WWE: The 25 Random Thoughts of a Wrestling Super Fan

The current state of WWE can best be described as "status quo." The main event picture, outside of John Cena, Randy Orton, and Triple H, has seen an influx of new blood in the form of The Miz, R-Truth, Mark Henry, Sheamus, Christian, and Cody Rhodes. The roster is the youngest it has been in quite some time, maybe ever, and the audience has seen fit to follow suit.

It is more common to see 12-year-olds and their mothers in the crowd than it is to see the 18-35 demographic that flocked to arenas during the Attitude Era.

Join me inside as I take a look at the rapidly changing landscape of WWE, including the state of the main event, of the performers, of the fanbase, the programming, the creative team and the power structure. No topic, performer, or show is off-limits. While staying largely positive, there will be those on the receiving end of criticism and deservedly so.

Welcome to the mind of a wrestling fan, a writer, and at times, a critic. Enter at your own risk.

(Credit WWE.com for all photos used within)

25. Dolph Ziggler's Time Is Coming Sooner Than You May Expect

The comparisons have been made before but Dolph Ziggler is this generation's Mr. Perfect. He may also be, at the end of the day, the modern-day equivalent of Shawn Michaels.

That statement carries a lot of weight with it. Michaels is, arguably, the greatest professional wrestler to ever step foot inside a ring and Curt Hennig is one of the sport's most talented. To compare anyone on the current roster to either man may be considered wrestling blasphemy.

But, when one considers the obstacles Ziggler has had to overcome, and his rapid development as an in-ring worker, it is hard to argue that Dolph has the potential to be one of the truly great Superstars when his career comes to an end.

Dolph has been a caddy and a male cheerleader. He survived an ill-timed Wellness Policy suspension and months jobbing on Raw and Smackdown. Six years on the main roster, no matter the ups and downs, has allowed Ziggler to gain experience others have not had the opportunity to gain.

He has learned from being in the squared cicle with the likes of Rey Mysterio, Edge, John Cena and fellow young Superstars such as Kofi Kingston, John Morrison and Daniel Bryan. As a result, he has become one of the more well-rounded in-ring performers, and his promo abilities are rapidly improving.

His constant evolution as a performer has been rewarded with an increased presence on WWE television and pay-per-view.

The sky is the limit for Dolph and his rise to the main events in WWE is approaching more rapidly than anyone could have expected.

24. Wrestlemania Is No Longer the Best Show of the Year

Remember when Wrestlemania was the consensus pick for every "Best Pay-Per-View" award at the end of each year?

Wrestlemania was once the show where every major feud, every major storyline concluded. Match quality, typically, exceeded every other event and the glitz and glamour was simply a fraction of what made the show special.

Today, Wrestlemania is a pay-per-view event where one major match headlines and the focus of the show is centered on the spectacle. As sad as it may be to say, as a long-time wrestling fan, Wrestlemania now gets by solely on its name and reputation.

For two years running, it can be argued, Money in the Bank has been the best overall pay-per-view of the year. Sure, Wrestlemania 26 boasted the Match of the Year in Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels II but this year, more so than any in recent history, not a single happening at Wrestlemania 27 has or will have long-lasting effects on the rest of the year.

The Rock returned and Triple H and The Undertaker had a spectacular match in the middle of the show but two events involving part-time personalities is hardly what Wrestlemania once was about.

Money in the Bank, on the other hand, was a five-star event. It featured two high-quality ladder matches, the continued push of Mark Henry towards the World Heavyweight Championship, a solid Randy Orton-Christian match, and the 2011 Match of the Year between CM Punk and John Cena.

Wrestlemania is still the most special event on the calendar year. It is the one show fans, whether casual or die-hard, still flock to see. But until those in power focus on the entire card rather than one or two individual matches, the show will continue to pale in comparison to the more complete events, such as Money in the Bank.

23. There Has to Be Something for Rosa Mendes to Do

Really? The Divas division is more focused on models and pushing beauty over ability then ever before and the creative team cannot find anything for Rosa to do?

She could not have taken the spot currently occupied by Aksana? Really?

