5 Ways to book James Ellsworth after TLC
James Ellsworth has much to be thankful for during this holiday season. The independent wrestler turned mascot of Team SmackDown Live at Survivor Series, officially signed a contract with the Blue team on WWE Talking Smack the night before Thanksgiving.
As he said it himself, before putting his name on a company contract, it was a 5-year-old boy’s dream come true.
Ellsworth has been a part of SmackDown Live’s main event picture, earning a victory over WWE World Champion AJ Styles in recent weeks, which has wrestling fans like myself a bit uneasy. Why would the company that is pitching the importance of a title match between Styles and Dean Ambrose at TLC, sidestep its own game plan to include a mid-card neophyte in its booking?
Ever since Ellsworth appeared on Raw before the Brand split in July in a match versus Braun Strowman, he has remained relevant in the feud of the blue team’s two top stars. Once the pay-per-view is over, how will the company book him moving forward?
There is a place for Ellsworth in WWE – where that is, remains to be seen.
Ellsworth isn’t Rockstar Spud. He isn’t Barry Horowitz or some jobber, who is asked to come in and make the upper echelon look better; his story has been solid, much like the rebirth of Heath Slater. Now WWE must take the success of this program and enhance it in 2017.
Here’s a look at five ways WWE should book Ellsworth after the TLC pay-per-view.
#1 Send him to NXT
Ellsworth was an independent wrestler for 14 years, prior to signing with WWE. Even while working with the company since the brand split, he spent time in Indie shows. There could be a way to repackage him, giving him a new look at potentially a bigger role in NXT.
WWE has used NXT to help develop and enhance talent. While his role to date has been effective, it is still raw. There is no shame in moving down a rung or two, before coming back up to the main roster. Mickie James is a prime example of someone who returned to the company and had to rebuild herself as a competitor with an eye on the main roster.