So, I realized this last night. You could divide the history of WWWF/WWF/WWE into 3 eras, divided into 4 phases each.

Original Era (63 - 84), Classic Era (84 - 98), Modern Era (98 - ??)
Mega Star, Transitional, Lesser Star, Remedy

In Short, Each phase corresponds to who the face of the company is at that time


[big][big]Mega Star Phase[/big][/big]
[small]Original: Bruno Sammartino, Classic: Hulk Hogan, Modern: Steve Austin[/small]

The Mega Star Phase, obviously is categorized by having a complete Superstar, someone who is known around the world. When you think about wrestling in that era, you think about that person. In the "Original Era", that was undoubtedly Bruno Sammartino. Everyone knew who he was. He held the WWWF title for 8 years for heaven's sake. Therefore, 20 years later, Hulk Hogan came along and brought wrestling to new heights. And just when they thought Montreal would ruin the WWF, glass shattered and Steve Austin pulled the Attitude Era through it.

This MegaStar would have started in another company, but recently came to WWE/F/WF a few years before attaining his megastar status. He'll also take the World Title off of the Remedy in a symbolic way, but we'll get to that when we talk about the Remedy phase. These MegaStars are extremely charismatic, and while not the best wrestler out there, they get the job done when they need to. They also have a "Second Fiddle", a guy who could have been the star in any other phase, but just happens to get stuck behind this guy. That second fiddle is also very charismatic, a bit better of a wrestler as the Megastar, and usually sticks around a little longer than his Megastar. These are obvious if you know the eras.

[small]Original: Pedro Morales, Classic: Randy Savage, Modern: The Rock[/small]

They also have similar supporting casts in this phase. Not so much Bruno, but Hogan and Austin had very similar competition.

The Unstoppable Giant: Andre the Giant, Big Show
The Manipulative Heel: Ted DiBiase, Triple H
The Unique Eccentric: Roddy Piper, Mick Foley


[big][big]Transitional Phase[/big][/big]

After the Megastar's heyday is done, there are several people who try to take his place, become the next star, but no one truly succeeds. There are usually 3 main roles in this type of phase: the last phase hold-over, the upstart heel with charisma, and the dominating Brute. Look at the similarities.

[small]Original: Pedro Morales, Billy Graham, Ivan Koloff
Classic: Ultimate Warrior, Undertaker, Yokozuna
Modern: Triple H, Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar[/small]

Nobody really breaks out of the pack. People get exciting careers and title reigns out of is, but there's no face of the company. Until we get to...


[big][big]Lesser Star Phase[/big][/big]
[small]Original: Bob Backlund, Classic: Bret Hart, Modern: John Cena[/small]

This lesser star is a good worker, but is largely overrated due to the stifling of his moveset by the company, usually into a certain "5 Moves of Doom" (Hint, Bret and Cena). He is also charismatic, but in no way lives up to the standards of the Megastar before him. He doesn't have a second-fiddle, per-say, but he has someone that tries to be, and that person usually ends up paranoid and in a way reviled by the wrestling community.

[small]Original: Iron Sheik, Classic: Diesel, Modern: Batista[/small]

Usually, the Lesser Star takes the world title, or a symbolic torch, away from one of the transitional guys in a special moment, an important turning point in the era. Backlund from Graham at MSG, Hart from Yoko at WM X, Cena from HHH at WM 22. This is usually a low point in business, and the fans desperately want a change, someone to relieve this Lesser star of his duties, a remedy.


[big][big]Remedy Phase[/big][/big]
[small]Original: ???, Classic: Shawn Michaels, Modern: CM Punk[/small]

Ok, what I think I did was my original plan was to have Billy Graham as the original Lesser Star, and Backlund as the remedy, but I screwed up. You could say Iron Sheik was the remedy for Backlund, but he doesn't really fit with the other two...at all.

So these remedies are usually smaller in stature, not fitting WWE's mold of a star. They incorporate a fast, high-flying aspect into their Technical arsenal, and the fans immediately take to him. The torch is passed to them from the Lesser Star in a match that is widely considered a Classic (Michaels/Hart from WM XII, Punk/Cena from MitB), and are, in a way, lauded as the next Megastar. Need I mention Screwjobs occurring in the capitol of Quebec?

However, this phase doesn't last long, as the next Megastar explodes onto the scene shortly after they take over. This hasn't happened with Punk yet, but I'm sure it will...if it hasn't already.



Therefore, we should be looking for CM Punk to fall out of the fans' graces, and get injured, opening the way for a new Megastar to emerge. But who will that be? Who has a track record in other companies but still experience in WWE?

Daniel Bryan?

Maybe it's not for a year or so, who then?

Dean Ambrose?
Antonio Cesaro?

Maybe Kassius Ohno?


You decide.