22. Brodus Clay: Future WWE or World Heavyweight Champion

Brodus Clay will return to WWE television on the Nov. 7 edition of Raw, if the video package aired Halloween night is any indication. And when he does, fans unfamiliar with the former bodyguard of Snoop Dogg will quickly become familiarized with the future world champion.

Clay is a younger big man in the same vein as Mark Henry. He is a dominating force inside the squared circle and one that, if booked properly, could become the lead heel in a company currently populated by strong babyfaces.

Brodus will have to improve his in-ring game, which was already impressive for a man of his size prior to his injury at Extreme Rules.

If he can do that, if he can prove he is willing to learn and to improve, and he can get the creative team behind him, there is no reason he cannot be a potential Hall of Fame-type performer.

21. Tyson Kidd Is Not as Good as You Think He Is

Tyson Kidd is an Internet favorite, and for good reason. He is a graduate of the Hart Family Dungeon and a solid technician. And therein lies the problem. Kidd is only a solid technical wrestler when, considering the other areas he lacks in, he really needs to be a great technical wrestler.

Tyson seriously lacks microphone skills. This has been acknowledged before. WWE even attempted to aid him in a short-lived storyline on the Superstars program by experimenting with managers. It did not work and since then, Kidd has been relegated to the NXT program, the "no man's land" of WWE television.

The fact of the matter is, since the Hart Dynasty was broken up in November of last year, Tyson Kidd has regressed as a worker. He relies far too heavily on rest holds, ie. chin locks, and has no real in-ring personality.

If Tyson ever hopes to move up the ladder, to build on the legacy of his trainers, to stay gainfully employed in WWE, he will have to show the kind of progress that, to this point, seems to be nonexistent.

20. Mason Ryan Is the Worst Wrestler on Television

And there are A LOT of wrestlers on television.

19. Sin Cara Will Not Last Another Year

The Sin Cara experiment has failed miserably, unless you count merchandise sales.

When Triple H made Mistico the first hire of his post-wrestling career, there were hopes to make the international icon the company's eventual replacement for Rey Mysterio.

Despite the terrific sales of his flashy new mask, Sin Cara has provided little to nothing to the WWE landscape. He has failed to evolve as an in-ring worker, relying far too heavily on head-scissors and high spots.

Perhaps a stay at FCW in Florida, which he skipped out on upon signing with WWE, would have allowed him to shore up his skills and gain a better understanding of the WWE style of wrestling.

Factor in his suspension for violating the company's Wellness Policy, and an ego that has, reportedly, rubbed some of his co-workers the wrong way, and you have a Superstar who has proven to be a bigger problem than he has an asset.

Whether Sin Cara can or cannot become the performer many expected him to be by this point is irrelevent. Thus far, there have been far too many negatives to cover up with merchandise sales.

Unless something changes, expect the one-time Mistico to be back performing in Mexico by this time next year.

18. Thus Far, Alberto Del Rio Has Been a Failure as WWE Champion

Alberto Del Rio debuted with a ton of hype and excitement in September 2010. He was immediately considered to be the next big, breakout Superstar. And for the most part, he lived up to his expectations.

Then he was drafted to Raw.

And all of the momentum Del Rio had gained on Smackdown came to a screeching halt. He was shoved aside and jobbed to CM Punk fairly clean on a number of occasions.

His two WWE Championship reigns to this point have been utter failures, the product of poor booking and the unstoppable force that is SuperCena.

It would be fair to say that Del Rio's character has been damaged to such an extent that he no longer has the upside he once did. At this point, Dolph Ziggler is far and away the star with more potential and that can be seen the reactions Del Rio incites every week. It has been quite a long time since a heavyweight champion has had as little heat as ADR.

With that said, it is not too late to help him recover from the major slump he finds himself in. Stronger booking, more character development, and more personality from Del Rio during matches, will help elicit the type of reaction both he and the company are hoping for.

As for his title reign and future aspirations, perhaps this run should come to an end at Survivor Series and the Mexico native should return to the title picture only when he is more ready.

