S1, EP 6 - HOLD YOUR OTUNGA

[Hondo]

I thought the Dream needed a week off to go blubbering or getting funky or whatever it is he does. So I'm going to be giving you your assignment this week!

I can't help but commend you on helping my husband HHH a few weeks back and booking a scenario to get both his NXT callup Sami Zayn and perennial midcarder Cesaro over. Their feud has really electrified the crowd, and it's really pissed me and my father off!

I'll just come right out and say it. I HATE NXT!! It's all small indy guys who will never be over in this business! The crowds may think they like him, but they don't realize that the big, muscular, lumbering guys are the ones who they SHOULD be cheering! And now, my husband wants to make roster cuts so he can bring up MORE of these posers! Well, it's not going to happen on my watch!

One of the men HHH wants to release is David Otunga, who I'll admit, hasn't been doing anything of substance lately. But he looks the part, can speak, and is married to a celebrity. (Even if that celebrity hasn't done anything of substance over the last couple years, but that's neither here nor there!) Who cares if he can't wrestle sports entertain like the NXT guys, he's just better! And if he stays with the company, that's one less annoying midget on MY roster!!

Your task is to get David Otunga back on television and to get him over as a wrestler. Mock up four weeks of television and a PPV appearance. Ask questions below in regards to talent that can be used for this endeavor. Deadline is Saturday night @ 10PM Eastern.

[Fnord]

To: Mrs. McMahon-Levasque
Subject: Use of other Talent

Excuse me, Mrs. McMahon-Levasque, but I have received my next challenge to boost your ratings there in the WWE. Are there any current roster members that are untouchable or unable to be used for the boosting of David Otunga? My fellow internet trolls have already professed great ideas on what can be done with this superstar and I don't wanna jump the gun.

Sincerely,

Fnord

[Hondo]

To: Mrs. McMahon-Levasque
Subject: Use of other Talent

Excuse me, Mrs. McMahon-Levasque, but I have received my next challenge to boost your ratings there in the WWE. Are there any current roster members that are untouchable or unable to be used for the boosting of David Otunga? My fellow internet trolls have already professed great ideas on what can be done with this superstar and I don't wanna jump the gun.

Sincerely,

Fnord

Wow, what manners on this one. I'll publicly humiliate you last! But to answer your question, I don't want any main event talent involved. So you can't use John Cena, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan or Randy Orton. Also, all part-timers will require prior approval per case.

[BamBamBunglow]

Excuse me ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you, but could I please ask if you'd prefer David to be over as a face, or a heel? I'm confident in my ability to do either, so I'm more than happy to do your bidding either way.

Thank you for your time ma'am!

[Hondo]

Excuse me ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you, but could I please ask if you'd prefer David to be over as a face, or a heel? I'm confident in my ability to do either, so I'm more than happy to do your bidding either way.

Thank you for your time ma'am!

Enough with the Oliver Twist act, sunshine. It's a sign of weakness, and McMahons are allergic to weakness. That's why Shane's out "blazing his own path" instead of running the world's most successful sports entertainment business. But to answer your question, I could care less whether he's a face, heel or whatever. I just want him to get over so we don't call up anymore vanilla midgets. So either will be just fine.

[Fnord]

To: Mrs. McMahon-Levasque
Subject: Time Frame

Seeing that the Royal Rumble is just around the corner, should we plan it out with the time-table of Week 1, Royal Rumble, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4? Just want to clarify or wait to see if you want to use this for the new Fast Lane PPV. Please advise.

Sincerely,

Fnord

[Hondo]

To: Mrs. McMahon-Levasque
Subject: Time Frame

Seeing that the Royal Rumble is just around the corner, should we plan it out with the time-table of Week 1, Royal Rumble, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4? Just want to clarify or wait to see if you want to use this for the new Fast Lane PPV. Please advise.

