It seems as though every once and a while, the rumor mill will surface reports of a potential TNA shut down. Usually, there's not much to them or the company finds a way to continue to produce events, but after some of the recent news, Total Nonstop Action might actually be in danger of going out of business. Originally, The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported that the company was being evicted from their Nashville headquarters and are moving the offices to the TNA shop warehouse. If it's an actual eviction or just a planned move to cut costs, it's not a good sign when an international company decides to work from a warehouse. Reportedly, Dixie Carter has continued to negotiate with potential investors in recent months and as of now, Aroluxe Marketing has funded some of the recent Impact tapings. Ron and Don Harris, who worked for TNA during its early years, work with Aroluxe Marketing and are said to be involved in talks for purchasing a share of the company. Supposedly, Dixie is resistant to selling a majority share of the group, but might be forced to do so in an effect to keep the organization afloat. Plus, reports have surfaced that Panda Energy, owned by Bob Carter, stopped funding TNA a few years ago, and the company is essentially out of money.
What exactly is the upside of investing in TNA?
The promotion has made too many mistakes for too long and as I've said before, it's somewhat similar to the closing days of WCW when the brand was too tarnished to improve. Furthermore, at this point, if anyone is dumb enough to invest money into a product that Dixie Carter has control of decisions then they shouldn't be surprised when their investment is wasted. This isn't a personal jab at Dixie either, many former employees have said in interviews that she's a nice lady, but with her track record, she proved that she's inept at running a wrestling company so if TNA is going to be successful she should step away.
On the flip side, Aroluxe Marketing basically has all the leverage in the negotiations so if they can buy the company and manage costs, they could potentially make an eventual profit. This is where the situation gets murky and only those directly involved in the deal know the answers. If Aroluxe buys the promotion completely, Dixie is done as the owner and almost anything would be possible, depending on the direction the marketing group wants to take the product. However, that scenario brings up its own slew of questions, such as who will they hire to run the company? Who will they sign for TV? etc. In many ways, new ownership would be a real "fresh start" for TNA and might wash away the stain of the Carter era. At the same time, it's really an uphill battle because the only real asset the company has aside from the roster is the TV slots. While the promotion has struggled to garner ratings in the United States, they have done reasonable well for the international markets. The TV slot shouldn't be underestimated because it's extremely difficult for a pro wrestling company to get a deal on a cable network, and Global Force Wrestling is proof of that, considering their TV tapings were held months ago, but they still haven't been signed by a network. It's 2016 and with more entertainment options and channels available now than any time before in history, along with the WWE as the undisputed top of the industry, it's not easy for a wrestling show to land a major TV deal.
So, what happens if TNA folds?
First of all, it would be an indication that Dixie Carter failed as a business owner, considering that her father, Bob Carter bought the company for her and when Panda Energy stopped paying the bills, it shut down so obviously, Dixie couldn't run a company unless her dad paid for it. A sale or takeover would also reiterate the "impact" of Dixie's more infamous mistakes, which are too numerous to list. The ridiculous angled that Vince Russo booked, hiring Hogan to run the company, and the laundry list of other blunders will be highlighted again if/when her time as TNA president goes to a conclusion.
If a deal isn't reached and TNA goes under, there is very little upside to it and any "fans" that are somehow looking forward to the potential shut down are extremely misguided. One of the very few benefits of the pro wrestling landscape without TNA is that it could potentially clear a spot for another company. One of the reasons that it's difficult for pro wrestling to secure a cable deal is WWE is undoubtedly number one so why would a network want to sign a secondary product? At the same time, the pro wrestling audience has always garnered a solid rating so if a channel is looking for programming that will draw consistent viewership, the door might be open for a smaller group. However. There are several challenges for any organization trying to pitch a network show though, including the funding, the star power, the production costs, etc. Hopefully, some type of deal somewhere can be signed to keep a second pro wrestling company on national TV in the United States because there are many talented stars on the TNA roster that deserve a national stage. Ethan Carter, Abyss, Drew Galloway, Jade, etc. are talented competitors that have the skills to wrestle on national TV. Some might cite Ring Of Honor, which has done extremely well creating their own niche and adding a working agreement with New Japan, as a possible second national promotion, but realistically, Sinclair Broadcasting seems to be content with using the group to produce original programming for their syndicated networks. That's not a criticism of Sinclair either, as they obviously know that competing with the WWE is an uphill battle, but at the same time, if they aren't willing to invest major money to further expand ROH then the organization's reach to a national audience would be somewhat limited. Again, selling a pro wrestling show to major cable networks in 2016 is a difficult task and it's probably a wise decision for Sinclair to maintain ROH as a niche product.
What happens from here is anyone's guess, but Aroluxe seems to be the only realistic option for the promotion and as mentioned, they have the leverage for the deal. TNA didn't draw a crowd on the road so they don't draw money for house shows, the PPV buy rates were so low that it didn't justify the production costs of the live shows, and dismal ratings on a smaller network don't generate major ad revenue. What other option does Dixie Carter have in this situation? There's not much to pitch to potential investors other than the previously mentioned TV slot, which is definitely valuable, but TNA isn't an established brand. If anything, Aroluxe might be better suited to buy the company to acquire the TV contracts and change the name to start a new company. It will be extremely interesting to see if/when TNA is sold and the effect it could have on the industry.
Monday, April 25, 2016
Saturday, April 23, 2016
UFC 197
This Saturday's UFC 197 event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada was slated to feature a grudge match between the UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Daniel Cormier and former 205 LBS title holder Jon Jones, who was stripped of the belt last year after his hit-and-run incident. Cormier won the vacated championship after he submitted Anthony Johnson in May of last year and then won a split decision in a contest against Alexander Gustafsson a few months later. Still, Jones had previously defeated Cormier before his laundry list of legal problems derailed his rising career. Nearly a year and a half after the pair fought, Jones, who continues to have traffic incidents, is scheduled to return to the octagon, and the intense rivalry between the two athletes created much anticipation for the rematch.
However, just three weeks ago, Cormier was forced to cancel his scheduled fight after sustaining a foot injury in training. The bitter rivalry won't be settled this weekend and UFC management was sent scrambling to find a replacement for the return of one of the sport's top fighters. Ovince Saint Preux, who has shown flashes of brilliance during his career, was selected and provides a solid test for Jones. The 33-year-old is known mostly for his powerful striking, but has also displayed quality grappling skills during his time in the UFC, where he has a 7-2 record with a 19-7 overall record.
That being said, Saint Preux isn't necessarily a major threat to defeat Jones and in many ways, UFC 197 has somewhat of a "consolation card" atmosphere around it, mostly because the a rematch was hyped since Cormier claimed the belt. Granted, the injury was beyond the UFC's control and you have to credit Saint Preux for being willing to accept a fight with one of the top fighters in MMA on short notice. But, there just isn't going to be the same draw for the event as a Cormier/Jones fight would generate. For Saint Preux, it's a win-win situation because he either shocks the world to defeat Jones or if he loses, a loss to one of the best fighters in the world after taking a fight on short notice won't damage his status in the division.
Despite all that, UFC 197 will still showcase one of the best fighters in the world defending the title against a formidable challenger, but unfortunately, most of the causal fans will probably overlook it. Demetrious Johnson, the UFC's first (and as of now only) Flyweight champion will defend his title against undefeated challenger, Henry Cejudo. With an overall record of 23-2-1, Johnson has used tremendous technique and skill to bring a nine fight winning streak into the cage for this bout. Spectacular defense and precise striking, along with great grappling skills against some of the top fighters in the 125 LBS division have prompted many to argue that he might be the best pound-for-pound fighter in MMA today.
So, why hasn't Demetrious Johnson received the same fanfare as some of his championship contemporaries?
There are a few reasons for it, most of those pertain to the weight division that Johnson reigns as champion. In a culture where athletes look more and more like super heroes, the general public just isn't going to be as drawn to fighters of a smaller statue. Along with the 125 LBS weight limit, there will naturally be less power displayed or one punch KOs that are seen in the heavyweight division. Another aspect is that most of Johnson's wins in the UFC are often one-sided decisions and causal fans often overlook the top notch technique displayed in those victories. Basically, Johnson's style carters to the die hard MMA fan base that understand the technical side of the sport. However, that doesn't always translate to a main stream draw. For example, Floyd Mayweather was a lighter weight fighter and was the sport's top act, but his impressive skills inside the ropes aren't what translated to box office numbers, but rather his villainous persona. In truth, most of the general public weren't necessary impressed with tremendous boxing ability, as it wasn't going to produce wild brawl and instead fans often paid just to see if he would be defeated. That's another reason behind the lack of main stream draw for Demetrious Johnson, he's a quiet and humble fighter that goes into a contest, and dominates an opponent to get the win. That's not to say that he should suddenly rant to sell a pay-per-view because he shouldn't have to, but just the disappointing aspect of the situation that his great skills don't get buzz from the general public.
His opponent for UFC 197, Henry Cejudo is an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling and as mentioned, brings an undefeated record of 10-0 into the contest. Despite the previous accomplishments, Cejudo hasn't fought anyone on the level of Johanson in MMA and I would say that Johnson will use his speed, and technical striking ability to retain the title via unanimous decision.
It's disappoint that Demetrious Johnson's skills and possible victory against an Olympic gold medals will probably go mostly unnoticed, with the exception of the diehard fans that already recognize his greatness, but make no mistake about it, the Flyweight title fight at UFC 197 is one of the reasons mixed martial arts is a great sport.
However, just three weeks ago, Cormier was forced to cancel his scheduled fight after sustaining a foot injury in training. The bitter rivalry won't be settled this weekend and UFC management was sent scrambling to find a replacement for the return of one of the sport's top fighters. Ovince Saint Preux, who has shown flashes of brilliance during his career, was selected and provides a solid test for Jones. The 33-year-old is known mostly for his powerful striking, but has also displayed quality grappling skills during his time in the UFC, where he has a 7-2 record with a 19-7 overall record.
That being said, Saint Preux isn't necessarily a major threat to defeat Jones and in many ways, UFC 197 has somewhat of a "consolation card" atmosphere around it, mostly because the a rematch was hyped since Cormier claimed the belt. Granted, the injury was beyond the UFC's control and you have to credit Saint Preux for being willing to accept a fight with one of the top fighters in MMA on short notice. But, there just isn't going to be the same draw for the event as a Cormier/Jones fight would generate. For Saint Preux, it's a win-win situation because he either shocks the world to defeat Jones or if he loses, a loss to one of the best fighters in the world after taking a fight on short notice won't damage his status in the division.
Despite all that, UFC 197 will still showcase one of the best fighters in the world defending the title against a formidable challenger, but unfortunately, most of the causal fans will probably overlook it. Demetrious Johnson, the UFC's first (and as of now only) Flyweight champion will defend his title against undefeated challenger, Henry Cejudo. With an overall record of 23-2-1, Johnson has used tremendous technique and skill to bring a nine fight winning streak into the cage for this bout. Spectacular defense and precise striking, along with great grappling skills against some of the top fighters in the 125 LBS division have prompted many to argue that he might be the best pound-for-pound fighter in MMA today.
