- 9 hours ago
Who would be the WWE Universe's anchor being star that reality revolves around, like in the MCU?
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00:00So in case you didn't know folks, the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Deadpool
00:05and Wolverine, established a concept that there are these things called anchor beings
00:10for every single universe.
00:13Essentially this one particular character is so inherently important to the canon that
00:18if they were to be removed the fabric of reality itself would just unravel and that timeline
00:23would then cease to exist.
00:26But what if we apply that idea right there to another storyline reality, hmm?
00:31Say I don't know, the WWE Universe, yeah you can see where I'm going.
00:36Sounds like fun to me, so let's flippin' go, flippin', I said flippin'.
00:41Because I'm Gareth, this is WhatCulture Wrestling and it's time to forget Deadpool and Wolverine
00:45because here are 10 potential WWE Universe anchor beings.
00:50Number 10 Cody Rhodes
00:52Now an easy candidate for the WWE Universe's anchor is definitely Cody Rhodes, right?
00:57After all, at time of recording he is holding the undisputed WWE Championship and that prize
01:02is the most important one in the company's history.
01:05And he's got a mad tattoo on his neck, so what's not to love, eh?
01:08Now Gunter is obviously the top champion over on Monday Night Raw as well, but the World Heavyweight
01:14Championship simply just doesn't have the same lineage and the same value that Cody's titles
01:18got, has it?
01:19At the end of the day, Rhodes is the de facto main eventer at this moment in time.
01:24And if one of those titles had to disappear right now, this very second, it would probably
01:29be Gunters.
01:30It definitely would not be the American Nightmares because if you just took the WWE title out
01:33of WWE, like what are we doing here?
01:35Saying that they have actually done that for a while didn't they because they like merged
01:38the WWE Universal Championship together, but I digress.
01:41Yes, this isn't an era where one person is carrying the entire company on their shoulders
01:46like Hulk Hogan used to do, but Rhodes is currently the closest to that position that I just said
01:51there that we've got.
01:52He's the babyface to end our babyfaces baby and his journey toward winning that belt was
01:58the biggest WWE focal point of the last two years.
02:01If Roman Reigns was, I don't know, the Thanos of WWE, collecting world titles and records like
02:07Infinity Stones on his big red gauntlet, he had a gold one at one point.
02:11Then Cody Rhodes is definitely Captain America, not just because of his ring gear.
02:15He was the one rallying the troops and leading the charge into battle to make things right
02:20again.
02:21And without him, WWE just wouldn't be the hottest company on the planet right now either.
02:24It just wouldn't.
02:25It's as simple as that.
02:26He's a potential anchor right there.
02:28I've got a quick question for you before we go any further.
02:30I want to know right now, who do you think is going to be the person to beat Cody for
02:34that title, if you've still got the belt on him right now, I know things move very
02:38fast in wrestling.
02:40Number 9, Randy Orton.
02:42Now the ins and outs of an anchor being's responsibilities and attributes are still not fully fleshed
02:48out at time of recording because it's relatively new, isn't it?
02:51But it can be assumed that two major components are probably longevity and a perpetual position
02:58at or near the top of that universe's storyline importance.
03:03And no one on the current active WWE roster fit that bill better than Randy Orton, who
03:08actually beats out everyone on the roster right now at this current moment in time for
03:12the earliest debut, save for our truth.
03:16Orton, however, never actually left WWE for any period of time, starting off strong in 2002
03:22and quickly becoming the youngest ever world champion in the company's history.
03:26Crown the future of the business when he was in Evolution, the Viper has indeed gone on
03:31to do virtually everything possible in WWE, including becoming a Triple Crown and Grand
03:36Slam champion, two-time Royal Rumble winner, Mr. Money in the Bank and most importantly,
03:41a 14-time world champion.
03:43He's tied currently with Triple H and second only to Ric Flair and John Cena when it comes
03:49up to that big massive record.
03:50Put it this way, it's a hell of a Wikipedia page.
03:53Orton's popularity has never really wavered either.
03:56He's always been a top guy and an archetype of what a pro wrestler should, well, what it
04:01should look like and what it should be.
04:03Bonus points are also awarded for him for being a third generation star, which allows him to,
04:08metaphorically, tap into previous generations to keep WWE's roots growing or something.
