'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
This past weekend at WrestleMania Backlash, John Morrison was at ringside for the controversial Lumberjack match between Damian Priest and The Miz. Before the pay-pay-view, fans were expecting a host of WWE Superstars to surround the ring during the match, as is tradition with the stipulation. However, this was not what happened.
Trending
As part of a promotion for Zack Snyder's new movie 'Army Of The Dead' - starring former WWE Champion Batista - the lumberjacks in the match were actually zombies. Reaction to the bout on social media was far from positive, especially when the zombies ended up gnawing on The Miz after the match.
Meet John Cena's dad HERE
For all the criticism the movie tie-in drew, the big story coming out of the bout was a serious injury suffered by The Miz.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, The A-Lister damaged his anterior cruciate ligament and is likely to be out of action until at least 2022.
The expected long-term absence of The Miz leaves his tag team partner John Morrison in need of a fresh creative path. Having been part of a duo ever since returning to WWE in January last year, Morrison now stands alone.
WWE must tweak its plans for the former three-time Intercontinental Champion, and there are a number of interesting possibilities for his next move.
Here are five possible directions for John Morrison following The Miz's injury at WrestleMania Backlash.
#5 John Morrison could continue in his current character on RAW - dedicating his future success to The Miz
John Morrison leaned in this direction on the post-WrestleMania Backlash episode of RAW, where he vowed to defeat Damian Priest in honor of his fallen partner.
Unfortunately, Johnny Drip Drip was unable to make good on his promise. Morrison lost to Priest in another Lumberjack match (this time with actual WWE Superstars around the ring) on Monday night.
Having emphatically beaten Morrison, it looks as though WWE will be moving Priest on to new feuds. With that said, Morrison can still dedicate his future matches to The Miz, regularly mentioning his ally and wishing him a speedy recovery in interviews.
During his promo on RAW, Morrison indicated The Miz had been devoured by the zombies at WrestleMania Backlash. However, at some point, WWE will need to acknowledge that The Miz is still in the land of the living. How better to do this than by having his friend and tag team partner give updates on his recovery?
John Morrison is very capable on the microphone and could give entertaining injury reports on The Miz while the latter recuperates.
This approach would keep The Miz in the minds of WWE fans and would be ideal if he was expected back on television fairly quickly. However, given the nature of the injury he suffered, this does not seem likely.
The sheer length of time that The Miz is predicted to miss makes this angle a tough one to pull off. John Morrison, though, has the skills to make it a success.
#4 John Morrison could look for a new tag team partner following The Miz's injury
Although John Morrison's partnership with The Miz is now (at least temporarily) on hold, nothing is stopping the former from recruiting a new tag team partner.
Overall, Morrison is a six-time tag team titleholder within WWE. He enjoyed three reigns with former partner Joey Mercury, before later adding a further trio of championship wins with The Miz.
WWE could create some entertaining television by having John Morrison get different members of the RAW roster to audition for the spot as his new partner every week. Underutilized members of the locker room could each try their hand at convincing Johnny Drip Drip that they are the man for the job.
Morrison's own WWE journey began when he auditioned for the Tough Enough reality show. Asking others to compete for his approval would be a fun call back to his own beginnings in the company.
Since RAW is a three-hour show, WWE could easily devote some time to Morrison's search for a new tag partner every week. These segments would also provide television time to a few superstars who are rarely featured on Monday nights.
#3 John Morrison could become an authority figure on RAW while The Miz is out of action
During his first spell on WWE television back in early 2004, John Morrison appeared under several names, including 'Johnny Nitro'. As an assistant to then-RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff, Nitro worked as a junior authority figure on the brand. The role did not last long, but the man behind the character gained some valuable on-screen experience.
In recent months, former SmackDown superstar Sonya Deville has transitioned from being an in-ring performer to a backstage authority figure. Morrison could pull off a similar switch himself.
Already a seasoned performer in front of the camera, Morrison could offer his services to WWE official Adam Pearce, continually inserting himself into decision-making segments - whether invited or not.
A superstar with great comedic timing and presence, Morrison has all the tools to be a big asset in these scenarios. A guest host role on the weekly RAW Talk post-show is another potential avenue that WWE could explore with him.
Put simply, John Morrison is far too talented not to be used on a regular basis by WWE. Instead of allowing him to get lost in the shuffle while The Miz is out of action, the company can get a lot out of Morrison in a non-wrestling role.
#2 John Morrison could move to another brand following The Miz's injury at WrestleMania Backlash
Although RAW is his current home, there is no guarantee John Morrison will remain there. When the situation demands it, WWE Superstars have been known to switch between brands with only a brief line of commentary explaining their move. The promotion could choose to go into greater detail here, though, possibly booking a trade between Morrison and another superstar.
Morrison has a number of options with regards to a new home. Of course, he could make the switch back to SmackDown, where he would match up well against the likes of Kevin Owens, Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura, and many others.
However, Morrison might feel more at home in NXT. His real-life wife recently debuted for the Black and Gold Brand as Franky Monet, and there are plenty of positives that Morrison could bring to Tuesday nights.
With almost 20 years of experience as a professional, Morrison would be an invaluable resource for the younger members of the NXT roster. Having been on worldwide television for a long period, he is also an established superstar.
By relocating to NXT, the Los Angeles native can help boost the star power - and ratings - of the show. Finn Balor has performed a similar role in recent years and Morrison can follow the same path.
A spell in NXT could be a worthwhile move for John Morrison.
#1 John Morrison could turn babyface and pursue singles gold on RAW while The Miz is out of action
If John Morrison wants to remain on RAW and target solo success, he might be best served to turn babyface.
The 41-year-old has a crowd-pleasing in-ring style and would be good in the said role. The Red Brand also currently has two heels as its singles champions. Bobby Lashley is the WWE Champion, while Sheamus holds the United States title.
Sheamus, in particular, offers John Morrison the ideal opportunity to kick off a babyface run. The Celtic Warrior is hosting an ongoing open challenge for his championship on Monday nights.
If Morrison was to answer the Irishman's invitation and win the title in spectacular fashion, then he could signal his shift in attitude with a major victory.
The same is true for WWE Champion Lashley. The All Mighty does not have a long list of potential challengers to his crown on RAW, and a newly-turned face like Morrison could help with that problem.
Another option for Morrison could be to enter July's Money In The Bank Ladder match to secure a guaranteed shot at championship gold. Having previously been a two-time entrant in the bout, the Monday Night Delight could win the famed briefcase this time around.
A Money In The Bank triumph would announce John Morrison as a main event player on RAW.
