TNA vs. GFW

When Anthem Entertainment rescued Impact Wrestling from the downward spiral of Dixie Carter, the suits at the Fight Network knew they had to find "wrestling people" to dictate the new direction of the product. Jeff Jarrett, who founded the promotion in 2002, was brought back onto the scene after several years away to run the booking team. It really proves that anything can happen in the wrestling business because a few years ago, nobody would've guessed that Jarrett would return to power in TNA after his  rocky exit from the Dixie regime. Along with Double J, his traditional advisors, as well as some familiar talent resurfaced as well.

Clearly, Jarrett thought his time in TNA concluded because he founded Global Force Wrestling in April of 2014. Considering that Double J was the primary figure that took NWA-TNA from weekly shows at the Nashville Fairgrounds to national TV, many were optimistic about the potential of GFW, especially with the addition of several working agreements with promotions around the world that opened the door for the possibility of unique matches. However, the climate of the industry proved to be too difficult for GFW to get off the ground, as the group didn't secure a TV deal, despite taping several episodes in Las Vegas in 2015. At the time, Impact Wrestling struggled to maintain a TV platform so it's not too surprising that GFW didn't get a time slot. In total, GFW was a handful of spot shows or independent shows "co-promoted" with the Global Force name. Other than that, there's not much to say about Global Force Wrestling. That's not a jab at Jarrett either, he tried to get a new organization off the ground and it didn't happen, but because of that, there's really no value to the Global Force "brand" since it was a brief venture that simply didn't have a measurable effect on the industry.

So, why exactly is Impact Wrestling using a GFW angle to build toward their only scheduled pay-per-view of the year?

One of the many reasons that Dixie's TNA ran out of money is that their PPV shows didn't draw enough of a buy rate to cover the cost of the production of the event. In theory, Impact choosing to run possibly only one pay-per-view this year is a wise decision, both from a financial and booking prospective. If Anthem is going to pay the expenses for a live broadcast, the entire reason for doing so is to profit from the show. At the same time, running only one pay-per-view event this year at least lowers the risk of losing money on live broadcasts if the show doesn't draw. Obviously, it's unwise to lose money on a monthly basis if the buy rates aren't generating profit for the company, which is something Dixie didn't realize until her vanity project literally didn't have the funds to run live pay-per-views. As far as booking goes, it allows the one PPV so far this year to have more of a "special event" atmosphere and creates an opportunity for the company to garnered positive feedback.

As far as why Anthem would use Global Force on Impact episodes, there are two main possibilities. Last month, Karen Jarrett announced the official merger of the two groups, which was essentially a way for the GFW founders to save face and bring a conclusion to the attempted project. If the reasoning behind the merger angle is to basically present Jarrett's personal agenda then it's a way to cover for the failure of the Global Force. The entire premise of pay-per-view is to sell the show and give the fans a reason to spend the money to watch it. In order to do that, the perception of GFW must be elevated to an entity of importance. The emphasis on Global Force to build toward Slammiversary basically gives Jarrett's project more notoriety than it had on its own. In some ways, this angle is the only major exposure GFW had so it attempts to create the illusion that the group had some type of influence on the business, but it clearly didn't.

Since GFW never got off the ground, it doesn't really make much sense for there to be any type of merger or unification match, but the results of Impact tapings revealed that is the plan. Considering that Global Force has a very limited history and accomplished virtually nothing on its own, there's not any steam behind the angle to unify the championships. In fact, the ONLY reason a unification bout would draw money is based on the history of each promotion, which isn't applicable here. If you go back to the 70s when Harley Race worked with a few of the WWWF champions at the time, Bob Backlund and Superstar Billy Graham respectively, the reason these "NWA vs. WWWF title" matches creates so much buzz was because of how established each promotion was in specific regions on the country. GFW isn't really established as a promotion so what exactly is there to unify?