04:13Also, can you even imagine WWE without Orton in it, meaning that he's just a part of the
04:20furniture, he is an anchor if ever there was one.
04:23Number 8, Michael Cole.
04:25Switching gears a little bit right now, what if, what if, the anchor being of the WWE Universe
04:30is not necessarily a wrestler?
04:32But the so-called voice of WWE himself and the main commentator, Michael Cole.
04:38Though he isn't on every single program, that is actually only a matter of scheduling.
04:42He's only human, and he can't be expected to travel that much every single week.
04:46The man needs rest every now and then.
04:48But if it was actually humanly possible, he would clearly be in that position, wouldn't
04:52he?
04:53As he's the lead commentator tasked to spearhead every single premium live event, hold down
04:57the fort on the flagship that is Monday Night Raw, and fill in as the main play-by-play
05:02announcer at the drop of a hat too.
05:04He can do it all.
05:05And as far as consistency, he's only missed three shows out of a near 30-year career, and
05:11with that, that stat is insane.
05:13I mean, at this point, an entire generation of fans have no idea what WWE is even like
05:17without Cole's voice at the helm.
05:19And Cole does so much more than just call the matches too.
05:23He's the storyteller who connects the audience with the action and conveys what you're supposed
05:28to be feeling, not just what you're seeing.
05:30Now he isn't the head writer technically responsible for crafting the stories in general, but without
05:35someone like Cole to provide interesting context, WWE might as well just be a group of men and
05:41women doing some choreographed dance movements.
05:44Though I would actually probably still pay to watch that, because I like dancing.
05:47Would that not be the responsibility of this anchor being to keep the whole universe afloving?
05:52Yeah, why not?
05:54Number 7, Seth Rollins.
05:56When speaking about consistency, something that is super important for an anchor being, right?
06:01Undoubtedly, one of the best examples of this on the modern roster has to be Seth Rollins.
06:07Winning the inaugural NXT Championship set the tone for WWE Developmental as a whole.
06:13Every future member of the NXT roster likely owes him a debt of gratitude for being so influential
06:19in those early years, and allowing the brand to grow and flourish into what it has ultimately
06:24become today.
06:25And upon joining the main roster, Rollins was instantly a prominent star, too, as part
06:31of the Shield.
06:32Which led directly into him being chosen as the Authority's golden child in the end as
06:36well.
06:37You all remember what happened.
06:38His turn on Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose, as well as his money in the bank cash-in at WrestleMania
06:4331, continued to influence future events.
06:46So much so that it was even a featured callback at WrestleMania XL, which was very recent.
06:52He's still making an impact.
06:54These are arguably nexus points in the WWE timeline, where if anything else would have happened,
06:58the whole landscape of the company would likely look a lot different today.
07:02Rollins also made history as the first to win this new incarnation of the World Heavyweight
07:06Championship, further cementing him as an important player in paving the way for the future.
07:11As the architect turned Monday Night Messiah turned visionary, Rollins' character evolved
07:16throughout the years, too.
07:18And fluctuated between heel and face depending on where he was needed and when.
07:22But he remains a loyal WWE supporter through and through, and his connection to the WWE Universe
07:28has made him one of the top names of this era.
07:31Put simply, old Seth is a consistent and hugely important figure within this universe.
07:37Anchor being material, baby!
07:406.
07:41John Cena
07:42So this weird MCU crossover anchor being list would not be complete without mentioning the
07:47definitive top star that WWE revolved around for well over a decade, that is, John Cena.
07:54Known as the franchise player, whether you loved him, hated him, or loved to hate him, it is
07:59an unquestionable fact that Cena had an over 10 year run as the face of the company.
08:05Akin to Hulk Hogan's 1983-1993 spell and Stone Cold Steve Austin's Attitude Era domination.
08:13His spot at the very top was absolutely undisputed to the point where he pretty much overshadowed
08:18every other major player like Randy Orton, Batista, CM Punk, all of them just overshadowed
08:24by the big man that doesn't even cast a shadow because he's invisible.
08:27It was Cena's show, man.
08:29He was the anchor, and every single piece of merchandise, promotional ads, pay-per-view
08:34posters, media appearances, you name them, all of them just reminded you of that.
08:39Cena's had one of the biggest transitions into mainstream media over the past 20 years
08:43too.
