WWE creative is on a role as of late with how they have developed the R-Truth character each week to be a psychotic, schizophrenic and unpredictable. R-Truth himself, has done very well with getting negative crowd reaction with his edgy heel antics, such as throwing a beverage on the John Cena “fan” during the Memorial Day edition of Monday Night Raw.
[adinserter block=”2″]One thing that WWE has also done well with the new R-Truth character is making him unpredictable. Because Raw is a live show, R-Truth’s new change benefits both the company and the fans. During the summer, networks are concerned with television ratings because of the fewer amount of people are watching television, which leads me to what WWE should do during the summer with R-Truth: give him a two month run with WWE Championship including winning the title at the Capitol Punishment Pay-Per-View June 19th in Washington D.C.
The typical expectation is John Cena will retain the title at the event. My idea would be to have R-Truth beat Cena and then have him win the title back at WWE SummerSlam in August, just in time for the new fall television season. In the past WWE has dropped the ball with ‘transitional champions’ or superstars they give the belt to in order to see how it works with the fans. An R-Truth title reign, if done right, could provide some fun and entertaining television. One thing WWE could do is have the anonymous Raw General Manager make things difficult for R-Truth and they could play back to the old school race card angle with R-Truth thinking that “The Man” is out to get him because he is black.
With Randy Orton on SmackDown, Triple H in his new role in WWE corporate, and The Rock only making special appearances on Raw due to making new movies before his return, which is expected sometime early 2012 leading up to his WrestleMania 28 match with Cena in Miami, the current R-Truth character is not only a fresh change for the former boring dancing and rapping babyface character, but also a nice change in the title picture, and a new feud for Cena.
[adinserter block=”1″]I like the fact that WWE has gone with someone different instead of the same talent we have seen over and over. This makes the title picture more interesting to watch. I have heard it time and again, and agree, there is money in the chase when the babyface chases after the current heel champion to win the title.
I don’t think Cena’s credibility would be hurt if he drops the title to R-Truth. Nobody really expected Cena to lose to Shameus, but he did, and he is still over with the fans, even as the current champion. Despite Cena’s past losses to Shameus, I don’t think WWE will give R-Truth the belt, even though it would both an interesting experiment and an unexpected change which is a 50/50 gamble with how it could affect the ratings leading up to SummerSlam in August. But because there is more money in Cena for the Summer, I don’t expect WWE to give R-Truth a short title reign.
For more from Jerome Wilen check out his website, Pro Wrestling Ringside – http://prowrestlingringside.blogspot.com
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Your preaching to the choir Jerome, but Cena is back in Hulkamania mode and Truth will probably be on in a long line of Dungeon of Doom type monsters to fend off and overcome. You also bring up a good point about summer ratings, and if this was ever the time to complete blow something up, why not push the plunger?