So, why hasn't Demetrious Johnson received the same fanfare as some of his championship contemporaries?
There are a few reasons for it, most of those pertain to the weight division that Johnson reigns as champion. In a culture where athletes look more and more like super heroes, the general public just isn't going to be as drawn to fighters of a smaller statue. Along with the 125 LBS weight limit, there will naturally be less power displayed or one punch KOs that are seen in the heavyweight division. Another aspect is that most of Johnson's wins in the UFC are often one-sided decisions and causal fans often overlook the top notch technique displayed in those victories. Basically, Johnson's style carters to the die hard MMA fan base that understand the technical side of the sport. However, that doesn't always translate to a main stream draw. For example, Floyd Mayweather was a lighter weight fighter and was the sport's top act, but his impressive skills inside the ropes aren't what translated to box office numbers, but rather his villainous persona. In truth, most of the general public weren't necessary impressed with tremendous boxing ability, as it wasn't going to produce wild brawl and instead fans often paid just to see if he would be defeated. That's another reason behind the lack of main stream draw for Demetrious Johnson, he's a quiet and humble fighter that goes into a contest, and dominates an opponent to get the win. That's not to say that he should suddenly rant to sell a pay-per-view because he shouldn't have to, but just the disappointing aspect of the situation that his great skills don't get buzz from the general public.
His opponent for UFC 197, Henry Cejudo is an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling and as mentioned, brings an undefeated record of 10-0 into the contest. Despite the previous accomplishments, Cejudo hasn't fought anyone on the level of Johanson in MMA and I would say that Johnson will use his speed, and technical striking ability to retain the title via unanimous decision.
It's disappoint that Demetrious Johnson's skills and possible victory against an Olympic gold medals will probably go mostly unnoticed, with the exception of the diehard fans that already recognize his greatness, but make no mistake about it, the Flyweight title fight at UFC 197 is one of the reasons mixed martial arts is a great sport.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Chyna passed away
It's very sad reading the news that former WWE star Joanie Laurer, better know to fans as Chyna, passed away yesterday at her home in California. While the official cause of death has yet to be announced, early reports suggest a possible overdose. It's a tragic end to a mostly tragic life, as trauma seemed to follow Laurer throughout her career.
During her early years, Laurer experienced a very turbulent home life and the lack of stability may have been a factor in some of her more erratic choices later. She was also the victim of an assault during her college years before she found solace in fitness training.
Eventually, she began training at Killer Kowalski's school and made her debut in pro wrestling in 1995. She was quickly noticed by both WCW and the WWF, and within a year of her start in the business was offered a WWF deal. She debuted on TV in early 1997 and her presence was a game changer in many aspects. She was a pioneer in redefining the role of females in the industry and her physique made her one of the most unique commodities in wrestling at a time when the business was generating record numbers. Initially cast as the body guard for Triple H, Chyna did extremely well in her revolutionary role and that soon opened the door for her to develop her own persona. In 1999, Chyna would wrestle more regularly with men and did so in a convincing fashion, which hadn't been done previously on WWF TV, as she went toe-to-toe with the opposite gender instead of the traditionally booked inter gender matches. Dubbed "The Ninth Wonder of the World," Laurer alternated between divisions and became the first woman to win the IC title in October of that year. As one of the most popular performers on the roster, Chyna feuded with Chris Jericho for the belt and was paired with Eddie Guerrero the following year for the memorable "Latino Heat" storyline. Also in 2000, Laurer posed for Playboy magazine in one of the best-selling editions. In 2001, Chyna won the women's title, but abruptly disappeared from WWF TV in May.
Behind the scenes, a real life situation began to have an effect on Chyna's on-screen role. Triple H, who Laurer lived with for a few years previously, began a relationship with Stephanie McMahon. Depending on what side of the story you believe, Triple H and Chyna either had or hadn't actually ended their relationship before he became involved with Stephanie McMahon. Regardless of the details, a very personal situation had become public and again, it depends on who you believe as to the extent that it effected Laurer's status in the WWE. However, it certainly seems like it played at least some role in her dismissal because she was rarely mentioned after her departure and she became somewhat of a taboo topic in the WWE.
Sadly, it seems like Joanie Laurer never recovered from the problems that she had after her departure from the company and it became a very public, and disturbing downfall. Still extremely popular from her time on WWE TV, Laurer worked briefly for New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2002, but that was during a decline in Japanese business and she didn't make many follow up appearances there. In 2004, she and Sean Waltman released their own sex tape, which was distributed by the Red Light District company. The details of the distribution of the tape are also debated, as it was reported that both Laurer and Waltman were paid for the rights to the footage, but she claimed that she didn't receive money from the sales. The following year didn't do much to help her public image either, as she appear on the VH1 reality show, "The Surreal life." During the show, Laurer was shown drinking often and she displayed very erratic behavior. Shortly after that, she was arrested for a domestic violence incident with Waltman. Just weeks later, she made an appearance on the Howard Stern show, where she appeared to be intoxicated and incoherent. Reportedly, Howard offered to get her help after it was obvious that she was using substances, but she continued to struggle with addiction.
In 2008, she appeared on "Celebrity Rehab" and detailed some of her childhood trauma, and her drug use. Unfortunately, the treatment didn't stop her drug use and she was rushed to the hospital later that year after a suspected suicide attempt. In 2009, she began working in the adult film industry again and released five films during the next few years before quitting the industry in 2013. Her substance abuse persisted during her filming career when she was hospitalized for an overdose of prescription medication in 2010.
After her exit from the adult industry, Laurer relocated to Japan to teach English for a few years before she moved back to the United States. In recent years, Laurer had been known for some bizarre messages on social media and alarming videos posted on YouTube that had many genuinely concerned for her mental health.
Ultimately, it's a very tragic end for someone that clearly suffered from many problems during her life. Chyna had a revolutionary career and she probably doesn't get the credit she deserves for her pioneering role for women in sports entertainment. An important lesson that can be taken from this is that anyone that is suffering from mental health problems or any other serious problem should seek help because it's always better to try to seek help for a problem than avoid it.
Sincere condolences to Joanie Laurer's friends and family at this difficult time.
During her early years, Laurer experienced a very turbulent home life and the lack of stability may have been a factor in some of her more erratic choices later. She was also the victim of an assault during her college years before she found solace in fitness training.
Eventually, she began training at Killer Kowalski's school and made her debut in pro wrestling in 1995. She was quickly noticed by both WCW and the WWF, and within a year of her start in the business was offered a WWF deal. She debuted on TV in early 1997 and her presence was a game changer in many aspects. She was a pioneer in redefining the role of females in the industry and her physique made her one of the most unique commodities in wrestling at a time when the business was generating record numbers. Initially cast as the body guard for Triple H, Chyna did extremely well in her revolutionary role and that soon opened the door for her to develop her own persona. In 1999, Chyna would wrestle more regularly with men and did so in a convincing fashion, which hadn't been done previously on WWF TV, as she went toe-to-toe with the opposite gender instead of the traditionally booked inter gender matches. Dubbed "The Ninth Wonder of the World," Laurer alternated between divisions and became the first woman to win the IC title in October of that year. As one of the most popular performers on the roster, Chyna feuded with Chris Jericho for the belt and was paired with Eddie Guerrero the following year for the memorable "Latino Heat" storyline. Also in 2000, Laurer posed for Playboy magazine in one of the best-selling editions. In 2001, Chyna won the women's title, but abruptly disappeared from WWF TV in May.
Behind the scenes, a real life situation began to have an effect on Chyna's on-screen role. Triple H, who Laurer lived with for a few years previously, began a relationship with Stephanie McMahon. Depending on what side of the story you believe, Triple H and Chyna either had or hadn't actually ended their relationship before he became involved with Stephanie McMahon. Regardless of the details, a very personal situation had become public and again, it depends on who you believe as to the extent that it effected Laurer's status in the WWE. However, it certainly seems like it played at least some role in her dismissal because she was rarely mentioned after her departure and she became somewhat of a taboo topic in the WWE.
Sadly, it seems like Joanie Laurer never recovered from the problems that she had after her departure from the company and it became a very public, and disturbing downfall. Still extremely popular from her time on WWE TV, Laurer worked briefly for New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2002, but that was during a decline in Japanese business and she didn't make many follow up appearances there. In 2004, she and Sean Waltman released their own sex tape, which was distributed by the Red Light District company. The details of the distribution of the tape are also debated, as it was reported that both Laurer and Waltman were paid for the rights to the footage, but she claimed that she didn't receive money from the sales. The following year didn't do much to help her public image either, as she appear on the VH1 reality show, "The Surreal life." During the show, Laurer was shown drinking often and she displayed very erratic behavior. Shortly after that, she was arrested for a domestic violence incident with Waltman. Just weeks later, she made an appearance on the Howard Stern show, where she appeared to be intoxicated and incoherent. Reportedly, Howard offered to get her help after it was obvious that she was using substances, but she continued to struggle with addiction.
In 2008, she appeared on "Celebrity Rehab" and detailed some of her childhood trauma, and her drug use. Unfortunately, the treatment didn't stop her drug use and she was rushed to the hospital later that year after a suspected suicide attempt. In 2009, she began working in the adult film industry again and released five films during the next few years before quitting the industry in 2013. Her substance abuse persisted during her filming career when she was hospitalized for an overdose of prescription medication in 2010.
After her exit from the adult industry, Laurer relocated to Japan to teach English for a few years before she moved back to the United States. In recent years, Laurer had been known for some bizarre messages on social media and alarming videos posted on YouTube that had many genuinely concerned for her mental health.
Ultimately, it's a very tragic end for someone that clearly suffered from many problems during her life. Chyna had a revolutionary career and she probably doesn't get the credit she deserves for her pioneering role for women in sports entertainment. An important lesson that can be taken from this is that anyone that is suffering from mental health problems or any other serious problem should seek help because it's always better to try to seek help for a problem than avoid it.
Sincere condolences to Joanie Laurer's friends and family at this difficult time.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Conor McGregor retirement
The MMA world is a buzz with the announcement that UFC Featherweight champion and the promotion's top drawing star, Conor McGregor has retired from the sport. McGregor, who lost via submission in a welterweight bout against Nate Diaz last month, was slated for the rematch he requested at UFC 200 in July. Further complicating the whole situation is the very lucrative contract that Conor was set to sign just a few months ago, which would pay him record money going forward with a share of the pay-per-view buy rate.
