The 2016 brand split has been a very interesting ride thus far. With both brands getting a brand new look, along with some fresh new faces, along with SmackDown going live and getting a huge boost in ratings, things could certainly be worse.
Unfortunately for the flagship brand, things have been somewhat rocky on Monday nights. The ratings have been something like a game of ping-pong, going from one end of the spectrum to the other. This is foreign territory for Raw, especially when compared to Smackdown, which is the secondary brand, historically speaking.
The point being, Red is not used to finishing behind Blue. Both brands have pretty strong authority figures, with Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley leading the charge for Raw, while Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon spearhead the newly revamped, live edition of Smackdown.
Things on Tuesday nights appear to be going just fine, with no major rumours of any changes lurking. However, for quite some time now, there have been rumblings of a shake-up on Monday nights specifically with Mick Foley. Personally, I believe Foley was only brought in on a temporary basis, but that's neither here nor there.
Sometimes change is not only good but necessary. When it comes to the status of Mick Foley as the Raw General Manager, who replaces him, if the rumours are true? I've thought about this in-depth, with the following names making my final list of potential candidates for new Raw GM.
#5 Triple H
We may as well start off with the obvious. Triple H is one of, if not THE busiest person in all of professional wrestling. This man is jet-setting all over the globe, going from the UK one day for the UK Championship Tournament, to Little Rock, Arkansas the next night, to sit in the gorilla position for Raw.
He has his hands in practically everything with a WWE logo. Needless to say, no one can ever question his work ethic, nor his commitment to the company.
In regards to assuming the Raw GM spot, Triple H is no stranger to authority roles. In fact, he sort of reinvented the idea of what an authority figure is. He is certainly someone who could step in and take the reigns immediately, but does he want to? Or better yet, does this guy have time to add this to his agenda?
#4 Anonymous
When all else fails, go back to the most experienced General Manager of all-time, the Anonymous GM. Anonymous sticks to himself, he doesn't bother anyone, he doesn't overeat at the catering table, and he saves money on payroll. Anonymous may also be the most successful GM in Raw history as well.
On a somewhat more serious note, the Anonymous angle can be entertained at times, annoying at others. I'll admit, hearing Michael Cole constantly utter those words - "and I quote...." was the equivalent to hearing fingernails on a chalkboard.
Nonetheless, Anonymous can work, it's proven that much. It's been a while since that infamous podium stood next to the announcer's table. Maybe it's time to bring it back...maybe not.
#3 Sting
Seeing Sting finally make his way to the WWE, it was one of the most magical moments I've been able to witness. After years of speculation, the Stinger finally came home, where he should've been long ago. I wasn't very happy about Sting’s loss at Wrestlemania, but it was still an incredible moment nonetheless.
Now that Sting has retired from in-ring action, an on-screen authority role would fit him perfectly. Seeing Sting and Stephanie working side-by-side is something that would be very intriguing. But, this is also something that would be totally dependent on whether or not the Stinger wants it. If so, it would be an immediate rating’s boost for Monday nights.
#2 Kurt Angle
Fans all over the world are celebrating at the news of Kurt Angle being named the first inductee into the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame. For years now, the WWE Universe has been eagerly awaiting the return of our Olympic Hero, but now the wait is over.
The official announcement was made during this week's episode of Monday Night Raw, letting fans know that this year's WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will be headlined by Kurt Angle.
With Angle heading into the Hall of fame, it's highly unlikely that we will see Kurt back in the ring, competing in singles action. However, that does not necessarily mean he's off the table completely. Having Angle test the waters in an authority type of capacity is something that he may enjoy, as well as being a way for fans to see him back on WWE TV.
#1 Hulk Hogan
There's a black cloud hovering over what was once known as Hulkamania. That cloud has been there since the tapes emerged, exposing The Hulkster in a very deplorable light. The tapes revealed Hogan making some remarks that were racially insensitive, which is putting it lightly.
While I don't condone his actions, it's important to note that the remarks in mention were taken from a private conversation, some eight years prior to being released to the public. To date, we still don't know the rest of the details in that conversations...nor do I even care anymore.
Hogan has apologised profusely, time and time again. He's reached out to those who may have been affected by the remarks and personally apologised to them. Hogan has not dodged this situation, he had accepted full responsibility for this unfortunate situation.
After he was terminated from his WWE contract, WWE officials pretty much removed all mentions of the Hall of Famer. In fact, as of this writing, Hogan is still not listed in the WWE Hall of Fame section of the company’s website.
Hulk Hogan is the biggest name in professional wrestling history. He revolutionised the business and became the face of the entire business. There must come a time when we consider the circumstances surrounding his termination and ask the question - "does the punishment match the crime?"
At this point, most fans want to see The Hulkster come back, and offer an apology to the WWE Universe. It's simply time to allow healing to begin. Having Hogan on-air, in a GM role, would be the perfect platform to re-introduce a new and apologetic Hulk Hogan to the fans who are ready to move on.
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