When injuries plagued the roster and Wrestlemania was noticeably lacking a buzz to build the event, Shane McMahon returned to the company after a seven year absence. The reaction was one of the most memorable in quite some time and he touted a "new era" for the WWE following the biggest show of the year. As was seen on Raw, the "all or nothing" stipulation that was booked for WM was completely ignored, which as I wrote previously, kills the credibility of the product, but Shane remains a central figure on TV to progress the new direction of the brand. As Roman Reigns was booed to the point that the audio levels for the crowd were lowered at WM, there had to be something to jump start his title reign so that the WM win that the company has planned for years didn't fall flat. In an effort to build hype around Roman, Shane announced that AJ Styles would get a chance to become the number one contender for the belt. AJ, a former TNA and IWGP champion, won the spot on Raw and started a main event angle with Reigns. Around the same time, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows made their much anticipated debut when they attacked the Usos. The WWE now had three of the key members of the Bullet Club, the biggest stable in the world for the past few years, on the main roster.
A feud between "The Club" and the Samoan family developed, but fan support had tilted toward AJ, who arrived to a major reaction at the Royal Rumble just a few months ago. At the Payback pay-per-view, a series of shenanigans were booked and Reigns retained the title, which set up for the rematch last week at Extreme Rules.
As I said earlier this week in an article about Cody Rhodes' exit for the company, it appears that the WWE is looking for the "next John Cena," but there's only one Cena and I don't know how realistic it is to expect that the next potential top star fits that specific mold. Taking nothing away from Reigns, John Cena is a rare breed and a true workhorse, and that's exactly why he worked the main event scene for nearly a decade. Cena was the right type of performer with the right type of character to excel in the specific time frame that he began his WWE career. Keep in mind, much of the success of pro wrestling is timing and wrestling in a particular era could make the difference between a mega star or a mid carder. Hypothetically, would Stone Cold have been as successful as he was if he worked in the PG era? Don't get me wrong, Steve Austin has the ability to get over in any era, but would he have been the biggest star in the history of the industry if he had PG restrictions? Again, timing and the climate of the business can play a role in the status of some performers, and maybe the timing of following Cena as the top guy is one of the reasons that Roman isn't over with the audience.
Some have said that Reigns should turn heel, a logically suggestion since there was a time in sports entertainment when getting booed in every arena made someone a heel, but that's not the case. WWE brass want their version of a sports entertainer and a competitor that they created from the ground up to be the representative for the company for press, promotional work, etc. I've said it many times, but until the Reigns main event run starts to decrease revenue, which it hasn't, why should the WWE book anything differently? If fans are still buying tickets and subscribing to the network, why shouldn't management book their own type of champion?
However, there was still the matter of getting some hype for Roman's initial title defense so AJ was booked for it, which essentially uses the sizzle that he brought to the table to help build a buzz for Reign's pay-per-view match. I found it almost comical that many fans on social media actually thought that AJ would win the title, simply because management isn't going to derail Roman's main event status a month after Wrestlemania, and maybe I'm being too cynical here, but I doubt Vince would put the WWE title on a wrestler that was closely associated with TNA for over a decade. Aside from the Royal Rumble debut, the argument could be made that the writing team hasn't done much to keep AJ's character strong, and his in ring performances are probably what keeps him over with the audience more than anything. Styles traded wins with Chris Jericho for his original feud, but he did the job at WM 32, which accomplished nothing considering that a loss wouldn't damage Jericho's status. Following the loss at Extreme Rules, Styles has done the job at three consecutive PPVs, one at the biggest show of the year and then two in title matches so how is he going to be perceived as a top level star if he loses repeatedly on the big stage? One of the dangers of rushing a talent to the main event picture is there has to be some caution about how it's booked since if you start at the main event, there's usually only being booked in a less prominent spot from there.
As mentioned, "The Club," Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson were signed to WWE deals, and the duo debuted after WM 32. Many fans expected a Bullet Club type stable with AJ Styles, but it was never actually completely set as a group and after the promo on Raw this past week, it seemed like the stable has already concluded. Granted, Gallows and Anderson have value as a team outside of a Bullet Club spin off, but why book them in an angle with AJ as a reference to the New Japan stable if it's going to conclude in a month? The Bullet Club has years of success in Japan and somehow they only made it a month on Raw, which seems like a waste of potential. At this point, the only thing Gallows and Anderson have really done on WWE TV is sell for Roman Reigns, and with The Club dissolved, where does the team go from here? The momentum of the competitors in "The Club" stable has basically halted and depending on what they are booked for next, they could get lost in the shuffle on Raw. Considering how much hype the New Japan signings had earlier this year, it would be disappointing if they floundered after a rushed main event storyline. In some ways, the hype and potential that AJ brought to the table was sacrificed to try to get Reigns over for the start of his post-WM title run. Obviously, Styles is a tremendous in ring performer and he had two great PPV matches against Roman, but that was only booked to try to get the champion over. Management wanted someone that could make Reigns look good in the ring and AJ did the job. For whatever it's worth, it's doubtful that AJ will complain about how he's booked during his time in the WWE because as I've said before, he had to get major money to sign a WWE deal, considering that he traded making great money in Japan and the flexibility an independent schedule for the grueling WWE travel schedule. I would guess that Styles is making the most money of his career and considering his age, it makes sense for him to cash in for a major contract before he retires so from a business prospect, it's a win-win situation for him.
So, what does all this translate to for the fans?
Essentially, the "new era" is an illusion to try to spark a renewed interest in the product. It might be promoted as a new era, but the agenda is the same. Some new talent can be added to the mix, but management is still on the same path with the same set of priorities as before. The goal since Roman Reigns started in the developmental system was to make him the star that takes the John Cena spot and that's still the plan. A few NXT stars transition to the main roster to keep the vocal fans enthusiastic about the shows, but in most cases management is still going to book their version of sports entertainment. The audience can be thrilled with AJ, Enzo, etc. but it doesn't matter if they cheer the new talent and boo Roman every week, the WWE is going to continue to book Reigns as the top guy. Again, if the fans are paying to subscribe to the network, does it really matter if they boo him? In terms of business, Roman Reigns is a "successful" champion since the company continues to make money when he's at the top of the card. Keep in mind, there was a record number of tickets sold for Wrestlemania and Reigns was booked in the main event so are the fans really that disgusted with him at the champion? I'm not saying fans shouldn't watch the shows, but the reality of the situation is until there's a decrease in revenue, WWE brass technically doesn't have a reason to change their plans.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Monday, May 23, 2016
Cody Rhodes released
This past weekend, Cody Rhodes announced on Twitter that he requested his release from the WWE after a decade under contract with the company. The following day, it was announced that the company had granted it. Cody explained his reasoning, saying that his pitches to progress his career were ignored by the head writers, and to summarize his lengthy post, he essentially didn't see himself getting the chance to be a top level star in the promotion. In some ways, this turn of events is unexpected and in others, it's completely reasonable. Much like his career path in the WWE, Cody Rhodes' exit for the organization is a mixed bag of positives and negatives.
An accomplished amateur wrestler before his time in the pro ranks, Cody is a second generation star, the son of "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. Similar to his dad, Cody has unique mic skills that worked well when he was given the chance to utilize them, and he was a natural when he transitioned from the amateur ranks to sports entertainment. After he started training in Ohio Valley Wrestling in 2006, he debuted on WWE TV a little more than a year later and looked to be far more experienced than he actually was at the time.
In the first major angle he was booked for, Cody was aligned with Ted Dibiase Jr. and leader Randy Orton to form "Legacy" in 2009. In theory, this would've been a suitable way to help elevate both of the younger stars as being associated with Orton, but they were portrayed as merely lackeys during the Triple H/Orton feud that led to one of the worst Wrestlemania main events in history. The leader's storyline didn't get over and as a result, neither did the stable. After the lackluster WM 25 main event, Orton was booked in the second match on the card the following year, defeating Rhodes and Dibiase. Basically, the year was wasted and the newer talent did the job in a mostly meaningless match so in retrospect, Cody could've been booked better at the start of his WWE career. It's ironic that both Rhodes and Dibiase were thought to have an extremely bright future at one point, but for whatever reason, that wasn't the case. Eventually, "Dashing" Cody began on Smackdown and the character allowed him to develop his own persona. It was an entertaining gimmick and he also continued to progress in the ring. During his time as Dashing, he had the chance to work extensively with Rey Mysterio, who can help make opponents look good in the ring, and he also had a few runs as IC champion, further establishing him as a credible star.
In 2012, Rhodes formed a team with another underutilized star, Damien Sandow, and the Rhodes Scholars were an entertaining pair despite being thrown together because they weren't booked for anything else. In 2013, Cody was booked in the MITB match and it was an opportunity for him move further up the card, potentially cashing in for a title shot. But, even at the arguable peak of his WWE career, Rhodes was essentially just used to take the bumps in the match. The next major angle for him was when Goldust returned to the company and it was yet another missed opportunity to propel him to a higher profile spot. The Dusty/Goldust involvement could've been used to highlight Cody, but it didn't happen.
Instead, Stardust was created and it was useful for the particular angle with Goldust. The tag team run and then the heel turn as the character made sense, but for the past year an a half, the gimmick was useless. If anything, Rhodes continuing to be saddled with the "rip off" character only hindered his career because without Goldust involved, the Stardust character was illogical. According to his explanation, Cody tried to suggest a return to his original persona, but those requests were ignored. Another aspect of this whole situation is that since Dusty passed, and his status within the organization was stalled, Cody might have seen this as an opportunity to pursue a different direction in his career. There's also a point that you can say Cody put ten years into the WWE system and regardless of the reasons, his career plateaued so other than a paycheck, what else could he really accomplish there? As mentioned, the argument could be made that there was only a brief time when Rhodes was actually booked in a spot where he could make the climb up the ladder and even when he was given the chance to establish himself, he wasn't get the chance to run with it. That being said, Cody is an extremely versatile performer and he made the best out of whatever he was booked for, even if it lead to his career becoming stagnant. Basically, the majority of Rhodes' run in the company was wasted time and wasted potential, considering he has all the skills to be a legitimate star for them.