08:44Becoming a household name to people who don't even follow professional wrestling, now that
08:48shows that you made it.
08:50While his in-ring activity has slowed down over the years and will actually be coming to an
08:54end in 2025, Cena's always remained a staunch advocate of WWE and a fixture of the brand.
09:01It is likely he will always be associated with it and will be forever looked back on as one
09:05of the main factors why the company stayed alive and grew to prosper after the dip in
09:10popularity post-Attitude Era.
09:12Just a shame that we can't see this potential anchor being in it.
09:15Just a shame.
09:16Thank you very much for joining me for a bit of Deadpool and Wolverine fun right here my
09:19friend and if you're into this stuff, if you're having a good time with it, then hit that
09:22subscribe button because you're going to get more of it, you'll get more of these
09:25videos, more on my stupid face.
09:27Number 5.
09:28The Rock
09:29So we've seen us within the discussion for being a potential anchor being despite not
09:33actively wrestling as much in the past few years, but still being one of the most popular
09:38wrestlers to ever breach into Hollywood, well then obviously the debate needs to come back
09:42around to Mr. Dwayne The Rock Johnson, doesn't it?
09:45Now, the People's Champion had less consecutive years on top, sure.
09:49And was always in a bit of a race with stonk old Steve Austin for the true top dog spot in
09:54his era.
09:55But he eventually blew up into the biggest pop culture star of the past 20 something
10:00years.
10:01That global recognition is magnified whenever he returns to WWE too, where he is immediately
10:07revered as a cub of the rest.
10:09He's just up there.
10:10He's even more of a household name than Cena and in the history books goes down as the
10:14special attraction that was brought in to face Cena.
10:18Which when you're just weighing everything up it probably puts him on a bit of a pedestal,
10:21doesn't it?
10:22As mentioned with Orton there is something to be said about family history and lineage
10:26too.
10:27And Johnson brings even more of that to the table because he's part of the Anawaii Dynasty
10:31which has also been at the forefront of WWE storytelling for the past few years.
10:35So when you take all that and then you just add in all of his impressive records that
10:38he loves talking about, and the idea that he's now an executive helping run the company
10:43as part of the TKO board of directors, and it all makes him one of the most influential
10:47people in WWE history.
10:50And one who will no doubt continue to shape it for years to come like an anchor final boss.
10:57Number 4 Vince McMahon.
10:59While he's obviously not in the company anymore, Vince McMahon will forever be etched into every
11:03single fabric of WWE's being.
11:05He's the reason that World Wrestling Entertainment exists, not only because of what he's done
11:09for better or worse over the last 40 years, but because he inherited slash purchased it
11:14all those years ago.
11:15Hella McMahon has been at the forefront of this company since it was originally called
11:19the Capital Wrestling Corporation even.
11:21As influential and popular as names like Bruno Sammartino, The Undertaker, Macho Man Randy
11:26Savage and so many others have been to WWE.
11:30There is no singular person more responsible for crafting this world and even dubbing it
11:34the WWE Universe than McMahon.
11:36Had he not tarnished his name with scandals, he would probably still be running operations.
11:42Admittedly it is a good thing that he isn't, but therein lies another aspect of this discussion
11:47that we've not yet examined.
11:49When an anchor being dies, the universe gets destroyed, even if it takes a thousand years
11:54to come around to it.
11:55Within just a few months of McMahon's departure, aspects of the world that he created were already
12:00changing.
12:01For the better of course.
12:02And WWE as a company, it must be said, is showing absolutely no signs of dying at all.
12:07The WWE Universe has quickly shifted after his exit and will continue to evolve as time
12:12goes on.
12:14Just like the MCU continues to evolve and change in the wake of important figures leaving
12:18that franchise.
12:19And also, just one final point on this, who's to say that the anchor being can't be a complete
12:23piece of shi-
12:24Number 3, Triple H.
12:26Triple H is able to check off every single previously mentioned attribute while also adding
12:31a few more to the mix.
12:33And after all, we are in the Paul Levesque era, which probably needs to count for something
12:37as well, right?
12:38He ties Randy Orton for the second most world title reigns ever, and has accomplished even
12:43more overall in his career as far as a pure list of accolades go.
12:48When it comes to longevity, Triple H has been an even more dedicated WWE only guy than Orton,
12:54Rollins and the rest of them, having been in the company since 1995 and never wavering
12:59since.
