Earlier this week, rumors swirled online that former WWE champion, Dean Ambrose opted not to renew his contract when it expires in April. Surprisingly, WWE confirmed the news so Ambrose is definitely going to exit the company in just a few months. PWInsider reported that Ambrose turned down a long term seven-figure deal. His run as Jon Moxley on the independent circuit is well-documented and considering all the talent he brings to the table, after eight years in the WWE system, his run there is almost underwhelming, which isn't a jab against him.
Perhaps, the most intriguing part of this story is that Ambrose turned down millions of dollars not to continue to work for the WWE.
Unfortunately, similar to many others, Ambrose seemed to get lost in the shuffle of the Roman Reigns super push and there was a glass ceiling for his progress within the organization. Even when Dean had more of a featured role, management never truly gave him the chance to run with it, and recycled angles, including a pair of Shield reunions to help get Reigns a better reaction from the audience last year, more or less put Ambrose in the same spot throughout his career.
After the Shield's debut in late-2012, Ambrose was the US champion, but rarely defended the belt and the title was more of a prop for him to take to the ring than anything that was emphasized as important. By the time the trio split in 2014, Ambrose moved to the IC title picture, a championship that could've been used to solidify his status as a competitor that moved up the card, but ultimately became a consolation prize when the writing team kept him in the mid-card.
In some ways, Dean was always kept at the status quo type position because even when it appeared he was given something of importance, he would eventually find himself back down the ladder, which made him a name, but again, he never got a full-fledged run as a top guy. For example, when he was booked for a match at WM with an unmotivated Brock Lesnar in 2016, the bout was known as the contest that Lesnar mailed in because he wanted something more important to do on the show. The match with Brock on the biggest stage of the year wasn't designed to do anything to showcase the skills of Dean Ambrose. The following year at WM, he worked a preshow bout against Baron Corbin, which got completely lost in the shuffle of the six-hour event. The point being, when has Ambrose truly been showcased as a top-tier star at a marquee event? Sure, Ambrose had a brief, but forgettable run with the WWE title in 2016 through a MITB cash-in, but again, that eventually landed him on the preshow of WM in 2017 so what progress did that title win accomplish for Ambrose?
A triceps injury in late-2017 put him on the sidelines for most of the year, but his return a few months ago found him in another Shield reunion. As unfortunate as the injury was, it was a chance for Dean to return with a fresh start and the opportunity to rejuvenate his career. However, when Roman finally won the title, the Shield was reformed again so that he got a decent crowd reaction. Granted, Reigns was more of a priority for management, considering the amount of TV time they've invested in him, but for Ambrose's individual career, it put him in the recurring role of a secondary member of a stable.
Ambrose's heel turn that used Roman's illness to attempt to get heat was a questionable decision, as those type of angles can sometimes get "change the channel" heat if it's simply something the audience doesn't want to watch. Aside from that, the Ambrose/Rollins feud was basically a retread of the original Shield split with the roles reversed so it was another angle that didn't really progress his career. Now, despite another run with the IC title, Dean is still in the mid-card, which is essentially the same spot he was before the injury.
Aside from the repetitive booking, what hindered Ambrose's WWE career?
Ultimately, WWE management didn't know how to use Dean Ambrose to his full potential, and the sum total of his run probably makes him one of the most underutilized talents of the modern era. Former WCW announcer, Mark Madden phrased it right when he said that WWE books Dean Ambrose to be "sitcom crazy," and that presentation took the edge away from him. Prior to his arrival in the company, Ambrose was compared to the legendary Brian Pillman for his ability to appear legitimately unstable. That persona was never given an opportunity on WWE TV. In fact, Ambrose has tremendous mic skills, but he was rarely given the chance to truly showcase it. The bottom line is, Dean has solid technical skills and great promos, which is a combination that should've allowed him to become a much bigger star than he was the past few years. Instead of believable promos that presented him as dangerous, the writing team put Ambrose in segments with slime and a talk show with Mitch the plant. More than anything, the career of Dean Ambrose was mismanaged for the majority of his run on the roster.
One of the key aspects of Ambrose's exit is that it makes quite a statement about the organization when a talent turns down such a major contract because of the structure of the product. Quite simply, Dean Ambrose is too talented to flounder in the sports entertainment shuffle and he's already made good money there. That being said, I don't think Ambrose jumps to All Elite when it launches or wrestles for another group for at least several months after his contract expires in April. Ambrose is known as someone that lives a rather simple lifestyle so it's a possibility that he decides to retire early. Hopefully, the exit of Ambrose and then Kenta, who asked for his release this week, will be something gives management the initiative fully utilize the roster.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Friday, January 25, 2019
Abyss signs WWE deal
Just days away from The Royal Rumble, an event that will shape the card for Wrestlemania, there was quite the shuffle in the industry recently, making the addition of All Elite Wrestling to the sports entertainment landscape that much more interesting later this year.
Last week, Dolph Ziggler posted a message on Twitter that implied his run in the WWE is going to end. This was after a report from PWInsider that his contract expires at the end of the month and it appears that he didn't renew his deal. The former two-time world champion had a rather complicated run with the company. Signing a contract in 2004, Dolph began as a caddie for Chavo's brief run as Kerwin White and then played a role in the Spirit Squad, a stable that ruined almost as many careers as Vince Russo's booking. After he changed his name, Dolph found a persona, but one that seemed to morph a little too often over the years and sometimes it seemed like he often tried to play the role of Shawn Michaels instead of solidifying the Ziggler character. However, he was a true workhorse and always put in the effort to deliver quality performances in the ring. Unfortunately, during his initial run as champion in 2013, a concussion cut that title reign short, and another concussion the following year halted much of his momentum for consideration in the main event picture.