It's extremely disappointing to see another talented competitor leave the promotion after being underutilized and sometimes you have to wonder, how did the WWE not see the money those that left could've drawn? Maybe the top tier spots in modern day WWE are reserved for when they find the "next John Cena," but if the Roman Reigns experiment proves anything, it's that there's only one Cena and you can't expect every potential top star to fit that mold. As for Cody, anything can happen in the wrestling business, but it's doubtful that he will return to the company in the future and with the lack of major options in the United States, he might conclude his wrestling career. Granted, Rhodes mentioned in his online explanation that he would continue wrestling, but after a decade as a sport entertainer for the biggest company in the world, would he really want to work the independent scene? At 30, Rhodes is still young enough to fully pursue another career path and he has a background in acting so that might be the next venture for him. Obviously, Rhodes' online post is his side of the story, but assuming it's accurate, and there's no reason not to think it is, it speaks volumes about the WWE system if a few writers can decide the value of performers for the company. Considering how talented he is, I would guess that Cody Rhodes will be successful in the next stage of his career, but he definitely deserved better in the WWE.
An accomplished amateur wrestler before his time in the pro ranks, Cody is a second generation star, the son of "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. Similar to his dad, Cody has unique mic skills that worked well when he was given the chance to utilize them, and he was a natural when he transitioned from the amateur ranks to sports entertainment. After he started training in Ohio Valley Wrestling in 2006, he debuted on WWE TV a little more than a year later and looked to be far more experienced than he actually was at the time.
In the first major angle he was booked for, Cody was aligned with Ted Dibiase Jr. and leader Randy Orton to form "Legacy" in 2009. In theory, this would've been a suitable way to help elevate both of the younger stars as being associated with Orton, but they were portrayed as merely lackeys during the Triple H/Orton feud that led to one of the worst Wrestlemania main events in history. The leader's storyline didn't get over and as a result, neither did the stable. After the lackluster WM 25 main event, Orton was booked in the second match on the card the following year, defeating Rhodes and Dibiase. Basically, the year was wasted and the newer talent did the job in a mostly meaningless match so in retrospect, Cody could've been booked better at the start of his WWE career. It's ironic that both Rhodes and Dibiase were thought to have an extremely bright future at one point, but for whatever reason, that wasn't the case. Eventually, "Dashing" Cody began on Smackdown and the character allowed him to develop his own persona. It was an entertaining gimmick and he also continued to progress in the ring. During his time as Dashing, he had the chance to work extensively with Rey Mysterio, who can help make opponents look good in the ring, and he also had a few runs as IC champion, further establishing him as a credible star.
In 2012, Rhodes formed a team with another underutilized star, Damien Sandow, and the Rhodes Scholars were an entertaining pair despite being thrown together because they weren't booked for anything else. In 2013, Cody was booked in the MITB match and it was an opportunity for him move further up the card, potentially cashing in for a title shot. But, even at the arguable peak of his WWE career, Rhodes was essentially just used to take the bumps in the match. The next major angle for him was when Goldust returned to the company and it was yet another missed opportunity to propel him to a higher profile spot. The Dusty/Goldust involvement could've been used to highlight Cody, but it didn't happen.
Instead, Stardust was created and it was useful for the particular angle with Goldust. The tag team run and then the heel turn as the character made sense, but for the past year an a half, the gimmick was useless. If anything, Rhodes continuing to be saddled with the "rip off" character only hindered his career because without Goldust involved, the Stardust character was illogical. According to his explanation, Cody tried to suggest a return to his original persona, but those requests were ignored. Another aspect of this whole situation is that since Dusty passed, and his status within the organization was stalled, Cody might have seen this as an opportunity to pursue a different direction in his career. There's also a point that you can say Cody put ten years into the WWE system and regardless of the reasons, his career plateaued so other than a paycheck, what else could he really accomplish there? As mentioned, the argument could be made that there was only a brief time when Rhodes was actually booked in a spot where he could make the climb up the ladder and even when he was given the chance to establish himself, he wasn't get the chance to run with it. That being said, Cody is an extremely versatile performer and he made the best out of whatever he was booked for, even if it lead to his career becoming stagnant. Basically, the majority of Rhodes' run in the company was wasted time and wasted potential, considering he has all the skills to be a legitimate star for them.
It's extremely disappointing to see another talented competitor leave the promotion after being underutilized and sometimes you have to wonder, how did the WWE not see the money those that left could've drawn? Maybe the top tier spots in modern day WWE are reserved for when they find the "next John Cena," but if the Roman Reigns experiment proves anything, it's that there's only one Cena and you can't expect every potential top star to fit that mold. As for Cody, anything can happen in the wrestling business, but it's doubtful that he will return to the company in the future and with the lack of major options in the United States, he might conclude his wrestling career. Granted, Rhodes mentioned in his online explanation that he would continue wrestling, but after a decade as a sport entertainer for the biggest company in the world, would he really want to work the independent scene? At 30, Rhodes is still young enough to fully pursue another career path and he has a background in acting so that might be the next venture for him. Obviously, Rhodes' online post is his side of the story, but assuming it's accurate, and there's no reason not to think it is, it speaks volumes about the WWE system if a few writers can decide the value of performers for the company. Considering how talented he is, I would guess that Cody Rhodes will be successful in the next stage of his career, but he definitely deserved better in the WWE.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Bruiser Brody
Nearly three decades after his passing, Frank Goodish, known around the globe as Bruiser Brody, continues to have a noticeable impact on professional wrestling. But, how did the bearded brute produce such a lasting legacy in the industry?
Long before he sent hundreds of fans scattering while swinging his trademark chain in Japan, Frank Goodish was a standout athlete during his youth, playing both football and basketball in high school. He went on to play football at West Texas State and even spent some time as a member of the Washington Redskins in the NFL. After his days were over on the field, he covered the action as a sportswriter. In the biography, "Brody," which was written by Larry Matysik and Barbra Goodish, it's surprising to see the photo of a young Goodish pecking away at a typewriter. The Frank Goodish sitting at the desk in front of the keys hadn't grown the wild hair or lengthy beard yet, a definite contrast to the mane he sported in the ring.
After getting his start in the wrestling business, many immediately recognized the potential of the agile big man. The Funk family had a major impact on the performer that became Bruiser Brody and their influence helped him develop his style. Despite standing 6'7 and weighing 280 LBS, Brody moved extremely well for his size, often showcasing a drop kick or his famous finisher, the Brody knee drop during matches. The big man would get incredible height and then crashed his knee into his foes. After his debut in 1973, Bruiser Brody became a true journeyman as he worked nearly every major territory in the United States. The NWA, WWWF, and WCCW were just some of the places he stomped through during the first decade of his career.
However, it was in the early 80s that Brody began touring Japan regularly for Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion that he reached mythical status in the country. Along with his tremendous athleticism, Brody also became one of the greatest brawlers in the history of the business with matches that spilled around the entire arena. Vertical scar tissue decorated Goodish's forearm as a result of blood baths throughout his career, only adding to the lure of his legend. As the mid-80s approached, Brody began teaming with his good friend, the legendary Stan Hansen. The two smashed through competition and headlined major cards in Japan. As the 80s were a peak in Japanese business, a bidding war took place and Goodish was offered thousands of dollars to jump to New Japan, an offer that he couldn't refuse. In 1985, Bruiser Brody debuted for NJPW and sold out arenas witnessed his matches with Antonio Inoki. The matches often ended in a no contest and since Brody worked extensively for the rival organization, his run in New Japan was relatively brief. In 1986, when the territory system was being overtaken by Vince McMahon's national expansion, Bruiser Brody on the marquee boosted business for the regional promotions. Specifically, the Abdullah The Butcher feud that terrorized fans in Toyko was brought to World Class Championship Wrestling and they continued their bloody series.
When he wasn't grappling in the ring, Brody often sat in the production truck of the World Class TV show, which was considered revolutionary at the time for using unique camera angles and putting more mics around ringside. Always a smart business man, Goodish learned the TV production side of the business as a potential career after he retired from the ring. Despite his usual neanderthal tone in interviews, Goodish was well spoken and earned the name, "the intelligent monster" in Japan. Another highlight of his time in WCCW was working with the legendary Gary Hart, who regarded Brody as one of the best talents that he had the chance to work with during his run as the booker there.
In 1987, Bruiser Brody returned to All Japan and resumed his run as a main event star there. He also formed a memorable tag team with "Super fly" Jimmy Snuka and the duo competed in the Real World Tag League. That same year, Goodish began wrestling for Carlos Colon's World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico, which ultimately led to his death. For the next year, Brody continued his usual schedule of wrestling literally around the globe, working in Japan, the territories in the United States, and Puerto Rico. On a humid night in Bayamon at the baseball stadium, as thousands of fans waited to enter the sold out show, that night's competitors were in the dressing room. Jose Gonzalez, who wrestled as Invader 1 and worked in the WWC office, asked Brody if he could talk business with him. According to those that were there, Gonzalez had a towel in his hand and the two stepped towards the shower area to have a private discussion. The details of exactly what happened next depend on who you ask, but the one thing for sure is Gonzalez stabbed Bruiser Brody in the stomach and he collapsed to the floor.
After waiting for an hour, an ambulance arrived and Tony Atlas, who was in the dressing room, helped carry the giant competitor to the paramedics. Goodish was taken to the hospital where surgery was performed, but he died later that night. Following his death, a sham of a trial took place and a jury found that Gonzalez acted in "self defense." Dutch Mantell, who was at the stadium at the time of the murder, didn't receive his notice to testify until the day after the trail was competed. The corruption of the trail allowed Jose Gonzalez to get away with murder and the reason behind the attack isn't confirmed. Frank Goodish was survived by his wife, Barbra, who he met on a tour in New Zealand, and their son Geoffrey.
Among the many tales of his wild career was that Bruiser Brody was known to be uncooperative at times, but it's really a matter of perspective. Keep in mind, the peak of his career was over a decade before the concept of a guaranteed contract existed and some promoters had notorious reputations. The promoters got the first count of the box office and Brody took exception to it if his pay for the show didn't compare with the amount of tickets that look to be sold in the arena. For every story you will hear about Brody not cooperating, it's always mentioned that he only wanted to be paid what was fair and you can't really blame him for it. One of the more famous stories is when he was booked in a cage match against Lex Luger, a rookie at the time. There are different stories about exactly why, but a few minutes into the match, Brody decided to stop selling anything Luger did. Lex had heard the stories about Brody and he hopped out of the cage before the match ended to avoid a confrontation. After the match, the incident was summed up as a miscommunication and there was no problem.
Aside from his athletic ability, what was the draw to Bruiser Brody? Quite simply, Brody made the audience believe that he was as legitimately wild as he appeared. Brody made the fans believe that they weren't just seeing a performance, but rather an actual psychical confrontation. The charisma, the innovate style, and the presentation made the audience believe that Bruiser Brody was dangerous in the ring. This caveman with the furry boots thrilled audiences with everything he did, something as spectacular as the mammoth brawler jumping for a leap frog or something as simple as the wild look in his eyes. Bruiser Brody presented his character as good as anyone in the business, and just as he etched scar tissue into his forehead during bloody battles, he etched a legacy into pro wrestling history.
