WWE closed down their ECW brand earlier this year and revealed their plans of launching a new show with the “future” of the business. A group of young kids were given the rarest opportunity to show up and make a name for themselves. No doubt, fresh faces like Daniel Bryan, Michael Tarver, Skip Sheffield, Darren Young, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel and David Otunga brought a fresh lease of air into the business. But as the season one is gradually coming to an end; the most disturbing question is looming large, what’s next? WWE, quite visibly, had planned this new format with keeping UFC’s “The Ultimate Fighter” show in mind. In that show also, veteran UFC fighters train individual MMA youngsters in a elimination based tournament. But things that blend well with MMA and its format may turn out to be a serious headache for WWE.

MMA is a sport where the fighting is real. In fact, much like boxing or kick-boxing, it’s only fighting. So, an elimination based show here automatically earns the required credibility among the fans. They know only the toughest will survive. But pro wrestling is quite different. WWE is, as they call themselves, “sports entertainment”. The bouts are pre-fixed, it’s more like a weekly entertainment program. The matches, rivalries, storylines, all are superficial. But the fans love it because of its high voltage drama, action and complete entertainment. Here the youngsters train themselves to fight safely inside the ring and at the same time, make it look real. In a storyline based sports, therefore, a “TUF” like format generally won’t work.

The NXT youngsters are good, but don’t yet look ready to jump into the RAW or Smackdown ring yet. But as WWE is maintaining a particular show format, a NXT 2 season looks inevitable. But what would happen to this season 1 participants? WWE is apparently trying to begin a new storyline with these rookies. During the 07.06.1983 house-show of RAW, these kids appeared during the main event match between John Cena and CM Punk. They were wearing black armbands written “N” on them and beat up Punk’s Straight Edge Society, John Cena, the WWE announcers. They also destroyed the announce table and left the whole ringside area torn up. It will be interesting to see what storyline WWE comes up with next. Let’s hope at least some of these NXT season 1 rookies will be able to make it big one day.

WWE is toying with the possibility of turning a top WWE superstar to turn heel and lead The Nexus, the group of seven WWE rookies who participated in WWE NXT: Season 1. The superstars who are under consideration of this new story angle are Triple H and, believe it or not, John Cena!

Triple H wanted to turn heel and as he was already out for some time now, a heel turn without investing much time in developing a storyline was quite possible. Secondly, The Nexus does not like Sheamus and so is Triple H. So he was a perfect candidate. But Hunter underwent a surgery last week to heal his tendon tear. He will be out action for next 2-4 months which apparently keeps him out of the “Summerslam” picture.

On the contrary, WWE has been very particular to maintain the “Mr. Clean” image of John Cena. Fans, at times, had been visibly tired and frustrated to see John Cena as a babyface but WWE creative team always stuck to their plans. He is highly popular among young kids and WWE earns the highest revenue from selling his merchandise.  In fact, the company has been so concerned to maintain his clean image that recently they changed the name of his trademark finishing move from “F U” to “Attitude Adjustment”. “F U” clearly points to a slang and the change proves how desperate WWE is to keep John in the good books of the WWE fans.

Storyline-wise, Cena’s union with The Nexus will make zero sense. Guys who cost him the WWE Championship thrice, how can you just turn around and join them? Such a WCW-style, no-logic angle was acceptable and quite frequent in the “Monday Night Wars” days, but not anymore.

Even if Cena turns the “bad boy”, who will fill up his place? Randy Orton is a ‘tried and tested’ failure to be the “Main Man”. Edge’s return as a face earlier this year proved he is just not quite acceptable as a face. Storyline-wise, Chris Jericho or CM Punk can’t turn a face during this time. John Morrison, R-Truth, Ted DiBiase, Sheamus, Mark Henry – nobody is a big enough superstar to fit in the shoe’s of John Cena. Having great villains is important to make the angels work, but only if you have better heroes.