It's certainly a perplexing situation, as the Dublin native surged in popularity just a few years ago and quickly became the top star in the biggest MMA company in the world. Is this some type of bizarre negotiation tactic or will he leave millions of dollars as well as possibly his legacy on the table? According to a tweet from the 27-year-old champion, he decided to retire young and has declined an interview since the social media post so there's not much confirmed for the reasoning behind the sudden decision. In my view, there are two possibilities here and neither of them will suit UFC brass, who must be confused as the rest of us as to why the Irishman chose to hang up his gloves.
There is a very cynical society, particularly on social media and within hours of the social media message, many have already chalked this "stunt" up to being a bargaining chip ahead of the historic UFC 200 card that Conor was scheduled for the Diaz rematch. Obviously, only the 145 LBS champion knows his intentions behind the decision, but it's doubtful the motivation is money, considering he made millions of dollars just in his last few bouts and was set to make major money in July so what else is there really to negotiate? Is it possible that Conor just wants more cash to participate in the grueling sport? Sure, but he's a relatively new commodity for the Zuffa group so realistically, how much more money would he expect to be paid?
The less glamorizing and much sadder explanation is that the risk of combat sports was enough for Conor to step away with his health still stable. Earlier this month, Joao Carvalho passed away after an MMA bout at a smaller card in Dublin, despite all the safety protocols being followed after the contest. In a tragic series of events, the Portuguese fighter was rushed to the hospital after the event where he underwent brain surgery and remained in critical condition for a few days before he died. Conor McGregor was ringside for the bout and posted a touching tribute to the fallen fighter. Could Carvalho's passing have shook Conor and prompted him to retire? It's certainly an understandable concern and athletes retiring to preserve their health is something that has become more common in sports, especially with the concussion research being done. Specifically, there are several NFL players that have retired earlier to avoid potential head trauma so it's definitely a concern in sports.
If McGregor is finished in competition, where does he go from here? Some, including Becky Lynch, have suggested the charismatic athlete make the transition to sports entertainment, but it doesn't seem like the WWE would be anything on his radar. If anything, Conor could open his own gym in his home country or use his popularity from the cage to get some film roles, similar to Ronda Rousey.
But, what about Conor McGregor's legacy?
Sure, he's the most popular star in the UFC at the moment, but he has only been a main event fighter for a year. Realistically, Conor had a three year run in the organization and only had a few major bouts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to take anything away from him because he has tremendous skills, but his relatively brief time as a top draw doesn't really compare to the dominate eras of legends, such as Chuck Liddel or Anderson Silva. Conor McGregor is in the prime of his career, how will the historical scope view his career if he retired after one main event loss to Nate Diaz? Granted, legacy doesn't pay the bills and there are a laundry list of former stars in various field that are proof of it, but Conor claimed he was going to make history with titles, revenue, etc. so a sudden retirement doesn't make sense. McGregor might be content with the money he made previously and that might be the reason for him to call it a career.
The bottom line is, will Conor McGregor actually retire from the sport?
I have to say, even if it's a genuine retirement at this time, I would be completely shocked if McGregor isn't fighting in the octagon again in the future. Maybe it's just a matter of the right amount of money to get him to return to the cage, but considering that he hasn't even defended his title yet, it seems like there's just too much for Conor left to do for him to retire. Only time will tell if he fights again, but either way, the retirement announcement puts the UFC in a tough position for the UFC 200 and potentially finding their next top star.
It's certainly a perplexing situation, as the Dublin native surged in popularity just a few years ago and quickly became the top star in the biggest MMA company in the world. Is this some type of bizarre negotiation tactic or will he leave millions of dollars as well as possibly his legacy on the table? According to a tweet from the 27-year-old champion, he decided to retire young and has declined an interview since the social media post so there's not much confirmed for the reasoning behind the sudden decision. In my view, there are two possibilities here and neither of them will suit UFC brass, who must be confused as the rest of us as to why the Irishman chose to hang up his gloves.
There is a very cynical society, particularly on social media and within hours of the social media message, many have already chalked this "stunt" up to being a bargaining chip ahead of the historic UFC 200 card that Conor was scheduled for the Diaz rematch. Obviously, only the 145 LBS champion knows his intentions behind the decision, but it's doubtful the motivation is money, considering he made millions of dollars just in his last few bouts and was set to make major money in July so what else is there really to negotiate? Is it possible that Conor just wants more cash to participate in the grueling sport? Sure, but he's a relatively new commodity for the Zuffa group so realistically, how much more money would he expect to be paid?
The less glamorizing and much sadder explanation is that the risk of combat sports was enough for Conor to step away with his health still stable. Earlier this month, Joao Carvalho passed away after an MMA bout at a smaller card in Dublin, despite all the safety protocols being followed after the contest. In a tragic series of events, the Portuguese fighter was rushed to the hospital after the event where he underwent brain surgery and remained in critical condition for a few days before he died. Conor McGregor was ringside for the bout and posted a touching tribute to the fallen fighter. Could Carvalho's passing have shook Conor and prompted him to retire? It's certainly an understandable concern and athletes retiring to preserve their health is something that has become more common in sports, especially with the concussion research being done. Specifically, there are several NFL players that have retired earlier to avoid potential head trauma so it's definitely a concern in sports.
If McGregor is finished in competition, where does he go from here? Some, including Becky Lynch, have suggested the charismatic athlete make the transition to sports entertainment, but it doesn't seem like the WWE would be anything on his radar. If anything, Conor could open his own gym in his home country or use his popularity from the cage to get some film roles, similar to Ronda Rousey.
But, what about Conor McGregor's legacy?
Sure, he's the most popular star in the UFC at the moment, but he has only been a main event fighter for a year. Realistically, Conor had a three year run in the organization and only had a few major bouts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to take anything away from him because he has tremendous skills, but his relatively brief time as a top draw doesn't really compare to the dominate eras of legends, such as Chuck Liddel or Anderson Silva. Conor McGregor is in the prime of his career, how will the historical scope view his career if he retired after one main event loss to Nate Diaz? Granted, legacy doesn't pay the bills and there are a laundry list of former stars in various field that are proof of it, but Conor claimed he was going to make history with titles, revenue, etc. so a sudden retirement doesn't make sense. McGregor might be content with the money he made previously and that might be the reason for him to call it a career.
The bottom line is, will Conor McGregor actually retire from the sport?
I have to say, even if it's a genuine retirement at this time, I would be completely shocked if McGregor isn't fighting in the octagon again in the future. Maybe it's just a matter of the right amount of money to get him to return to the cage, but considering that he hasn't even defended his title yet, it seems like there's just too much for Conor left to do for him to retire. Only time will tell if he fights again, but either way, the retirement announcement puts the UFC in a tough position for the UFC 200 and potentially finding their next top star.
Monday, April 18, 2016
AWA review
When it comes to legitimate world championships, there are a select few within the history of pro wrestling that actually hold enough prestige to elevate the notoriety of title holders or a particular promotion. While there were several booming territories during the golden era of the business in the United States, it was extremely rare that a belt was considered a world title. Of course, there was the original NWA World Heavyweight title with its lineage going back to Gotch vs. Hackenschmidt in 1905 and the concept of a traveling champion added to the coveted 10 LBS of gold. Along with the NWA, there was the WWWF title that was established by McMahon Sr. through Capital Sports when he amicably stepped away from the National Wrestling Alliance to stake his own claim in the north east. Interestingly enough, McMahon Sr. actually remained on the NWA board of directors for years after his started his own promotion because he was respected among those in the business. The WWWF and NWA dominate so much of the history books because of their expansive reach during their heyday, as well as the WWE becoming the global entity that it is today, but was there another world title during the classic era in America?
Kayfabe Commentaries, the premier video producer of shoot style titles, recently released a new edition of their "Back to the Territories" series, which focuses on the historical impact of different promotions. Hosted by a czar of wrestling knowledge, Jim Cornette, the newest edition sits down with Greg Gagne, the son of the legendary Verne, to discuss the origins of the American Wrestling Association. In my opinion, the true totality of the AWA often gets overlooked for some reason and this production really gives some insight into how successful the promotion was before it eventually became a causality of the national expansion of the 80s.
The combination of Cornette and Greg offer a vast amount of knowledge throughout this presentation and they trace the beginning of Verne's wrestling career back to when he was an alternate for amateur wrestling in the 1948 Olympics. After his time on the amateur mat, Verne was brought into the pro game by promoter Fred Kolher, the producer of a wrestling program on the Dumont network in Chicago. The value of TV exposure, which propelled the careers of Gorgeous George and Bruno Sammartino in the north east, was also the key for Verne's career in the mid west. It's extremely interesting to hear just how popular Verne was in the 1950s and how his salary ranked among his contemporaries at the time. Originally cast as a light heavyweight, you will hear the details on Gagne's bouts with Lou Thez and how those matches ultimately led to the formation of the AWA a few years later.
So, how did the AWA title become a world championship?
Despite his tremendous popularity from his time on the Dumont network, Verne wasn't given the chance to move up to top tier status within the NWA so he formed his own promotion in 1960. Pat O'Connor was the reigning NWA champion and Verne challenged him to a bout for the newly created AWA title. When O'Connor didn't accept the challenge, Verne declared himself the champion and his legitimate amateur background gave the title instant credibility.
As the decade progressed, Verne added more TV markets to his Minnesota-based organization and this presentation will illustrate the often overlooked expansive reach the promotion had running shows further west in multiple states. You will also hear the gory details of a tag team bout that aired on TV in 1971 that saw the legendary "Mad Dog" Vachon bleed buckets post-match during a confrontation with The Crusher and it propelled the AWA's tag teams to the top of the card. True to his name, Vachon growled and ranted with his noticeable French-Canadian accent in interviews to promote battles against The Crusher following the bloody segment. You will also hear Greg Gagne tell a story about an occasion when a slightly intoxicated Mad Dog decided to get rid of some of the luggage during a flight after an event. The details of Vachon opening the plane door and tossing anything he could find while they were flying should be heard to be believed. That said, Vachon was one of the true characters of the wrestling business and certainly earned his spot in the WWE Hall of Fame when he was inducted a few years ago.
Speaking of tag teams, you will get a perspective on some of the solid teams and the array of talent that worked in the AWA, even before they made their way to the WWF. The High Flyers, the combination of Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell, who became one of the Killer Bees later in his career, are a tremendously underrated team. The duo could work with anyone and had a memorable feud with The East-West Connection, Adrian Adonis and Jesse Ventura. It's not clear why, but Greg doesn't seem to want to credit Ventura much during the discussion. This is just my two cents on the topic, but Adrian, who is extremely underrated, and Ventura were a perfect combination, as they covered all the bases for a successful team. "The Body," representing the sunny beaches of California, ranted about challengers while Gene Okerlund, who Jesse originally called "Mean Gene," tried to direct the verbal chaos. For his part, Adonis, normally clad in New York Yankees apparel, did some good promo work as well, but really excelled in the ring with innovative offense and great bumps. If anyone is unfamiliar with the High Flyers/East-West Connection series of matches, I would recommending finding them on YouTube as both teams provided entertaining bouts.