If he had lived, it would be an easy guess that Goodish would've worked as a booker or in some behind the scenes aspect because of his mind for the business. As mentioned, his influence on the industry is still seen today, as dozens of stars have borrowed from his style. WWE Hall of Famer, Mick Foley has said throughout his career that he wanted to blend the style of Brody and the Dynamite Kid, which he did during his own legendary career. Luke Harper, who wrestled on the independent scene as Brodie Lee, cites Bruiser Brody as one of the performers that inspired him to become a pro wrestler.
Despite his tragic death, Bruiser Brody is remembered throughout the world for his legendary career. Frank Goodish protected his business and demanded to be paid the fair share that he earned. Sadly, as is seen today, there are several wrestlers from that era that are struggling to deal with injuries and other problems from the effects of the squared circle, especially considering that as independent contractors, many of the stars of the 80s didn't get health benefits. In retrospect, maybe more competitors should've listened to Brody's advice. Goodish had a good mind for the industry and similar to how he protected his pay for his skills in the ring, he was smart enough to plan for a second career after his retirement. He could've contributed tremendous knowledge to the industry from a production aspect. As a performer, Brody had all the tools and he understood how to draw money, which is why he remained an in demand star in many different places for such an extended period of time. In many ways, Bruiser Brody was the first true independent pro wrestler and it allowed him to wrestle for sell out crowds around the global. Frank Goodish passed away on July 17, 1988, but Bruiser Brody's legacy of violence will never be forgotten.
Long before he sent hundreds of fans scattering while swinging his trademark chain in Japan, Frank Goodish was a standout athlete during his youth, playing both football and basketball in high school. He went on to play football at West Texas State and even spent some time as a member of the Washington Redskins in the NFL. After his days were over on the field, he covered the action as a sportswriter. In the biography, "Brody," which was written by Larry Matysik and Barbra Goodish, it's surprising to see the photo of a young Goodish pecking away at a typewriter. The Frank Goodish sitting at the desk in front of the keys hadn't grown the wild hair or lengthy beard yet, a definite contrast to the mane he sported in the ring.
After getting his start in the wrestling business, many immediately recognized the potential of the agile big man. The Funk family had a major impact on the performer that became Bruiser Brody and their influence helped him develop his style. Despite standing 6'7 and weighing 280 LBS, Brody moved extremely well for his size, often showcasing a drop kick or his famous finisher, the Brody knee drop during matches. The big man would get incredible height and then crashed his knee into his foes. After his debut in 1973, Bruiser Brody became a true journeyman as he worked nearly every major territory in the United States. The NWA, WWWF, and WCCW were just some of the places he stomped through during the first decade of his career.
However, it was in the early 80s that Brody began touring Japan regularly for Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion that he reached mythical status in the country. Along with his tremendous athleticism, Brody also became one of the greatest brawlers in the history of the business with matches that spilled around the entire arena. Vertical scar tissue decorated Goodish's forearm as a result of blood baths throughout his career, only adding to the lure of his legend. As the mid-80s approached, Brody began teaming with his good friend, the legendary Stan Hansen. The two smashed through competition and headlined major cards in Japan. As the 80s were a peak in Japanese business, a bidding war took place and Goodish was offered thousands of dollars to jump to New Japan, an offer that he couldn't refuse. In 1985, Bruiser Brody debuted for NJPW and sold out arenas witnessed his matches with Antonio Inoki. The matches often ended in a no contest and since Brody worked extensively for the rival organization, his run in New Japan was relatively brief. In 1986, when the territory system was being overtaken by Vince McMahon's national expansion, Bruiser Brody on the marquee boosted business for the regional promotions. Specifically, the Abdullah The Butcher feud that terrorized fans in Toyko was brought to World Class Championship Wrestling and they continued their bloody series.
When he wasn't grappling in the ring, Brody often sat in the production truck of the World Class TV show, which was considered revolutionary at the time for using unique camera angles and putting more mics around ringside. Always a smart business man, Goodish learned the TV production side of the business as a potential career after he retired from the ring. Despite his usual neanderthal tone in interviews, Goodish was well spoken and earned the name, "the intelligent monster" in Japan. Another highlight of his time in WCCW was working with the legendary Gary Hart, who regarded Brody as one of the best talents that he had the chance to work with during his run as the booker there.
In 1987, Bruiser Brody returned to All Japan and resumed his run as a main event star there. He also formed a memorable tag team with "Super fly" Jimmy Snuka and the duo competed in the Real World Tag League. That same year, Goodish began wrestling for Carlos Colon's World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico, which ultimately led to his death. For the next year, Brody continued his usual schedule of wrestling literally around the globe, working in Japan, the territories in the United States, and Puerto Rico. On a humid night in Bayamon at the baseball stadium, as thousands of fans waited to enter the sold out show, that night's competitors were in the dressing room. Jose Gonzalez, who wrestled as Invader 1 and worked in the WWC office, asked Brody if he could talk business with him. According to those that were there, Gonzalez had a towel in his hand and the two stepped towards the shower area to have a private discussion. The details of exactly what happened next depend on who you ask, but the one thing for sure is Gonzalez stabbed Bruiser Brody in the stomach and he collapsed to the floor.
After waiting for an hour, an ambulance arrived and Tony Atlas, who was in the dressing room, helped carry the giant competitor to the paramedics. Goodish was taken to the hospital where surgery was performed, but he died later that night. Following his death, a sham of a trial took place and a jury found that Gonzalez acted in "self defense." Dutch Mantell, who was at the stadium at the time of the murder, didn't receive his notice to testify until the day after the trail was competed. The corruption of the trail allowed Jose Gonzalez to get away with murder and the reason behind the attack isn't confirmed. Frank Goodish was survived by his wife, Barbra, who he met on a tour in New Zealand, and their son Geoffrey.
Among the many tales of his wild career was that Bruiser Brody was known to be uncooperative at times, but it's really a matter of perspective. Keep in mind, the peak of his career was over a decade before the concept of a guaranteed contract existed and some promoters had notorious reputations. The promoters got the first count of the box office and Brody took exception to it if his pay for the show didn't compare with the amount of tickets that look to be sold in the arena. For every story you will hear about Brody not cooperating, it's always mentioned that he only wanted to be paid what was fair and you can't really blame him for it. One of the more famous stories is when he was booked in a cage match against Lex Luger, a rookie at the time. There are different stories about exactly why, but a few minutes into the match, Brody decided to stop selling anything Luger did. Lex had heard the stories about Brody and he hopped out of the cage before the match ended to avoid a confrontation. After the match, the incident was summed up as a miscommunication and there was no problem.
Aside from his athletic ability, what was the draw to Bruiser Brody? Quite simply, Brody made the audience believe that he was as legitimately wild as he appeared. Brody made the fans believe that they weren't just seeing a performance, but rather an actual psychical confrontation. The charisma, the innovate style, and the presentation made the audience believe that Bruiser Brody was dangerous in the ring. This caveman with the furry boots thrilled audiences with everything he did, something as spectacular as the mammoth brawler jumping for a leap frog or something as simple as the wild look in his eyes. Bruiser Brody presented his character as good as anyone in the business, and just as he etched scar tissue into his forehead during bloody battles, he etched a legacy into pro wrestling history.
If he had lived, it would be an easy guess that Goodish would've worked as a booker or in some behind the scenes aspect because of his mind for the business. As mentioned, his influence on the industry is still seen today, as dozens of stars have borrowed from his style. WWE Hall of Famer, Mick Foley has said throughout his career that he wanted to blend the style of Brody and the Dynamite Kid, which he did during his own legendary career. Luke Harper, who wrestled on the independent scene as Brodie Lee, cites Bruiser Brody as one of the performers that inspired him to become a pro wrestler.
Despite his tragic death, Bruiser Brody is remembered throughout the world for his legendary career. Frank Goodish protected his business and demanded to be paid the fair share that he earned. Sadly, as is seen today, there are several wrestlers from that era that are struggling to deal with injuries and other problems from the effects of the squared circle, especially considering that as independent contractors, many of the stars of the 80s didn't get health benefits. In retrospect, maybe more competitors should've listened to Brody's advice. Goodish had a good mind for the industry and similar to how he protected his pay for his skills in the ring, he was smart enough to plan for a second career after his retirement. He could've contributed tremendous knowledge to the industry from a production aspect. As a performer, Brody had all the tools and he understood how to draw money, which is why he remained an in demand star in many different places for such an extended period of time. In many ways, Bruiser Brody was the first true independent pro wrestler and it allowed him to wrestle for sell out crowds around the global. Frank Goodish passed away on July 17, 1988, but Bruiser Brody's legacy of violence will never be forgotten.
Saturday, May 14, 2016
UFC 198
This Saturday, the octagon heads to Curitiba, Brazil for UFC 198 and
many native fighters are featured on the card where the results will
seemingly have a drastic impact on the direction of their individual
careers. As the Ultimate Fighting Championship has underwent a
transition phrase of sorts within the past year, the deck has been
reshuffled so to speak and the landscape appears to be much different
going forward than in the past. However, careers have been rejuvenated
before and this event should be an indication of who will extend their
career into another era or won't keep pace with the rapidly changing
climate of mixed martial arts.
At the top of the card, Stephen Miocic, the Croatian, who KO'ed Andre Arlowski and Mark Hunt in his last two fights, will finally get a shot at the UFC Heavyweight title. Miocic was willing to step in on short notice to fight for the belt after Cain Velasquez sustained yet another injury in February, but the champion, Fabricio Werdum cancelled the bout, conveniently citing an injury after the replacement was announced. With a record of 8-2 in the UFC and a 14-2 record overall, Miocic has steadily become a force in the heavyweight division during the past few years. The former golden gloves winner in amateur boxing and collegiate wrestler has drawn comparisons to another Croatian, the legendary Mirko Crocop, for his precise striking and take down defense. Werdum, the first competitor to submit the legendary Fedor, had a career resurgence after he defeated the legendary Russian in Strike Force. Currently on a six fight win streak, Werdum shocked the world when he defeated Velasquez in June of last year.
The question is, was Velasquez rusty from returning after an injury or has Werdum reached the top tier of the division?