Sincerely,

Fnord

Yeah. Sure. Whatever. (OOC: The way we usually do it, we always assume that a scenario takes place directly after a PPV, and that PPVs are 4 weeks apart. That will always be the case, unless otherwise noted. You're more than welcome to use the upcoming PPV if you wish.

[Hondo]

Is this some kind of joke?

Guys.... Let's make this easy...

Otunga is NEVER getting over. It's a lost cause. Let's move on to someone worth our time.

[Hondo]

Here's one that at least attempts to do what I asked. This plan could surely dominate the WWE!

For some reason, Otunga has never really won over the crowd. However, he has the look, has charisma, and can generate relative heat. I don't see him being a face for this company... at least not a very good one anyway, so we'll stick with what we know he can do... and that's be a heel. He has one glaring problem and that is his in-ring skill. Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do about that, so I decided to scrap him being a singles guy. But an idea struck me as something I think Otunga would fit perfectly in. A few years ago we decided to bring back Degeneration-X, one of the most popular stables of the 90s. Well one of their big rivals was The Nation of Domination. My idea is to re-create the new Nation of Domination. This is how I see it. 

Week One

RAW: Let's set up a singles match on Raw, let's say David Otunga against Heath Slater. Slater is currently teaming with Titus O'Neil (otherwise known as Slater-Gator). Otunga attempts to cheat during the match which prompts O'Neil to come down to the ring. Instead of helping Slater though, he turns on Slater and helps Otunga secure the victory.

SMACKDOWN: A segment with Otunga and O'Neil, the pair talk about being handed the rotten end of the deal. Always feeling like they are being pushed down instead of lifted up. Talk of times a changin'.

Later in the night in a wrestling match involving Big E Langston, Otunga and O'Neil come out to help him gain the victory and this recruiting him into their new faction.

Week Two

RAW: The old Nation of Domination song hits and out walks Titus O'Neil, David Otunga, and Big E Langston. After speaking about being held down in the company, Mark Henry's music hits as he walks out with Darren Young. Henry, who was a member in the original NoD stands to the side as Young addresses the group on the mic and tells them they are just a fraud. That they are nothing like what the former NoD was. Otunga gets on the mic and tells him he;s right... that they are better than the original... that the original couldn't ever get the job done. Young looks at Henry and begins pointing at the ring as if they should teach the others a lesson. But before Young can even head that direction, Mark Henry takes him out. O'Neil, Otunga, and Langston along with Mark Henry put a brutal beating on Young.

SMACKDOWN: A segment with the new Nation of Domination. Co-leaders Titus O'Neil and David Otunga. And the muscle of the group, Big E Langston and Mark Henry. They continue to talk about how they have been put down. How they never have received a fair shot. Later in the night in a match between O'Neil and Big Show, NoD interferes, and beat up on Big Show, who wins the match by DQ.

Week Three

RAW: A tag team match pitting Big E and Otunga against The Usos. Big E hits his finisher for Otunga, who makes the pin and the victory. But the celebration is short lived as Big Show, along with Bo Dallas, Heath Slater, and Darren Young come down and beat up on the team of Otunga and Big E. As Otunga and Big E escape, the newly found team led by Big Show celebrates in the ring.

SMACKDOWN: Tag team match between Otunga and Big E vs Darren Young and Heath Slater. O'Neil and Henry interfere, but is responded by Big Show and Bo Dallas. Causing a double DQ and the eight men brawling before officials separate the two groups.

Week Four

RAW: NOD come down to the ring and issue a challenge to the group of Big Show, Bo Dallas, Darren Young, and Heath Slater to an elimination style match at the upcoming PPV. The group... let's call them The Union. A stable Big Show was a part of in the 90s.) The Union comes out and accepts the challenge.

On Raw, we'll have two singles fights between the two groups.O'Neil will face off against Big Show. And Henry will face off against Darren Young. Let's say Big Show wins clean. And Henry wins dirty. But no other altercation happens between the two sides afterwards.