You will also hear Greg's take on if he thinks Verne should've retired as champion in 1981 and the draw that the card generated. The common criticism of Verne is that he wasn't going to change his philosophy as the business evolved and booking himself as champion at the age of 55 might've been an indication of it. The early 80s were a pivotal time for the AWA and the pro wrestling industry as a whole. Nick Bockwinkel, who many consider the competitor that defined the role of the AWA champion, was placed as the top heel in the promotion and could work with any challenger. At the same time, Hulk Hogan was surging in popularity and was assumed to be the next hero champion for the company. Greg Gagne offers an explanation as to when Hogan was supposedly told he would win the title, but it seems like a counter argument could be made that if Verne directly told Hulk about his plans that maybe he wouldn't have jumped ship to the WWF. According to Greg, Andre The Giant set up a deal for Hogan to sign a contract with the WWF while wrestling on a tour of Japan and when Hogan returned to the United States, he sent a telegram to give his notice to the AWA, despite already being advertised for upcoming events. While Greg might have a biased view of the way Hulk left, is anyone surprised that Hogan no-showed events when he signed for more money elsewhere?
When McMahon signed the star he wanted for the national expansion, he began buying TV slots for his program and Greg details how the AWA was essentially outbid on time slots in several markets during the wrestling boom of the 80s. Hogan's departure also put the AWA in the position of searching for a new champion and more star power to attempt to keep the group afloat. Greg gives his thoughts on Rick Martell, Stan Hansen, Bruiser Brody, Curt Henning, and The Rockers working the territory during its fledgling years. A side note about Bruiser Brody, aside from being one of the greatest performers of all time, he was one of the few names that could boost the box office for the territories that were trying to survive the national expansion of the WWF. Around the same time, Verne signed a deal with ESPN and while it might have seemed like expansion at the time, the money from the contract is essentially what kept the group in business. On a lighter note, the origins of the "Wrestle Rock Rumble," which has become known to an entirely new generation because of Youtube, is discussed as well. As the decline and ultimately the bankrupt of the promotion is mentioned, Greg Gagne talks about a deal that was on the table that could've brought Hulk Hogan to the AWA again for a lucrative contract in 1991. I don't think there was any realistic chance that Hogan would've signed a deal with Gagne again, but it was interesting to hear the background of the story.
Greg's post-AWA role in the business is also discussed and just from an outside perspective, you have to question the validity of some of his claims from his time working in the WCW offices. According to Greg, the contract that he signed to work for Turner wasn't the terms he agreed to previously, but somehow he continued working there. Another major claim is that Greg was the person that told WCW vice president, Eric Bischoff that he should sign Hulk Hogan. Interestingly, Mike Graham claimed credit the suggestion to hire Hulk in the Kayfabe Commentaries, "Guest Booker" series. Gagne also makes a subtle attempt at trying to take credit for the NWO angle, but Bischoff himself said that he got the concept from the UWFI invasion of New Japan.
Aside from some of Greg's more questionable claims, which might seem valid from his point of view, this is an extremely informative and entertaining interview.
Kayfabe Commentaries, the premier video producer of shoot style titles, recently released a new edition of their "Back to the Territories" series, which focuses on the historical impact of different promotions. Hosted by a czar of wrestling knowledge, Jim Cornette, the newest edition sits down with Greg Gagne, the son of the legendary Verne, to discuss the origins of the American Wrestling Association. In my opinion, the true totality of the AWA often gets overlooked for some reason and this production really gives some insight into how successful the promotion was before it eventually became a causality of the national expansion of the 80s.
The combination of Cornette and Greg offer a vast amount of knowledge throughout this presentation and they trace the beginning of Verne's wrestling career back to when he was an alternate for amateur wrestling in the 1948 Olympics. After his time on the amateur mat, Verne was brought into the pro game by promoter Fred Kolher, the producer of a wrestling program on the Dumont network in Chicago. The value of TV exposure, which propelled the careers of Gorgeous George and Bruno Sammartino in the north east, was also the key for Verne's career in the mid west. It's extremely interesting to hear just how popular Verne was in the 1950s and how his salary ranked among his contemporaries at the time. Originally cast as a light heavyweight, you will hear the details on Gagne's bouts with Lou Thez and how those matches ultimately led to the formation of the AWA a few years later.
So, how did the AWA title become a world championship?
Despite his tremendous popularity from his time on the Dumont network, Verne wasn't given the chance to move up to top tier status within the NWA so he formed his own promotion in 1960. Pat O'Connor was the reigning NWA champion and Verne challenged him to a bout for the newly created AWA title. When O'Connor didn't accept the challenge, Verne declared himself the champion and his legitimate amateur background gave the title instant credibility.
As the decade progressed, Verne added more TV markets to his Minnesota-based organization and this presentation will illustrate the often overlooked expansive reach the promotion had running shows further west in multiple states. You will also hear the gory details of a tag team bout that aired on TV in 1971 that saw the legendary "Mad Dog" Vachon bleed buckets post-match during a confrontation with The Crusher and it propelled the AWA's tag teams to the top of the card. True to his name, Vachon growled and ranted with his noticeable French-Canadian accent in interviews to promote battles against The Crusher following the bloody segment. You will also hear Greg Gagne tell a story about an occasion when a slightly intoxicated Mad Dog decided to get rid of some of the luggage during a flight after an event. The details of Vachon opening the plane door and tossing anything he could find while they were flying should be heard to be believed. That said, Vachon was one of the true characters of the wrestling business and certainly earned his spot in the WWE Hall of Fame when he was inducted a few years ago.
Speaking of tag teams, you will get a perspective on some of the solid teams and the array of talent that worked in the AWA, even before they made their way to the WWF. The High Flyers, the combination of Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell, who became one of the Killer Bees later in his career, are a tremendously underrated team. The duo could work with anyone and had a memorable feud with The East-West Connection, Adrian Adonis and Jesse Ventura. It's not clear why, but Greg doesn't seem to want to credit Ventura much during the discussion. This is just my two cents on the topic, but Adrian, who is extremely underrated, and Ventura were a perfect combination, as they covered all the bases for a successful team. "The Body," representing the sunny beaches of California, ranted about challengers while Gene Okerlund, who Jesse originally called "Mean Gene," tried to direct the verbal chaos. For his part, Adonis, normally clad in New York Yankees apparel, did some good promo work as well, but really excelled in the ring with innovative offense and great bumps. If anyone is unfamiliar with the High Flyers/East-West Connection series of matches, I would recommending finding them on YouTube as both teams provided entertaining bouts.
You will also hear Greg's take on if he thinks Verne should've retired as champion in 1981 and the draw that the card generated. The common criticism of Verne is that he wasn't going to change his philosophy as the business evolved and booking himself as champion at the age of 55 might've been an indication of it. The early 80s were a pivotal time for the AWA and the pro wrestling industry as a whole. Nick Bockwinkel, who many consider the competitor that defined the role of the AWA champion, was placed as the top heel in the promotion and could work with any challenger. At the same time, Hulk Hogan was surging in popularity and was assumed to be the next hero champion for the company. Greg Gagne offers an explanation as to when Hogan was supposedly told he would win the title, but it seems like a counter argument could be made that if Verne directly told Hulk about his plans that maybe he wouldn't have jumped ship to the WWF. According to Greg, Andre The Giant set up a deal for Hogan to sign a contract with the WWF while wrestling on a tour of Japan and when Hogan returned to the United States, he sent a telegram to give his notice to the AWA, despite already being advertised for upcoming events. While Greg might have a biased view of the way Hulk left, is anyone surprised that Hogan no-showed events when he signed for more money elsewhere?
When McMahon signed the star he wanted for the national expansion, he began buying TV slots for his program and Greg details how the AWA was essentially outbid on time slots in several markets during the wrestling boom of the 80s. Hogan's departure also put the AWA in the position of searching for a new champion and more star power to attempt to keep the group afloat. Greg gives his thoughts on Rick Martell, Stan Hansen, Bruiser Brody, Curt Henning, and The Rockers working the territory during its fledgling years. A side note about Bruiser Brody, aside from being one of the greatest performers of all time, he was one of the few names that could boost the box office for the territories that were trying to survive the national expansion of the WWF. Around the same time, Verne signed a deal with ESPN and while it might have seemed like expansion at the time, the money from the contract is essentially what kept the group in business. On a lighter note, the origins of the "Wrestle Rock Rumble," which has become known to an entirely new generation because of Youtube, is discussed as well. As the decline and ultimately the bankrupt of the promotion is mentioned, Greg Gagne talks about a deal that was on the table that could've brought Hulk Hogan to the AWA again for a lucrative contract in 1991. I don't think there was any realistic chance that Hogan would've signed a deal with Gagne again, but it was interesting to hear the background of the story.
Greg's post-AWA role in the business is also discussed and just from an outside perspective, you have to question the validity of some of his claims from his time working in the WCW offices. According to Greg, the contract that he signed to work for Turner wasn't the terms he agreed to previously, but somehow he continued working there. Another major claim is that Greg was the person that told WCW vice president, Eric Bischoff that he should sign Hulk Hogan. Interestingly, Mike Graham claimed credit the suggestion to hire Hulk in the Kayfabe Commentaries, "Guest Booker" series. Gagne also makes a subtle attempt at trying to take credit for the NWO angle, but Bischoff himself said that he got the concept from the UWFI invasion of New Japan.
Aside from some of Greg's more questionable claims, which might seem valid from his point of view, this is an extremely informative and entertaining interview.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Another ECW original passed away
Yesterday, I saw the passing of another ECW original on social media and
checked to verify the story. when it was confirmed, I was surprised,
but all things considered, it shouldn't have been that surprising.
John Reckner, better known to fans around the world as Balls Mahoney, died at the age 44. According to PWinsider, Rechner had fallen a few days ago and was using a walker prior to his passing, but as of this writing, the cause of death hasn't been announced. Mahoney got his start in the wrestling business alongside his friend, Chris Candido and the two started setting up rings at local shows in New Jersey in their teenage years. Eventually, both trained to become pros at the Monster Factory under Larry Sharpe. Rechner worked the New Jersey independent scene as "Abudah Singh" and became known for spitting fire. When Candidio began working for Jim Cornette's Smokey Mountain Wrestling in 1994, Rechner followed him there for an extensive rivalry between the two, which concluded the following year.
During the peak of the WWF's cartoonish era in 1995, Rechner was booked as Ted DiBiase's heel Santa character that only made a few appearances. A true misfit, stories have been told that Rechner just didn't fit in with the WWF agenda at the time, but he would soon find a home in pro wrestling's island of misfit toys.