Don't get me wrong, it's not to take anything away from Fabricio, but he hasn't defended the belt yet, and Cain has a lengthy history of injuries so it's tough to gauge where Werdum ranks among the current heavyweight division. The Brazilian native is a black belt in jui-jitsu and muy thai so obviously, he will bring well rounded skill set into the fight, and the same can be said about Miocic, which is why this should be a very evenly matched fight. The key to this contest will be if Miocic can avoid the take down and use striking ability to win the fight. It appears that much of the result of this contest will depend on if Fabricio can use grappling skills to try to neutralize the boxing ability of the challenger. It's tough to pick a winner here, but I will guess that Stephen Miocic will win the title.
After years of speculation and anticipation, Justino "Cyborg" Santos will finally make her UFC debut when she fights Leslie Smith. Nothing short of dominate in her MMA career, Cyborg brings a 15-1 record into the octagon and has been undefeated for over a decade. Among the notable victories in her career, Santos defeated the first face of female MMA, Gina Carano in the first round and Carano hasn't fought since 2009. Cyborg is also the current Invicta Feather weight champion, which is why the UFC bout will be at a 140 catch weight. While Santos is the 145 LBS Invicta champion, the delay of her arrival to the UFC was based on if she could make weight for the women's bantam weight division so the future for her seems uncertain at the moment, unless she alternates between defending her Invicta title and catch weight fights. It seems like the only way Cyborg would be on the UFC roster full time is if she decided to drop down to 135 to fight competitors such as Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, etc. Other than dropping down to bantam weight, it doesn't seem like there's many options for Santos in the UFC because how many of the established names are going to be willing to fight at a catch weight?
Her challenger, Leslie Smith is an extremely tough competitor, which she proved when her cauliflower ear burst during a fight with Jessica Eye at UFC 180. During the very graphic scene between rounds, Smith's ear was partially hanging from her head and she was protesting the doctor stoppage. That being said, Smith is a mid card type fighter and the stage is set for Santos to showcase her skills. It won't be an easy fight, but I have to pick Cyborg to win it.
Vitor Belfort is fighting the dangerous Ronaldo Souza and it could decide the direction of his career. Amid the TRT banned and testing positive for steroids previously in his career, Vitor has been the subject of much controversy during the past few years. He has kept his career going with various win streaks over the years, but was defeated when he fought top tier competition, including Jon Jones and Chris Weidman. With title aspirations not a realistic option, a loss at UFC 198 could be an exit from the sport for him.
Another Brazilian that could be nearing the conclusion of his career is Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, who will fight Corey Anderson. Shogun reached legendary status during his career, but a series of injuries derailed him at times. The past several years yielded mixed results for him, as there were some bouts where Shogun looked rejuvenated and other times, it seemed like the injuries had taken a toll. Another defeat might be a sign that he should retire, but Shogun has a legendary career.
At the top of the card, Stephen Miocic, the Croatian, who KO'ed Andre Arlowski and Mark Hunt in his last two fights, will finally get a shot at the UFC Heavyweight title. Miocic was willing to step in on short notice to fight for the belt after Cain Velasquez sustained yet another injury in February, but the champion, Fabricio Werdum cancelled the bout, conveniently citing an injury after the replacement was announced. With a record of 8-2 in the UFC and a 14-2 record overall, Miocic has steadily become a force in the heavyweight division during the past few years. The former golden gloves winner in amateur boxing and collegiate wrestler has drawn comparisons to another Croatian, the legendary Mirko Crocop, for his precise striking and take down defense. Werdum, the first competitor to submit the legendary Fedor, had a career resurgence after he defeated the legendary Russian in Strike Force. Currently on a six fight win streak, Werdum shocked the world when he defeated Velasquez in June of last year.
The question is, was Velasquez rusty from returning after an injury or has Werdum reached the top tier of the division?
Don't get me wrong, it's not to take anything away from Fabricio, but he hasn't defended the belt yet, and Cain has a lengthy history of injuries so it's tough to gauge where Werdum ranks among the current heavyweight division. The Brazilian native is a black belt in jui-jitsu and muy thai so obviously, he will bring well rounded skill set into the fight, and the same can be said about Miocic, which is why this should be a very evenly matched fight. The key to this contest will be if Miocic can avoid the take down and use striking ability to win the fight. It appears that much of the result of this contest will depend on if Fabricio can use grappling skills to try to neutralize the boxing ability of the challenger. It's tough to pick a winner here, but I will guess that Stephen Miocic will win the title.
After years of speculation and anticipation, Justino "Cyborg" Santos will finally make her UFC debut when she fights Leslie Smith. Nothing short of dominate in her MMA career, Cyborg brings a 15-1 record into the octagon and has been undefeated for over a decade. Among the notable victories in her career, Santos defeated the first face of female MMA, Gina Carano in the first round and Carano hasn't fought since 2009. Cyborg is also the current Invicta Feather weight champion, which is why the UFC bout will be at a 140 catch weight. While Santos is the 145 LBS Invicta champion, the delay of her arrival to the UFC was based on if she could make weight for the women's bantam weight division so the future for her seems uncertain at the moment, unless she alternates between defending her Invicta title and catch weight fights. It seems like the only way Cyborg would be on the UFC roster full time is if she decided to drop down to 135 to fight competitors such as Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, etc. Other than dropping down to bantam weight, it doesn't seem like there's many options for Santos in the UFC because how many of the established names are going to be willing to fight at a catch weight?
Her challenger, Leslie Smith is an extremely tough competitor, which she proved when her cauliflower ear burst during a fight with Jessica Eye at UFC 180. During the very graphic scene between rounds, Smith's ear was partially hanging from her head and she was protesting the doctor stoppage. That being said, Smith is a mid card type fighter and the stage is set for Santos to showcase her skills. It won't be an easy fight, but I have to pick Cyborg to win it.
Vitor Belfort is fighting the dangerous Ronaldo Souza and it could decide the direction of his career. Amid the TRT banned and testing positive for steroids previously in his career, Vitor has been the subject of much controversy during the past few years. He has kept his career going with various win streaks over the years, but was defeated when he fought top tier competition, including Jon Jones and Chris Weidman. With title aspirations not a realistic option, a loss at UFC 198 could be an exit from the sport for him.
Another Brazilian that could be nearing the conclusion of his career is Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, who will fight Corey Anderson. Shogun reached legendary status during his career, but a series of injuries derailed him at times. The past several years yielded mixed results for him, as there were some bouts where Shogun looked rejuvenated and other times, it seemed like the injuries had taken a toll. Another defeat might be a sign that he should retire, but Shogun has a legendary career.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
WWE releases
Last week, the WWE conducted their almost annual spring cleaning when they released several performers during the course of just a few hours. Some of the roster cuts were expected while others were surprising, and prompted some outrage on social media.
Wade Barrett, the original leader of the Nexus, was planning to leave the company when his contract expired in a few months, but was able to get an early release from his deal. As mentioned, Barrett wasn't planning to renew his deal, but this one is still puzzling, considering when he debuted on WWE TV in 2010, he was thought to have an extremely bright future. Originally signed to a developmental deal in 2007, he spent the past nine years there, six of those on the main roster, and had evolved himself to become a well rounded performer during his tenure. To say that the WWE missed the boat with Barrett would be an understatement and I wrote at the time that when he was initially booked in the WWE title picture during the Nexus angle, it would've been a wise move to give him a short title run because it would validate the push the stable received. Instead, the Nexus was essentially used to create opponents for John Cena and there was wasted potential for the angle. As time went on, Barrett suffered a few injuries that sidetracked his progress, but always returned in top form and specifically, his "Bad News" gimmick was over with the audience. He was solid in the ring and the brash British accent added to his heel persona on the mic. In my ways, it seems like the WWE never fully got behind a push for him and his career became stagnant at times. Most recently, the League Of Nations almost seemed like a stable booked together because the writing team didn't have any other plans for the four individuals and its relatively short run seems to prove it. It could be as simple as Wade Barrett taking time off to recharge his batteries and then eventually return with a fresh start, but considering he was floundering, you can't blame him for opting to leave, at least for the foreseeable future.
Another star that seemed like he would be a major star for the WWE was Damien Sandow, who had a minor run in a tag team on Smackdown several years ago before he was released, and this was the roster cut that garnered the most criticism on social media. After he was released in 2007, he worked in Puerto Rico and took his game to another level, earning him a second WWE contract in 2010. Damien Sandow debuted the intellectual character that received rave reviews and a major crowd reaction in 2012. As time went on, the polished performer continued his solid run and won the money in the bank in 2013, prompting many to speculate that he would be future champion. Sandow presented himself as a star and there's no doubt he could've been a main event level heel had the WWE ran with it when the chance was there. After losing his attempt at cashing in the MITB contract, Sandow's career just never recovered, despite continuing to entertain with anything he was booked to do. Sandow rarely made TV and was used as a jobber when he did. There was also the impersonation gimmick and Miz's stunt double, which proved that Sandow was a versatile performer. You have to wonder how he went from a potential main event talent to a comedy act, but the point being it's disappointing that he didn't get the run he deserved. At 33, Sandow was released twice and with the lack of any other major options, it will be interesting to see where he goes from here. It can't be said enough, Damien Sandow deserved a better opportunity in the WWE.
Zeb Colter, known for decades as Dutch Mantell, had another run as a radical type character and provided some of the best promos on WWE TV during the Real Americans team. Last year, Zeb resurfaced after legitimate surgery, although it wasn't reported exactly what the medical problem was at the time, but his character eventually faded from WWE programming. Dutch is one of the best minds and best talkers in the history of the business, and I find this release surprising because he could undoubtedly be used as an exceptional asset on the booking team or working with younger talent. Keep in mind, Dutch was the booker for WWC when Puerto Rico was drawing its biggest crowds and since he left the island over a decade ago, business still hasn't recovered. Also a major star in the Memphis territory in its heyday, Mantell has basically worked in every role possible in the industry, and with dozens of writers on the creative team, why isn't there a spot for Dutch? At nearly 67, maybe he didn't want a full-time gig as an agent or producer, but otherwise, the WWE missed the chance to use one of the brightest minds in the business. Since he worked different places during his time in the territories and then did his notable booking work in Puerto Rico, it seems as though most fans don't realized how accomplished Dutch Mantell was during his extensive career.