At times, it looked as though management was going to run with Ziggler, including when Sting debuted for a historic moment and assisted Dolph with a win at Survivor Series in 2014. But, Ziggler didn't get further up the card than IC status, and more often than not was put in the role of making others look good in the ring than a presentation that would progress his career. Again, it's a complicated scenario because on one hand, Dolph hasn't been given the opportunities that are on par with his skill level, but on the flip side, he has a history of concussions so it's a risk for WWE to invest a major amount of TV time in him. It's a harsh reality, but Ziggler could've been one concussion away from the end of his career, and that affects the role the writing team will choose for him. Don't get me wrong, Dolph Ziggler is one of the most talented of his generation and deserved better, but from a business stand point, WWE brass wasn't willing to bet on him long term because of the injuries. That said, it makes sense for him to exit, as he's too talented to continue to flounder in mediocrity, and after 15 years in the promotion, he's more or less been typecast in a mid-card role. So, Dolph can continue his ventures into stand up comedy or perhaps he will be another addition to AEW when the group launches a full-time schedule?
Another WWE departure was rumored last week when The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported that The Revival requested their release from the organization, but it wasn't granted. The duo worked a match on Raw this past week so it looks as though they will continue as scheduled for now. It's puzzling that despite the expanded roster and enough teams to theoretically present a credible tag division, there are still teams that get lost in the shuffle of the abundance of WWE programming. In fact, The Revival are one of the best teams of the modern era and a duo that the division could be built around, but since their debut on the main roster, they haven't done much. Granted, an injury for Dawson in mid-2017 sidelined their progress at the time, but they spent almost the entire year of 2018 without anything notable on television. Similar to Ziggler, The Revival are simply too talented to be regulated to less than meaningless roles within the company. Both Wilder and Dawson are still young enough to get a fresh start elsewhere so it might be best for their careers if they were granted the release. Another aspect could be that Wilder and Dawson are another example of performers that could departure from the organization to eventually return with a fresh start later. Keep in mind, Drew McIntyre played a plastic guitar before he left to rejuvenate his career and now looks to have a main event push post-WM.
Outside of WWE, Impact Wrestling had its share of changes, not within the active roster, but rather behind the scenes. Abyss, who had one of the longest runs with the company, spanning back to its early days in Nashville, left the company to take a role as a producer with NXT. Along with Abyss. Sonjay Dutt, another longtime worker for Impact, will also work within the NXT brand. Reportedly, Abyss worked in the office while Dutt was a member of the creative team for Impact. More than what they brought to the table for the Anthem-owned group in their respective roles, the exit of Abyss and Dutt might speak volumes to the state of Impact. I penned an article last month that explained the major drop in TV clearance as Impact's TV show wasn't renewed for Pop TV and moved to The Pursuit Channel, a network under the Anthem umbrella. The switch translated to a 40% drop in availability and many viewers simply didn't have access to the new time slot at 10 PM on Fridays so it was announced that the program would also stream on the Impact Twitch channel.
Recent editions of the show peaked around 10,000 viewers on Twitch, and the Pursuit channel didn't garner enough viewers for the ratings to be listed. Abyss is one of the hardest working performers in the history of the industry and it's somewhat disappoint that he didn't get a big run on the WWE stage for him to get the recognition he deserved. But, more than anything, Abyss was always considered a "TNA guy," opting to stay with the organization despite a WWE offer in 2006. For Abyss to leave Impact Wrestling, it might be an indication that the future of the promotion isn't too bright. In some ways, Abyss' exit from Impact Wrestling is similar to when AJ Styles left TNA, it doesn't speak well of the state of the organization. Don't get me wrong, there's no benefit for Impact to close, but as I wrote previously, with the crowded wrestling market this year, there might not be a place for the company.
With the departure of Abyss and Dutt, PWInsider reported that Konnan and Tommy Dreamer will be replacements for the creative team. Both veterans, specifically Dreamer, bring a lot of knowledge to the table, but again, given the limitations of the availability of the product, the efforts of the writing team might be moot. How exactly does anyone even with a great plan for the product make stars or generate a buzz when the general audience can't find the show? As I said previously, Anthem might've decided to use Impact as more of a television commodity for The Fight Network than a group that attempts to be competitive in the industry, which is fine, but it also limits the progress of the organization.
Last week, Dolph Ziggler posted a message on Twitter that implied his run in the WWE is going to end. This was after a report from PWInsider that his contract expires at the end of the month and it appears that he didn't renew his deal. The former two-time world champion had a rather complicated run with the company. Signing a contract in 2004, Dolph began as a caddie for Chavo's brief run as Kerwin White and then played a role in the Spirit Squad, a stable that ruined almost as many careers as Vince Russo's booking. After he changed his name, Dolph found a persona, but one that seemed to morph a little too often over the years and sometimes it seemed like he often tried to play the role of Shawn Michaels instead of solidifying the Ziggler character. However, he was a true workhorse and always put in the effort to deliver quality performances in the ring. Unfortunately, during his initial run as champion in 2013, a concussion cut that title reign short, and another concussion the following year halted much of his momentum for consideration in the main event picture.
At times, it looked as though management was going to run with Ziggler, including when Sting debuted for a historic moment and assisted Dolph with a win at Survivor Series in 2014. But, Ziggler didn't get further up the card than IC status, and more often than not was put in the role of making others look good in the ring than a presentation that would progress his career. Again, it's a complicated scenario because on one hand, Dolph hasn't been given the opportunities that are on par with his skill level, but on the flip side, he has a history of concussions so it's a risk for WWE to invest a major amount of TV time in him. It's a harsh reality, but Ziggler could've been one concussion away from the end of his career, and that affects the role the writing team will choose for him. Don't get me wrong, Dolph Ziggler is one of the most talented of his generation and deserved better, but from a business stand point, WWE brass wasn't willing to bet on him long term because of the injuries. That said, it makes sense for him to exit, as he's too talented to continue to flounder in mediocrity, and after 15 years in the promotion, he's more or less been typecast in a mid-card role. So, Dolph can continue his ventures into stand up comedy or perhaps he will be another addition to AEW when the group launches a full-time schedule?