On the surface, it's easy booking, champion vs. champion sounds like a strong main event on paper. However, how many people really care who the GFW champions are? Is the Global Force "brand" going to sell tickets? To put it in prospective, hypothetically, if Ring Of Honor did an angle for Slammiversary where ROH champion Christopher Daniels challenged Lashley, there would be exponentially more hype than this GFW angle will garner. The reason being, Ring of Honor has an established track record and a history that established their championship as an important belt in the sport.

Granted, this is just one angle that will conclude and the company can move toward another direction, but the reason it's worth addressing is because Impact, an organization that is trying to present a fresh product, booked its only pay-per-view main event of the year so far around an angle that doesn't have much steam and doesn't seem to really have the possibility of generating hype for fans to want to spend the money to see the show. All things considered, it doesn't give the impression that Anthem has a grasp on how to truly move the needle for TNA. Again, Dixie's regime couldn't generate revenue and that's what led to the collapse of her project. The bottom line is what sells and what makes money. Right now, it doesn't seem as though Anthem has found that formula yet, but time will time as far as the buy rate for Slammiversary.

Ultimately, the process of making a profit in sports entertainment is a difficult task, but the WWE market share makes it even more of a challenge. A mediocre product with a few bright spots isn't enough to run with today, another reason why Dixie's company flopped. When the WWE is offering access to literally thousands of hours of content an a live PPV event for $10 a month, how does Anthem try to get fans to spend $30 on a three hour show? If the quality is there, fans will pay to watch it, which was proven when ROH sold out a pair of recent shows that featured New Japan talent. It will be extremely interesting to see the buyrate for Slammiversary and the direction that Impact Wrestling takes in a few months.

Adam Cole to NXT?

Last weekend, during the Ring of Honor pay-per-view, Adam Cole was super kicked out of the Bullet Club. The ROH TV champion, "The Villian" Marty Scurll revealed himself to be the replacement, keeping the faction strong by adding a solid talent that is scheduled for the upcoming NJPW Super Juniors tournament. But, what about Adam Cole?

A pro for almost nine years, Adam Cole is surprisingly a product of Combat Zone Wrestling, a promotion known more for it's violent matches than technical wrestling. Despite his lengthy tenure on the independent scene, it still seems like Cole is a relatively new commodity because of his extensive travels and evolving persona.

With the news of his exit from Bullet Club, rumors began to swirl almost immediately that Cole's next move could be to NXT if he decides to sign a WWE deal. To be fair, this same talk took place a few years ago when his ROH deal expired, but he ultimately decided to resign with the company, which was probably a wise move because it allowed him to continue to develop as a performer by competing with a variety of opponents.

A three-time ROH world champion, Adam Cole has the star quality, as well as the combination of in-ring skills and mic ability, to be a major star for the WWE. This might not be an apples-to-apples comparison because the landscape of the business changed, but in my opinion, Cole could be the next Shawn Michaels. He's an athlete with the ability to deliver bell-to-bell and has the charisma to work a main event style.

From the early days of his career, the former Pro Wrestling Guerrilla world champion was thought to have a bright future ahead of him, and he certainly lived up to the hype, as he worked as a main event competitor for ROH, PWG, tours of Europe, and recently worked for New Japan. In my opinion, it's an easy decision for WWE management to sign Cole to a contract, and the sky is the limit for him.

However, there are some potential downfalls and nothing is set in stone, even if Cole agrees to an NXT deal. When FCW was relaunched as NXT, it was essentially WWE brass creating their own version of ROH, a style that catered to the diehard internet fan base, and a show that airs on the WWE network, a digital streaming service. This relatively new hiring philosophy that saw the arrival of many of the top talents on the independent circuit and veterans that were once thought not to fit the "WWE mold" has its positives and negatives. On the plus side, the quality of talent overall increased drastically compared to years prior. No longer is there an endless stream of goons that the machine tries to push as a monster to see if it gets over to ultimately release them after it flops. Nathan Jones, Heidenreich, Koslov etc. were all once given a main event type push with either disastrous or comical results.