Hornswoggle, the little person that was waiting under the ring to attack Fit Finlay's opponents, wasn't used on TV much in recent years so there's no surprise for this one. However, you have to give Hornswoggle credit, he took a stereotypical gimmick that usually runs its course relatively quickly, and made decade run from it. He worked with whatever he was booked for and did it well. As mentioned, ten years under contract is something very few stars can put on their resume and he had a better run than most would've guessed when he debuted. El Torinto, another little person on the roster, was also released, but it was more of a matter of circumstances than anything. He was originally bought in as the sidekick for Los Matadores, which was a one dimensional gimmick with a limited time frame anyway, and with Epico and Primo being repackaged as a much more useful tag team, there wasn't necessarily a spot for El Torito on the roster. That being said, despite his smaller statue, he's a tremendous aerial competitor and hopefully, the WWE TV exposure can generate a major run for him in Mexico.
Santino Marella was officially released, but considering he was semi-retired already and works at his own Battle Arts training school in Canada, it was just a technicality. That said, Santino is an extremely entertaining performer and he will probably make a cameo appearance in the future. Cameron was another roster cut and despite her complaining about criticism online, she's replaceable on the roster. She was essentially the less talented member of the Funkadactyls and wasn't as capable in the ring as Naomi. The dancing gimmick was only going to go so far, proof being that Brodus was released a few years ago, and Cameron didn't bring anything to the table that others on the roster couldn't do better.
Alex Riley made his TV debut six years ago and was thought to have a very bright future, as he had all the tools needed to be a credible star. He could present himself as an arrogant heel or a fiery baby face so he was certainly a versatile performer. After a year or so as The Miz's sidekick, Riley turned baby face and his attack on Miz in one of the more memorable moments on WWE TV in the past five years. Riley was over as a baby face and it looked as though he could reach his potential as a star. Depending on what you read, there were rumors that Riley had some type of dispute with John Cena and subsequently, his push was halted. While it's odd that the WWE put the brakes on Riley's push, it's tough to believe that Cena would actually sabotage his career because there's nothing to gain for Cena. Either way, Alex Riley was booked as a jobber and then eventually made a transition to a color commentator, a role he did well. In 2015, Riley began wrestling again in NXT, which could've provided a clean slate for him, but an injury sidelined him and occasional bizarre rants on Twitter probably didn't help either. When he began wrestling again earlier this year, he wasn't used for anything major and his release isn't too surprising, but you still have to wonder, what exactly derailed his career a few years ago? Who knows what Alex Riley will do next, but with the lack of options in the United States, he might decide to retire from the business.
Wade Barrett, the original leader of the Nexus, was planning to leave the company when his contract expired in a few months, but was able to get an early release from his deal. As mentioned, Barrett wasn't planning to renew his deal, but this one is still puzzling, considering when he debuted on WWE TV in 2010, he was thought to have an extremely bright future. Originally signed to a developmental deal in 2007, he spent the past nine years there, six of those on the main roster, and had evolved himself to become a well rounded performer during his tenure. To say that the WWE missed the boat with Barrett would be an understatement and I wrote at the time that when he was initially booked in the WWE title picture during the Nexus angle, it would've been a wise move to give him a short title run because it would validate the push the stable received. Instead, the Nexus was essentially used to create opponents for John Cena and there was wasted potential for the angle. As time went on, Barrett suffered a few injuries that sidetracked his progress, but always returned in top form and specifically, his "Bad News" gimmick was over with the audience. He was solid in the ring and the brash British accent added to his heel persona on the mic. In my ways, it seems like the WWE never fully got behind a push for him and his career became stagnant at times. Most recently, the League Of Nations almost seemed like a stable booked together because the writing team didn't have any other plans for the four individuals and its relatively short run seems to prove it. It could be as simple as Wade Barrett taking time off to recharge his batteries and then eventually return with a fresh start, but considering he was floundering, you can't blame him for opting to leave, at least for the foreseeable future.
Another star that seemed like he would be a major star for the WWE was Damien Sandow, who had a minor run in a tag team on Smackdown several years ago before he was released, and this was the roster cut that garnered the most criticism on social media. After he was released in 2007, he worked in Puerto Rico and took his game to another level, earning him a second WWE contract in 2010. Damien Sandow debuted the intellectual character that received rave reviews and a major crowd reaction in 2012. As time went on, the polished performer continued his solid run and won the money in the bank in 2013, prompting many to speculate that he would be future champion. Sandow presented himself as a star and there's no doubt he could've been a main event level heel had the WWE ran with it when the chance was there. After losing his attempt at cashing in the MITB contract, Sandow's career just never recovered, despite continuing to entertain with anything he was booked to do. Sandow rarely made TV and was used as a jobber when he did. There was also the impersonation gimmick and Miz's stunt double, which proved that Sandow was a versatile performer. You have to wonder how he went from a potential main event talent to a comedy act, but the point being it's disappointing that he didn't get the run he deserved. At 33, Sandow was released twice and with the lack of any other major options, it will be interesting to see where he goes from here. It can't be said enough, Damien Sandow deserved a better opportunity in the WWE.
Zeb Colter, known for decades as Dutch Mantell, had another run as a radical type character and provided some of the best promos on WWE TV during the Real Americans team. Last year, Zeb resurfaced after legitimate surgery, although it wasn't reported exactly what the medical problem was at the time, but his character eventually faded from WWE programming. Dutch is one of the best minds and best talkers in the history of the business, and I find this release surprising because he could undoubtedly be used as an exceptional asset on the booking team or working with younger talent. Keep in mind, Dutch was the booker for WWC when Puerto Rico was drawing its biggest crowds and since he left the island over a decade ago, business still hasn't recovered. Also a major star in the Memphis territory in its heyday, Mantell has basically worked in every role possible in the industry, and with dozens of writers on the creative team, why isn't there a spot for Dutch? At nearly 67, maybe he didn't want a full-time gig as an agent or producer, but otherwise, the WWE missed the chance to use one of the brightest minds in the business. Since he worked different places during his time in the territories and then did his notable booking work in Puerto Rico, it seems as though most fans don't realized how accomplished Dutch Mantell was during his extensive career.
Hornswoggle, the little person that was waiting under the ring to attack Fit Finlay's opponents, wasn't used on TV much in recent years so there's no surprise for this one. However, you have to give Hornswoggle credit, he took a stereotypical gimmick that usually runs its course relatively quickly, and made decade run from it. He worked with whatever he was booked for and did it well. As mentioned, ten years under contract is something very few stars can put on their resume and he had a better run than most would've guessed when he debuted. El Torinto, another little person on the roster, was also released, but it was more of a matter of circumstances than anything. He was originally bought in as the sidekick for Los Matadores, which was a one dimensional gimmick with a limited time frame anyway, and with Epico and Primo being repackaged as a much more useful tag team, there wasn't necessarily a spot for El Torito on the roster. That being said, despite his smaller statue, he's a tremendous aerial competitor and hopefully, the WWE TV exposure can generate a major run for him in Mexico.
Santino Marella was officially released, but considering he was semi-retired already and works at his own Battle Arts training school in Canada, it was just a technicality. That said, Santino is an extremely entertaining performer and he will probably make a cameo appearance in the future. Cameron was another roster cut and despite her complaining about criticism online, she's replaceable on the roster. She was essentially the less talented member of the Funkadactyls and wasn't as capable in the ring as Naomi. The dancing gimmick was only going to go so far, proof being that Brodus was released a few years ago, and Cameron didn't bring anything to the table that others on the roster couldn't do better.
Alex Riley made his TV debut six years ago and was thought to have a very bright future, as he had all the tools needed to be a credible star. He could present himself as an arrogant heel or a fiery baby face so he was certainly a versatile performer. After a year or so as The Miz's sidekick, Riley turned baby face and his attack on Miz in one of the more memorable moments on WWE TV in the past five years. Riley was over as a baby face and it looked as though he could reach his potential as a star. Depending on what you read, there were rumors that Riley had some type of dispute with John Cena and subsequently, his push was halted. While it's odd that the WWE put the brakes on Riley's push, it's tough to believe that Cena would actually sabotage his career because there's nothing to gain for Cena. Either way, Alex Riley was booked as a jobber and then eventually made a transition to a color commentator, a role he did well. In 2015, Riley began wrestling again in NXT, which could've provided a clean slate for him, but an injury sidelined him and occasional bizarre rants on Twitter probably didn't help either. When he began wrestling again earlier this year, he wasn't used for anything major and his release isn't too surprising, but you still have to wonder, what exactly derailed his career a few years ago? Who knows what Alex Riley will do next, but with the lack of options in the United States, he might decide to retire from the business.
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Amir Khan vs. Canelo Alvarez
Great boxing is out there, you just have to find it.
That statement is true, but you shouldn't have to find it, it should be presented to the public. As was the case for many years prior to the mixed martial arts boom, boxing was often road blocked by political jousting and was rightfully deemed a stagnant sport. After Zuffa turned up the heat and essentially began getting a noticeable piece of the pay-per-view pie, suddenly notable boxers actually signed on to fight each other. If a consumer was given the choice of the glorified exhibitions of the boxing world or the thriving MMA genre, their PPV orders were going to the UFC. Almost on cue, as MMA starts to cool off from the natural occurrences of any sport, (injuries, retirement etc,) the excuses to prevent boxing's top stars from stepping into the ring with each other have begun to resurface.
Just a few weeks ago, Gennady Golovkin, a dangerous knockout artist and perhaps the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport, KO'ed Dominic Wade within two rounds. This added yet another impressive performance to his undefeated record of 35-0 with 32 KOs. When Floyd Mayweather was selecting an opponent for his supposed retirement bout, he chose the relatively easy task of Andre Berto and won a lackluster decision. Even Manny Pacquiao, who took tougher fights at various points in his career, signed on for the unnecessary trilogy with Timothy Bradley rather than fight Triple G. Simply put, the top names in the sport wanted no part of the power or the chin that Golovkin brings to the table. The argument could be made that Manny and Floyd already have a record payday from their disappointing "super fight" so neither would risk their potential exit from the game with a devastating loss. Triple G will take 2-3 punches to be able to land one of his own and the punch he lands can change the direction of a contest. Neither Manny or Mayweather have the power to hurt Golovkin and they didn't seem too eager to find out if they could withstand his punches. But, as mentioned, they are basically at the end of their career so nobody, especially anyone that follows boxing, expected them to sign a contract to fight such a dangerous boxer in his prime.
However, there is another boxing star who is in his prime and could make a very bold statement depending on if he's victorious in a pay-per-view offering this weekend. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, who became one of boxing's most popular stars within just a few years of his American cable debut, is set to square off with Amir Khan. The 25-year-old Mexican superstar used tremendous skill to defeat tough opponents, such as Austin Trout, Miguel Cotto, and Erislandy Laura. The only blemish on his record is a contest with Mayweather over two years ago and the argument could be made that Canelo wasn't ready for that type of competition at that point. Since that time, Alvarez sharpened his game and has four consecutive wins, most recently a unanimous decision with the previously mentioned Cotto in November of last year. At 46-1-1, Alvarez has learned from and adapted to the step up in competition over the past few years, and theoretically, has entered the prime of his career. Earning the name "Canelo" from the color of his hair, Saul Alvarez has the ability to claim the spot as boxing's top draw, which was vacated after Floyd's retirement, and Manny's impending exit.
