We are just days away from the WWE’s latest pay-per-view, Survivor Series. At last year’s event, Randy Orton defended his championship against the Big Show in a highly criticized main event. This time around, it will be John Cena risking his job in an attempt to slay the Authority.
The shelf life of a WWE superstar can be short, so it’s always important for competitors to make the most of their time in the ring, especially at pay-per-views. Here is a look at the superstars who have progressed, regressed, or remained stagnant over the past year.
Progression:
Luke Harper
Harper has made tremendous strides over the past year. He and former partner Erick Rowan were destroyed by Daniel Bryan and CM Punk at last year’s Survivor Series. He walks into this year’s event as a surprise Intercontinental Champion, and is booked into the main event with Team Authority. Harper’s stock is definitely on the rise.
Ryback
It appears the company is once again fond of Ryback. The Big Guy was basically buried in the midcard after his feud with John Cena last year, including a quick defeat at the hands of Mark Henry last year at Survivor Series. He has been the focal point of WWE television over the past few weeks, so it will be interesting to see where they go from here. One can hope that this isn’t simply a stopgap measure until guys like Reigns and Lesnar get back on television.
Honorable Mention: Ambrose/Rollins
It’s difficult to talk about progression without mentioning the former Shield brothers. These two were destroyed last year in a match whose only purpose was to get Roman Reigns over as a singles competitor. (Dean Ambrose was eliminated 2 minutes into this match and Rollins eventually stepped aside so the Spear party could commence.) What difference a year makes, however. Rollins is the leader of Team Authority and arguably the star of the main event, while Ambrose has elevated himself and will attempt to solidify the midcard on Sunday.