The addition of athletes such as AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens,Nakamura, Seth Rollins etc. provide much more depth to the roster than any other of the WWE projects previously mentioned. Quite simply, quality talent allows for a better quality product. But, there's still a downside to this scenario, despite the signing of a different type of athlete,  the traditional WWE philosophy of the "big man territory" still seems to dictate the overall direction of the product. That theory in itself isn't necessarily a negative, its rather just Vince McMahon's typical formula, but the downside could emerge if that philosophy unintentionally creates a glass ceiling for certain talents.

For example, Sami Zayn is a tremendous talent that was somehow regulated to the upper mid card at best, despite the audience rallying behind him for the past few years. There are times when the office typecast certain talents into a particular role and that's how the competitor is booked unless they are willing to attempt to reinvent themselves in some fashion. Considering that the WWE is the only major option in the United States in terms of the money offered, it can be a difficult decision for an athlete to leave the notoriety that WWE TV exposure provides for a career. More than a decade ago, Christian, an underrated talent that didn't get a chance at the main event scene, left WWE to prove that he could do more for a promotion. It was a risky, but he went to TNA to become a main event level performer and proved that he was capable of working the main event style. When he returned to the WWE, it was a fresh start and he eventually became the World Heavyweight champion. On the flip side, Zack Ryder is one of the hardest workers on the WWE roster, but management usually doesn't view him as anything more than a glorified jobber. Just last year, Cody Rhodes opted to leave the WWE, making himself one of the most in demand freelance stars in the industry. However, Cody had a decade of WWE TV exposure and the security of enough money made from WWE to dictate the terms of his career. All that said, depending on the specific talent, sometimes they can actually become bigger stars outside of the WWE rather than risk getting lost in the shuffle of the company. Kenny Omega, an incredible athlete that's one of New Japan's top stars, was under a WWE developmental contract in 2006, but ultimately didn't debut on TV.

The point being, there are certainly options for Adam Cole to consider for the next step of his career. It's possible that he might resign with ROH, but it seems like he has done everything he could do there. The WWE is the most lucrative option for him, but again, talented stars get lost in the shuffle as mentioned previously. If I had to guess, I would say that Adam Cole signs a WWE deal and it will be interesting to see the next step of his career.

Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather

In combat sports, there are hypothetical scenarios discussed, the crossover between weight divisions or even different forms of the sport. Who would win if a legend of the golden era fought a current superstar?

Since Conor McGregor skyrocketed to the top of the Ultimate Fighting Championship just over two years ago, his flashy style allowed his popularity to surge to become one of the most recognizable athletes in sports. A major draw at the box office, the Dublin native is overwhelmingly the most marketable fighter on the UFC roster, generating more pay-per-view buys last year for his three events than the rest of the PPV shows combined in 2016. If that's a truly positive or negative aspect of the business for WME, the group that bought the promotion for over $4 billion last July, is another discussion for another time. The bottom line is, Conor McGregor is money and he's currently drawing the most money in combat sports. Despite lacking some of the more technical ground skills, the brash Irishman is dynamic enough, and knows how to sell PPVs, often borrowing a page from the pro wrestling playbook to generate the most interest possible before his steps in the cage. Make no mistake, underneath the lavish clothes and rants in his native accent, McGregor is a very smart businessman.

Floyd "Money" Mayweather was the top draw in boxing for almost a decade before he retired without much fanfare after he defeated Andre Berto in 2015. Floyd, who often carefully chose his opponents throughout his career to protect his record, garnered a disappointing 400,000 buys for the advertised retirement bout. As I've written before, the stain of the lackluster "super fight" with Manny Pacquiao, a contest that was criticized and surrounded in controversy, had a diminishing effect on both stars. HBO dropped Manny from his contract, forcing his promoter Bob Arum to distribute a bout with Jesse Vargas through Top Rank, an event that was the lowest Pacquiao pay-per-view offering in eight years with just 300,000 buys. When Floyd sat ringside for the Filipino superstar's return last November, there was some speculation about a potential rematch, but the public reaction was lukewarm at best, as it's doubtful the same record-setting number would pay to watch it after the disappointment of their original bout. As I wrote previously, fans no longer wanted to pay to watch Mayweather in glorified exhibition bouts and he clearly doesn't want to fight some of the more dangerous opponents in boxing, mostly notably when he ducked Gennady Golovkin as a possible choice before he retired.

