Raw Superstars Quarterly Report Card - 2018
Wrestling is a difficult sport to rate objectively because it is a scripted athletic drama.
However, there are ways by which the overall success of any given wrestler can be judged with a measure of objectivity. By breaking down the elements of what constitutes a 'good run,' we can arrive at a conclusion about the overall status of the said wrestler with a good degree of clarity and accuracy.
Quarterly reports are important in many business ventures, as they are a good indicator of the overall success or failure of the business. That can apply to pro wrestling as well, where you can see the full data from four months and draw a conclusion about where the wrestler is at and where they are likely to go from here.
Wrestlers from Raw will be judged on the following criteria. (Note: Wrestlers who were injured for most of 2018 (Ambrose and McIntyre) or worked for a different company, like Lashley, will not be graded. 205 Live stars and the women wrestlers will get their own report cards soon.)
Wins/losses (booking.): Even in a scripted sport, wins and losses matter. A wrestler's win/loss rate is a good indicator of their success over the quarter.
Popularity: In the case of babyface or 'good guy' wrestlers, this is how much the crowd cheers. In the case of a heel or 'bad guy,' it's how much they are booed. Whichever side of the fence the wrestler belongs on, this criteria relates to how over they are with the crowd.
Championships: Like a good win record, championships indicate the amount of success a wrestler is having by virtue of how much the company invests in him.
Crossover Appeal: Are people outside of wrestling fandom likely to know the wrestler? Also relevant is how much of a presence/following the wrestler has on social media sites like Twitter.
Without further ado, let's grade the Raw superstars on their first quarter.
Apollo Crews
The chiselled, high flying Crews was a standout in NXT, but how has he done in the first quarter of 2018?
Win/Loss Record: Crews has been in nineteen televised matches this quarter, and has lost all but five, and also has one draw to his credit. Grade: D
Popularity: Apollo inspires mostly indifference from fans. Associating with Titus Worldwide has done little to get fans to invest in him emotionally. Grade: D
Championships: Apollo held no titles for the first quarter of 2018 but did receive four title shots at the RAW tag team championships. Grade: D
Crossover Appeal: Crews isn't exactly a cult of personality, and has little chance of being recognized outside wrestling fandom. Grade: F
Overall Grade: D While Crews is quite athletic and can work a decent match, he has so far failed to resonate with the fans in 2018 and management doesn't seem too high on pushing him out of the lower card.