Even weeks after the historic 2016 WWE Draft, fans are still buzzing about who wound up where and whether it was the right decision by WWE to make. But one Superstar who has had everyone talking on Twitter and all over social media has been Cesaro, who sent a major message to management that he couldn't care less about who was in charge and that he spoke only one language that people from all walks of earth could understand: wrestling.
He went on to mention how he felt he was disrespected by being drafted so late and that he would have been better suited for the SmackDown brand. Regardless, he was looking to make the most of the move to Monday nights.
He cut this critically-acclaimed promo on the WWE Draft Center on the WWE Network immediately following SmackDown, and of course, the most prominently asked question coming out of it among fans was, “Was it a shoot or a work?”
I have no doubt that parts of the promo reflected his legitimate feelings toward the current product, and you could tell from JoJo's uncomfortable facial expressions that she wasn't anticipating those answers. But if they were really “shoot” comments, he would have been buried and taken off TV all together.
Either way, it virtually doesn't matter whether it was a work, shoot, or whatever. What matters is that it happened at all, and more importantly, that WWE appears to be taking Cesaro's character in a new direction as a result.
There has been plenty of concern for Cesaro on Raw in that he might be overshadowed by the rest of the star power on the flagship show including Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens and others. It has also been said that SmackDown would have been the perfect platform for him to finally enter the main event scene where he belongs. I am here to say this, though: Cesaro will thrive no matter whether he is on Raw or SmackDown.
I do tend to agree with the vast majority that Cesaro would have been well-suited for SmackDown. In fact, it isn't a stretch to say that he could have been the new No. 1 contender to Dean Ambrose's WWE World Championship at SummerSlam and not Dolph Ziggler if he was traded to Tuesday nights.
That said, he has been riding such a monster wave of momentum since returning from a shoulder injury earlier this year that even on Raw he will find his footing and eventually emerge as a top-tier talent.
He might have been unsuccessful in capturing the Intercontinental Championship on a few occasions, as well as the Money in the Bank briefcase back in June, but he is without question more over with the audience now than he has ever been throughout his tenure in WWE. Granted, that isn't saying much considering where he was on the card prior to getting hurt last fall, but as a face, he has hit his stride and should continue along this path going forward.
On last week's edition of Raw, Cesaro did battle with Sheamus in a match where whoever “impressed” authority figures Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon the most would possibly earn themselves a title shot down the line. If I recall correctly, it was never directly stated what championship that would be, but that is still a pretty prestigious prize all the same.
Cesaro ultimately had his hand raised as a result of his triumph over the Irish brawler , meaning he is one step closer to fulfilling his potential as Raw's next biggest breakout star. Several Superstars stand to benefit from the Brand Split being brought back, but perhaps there no name comes to mind quicker than Cesaro’s.
The WWE Universal Championship picture will be occupied by the likes of Rollins, Balor and presumably Reigns for the foreseeable future, but what's stopping Cesaro from going after the gold before the end of 2016?
With John Cena, AJ Styles and other aspiring athletes slotted on SmackDown, that means Cesaro has a much bigger chance of one day taking his rightful spot atop the card, preferably sooner rather than later.
WWE should capitalize on his hot streak before he fizzles out and he has to work his way back up the ladder again.
CM Punk and Daniel Bryan were among an elite few that broke through WWE's proverbial glass ceiling thanks to the rabid support of the WWE Universe, both becoming two of the greatest Superstars to grace a WWE ring in the last decade. It might be a silly thought to some, but I firmly believe Cesaro can join the same ranks with the right push.
With the Cesaro Section in full force at the moment, the powers that be have a prime opportunity to solidify Cesaro as the star he was born to be.