If Floyd isn't willing to fight the top opposition in boxing, and the fans aren't clamoring for the Pacquiao rematch, the contest with McGregor is probably his most lucrative option right now. The very valid argument could be made that Floyd, at least within the past decade, is a businessman first and a fighter after that. "Money" Mayweather, much like he negotiated in boxing to get opponents into his preferred weight class, will basically dictate the terms of a McGregor bout, which is why he would only agree to a boxing match, not mixed martial arts. Conor, smart enough to know that the format wouldn't be open to discussion, already applied for a boxing license in California so at least  that hurdle was cleared.

The ONLY reason this fight is even a possibility is the money on the table for everyone involved. It brings the most money for Floyd, especially considering the lack of interest when the prospect of a Pacquiao rematch surfaced. It gets McGregor the biggest payday of his career, and we all know that each promotional organization will get a piece of the pie as well. The bottom line is, this isn't about a competition of skill, as Conor was completely out-boxed by Nate Diaz in their original fight so you could expect a more lopsided tilt against Mayweather. There's a 99% chance that Floyd would KO Conor within just a few rounds so the result isn't the draw. Fans would be willing to pay to see the speculate surrounding the fight and that will be the entertainment it could provide on pay-per-view. As over-matched as Conor might be from a striking aspect, he would get KO'ed for the most money of his career so it's worth the risk. At the end of the day, prize fighting is about the money you can make and you can't blame McGregor if he steps into the boxing ring for major cash.

Money, the same reason this contest could happen, will probably be the reason it doesn't happen. Quite frankly, Floyd seems to overvalue himself and didn't agree to a $25 million offer with a percentage of the buy rate from Dana White. If Floyd thinks he will get a paycheck anywhere close to the Pacquiao fight, the McGregor bout won't get passed the negotiation stage. Keep in mind, prior to the Manny contest, Showtime actually lost money on a few of the Mayweather PPVs because the buys didn't cover his guarantee. While Conor McGregor is currently more relevant to pop culture, he's not necessarily more well known than Manny Pacquaio, who has a much more lengthy track record as a draw during a longer career. The record-setting Manny/Floyd contest in 2015 did 4 million buys, nearly double of the previous top seller of De La Hoya/Mayweather that generated 2.4 million buys in 2007. Realistically, I'd say that a potential Conor/Floyd bout would bring a number similar to the De La Hoya fight, a figure that would put it among the most successful pay-per-view events in history. Assuming the price tag would be around the typical UFC or boxing event of $60 and then factor in the cable companies' percentage, the math just doesn't add up for Floyd to demand the previously mentioned $100 million to sign to fight McGregor. Again, Conor is a relatively new commodity and this possible bout doesn't have the storied build up that the Manny contest did so it's unfair to use those to gauge the possible draw of Conor vs. Floyd.

I don't think this hypothetical contest will happen because Floyd Mayweather will demand an unrealistic amount of cash to sign a contract. The bottom line is, Floyd will request a substantial guarantee, and when the figure is close to $100 million, it can be a risky deal, which is something WME won't promote. Again, Showtime lost money on a few of the Mayweather bouts, and nobody wants to be responsible for paying him an outrageous amount of money if the buy rate doesn't cover it. To put it in prospective, even if the bout draws $80 million and Floyd demands his previously mentioned figure, the promoters might lose money if they don't carefully consider the potential revenue the contest could realistically draw.