17. Evan Bourne's Suspension Cost Him His Biggest Push Yet

Evan Bourne has been one of the more talented members of the WWE roster for years now. He is an exciting young Superstar with the potential to be one of the forces within the company in the future. It also does not hurt that John Cena is a stout backer of the St. Louis native.

With that said, Bourne has never truly been able to sustain the pushes he has received. For whatever reason, he has been pushed and de-pushed on a number of occasions. Whether it be injury or disinterest, the creative team has just not been able to keep him in the spotlight.

Then Air Boom came along.

The tag team, featuring Bourne and Kofi Kingston, quickly became WWE Tag Team Champions. They re-energized the stagnant tag division and were among the more popular acts in the company as it entered the fall season.

Then Bourne made a mistake and was suspended for 30 days, the result of a Wellness Policy violation.

Evan Bourne single-handedly derailed his own push, this time. It was a mistake that not only put any future push into question but also leaves his tag partner, Kingston, in a sticky situation.

With the Raw brand populated by high-profile main event stars and storylines, there is little room for Kofi to advance up the ladder on the Raw brand. He has, essentially, been left in limbo.

Air Boom may or may not be tag champions upon Bourne's return to the company. They may or may not be a team once Evan returns.

16. It Is Time to Give Up on John Morrison

There is something to be said for a Superstar that cannot capitalize on the seemingly endless pushes given to him. John Morrison is that Superstar.

It is not like WWE has not given him numerous opportunities to step his game up and become a permanent member of the upper echelon within the company.

Morrison, often, has responded with some sort of stupid comment or act that has garnered him heat with the boys and bosses in the back. Usually, the heat centers around Morrison's real-life girlfriend Melina.

At what point does the company realize that Morrison just is not worth the time or energy devoted to making him a star when, in all likelihood, he will do something idiotic that will cause him to be shuffled back down the card?

Add to that the fact that he is very spotty in his ring work and has a tendency to completely botch some of the more high-risk offense he employs, and you have a guy that could do just the same in TNA.

15. Christian Is the WWE's MVP

Christian is the rare performer who can absorb hundreds of losses in a row yet still be as over with the crowd the next night or week as he was before. He is a high-profile main event attraction on the Smackdown brand that can be paired with anyone on the roster and give them instant credibility.

He is very much like "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase was in the 1980's and early '90s. Outside of his year-long flirt with the absolute top of the card, DiBiase was always a high-card villain who was programmed with mid-card babyfaces and trusted to get the rivalry over and make his opponent more important than he was previously.

In that way, DiBiase was as important as any other star on the roster, outside of the top draw.

Christian is in the same role. He is helping to get and keep Sheamus over as a babyface performer. He was the whiny heel, begging for one more shot at Randy Orton's championship over the summer. Christian is, in many ways, the glue that holds Smackdown together.

He, along with Orton, can be trusted to have great matches, even if they are on the undercard. And Christian, as mentioned above, can recover from a loss with one simple irritating promo. He is a valuable asset and, arguably, WWE's most valuable player.

14. Zack Ryder Is for Real

Most of the top stars over the course of wrestling's long and illustrious history have been men and women who were fans of the business growing up. John Cena was a fan. CM Punk was a fan. Triple H was, too. Zack Ryder is another long-time fan finally poised to break out.

Ryder has gained a strong fanbase via his Internet show Z! True Long Island Story. It was through that show that Zack Ryder went from the "endangered employees list" to one of the company's most beloved. Because of the show, and because of the fan reaction to it, Ryder slowly began appearing more frequently on broadcasts and even received his own merchandise line.

Now, he is one of the most popular stars on Raw, is a major merchandise mover for the company, and appears ready to take the next step up the ladder, presumably with a United States Championship reign.

For those questioning whether he is ready for the push or the spot, be reassured that he is and at the end of the day, may become a bigger star than he, the fans, or anyone else may have imagined.

13. Why Isn't Ted DiBiase Allowed to Be Himself?

To this point in his WWE career, DiBiase has been pushed as a "fortunate son," a third-generation Superstar who grew up living the extravagant life. The problem is, young Ted DiBiase is not that guy.

