Man, I'm tired of being right! If for some reason you have been doubting my ability to comprehend and predict WWE programming, last night should reassure you that when reading my stuff, you are reading the work of a man who knows his stuff! As expected, last night's NXT poll results revealed that Eli Cottonwood was the odd man out (pun intended). After an assault on the rest of the competitors, Cottonwood was no more in the NXT competition, whichi is probably the best thing to happen for his career...........if it hasn't been ruined beyond repair yet. Let's take a look back to remember, and tolerate, the brief history of Eli Cottonwood.
When the cast of season 2 of NXT was revealed, one contestant stood out above the rest, literally. Standing in a group of freshly cut grass, he was a giant weed looking to plague everything around him. He was ugly, awkward, and just the opposite of the "typical WWE performer". In a sense, this unique appearance made him stand out, but from the start it was evident that a man like that was simply not suited for the reality show environment NXT provided.
As the competition progressed, it became painfully clear that Cottonwood was the type of guy who should have debuted on WWE TV with a manager/mouthpiece. Though the things he was saying were meant to be intimidating and creepy, his Eugene-esque looks and less than stellar vocal delivery provided the portrait of a man trying too hard to be something he's not. At this point, he is not ready to be cutting his own promos, and should probably watch Kane to see how to present devious and scary thoughts. Either way, having to be put on the spot to do so on NXT is totally the wrong environment for a character like that.
From the outset, it was painfully clear that Cottonwood would not survive the competition, but it was even clearer that he shouldn't have been in it in the first place. Again, with the right debut and story, Cottonwood could have made an impact on the main brand and at least had short term success. Now that many fans have seen Cottonwood and he has become an ongoing joke due to his sore thumb status on NXT, it will be hard to redebut him in any serious capacity. Perhaps time can heal that, or maybe a mask, but it will be difficult for him to overcome the stigma he has created for himself regardless. It's a shame that WWE has gotten so high on this NXT concept, because some people just aren't cut out for it. Cottonwood is on the top of that list.
Of course, Cottonwood has decent skills for a big man and a unique look to say the least. If he is able to reappear, he certainly won't go noticed. It would be pretty darn hard to do that at 7'1"! So to Eli, we feel for you, but perhaps you can now move on and resurrect your career. I think I speak for everyone when I say that the fans and pros did the right thing in eliminating the wrong man for the wrong competition.
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