Another WWE departure was rumored last week when The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported that The Revival requested their release from the organization, but it wasn't granted. The duo worked a match on Raw this past week so it looks as though they will continue as scheduled for now. It's puzzling that despite the expanded roster and enough teams to theoretically present a credible tag division, there are still teams that get lost in the shuffle of the abundance of WWE programming. In fact, The Revival are one of the best teams of the modern era and a duo that the division could be built around, but since their debut on the main roster, they haven't done much. Granted, an injury for Dawson in mid-2017 sidelined their progress at the time, but they spent almost the entire year of 2018 without anything notable on television. Similar to Ziggler, The Revival are simply too talented to be regulated to less than meaningless roles within the company. Both Wilder and Dawson are still young enough to get a fresh start elsewhere so it might be best for their careers if they were granted the release. Another aspect could be that Wilder and Dawson are another example of performers that could departure from the organization to eventually return with a fresh start later. Keep in mind, Drew McIntyre played a plastic guitar before he left to rejuvenate his career and now looks to have a main event push post-WM.
Outside of WWE, Impact Wrestling had its share of changes, not within the active roster, but rather behind the scenes. Abyss, who had one of the longest runs with the company, spanning back to its early days in Nashville, left the company to take a role as a producer with NXT. Along with Abyss. Sonjay Dutt, another longtime worker for Impact, will also work within the NXT brand. Reportedly, Abyss worked in the office while Dutt was a member of the creative team for Impact. More than what they brought to the table for the Anthem-owned group in their respective roles, the exit of Abyss and Dutt might speak volumes to the state of Impact. I penned an article last month that explained the major drop in TV clearance as Impact's TV show wasn't renewed for Pop TV and moved to The Pursuit Channel, a network under the Anthem umbrella. The switch translated to a 40% drop in availability and many viewers simply didn't have access to the new time slot at 10 PM on Fridays so it was announced that the program would also stream on the Impact Twitch channel.
Recent editions of the show peaked around 10,000 viewers on Twitch, and the Pursuit channel didn't garner enough viewers for the ratings to be listed. Abyss is one of the hardest working performers in the history of the industry and it's somewhat disappoint that he didn't get a big run on the WWE stage for him to get the recognition he deserved. But, more than anything, Abyss was always considered a "TNA guy," opting to stay with the organization despite a WWE offer in 2006. For Abyss to leave Impact Wrestling, it might be an indication that the future of the promotion isn't too bright. In some ways, Abyss' exit from Impact Wrestling is similar to when AJ Styles left TNA, it doesn't speak well of the state of the organization. Don't get me wrong, there's no benefit for Impact to close, but as I wrote previously, with the crowded wrestling market this year, there might not be a place for the company.
With the departure of Abyss and Dutt, PWInsider reported that Konnan and Tommy Dreamer will be replacements for the creative team. Both veterans, specifically Dreamer, bring a lot of knowledge to the table, but again, given the limitations of the availability of the product, the efforts of the writing team might be moot. How exactly does anyone even with a great plan for the product make stars or generate a buzz when the general audience can't find the show? As I said previously, Anthem might've decided to use Impact as more of a television commodity for The Fight Network than a group that attempts to be competitive in the industry, which is fine, but it also limits the progress of the organization.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Brock Lesnar vs. Finn Balor
In less than two weeks, the road to Wrestlemania kicks off with the
Royal Rumble, theoretically the start of the build up to the biggest
show of the year, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The stadium lists
48,000 seats, but with the stage set up, there will be roughly 45,000
tickets available for the pay-per-view. On the surface, the Rumble, one
of the historic events on the year, might be a stadium-level show, but
the scenarios currently within the WWE landscape might not be a draw of
that magnitude. Granted, WWE brass still have next week's show to
attempt to generate some buzz, but there's a noticeable lack of hype
ahead of this event, mostly because of some key decisions that were made
previously.
Obviously, the traditional Royal Rumble matches are the main draw, but with Roman Reigns on the sidelines, and Brock Lesnar more or less in the witness protection program with the title, there isn't anything in particular that's a draw for an anticipated match that could be set up by the Rumble. This past week on Raw, the Universal title match was randomly switched because Braun Strowman, the promoted challenger still isn't medically cleared from an elbow injury that required surgery a few months ago. I wrote about it several times prior to this, but Roman's failed super push came with an opportunity cost. Everyone else on the roster, no matter how over they were with the audience for the past 4-5 years, was booked secondary to the "big dawg" to ensure he was presented as the top star. That was management's agenda and as long as they maintained revenue, which they did, they could book their chosen champion. However, without Roman on the roster, the writing team is forced to sell the concept that some of those that were stuck in the mid-card should suddenly be perceived as main event level stars.
Make no mistake about it, Finn Balor is one of the most talented athletes on the roster, but for the past several months, the perception of his persona on television is a mid-carder that lost matches to Baron Corbin. Now, he's supposed to be considered a legitimate threat to Brock Lesnar's reign as champion? Don't get me wrong, Finn Balor SHOULD be a main event star and undoubtedly has the skills to be successful in that role, but for the general audience, it's about perception and presentation. Has Balor been presented as a potential main event competitor since his return from the shoulder injury a few years ago? How exactly will Lesnar's title defense be built as something important with just two weeks until the event? The whole scenario is so thrown together that the Universal championship match, and thus Finn's spotlight almost become an afterthought. "Balor will lose so who wins the Rumble to challenge Brock at Wrestlemania?" will be the narrative ahead of the pay-per-view.
It's possible that Braun ends up as a later entrant and doesn't have to do much to win the match to set up for WM, but at this point, especially considering the injuries, would Strowman be the right choice to win it? In my opinion, even if Braun will be healthy enough to compete by WM, the demand for him to win the title has already peaked and he isn't nearly as over as he was this time last year. Most of the booking decisions minimized his star power, including the random heel turn before Roman's exit because of illness. The elbow injury halted nearly all of the momentum he had, and the harsh reality is that WWE brass might've missed the boat on Braun Strowman. Again, it can't be understated how important it is for management to capitalize when a competitor's popularity peaks to get the most from a specific storyline. For example, if Vince McMahon decided that Steve Austin didn't defeat Shawn Michaels at WM 14 or that Brock didn't pin The Rock at Summer Slam 2002, the launching point of their major runs wouldn't have been as strong if the plan was delayed six months. Part of the ability to make stars is to know when it let a talent run with it, and at this stage, management might've fumbled the chance to get the most out of Braun Strowman's popularity.
