4 Mistakes WWE must not make with Aleister Black
WWE fans are buzzing after a major moment from Friday Night SmackDown. The blue brand's latest installment featured several key moments, but the most notable was by the way of a return.
After weeks of cryptic vignettes airing on Friday Night SmackDown, Aleister Black made his return. He interrupted The Miz, who was ranting and raving about not being booked at WrestleMania. He expressed frustration over others coming in and taking spots away from him.
Right on cue, Black came out to his classic entrance and proceeded to level The Miz with a Black Mass kick. Fans loved it and this was a great way for Triple H to bring Aleister back into the fold. With that being said, The Game has to be careful.
There are several key mistakes that Triple H and World Wrestling Entertainment must avoid making for Aleister moving forward. This article will tackle a handful of flubs the company most avoid for the former NXT Champion.
Below are four mistakes WWE must not make with Aleister Black.
#4. Black can't lose too soon, nor can he lose too often
Wins and losses in pro wrestling are a complicated subject. Sometimes, a win can be career defining. Sometimes a loss can be a burial. The Nexus never recovered after losing at SummerSlam 2010, for example. Meanwhile, Steve Austin was a made man despite losing at WrestleMania 13.
WWE has to be careful with wins and losses for certain stars, especially depending on their gimmick or personality. Aleister Black is one person the company must be careful with, as he is not somebody who can afford to lose too often, nor should he be losing any time soon.
Black needs to be treated like a dominant force. Someone such as Rey Fenix is an underdog who can afford to lose pretty early. If Aleister does, he loses his aura and it will damage his credibility moving forward.
#3. He absolutely cannot sell too much for The Miz
Credibility goes beyond just wins or losses. Presentation is extremely important in wrestling. There are many times where a match can go 50-50 and both stars look good, but Triple H can't take that approach on WWE SmackDown next week.
On Friday Night SmackDown next week, Black will make his in-ring return. Aleister will go one-on-one with The Miz. While The Miz is a former WWE Champion, Triple H absolutely cannot book The A-Lister as a threat.
This match cannot be a 50-50 affair. Aleister should not sell for an extended period of time. It would be a massive mistake to have him look weak. Instead, Black needs to quickly dominate The Miz and move on, perhaps to a feud with Carmelo Hayes.
#2. Aleister Black can't be too spooky
Spooky wrestling gimmicks can be successful at times. The Undertaker, Kane, and Bray Wyatt were all tremendously successful, thanks in large part to the creativity the WWE stars brought to the table.
With that being said, all three men also had a lot of downright awful moments throughout their careers. Kane and Wyatt, in particular, suffered from bad booking often. WWE would force in the spooky and supernatural aspects when it didn't fit the tone of the product.
Aleister Black's presentation has to be realistic, even if dark. The Wyatt Sicks took a more realistic tone almost immediately, which made their spookiness work. It is essential that Triple H doesn't have Aleister teleporting or summoning lightning. He has to be treated as a serious dark character, but not supernatural or overly spooky.
#1. He can't be overexposed in WWE
The final mistake Triple H and WWE must avoid with Aleister Black might seem like an odd one at first, but it will make sense. The Game needs to avoid overexposing Black. Simply put, he can't be on television, wrestling, or cutting promos too often.
Aleister Black is a fantastic in-ring competitor and a very interesting promo. Still, his character is supposed to be dark and mysterious. It would be extremely hard to keep the mysterious aura if he's routinely cutting promos.
The same applies to in-ring work. He is a mixed martial artist who destroys his foes with brutal kicks. That is really fun to watch, but if he wrestles each week, it becomes the norm. WWE needs to keep him special and Black not competing regularly, or appearing on every single show, will keep him important.