His opponent, Amir Khan was one of Britain's brightest prospects and racked up wins against decent competition until his rise up the ranks was abruptly halted when he was knocked out by Danny Garcia in the fourth round of their bout in 2012. Garcia, an entertaining and aggressive fighter, was thought to have a style that Khan could exploit using technical skill, but the KO left many wondering if Khan had plateaued in his career. Despite rebounding with five wins in a row, Khan has competed sporadically in the past four years, fighting only once last year and scheduled for just the Canelo bout this year. Quite frankly, if Amir Khan wants to prove that he can still be a top level prize fighter, he has to defeat a top level opponent, and he has the chance when he steps into the ring with Alvarez.
Canelo is considered the favorite ahead of this Saturday's bout and it makes sense since he's bigger, has more punching power, and has experience against better opponents. It won't be any easy fight by any means, but it wouldn't be too surprising if Alvarez defeats Khan.
But, questions remain about what Alvarez will do if he can win against Khan to retain his title.
Usually, the alphabet soup collection of title belts just devalue the championships, considering that if a fighter has lunch, all the sudden they qualify for another weight division and the countless random belts in the division. However, in this case, Alvarez's WBC championship puts Triple G in line as the mandatory challenger should he defeat Khan, a plan that was approved by the World Boxing Council late last year. Obviously, Canelo has the option to vacate the belt and prove he is unquestionably ducking Golovkin. Just because Alvarez might not take the fight in 2016 doesn't mean that it won't happen. Alvarez could simply wait a few years until Triple G is a little older and take the fight when he perhaps isn't as dangerous. That itself is another problem in boxing because it makes the most sense to sign the fight when it's an anticipated bout, not when it's thought to be a less risky contest. Too often in boxing, stars take easier fights for easier money than the best competition that would ultimately draw bigger money more often.
How many great boxing series have produced legendary results over the years? Barrera-Morales, Ward-Gatti, Ali-Frazier, Ali-Norton, Pacquiao-Marquez, etc. These type of classic battles are what helped build the sport and in most cases, political hurdles prevent some of the current major bouts from being signed. It's ironic that some stars avoid certain marquee match ups with the assumption that a loss would damage their name value, but in retrospective, the classic series that were previously mentioned, it's the quality of the bouts that are talked about more often than just the winners. The bottom line is, the public will pay for quality fights and avoiding those contests are what actually leaves money on the table in most situations.
As said earlier, great boxing is regularly broadcast, but most of the shows are on premium cable channels that some of the general public doesn't have access to and not much is being done outside of the rather lackluster Premier Boxing Championship franchise to promote any of those premium shows on main stream networks. If you don't already know where to find these cards, there's no real advertisement to tell fans about some of the action packed fights on premium cable, which has been a fundamental problem for the sport for over a decade. Names like Ruslan Provodnikov, Sergey Kovalev, Gennady Golovkin, Brandon Rios, and others have provided thrilling action. When Bernard Hopkins unified the light heavyweight titles at few years ago at the age of 50, how many advertisements aired on network TV to promote his title defenses? Deontay Wilder, an undefeated heavyweight (36-0 with 35 KOs) is scheduled to fight Alexander Povetkin later this month in Moscow, Russia. Why haven't Wladimir Klitschko or Tyson Fury signed to fight Wilder? The eccentric Fury claimed that he wanted to fight Wilder, but has subsequently suggested he will retire after a rematch with Klitschko in July.
Obviously, there's a pattern here.
As for Canelo Alvarez, if he defeats Amir Khan, he can either ink a deal to fight Gennady Golovkin and make progress toward etching his name into boxing history or he could duck Triple G, and further prove why boxing will probably remain a stagnant sport.
That statement is true, but you shouldn't have to find it, it should be presented to the public. As was the case for many years prior to the mixed martial arts boom, boxing was often road blocked by political jousting and was rightfully deemed a stagnant sport. After Zuffa turned up the heat and essentially began getting a noticeable piece of the pay-per-view pie, suddenly notable boxers actually signed on to fight each other. If a consumer was given the choice of the glorified exhibitions of the boxing world or the thriving MMA genre, their PPV orders were going to the UFC. Almost on cue, as MMA starts to cool off from the natural occurrences of any sport, (injuries, retirement etc,) the excuses to prevent boxing's top stars from stepping into the ring with each other have begun to resurface.
Just a few weeks ago, Gennady Golovkin, a dangerous knockout artist and perhaps the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport, KO'ed Dominic Wade within two rounds. This added yet another impressive performance to his undefeated record of 35-0 with 32 KOs. When Floyd Mayweather was selecting an opponent for his supposed retirement bout, he chose the relatively easy task of Andre Berto and won a lackluster decision. Even Manny Pacquiao, who took tougher fights at various points in his career, signed on for the unnecessary trilogy with Timothy Bradley rather than fight Triple G. Simply put, the top names in the sport wanted no part of the power or the chin that Golovkin brings to the table. The argument could be made that Manny and Floyd already have a record payday from their disappointing "super fight" so neither would risk their potential exit from the game with a devastating loss. Triple G will take 2-3 punches to be able to land one of his own and the punch he lands can change the direction of a contest. Neither Manny or Mayweather have the power to hurt Golovkin and they didn't seem too eager to find out if they could withstand his punches. But, as mentioned, they are basically at the end of their career so nobody, especially anyone that follows boxing, expected them to sign a contract to fight such a dangerous boxer in his prime.
However, there is another boxing star who is in his prime and could make a very bold statement depending on if he's victorious in a pay-per-view offering this weekend. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, who became one of boxing's most popular stars within just a few years of his American cable debut, is set to square off with Amir Khan. The 25-year-old Mexican superstar used tremendous skill to defeat tough opponents, such as Austin Trout, Miguel Cotto, and Erislandy Laura. The only blemish on his record is a contest with Mayweather over two years ago and the argument could be made that Canelo wasn't ready for that type of competition at that point. Since that time, Alvarez sharpened his game and has four consecutive wins, most recently a unanimous decision with the previously mentioned Cotto in November of last year. At 46-1-1, Alvarez has learned from and adapted to the step up in competition over the past few years, and theoretically, has entered the prime of his career. Earning the name "Canelo" from the color of his hair, Saul Alvarez has the ability to claim the spot as boxing's top draw, which was vacated after Floyd's retirement, and Manny's impending exit.
His opponent, Amir Khan was one of Britain's brightest prospects and racked up wins against decent competition until his rise up the ranks was abruptly halted when he was knocked out by Danny Garcia in the fourth round of their bout in 2012. Garcia, an entertaining and aggressive fighter, was thought to have a style that Khan could exploit using technical skill, but the KO left many wondering if Khan had plateaued in his career. Despite rebounding with five wins in a row, Khan has competed sporadically in the past four years, fighting only once last year and scheduled for just the Canelo bout this year. Quite frankly, if Amir Khan wants to prove that he can still be a top level prize fighter, he has to defeat a top level opponent, and he has the chance when he steps into the ring with Alvarez.
Canelo is considered the favorite ahead of this Saturday's bout and it makes sense since he's bigger, has more punching power, and has experience against better opponents. It won't be any easy fight by any means, but it wouldn't be too surprising if Alvarez defeats Khan.
But, questions remain about what Alvarez will do if he can win against Khan to retain his title.
Usually, the alphabet soup collection of title belts just devalue the championships, considering that if a fighter has lunch, all the sudden they qualify for another weight division and the countless random belts in the division. However, in this case, Alvarez's WBC championship puts Triple G in line as the mandatory challenger should he defeat Khan, a plan that was approved by the World Boxing Council late last year. Obviously, Canelo has the option to vacate the belt and prove he is unquestionably ducking Golovkin. Just because Alvarez might not take the fight in 2016 doesn't mean that it won't happen. Alvarez could simply wait a few years until Triple G is a little older and take the fight when he perhaps isn't as dangerous. That itself is another problem in boxing because it makes the most sense to sign the fight when it's an anticipated bout, not when it's thought to be a less risky contest. Too often in boxing, stars take easier fights for easier money than the best competition that would ultimately draw bigger money more often.
How many great boxing series have produced legendary results over the years? Barrera-Morales, Ward-Gatti, Ali-Frazier, Ali-Norton, Pacquiao-Marquez, etc. These type of classic battles are what helped build the sport and in most cases, political hurdles prevent some of the current major bouts from being signed. It's ironic that some stars avoid certain marquee match ups with the assumption that a loss would damage their name value, but in retrospective, the classic series that were previously mentioned, it's the quality of the bouts that are talked about more often than just the winners. The bottom line is, the public will pay for quality fights and avoiding those contests are what actually leaves money on the table in most situations.
As said earlier, great boxing is regularly broadcast, but most of the shows are on premium cable channels that some of the general public doesn't have access to and not much is being done outside of the rather lackluster Premier Boxing Championship franchise to promote any of those premium shows on main stream networks. If you don't already know where to find these cards, there's no real advertisement to tell fans about some of the action packed fights on premium cable, which has been a fundamental problem for the sport for over a decade. Names like Ruslan Provodnikov, Sergey Kovalev, Gennady Golovkin, Brandon Rios, and others have provided thrilling action. When Bernard Hopkins unified the light heavyweight titles at few years ago at the age of 50, how many advertisements aired on network TV to promote his title defenses? Deontay Wilder, an undefeated heavyweight (36-0 with 35 KOs) is scheduled to fight Alexander Povetkin later this month in Moscow, Russia. Why haven't Wladimir Klitschko or Tyson Fury signed to fight Wilder? The eccentric Fury claimed that he wanted to fight Wilder, but has subsequently suggested he will retire after a rematch with Klitschko in July.
Obviously, there's a pattern here.
As for Canelo Alvarez, if he defeats Amir Khan, he can either ink a deal to fight Gennady Golovkin and make progress toward etching his name into boxing history or he could duck Triple G, and further prove why boxing will probably remain a stagnant sport.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Where's Ryback?