Speaking of declining popularity, I wrote detailed reasoning behind it several times so I'm not going to fully discuss it again, but I'm honestly not sure what the logic is for another WM based around "who can defeat Brock Lesnar?" I penned an article over a year and a half ago that explained the diminishing return of the Brock Lesnar experiment, but the former UFC heavyweight champion is still at the top of the card. Keep in mind, the entire Brock run last year was intended to get Reigns over, but it didn't. If that's simply because nothing at that point would've gotten Roman over or if Lesnar was too stale that a win wouldn't have got him over is a moot point. The bottom line is, the investment into Brock is mostly a flop. You can't blame Lesnar for that either, he took the money on the table for a very limited schedule, and continued to use the UFC as leverage to negotiate with WWE.
Perhaps, the sluggish ratings for Raw are because it's difficult to generate viewers for a product when the audience knows the championship, which is promoted as an important accomplishment, isn't a part of the show. The whole "rare appearances make the champion special" became more of a defense for the show that lacked direction than an effective marketing strategy
Aside from the lackluster build up to the Universal title match, it almost transfers over to the men's traditional Royal Rumble match because title match is usually linked with the Rumble since it creates speculation for the matches at Wrestlemania. I'd say Smackdown is a factor, but in truth, SD has more or less been a continuously better show in recent months so there's no reason to shift direction from the AJ/Bryan feud. Plus, with Raw as the flagship show and the program with lower ratings than usual, the Rumble winner will probably be featured on Raw as a way to boost numbers. But, without hype around the champion, there's indirectly not much hype around a potential Rumble winner. Again, this is another result of some on the roster being kept at the mid-card during the Reigns push. Who is really a WM main event talent right now? Rollins is great, but he was stuck in Intercontinental incognito when Brock was ice fishing instead of working pay-per-views. At some point, Rollins could become typecast of "the IC guy"that works just underneath the main event. Again, you can have a stacked roster, but if almost everyone is presented in a 50/50 manner, how many legitimate money-drawing main event stars are there?
This is just my two cents, but I think they should book John Cena to win the Rumble and challenge Brock for the title with the angle for WM being the chase toward setting the record for the most world title wins. Yes, it's a retread, but it gives the WWE something to promote that books a credible main event star at WM and a way for them to distance themselves from the Lesnar experiment. Another potential benefit is that it sets up for a "passing of the torch" when Cena eventually drops the belt. Most importantly, it buys time until Roman Reigns returns and will be one of the most legitimately inspirational stories in sports. Cena/Lesnar for a record-setting championship and Ronda Rousey/Becky Lynch could be important bouts on the card that draws a sell out the stadium at WM, but it will be extremely interesting to see if the Rumble will sell out with the scheduled card.
Obviously, the traditional Royal Rumble matches are the main draw, but with Roman Reigns on the sidelines, and Brock Lesnar more or less in the witness protection program with the title, there isn't anything in particular that's a draw for an anticipated match that could be set up by the Rumble. This past week on Raw, the Universal title match was randomly switched because Braun Strowman, the promoted challenger still isn't medically cleared from an elbow injury that required surgery a few months ago. I wrote about it several times prior to this, but Roman's failed super push came with an opportunity cost. Everyone else on the roster, no matter how over they were with the audience for the past 4-5 years, was booked secondary to the "big dawg" to ensure he was presented as the top star. That was management's agenda and as long as they maintained revenue, which they did, they could book their chosen champion. However, without Roman on the roster, the writing team is forced to sell the concept that some of those that were stuck in the mid-card should suddenly be perceived as main event level stars.
Make no mistake about it, Finn Balor is one of the most talented athletes on the roster, but for the past several months, the perception of his persona on television is a mid-carder that lost matches to Baron Corbin. Now, he's supposed to be considered a legitimate threat to Brock Lesnar's reign as champion? Don't get me wrong, Finn Balor SHOULD be a main event star and undoubtedly has the skills to be successful in that role, but for the general audience, it's about perception and presentation. Has Balor been presented as a potential main event competitor since his return from the shoulder injury a few years ago? How exactly will Lesnar's title defense be built as something important with just two weeks until the event? The whole scenario is so thrown together that the Universal championship match, and thus Finn's spotlight almost become an afterthought. "Balor will lose so who wins the Rumble to challenge Brock at Wrestlemania?" will be the narrative ahead of the pay-per-view.
It's possible that Braun ends up as a later entrant and doesn't have to do much to win the match to set up for WM, but at this point, especially considering the injuries, would Strowman be the right choice to win it? In my opinion, even if Braun will be healthy enough to compete by WM, the demand for him to win the title has already peaked and he isn't nearly as over as he was this time last year. Most of the booking decisions minimized his star power, including the random heel turn before Roman's exit because of illness. The elbow injury halted nearly all of the momentum he had, and the harsh reality is that WWE brass might've missed the boat on Braun Strowman. Again, it can't be understated how important it is for management to capitalize when a competitor's popularity peaks to get the most from a specific storyline. For example, if Vince McMahon decided that Steve Austin didn't defeat Shawn Michaels at WM 14 or that Brock didn't pin The Rock at Summer Slam 2002, the launching point of their major runs wouldn't have been as strong if the plan was delayed six months. Part of the ability to make stars is to know when it let a talent run with it, and at this stage, management might've fumbled the chance to get the most out of Braun Strowman's popularity.
Speaking of declining popularity, I wrote detailed reasoning behind it several times so I'm not going to fully discuss it again, but I'm honestly not sure what the logic is for another WM based around "who can defeat Brock Lesnar?" I penned an article over a year and a half ago that explained the diminishing return of the Brock Lesnar experiment, but the former UFC heavyweight champion is still at the top of the card. Keep in mind, the entire Brock run last year was intended to get Reigns over, but it didn't. If that's simply because nothing at that point would've gotten Roman over or if Lesnar was too stale that a win wouldn't have got him over is a moot point. The bottom line is, the investment into Brock is mostly a flop. You can't blame Lesnar for that either, he took the money on the table for a very limited schedule, and continued to use the UFC as leverage to negotiate with WWE.
