10 New WWE Directions After Extreme Rules 2017

10. A Bigger Role For Samson

WWE deserve credit for the way they’ve handled Elias Samson’s transition from NXT to the main roster. Instead of giving him the standard jobber-squashing spree followed by a midcard feud, the company had Samson quietly lurking in the background on Raw, coasting through the building without acknowledgement (he is ‘The Drifter,’ after all), before finally bringing him into the ring almost two months after his debut.

It has been a novel introduction, and one entirely befitting the character. At Extreme Rules, Samson partook in a brief in-ring segment in which he "treated" the Baltimore crowd to a song about his miserable their city is, and while it passed without incident, it successfully irked the crowd.

He might not be the biggest name or the most spectacular athlete, but ‘The Drifter’ is one of only a few heels still capable of drawing pure heat from the crowd, not the usual mix of boos and cheers. That’s worth spotlighting in an era where villains often draw louder face pops than the supposed heroes, and could earn Samson a bigger spotlight. He should now transition to a solid role on the midcard, starting with his first real feud ahead of Great Balls Of Fire.