2011 Was The Future By Jimi James

Something stood out in 2011. Something grabbed this wrestling fan's attention. That something gives me hope that WWE will have a bright future. I'm not talking about Rock vs. Cena. I'm not talking about the WWE Network. Yes, I'm curious of the spectacle that will be Rock vs. Cena. I, like you, will probably lose my social life to the WWE Network. But, these two things don't really appeal to the wrestling fan in me.

Sure, the WWE Network will have wrestling, but I think it will have just that more "entertainment". Rock vs. Cena, like I said, more "entertainment", less wrestling.

See, what I saw in 2011, gave me hope that in-ring competition will be just fine in the future, not just 2012, in WWE. Florida Championship Wrestling easily had the best year in their history of being the developmental territory for WWE. Since 2007, FCW has been the breeding ground for future WWE talent. Up till now, not many have kept a spot of significance on the WWE roster.

The roster of 2011, will change that. Names like Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Ritchie Steamboat, Percy Watson, Antonio Cesare, Bo Rotundo and brother Husky Harris all have made FCW entertaining for wrestling fans to watch. I missed names of some good talent and some of the names I mentioned you may not recognize, but I guarantee that if you are a fan, you know them all to well.

The talent of FCW are as solid as they come in the ring. Epic matches from all talent occurred every week on their television. At the start of 2011 FCW introduced the FCW 15 championship. The title was decided in the Jack Brisco Classic Tournament. The matches in this tournament were 15 minute ironman matches to name a champion. Fifteen minute ironman matches would be the match that the 15 title would be defended. Guaranteeing good wrestling matches with every defense of the title.

Seth Rollins won the Jack Brisco Classic on January 13, 2011 by defeating Hunico (currently on the WWE roster). By winning the 15 championship Rollins entered into a feud with someone who quickly got noticed, Dean Ambrose. I'm not going to go on again about the magic these two created. You can read my other article about that. I will say that Dean Ambrose got the attention of William Regal and CM Punk, both of who went to FCW to wrestle him. So if that doesn't say something to you about him, then why are you reading this?

As I praise the talent of FCW for their in ring abilities, I will caution that the promos can be a little rough. But, I can see that this roster has talent enough to take what WWE creative gives them and run with it. That is a far cry from the last couple of years when the call ups were the model types that where biding their time for Hollywood or whatever. Bottom line, this roster doesn't need NXT, just plug them in the right scenario and let them go.

I'm not saying that every one of the talent in FCW will be headlining Wrestlemania in their career. I'm not saying that a single member of FCW's 2011 roster will even be on the card at this years Wrestlemania. But, I will say this, there is hope for good wrestling not just "entertainment" at the WWE level for the new year and beyond.