Perhaps, the sluggish ratings for Raw are because it's difficult to generate viewers for a product when the audience knows the championship, which is promoted as an important accomplishment, isn't a part of the show. The whole "rare appearances make the champion special" became more of a defense for the show that lacked direction than an effective marketing strategy
Aside from the lackluster build up to the Universal title match, it almost transfers over to the men's traditional Royal Rumble match because title match is usually linked with the Rumble since it creates speculation for the matches at Wrestlemania. I'd say Smackdown is a factor, but in truth, SD has more or less been a continuously better show in recent months so there's no reason to shift direction from the AJ/Bryan feud. Plus, with Raw as the flagship show and the program with lower ratings than usual, the Rumble winner will probably be featured on Raw as a way to boost numbers. But, without hype around the champion, there's indirectly not much hype around a potential Rumble winner. Again, this is another result of some on the roster being kept at the mid-card during the Reigns push. Who is really a WM main event talent right now? Rollins is great, but he was stuck in Intercontinental incognito when Brock was ice fishing instead of working pay-per-views. At some point, Rollins could become typecast of "the IC guy"that works just underneath the main event. Again, you can have a stacked roster, but if almost everyone is presented in a 50/50 manner, how many legitimate money-drawing main event stars are there?
This is just my two cents, but I think they should book John Cena to win the Rumble and challenge Brock for the title with the angle for WM being the chase toward setting the record for the most world title wins. Yes, it's a retread, but it gives the WWE something to promote that books a credible main event star at WM and a way for them to distance themselves from the Lesnar experiment. Another potential benefit is that it sets up for a "passing of the torch" when Cena eventually drops the belt. Most importantly, it buys time until Roman Reigns returns and will be one of the most legitimately inspirational stories in sports. Cena/Lesnar for a record-setting championship and Ronda Rousey/Becky Lynch could be important bouts on the card that draws a sell out the stadium at WM, but it will be extremely interesting to see if the Rumble will sell out with the scheduled card.
Thursday, January 10, 2019
What's next for New Japan?
When the legendary Antonio Inoki sold his share of New Japan Pro Wrestling to Yukes, a division of THQ in 2005, the promotion that he founded over thirty years earlier was on the brink of collapse. The pro wrestling landscape in the country became over saturated, and the rise of Pride MMA saw a decline in the wrestling business in the early 2000s. Inoki's failed MMA experiment that included the clumsy Bob Sapp as IWGP heavyweight champion completely flopped, putting the future of one of Japan's most established companies in serious jeopardy. Prior to THQ's bankruptcy in 2013, New Japan was sold to Bushiroad, the parent company of a trading card game, the previous year.
Bushiroad modernized the NJPW product, and Jado and Gedo as bookers brought some of the best foreign talent in the world to compliment the solid base of native athletes. In many ways, the resurgence of New Japan worked very similar to the way business boosted during other eras in the history of the industry. The pieces of the puzzle had spontaneously and organically fit in place to present shows that sparked business. The Bullet Club was started by Prince Devitt with a group of gaijin as a throwback to the New World Order, which was a spinoff of the New Japan/UWFI angle before that. Within the past five years, Okada, one of the greatest in the history of Japanese pro wrestling, entered the prime of his career at the same time that the company had its most foreign exposure of all time. Tanahashi, who carried the company when its future was in doubt, remained a big match performer despite several injuries. Tremendous athletes like Ricochet, Ospreay, The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and many others offered a stacked roster during the past few years.
At the same time, New Japan formed a working agreement with Ring Of Honor, a move that allowed ROH to provide a boost to their shows and was also a way for NJPW to expand its reach into the North American market. This American partnership provided the foundation for the NJPW World streaming service that became an important part of the Japanese league's global expansion. Bushiroad improved the merchandising of the product and knew the importance of increased distribution. The popularity of the Bullet Club surged to become the most popular stable in the world, and the use of social media made many of the New Japan roster stars to the American market, a rare achievement for sports entertainment without the WWE machine behind it. Names like The Young Bucks, Cody, Kenny Omega, Okada etc. are legitimate money drawing stars, which was proven with the success of the All In event just a few months ago.
In fact, that success was the launching pad for All Elite Wrestling, the promotion owned by the Khan family, but produced by Cody and the Bucks. As I wrote in an article last week, the hype and funding behind AEW has the potential to really change the landscape. All Elite could provide an alternative to the WWE for the first time since WCW closed. However, for AEW to make an impact, there could be several changes within the wrestling business this year and some of those could have a direct effect on New Japan.
Toward the end of this year, the WWE will begin its mega TV deal, contracts that will bring the company a combined $2.4 billion during the next five years. In some ways, the company is completely secure as it will make more money during that time than any other point in history, but to maintain its stock value, there will always be the pressure to deliver ratings. Make no mistake about it, Vince McMahon maintained his sports entertainment empire against Ted Turner, the federal government, and other competition for the entertainment dollar because he always looks for ways to defend his turf. Vince will never casually relinquish any of the market share that WWE dominates in the United States. So, the WWE will undoubtedly sign the talent that they can in an effort to keep AEW or elsewhere from adding depth to the roster.
For example, stellar jr. heavyweight, Kushida announced that he will leave NJPW when his contract expires at the end of the month, an indication that he will sign a WWE deal. As much as some fans don't want to see some New Japan talent make the jump because of how a competitor might be hindered within the system, it actually makes sense for Kushida to ink a WWE contract in 2019. He's already a multiple-time champion and has done basically everything he can done in NJPW, especially considering that it didn't seem like he would be booked to move up to the heavyweight division. Despite the physical Japanese style, Kushida hasn't sustained many injuries, and a WWE run gives him the chance to make the most money in his career. Theoretically, the 35-year old could have a solid run in the WWE and retire early or decide to return to Japan for a fresh run after his time in the United States.
