The Hydden View: Ascension and their 01/19/15 RAW moment

All professional wrestlers strive to be great; one common achievement wrestlers can hang onto is their WrestleMania moment. The moment that they get to perform on the grandest stage of them all will forever be etched in their memories. Sometimes it defines a career because it was the highest point he or she reached, other times it defines them because it was the beginning of a legendary career. However, once in awhile it’s not a moment at WrestleMania that defines a career, it could be on RAW or SmackDown. Take John Cena for instance, we all remember the night he came out the ring and answered Kurt Angle's challenge. Who could ever forget when he said the words “ruthless aggression” between pursed lips and struck Kurt Angle on SmackDown. The moment that launched the career of the 1-2-3 Kid better known today as X-Pac was on RAW. Also, what about Dolph Ziggler? His big moment did not come at WrestleMania but the next night on RAW when he cashed in his “Money in the Bank” briefcase.

This leads me to the Ascension and their segment on RAW last night. First to get a couple things out of the way. The Ascension have more than enough in ring talent to succeed in WWE, their work in NXT has shown this. Their work on the microphone has been disastrous at times. Not for the delivery, Viktor has spoken very clearly and has not stumbled on his lines. Konnor has had a couple miscues but he isn’t the voice of Ascension, Viktor is or should be. If you compare them with other NXT talent that has been called up they are not the worst. It is well known that the one thing most called up wrestlers still need to work on is microphone skills. Also, they do not have creative control over what their going to say like a John Cena, their lines are being fed to them and they are just repeating horribly written lines. Ascension has been getting crucified for belittling LOD (Legion of Doom). I agree the lines could have been taken as disrespectful, but again they did not write the lines and they are telling a story. A story that played out last night and could be the best thing that has happen to the Ascension since getting to RAW.

Last night they were put into the ring with the APA, three time WWE Tag Team Champions. The New Age Outlaws who held the WWE Tag Team Championship titles six times and then there was Hall & Nash who held the WCW Tag Team Championship titles six times and the TNA Tag Team Championship titles once. Combined 16 major tag team title reigns stood in the ring with the Ascension. The first thing they did that I liked was they had JBL acknowledge the horrible face paint and shoulder pads, this will give them a reason to ditch the costumes if WWE so desires. JBL also was able to explain himself and why he has been burying the Ascension on commentary. Following that, out came The New Age Outlaws which for me could have been the single most important moment of the night for a young wrestler’s career.

When they want to get a young wrestler over, and teach that wrestler the ropes one of the most common men to do it is Chris Jericho. No one wrestler is better at enhancing, and bringing out the best in a young wrestler than Jericho. He made Fandango look like a seasoned veteran at WrestleMania. When it comes to tag teams I view The New Age Outlaws in the same respect as they are great at getting other teams over. Road Dogg has always had superior skills on the microphone, and in the ring Billy Gunn could be arguably one of the greatest tag team performers ever. Having them get in the ring with Ascension can only make the Ascension better. I think the six wrestlers that were the ring with the Ascension see what others see and know they could be destined for greatness. Was last night a type of initiation? Was it six legends coming together to pass the torch or was it a straight beat down burying the Ascension even more?

The reason I called this their “RAW moment” is because for me it reset everything. They can come out at the Royal Rumble with no face paint, no shoulder pads, no cheesy lines, and no gimmicks. They can come out as that powerful and intimidating team we saw on NXT to face The New Age Outlaws. As important as I feel last night was for Viktor and Konnor, the Royal Rumble could truly be the moment that makes or breaks their careers.

So what do you think, did last night hurt or help the Ascension? Tweet me your answers at @Hydden_View.