SMACKDOWN: On Smackdown we'll have Otunga face off against Bo Dallas and Slater against Big E. We'll have Otunga try and cheat, but it back fires resulting in Dallas winning. And then Big E beats Slater. We'll say Otunga and Dallas will be the second match of the two and the end result will be a brawl between the two sides en route to the PPV.

PPV: I think by now the NOD will have considerable heat, regardless if the fans have bought into The Union at all. We need to really get Otunga over here in this match though. Let's say NOD eliminates Darren Young (Big E) and Bo Dallas (Otunga) fairly quickly. Big Show then eliminates Mark Henry. O'Neil then eliminates Heath Slater. Big Show then eliminates Big E and then Titus O'Neil... leaving him one on one with Otunga. With help from the outside, Otunga cheats his way to the victory to give Nation of Domination the victory.

I think this could be a big hit here. Not only does it give Otunga a home and somewhere he can do some good things. Maybe become tag team champs down the line. But it gives him a platform to showcase the areas in which we know he is good at. I think this stable could also help push guys like Big E and Titus O'Neil. While Mark Henry really just gives the group that veteran to make them a bit more legit. 

It's risky, but I think it might just work. What do you think?     

[Hondo]

This one involves me, so it's already my favorite!

Jesus boss, Otunga?  David Otunga?  Dude has the marketability of a wet sock in Alaska.  But, you asked for a plan to get him over, so here is what I got.

Week 1 - The Authority are served with a subpoena.  It seems that they are being sued by Otunga for colluding to hold down his career, keep him off of TV (violating the amount of TV dates guaranteed in his contract), yadda yadda. 

Week 2 - The Authority welcome back David, with seemingly open arms.  They are over the top kissing his ass, to keep him from going through with the lawsuit.  David sees through them, and says he'll see them in court.

Week 3 - The Authority try harder to placate Otunga.  They offer him double his salary.  Then triple.  Use of the private jet.  Otunga can't be moved.  He says that the ONLY thing that mattered to him was to be in that ring, and through their abuse of power, the Authority took that away from him.

Week 4 - The Authority makes one last ditch effort to stop Otunga.  Offering him quadruple his salary, an iron clad contract, and an Intercontinental Title Match at the ppv.  Otunga agrees, because being in the ring is all that he wanted.

PPV - Otunga vs Bad News Barrett.  SWERVE!!!  The Authority help Otunga beat Barrett, and bring the IC Title to their camp.  BNB turns face in the double switch, and they can feud until Mania.

This one has Otunga form an unlikely alliance... or does he??

Week 1
Big Show Vs. Dolph Ziggler.ziggler wins, J& J security charge ring, 3 on 1 attack, Otunga through the crowd with a chair to make the save.

Week 2
Otunga gives promo video about why. Sick of Authority taking him off TV, sick of being a lapdog, not bowing anymore.

Week 3
Otunga Vs. Big show. J & J Security again with the interference, Ziggler makes the save.

Week 4
Otunga in Handicap match against J & J Security, multiple interference from big show, Ziggler nails Big Show, Otunga gets rollup win. Authority book ziggler/Otunga Vs. Show/JJSec at PPV.

PPV
Handicap match - Otunga beat down., hot tag to Ziggler, Ziggler cleans house, Zig Zag on show, Otunga with The Verdict for the backstab, Authority wins. Otunga mocks the crowd for being naive enough to think he'd turn on the authority.

And this one pairs him with the Miz and Mizdow as their "entertainment lawyer".

OK, so my original thought would have been to put David in
with Seth Rollins' little entourage, but since he's off limits, I think the
best thing to do is to add him to another existing unit and try get them all
over. Specifically I'm talking about the Miz/Mizdow combination. Here's what we
do...



