Alright, I put a lot of thought into this and I had to make some decisions as how I wanted to do it. I decided to go with the members who are currently active as I haven't been around long enough to know certain names and had to make really picky decisions as to how I was picking the members of the roster. I decided to take out people who are not currently active members and serve part-timer schedules for the most part so I would have a flowing core roster and decided one character per person. So if I picked Finnegan for this roster, I wouldn't be able to pick Sydney also. Makes sense? Hopefully. If you didn't make this roster, sorry.
I also went into this with the idea that all the brands of EAW were abolished and I was to build a roster from scratch, meaning there are women on this roster and tag teams but the titles would still freelance about the other brands.
I am tired so lets FUCKING DO THIS!
EAW IGNITION
STAFF MEMBERS:
General Manager: Kenny Drake.So I had to take my pick of General Managers essentially from the list of Hall of Famers or various staff members listed for EAW and I had a hard time narrowing it down to one. My first pick would have been DEDEDE, but I did this assuming he was still the Chairman & CEO of EAW altogether. I decided upon Kenny Drake as he is just that likeable of a guy OOC and would translate that on-screen. I am kind of numb to heel general managers in 2018.
Commentary Team: Stew-O & Drake JaegerMix and matching members of both the Showdown and Dynasty commentary team is kind of asking for trouble for me. Picking between Stew and Peire was a tough pick but I went with Stew-O simply because of the bias I have written for him a lot more than I have Piere and he can serve as the serious play by play commentator. Drake Jaeger is just fucking entertaining. I don't need any other reason really, do I?
Interviewer: Cassidy VegaRing Announcer: Rebecca SawyerDon't really have a reason for these two tbh. Coin flip.
ROSTER:
I have taken the assumption that all the brands have been demolished quite literally, including Empire. Meaning women and men share a brand once again. With that, My roster selection will consist of 15 males and 10 females. Okay? Okay.
MALES:1. Finnegan WakefieldBut of course I would select myself for a brand I would make, who can I trust better to work for me than me? Can work a solid babyface mid-card role against anyone because, although the character isn't flashy or colorful, he is adaptable to storylines. He is the working class wrestler, the star on the rise in for the long haul. Essentially, would be getting that Pizza Boy angle. Enough stroking my own dick, moving on.
2. Jamie O'HaraEvery brand needs that guy who can transcend face and heel in the main event role without displaying any different characteristics. You need your Randy Ortons, your AJ Styles, your Stone Colds and for me, Jamie is that kind of guy. Allegiance to one side determined by what he wants and what lengths he will go to get it. If I wanted a tyrant heel, he's the guy. If I need a kingslayer, he's the guy. Plus, I imagine drafting him would grant access to his GFX making skills, and if that's the case I have called dibs.
3. Scott OasisIf you don't have a Goliath for your metaphorical Davids to slay, then your brand is shit IMO. You need that guy who is just so physically imposing, someone who could cut an intimidating figure and stand on top of your brand like Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat. For me, Oasis is the best fit for that role.
4. Nasir Moore (Escobar)Speaking of, here is my metaphorical David of choice. Someone who is always fingertips away from the crown but for one reason or another just can't grasp it. The main event underdog, the Daniel Bryan of my brand who becomes more captivating the more he gets knocked down and gets back up.
5. David Davidson & Jack RipleyI am lumping these two together because I am convinced they are the same person. Fight me if you disagree. An incredibly entertaining duo who write hilarious promos and can have just as hilarious segments yet still be the most dominating tandem in EAW. Be foolish not to scoop those guys up TBH.
6. Diamond CageThe game changer, the agent of chaos for the entire brand. Someone who is willing to go to extreme lengths just to fulfil whatever sick desire he has to his hearts contempt and at the expense of anyone in his way. Bringing pure carnage to the brand and his games of violence with him. Gives me excuses to write deathmatches also, which is a nice plus.
7. Keelan (Cetinich)Keelan serves a pretty cool purpose on Voltage, and a purpose I would want if I had to start a brand from square one. The guy who can have captivating matches away from the main event and essentially be the brands gatekeeper (similar to Hirooki Goto in NJPW) where if you want to be next in line, you have to go through him and prove your worth. Match writing capabilities is also a plus.
8. El IronicoOver Nico Borg? I have to be mad. But the character just lends itself to a lot of fun. The best segments of Voltage this year have been done with El Ironico (in my opinion) and that's because the character is just so out-there and fun that you can't boo him even if you tried. A solid mid-card talent and character overall for segments. Plus if he writes his own, even more reason to have him on board. Plus, more We Are The Bollocks (aka the only reason people like me.)
9. Jon McAdamsProbably the best guy I have promo'd against in 2017 (back and forth and consistency majorily) and a guy who SHOULD be mid-card champion sooner rather than later. A necessary heel character for that scene and could have some really cool matches with guys in the upper echelon when it calls for it (imagine a DC vs McAdams deathmatch...yeah, that's the good stuff.)