So, while this fight probably won't happen, Floyd at least considered the possibility because it gave him more publicity than he received for his retirement bout. The Berto fight was briefly mentioned, and not much from Mayweather was discussed after that until the speculation about a McGregor deal surfaced. At the same time, Conor McGregor received publicity as well and it highlighted his status as the top draw in MMA. There's no doubt that McGregor would sign to fight because it brings him the most cash of his career, but ultimately, Mayweather already has a few hundred million dollars and he wouldn't risk any possibility of getting hit with a fluke punch from an MMA fighter in a boxing match. For Floyd, this entire scenario was just a  promotional tour for the Money Team organization that promotes fight cards, and sells merchandise. Regardless, the entire situation at least provided some entertaining discussion and it gives Conor McGregor hype for when he returns to the octagon later this year.

The career of Crazzy Steve

The past few years of Impact Wrestling had its ups and downs, but through the uncertainty, the "Deletion" concept from the mind of "Broken" Matt Hardy was a cult favorite among fans. In fact, each stage of "Deletion" generated more buzz and was an unquestionable highlight for the promotion. The very unique presentation wasn't exactly for everyone, but it definitely brought positive reviews from a wide range of viewers. The Hardys, the current WWE tag team champions, started the series of features with the "Final Deletion" before the brothers joined forces to battle other teams in the "Broken Universe." One of the participants was Abyss, a veteran of the industry that at times was the most underrated athlete in the business. The monster that originally surfaced in Puerto Rico in 2002, started his TNA career the following year, and always gives 100% inside the squared circle. The other athlete in the equation of what was called "The Great War" was Crazzy Steve, an eccentric individual, who garnered praise for his ability to keep pace with the more well known veterans.

But, who is Crazzy Steve?

Despite his very unusual persona, his first exposure to professional wrestling and its many cast of characters started very normal. While the Canadian youth had the option of the traditional national sport of hockey to follow in the footsteps of greats like Mario Lemieux or Wayne Gretzky, the action of the rink didn't connect with him. In fact, traditional sports weren't for him at all, Steve became memorized with the mayhem of professional wrestling that projected through the television screen and he became enthralled with the sport.

"I know it's cliché to say, but for as long as I can remember I've always loved professional wrestling. It's been the one constant in my life," he explained.

Always one wiling to take a risk, Steve wanted to pursue the genre that originated on the carnival circuit so many decades ago, which seems fitting in this case. His odd personality didn't affect his judgment when he decided what path to take as he began the journey into professional wrestling, he knew he had to learn from a well rounded teacher and sought the lessons of fellow Canadian, Eric Young. The former member of Team Canada and current NXT star is another versatile performer that always made the best of any situation during the course of his very accomplished career. Speaking from experience, Young offered very honest advice during training sessions.

"The one thing that really stood out to me while beginning my training with Eric Young was the advice he gave me on the first day, he said 'I can't guarantee that you will make $1 million and I can't guarantee that you'll become famous and make it on television, but what I can guarantee, is that you will learn what kind of hard work it takes to become professional wrestler, & that you will be in some sort of pain for the rest of your life.' EY never guaranteed fame and fortune, but if you put in the hard work you will see success. And with guys like myself, Cody Deaner, Jake O'Reilly Tye Dillinger, his track record speaks for its self," Steve recalled.

While Crazzy Steve debuted on national TV in 2014, he was far from a rookie at that point, spending over a decade on the Canadian regional circuit to learn the craft to become the polished professional he is today.  However, even with the more technology-based society of the world, there are still extra hurdles for a foreign talent to get a contract in the United States.

"Getting noticed within the United States is not as difficult as it once was, social media being as powerful as it is now it's rather easy to be noticed by other wrestling companies not just in the United States but around the world. That being said, getting work with in the United States can prove to be rather difficult. Acquiring work visas as well as getting across the border can create many difficulties when trying to branch ones talents outside of Canada," Steve said.

Being an odd performer for his entire career, The Menagerie, a band of joyful misfits, was a good fit for Steve as he debuted at the Impact Zone wielding a bundle of balloons in May of 2014. The sideshow theme of the stable allowed for some fun in-ring shenanigans for him, but the following year when the group disbanded, Steve wasn't concerned, instead he viewed it as an opportunity to evolve.

