lack of mic time is for the better. He should choose his words wisely and speak only when necessary. He'll be infinitely more intimidating that way.
Not Running into the Roman Reigns Roadblock
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It seems all great heels are built up over a stretch of time just so they can be fed to the biggest babyface in the yard. For years, John Cena was the one to vanquish every villain who came his way (later leading to their demise), and now that role belongs to Roman Reigns.
Reigns has never had a rival over the course of his career he didn't eventually beat. From Bray Wyatt to Triple H to even Brock Lesnar, he has overcome every obstacle put in front of him and has always been made to look strong.
Needless to say, Lars Sullivan embarking on a path of destruction only to lose to Reigns eventually would be a massive mistake.
All roads will likely lead to Sullivan colliding with Reigns at some point (potentially not until early next year). That could be a must-see feud for SmackDown Live if built up the right way, but by no means should Reigns hinder Sullivan's momentum by handing him his first loss.
Reigns would gain nothing from the victory (it's happened before with him and Braun Strowman), and Sullivan would clearly be worse off. It would actually be more impressive for Sullivan to squash Reigns for the WWE Championship (a la John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar from SummerSlam 2014) down the line.
Regardless of how a feud between these two comes to pass, it's imperative that Sullivan not be treated like just another opponent for Reigns. A defeat to the former universal champion would make him no different than everyone else, whereas beating The Big Dog when the lights are on bright would cause Sullivan's stock to skyrocket.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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