10. Theron NikolasMay as well take all the Aussies, shouldn't I? Could be a more sneaky-cheaty heel when it comes towards the World Heavyweight Championship. Being deprived of the EAW one has caused him to go to desperate measures to obtain it, and even more so to retain it. That would be a fun angle to write. Plus match writing access from Xav, who writes some quality stuff.
11. Nathan FioraAnother heel for the mid-card, a little more arrogant than McAdams but could lend himself to some funny and impactful Miz-esque segments if booked that way. Champion? I dunno, but could essentially be the mid-card gatekeeper if he commits himself to the role.
12. DarkaneThe brands dark horse that could contend for either the mid-card or world title with very little reason, he's on that line as we speak. A guy who could be put into the Extreme Elimination Chamber and be the dark horse to win, or be a much stronger threat to whoever the mid-card champion is at the time. World of possibilities with this guy. Plus more deathmatches for you craving hyenas that like that sort of thing.
13, 14 & 15. Maddox Ayres, Charlie Marr and Daryl KinkadeThe next three people will meet the "new breed" criteria as they would be the guys starting at square one and moving up from there. And not going to lie, these were the 3 guys I liked most coming out of NEO. The sole reason they are here. Lumped them together because I couldn't find any other reasons. They are the Young Lions moving up.
FEMALES:1. Aria JaxonWho else but the person who is the face of EAW's current womens division, right? Aria is undeniably one of the most committed and consistent members of the current division and would serve a great purpose as the brands
#1 babyface in the field. An established champion also.
2. Cloud MatsudaYou need some rivals to the
#1 of the brand, to me Matsuda is one of them. Especially with how their recent match went from friendly to heated real quick, Matsuda could be the
#1 Heel to Aria and be the iron fist that knocks people in line in her conquest to take the belt off her. Match writing privileges also taken with her.
3. Tarah NovaWhy have the angle be one on one, yeah? Why not add that third, volatile element to the mix. With Aria being the chaotic good rebel, and Matsuda being the Lawful Evil Dominator, add that extra spice to the storylines with a chaotic neutral free spirit... if that free spirit wanted to hit you in the face with a barbwire bat. Plus, GFX privileges, also nice.
4 & 5: Zakkii and Azumi GotoI am sure these two love being lumped together as much as they do, but no, I wouldn't book them to be a tag team. I have lumped them together for the same reason I would bring them to the brand. They are the stars on the rise on Empire, the tenure and the work rate to back up claims to winning the belt.
6 & 7. Heart Break Gal and Cameron Ella AvaI am not sure how this will be received; taking someone from the facing men spot and shifting them back to the women, but I like the purpose I could use HBG for as the star-maker of the womens division, yet another gatekeeper. Doesn't have to be the champion to have stellar performances and make stars out of her opponents. Cameron could also serve the same purpose but could be the rival or ally to HBG that would have such a good dynamic with the right booking. Everyone needs that one rival that brings out the best or the worst of them, A Shawn Michaels to their Triple H, an Eddie Guererro to their Chris Beniots. Maybe a little less murder involved tho. Plus their tag team run would be a very strong presence.
8 & 9. Chelsea Crowe and Jael Arcana-RosarioLumping more people together as I get sleepier and sleepier and just wanting to go to bed. I like Ryan Marx as a character, don't get me wrong, but Chelsea Crowe to me is just that little bit nicer. Add Jael to the mix and we have a tandem that could take over the division if they really wanted to. And they do.
10. Savannah SunshineLast but not least we need a go-the-distance member of the division and although Chelsea and Jael can also be considered that, they aren't doing it alone, they are the people no one WANTS to see go that distance. Savannah on the other hand is.
CHAMPIONS:
EAW World Heavyweight Champion: Jamie O'HaraDon't need to fix something that isn't broken.
EAW National Elite Champion: Finnegan WakefieldTrying to be absolutely unbiased here (call bullshit if you will) but I like the idea of someone who has to face tougher and tougher opposition to remain champion, flashy challengers, crueller challengers, challenges that have every right to beat him and still somehow finds a way to persevere and win. Finnegan is that guy, and that is who I would want to be in that position. I also love the National Elite Championship name, holy shit.
EAW Tag Team Champions: The High Rollers (David Davidson & Jack Ripley)Again, don't need to fix something that isn't broken. I am assuming the belt will still freelance the other brands, so it only makes sense I don't claim these ones.
EAW Womens Champion: Stephanie MatsudaStephanie Matsuda would be the champion. Aria Jaxon being champion is all fine and dandy but I would need something to spark that Matsuda x Jaxon x Nova feud. Her being champion would do the trick.