In 1996, Balls Mahoney debuted in the Philadelphia-based Extreme Championship Wrestling and he generated a cult following as one of the wrestling rebels that was guided by Paul Heyman at the world famous bingo hall, the ECW arena. While Mahoney had an amateur wrestling background and some have claimed that he could be a technical wrestler, he became typecast in ECW as a "blood and guts" performer. At times, he was paired with Axl Rotten, another competitor that was typecast into a hardcore role, and the duo became crowd favorites for their wild matches. Mahoney became known for his customized steel chairs and even more well known for the violent chair shots. Along with swinging the steel, Mahoney took many unprotected chair shots as well, something that makes you shake your head, especially considering the information that is being researched about concussions today. Obviously, those ECW brawlers didn't have the benefit of hindsight, but it's certainly a cautionary tale for current performers.
After Axl was dismissed for personal problems, Mahoney found success with both Spike Dudley and Masato Tanaka, winning the ECW tag team titles on a few occasions. As the two major promotions began to sign many of ECW's top acts, the company pushed the envelope even further in an attempt to maintain its ground and because of his dedication to the business, Balls Mahoney was involved in some of the organization's more risky stunts. In a highlight that was played several times during the opening of ECW's national TV show, Mahoney was put through a flaming table by The Dudley Boys. The flaming table spot was repeated and objects such as, barbed wire and thumbtacks weren't uncommon in his matches. During the closing stages of Extreme Championship Wrestling, he battled in violent matches that featured some disturbing chair shots, but again, that was his role in the company. His often bloody matches led to the chance for his to work a few FMW tours in Japan, a country he traveled to a few times even after ECW closed.
When ECW folded, Balls Mahoney took to the independent scene and similar to many of his peers, got work based off of the name he made in the extreme promotion. He resurfaced on the national scene when the WWE relaunched ECW in 2006, but along with the other originals, he was mostly booked as a jobber. Surprisingly, remained under contract for almost two years before he was released in 2008.
After the WWE's ECW experiment fizzled, Balls Mahoney had a renewed run on the independent circuit from the WWE TV exposure, but years of sacrificing his body, both inside and outside of the ring, became noticeable. ECW was known for its party atmosphere and Mahoney spoke candidly about his drug use in interviews. Many of his peers have spoke about Mahoney being a nice guy, which might be true, but he is responsible for his own decisions when he used substances. In recent years, Mahoney's appearance changed drastically and while he's the only one that knows the actual details, many speculated that it was as a result of drug use. He also made headlines when he puked during a match with Marty Jannetty in 2012, which fueled the rumors. Basically, when the party of ECW concluded and the national spotlight faded, John Rechner was left with a forehead mashed with scar tissue, injuries from the risk of the ring, and damage from the substances he used.
Outside of the ring, Rechner and his wife, Gayle gave birth to a son named Christopher after his friend, Chris Candido. In interviews, Mahoney mentioned that he was looking for other potential jobs to support his family, but he also continued working wherever he was booked to wrestle on the local scene. As mentioned, Mahoney's death was initially surprising, but it really shouldn't be all that shocking. While the official cause of death hasn't been announced, Balls Mahoney spent a few decades abusing his body, inside and outside of the ring, which probably didn't help the situation. It was always mentioned that Mahoney could work a technical style, but that's not how he made his name and it's doubtful that he would've been a national name without the hardcore genre. Further more, Balls Mahoney is another example of the consequences of substance abuse and it's another performer gone too soon. Hopefully, it's a precautionary tale for other competitors in the business that are trying to make a name for themselves, the risks you take in the ring to become a star have consequences.
Despite the problems he might've had, Balls Mahoney had a dedication to the wrestling business and he sacrificed his body to make a name for himself. He was eccentric and one of the true character of the business. It's obvious that Balls Mahoney was willing to scar his body and set himself on fire to become a pro wrestling star, and he will certainly be remembered as the wild competitor in ECW.
John Reckner, better known to fans around the world as Balls Mahoney, died at the age 44. According to PWinsider, Rechner had fallen a few days ago and was using a walker prior to his passing, but as of this writing, the cause of death hasn't been announced. Mahoney got his start in the wrestling business alongside his friend, Chris Candido and the two started setting up rings at local shows in New Jersey in their teenage years. Eventually, both trained to become pros at the Monster Factory under Larry Sharpe. Rechner worked the New Jersey independent scene as "Abudah Singh" and became known for spitting fire. When Candidio began working for Jim Cornette's Smokey Mountain Wrestling in 1994, Rechner followed him there for an extensive rivalry between the two, which concluded the following year.
During the peak of the WWF's cartoonish era in 1995, Rechner was booked as Ted DiBiase's heel Santa character that only made a few appearances. A true misfit, stories have been told that Rechner just didn't fit in with the WWF agenda at the time, but he would soon find a home in pro wrestling's island of misfit toys.
In 1996, Balls Mahoney debuted in the Philadelphia-based Extreme Championship Wrestling and he generated a cult following as one of the wrestling rebels that was guided by Paul Heyman at the world famous bingo hall, the ECW arena. While Mahoney had an amateur wrestling background and some have claimed that he could be a technical wrestler, he became typecast in ECW as a "blood and guts" performer. At times, he was paired with Axl Rotten, another competitor that was typecast into a hardcore role, and the duo became crowd favorites for their wild matches. Mahoney became known for his customized steel chairs and even more well known for the violent chair shots. Along with swinging the steel, Mahoney took many unprotected chair shots as well, something that makes you shake your head, especially considering the information that is being researched about concussions today. Obviously, those ECW brawlers didn't have the benefit of hindsight, but it's certainly a cautionary tale for current performers.
After Axl was dismissed for personal problems, Mahoney found success with both Spike Dudley and Masato Tanaka, winning the ECW tag team titles on a few occasions. As the two major promotions began to sign many of ECW's top acts, the company pushed the envelope even further in an attempt to maintain its ground and because of his dedication to the business, Balls Mahoney was involved in some of the organization's more risky stunts. In a highlight that was played several times during the opening of ECW's national TV show, Mahoney was put through a flaming table by The Dudley Boys. The flaming table spot was repeated and objects such as, barbed wire and thumbtacks weren't uncommon in his matches. During the closing stages of Extreme Championship Wrestling, he battled in violent matches that featured some disturbing chair shots, but again, that was his role in the company. His often bloody matches led to the chance for his to work a few FMW tours in Japan, a country he traveled to a few times even after ECW closed.
When ECW folded, Balls Mahoney took to the independent scene and similar to many of his peers, got work based off of the name he made in the extreme promotion. He resurfaced on the national scene when the WWE relaunched ECW in 2006, but along with the other originals, he was mostly booked as a jobber. Surprisingly, remained under contract for almost two years before he was released in 2008.
After the WWE's ECW experiment fizzled, Balls Mahoney had a renewed run on the independent circuit from the WWE TV exposure, but years of sacrificing his body, both inside and outside of the ring, became noticeable. ECW was known for its party atmosphere and Mahoney spoke candidly about his drug use in interviews. Many of his peers have spoke about Mahoney being a nice guy, which might be true, but he is responsible for his own decisions when he used substances. In recent years, Mahoney's appearance changed drastically and while he's the only one that knows the actual details, many speculated that it was as a result of drug use. He also made headlines when he puked during a match with Marty Jannetty in 2012, which fueled the rumors. Basically, when the party of ECW concluded and the national spotlight faded, John Rechner was left with a forehead mashed with scar tissue, injuries from the risk of the ring, and damage from the substances he used.
Outside of the ring, Rechner and his wife, Gayle gave birth to a son named Christopher after his friend, Chris Candido. In interviews, Mahoney mentioned that he was looking for other potential jobs to support his family, but he also continued working wherever he was booked to wrestle on the local scene. As mentioned, Mahoney's death was initially surprising, but it really shouldn't be all that shocking. While the official cause of death hasn't been announced, Balls Mahoney spent a few decades abusing his body, inside and outside of the ring, which probably didn't help the situation. It was always mentioned that Mahoney could work a technical style, but that's not how he made his name and it's doubtful that he would've been a national name without the hardcore genre. Further more, Balls Mahoney is another example of the consequences of substance abuse and it's another performer gone too soon. Hopefully, it's a precautionary tale for other competitors in the business that are trying to make a name for themselves, the risks you take in the ring to become a star have consequences.
Despite the problems he might've had, Balls Mahoney had a dedication to the wrestling business and he sacrificed his body to make a name for himself. He was eccentric and one of the true character of the business. It's obvious that Balls Mahoney was willing to scar his body and set himself on fire to become a pro wrestling star, and he will certainly be remembered as the wild competitor in ECW.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker
Aside from the entertainment value, the business of professional
wrestling has always been based on, and drawn the biggest money from the
"big fight" atmosphere created around a particular feud. The emphasized
importance of main event matches and championships generate a "must
see" environment. Those characteristics have proven to be a successful
formula for decades and have transitioned eras. The reason being those
same traits are what sale any form of entertainment, the audience must
be given a reason why they have to buy a ticket, order a pay-per-view
etc. Within the wrestling industry, Bruno battling foreign villains in
the 60s, Dusty vs. Flair, Savage vs. Hogan, and Stone Cold vs. McMahon
all shared that "can't miss" quality that sent people flocking to the
box office, the closed circuit areas, or their remotes to order a PPV.
It's not an antiquated concept either, considering that when CM Punk was
booked in perhaps his final WWE bout in 2011, it had the main stream
media talking about sports entertainment.
However, somewhere along the way, specifically during the past few years after the WWE cemented its strangle hold on the market in the United States, much of the "must see" element has disappeared. Some can argue the business is overexposed, fair point, but Steve Austin explained the product was entertainment was he was drawing record money in the Attitude Era. Others might suggest it's more difficult to generate big money when there are more options for consumers than anytime in history, but the Wrestlemania brand proves that if something is presented in the right manner that it draws numbers. That said, WM 32 being such a stand out success can also be an indication of the lack of "can't miss" programming during the rest of the WWE calendar. As I wrote previously, the reason WM itself is a draw is because the fans are emotionally invested in the history and the perception of the event. Without that emotional investment, pro wrestling becomes interchangeable with any other form of entertainment.
The laundry list of injuries led to WWE booking Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker in a match at WM 32 with the stipulation that either Shane wins control of Raw or The Undertaker would be done at Wrestlemania, which would basically be a retirement since he has worked a limited schedule in recent years. It was somewhat of a panic move to boost the show since there was a noticeable lack of build up prior to the event. It was risky because the fans wanted to see Shane on Raw, but nobody wants to see The Undertaker lose again at Wrestlemania so it was possible the fans could be disappointed with either result. But, it generated buzz for the event because it created the perception that something was on the line in the match and thus an importance toward the direction of the product.
