Antonio Cesaro and Zeb Colter Could Be the Next Great Duo in WWE
Posted: Jul 1st 2013 By: mikeiles
Following a short run in 2010 with the World Heavyweight championship, Jack Swagger would flounder around the mid card of WWE, losing much more frequently than he had his hand raised.
Swagger's losing streak caused him to take five months off from television, allowing him to have a fresh start upon returning. When Swagger came back in February, he looked refocused and rejuvenated.
Not only did Swagger possess a new sense of aggression, he also had acquired the services of Zeb Colter. Swagger had not only gained a crafty mouthpiece, he had the services of a man who has been in the wrestling business since the early 1970s.
Swagger would go on to win the Elimination Chamber match at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, earning himself a shot at the World title at WrestleMania 29. In the weeks leading to that match with Alberto Del Rio, Swagger and Colter generated plenty of heat with his new "real American" gimmick.
Swagger may have even won the title from Del Rio if not for his DUI arrest in February. As PW Torch reports, Swagger was found guilty of the charge on Tuesday. During Swagger's recent absence from television while he handles his legal issues, Colter has latched onto another client.
While Swagger was punching his ticket to WrestleMania, Antonio Cesaro was in the midst of an eight-month reign as United States champion. Cesaro went on quite the winning streak during this time, winning matches against Superstars such as Brodus Clay, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder and Justin Gabriel.
Despite being the U.S. champion when WrestleMania 29 rolled around, Cesaro was somehow left off the event. Eight days later, Cesaro was defeated by Kingston for the title, starting a downward spiral for the Swiss Superstar.
On the June 17 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, Colter introduced (YouTube) the WWE Universe to his newest ally, Cesaro. Though Michael Cole described Cesaro and Colter as "sellouts," Cesaro went on to impressively defeat William Regal.
This could be the start of something great for Cesaro. Though he frequently reminded fans that he can speak five languages before, it didn't really get him anywhere.
Whether he speaks five languages fluently or not, talking to the audience may be Cesaro's only weakness. With Colter, that will no longer be an issue. Cesaro is as talented inside the ring as anyone on the roster, so this pairing is perfect for him.
On the most recent episode of SmackDown, Teddy Long named Cesaro as one of the participants in the World Heavyweight championship Money in the Bank ladder match. Cesaro has as good a chance as anyone to ascend the ladder and pull down the briefcase.
At Elimination Chamber, it didn't seem likely that Swagger would emerge victorious. Still, he overcame Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, Kane, Daniel Bryan and Mark Henry to do just that.
At Money in the Bank, Cesaro probably won't be the favorite to win a contract for a shot at the World title. But those odds can change between now and July 14, and Colter has the ability to make Cesaro a strong enough contender to pull it off.
Paul Heyman has rightfully been lauded for the job he does managing the careers of CM Punk, Brock Lesnar and Curtis Axel. However, Colter has the knowledge and the talent around him to do the very same thing.
Cesaro needed just one thing to reach the next level in WWE...and now he has it.
Supplemental Information
Spotlight in History
- 1968 The Spoiler & Gary Hart def. Fritz Von Erich & Grizzly Smith for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 1971 Ramon Torres def. Roger Kirby for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
- 1978 David Von Erich def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 1979 Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris became the TSW United States Tag Team Champions
- 2011 Drake Gallows became the BYEW Entertainment Champion
- 2016 Psycho Sawyer def. Ray Martinez for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
- 2016 Psycho Sawyer def. Spyder for the SRPW United States Title
- 2021 Legend Has It (Thrash & Killbane) def. Two Man Sam (Sam Stackhouse & Samuel Savage) for the CPW Tag Team Titles
- 2022 Team Boner (Drake Gallows & MLP) def. Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) for the AIWF Tag Team Titles
- 2022 MLP def. Duncan Kincaid for the RDW Iron Man Title
- 2022 Nashoba def. Al Farat for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
Week of Sun 09-06 to Sat: 09-12
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- 09-06 2008 Martin Justice became the SECW Cruiserweight Champion
- 09-06 2014 Spanish Wolf (Nathan Estrada & Michael Wolf) def. The New York Express (Jeff Knight & Thomas Knight) for the OECW Tag Team Titles
- 09-06 2025 Butcher def. Riker for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 09-06 2025 Iron Mountain (Duke Blanchard & Jack Davenport) def. Toxic Masculinity (Johnny Lightning & Johnny Dynamite) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
- 09-06 2025 Phil Shark def. Franco D’Angelo for the TexPro Texas Title
- 09-07 1979 Mark Lewin def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-07 1980 Terry Gibbs became the TSW Tri-State Champion
- 09-07 1981 Frank Hill & Eric Embry def. Joel Deaton & David Deaton for the TSW Tag Team Titles
- 09-07 2004 Kenzo Suzuki & Rene Dupree def. Paul London & Billy Kidman for the WWE Smackdown World Tag Team Titles
- 09-07 2012 Brandon Walker def. Tim Rockwell for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
- 09-07 2014 Robert Lee def. Striker for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
- 09-07 2018 Nikki Knight def. Erica for the MSWA Ladies Title
- 09-07 2019 Brian Dixon def. Tommy Dean for the BPW Oklahoma Title
- 09-07 2019 Luke Langley def. Brandon Groom for the BPW Lion Heart Title
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- 09-07 2024 The Subject (Cade Fite & Derek James) def. Toxic Masculinity (Johnny Lightning & Johnny Dynamite) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