Following the Payback pay-per-view, Ryback, who lost for the second consecutive month on the kickoff show of an event to Kalisto, is reportedly off WWE programming due to a contract dispute. According to a message he posted on Tumblr, there's money and booking differences, which might lead to him deciding not to renew his deal when his contract expires in a few months. It's not exactly surprising, considering that during the overseas tour after Wrestlemania, Ryback commented in an interview that he was frustrated with his spot on the card at the biggest event of the year.
Not many might realize this, but Ryback has been a part of the company for 12 years, originally known as Ryan Reeves during the tough enough competition in 2004. On the surface, the powerful grappler looks like the prototypical WWE recruit, which is probably why he remained under contract in some form or fashion for several years. After being eliminated from Tough Enough, Reeves was signed to a deal and over the next six years, he bounced around every developmental territory in existence at the time. He spent time training in Deep South, Ohio Valley Wrestling, and Florida Championship Wrestling. At one point in FCW, he was known as Skip Sheffield and had a cowboy gimmick before he eventually made his television debut in 2010.
Early that year, still under the Sheffield name, Reeves appeared as one of the rookies on the initial season of NXT, which replaced the ECW time slot on Sci-Fi after the project flopped. As history showed, the NXT invasion angle that started off with a major buzz when they stormed the ring just created opponents to feed to John Cena and it fizzled out by Summer Slam. Shortly after that, Reeves suffered an ankle injury and spent an extended amount of time on the sidelines.
In mid-2012, Ryback debuted with a new look and intense persona, and it seemed as though the WWE finally found a successful formula for him to become a star on WWE TV. Ryback smashed through jobbers with brutal and often dangerous offense. Sure, it borrowed some of the elements that made Goldberg work, but at the time, it was different enough for Reeves to make it his own. The booking was simple, the matches were kept relatively short, and camouflaged his weaknesses while the "feed me more" catch phrase allowed the crowd to rally behind him. After about six months on the roster, Ryback was one of the most over stars on WWE TV and was booked in a title match against CM Punk. Despite Punk being in the mist of a record setting reign, if the WWE was going to give Ryback a title run, that would've been the time to do it. He was over and he wasn't going to get over any further so that appeared to be the peak of his WWE run. Reeves deserves credit for portraying the character in a way that connected with the crowd and doing extremely well with the role.
After his brief main event spot, things were up and down for Ryback, as the WWE seemed to alternate between deciding to push him or use him to try to get others over. He had a short run alongside Paul Heyman, but in many ways, that was only an attempt to further the CM Punk/Heyman feud. There was also the Ryback and Curtis Axel duo that was a textbook example of the booking team making a pair of two random competitors that they didn't have any angles for on the show. Ironically, during the time that Ryback started a bully character, he did well with it and could've been used as a more effective heel. Granted, he still had limitations in some of his ring work, but the persona had the potential to be used to give him a fresh run after his initial push fizzled out. After another injury, the Ryback/Axel team disbanded late in 2014.
Last year yielded mixed results for Ryback again when he was booked with his original baby face character and won the IC title, but had a staph infection that interrupted his run while he received medical treatment. After a few months as IC champion, he dropped the belt and hasn't done much other than working the mid card. In 2016, the flip-flop booking of Ryback continued as he turned heel again, but has really only been used to help get Kalisto over as a credible US champion. That being said, it makes sense to try to establish Kalisto since he has the skills to take the role of the "Mysterio spot" in the WWE. Granted, there's only one Rey, but the point being, there are similarities and the company is always looking for the next major Latino star to target the Hispanic audience. While someone the statue of Ryback doing the job to a cruiser weight doesn't exactly add credibility to his "Big Guy" persona, it's more of a matter of potential in the future than anything. Basically, there's more of an upside to establishing Kalisto as a possible main star in the future than trying to reset Ryback after his relatively short time frame of success. As mentioned, Ryback peaked in terms of being over with the audience in 2012 and considering his limited style, is the investment of more TV time going to draw more money?
Speaking of Reeves' limited style, he was the subject of much controversy during the past few years with some calming that he was dangerous in the ring. PWinsider reported that he was responsible for one of Dolph Ziggler's concussions a few years ago. There was also the infamous CM Punk interview on the Art of Wrestling podcast where he claimed that Ryback injured him several times during their series of matches. However, there are others, including Chris Jericho, that have defended Ryback and said working with him was fine. Obviously, pro wrestling is a risky genre and if Ryback is actually dangerous or not is probably just a matter of perspective, but it's doubtful any incidents were intentional neglect.
The resolution to the Ryback-WWE rift remains to be seen, but both sides of the argument appear to have validity. For Reeves, he's done more with his character and career than most thought possible. The grueling WWE schedule can be tough with the extensive traveling, which could be one of the reasons that he's attempting to get more money on his next contract. At the same time, Reeves has been in the WWE system for 12 years and with his style, how much further is he really going to progress as a performer? Again, would investing more TV time be worth it? Keep in mind, Ryback was over with the audience when his push was a priority and he was booked very carefully to hide some of his weaknesses. Depending on how he's booked, Ryback can get a crowd reaction, but the argument could be made that he was successful because the WWE protected how he was presented. As said previously, Ryback is the prototypical WWE draft pick, and there's an entire performance center with younger stars of similar statue so it would be relatively easy to book a replacement. Don't get me wrong, Reeves deserves a lot of credit for the progress he made, especially considering there's a laundry list of wrestlers that got his type of push and flopped, but what options are there? If he wants more money, he's not going to sign a TNA deal and he doesn't seem technical enough to work full time in Japan. A departure from the WWE could be an exit from the wrestling business for Reeves. All that being said, Ryback has probably progressed as far as he's going to go and seems to have plateaued in his career so even if it leads to an exit, the WWE made the right decision to establish other stars.
Not many might realize this, but Ryback has been a part of the company for 12 years, originally known as Ryan Reeves during the tough enough competition in 2004. On the surface, the powerful grappler looks like the prototypical WWE recruit, which is probably why he remained under contract in some form or fashion for several years. After being eliminated from Tough Enough, Reeves was signed to a deal and over the next six years, he bounced around every developmental territory in existence at the time. He spent time training in Deep South, Ohio Valley Wrestling, and Florida Championship Wrestling. At one point in FCW, he was known as Skip Sheffield and had a cowboy gimmick before he eventually made his television debut in 2010.
Early that year, still under the Sheffield name, Reeves appeared as one of the rookies on the initial season of NXT, which replaced the ECW time slot on Sci-Fi after the project flopped. As history showed, the NXT invasion angle that started off with a major buzz when they stormed the ring just created opponents to feed to John Cena and it fizzled out by Summer Slam. Shortly after that, Reeves suffered an ankle injury and spent an extended amount of time on the sidelines.
In mid-2012, Ryback debuted with a new look and intense persona, and it seemed as though the WWE finally found a successful formula for him to become a star on WWE TV. Ryback smashed through jobbers with brutal and often dangerous offense. Sure, it borrowed some of the elements that made Goldberg work, but at the time, it was different enough for Reeves to make it his own. The booking was simple, the matches were kept relatively short, and camouflaged his weaknesses while the "feed me more" catch phrase allowed the crowd to rally behind him. After about six months on the roster, Ryback was one of the most over stars on WWE TV and was booked in a title match against CM Punk. Despite Punk being in the mist of a record setting reign, if the WWE was going to give Ryback a title run, that would've been the time to do it. He was over and he wasn't going to get over any further so that appeared to be the peak of his WWE run. Reeves deserves credit for portraying the character in a way that connected with the crowd and doing extremely well with the role.
After his brief main event spot, things were up and down for Ryback, as the WWE seemed to alternate between deciding to push him or use him to try to get others over. He had a short run alongside Paul Heyman, but in many ways, that was only an attempt to further the CM Punk/Heyman feud. There was also the Ryback and Curtis Axel duo that was a textbook example of the booking team making a pair of two random competitors that they didn't have any angles for on the show. Ironically, during the time that Ryback started a bully character, he did well with it and could've been used as a more effective heel. Granted, he still had limitations in some of his ring work, but the persona had the potential to be used to give him a fresh run after his initial push fizzled out. After another injury, the Ryback/Axel team disbanded late in 2014.
Last year yielded mixed results for Ryback again when he was booked with his original baby face character and won the IC title, but had a staph infection that interrupted his run while he received medical treatment. After a few months as IC champion, he dropped the belt and hasn't done much other than working the mid card. In 2016, the flip-flop booking of Ryback continued as he turned heel again, but has really only been used to help get Kalisto over as a credible US champion. That being said, it makes sense to try to establish Kalisto since he has the skills to take the role of the "Mysterio spot" in the WWE. Granted, there's only one Rey, but the point being, there are similarities and the company is always looking for the next major Latino star to target the Hispanic audience. While someone the statue of Ryback doing the job to a cruiser weight doesn't exactly add credibility to his "Big Guy" persona, it's more of a matter of potential in the future than anything. Basically, there's more of an upside to establishing Kalisto as a possible main star in the future than trying to reset Ryback after his relatively short time frame of success. As mentioned, Ryback peaked in terms of being over with the audience in 2012 and considering his limited style, is the investment of more TV time going to draw more money?
Speaking of Reeves' limited style, he was the subject of much controversy during the past few years with some calming that he was dangerous in the ring. PWinsider reported that he was responsible for one of Dolph Ziggler's concussions a few years ago. There was also the infamous CM Punk interview on the Art of Wrestling podcast where he claimed that Ryback injured him several times during their series of matches. However, there are others, including Chris Jericho, that have defended Ryback and said working with him was fine. Obviously, pro wrestling is a risky genre and if Ryback is actually dangerous or not is probably just a matter of perspective, but it's doubtful any incidents were intentional neglect.
The resolution to the Ryback-WWE rift remains to be seen, but both sides of the argument appear to have validity. For Reeves, he's done more with his character and career than most thought possible. The grueling WWE schedule can be tough with the extensive traveling, which could be one of the reasons that he's attempting to get more money on his next contract. At the same time, Reeves has been in the WWE system for 12 years and with his style, how much further is he really going to progress as a performer? Again, would investing more TV time be worth it? Keep in mind, Ryback was over with the audience when his push was a priority and he was booked very carefully to hide some of his weaknesses. Depending on how he's booked, Ryback can get a crowd reaction, but the argument could be made that he was successful because the WWE protected how he was presented. As said previously, Ryback is the prototypical WWE draft pick, and there's an entire performance center with younger stars of similar statue so it would be relatively easy to book a replacement. Don't get me wrong, Reeves deserves a lot of credit for the progress he made, especially considering there's a laundry list of wrestlers that got his type of push and flopped, but what options are there? If he wants more money, he's not going to sign a TNA deal and he doesn't seem technical enough to work full time in Japan. A departure from the WWE could be an exit from the wrestling business for Reeves. All that being said, Ryback has probably progressed as far as he's going to go and seems to have plateaued in his career so even if it leads to an exit, the WWE made the right decision to establish other stars.