13:00As Vince McMahon's son-in-law, he's also able to carry that torch, as well as combine
13:03it with being the chief content officer too.
13:06In other words, he's quite an important dude as our Triple H.
13:09And as the head of WWE creative, he is even more influential in steering the company in
13:14a particular direction than someone like Michael Cole.
13:17To the point he's been entrusted to specifically be the writer to craft how WWE will live on
13:21in the future.
13:22I mean, there's a reason that you hear his voice for the WWE intro as he holds the keys
13:27to the kingdom of the past, present and future of WWE.
13:31Or as he says it, then now, forever.
13:34A legendary career that has few, if any, equals being part of the corporation, evolution,
13:40the authority, the leader of NXT and now WWE's driving force, it all creates a hard argument
13:47for anyone else even being considered this universe's anchor being.
13:50But we'll keep on considering because I've got two more entries.
13:532.
13:54Roman Reigns
13:55Circling back around to a pure performer argument now.
13:58If you're still leaning towards Cody Rhodes as your top pick, well his main competition
14:02right now in this world of WWE beyond question would be Roman Reigns.
14:07As much of an impact as Rollins has definitely made, even he has specifically said he is number
14:12two behind Reigns.
14:13And while Rhodes is the current top dog at this moment, he only achieved that through
14:17his feud with the big dog himself.
14:20The Bloodline has been the single biggest WWE story over the past four years.
14:24But even more so, Reigns has been booked as the face of the company to inherit the throne
14:28from John Cena practically since his main roster debut.
14:32Despite all the rejection that he's seen over this 10 plus year run at the very very top,
14:37he continuously just shatters records and breaks new ground with accomplishments that
14:42have never been seen before.
14:44His status as the tribal chief puts him at the very top of the Anawaii family, his accolades
14:49are among the most impressive in WWE history, and his greatness on a different level moniker
14:54just really rings true.
14:56Reigns calls himself the head of the table, and my goodness don't you know that's the
15:00truth, as Kurt Angle would say it's damn true.
15:03From 2015 until 2020 he was the central protagonist of WWE, then up until his recent return he was
15:09the main antagonist.
15:11Whether he's a good guy or a bad guy, you simply cannot deny that he is the guy or the
15:17anchor being, because this, this right here is his era.
15:201.
15:21The Fans Of The WWE Universe Themselves
15:24There was always a McMahon at the helm of WWE from its inception.
15:29Until, well there wasn't.
15:31It was the Sammartino show until Hogan then took over, who then passed it to the new generation
15:37class like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, who then transitioned to the Austin Rock era,
15:42Cena, Reigns and so on, you know where I'm going.
15:46Every top guy eventually has to step aside for the next face of the company.
15:50Jim Ross was THE voice of WWE until that honour was then bestowed onto Michael Cole, who's now
15:56being that voice of WWE.
15:57And he will eventually retire as well, and all the writers and executives like Nick Khan,
16:01The Rock, Triple H, all those will pass the torch too.
16:05But the one consistent thing that will always be there to keep this reality running is, well
16:11it's the audience itself.
16:13So important that the crowd is even collectively referred to as the WWE Universe, just in general
16:19isn't it?
16:20It is the viewers who dictate pushes like Daniel Bryan, go along with storylines by booing
16:25heels and cheering faces, attend the shows, buy the merchandise, watch the events and fuel
16:31the passion behind every single promo and match.
16:35Without the fans, there would simply not be a WWE people.
16:38Every retiring star receives thank you chants from the crowd, only to respond back with no
16:43no, thank you.
16:44And that's because the people packing the seats and watching at home are the ultimate stabilising
16:49force in this universe.
16:50Maybe then, instead of just one, an anchor being, WWE is propped up by many, as all of
16:56us have our part to play in keeping professional wrestling alive.
17:00You know what, that was a surprisingly positive ending, I've surprised myself there, and you
17:03know what, do you want another surprise?
17:05Do you want more surprises in your life?
17:07We've got loads of other videos around my head somewhere, so if you click on one of them,
17:10I guarantee there will be surprises.
17:12It might even just be my face.
17:13It's not a surprise now, I've told you, never mind.
17:15Let's go.
17:16Let's go.
17:21Let's go.
17:24Let's go.
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