The night after the cell match, Shane appeared on Raw and was given control of the show, which essentially made the entire "important" stipulation from the match at WM 32 pointless. Still, maybe it was booked as a "consolation prize" so to speak to avoid some of the disappointment mentioned earlier. As of now, that's not the case since Shane was in control of Raw again this past week and if he continues to do so going forward, it's another reason shot toward the believably of the stipulations in the WWE. Yes, it's pro wrestling and shenanigans will be booked from time to time to get around specific scenarios, but management is telling the fans that the stipulations don't matter so how believable is the next "all or nothing" angle? When angles are rendered pointless it kills the credibility and the believably of the product, and as a result less matches have a "must see" atmosphere. Why should the fans care about a specific match at a pay-per-view if there's a rematch on free TV the following night on Raw? If Shane booked on TV adds a spark to the weekly programming is a different situation and might be a reason WWE brass should've considered the implications of the stipulation.
The concept of definitive winners is the ingredient that establishes the importance of a title or stipulation. For example, the NXT title is decided within the environment of a match and there's no goofy booking to discredit the value of the match that decided the winner. The Undertaker/Shane match didn't have a definitive winner because there was no actual consequence to the result. Another aspect of this is the 50/50 booking that was talked about recently and it's another example of lack of definitive winners. If everyone on the roster trades wins on TV, it basically makes everyone average and in theory, winning is supposed to be the entire point of the matches.
The lack of stipulations counting for anything has occurred in the past and seems to happen more frequently since the industry had somewhat of a decline in ratings. Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels was considered one of the most important matches in the history of the business when it took place in 2008. There was the build up and emotional investment in watching the conclusion of the nearly four decade career of arguably the greatest pro wrestler of all time. It was considered important to see Flair's retirement until he returned to the ring for TNA because he needed the money and it tainted the best retirement scenario of all time. Many fans criticized Flair for his decision to wrestle again, but he had to make money because of unwise financial decisions. You can't blame him for trying to make money, but it certainly soured some of his retirement. While Flair's personal blunders were beyond WWE's control, remember when John Cena vs. The Rock was promoted as "once in a lifetime?" Technically, the tagline along made it "must see" because it was promoted as the one chance to see it happen. It was once in a lifetime until the WWE promoted it again the following year, hence damaging the credibility of the stipulation.
Obviously, Shane vs. The Undertaker is the most recent example of lack of credibility for when something is put at stake and it will be interesting to see if the WWE audience buys into the next angle that is presented with a similar stipulation. Don't get me wrong here, there are always ways to book around certain aspects of the product or to book certain returns without tarnishing when something is on the line in an angle, but if there's blatant disregard for stipulations then it kills the credibility of the product.
However, somewhere along the way, specifically during the past few years after the WWE cemented its strangle hold on the market in the United States, much of the "must see" element has disappeared. Some can argue the business is overexposed, fair point, but Steve Austin explained the product was entertainment was he was drawing record money in the Attitude Era. Others might suggest it's more difficult to generate big money when there are more options for consumers than anytime in history, but the Wrestlemania brand proves that if something is presented in the right manner that it draws numbers. That said, WM 32 being such a stand out success can also be an indication of the lack of "can't miss" programming during the rest of the WWE calendar. As I wrote previously, the reason WM itself is a draw is because the fans are emotionally invested in the history and the perception of the event. Without that emotional investment, pro wrestling becomes interchangeable with any other form of entertainment.
The laundry list of injuries led to WWE booking Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker in a match at WM 32 with the stipulation that either Shane wins control of Raw or The Undertaker would be done at Wrestlemania, which would basically be a retirement since he has worked a limited schedule in recent years. It was somewhat of a panic move to boost the show since there was a noticeable lack of build up prior to the event. It was risky because the fans wanted to see Shane on Raw, but nobody wants to see The Undertaker lose again at Wrestlemania so it was possible the fans could be disappointed with either result. But, it generated buzz for the event because it created the perception that something was on the line in the match and thus an importance toward the direction of the product.
The night after the cell match, Shane appeared on Raw and was given control of the show, which essentially made the entire "important" stipulation from the match at WM 32 pointless. Still, maybe it was booked as a "consolation prize" so to speak to avoid some of the disappointment mentioned earlier. As of now, that's not the case since Shane was in control of Raw again this past week and if he continues to do so going forward, it's another reason shot toward the believably of the stipulations in the WWE. Yes, it's pro wrestling and shenanigans will be booked from time to time to get around specific scenarios, but management is telling the fans that the stipulations don't matter so how believable is the next "all or nothing" angle? When angles are rendered pointless it kills the credibility and the believably of the product, and as a result less matches have a "must see" atmosphere. Why should the fans care about a specific match at a pay-per-view if there's a rematch on free TV the following night on Raw? If Shane booked on TV adds a spark to the weekly programming is a different situation and might be a reason WWE brass should've considered the implications of the stipulation.
The concept of definitive winners is the ingredient that establishes the importance of a title or stipulation. For example, the NXT title is decided within the environment of a match and there's no goofy booking to discredit the value of the match that decided the winner. The Undertaker/Shane match didn't have a definitive winner because there was no actual consequence to the result. Another aspect of this is the 50/50 booking that was talked about recently and it's another example of lack of definitive winners. If everyone on the roster trades wins on TV, it basically makes everyone average and in theory, winning is supposed to be the entire point of the matches.
The lack of stipulations counting for anything has occurred in the past and seems to happen more frequently since the industry had somewhat of a decline in ratings. Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels was considered one of the most important matches in the history of the business when it took place in 2008. There was the build up and emotional investment in watching the conclusion of the nearly four decade career of arguably the greatest pro wrestler of all time. It was considered important to see Flair's retirement until he returned to the ring for TNA because he needed the money and it tainted the best retirement scenario of all time. Many fans criticized Flair for his decision to wrestle again, but he had to make money because of unwise financial decisions. You can't blame him for trying to make money, but it certainly soured some of his retirement. While Flair's personal blunders were beyond WWE's control, remember when John Cena vs. The Rock was promoted as "once in a lifetime?" Technically, the tagline along made it "must see" because it was promoted as the one chance to see it happen. It was once in a lifetime until the WWE promoted it again the following year, hence damaging the credibility of the stipulation.
Obviously, Shane vs. The Undertaker is the most recent example of lack of credibility for when something is put at stake and it will be interesting to see if the WWE audience buys into the next angle that is presented with a similar stipulation. Don't get me wrong here, there are always ways to book around certain aspects of the product or to book certain returns without tarnishing when something is on the line in an angle, but if there's blatant disregard for stipulations then it kills the credibility of the product.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley
You might not know it, but Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Timothy Bradley this Saturday to complete their trilogy. There are a slew of reasons why this one isn't getting the media push or buzz from the fans. The original fight that saw Bradley defeat Manny on the score cards in 2012 was so controversial that post-fight, there was an investigation as to how the judges could've actually scored the bout for Bradley. Despite a five-judge panel reviewing the tape and all of them scoring the contest for Pacquiao, they didn't have the authority to overrule the official decision, which makes the entire review process seem pointless. When the pair fought again nearly two years later, Manny won with a comfortable margin on the score cards, a result that many expected for the initial fight. Since the first fight was considered a robbery (not Bradley's fault, considering he didn't score the fight) and the second bout was what most expected, is there really a demand for a trilogy? It's not as though either fight was close or incredibly action packed so why book another rematch? "Pac man" also created a stir and was dropped by sponsors for comments he made last year, but more on that later.
However, more than any of the previous reasons mentioned, the lack of interest in a Pacquiao pay-per-view event leads back to the lackluster "super fight" with Floyd Mayweather last year. With a price tag of $99.99, one of the most anticipated bouts in boxing history flopped as the savvy Floyd danced and dodged his way to an easy victory. Following the contest, it was revealed that Manny fought with a torn rotator cuff, an injury that he didn't disclose to the Nevada State Athletic Commission prior to the fight. Pacquiao had surgery to repair the injury, but in terms of perception, the damage was done. Many fans thought they were deceived by Manny not disclosing the injury and ripped off after the lackluster bout.
As has been the trend for Floyd during most of his career, he chose a relatively easy opponent with Andre Berto for his retirement fight. No disrespect to Berto either, he's a solid pro, but it's obvious that he wasn't a threat to Mayweather. The shrapnel from the Manny fight was apparent as ticket sales were sluggish and the buy rate was the lowest Mayweather offering in a decade.
The stain of the $100 disappointment was upon Mayweather as he concluded his career to an underwhelming public response. With Pacquiao being rumored to be nearing retirement to possibly run for president in his native Philippians, he could also exit the sport with an absence of spotlight. Quite frankly, Manny decided to fight with an injury to ensure he made over $100 million for the record-setting Mayweather fight and after fans paid to watch it, the general public doesn't want to spend $59.99 on an essentially unnecessary Bradley/Pacquiao rematch.
The 37-year-old Filipino star hasn't fought since he lost a unanimous decision to "Money" Mayweather nearly a year ago, but made headlines for controversial comments in February that caused long time sponsor, Nike to drop him. If someone agrees or disagrees with Manny's views is their personal decision, but controversial comments might not help sell the fight either.
For Timothy Bradley, the contest is a win-win for him in the sense that he's guaranteed $4 million and even a loss against a competitor the caliber of Pacquiao won't damage his value going forward. At 33-1-1, "Desert Storm" has a chance to avenge the only loss of his nearly twelve year career. Saturday will be Bradley's second fight alongside his new trainer, Teddy Atlas, who guided him to a ninth round TKO victory against perennial contender Brandon Rios in November of last year. Atlas, who worked with former champions, Michael Moore and Mike Tyson, can bring a new strategic edge to Bradley's game, which could set the stage for a competitive fight at the MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada. Atlas' instructions were audible between rounds during the Rios contest, as one of boxing's most knowledgeable figures, with the trademark scar on the left side of his face, barked a combination of encouragement and advice to his fighter. One of the criticisms of Pacquiao in recent years is his lack of aggressiveness so if Bradley can effectively push the pace, the bout could be much closer than their contest in 2014.
As for a winner, it will depend on a few key factors, which involve how much the "Atlas factor" will bring something different to the table than what Bradley did against Pacquiao two years ago. Bradley is younger, in the prime of his career, and goes into the bout with wins in his last two fights. Manny is rumored to be nearing the end of his career, is returning to the ring after shoulder surgery, and was defeated in the most lucrative fight in boxing history the last time he stepped between the ropes. With political aspirations and already banking a record pay check for the Mayweather fight, does Manny have enough left in the tank if this becomes a hard hitting prize fight? The stage could be set for Bradley to get the career defining win that elevates is profile among boxing fans. However, I have to pick Manny Pacquiao to win a decision because Bradley didn't seem to have a way to avoid the speed of Pacquiao in their two previous bouts.
Regardless of who wins, the story will probably be the lack of buzz from the general public around potentially the final fight in the career of one of the biggest stars in boxing. Similar to Floyd Mayweather, Manny could conclude his career without the farewell that some would expect for such a legendary career. Again, the stain of the "super fight" won't define Pacquiao or Mayweather's career, but it certainly appears to have tainted the conclusion.