As reported by Tokyo Sports, Kenny Omega, who had an incredible IWGP title match at the Tokyo Dome last week, has said that he will depart New Japan. This further fuels the rumors about where he could end up next, All Elite or WWE? This is also where the situation gets more complex and could have a major effect on the direction of New Japan. According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, NJPW decided to continue its working agreement with ROH, which was expected since the two groups are scheduled to co-promote the Madison Square Garden card in April, but for now, New Japan isn't scheduled to work with AEW. If Kenny Omega signs with WWE then the speculation is moot, but if he signs with AEW, does that close the door on an Omega-Tanahashi rematch at MSG since ROH and All Elite are technically competition? Furthermore, much of the draw of the All In event that provided the basis for AEW used some of the New Japan talent so without the access to New Japan competitors, does that hinder the group's progress to get off the ground?
Assuming that Omega will exit NJPW, that must be considered a major departure for them, as he was arguably the most popularly foreigner on the roster and one of the key athletes of the North American expansion. Again, assuming that the ROH agreement prevents New Japan from working with All Elite, that will also translate to the exit of Cody and The Young Bucks, a trio that played a major role for the Japanese group, both in its native country and America. For Omega, at this point in his career, it makes sense for him to take the best money he can get because he already cemented his legacy with his incredible New Japan run, but he suffered a lot of injuries in the past year so it would be wise for him to cash-in for the most money he can get to provide financial security as well as options for an eventual retirement.
Still, New Japan has ambitious plans for 2019, including the start of the G1 in July at the 20,000 seat American Airlines Arena in Dallas. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see this type of expansion that can make NJPW a truly global product and despite the exits, there's still a stacked roster, but I'm skeptical that the company can sell thousands of tickets in the United States after the departure of some of the key North American talent. As mentioned, the New Japan roster is solid so the organization isn't in danger, but the general pattern for a boom period is roughly five years so will this momentum continue for the Japanese league? As I wrote last week, I think the best scenario would be for each promotion to work together because its possible that the crowded market in the United States could spread the talent too thin and thus prevent any particular company from reaching the level of a true alternative to WWE in the next few years.
Bushiroad modernized the NJPW product, and Jado and Gedo as bookers brought some of the best foreign talent in the world to compliment the solid base of native athletes. In many ways, the resurgence of New Japan worked very similar to the way business boosted during other eras in the history of the industry. The pieces of the puzzle had spontaneously and organically fit in place to present shows that sparked business. The Bullet Club was started by Prince Devitt with a group of gaijin as a throwback to the New World Order, which was a spinoff of the New Japan/UWFI angle before that. Within the past five years, Okada, one of the greatest in the history of Japanese pro wrestling, entered the prime of his career at the same time that the company had its most foreign exposure of all time. Tanahashi, who carried the company when its future was in doubt, remained a big match performer despite several injuries. Tremendous athletes like Ricochet, Ospreay, The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and many others offered a stacked roster during the past few years.
At the same time, New Japan formed a working agreement with Ring Of Honor, a move that allowed ROH to provide a boost to their shows and was also a way for NJPW to expand its reach into the North American market. This American partnership provided the foundation for the NJPW World streaming service that became an important part of the Japanese league's global expansion. Bushiroad improved the merchandising of the product and knew the importance of increased distribution. The popularity of the Bullet Club surged to become the most popular stable in the world, and the use of social media made many of the New Japan roster stars to the American market, a rare achievement for sports entertainment without the WWE machine behind it. Names like The Young Bucks, Cody, Kenny Omega, Okada etc. are legitimate money drawing stars, which was proven with the success of the All In event just a few months ago.
In fact, that success was the launching pad for All Elite Wrestling, the promotion owned by the Khan family, but produced by Cody and the Bucks. As I wrote in an article last week, the hype and funding behind AEW has the potential to really change the landscape. All Elite could provide an alternative to the WWE for the first time since WCW closed. However, for AEW to make an impact, there could be several changes within the wrestling business this year and some of those could have a direct effect on New Japan.
Toward the end of this year, the WWE will begin its mega TV deal, contracts that will bring the company a combined $2.4 billion during the next five years. In some ways, the company is completely secure as it will make more money during that time than any other point in history, but to maintain its stock value, there will always be the pressure to deliver ratings. Make no mistake about it, Vince McMahon maintained his sports entertainment empire against Ted Turner, the federal government, and other competition for the entertainment dollar because he always looks for ways to defend his turf. Vince will never casually relinquish any of the market share that WWE dominates in the United States. So, the WWE will undoubtedly sign the talent that they can in an effort to keep AEW or elsewhere from adding depth to the roster.
For example, stellar jr. heavyweight, Kushida announced that he will leave NJPW when his contract expires at the end of the month, an indication that he will sign a WWE deal. As much as some fans don't want to see some New Japan talent make the jump because of how a competitor might be hindered within the system, it actually makes sense for Kushida to ink a WWE contract in 2019. He's already a multiple-time champion and has done basically everything he can done in NJPW, especially considering that it didn't seem like he would be booked to move up to the heavyweight division. Despite the physical Japanese style, Kushida hasn't sustained many injuries, and a WWE run gives him the chance to make the most money in his career. Theoretically, the 35-year old could have a solid run in the WWE and retire early or decide to return to Japan for a fresh run after his time in the United States.
As reported by Tokyo Sports, Kenny Omega, who had an incredible IWGP title match at the Tokyo Dome last week, has said that he will depart New Japan. This further fuels the rumors about where he could end up next, All Elite or WWE? This is also where the situation gets more complex and could have a major effect on the direction of New Japan. According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, NJPW decided to continue its working agreement with ROH, which was expected since the two groups are scheduled to co-promote the Madison Square Garden card in April, but for now, New Japan isn't scheduled to work with AEW. If Kenny Omega signs with WWE then the speculation is moot, but if he signs with AEW, does that close the door on an Omega-Tanahashi rematch at MSG since ROH and All Elite are technically competition? Furthermore, much of the draw of the All In event that provided the basis for AEW used some of the New Japan talent so without the access to New Japan competitors, does that hinder the group's progress to get off the ground?
