Is it Too Late for WWE to Make Apollo Crews a Star?
By Juan Herrera
Apollo Crews has struggled to find his place in the WWE since debuting on the main roster, but it’s not too late for him to become a top mid-carder on SmackDown.
Apollo Crews isn’t a bad wrestler. He is actually a talented wrestler who can perform moves people his size shouldn’t be able to. The problem with Apollo Crews is his lack of charisma.
He struggles to show emotion on the mic and he really can’t connect with fans the way other superstars can. His in-ring ability might be great, but it isn’t enough to have a sustainable career in the WWE.
When Crews made his debut in April on Raw, he had a lot of support from fans in the crowd. He beat Tyler Breeze in convincing fashion and looked pretty impressive. It seemed like his career was headed in the right direction.
His first feud on the main roster was with The Social Outcasts. It ended up being a pointless feud that did nothing for Crews’ career. This later led to a match with Chris Jericho on Raw to qualify for The Money in the Bank ladder match.
Although the match was entertaining, Crews botched a spot where he was supposed to move out of the way of Jericho’s Lionsault. Crews did not move out of the way in time and this lead to a painful collision between the two.
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Crews lost the match to Jericho, which really hurt his credibility as an Intercontinental Title contender. Losing to Jericho usually isn’t a problem, but it is an issue if Jericho is covered in bandages after having 69 thumbtacks removed from his body the night before.
After a lackluster feud with Sheamus, Crews received an opportunity to earn a match with Dean Ambrose for the WWE Championship. He failed to win the qualifying match, but bounced back the next week on SmackDown to earn a title match with The Miz at SummerSlam. Crews failed to beat The Miz, marking the end of their short feud.
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Instead of giving Crews momentum the following week on SmackDown, he was left off the show completely. It makes little sense considering how thin SmackDown’s roster is. It just shows how hard Crews’ stock has fallen over the past few months.
One of the biggest problems with Crews is his gimmick. It’s stale and people really don’t care to see him anymore. Even though he isn’t the most popular guy on the SmackDown roster right now, there is still a chance for him to become a top mid-carder.
All Crews needs is a mouthpiece and a heel turn. His current babyface character isn’t working at all because it’s bland. Turning Crews into a heel gives him a chance to start completely over.
Considering Crews’ lack of promo skills, it only makes sense to give him a mouthpiece. Giving Crews a good manager can help take the focus off of Crews’ struggles and emphasize his solid in-ring ability.
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Apollo Crews has the look of a champion. He’s also a great wrestler and deceptively athletic. With the right changes, Crews can still be a star on SmackDown.