Conspiracy Theories: Who Killed John Cena?

This past Monday on RAW, the rookies of WWE NXT looked more like the veteran vigilantes who once called themselves the nWo. 

After weeks of having their flaws showcased, and suffering through the inevitable growing pains of professional wrestling before the very eyes of 10 percent of the RAW audience, the "Wild and Young" went buck wild at John Cena's expense.

The inevitable question of whodunnit has now set the stage for the WWE's annual big summer angle. 

Should this attack prove to have been masterminded by a higher power, there are quite a few names who automatically come to mind given the nature of events.  Some are obvious.  However, the conspiracy theorist in me may launch a curveball or two.  

Conspiracy Theory No. 1: The Michael Cole Theory

One of the aspects that stood out the most from the massacre in Miami was the sudden absence of Michael Cole.  

Michael Cole infamously utilized his airtime on WWE NXT to exercise his heel chops for the first time in his career.  

Cole's heel character has been slowly evolving as he was recently involved in a hot angle with IWC savior Daniel Bryan.  

It's also worth mentioning that before RAW went on the air, Michael Cole entered the Frank Erwin Center in Austin Texas accompanied by the sounds of "Boomer Sooner."  This is the theme music of Cole's beloved predecessor on RAW Jim Ross and, more importantly, the fight song for hated University of Texas rival Oklahoma. 

Scandalous!

Michael Cole seemed to be the one man who fled the scene unscathed on Monday night.  Had this been a legit gang beatdown, as was believed by many of the younger fans in attendance, Cole would have been one of the first individuals taken into custody for questioning. 

The lingering suspicions on Michael Cole were furthered the following night on WWE NXT when Josh Matthews made mention of the fact that Cole was able to get away without being attacked. 

Oddly enough, this elicited a smirk from the anti-Internet announcer. 

Hmm. 

There would definitely be some holes to be filled in should Michael Cole be revealed as the culprit behind these attacks.

Why has he been bashing Daniel Bryan?  Why was he siding with Miz and the pros?  How will Cole be able to call WWE TV and pay-per-view events going forward should he maintain that role?  Do heel play-by-play announcers work in today's wrestling?  Have they ever worked anywhere?

While Cole seems like the frontrunner as the Miami Massacre Mastermind at this point, the ensuing reveal could create more questions than answers thus crippling the angle (and at least three major pushes) entirely. 

The WWE will need to be very careful should Cole take the helm as the "baby Vince" character who was behind Cena's demise. 

Conspiracy Theory No. 2: The Paul Heyman Theory

One name that has been surfacing due to similarities in invasion philosophy is one Paul Heyman. 

This isn't the first time Heyman's name has been brought up in connection with a mainstream wrestling promotion as TNA was rumored to have been courting him for his services. 

Heyman would be a natural in the role of "Evil Genius" behind the sudden invasion of the WWE by a band of rebels who felt they were being overlooked. 

Now where have I heard that before? 

The irony here would be that Heyman would be heading up superstars who were featured on the very same show that was created to replace what was the slow on air death of Paul E's greatest creation: ECW. 

Heyman's presence in this angle would be filled with positive implications both in and out of the ring.

Heyman is a great talker, and with the exception of a few the stable of NXT rookies will need someone who really knows how to light a fire underneath a microphone.

Along with Heyman's expertise on the mic and in front of a camera, Heyman is a proven developer of talent. 

Creating ECW from the ground up then moving on to the OVW where he helped discover superstars such as Batista and Brock Lesnar, Heyman would be the perfect wrestling mind to help cultivate the young talent that is the WWE NXT roster. 

Don't get me wrong, I do not have the same undying loyalty to Paul Heyman that seems to be ubiquitous among wrestling purists. 

Truth be told, I think the guy is a bit of a con man.

However with some oversight and the ability to play to his strengths, Paul Heyman just may be the best solution to the intricate dilemma the WWE finds itself in in trying to follow up on a red hot angle. 

One can only dream.

Conspiracy Theory No. 3: The Vince McMahon Theory

Vince McMahon recently returned to television to issue a veiled warning to Bret "The Hitman" Hart. 

McMahon's tongue in cheek message to his longtime rival was that he hopes Bret's run as RAW General Manager has a happy ending.

The questions created by such a statement after Vince's first television appearance, since being steel chaired half to death at Wrestlemania 26, may already have some answers.  

An NXT beatdown of Bret Hart would be a productive way to move Bret from a taxing GM role, one that I am still convinced isn't a long term plan for the 53-year-old stroke victim.

The beatdown would obviously have to be done off camera.  A Daniel Bryan kick to the head is something Bret cannot sustain at this point in his career, let alone some of the other brutal finishers some of these rather green rookies bring to the table.  

Bret can be taken out in the same fashion as The Undertaker where we don't see it actually happen and it is explained by the man who was behind it all:  Vincent Kennedy McMahon. 

Vince McMahon has been front and center for the last few big summer angles from the "sale" of RAW (scrapped, some investors actually thought it was real), to the  "Who's your daddy " angle (scrapped from Kennedy to Hornswoggle), to his imminent "death" (scrapped due to the untimely death of Chris Benoit). 

In case you couldn't tell, Vince tends to be a bit too ambitious with these angles.  He seems to grasp at straws to pop a rating, thus becoming his own worst enemy. 

VKM can't afford to become his own worst enemy in times like these, where his top stars are injured, retired, or making grandbabies and he needs young stars to step up fast.

For all his criticisms, Vince seems to come through more times than not.  Hopefully, for the long term sake of his own company, he will be able to shake what has been a summer curse over the past few years and rise to the occasion should he be implicated in this angle. 

Conspiracy Theory No. 4:  The Kane Theory

The big summer angle that has recently taken a backseat to the NXT massacre involves Kane's pursuit of the individual (or individuals) who placed his brother The Undertaker in a vegetative state. 

In the back of the mind of anybody who has read elementary level mystery novels lies the school of thought that Kane himself did it. 

Ugh.

If that's the case, perhaps the WWE takes cues from ABC's Lost and merges two big time mystery angles together as one. 

Perhaps Kane somehow reveals that he convinced the NXT rookies to beat up The Undertaker, thus...

You know what? No.  Kane had better not be behind any of the shenanigans that victimized the Undertaker.  Not only would that be silly, and predictably patronizing even to the young fanbase the WWE covets, but nobody wants to see Kane v. Taker XVII.

Nobody. 

The WWE often goes into CLUE mode during the summer.  Intriguing mysteries filled with characters who are all possible suspects creates compelling television and has been proven to sustain the very ratings that are absent from the WWE in the months following Wrestlemania.  

The NXT invasion angle is one of the most important angles the WWE has concocted in years.  A strong follow up and proper booking going forward could make or break a handful of potentially great careers.  

The WWE is a machine and will continue to move forward no matter what.  

However given the current circumstances facing the WWE, a mishandling of the young talent involved in the biggest angle of the year to date could stop the Fed dead in its tracks.