However, more than any of the previous reasons mentioned, the lack of interest in a Pacquiao pay-per-view event leads back to the lackluster "super fight" with Floyd Mayweather last year. With a price tag of $99.99, one of the most anticipated bouts in boxing history flopped as the savvy Floyd danced and dodged his way to an easy victory. Following the contest, it was revealed that Manny fought with a torn rotator cuff, an injury that he didn't disclose to the Nevada State Athletic Commission prior to the fight. Pacquiao had surgery to repair the injury, but in terms of perception, the damage was done. Many fans thought they were deceived by Manny not disclosing the injury and ripped off after the lackluster bout.
As has been the trend for Floyd during most of his career, he chose a relatively easy opponent with Andre Berto for his retirement fight. No disrespect to Berto either, he's a solid pro, but it's obvious that he wasn't a threat to Mayweather. The shrapnel from the Manny fight was apparent as ticket sales were sluggish and the buy rate was the lowest Mayweather offering in a decade.
The stain of the $100 disappointment was upon Mayweather as he concluded his career to an underwhelming public response. With Pacquiao being rumored to be nearing retirement to possibly run for president in his native Philippians, he could also exit the sport with an absence of spotlight. Quite frankly, Manny decided to fight with an injury to ensure he made over $100 million for the record-setting Mayweather fight and after fans paid to watch it, the general public doesn't want to spend $59.99 on an essentially unnecessary Bradley/Pacquiao rematch.
The 37-year-old Filipino star hasn't fought since he lost a unanimous decision to "Money" Mayweather nearly a year ago, but made headlines for controversial comments in February that caused long time sponsor, Nike to drop him. If someone agrees or disagrees with Manny's views is their personal decision, but controversial comments might not help sell the fight either.
For Timothy Bradley, the contest is a win-win for him in the sense that he's guaranteed $4 million and even a loss against a competitor the caliber of Pacquiao won't damage his value going forward. At 33-1-1, "Desert Storm" has a chance to avenge the only loss of his nearly twelve year career. Saturday will be Bradley's second fight alongside his new trainer, Teddy Atlas, who guided him to a ninth round TKO victory against perennial contender Brandon Rios in November of last year. Atlas, who worked with former champions, Michael Moore and Mike Tyson, can bring a new strategic edge to Bradley's game, which could set the stage for a competitive fight at the MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada. Atlas' instructions were audible between rounds during the Rios contest, as one of boxing's most knowledgeable figures, with the trademark scar on the left side of his face, barked a combination of encouragement and advice to his fighter. One of the criticisms of Pacquiao in recent years is his lack of aggressiveness so if Bradley can effectively push the pace, the bout could be much closer than their contest in 2014.
As for a winner, it will depend on a few key factors, which involve how much the "Atlas factor" will bring something different to the table than what Bradley did against Pacquiao two years ago. Bradley is younger, in the prime of his career, and goes into the bout with wins in his last two fights. Manny is rumored to be nearing the end of his career, is returning to the ring after shoulder surgery, and was defeated in the most lucrative fight in boxing history the last time he stepped between the ropes. With political aspirations and already banking a record pay check for the Mayweather fight, does Manny have enough left in the tank if this becomes a hard hitting prize fight? The stage could be set for Bradley to get the career defining win that elevates is profile among boxing fans. However, I have to pick Manny Pacquiao to win a decision because Bradley didn't seem to have a way to avoid the speed of Pacquiao in their two previous bouts.
Regardless of who wins, the story will probably be the lack of buzz from the general public around potentially the final fight in the career of one of the biggest stars in boxing. Similar to Floyd Mayweather, Manny could conclude his career without the farewell that some would expect for such a legendary career. Again, the stain of the "super fight" won't define Pacquiao or Mayweather's career, but it certainly appears to have tainted the conclusion.
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Wrestlemania 32 Review
After much speculation, a record setting crowd and perhaps a record number of network subscribers witnessed Wrestlemania 32 at Cowboy Stadium in Dallas, Texas. While the show has received mixed reviews on social media, that seems to always be the case with some of the internet wrestling fans, but the event certainly had its share of ups and downs during the course of the nearly five hour spectacular. The followed up on Raw provides some indication of the direction of the product, but was the biggest show of the year a success?
In the name of simplicity, I will group the matches on the kickoff show together here and say that general speaking, they were all solid, and you can't exactly expect a match of the year on the kickoff show when over four hours of content are to follow it. A few specifics, it's good to see Kalisto retain the US title, mostly because he wasn't used to "feed," no pun intended the stereotypical WWE wrestler. That being said, there is only one Rey Mysterio, but Kalisto, who made a name for himself as Samurai Del Sol on the independent scene before he signed a WWE deal, has the skills to be the next one for the "Mysterio spot" so to speak. It won't happen in a month and will undoubtedly take a building process, and the WWE machine behind him, but Kalisto is a tremendous aerial performer that could identify with the same demographic that Rey did during his WWE run. Along with being a great high flyer, another key is Kalisto speaks English, which is extremely important for booking storylines. Another point from the matches prior to the main show, The Dudleys and The Usos seemed to work well together and I would guess they could have a great series of matches to further boost the tag division if given a main platform, possibly upcoming pay-per-view shows with a major match at Summer Slam.
The actual show opened with the usual Wrestlemania video package to review the history of the showcase of the immortals and as always, it was well done. As much flak as the writers get, the WWE continues to have one of the best production staff of any entertainment genre. The opening match was the IC title ladder match and the competitors deserve a lot of credit for the risk they took here. The finish was done extremely well as it looked as though The Miz was going to take the championship, when he was stopped by Zack Ryder and the underdog retrieved the title for the surprise victory. It was a nice surprise to see Ryder, who wasn't even booked for the contest until Neville was injured, get a Wrestlemania moment. Considering he wasn't scheduled for it, I don't think anyone expected Ryder to get the win and hopefully the WWE builds upon the popularity he's somehow maintained despite essentially being written off by management when his original push was derailed a few years ago. Ryder dropped the title to The Miz on Raw, which is either the start of a feud or the WM win was just for the moment and Ryder will be wrestling on Superstars again.
AJ Styles/Chris Jericho was next and considering they've already wrestled three times, this match just didn't have the same anticipation behind it. It was a solid bell-to-bell performance, but the finish was puzzling. Jericho, still a part-timer and well established in his status, defeated AJ Styles. The skeptics will jump to WWE brass is making AJ look secondary to their talent because of his time in TNA, but I don't think it's quite that sinister. If anything, it's well known that Styles signed a very lucrative deal to trade the great money he made in New Japan and the flexible independent work for the grueling WWE schedule so it wouldn't exactly make sense for the booking team to sabotage the company investment. That being said, I have no idea why AJ didn't get the win to truly establish himself as a star in the WWE because what does a victory do for Jericho? Y2J has virtually reached legendary status and has proven himself to be able to adapt to the current product so how would doing the job hurt his status? Interestingly, AJ won the number one contender spot on Raw and will challenge Roman Reigns for the belt, but it's possible he's just being used to set up an opponent for Reign's post-WM title defense.
The League of Nations vs. The New Day was scheduled to be a 4-on-3 match, but Barrett didn't seem to be an official participant in it and was booted from the stable the next night so it appears that the reports of him opting to leave the WWE when his contract expires are accurate. With as popular as The New Day is, it's a little illogical for them to lose at Wrestlemania, especially because the League of Nations have bounced around a lot on WWE TV without much direction. It's possible their win was used to set up the Foley/Michaels/Austin appearance, which worked well and was done in a timely manner. The segment got to the point, the legends preformed their signature moves, and it was a good conclusion.
I was surprised that the street fight was only the fourth match on the card, but with a nearly five hour event, maybe it was placed there to help with the pace of the show. Ambrose and Lesnar had a solid match with Brock looking like a monster. Since Lesnar wasn't at Raw, it would be a safe bet he's going to take another hiatus from TV and return in a few months to build toward a Summer Slam feud. With Lesnar back at home on his farm for the foreseeable future, Dean Ambrose is left in somewhat of a predicament because he still hasn't gotten a major win to validate his status as a potential main evener and the way he has been booked hasn't helped either. Keep in mind, prior to the start of the feud with Brock, Ambrose was used as a glorified jobber to help get other over, but he has the skills to be much more of an asset to the company if he's given an opportunity. Similar to Jericho, Brock is in the position that he's over to the point that doing the job won't affect his status and he was pinned several times during his current WWE run so wouldn't a win for Ambrose have done more to establish his career? Maybe I'm being too critical here, but I don't know how management expects to make Ambrose a bigger star if his profile isn't elevated on a major stage. Ambrose did the job to Triple H at Road Block and was pinned at Wrestlemania so where does he go from here?
The Women's title match was a really good match and it was another example that if you put female competitors on the show that can actually wrestle then you can get a quality addition to the card. I'm still not totally sold on Charlotte because as I've said before, athleticism doesn't always translate to in-ring maneuvers and her selling/timing can be awkward. She's done well for only wrestling for a few years, but WWE is the main stage of the industry and some of her inexperience is exposed on TV. This isn't too take anything away from her, but I would guess she got the spot as the inaugural Women's champion because of her last name and the WWE always yielding to second generation competitors has yielded mixed results over the past several years. In my opinion, Sasha Banks would've been the better choice for the spot because she has all the skills to be a star and with Bayley dropping the title at the NXT show last week, the Sasha/Bayley feud on the main roster could elevate women's wrestling even further on WWE TV.
The Undertaker/Shane McMahon match wasn't anything great besides Shane's insane leap from the top of the cell. As I wrote prior to the event, in a panic to boost the show, the WWE booked themselves into a corner with the stipulations because they risked disappointing the audience with either result. That was somewhat resolved when Shane was running Raw this past week and maybe he will be booked on TV continuously, which would make the entire Wrestlemania match pointless, but could add a spark to the weekly programming. After the replays, you could see that the table that Shane crashed through had padding underneath it and was done as safely as possible, but he still deserves a lot of credit for taking the risk. The actual content of the match was lackluster, but from a historical prospective, it will be remembered for when Shane jumped off the cell. Again, maybe I'm being too critical here, but from a logistical stand point, Shane being able to taunt The Undertaker after the leap seems to take away from the impact of the dive. Another example of this is, Shane dove 30 feet at Wrestlemania and was able to appear on Raw. Granted, he sold the effects of the match, but to get the most out of the dive, it would've made sense if he wasn't on TV for a few weeks.
Baron Corbin won the Andre The Giant memorial battle royal and in theory, it should be a good start for him on the main roster, but the push for past Andre winners fizzled after a few weeks so it will be interesting to see if the booking team has long term plans for him or if winning the battle royal win was just a surprise for WM 32, similar to the Zack Ryder win.
