Tuesday 25 September 2018 07:49, UK
Lio Rush calls himself the man of the hour but - if his explosive first two weeks on Raw are anything to go by - he could also become a key part of WWE's long-term future.
Rush introduced himself 10 days ago as a potential managerial mouthpiece for Bobby Lashley, and the duo appeared to cement that partnership in a series of skits on this week's show.
Illustrating his understanding of how the game works in 2018, he continued with those vignettes on social media.
Lashley's incredible look is unrivalled in the company and he has needed someone to do his talking for him for some time; Rush, it would seem, is the selection to fulfil that role.
Rush marries an infectious enthusiasm with a smooth and clear delivery in the classic wrestling style. He is part Kevin Hart, part Jimmy "The Mouth of the South" Hart, and part Cuba Gooding Jr's character from Jerry Maguire.
He can be to Lashley what Enzo Amore was to Big Cass but with the distinction that Lashley is arguably better in the ring, and is certainly more established after 15-odd years in the pro wrestling game.
It could all have been quite different for Rush. After making his name on the independent circuit as a rapid-fire high-flyer under the name of Lennon Duffy, and during which he regularly teamed with a pre-NXT Velveteen Dream, the call from Full Sail came last summer.
With the ink on his developmental contract barely dry in the Stamford office, Rush made an ill-advised 'joke' on Twitter regarding the release of Emma.
"I guess these are the things that happen when you're not truly ready for Asuka," he wrote, alluding to the fact the popular Australian had been released after losing to Asuka following her own promotion to the main roster.
The backlash was long and painful. Member after member of the WWE locker room, stars from Raw, SmackDown and the NXT camp with which Rush was about to share training space, called him out.
He apologised and deleted the tweet. Rush had been expected to make a big impact after being signed, but not that kind of an impact.
Fast-forward a year and the incident had blown over. After an NXT run with a very mixed record - and, actually, more losses than wins - Rush was taken to 205 Live, reprogrammed with a rich playboy gimmick and given license to run relatively wild with the character.
It is a theme he has continued since moving to Raw, a promotion which seems rapid for someone who has had just five matches on the cruiserweight show.
The faith, however, was rewarded. These are very early signs but everything suggests the company has struck gold with Rush.
The immediate beneficiary of his brilliance is Lashley, whose comments this week that he still wants a match with Brock Lesnar will take on extra resonance as his Rush-infused popularity grows.
But the big winners will be the WWE fans.