Monday, May 2, 2016
TNA stars signed for NXT?
The list of performers that many fans praise as those that didn't get a
chance to showcase their skills elsewhere continue to show up in NXT,
the brand that seems to keep people talking in some form or fashion
almost continuously. Eric Young, who spent 12 years of his nearly two
decade career on the TNA roster, was the latest former Impact star to
make his way to the WWE Network when he made a surprise debut during
last Thursday's tapings.
I've said it before and I will say it again, Eric Young is without a doubt one of the most versatile workers in the business. He took whatever he was given in TNA, no matter how ridiculous, and made the best of it. Regardless of if he was booked as the paranoid "Don't Fire Eric" character or the "Super Eric" persona, he still managed to make the gimmicks watchable and in many ways, kept his career moving forward. One of the original members of Team Canada, he flourished even after the stable dissolved, and it can't be understated how well he adapted to the flip-flopping TNA booking style. He rotated between a comedy gimmick and a serious heel through different phrases of his career, and somehow managed to stay over with the audience.
He also deserves credit for getting in great shape in recent years and was smart enough to evolve himself to avoid becoming stale after over a decade of TV exposure. In 2014, Eric Young won the TNA Heavyweight title and it was nice to see him finally get rewarded for his hard work at the promotion. Plus, he was one of the few workers that could help establish TNA as something more than just "WWE lite" so to speak, but he dropped the belt to former WWE star, Bobby Lashley just two months later. It goes without saying, TNA missed the boat with Eric Young and he was one of the most dependable performers they had on the roster. The same could be said for several other competitors that worked for the company, including James Storm, Bobby Roode, Austin Aries etc.
During the tapings, Young cut a promo and had a match against NXT champion, Samoa Joe. Three weeks of TV were filmed and Young didn't have a follow up appearance, but that isn't necessarily an indication that he won't compete there again. However, until something is directly reported, there's some mystery to his NXT status, considering that James Storm made a brief stop there before returning to TNA. A side note about Storm, unless he wasn't offered a contract, it's a little puzzling why he chose to go back to Impact since it seemed like he could do well in the WWE. As for Eric Young, he has all the skills to have an extended run there. He's solid in the ring and on the mic. Plus, he knows how to effectively work a comedy gimmick, which in itself could keep him employed for years, similar to Santino Marella. That's not a jab either, the point being Eric Young would seem to be able to excel at some role within the WWE and will do it well. That being said, he's capable in the ring and definitely provides some depth to the NXT roster as some of their main stars transition to Raw. It's great to see Eric Young finally get the chance to showcase his skills on the main stage, especially since he was completely underutilized in TNA.
Along with Eric Young, his former Team Canada partner, Bobby Roode, who was shown in the crowd at the Dallas event, is expected to start in NXT soon. Many people have praised Roode as a main event level talent, but as of now, I don't think so. Granted, he's a solid pro, but I just haven't seen anything that says top level star. I could be wrong and the TNA environment could've prevented him from being showcased to his full potential, which is why it will be interesting to see how he progresses in the WWE setting. Where Roode is booked remains to be seen, but similar to Young, he would add depth to the shows.
Austin Aries began wrestling in NXT a few months ago and has done reasonable well so far. The former ROH and TNA champion was considered by many to be one of the best workers in the United States prior to his debut, and with Joe as champion, is it possible that a Joe/Aries feud is booked to relive their ROH history? With Finn Balor's impending departure to join Raw, NXT will have to promote another marquee title series in the future, and Joe/Aries could work extremely well. Speaking of Balor, many fans are clamoring for his move to the main roster, but a rematch with Joe was booked for the next Takeover special so it appears that he won't make the jump for at least a few months. Despite the anticipation for him to show up on Raw, in my opinion it would be a wise decision to keep him on NXT at the moment. The main roster of the WWE just added several new talents and for Balor to be featured to his full potential, it makes sense to wait until there's a meaningful angle that would logistically bring him to Raw. Some have suggested the Bullet Club, but how exactly is that going to be booked? Despite being booed out of the building almost weekly, Roman Reigns probably isn't going to turn heel and until he gets some type of stable around him, how is Reigns vs. the Bullet Club going to be booked? Either a few guys attack Reigns, which in theory would make them heel, but they would get cheered or Reigns clears the ring of everyone and gets more heat for being booked like super man every week. It seems as though too many fans don't see the big picture when it comes to the direction of certain angles or the restrictions of WWE booking. Would it be awesome to see Finn Balor storm the ring and the Bullet Club pose as Raw goes off the air? Sure, but what happens the next week? If anything, bringing Balor to the main roster right now would risk him getting lost in the shuffle and it would be counter productive if he was in the background during the AJ/Reigns feud. Don't get me wrong, Finn Balor is extremely talented and is a Wrestlemania main event level performer, but with all the new talent on Raw, there's no reason to rush him to the main roster.
The point being, these signings of former TNA talent are very beneficial to the NXT brand because it brings polished talent to the show that add depth when the previously mentioned wrestlers debut on the main roster. As I've said previously, some of the talent that inked a deal for NXT were probably signed specifically to keep the brand strong on a consistent basis, such as Samoa Joe and Asuka, and there's nothing wrong with that either. If a particular competitor brings a style that is suited for NXT and they are making good money, it makes sense for them to work their WWE career there. It remains to be seen if Eric Young and Bobby Roode were signed specifically for NXT or if Raw would be in the plans, but it certainly adds to the brand.
I've said it before and I will say it again, Eric Young is without a doubt one of the most versatile workers in the business. He took whatever he was given in TNA, no matter how ridiculous, and made the best of it. Regardless of if he was booked as the paranoid "Don't Fire Eric" character or the "Super Eric" persona, he still managed to make the gimmicks watchable and in many ways, kept his career moving forward. One of the original members of Team Canada, he flourished even after the stable dissolved, and it can't be understated how well he adapted to the flip-flopping TNA booking style. He rotated between a comedy gimmick and a serious heel through different phrases of his career, and somehow managed to stay over with the audience.
He also deserves credit for getting in great shape in recent years and was smart enough to evolve himself to avoid becoming stale after over a decade of TV exposure. In 2014, Eric Young won the TNA Heavyweight title and it was nice to see him finally get rewarded for his hard work at the promotion. Plus, he was one of the few workers that could help establish TNA as something more than just "WWE lite" so to speak, but he dropped the belt to former WWE star, Bobby Lashley just two months later. It goes without saying, TNA missed the boat with Eric Young and he was one of the most dependable performers they had on the roster. The same could be said for several other competitors that worked for the company, including James Storm, Bobby Roode, Austin Aries etc.
During the tapings, Young cut a promo and had a match against NXT champion, Samoa Joe. Three weeks of TV were filmed and Young didn't have a follow up appearance, but that isn't necessarily an indication that he won't compete there again. However, until something is directly reported, there's some mystery to his NXT status, considering that James Storm made a brief stop there before returning to TNA. A side note about Storm, unless he wasn't offered a contract, it's a little puzzling why he chose to go back to Impact since it seemed like he could do well in the WWE. As for Eric Young, he has all the skills to have an extended run there. He's solid in the ring and on the mic. Plus, he knows how to effectively work a comedy gimmick, which in itself could keep him employed for years, similar to Santino Marella. That's not a jab either, the point being Eric Young would seem to be able to excel at some role within the WWE and will do it well. That being said, he's capable in the ring and definitely provides some depth to the NXT roster as some of their main stars transition to Raw. It's great to see Eric Young finally get the chance to showcase his skills on the main stage, especially since he was completely underutilized in TNA.
Along with Eric Young, his former Team Canada partner, Bobby Roode, who was shown in the crowd at the Dallas event, is expected to start in NXT soon. Many people have praised Roode as a main event level talent, but as of now, I don't think so. Granted, he's a solid pro, but I just haven't seen anything that says top level star. I could be wrong and the TNA environment could've prevented him from being showcased to his full potential, which is why it will be interesting to see how he progresses in the WWE setting. Where Roode is booked remains to be seen, but similar to Young, he would add depth to the shows.
Austin Aries began wrestling in NXT a few months ago and has done reasonable well so far. The former ROH and TNA champion was considered by many to be one of the best workers in the United States prior to his debut, and with Joe as champion, is it possible that a Joe/Aries feud is booked to relive their ROH history? With Finn Balor's impending departure to join Raw, NXT will have to promote another marquee title series in the future, and Joe/Aries could work extremely well. Speaking of Balor, many fans are clamoring for his move to the main roster, but a rematch with Joe was booked for the next Takeover special so it appears that he won't make the jump for at least a few months. Despite the anticipation for him to show up on Raw, in my opinion it would be a wise decision to keep him on NXT at the moment. The main roster of the WWE just added several new talents and for Balor to be featured to his full potential, it makes sense to wait until there's a meaningful angle that would logistically bring him to Raw. Some have suggested the Bullet Club, but how exactly is that going to be booked? Despite being booed out of the building almost weekly, Roman Reigns probably isn't going to turn heel and until he gets some type of stable around him, how is Reigns vs. the Bullet Club going to be booked? Either a few guys attack Reigns, which in theory would make them heel, but they would get cheered or Reigns clears the ring of everyone and gets more heat for being booked like super man every week. It seems as though too many fans don't see the big picture when it comes to the direction of certain angles or the restrictions of WWE booking. Would it be awesome to see Finn Balor storm the ring and the Bullet Club pose as Raw goes off the air? Sure, but what happens the next week? If anything, bringing Balor to the main roster right now would risk him getting lost in the shuffle and it would be counter productive if he was in the background during the AJ/Reigns feud. Don't get me wrong, Finn Balor is extremely talented and is a Wrestlemania main event level performer, but with all the new talent on Raw, there's no reason to rush him to the main roster.
The point being, these signings of former TNA talent are very beneficial to the NXT brand because it brings polished talent to the show that add depth when the previously mentioned wrestlers debut on the main roster. As I've said previously, some of the talent that inked a deal for NXT were probably signed specifically to keep the brand strong on a consistent basis, such as Samoa Joe and Asuka, and there's nothing wrong with that either. If a particular competitor brings a style that is suited for NXT and they are making good money, it makes sense for them to work their WWE career there. It remains to be seen if Eric Young and Bobby Roode were signed specifically for NXT or if Raw would be in the plans, but it certainly adds to the brand.
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