"I made my stain in the short time that I was given, it was time for the clown to die, Time for me to shed that skin, and reveal my true self," he said

The start of 2016 was the beginning of a new chapter in his career, and after being influenced by the previously mentioned Abyss,  Crazzy Steve took a much darker tone. With the demented Rosemary by their side, the demented trio proclaimed themselves Decay. As Marylin Manson's "The Nobodies" blared in the background, Abyss and Steve made an Impact in the tag team division relatively quickly, winning the title in March of last year for what became a six month reign.

"It was meant to be. A match made in hell so to speak," Steve said of his time in Decay.

As said earlier, Decay had a very unique series of matches with The Hardys, one of the greatest tag teams of all time. "Delete or Decay," Total Apocalypto, The Great War, and Monster's Ball matches have featured some truly unbelievable occurrences, as well as  brutal displayed in the ring. Everything including something as unconventional as a volcano along with barbed wire boards were used throughout the rivalry between the two factions.

"It was very exciting yet not surprising, it was a natural progression of chaos. Nature will always take it's course, the war between the Hardy's & Decay will never end, we will haunt them for the rest of the existence," Steve commented.

After two years on the Impact Wrestling roster, Crazzy Steve views his time there as a successful and positive experience, but plans to promote his brand of chaos further saying, "continue to create, and spread my sickness to as many people as humanly possible."

So, who is Crazzy Steve?

He proved himself to be determined enough to follow his desire to become a professional wrestler, and earned his way to a national promotion. This bizarre athlete showed that similar to his trainer, he's a versatile performer that had fun with a sideshow act before he pushed his mind to a darker place to join Decay. More than anything, Crazzy Steve provided entertainment anytime he stepped into the ring for the many very unique matches he was involved in, and it will be intriguing to see the next chapter of his career.

For more information about you can follow him on Twitter @Steveofcrazzy

prowrestlingtees.com/crazzysteve

Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez

In what became somewhat of a boxing tradition, Cinco De Mayo weekend will featured another super card in the boxing world, this time as Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez squares off against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. for an anticipated bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

With the hype that surrounds the clash between these countrymen, the result could be determined before either fighter steps inside the ring ropes, with preparation as the possible key to victory. The son of the Mexican legend, Chavez Jr. continues to be the subject of much criticism in terms of his dedication to the sport, and more specifically, the grueling training regiment required to compete at the world class level. This aspect became so much of a concern that a stipulation that will fine him should he miss weight was included in the contract of the Alvarez fight. While it might seem petty to insist on such a clause, if Chavez shows up over the limit, it's not as though promoters or Alvarez himself will want to leave the money on the table of a sold out arena or a pay-per-view audience. So, it makes sense to attempt to ensure that Chavez doesn't have an unintentional strength advantage if he arrives in Las Vegas without enduring the expected weight cut.

Turning pro at just 17, Chavez Jr. was always aware of his famous father's status, which afforded him advantages and exposure when he decided to pursue the sport. Earlier resentment toward his father from his childhood was seemingly resolved when he entered the family business, and he lived up to the pace that the prior generation put in place, racking up 40 wins in a row in just his first six years in the sport.

However, while the family name afforded opportunity, it can also become a burden to carry a legacy. Chavez Sr. was an iron man in the ring, fighting in 115 bouts during his 25-year career. Quite simply, nobody ever questioned the heart of Chavez Sr. and that reputation is expected to be represented through the next generation of the family. If that's an unfair expectation for the younger Chavez is a different matter, but it's undoubtedly one of the reasons he became a draw relatively early after he began to compete.

The peak of 40 wins might've been a turning point in the career of the Mexican prodigy, who was suspended after his next fight with Troy Rowland when he failed a drug test in 2009. Reports that suggested difficultly with weight cutting have become common since that time. Unfortunately, less than favorable news also became common for him. Just two weeks prior to his unanimous decision victory against Marco Antonio Rubio in 2012, Chavez Jr. was arrested for drunk driving. Later that year, in perhaps the biggest bout of his career at that point, he was defeated by Sergio Martinez via the score cards. Chavez failed another drug test following the contest and was subsequently suspended  for the violation.