Assuming that Omega will exit NJPW, that must be considered a major departure for them, as he was arguably the most popularly foreigner on the roster and one of the key athletes of the North American expansion. Again, assuming that the ROH agreement prevents New Japan from working with All Elite, that will also translate to the exit of Cody and The Young Bucks, a trio that played a major role for the Japanese group, both in its native country and America. For Omega, at this point in his career, it makes sense for him to take the best money he can get because he already cemented his legacy with his incredible New Japan run, but he suffered a lot of injuries in the past year so it would be wise for him to cash-in for the most money he can get to provide financial security as well as options for an eventual retirement.
Still, New Japan has ambitious plans for 2019, including the start of the G1 in July at the 20,000 seat American Airlines Arena in Dallas. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see this type of expansion that can make NJPW a truly global product and despite the exits, there's still a stacked roster, but I'm skeptical that the company can sell thousands of tickets in the United States after the departure of some of the key North American talent. As mentioned, the New Japan roster is solid so the organization isn't in danger, but the general pattern for a boom period is roughly five years so will this momentum continue for the Japanese league? As I wrote last week, I think the best scenario would be for each promotion to work together because its possible that the crowded market in the United States could spread the talent too thin and thus prevent any particular company from reaching the level of a true alternative to WWE in the next few years.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
All Elite Wrestling
As 2019 started, Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks, members of arguably the most popular stable in sports entertainment today, announced plans for All Elite Wrestling. This new company was rumored after the success of the All In event that sold out 10,000 seats in Chicago just a few months ago. While details haven't been revealed yet, a press conference is scheduled for next week, which might include more information about the foundation of the company. Tony Khan, the son of Jacksonville Jaguars' owner, Shaq Khan, will be the president of the All Elite promotion. Since the Khan family purchase of the Jaguars in 2011, Tony Khan has worked extensively with the NFL franchise and also worked with the Fullham FC team that their family purchased in 2013. According to Forbes, the Khan family is worth an estimated $6.3 billion. In recent years, Tony Khan launched TruMedia Networks, a sports-based media organization.
While the popularity and hype of the Elite group might lead some to overestimate the possibilities of this project, even the most cautious view of this scenario allows for the potential for a situation that could change the professional wrestling landscape. Granted, a lot of what this group is capable of will depend on several variables, but for the first time since WCW closed, it appears that there might be a legitimate alternative to WWE if AEW can get off the ground. However, it should be noted that everything is speculation based on potential, as there aren't any results yet to give any indication what the impact of All Elite might be within the sports entertainment market.
As is the case with any product, (and the point that I emphasized about Impact's TV deal in an article last week) distribution is the key to reach the more possible viewers. According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, there are multiple television offers on the table, but nothing is official yet. Considering that they could be more than one offer from cable networks, it's safe to say that AEW will have a TV deal somewhere, but what station could determine a lot about the potential of the organization. As I detailed in the column last week, Impact Wrestling's TV clearance will drop by 40% when they start on the Pursuit Channel this year, and none of the three largest cable systems will carry the channel. If All Elite is going to be a major force within the business, they will need a channel with wide clearance, which might determine the entire business model.
The press conference next week will include details for "Double or Nothing," the follow-up to the All In event. The original pay-per-view in September saw Ring Of Honor offer its production staff for the PPV, and the show featured talent from ROH, New Japan, and Impact. Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks are extremely talented athletes and some of the best of their generation so they are undoubtedly competitors that a promotion can be built around. However, if the success of All In is what led to this launch of All Elite then it must be considered that part of the draw of All In was the fact that it put talent from multiple organizations on the show. That being said, it would be wise if AEW continued the working agreements that were used for All In if that's possible. It's somewhat of a murky situation because Cody and The Bucks finished up with ROH at Final Battle just a few weeks ago, but are still scheduled for this week's Wrestle Kingdom show at the Tokyo Dome so their New Japan status remains unknown. If All Elite runs TV tapings that cover multiple episodes and then produce an occasional live pay-per-view that would theoretically give the trio a schedule that would allow them to continue to work for New Japan. Another aspect would be that type of schedule could give AEW talent the opportunity to work elsewhere as well. Ring Of Honor and New Japan have worked together successful for the past several years and are scheduled to co-promote the G1 Super Card at Madison Square Garden in April.
That ensures the ROH/NJPW working agreement will be in place until at least the MSG event, but will there be a point when New Japan has to choose what promotion to work with? That scenario would become more complicated if Cody and The Bucks remain on the NJPW roster. An American partnership is really what allowed for the North American expansion of the Japanese product over the past few years and it was an important piece of the puzzle for the increased distribution of the product through the TV deal on AXS and the launch of the NJPW World streaming service. Obviously, a United States working agreement is important for New Japan to continue its expansion so it will be interesting to see if they can continue to work with each group.
All things considered, in my opinion, it would make the most sense for All Elite to work with every promotion possible similar to the way the All In event brought different talent to the same card. Plus, the WWE owns 95% of the market in the United States so it doesn't make sense for smaller promotions to attempt to divide pieces of the pie instead of trying to expand accessibility to an alternative.
That being said, All Elite and Ring Of Honor will be focused on the same demographic, which is why the Elite stable played such a major role in the renewed popularity of ROH in recent years. Even with the appreciation that Cody and The Bucks genuinely expressed prior to their ROH exit, it seems like it would be very difficult for the two promotions to trade talent because of the same audience they are attempting to draw with the similar style. At the same time, Kenny Omega is one of the members of The Elite stable in Japan, but as of this writing, his status hasn't been confirmed. It's doubtful the IWGP champion would leave New Japan for an upstart project in America so does he work Japan and All Elite? How would that affect the previously mentioned NJPW/ROH agreement?
