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WWE: Why Jack Swagger Can Only Go Up from Here

WWE: Why Jack Swagger Can Only Go Up from Here

Posted: Sep 21st 2012 By: mikeiles

Once upon a time, Jack Swagger mattered.

When he made his WWE debut on ECW in in September 2008, it was clear from the very get-go that he had a bright future ahead of him. That only became clearer when he won the ECW Championship just five months later in January 2009.

Swagger looked poised to become a breakout star, and just more than a year later, he took one step closer to doing so by winning the Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania 26. A week later, he defeated Chris Jericho to win the World Heavyweight Championship, his first World title in the WWE.

By the looks of things, this was the start of something special for Swagger and for the WWE, who seemed to have found a long-term main eventer in the 6?6?, 260-pound former college football player.

But as quickly as Swagger rose to the top of the WWE, he fell from it just as fast.

His reign as World Heavyweight Champions was an incredibly lackluster one in which the creative team clearly didn?t have enough confidence in him to book him strongly, and once he dropped the title, he slowly but surely evolved from World title contender to nearly irrelevant.

Despite glimmers of hope here and there, Swagger found himself doing a number of ridiculous things, such as utilizing the ?Swagger Soaring Eagle? mascot or being Michael Cole?s ?trainer? for Cole?s WrestleMania match.

Just like that, Swagger the superstar had become Swagger the jobber.

In the span of a year, ?The All-American American? went from main eventing pay-per-views to losing to anyone and everyone, even becoming Ryback?s personal jobber of sorts not too long ago.

But there?s a bright side to Swagger?s drastic fall from grace: He can only go up from here.

Swagger has spent much of the last two years losing match after match, getting saddled with ridiculous storylines, jobbing to guys he?s more talented than and just generally being a total afterthought in the eyes of the creative team.

It can?t possibly get any worse than having a personal mascot, being left off the WrestleMania card while two announcers get a match on the show or losing so many matches in a row that no one ever expects you to win anymore.

That?s why, despite the atrocious booking of Swagger for what has actually been most of his WWE career, I?m cautiously optimistic about his future.

Why? Because now is the perfect time for Swagger to change things up a bit.

Other than some reported attitude problems, I think that Swagger?s biggest issue is that he?s simply too stale. He?s had the same ?arrogant jock? character since he entered the WWE roughly three years ago.

He needs a gimmick overhaul more than just about anyone on the roster, and it appears as if the WWE is finally giving him a storyline that just might allow him to do that.

After Swagger suffered yet another loss to Sheamus in quick-and-easy fashion on Raw a few weeks back, he told Raw General Manger AJ in a backstage segment that he was ?taking some extended time off? because he was ?better than is.?

I agree with Swagger?he is much better than the booking of his character might indicate. And that?s precisely why the creative team needs to go back to the drawing board and come up with something, well, better for him.

While Swagger?s ?All-American American? gimmick worked for a while, it did what just about all gimmicks eventually do: It got boring, repetitive and monotonous.

Now, however, Swagger couldn?t possibly get any lower unless the WWE were to release him.

Since that doesn?t appear to be happening, though, Swagger?s time off from TV might be a blessing in disguise. He can go away for a while, come back refreshed and reinvigorated and, hopefully, return with either a new gimmick or in a new role as a babyface.

The WWE hasn?t even tried to let Swagger change, so you never know if his ?All-American American? shtick might work as a face (kind of like Kurt Angle) or if a renewed push as a different type of heel may save his career.

At this point, it?s worth taking a risk on either of those things, though, because nothing is going to hurt Swagger anymore than the booking of his character over the last two years already has.

 

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  • 1979 Mike Sharpe, Jr. def. Mike George for the MSW Mississippi Title
  • 1982 David Von Erich def. Bill Irwin for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. Michael Hayes & Steve Cox for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 2014 Simply Irresistible (Matthew Palmer & James Johnson) def. The Dark Circle (Mace Malone & Apoc) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
  • 2015 Loaded Guns (Jon Cross & Brandon Walker) def. The Rising (Riker & Abel) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 2015 Brian Breaker def. Clint Cassidy for the UWE United States Title
  • 2015 Zakk Sinizter def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 2015 Jon Cross became the WFC Heavyweight Champion
  • 2019 MVP became the WCR Imperial Champion
  • 2020 Pastor Brent became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
  • 2021 Maui Mike def. Thrash for the ASP Mid-American Title
  • 2021 Brixton Barricade def. Brandon Barricade for the ASP All Time Title
  • 2021 Malik Mayfield def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP Livestream Title
  • 2021 Double D def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP 5-Star Title