Ted is a good ol' boy, a country boy who simply does not fit the character given to him by creative. So, rather than shoving him down the fans' collective throat as something he is not, why not help the talented performer by allowing him to be himself in front of the cameras?

Have him denounce the fame and fortune he lived in for so long. Allow him to be the redneck tailgater he really is. It is a character that many in the audience could relate to and one that would be different from the other, vanilla characters on the roster.

12. AJ and Kaitlyn Are Just What the Divas Division Needs

The Divas division, to be blunt, sucks. It is full of women who, for whatever reason, are not allowed the opportunity to showcase their personalities. They simply walk to the ring, have their match, rinse and repeat for the following week.

Part of that is the creative team's fault, another is Vince McMahon's fault, yet there is blame to be laid at the feet of the women themselves. They express no character or personality while in the ring and thus, fans have no reason to care.

AJ and Kaitlyn have personality. They almost have too much personality. They are the nerdy Divas that every 18-25 male audience member can relate to. They are bubbly and sarcastic and, for the most part, everything most the female roster is not.

They are green to WWE ways, however, and their inexperience may lead to them wasting away on Superstars and NXT longer than necessary.

Whatever the case, the WWE is currently missing the boat with two young women who could generate interest in a dying division. At the very least, a tag team feud with the Bella Twins could be more than interesting. They need a marketable name, though.

I suggest "Geek Goddesses."

11. William Regal Is the Most Underutilized Talent on the Roster

There is nothing more to say. One of the most talented performers the industry has EVER seen.

Can we replace Booker with the former European, Tag Team and Intercontinental Champion? Please?

10. John Laurinaitis Is the Black Hole of Charisma

Any chance we can re-hire Mike Adamle for this role? At least he was entertaining.

9. The "Conspiracy" Storyline Has Jumped the Shark

The storyline that has run, in some shape or form, since the summer has jumped the proverbial shark.

Is Vince McMahon pulling the strings? Is Triple H still the COO? What role do Miz and R-Truth play in everything? Wasn't CM Punk the emphasis for all of this? Is John Laurinaitis the worst character on television? John Cena's turning heel, right? Where does Kevin Nash fit in?

When there are that many questions surrounding one storyline, and fans begin to get the feeling that even the creative team does not know the answers to any of them, the story has officially jumped the shark.

It is time to wrap everything up by Survivor Series. Put it out of its misery and move on.

8. Vickie Guerrero Is Vital Part of the Mid-Card Scene

Vickie Guerrero, in six years, has evolved to become one of the most interesting and important characters on WWE television. As a manager to male talents, she is one of the most over acts on the show and one of its most hated.

She has the ability to take someone like Jack Swagger, with his in-ring talents, and simply by association, make them a far more effective heel than they were before.

It worked in the '80s and '90s when Vince McMahon and Co. would plug the likes of Hercules, Barbarian and Warlord with managers like Mr. Fuji. Those men would become effective undercard villains because the fans had so much hate for their manager.

There are a number of undercard performers who could benefit from a manager such as Vickie. Since those managers do not exist, and Vickie is the only one, she remains vital in the mid-card scene and in getting over the Superstars who had trouble doing so on their own.

7. We Hate Cena

You have heard this song and dance before. Cena wins too much. Fans are sick of Cena. Blah, blah, blah. Good guy, underrated worker, over-pushed. It will not change.

Moving on...

6. Why Does NXT Exist?

Before anyone jumps on me, allow me to preface this by saying I know why NXT exists in theory. It is supposed to be the brand that the developmental talent can gain exposure on so that the fans can familiarize themselves with the talent. In theory, the show serves a defined purpose and is, actually, a great idea.

Unfortunately, the creative team does not care enough about the brand and, as a result, nearly every show since the conclusion of Season 2 has been treated as the "red-headed step child" of the company.

For starters, the writing is terrible. Their stories are half-assed. The fans have no reason to care about any of the performers and the show, taking place exclusively on WWE.com, is not seen by enough fans for anyone to know or follow the weekly episodes.

And it is a shame. Derrick Bateman has improved steadily, as has the once-horrid Titus O'Neal. Darren Young was making progress before his Wellness Policy suspension.