- 09-07 2024 Wrangler Rhett def. Alex Royal for the WFC Prime Title
- 09-08 1947 Leroy McGuirk def. Buddy Rogers for the NWA Midwest World Title
- 09-08 1958 Danny McShain def. Mad Man Martin for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-08 1974 El Gran Markus def. Jose Lothario for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-08 1978 Rocky Johnson def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-08 2006 The Patriots (Bad Boy & Glen Steel) def. Aaron Neil & Alexander Lucas (Subbing for Se7en) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 09-08 2007 Al Farat became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
- 09-08 2013 Robert Lee became the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
- 09-08 2017 The Cursed (Blade [2nd] & Kuda) def. The Cub Scouts (Brock Landers & Grizzly Gates) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 09-08 2018 Anarchy [2nd] def. Garrett Murphy for the NAW Lightweight Title
- 09-08 2018 Garrett Murphy def. Big Smooth for the NAW Heavyweight Title
- 09-09 1970 Waldo Von Erich def. Jack Curtis for the TSW Mississippi Title
- 09-09 1980 The Grappler def. Ted DiBiase for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
- 09-09 2002 Papa Voodoo def. HIMM for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 09-09 2002 HIMM def. Papa Voodoo for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 09-09 2011 Michael Barry def. Dustin Heritage for the MWA MAX-Division Title
- 09-09 2016 One Man Sam def. Brock Landers for the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Title
- 09-09 2017 Ray Martinez def. Brandon Groom for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
- 09-09 2017 Tristan Thorne became the ASP 5-Star Champion
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- 09-09 2023 Martin Justice def. Thomas Knight for the XDWF New GenX Title
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- 09-10 1968 The Spoiler & Gary Hart def. Fritz Von Erich & Grizzly Smith for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 09-10 1971 Ramon Torres def. Roger Kirby for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
- 09-10 1978 David Von Erich def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 09-10 1979 Oki Shikina & Sugar Bear Harris became the TSW United States Tag Team Champions
- 09-10 2011 Drake Gallows became the BYEW Entertainment Champion
- 09-10 2016 Psycho Sawyer def. Ray Martinez for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
- 09-10 2016 Psycho Sawyer def. Spyder for the SRPW United States Title
- 09-10 2021 Legend Has It (Thrash & Killbane) def. Two Man Sam (Sam Stackhouse & Samuel Savage) for the CPW Tag Team Titles
- 09-10 2022 Team Boner (Drake Gallows & MLP) def. Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) for the AIWF Tag Team Titles
- 09-10 2022 MLP def. Duncan Kincaid for the RDW Iron Man Title
- 09-10 2022 Nashoba def. Al Farat for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
- 09-11 1957 El Medico def. Duke Keomuka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 09-11 1958 Angelo Savoldi def. Dory Funk for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
- 09-11 1963 The Bolos (The Great Bolo [1st] & The Mighty Bolo) def. Bill Watts & Jerry Kozak for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 1967 The Von Erichs (Fritz Von Erich & Waldo Von Erich) def. Brute Bernard & Mike Paidousis for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 1967 Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar def. Chati Yokouchi & Togo Shikuma for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 1968 Danny Little Bear & Kit Fox def. Jack Dalton [1st] & Frank Dalton for the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 1978 Bruiser Brody def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 09-11 2010 Ryan Reed became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
- 09-11 2010 The Unknown & Yoshi became the NCW Tag Team Champions
- 09-11 2010 Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Eric Rose) def. The Future Hall of Famers (Dane Griffin & Shane Rawls) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 2010 Team Shake It (Josh Evans & Martin Casaus) def. The D-Stinguished (Elias Castaneda & Arik Angel) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 09-11 2021 Warren Powers def. Drake Gallows for the EPW All-American Title
- 09-11 2021 Drake Gallows def. Warren Powers for the EPW Internet Television Title
- 09-11 2021 Revan became the RDW Iron Man Champion
- 09-11 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese & T-Arsenal) def. The Rejecs LM (Dr. Corvus & Elijah Sparks) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 1982 King Kong Bundy & Bill Irwin def. The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 1983 Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart def. Magnum T. A. & Jim Duggan for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. John Tatum & Jimmy Jack Funk for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 2004 Chris Matthews def. Brandon Bishop for the ACW Heavyweight Title
- 09-12 2009 Bobby Starr def. Kevin James Sanchez for the BYEW Entertainment Title
- 09-12 2010 Xavior def. Kevin Morgan for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
- 09-12 2015 Double D def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Impact Division Title
- 09-12 2015 Erica def. Paige Turner for the IZW Queens Title
- 09-12 2015 Brad Michaels def. Johnny Z for the IZW Heavyweight Title
- 09-12 2015 Richie Adams def. Jake O'Brien for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
- 09-12 2015 Shawn Hernandez became the DI2IW Intercontinenal Champion
- 09-12 2015 What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Impact, Inc. (Damon Windsor & Johnny Z) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 2015 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) def. What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 09-12 2025 Floyd Maystorm def. Clover Botello for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
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