A series of mostly lackluster performances took place since then, and he was criticized even for some of the bouts he won, including his only fight last year, a contest against the lesser-known Dominik Britsch. As recent as just a few weeks ago, hall of fame trainer, Nacho Beristain explained that Chavez Jr. argued about where to finish training prior to the Canelo fight.

For all of the blunders outside of the ring or in the gym, make no mistake, Chavez Jr. can be an extremely capable athlete. With a style where he will take one to land one, a flurry of power punches is a staple of his offense. Not only does he bring power to the table, but also the ability to push the pace, an aspect that will be key to the Canelo bout. Still, many questions remain about this young veteran of the sport. At 31, he should theoretically be in the prime of his career, but maybe after over 50 fights,  he might be at the latter stages of his career. The bottom line is, Chavez Jr. must decide if he wants to be a professional fighter at the highest level and if he's willing to sacrifice to do that. The outcome of this Cinco De Mayo clash, and specifically his performance, will probably determine the answer.

For Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, this Mexican showcase on pay-per-view is an opportunity for him to cement himself as the biggest star in boxing, an accomplishment that is certainly obtainable if he follows the usual game plan. The 26-year-old superstar is extremely well rounded with a combination of power and speed. With Floyd Mayweather's exits from the sport, Alvarez could potentially draw the biggest PPV numbers in boxing, especially with the dedication of the Hispanic fan base to support him, but how successful the buy rate will be depends on if he delivers an impressive performance. At 48-1-1, the only blemish on Canelo's record is a loss to the previously mentioned Floyd, and "Money" Mayweather himself proved prior to his retirement that name value doesn't necessarily automatically draw buys with the current market. The Floyd/Berto  bout garnered 400,000 buys, the lowest Mayweather offering in a decade. So, Canelo must showcase his skills to become an established draw on a long term basis.

As for the fight itself, stylistically, the advantage will go to Canelo Alvarez. Chavez's sometimes wild series of punches will allow his opponent to land punches. If Alvarez can use his defensive ability to avoid the flurries of offense from Chavez, Canelo can win on points. For Chavez, he will have to push the pace and prevent the opposition from deciding the direction of the contest. As for a winner, I have to say that I think Canelo Alvarez will get a unanimous decision win because he's a more well rounded fighter. Plus, Chavez Jr. hasn't showed anything recently that would suggest that he could be effective against a fighter the caliber of Alvarez.

Assuming Canelo gets the victory, the subject of a potential bout with Gennady Golovkin will become a topic of discussion. Considering that Canelo already decided to vacate a title rather than fight Triple G, it's doubtful the mega fight will get signed anytime soon, which is another example of how politics continue to keep boxing from the main stream popularity it had nearly twenty years ago. As I've written before, some superstar fighters assume that avoiding the best competition to protect their record somehow ensures better money for the bouts they actually sign to fight, but in reality, they leave more money on the table when they decline to sign for bouts the public wants to see happen. The problem in this situation is, that while Triple G is considered to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, the general public doesn't know who he is, which was apparent when his last pay-per-view event against contender Daniel Jacobs generated a mediocre 170,000 buys. That number says much more about the state of boxing and the distribution of the sport than anything about the spectacular skills of Triple G. Since Canelo is the bigger star, it might seem like he has more leverage in the negotiations, but it's more even than that because while Golovkin can't draw Alvarez type numbers on his own, Canelo won't draw more of a buy rate with any opponent other than Golovkin.

Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal

A few weeks ago on Smackdown, Jinder Mahal won the number one contender spot seemingly out of nowhere, and as a result, there continues to be much criticism towards the upcoming Backlash pay-per-view.

The criticism will remain, and that's partially understandable, mostly because Jinder wasn't presented as a star in any form prior to suddenly winning the next title shot. In fact, since Mahal returned after the brand extension last year, he only won a few matches on the main roster shows. If there was a steady push for him, or at least a few big wins to give the fans some type of impression that they should care what he does then maybe this title match wouldn't have garnered such a lackluster reaction.