Week of Sun 09-13 to Sat: 09-19

  • 09-13 1967 Brute Bernard def. Bull Curry for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-13 1974 Jose Lothario def. El Gran Markus for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-13 1987 Eric Embry became the WCCW World Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-13 2008 Dustin Heritage def. Kenny Campbell for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 09-13 2008 Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) def. Nathan Sensation & Striker for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-13 2008 Shawn Sanders def. Kevin Morgan for the OECW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-13 2008 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion
  • 09-13 2009 3rd Rail def. Maniac Mike for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 09-13 2009 Maniac Mike became the SWCW Hardcore Champion
  • 09-13 2014 J. R. Orullian & Running Wolf became the NAW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-13 2014 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. J. R. Orullian & Running Wolf for the NAW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-13 2014 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Running Wolf) became the NAW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-13 2020 Dimitri Alexandrov def. O’Brien for the ASP Heavyweight Title
  • 09-13 2025 Michael H became the NAW Openweight Champion
  • 09-13 2025 Jupiter Jones def. Frankie Lee for the RDW Iron Man Title
  • 09-13 2025 Sgt. Hartman def. Floyd Maystorm for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
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  • 09-13 2026 Tuff Love (Cade Lovee & Cole Lung) def. GBA (Drake Gallows & Colton Kinnamon) for the RDW Tag Team Titles
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  • 09-14 2007 Dane Griffin def. Montego Seeka for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
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  • 09-14 2013 Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) def. What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-14 2013 The Oakhurst Fire Mafia (Chief Mike & Keebler) def. The P. I. N. K. Nation (Ray Martinez & Tommy Toops) for the SRPW Tag Team Titles
  • 09-14 2019 MVP def. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. for the WCR Heavyweight Title
  • 09-14 2024 Original Renegade became the NAW Openweight Champion
  • 09-14 2024 Umbra def. Trench Blythe for the WAH Spotlight Title
  • 09-14 2024 Pastor Brent def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 09-14 2024 Jean-Claude def. Eddie LeVaughn for the WAH Heavyweight Title
  • 09-14 2024 Manico def. Billie the Kiid for the NAW Indigenous Land Title
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  • 09-15 1969 The Medics (Medic #1 & Medic #2) def. Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 09-15 1980 Junkyard Dog & Terry Orndorff def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 09-15 1986 Black Bart def. Chris Adams for the WCCW World Title
  • 09-15 2007 Sudden Impact (Sudden Impact 1 & Sudden Impact 2) def. Texas, Inc. (Bernard Funk & Tim Rockwell) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 09-15 2007 Anthony Jackson def. AWOL for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
  • 09-15 2007 Shane Morbid def. Justin Lee for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 09-15 2012 Double D def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-15 2018 Chavo Guerrero, Jr. def. MVP for the WCR Heavyweight Title
  • 09-15 2019 Chaz Sharpe def. James Southard for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 09-15 2023 Jastin Taylor def. Sam Stackhouse for the BCW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-16 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 09-16 1988 Michael Hayes & Steve Cox def. The Samoan SWAT Team (Fatu & Samu) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 09-16 2005 Lily McKenzie def. Chiquita Suzuki for the SRPW Womens Title
  • 09-16 2006 Michael Barry def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-16 2006 Ryan Davidson became the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 09-16 2017 Paige Turner def. Erica for the IZW Womens Title
  • 09-16 2017 Skyler Fayden def. Riker for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-16 2017 Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter became the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 09-16 2022 Shane Taylor def. Johnny Bedlam for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
  • 09-16 2023 Red James def. Ozzy Hendrix for the EPW Internet Television Title
  • 09-17 1979 The Spoiler & Mark Lewin def. Kerry Von Erich & Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 09-17 2004 Bobby Dalton def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCB Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCB Dual Kombat Champion
  • 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCBW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCBW Dual Kombat Champion
  • 09-17 2010 Dane Griffin def. Cody Jones for the NWA-OK Texoma Title
  • 09-17 2010 Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Montego Seeka) became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
  • 09-17 2010 Michael Faith def. Dane Griffin for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 09-17 2016 Mr. Nasty def. Brian Breaker for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-17 2026 T. J. Spade became the ASP WTF Champion
  • 09-18 1967 Chati Yokouchi & Togo Shikuma def. Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 09-18 2005 Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch def. The Hurricane & Rosey for the WWE RAW World Tag Team Titles
  • 09-18 2005 Ric Flair def. Carlito for the WWE Intercontinental Title
  • 09-18 2015 Sons of Texas (Moonshine Mantell & Killer McKenzie) def. The Imperialists (Charlie Haas & Griffin) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
  • 09-18 2021 Thrash def. Jermaine Johnson for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 09-18 2021 Reed def. Thrash for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 09-18 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-18 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Apex Title
  • 09-19 1979 Mike Sharpe, Jr. def. Mike George for the MSW Mississippi Title
  • 09-19 1982 David Von Erich def. Bill Irwin for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 09-19 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. Michael Hayes & Steve Cox for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 09-19 2014 Simply Irresistible (Matthew Palmer & James Johnson) def. The Dark Circle (Mace Malone & Apoc) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
  • 09-19 2015 Loaded Guns (Jon Cross & Brandon Walker) def. The Rising (Riker & Abel) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 09-19 2015 Brian Breaker def. Clint Cassidy for the UWE United States Title
  • 09-19 2015 Zakk Sinizter def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-19 2015 Jon Cross became the WFC Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2019 MVP became the WCR Imperial Champion
  • 09-19 2020 Pastor Brent became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2021 Maui Mike def. Thrash for the ASP Mid-American Title
  • 09-19 2021 Brixton Barricade def. Brandon Barricade for the ASP All Time Title
  • 09-19 2021 Malik Mayfield def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP Livestream Title
  • 09-19 2021 Double D def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP 5-Star Title
09-19
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