Second generation wrestler to join The Bloodline? - 4 ways wrestling veteran's son could debut in WWE
Could a former All Elite Wrestling star be on his way to WWE? There is reason to believe that Brian Pillman Jr. may be on his way to World Wrestling Entertainment following the news that he left the Jacksonville based promotion.
Fans were already speculating that the second generation wrestler could be making plans to jump ship to the titanic wrestling promotion, but speculation intensified recently. More intriguing news popped up regarding his recent activities.
It was revealed that Pillman Jr. was training at the Performance Center. It was also noted that the Stamford based company had immediate interest upon hearing he was no longer signed with his previous employer.
Could the son of The Loose Cannon join World Wrestling Entertainment full-time? If Brian Pillman's son is to join the promotion, how might he debut? For that matter, where could he first appear? This article will look at a handful of possible options.
Below are four ways wrestling veteran's son could debut in WWE.
#4. Brian Pillman Jr. could accept a Seth Rollins open challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship
Seth Rollins is currently a member of the Monday Night RAW brand. Not only is he a top star in WWE, but he's the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He's the first-ever champion of this iteration of the title and he's looking to make the title as prestigious as possible.
One of the key ways that The Visionary is immediately adding prestige to his coveted title is by defending it often. He defeated AJ Styles to become the inaugural champion and has since defended the belt against Damian Priest, Finn Balor, and even NXT's Bron Breakker.
Brian Pillman Jr. could potentially make his WWE debut by accepting an open challenge held by Rollins. Obviously, winning would be a major game changing moment. Even in defeat, however, an impressive showing could immediately make Pillman a threat to everybody else in the company.
#3. He could join WWE NXT
NXT is WWE's developmental territory. The program first began in 2010 where the presentation was that of a competition show. It eventually changed into a proper developmental territory in 2012 under the eye of Triple H.
Since then, NXT's popularity has skyrocketed. For awhile, it was being treated as a third brand before the NXT 2.0 shakeup changed the direction of the territory. Following NXT once again changing over the past year, steps are seemingly being made to re-establish the show as a legitimate third brand. The brand has even taken their Premium Live Events back on the road.
If Triple H and Shawn Michaels want to continue the trajectory of NXT morphing into being an established brand, making major moves that draws eyes to the show is a good step. An AEW star jumping ship and appearing on NXT, perhaps as soon as at The Great American Bash in Texas, would help the show's perception moving forward.
#2. Brian Pillman Jr. could align with Cody Rhodes as an AEW-themed stable
“I used to obviously be under Cody (Rhodes). Learning under him was a great privilege.
I wish I’d have asked him more things. I didn’t know that his time was going to be scarce”
- Brian Pillman Jr.
(via Universal Wrestling Podcast) https://t.co/FygtNajZPx
Brian Pillman Jr. making the jump from All Elite Wrestling to WWE would stand out. Most wrestlers who have jumped from one promotion to the other have typically been World Wrestling Entertainment stars moving to AEW, not the opposite.
Still, there is one extremely notable example of an AEW star joining the biggest company on Earth. Cody Rhodes, a member of the RAW brand, jumped ship from All Elite Wrestling in 2022. He has since become a major player and a top star in World Wrestling Entertainment.
Pillman Jr.'s potential WWE debut could be to align himself with Cody. He has a relationship with and respect for The American Nightmare, plus fans will immediately understand why the two are united. Beyond just their AEW connection, both wrestlers are second generation stars, which gives them an even closer bond.
#1. He could join The Bloodline
The Bloodline had been the most dominant faction in all of WWE for years now. Roman Reigns has led the group, while Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, Paul Heyman, and Sami Zayn were or still are members of the stable.
Unfortunately, things have grown messy for the group over the past six months. Sami and The Usos have all left the stable and in dramatic fashion. This leaves only Roman, Solo, and Paul as the remaining members. That could change with the arrival of Brian Pillman Jr., however.
While Brian doesn't share the same bloodline as the faction, he does know the strength and burden of being a generational superstar. That could lead him to understanding Roman's struggles. Beyond that, Brian Pillman joined The Hart Foundation despite not being part of the family, so his son doing the same thing with The Bloodline could make sense.