Week 1:



OK, so we start off with a series of vignettes in the style
of one of those annoying 'have you been injured at work in a way that wasn't
your fault?' TV spots, only with Otunga and playing him up as a lawyer to the
rich, famous and powerful. Ads will consist of photoshopped images of David with
various stars who have recently been in high profile legal action – the victims
of the fappening and the like, footage of him dealing with said famous clients
(client will be off screen of course), stuff like that. All ads will end with A
voiceover advising all potential clients to dial 1800-GET-PAID with Otunga then
adding that 'because with David Otunga as your lawyer, you'll ALWAYS get paid'.
Followed by a smile (with added in tooth glint) and a sip of coffee from one of
those cups he used to use that were the same pattern as his sweater vest.



Variations of this ad run through Main Event &
Smackdown.



Week 2 RAW:

Otunga ad runs again early in the show



Somehwere near the top of hour 2, Mizdow are wrestling the
Dust brothers when Miz gets tagged hard in the face by a right hand from
Stardust during the comeback spot. He goes down screaming and rolls out of the
ring, holding his face, leaving Sandow to get double teamed and pinned.



Backstage segment afterward with Miz, still holding his
face, ranting about how he's a massive movie star and how his face is his
living and how DARE people hit him in the face. If his movie star looks are
ruined he's going to sue!



Smackdown!

Repeat of end of Raw match & Miz's rant



Miz comes out w/ Sandow and says that Stardust, his
freakshow brother and all the WWE are lucky that there was no permanent damage
to the 'Miz-oney maker'. In order to make sure tha this never happens again he's
DEMANDING that his face be declared an off-limits target for all WWE
superstars. This brings out Sheamus who runs down Miz and says that if he doesn't
want people hitting him in the face, maybe he should make said face, less
punchable, before decking him to start the match. Miz loses by count-out after
Sheamus hits him in the face a few times and starts to go for the Brogue kick,
only for Miz to bail out of the ring and storm to the back, ranting about how his
face should be untouchable.



Week 3 RAW:

Sheamus is already in the ring, waiting for Miz as
announcers recap what happened on Smackdown. Instead of Miz however, Otunga's
music hits and he comes out. He does a spiel about how he represents the
interests of the rich, powerful and famous and introduces his newest client,
the biggest superstar in WWE history, the MIZ! Miz's music hits and he comes
out wearing a ballistic face mask. Otunga states that, since the WWE refuses to
respect his client's wishes he has been forced to take extreme measures in
order to protect his face – measures which are legal under some obscure part of
the wrestling lawbook. Miz then goes on to beat Sheamus by hitting him in the
face with the mask while Otunga distracts the ref. Post match Mizdow &
Otunga beat down on Sheamus with Otunga hitting his finisher



Smackdown

Mizdow (w/ Otunga) vs Gold & Stardust. Stardust hurts
his hand when he accidentally punches Miz on the mask during a repeat of the
comeback spot. As the referee is checking on him, Miz hits Goldust with the mask
and steals another win. Mizdow & Otunga with another post match beatdown,
until Sheamus runs in with a chair to make the save. Sheamus challenges Otunga
to a match, but Otunga says only on Raw.



Week 4 RAW

Sheamus takes on Otunga w/ Miz & Mizdow. Sheamus
initially has the best of it, but keeps on getting distracted by Miz or Mizdow.
In the end he manages to hit the Brogue Kick but Mizdow distracts the ref,
allowing Miz to again hit him with the facemask and drag Otunga on top to steal
the win. Another post match beatdown starts, only for Gold & Stardust to
make the save. Brawl between the 6 leads to Miz & co being driven off.
Sheamus then challenges them to a six man tag at the PPV against him and the
Dust brothers.



Smackdown

Miz beats Golddust vis mask shot, Otunga beats Stardust
following a distraction from Miz & Mizdow, Sheamus beats Sandow with a
brogue kick, followed by another mass brawl.