The Rock vs. Erick Rowan "match" was a complete waste of time and really halted the momentum of the show. The Rock showing up to announce the attendance record is fine and it's a logic spot for him on the card, but everything else, including the John Cena run-in just made the show drag on after an already three hour event. If Cena is ready to return to action, why not save it for the post-WM Raw? What's the purpose of Cena and The Rock clearing the ring of the Wyatt? It's not as though there's going to be a tag match booked so why throw John Cena into the segment when he could've made a more meaningful return on Raw? Another point that has to be made here is, why did Bray Wyatt get made to look irrelevant at the expense of a part-timer? Again, The Rock isn't going to be there to work a feud so where's the pay off? Wyatt has basically only been used to help get others over the past few years, despite the potential to be a legitimate star for the company and he deserves credit for using his great mic skills to say relevant. This goes back to the WWE relying on too many nostalgia acts and they are doing so at the expense of the competitors that, in theory, should be pushed as the future of the company. This isn't a jab at them, but wouldn't the Social Outcasts have been a better chose for The Rock segment than the Wyatts? At this point, how is Bray supposed to be perceived as a credible heel?
The WWE World Heavyweight title match was an average match and the result was predictable. It was also predictable that the crowd would boo Roman Reign and if you listen back to it, you can tell the WWE production truck lowered the crowd audio when they booed Reigns. As I wrote a few weeks ago, there was a record number of tickets sold and if the crowd spent their hard earned money for expensive Wrestlemania tickets, are they that disgusted that Roman was booked in the main event? On the surface, you have to wonder why the WWE continues to book Reigns as a baby face if the crowd will boo him, but unless it affects revenue, does it really matter? That being said, the crowd didn't even give the match a chance and it's disappointing that Roman is taking the heat that is directed at WWE management. Reigns was booed again on Raw and you have to wonder is there any amount of crowd hostility that will prompted management to turn him heel?
Overall, the show was decent and it was nothing great, but not terrible either. The event went too long at nearly five hours and the second half of the it was tedious when some of the segments that dragged on halted the momentum of the event. Some of the booking was questionable and the top baby face was booed at the conclusion of the show, but as mentioned, it was a record setting show so does the criticism matter? There were some of the negative reviews, but from a business prospective, the event was successful.
In the name of simplicity, I will group the matches on the kickoff show together here and say that general speaking, they were all solid, and you can't exactly expect a match of the year on the kickoff show when over four hours of content are to follow it. A few specifics, it's good to see Kalisto retain the US title, mostly because he wasn't used to "feed," no pun intended the stereotypical WWE wrestler. That being said, there is only one Rey Mysterio, but Kalisto, who made a name for himself as Samurai Del Sol on the independent scene before he signed a WWE deal, has the skills to be the next one for the "Mysterio spot" so to speak. It won't happen in a month and will undoubtedly take a building process, and the WWE machine behind him, but Kalisto is a tremendous aerial performer that could identify with the same demographic that Rey did during his WWE run. Along with being a great high flyer, another key is Kalisto speaks English, which is extremely important for booking storylines. Another point from the matches prior to the main show, The Dudleys and The Usos seemed to work well together and I would guess they could have a great series of matches to further boost the tag division if given a main platform, possibly upcoming pay-per-view shows with a major match at Summer Slam.
The actual show opened with the usual Wrestlemania video package to review the history of the showcase of the immortals and as always, it was well done. As much flak as the writers get, the WWE continues to have one of the best production staff of any entertainment genre. The opening match was the IC title ladder match and the competitors deserve a lot of credit for the risk they took here. The finish was done extremely well as it looked as though The Miz was going to take the championship, when he was stopped by Zack Ryder and the underdog retrieved the title for the surprise victory. It was a nice surprise to see Ryder, who wasn't even booked for the contest until Neville was injured, get a Wrestlemania moment. Considering he wasn't scheduled for it, I don't think anyone expected Ryder to get the win and hopefully the WWE builds upon the popularity he's somehow maintained despite essentially being written off by management when his original push was derailed a few years ago. Ryder dropped the title to The Miz on Raw, which is either the start of a feud or the WM win was just for the moment and Ryder will be wrestling on Superstars again.
AJ Styles/Chris Jericho was next and considering they've already wrestled three times, this match just didn't have the same anticipation behind it. It was a solid bell-to-bell performance, but the finish was puzzling. Jericho, still a part-timer and well established in his status, defeated AJ Styles. The skeptics will jump to WWE brass is making AJ look secondary to their talent because of his time in TNA, but I don't think it's quite that sinister. If anything, it's well known that Styles signed a very lucrative deal to trade the great money he made in New Japan and the flexible independent work for the grueling WWE schedule so it wouldn't exactly make sense for the booking team to sabotage the company investment. That being said, I have no idea why AJ didn't get the win to truly establish himself as a star in the WWE because what does a victory do for Jericho? Y2J has virtually reached legendary status and has proven himself to be able to adapt to the current product so how would doing the job hurt his status? Interestingly, AJ won the number one contender spot on Raw and will challenge Roman Reigns for the belt, but it's possible he's just being used to set up an opponent for Reign's post-WM title defense.
The League of Nations vs. The New Day was scheduled to be a 4-on-3 match, but Barrett didn't seem to be an official participant in it and was booted from the stable the next night so it appears that the reports of him opting to leave the WWE when his contract expires are accurate. With as popular as The New Day is, it's a little illogical for them to lose at Wrestlemania, especially because the League of Nations have bounced around a lot on WWE TV without much direction. It's possible their win was used to set up the Foley/Michaels/Austin appearance, which worked well and was done in a timely manner. The segment got to the point, the legends preformed their signature moves, and it was a good conclusion.
I was surprised that the street fight was only the fourth match on the card, but with a nearly five hour event, maybe it was placed there to help with the pace of the show. Ambrose and Lesnar had a solid match with Brock looking like a monster. Since Lesnar wasn't at Raw, it would be a safe bet he's going to take another hiatus from TV and return in a few months to build toward a Summer Slam feud. With Lesnar back at home on his farm for the foreseeable future, Dean Ambrose is left in somewhat of a predicament because he still hasn't gotten a major win to validate his status as a potential main evener and the way he has been booked hasn't helped either. Keep in mind, prior to the start of the feud with Brock, Ambrose was used as a glorified jobber to help get other over, but he has the skills to be much more of an asset to the company if he's given an opportunity. Similar to Jericho, Brock is in the position that he's over to the point that doing the job won't affect his status and he was pinned several times during his current WWE run so wouldn't a win for Ambrose have done more to establish his career? Maybe I'm being too critical here, but I don't know how management expects to make Ambrose a bigger star if his profile isn't elevated on a major stage. Ambrose did the job to Triple H at Road Block and was pinned at Wrestlemania so where does he go from here?
The Women's title match was a really good match and it was another example that if you put female competitors on the show that can actually wrestle then you can get a quality addition to the card. I'm still not totally sold on Charlotte because as I've said before, athleticism doesn't always translate to in-ring maneuvers and her selling/timing can be awkward. She's done well for only wrestling for a few years, but WWE is the main stage of the industry and some of her inexperience is exposed on TV. This isn't too take anything away from her, but I would guess she got the spot as the inaugural Women's champion because of her last name and the WWE always yielding to second generation competitors has yielded mixed results over the past several years. In my opinion, Sasha Banks would've been the better choice for the spot because she has all the skills to be a star and with Bayley dropping the title at the NXT show last week, the Sasha/Bayley feud on the main roster could elevate women's wrestling even further on WWE TV.
The Undertaker/Shane McMahon match wasn't anything great besides Shane's insane leap from the top of the cell. As I wrote prior to the event, in a panic to boost the show, the WWE booked themselves into a corner with the stipulations because they risked disappointing the audience with either result. That was somewhat resolved when Shane was running Raw this past week and maybe he will be booked on TV continuously, which would make the entire Wrestlemania match pointless, but could add a spark to the weekly programming. After the replays, you could see that the table that Shane crashed through had padding underneath it and was done as safely as possible, but he still deserves a lot of credit for taking the risk. The actual content of the match was lackluster, but from a historical prospective, it will be remembered for when Shane jumped off the cell. Again, maybe I'm being too critical here, but from a logistical stand point, Shane being able to taunt The Undertaker after the leap seems to take away from the impact of the dive. Another example of this is, Shane dove 30 feet at Wrestlemania and was able to appear on Raw. Granted, he sold the effects of the match, but to get the most out of the dive, it would've made sense if he wasn't on TV for a few weeks.
Baron Corbin won the Andre The Giant memorial battle royal and in theory, it should be a good start for him on the main roster, but the push for past Andre winners fizzled after a few weeks so it will be interesting to see if the booking team has long term plans for him or if winning the battle royal win was just a surprise for WM 32, similar to the Zack Ryder win.
The Rock vs. Erick Rowan "match" was a complete waste of time and really halted the momentum of the show. The Rock showing up to announce the attendance record is fine and it's a logic spot for him on the card, but everything else, including the John Cena run-in just made the show drag on after an already three hour event. If Cena is ready to return to action, why not save it for the post-WM Raw? What's the purpose of Cena and The Rock clearing the ring of the Wyatt? It's not as though there's going to be a tag match booked so why throw John Cena into the segment when he could've made a more meaningful return on Raw? Another point that has to be made here is, why did Bray Wyatt get made to look irrelevant at the expense of a part-timer? Again, The Rock isn't going to be there to work a feud so where's the pay off? Wyatt has basically only been used to help get others over the past few years, despite the potential to be a legitimate star for the company and he deserves credit for using his great mic skills to say relevant. This goes back to the WWE relying on too many nostalgia acts and they are doing so at the expense of the competitors that, in theory, should be pushed as the future of the company. This isn't a jab at them, but wouldn't the Social Outcasts have been a better chose for The Rock segment than the Wyatts? At this point, how is Bray supposed to be perceived as a credible heel?
The WWE World Heavyweight title match was an average match and the result was predictable. It was also predictable that the crowd would boo Roman Reign and if you listen back to it, you can tell the WWE production truck lowered the crowd audio when they booed Reigns. As I wrote a few weeks ago, there was a record number of tickets sold and if the crowd spent their hard earned money for expensive Wrestlemania tickets, are they that disgusted that Roman was booked in the main event? On the surface, you have to wonder why the WWE continues to book Reigns as a baby face if the crowd will boo him, but unless it affects revenue, does it really matter? That being said, the crowd didn't even give the match a chance and it's disappointing that Roman is taking the heat that is directed at WWE management. Reigns was booed again on Raw and you have to wonder is there any amount of crowd hostility that will prompted management to turn him heel?
Overall, the show was decent and it was nothing great, but not terrible either. The event went too long at nearly five hours and the second half of the it was tedious when some of the segments that dragged on halted the momentum of the event. Some of the booking was questionable and the top baby face was booed at the conclusion of the show, but as mentioned, it was a record setting show so does the criticism matter? There were some of the negative reviews, but from a business prospective, the event was successful.
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