Add to it the undercard performers that do not have the spotlight of a Raw or Smackdown to showcase their skills and you have the makings of an entertaining show, which it is not because of disinterest from creative.

Why does NXT exist? I am not sure I know the answer to that. If the creative team does not care, the fans do not care. And that helps no one involved. Which is sad. A lot of solid talent involved in the show.

Oh, and Maxine is HOT.

5. Is It Time for Big Show to Retire?

The Big Show is a lovable guy. He also appears to be working hard and legitimately loves what he does. But age is starting to rear its ugly head and with age comes the limiting of what Show can do between the ropes.

His match with Mark Henry was a very good, potentially underrated performance at Vengeance. But one match does not change the fact that Big Show has become boring. Every time he steps in the ring, fans have a pretty solid idea of what they are getting.

In no way is this an indictment on the Big Show. I do not dislike him. But no fan wants to see a veteran reduced to wrestling the same match over and over because his body or his age will not let him change it up.

4. Does The Rock Have Anything to Give the Wrestling Business Beyond a Buyrate?

The Rock's return to WWE is exciting. I get that. I, like many, was lucky enough to grow up during the Attitude Era, where Rock was THE guy.

The idea of him returning for one more mega-match with John Cena is awesome and I cannot wait for that showdown come April of next year. But other than a huge buyrate, does Rock really have anything to give to the company?

The match with Cena really does nothing for the company, as both men are already major stars. The Survivor Series match is less about Miz and Truth, who have already been buried by Cena in two consecutive weeks, and more to do with the Wrestlemania opponents.

So what does The Rock offer WWE? The answer, whether anyone wants to admit it or not, is nothing. He offers absolutely nothing, except for a million pay-per-view buys.

And I do not believe WWE has any other purpose for him.

3. When Is Chris Jericho Coming Back?

Seriously. Any ideas? Anyone? Please?

2. Sheamus Will Be WWE's Most Popular Sooner Rather Than Later

As a die-hard wrestling fan, who watches WWE programming religiously, I still have no idea where Sheamus' popularity came from. One minute, he was among the most hated men on the roster and, seemingly overnight, he transformed into one of the company's most popular.

In one night, Sheamus stood up to the massive and dominating Mark Henry and suddenly, all of the fans' anger and hate swiftly turned to adulation and respect. He became one of the top babyfaces on Smackdown and in the entire WWE. And sooner, rather than later, Sheamus will become the sport's most popular.

John Cena already has a split audience. CM Punk caters much more to the 18-35 demographic but does not quite have the support of the kids and moms that populate the "WWE Universe." As a matter of fact, the only Superstar who could rival Sheamus' popularity is his Smackdown peer Randy Orton.

1. Randy Orton Is the Best Professional Wrestler on Television

There will undoubtedly be backlash for this pick. I expect that. But at this point, on Nov. 7, 2011, there is no wrestler in WWE, TNA, or any other major promotion in North or South America better than Randy Orton.

In a few short years, Orton has evolved into the most complete professional wrestler the WWE has. He is a solid talker. He has become the most reliable in-ring performer, with his matches rarely disappointing. There has not been a main event wrestler so open to evolving his style and changing up his moveset than Randy Orton.

What was once a very vanilla moveset, one Randy used to "just get by," has become an intricate set that works perfectly in sync with the reaction of the crowd. He knows exactly when to pop the crowd and when to slow things down.

Randy has become a master story-teller. He does things in the ring that no one else does. Everything from facial expressions to body language really helps to get the emotion of the match over the crowd and that is something sorely missing across the wrestling landscape.

Being able to throw 30 German suplexes or knowing eight different submission moves is awesome. As a fan, I love technical wrestling.

But if you can piece all of the fancy moves and submissions together to tell a story to the fans, to get the fans emotionally invested in the match, then those moves are for nothing. Randy Orton does that better than anyone else on WWE television right now and that makes him the best.

For those that argue, that is fine. You are all entitled to your own opinion. But remember this when making your argument: just because you do not like someone, or you feel as though they are over-pushed and win too many championships, does not make that performer any less great nor does it diminish any of his accomplishments.