PPV:

Sheamus, Goldust
Stardust Vs Miz, Mizdow& Otunga. Heels isolate Goldust for most of
the match. Usual crazy shenanigans at the end. Sheamus manages to hit the
brogue kick on Miz but the mask protects him enough to let him kick out and
hurts Sheamus' foot, allowing Otunga to sneak in, hiut his finisher and steal
the win.



From there on we'll have Otunga and Sandow tag and use Miz
as a singles guy, building towards him winning either the IC title or taking
the US belt off of whoever Rusev loses it to. With his new mask to act as a
dirty, heat getting finish and Otunga to rules-lawyer him out of situations
where he'd lose the title, this new group should get over as heels easily.

And here is one that starts out with a punny team name, but gets serious real quick.

Honestly, the best thing we can do with Otunga is put him in a role where he can really excel. He's a real life lawyer, and has a great amount of charisma, why not dwell on that?

Week 1

RAW: Slater Gator vs Los Matadores goes on when suddenly David Otunga comes out, distracting the bullfighters for Titus to pick up the pinfall win. Slater Hair celebrates with Otunga, as the commentary questions what is going on between the three of them.

Smackdown: Backstage, Renee Young interviews Slater Gator and Otunga to find out what's going on. Otunga announces he is the new legal counsel for the tag team, and with any luck #LegiSlater Gator trends worldwide. It's worth a shot, at least.

Week 2:

RAW: LegiSlater Gator is set to take on New Day in six man tag action. Good showing from both teams, we let Otunga show he's no slouch in the ring, and have Titus pick up the victory. After the match, we have Otunga cut a promo about real justice being served, and promising that law and order (not the show) will be upheld.

Smackdown: Otunga and Slater take on the Usos with Titus and Hornswoggle watching on. This time we have Otunga pick up the victory, cutting a post match promo letting the WWE Universe know that change is coming.

Week 3

RAW: Recap from last week leads us into Titus and Slater taking on Los Matadores again. Hornswoggle attempts to interfere, but is held off by El Torito as Los Matadores get the win. Frustrated, Titus and Otunga give Hornswoggle grief over the situation. Slater starts to plead Hornswoggle's case (ha, lawyer joke!) but soon joins his comrades in running the "Mini Gator" out of the group. Otunga promises that the jokes are now over, and court is in session for the WWE.

Smackdown: Six man rematch between the newly focused LegiSlater Gator and New Day. LSG pick up the victory again, leading to a very intriguing promo from Otunga:

"When we came into this business, we looked to take it by force. Ever since, we've been made to look like fools. Well the joke's on YOU, WWE Universe! We've had enough of the games, enough of the jokes, and I'm afraid I've got some BAD NEWS..."

The crowd might very well be losing their cool as this brings out Wade Barrett, a big grin on his face and a mic in his hand:

"You're either Nexus or against us!"

Week 4

RAW: Recaps from last week as everyone is now buzzing about the return of the Nexus. There's no sign of them as we go to a tag match between the Usos and Gold/Stardust, when during the match the Nexus make a return to their guerrilla style tactics, running in and nearly destroying both teams. Later on, they do the same in a match between Miz/Mizdow and Los Matadores. Shortly after, it's announced that Titus/Slater will take on Los Matadores while Otunga/Barrett take on the Usos for the Tag Team Championship at the PPV.

Smackdown: With the matches for the PPV set, we get 8 Man tag action as the Nexus take on Usos/Matadores. The match quickly devolves into a brawl and a No Contest, but we end it with Nexus taking their opponents down a notch and Otunga promising that the Nexus' brands of change will sweep through the entire WWE.

PPV: Long story short, we give Nexus a clean sweep at the PPV. Titus and Slater make short work of Los Matadores, despite the "help" of an angry Hornswoggle. And, in a great tag team affair, the Usos are upended by Barrett and Otunga. With the Nexus back on top here, we can take this angle any direction you guys want it to go: they can go up the card if you so desire, or we can keep them in midcard for a while.