Quite frankly, Jinder Mahal, who was released in 2014 after a four year run with the company, isn't currently a star. WWE brass can't expect the audience to take him seriously as a threat to Randy Orton's championship on such a short notice. That being said, any discontent with Jinder Mahal doesn't really matter.

The logic behind Mahal's push extents far beyond a particular pay-per-view or even network subscriptions for a specific month. Reportedly, WWE has major plans to expand into India, a major population center, and a market that showed potential in recent years. In fact, India is one of the very few places where TNA's TV generates revenue so at the very least, it's worth testing the market. However, population numbers and some success for the genre doesn't necessarily guarantee a productive or successful expansion. Long-term success in the Indian market has yet to be determined. Sports entertainment is relatively new to that demographic and a fresh option could be merely a novelty act so it will take time to find out if the sport will become a major draw within the culture.

If the Indian expansion takes off, there's a huge upside to boost network numbers, which is why the Mahal/Orton main event won't affect those that already subscribe to the streaming service. Are fans going to cancel because Jinder Mahal is working the main event? The reality is that the WWE network didn't just change the distribution of pay-per-view, but also completely changed the dynamic around the events. Before the digital platform, management really had to "sell" the show and essentially give the viewers a reason to spend $40 to see the results. Along with the reduced price of $9.99, the standard of what justifies a proper PPV main event is also naturally lowered, simply because the selling point of the network isn't a specific event, but rather the entire service, including the extensive video library. Again, a consumer will purchase a subscription based on all the content offered, not just a particular pay-per-view main event.

Does that indirectly lower expectations or unintentional lower the quality of some of the less historic events? Possibly, but unless there's a wave on cancellations based on the month Jinder Mahal worked the main event, does it really matter? Will certain fans continue to complain? Sure, but as long as they also continue to pay for a network subscription, what's the difference?

 At 30, Jinder Mahal is in the prime of his career, and his previous experience on the roster theoretically makes him more prepared for the spotlight. Granted, this whole thing could be a temporary push just to give Orton an opponent until the rumored Baron Corbin feud for Summer Slam, but assuming it's not, does Mahal have the skills to be a main event talent? As I mentioned earlier, if Jinder had a proper push instead of going from jobber to title challenger in the span of a week, the perception of this feud might be very different. Keep in mind, prior to his release, Jinder was a member of 3MB, a stable that would've doomed the career of most, but the trio made it work so Mahal is a versatile competitor. That said, the release was a necessary restart for him because the two years outside of the company gave him a fresh star when he returned. He looks the part, something that prompted rumors of steroid use, and he certainly does look drastically different than his original WWE run, but he had two years to work on it, and hasn't failed a wellness test so it's unfair to automatically assume anything without proof of steroids.

While there aren't many stellar Jinder matches to discuss, he wasn't exactly in a spot on the card to steal the show either. The match with Orton at Backlash could determine the direction he goes following the pay-per-view. Mahal presents himself like a heel and has decent promo skills, but the premise of this angle might actually limit how effective it is toward his credibility as a threat to the championship. In theory, the entire point of a title match is the possibility that the belt might change hands, but that's a tough sell if there isn't a believability that the challenger could win the championship. Obviously, the anti-USA gimmick was used many times before, but considering the evolution of society, is that really a main event angle now? Granted, Bruno battling the foreign villains in the 60s was the top program, but the heel foreign became more of a mid card act in the years that followed. Plus, with as much as WWE brass tries to work toward sponsors, is this the type of angle that's worth the possible negative feedback? Anyone remember the disastrous Muhammad Hassan angle?

That's not to say that certain elements can't be used to get heat, but if this angle is only "the foreign heel" then it will be one dimensional and lack substance, which will limit Jinder's main event run. The bottom line is, the potential revenue of the India expansion is more important than complains on social media. The WWE network is an entire service, not just pay-per-view events, and until it affects revenue, there's no reason for the WWE not to book an angle to attempt to draw a new market.