As mentioned, I think the best scenario would be that AEW works with other organizations because there's not much of an upside to attempting to divide the audience. At the same time, with as much stellar talent that is around, the wrestling landscape has become crowded in recent years, and some leagues, such as the struggling Impact might be pushed out when more main stream options are available. Names like Pentagon, Sami Callihan, and others could get a bigger platform under the All Elite banner. Chris Jericho and Jim Ross are also names rumored for the project, which would provided some well known figures to the casual fan that might not be aware of The Elite.
More than anything, this project brings the potential to change the landscape of the sports entertainment industry and provide a buzz that hasn't existed since WCW closed. AEW has the funding to really make an impact within the business and the importance of that can't be understated. If a product looks minor league, it will be perceived as minor league, which is something that TNA proved under the Dixie Carter regime. Tony Khan provides the funding and the business resources to present a top level product and the money to sign some of the best talent in the world. How many times has ROH had their top talent leave because the money WWE offered was too good to decline? Now, All Elite has the resources to offer comparative or better money than the WWE, an aspect that could completely change the paradigm of the industry. Granted, an organization being put on the map can't be planned, but the pieces of the puzzle were organically put into place over the past several months so it at least appears that All Elite Wrestling has the best chance to offer a true alternative to the WWE since the wrestling boom of the late 90s.
While the popularity and hype of the Elite group might lead some to overestimate the possibilities of this project, even the most cautious view of this scenario allows for the potential for a situation that could change the professional wrestling landscape. Granted, a lot of what this group is capable of will depend on several variables, but for the first time since WCW closed, it appears that there might be a legitimate alternative to WWE if AEW can get off the ground. However, it should be noted that everything is speculation based on potential, as there aren't any results yet to give any indication what the impact of All Elite might be within the sports entertainment market.
As is the case with any product, (and the point that I emphasized about Impact's TV deal in an article last week) distribution is the key to reach the more possible viewers. According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, there are multiple television offers on the table, but nothing is official yet. Considering that they could be more than one offer from cable networks, it's safe to say that AEW will have a TV deal somewhere, but what station could determine a lot about the potential of the organization. As I detailed in the column last week, Impact Wrestling's TV clearance will drop by 40% when they start on the Pursuit Channel this year, and none of the three largest cable systems will carry the channel. If All Elite is going to be a major force within the business, they will need a channel with wide clearance, which might determine the entire business model.
The press conference next week will include details for "Double or Nothing," the follow-up to the All In event. The original pay-per-view in September saw Ring Of Honor offer its production staff for the PPV, and the show featured talent from ROH, New Japan, and Impact. Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks are extremely talented athletes and some of the best of their generation so they are undoubtedly competitors that a promotion can be built around. However, if the success of All In is what led to this launch of All Elite then it must be considered that part of the draw of All In was the fact that it put talent from multiple organizations on the show. That being said, it would be wise if AEW continued the working agreements that were used for All In if that's possible. It's somewhat of a murky situation because Cody and The Bucks finished up with ROH at Final Battle just a few weeks ago, but are still scheduled for this week's Wrestle Kingdom show at the Tokyo Dome so their New Japan status remains unknown. If All Elite runs TV tapings that cover multiple episodes and then produce an occasional live pay-per-view that would theoretically give the trio a schedule that would allow them to continue to work for New Japan. Another aspect would be that type of schedule could give AEW talent the opportunity to work elsewhere as well. Ring Of Honor and New Japan have worked together successful for the past several years and are scheduled to co-promote the G1 Super Card at Madison Square Garden in April.
That ensures the ROH/NJPW working agreement will be in place until at least the MSG event, but will there be a point when New Japan has to choose what promotion to work with? That scenario would become more complicated if Cody and The Bucks remain on the NJPW roster. An American partnership is really what allowed for the North American expansion of the Japanese product over the past few years and it was an important piece of the puzzle for the increased distribution of the product through the TV deal on AXS and the launch of the NJPW World streaming service. Obviously, a United States working agreement is important for New Japan to continue its expansion so it will be interesting to see if they can continue to work with each group.
All things considered, in my opinion, it would make the most sense for All Elite to work with every promotion possible similar to the way the All In event brought different talent to the same card. Plus, the WWE owns 95% of the market in the United States so it doesn't make sense for smaller promotions to attempt to divide pieces of the pie instead of trying to expand accessibility to an alternative.
That being said, All Elite and Ring Of Honor will be focused on the same demographic, which is why the Elite stable played such a major role in the renewed popularity of ROH in recent years. Even with the appreciation that Cody and The Bucks genuinely expressed prior to their ROH exit, it seems like it would be very difficult for the two promotions to trade talent because of the same audience they are attempting to draw with the similar style. At the same time, Kenny Omega is one of the members of The Elite stable in Japan, but as of this writing, his status hasn't been confirmed. It's doubtful the IWGP champion would leave New Japan for an upstart project in America so does he work Japan and All Elite? How would that affect the previously mentioned NJPW/ROH agreement?
As mentioned, I think the best scenario would be that AEW works with other organizations because there's not much of an upside to attempting to divide the audience. At the same time, with as much stellar talent that is around, the wrestling landscape has become crowded in recent years, and some leagues, such as the struggling Impact might be pushed out when more main stream options are available. Names like Pentagon, Sami Callihan, and others could get a bigger platform under the All Elite banner. Chris Jericho and Jim Ross are also names rumored for the project, which would provided some well known figures to the casual fan that might not be aware of The Elite.
More than anything, this project brings the potential to change the landscape of the sports entertainment industry and provide a buzz that hasn't existed since WCW closed. AEW has the funding to really make an impact within the business and the importance of that can't be understated. If a product looks minor league, it will be perceived as minor league, which is something that TNA proved under the Dixie Carter regime. Tony Khan provides the funding and the business resources to present a top level product and the money to sign some of the best talent in the world. How many times has ROH had their top talent leave because the money WWE offered was too good to decline? Now, All Elite has the resources to offer comparative or better money than the WWE, an aspect that could completely change the paradigm of the industry. Granted, an organization being put on the map can't be planned, but the pieces of the puzzle were organically put into place over the past several months so it at least appears that All Elite Wrestling has the best chance to offer a true alternative to the WWE since the wrestling boom of the late 90s.
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