WWE: Why Curt Hawkins Will Be More Successful in Second Stint

Can the former Edgehead and tag team partner of Zack Ryder achieve greater success with WWE now with his return imminent? Let’s explore the possibilities why we think he will be more successful this time around.

The reintroduction of Curt Hawkins to the WWE has begun, and it appears as though a new direction is where his character is headed. The flashy promotional videos that have been released, listing over the top fact after over the top fact have made Curt Hawkins into a cross between what Tyson Kidd was and what Matt Hardy was for a time in the WWE. The former Edgehead and tag team partner of Zack Ryder is headed in a different direction.

A former trainee of ECW alumni Mikey Whipwreck, Hawkins first joined the WWE back in 2006 when he signed a developmental deal and was given the name Brian Majors, a play on his actual name, Brian Myers. During his time in Deep South Wrestling, he captured the tag team championship, and later the Ohio Valley Wrestling Southern Tag Team championships as well. Upon being called up to the WWE’s main roster, he and Ryder were part of Edge’s Army and captured the WWE Tag Team Championship. However, in the 2009 draft, Ryder went to the ECW brand and the team was split up.

After the split, Hawkins wasn’t seen on television for months at a time, and actually chose to be removed from the main roster to compete as part of Florida Championship Wrestling, which later became NXT. Hawkins spent a year in FCW and returned to the Smackdown roster in 2011 as part of a team known as The Gatecrashers with his partner Vance Archer (known today as Lance Hoyt). However, the booking of the team came to an end rather quickly, ending four months later. The following year, Hawkins was teamed with Tyler Reks. The problem was, while it gave Hawkins an outlet to show his craft, it didn’t truly allow him to convey how talented he was. He was used in bit spots from time to time, and it is hard to really be invested in a character if you don’t see them compete weekly.

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This was often the trouble that Hawkins had; when he was used it was unfortunately as just an enhancement talent; whether it was being beaten down by Ryback or The Undertaker and Kane. He deserved better, but unfortunately wasn’t getting it. Then, he tore his PCL and meniscus, which took him off television for months. When Hawkins did return, it was to the now promising NXT program. However, Hawkins was again left to make others around him look better, and not put in a position where he was a focal point of a program. In June 2014, Hawkins was released from his WWE contract.

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It was during Hawkins’ time away from the WWE where things changed. Many knew that he was a talented in-ring performer that could cut a promo as well, but he simply needed to be booked that way. Now competing as Brian Myers, he was his biggest advocate on the independent scene. He would self-promote through social media and once again earned a name for himself. He has appeared on numerous wrestling podcasts, and continued to build popularity for himself on Youtube, whether as part of Ryder’s ‘ Z! True Long Island Story,’ or with former tag team partner Tyler Reks. He has been able to tap into a very specific demographic that has allowed him to get over.

It was during this time competing for different promotions and refining his craft in the ring that Myers competed for such promotions as Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Global Force Wrestling, and eventually Total Nonstop Action’s Impact Wrestling. Myers appeared primed to contend once again, as he and partner Trevor Lee captured the TNA Tag Team championships.

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Hawkins recently signed again with WWE and will be part of the Smackdown Live brand. It is easy to be skeptical of how the company will use him and how he will be showcased. However, if the recent video vignettes are any indication, Hawkins appears primed to create some savvy promos while being able to showcase his skills in the ring. As it stands right now, the biggest question will be how successful he will be as a singles wrestler as the majority of his time with the WWE before has been as a tag team wrestler. It is one thing to have someone to bounce ideas off of, it’s another story to be all alone with a character to make succeed. In any event, this version of Curt Hawkins could be exactly what Smackdown Live needs.