Alex Shelley vs. Lee Moriarty

Early last year, I penned an article about a rising prospect in the Pittsburgh area, Lee Moriarty, a true student of the game that garnered praise for his potential almost immediately for his natural ability inside the ring ropes. Now a four-year pro, the young grappler that cites Bruce Lee as his inspiration, began to expand his wrestling turf in the past year and a half, working the independent scene in multiple states while still remaining a mainstay in the steel city through Ryse Wrestling, the promotion owned by his trainer, longtime and well-respected Pittsburgh wrestler, Brandon K.

A former rugby player in high school, Lee brings a humble approach and a drive to learn as much as he can about the squared circle so when a chance to learn from an international legend became a reality, he jumped at it. Last September, while scheduled for a loop in the United States, The legendary Ultimo Dragon was booked to appear for Absolute Intense Wrestling, an organization that garnered its reputation through a mixture of wild matches and nostalgia to present a truly unique product for its fans. AIW organizers secured the global star for a special training seminar, an opportunity that Moriarty eagerly pursed with a trip to Cleveland just a few hours from his hometown.

"I was able to convince Dragon to come in a day early and host a special seminar. At that seminar was the first time that I can remember meeting Lee as well as seeing him in a ring for the first time," said John Thorne, AIW promoter.

The 25-year-old Moriarty still dedicates himself to a strict in-ring training regiment when he's not performing at live events or incorporating new exercise routines to sharpen his skills. When he's not learning on the mat or in the gym, Moriarty studies as much film from as many eras and styles of professional wrestling as possible, making full use of the increased availability to footage through modern technology.

"I’ve done a lot of seminars in my short time in wrestling and I’d easily put that one in my top five. Learning from a legitimate legend like Ultimo Dragon is a major highlight. Anyone who knows me, knows that my goal is to make it to Japan. I love the style and the way professional wrestling is portrayed in that country. Being able to learn first hand some of the differences in the American and Japanese approach to wrestling from someone like him was amazing," Lee explained.

The innovator of the Asai moonsault watched as the athletes that attended the seminar completed a variety of in-ring routines, but a particular competitor caught his eye, prompting his recommendation to AIW management.

"At the seminar, Ultimo took me aside and told me he was most impressed with Lee out of the group that was there," Thorne commented.

The praise from such a global star was more than enough approval for Thorne to find a spot on the AIW roster for Lee, who debuted for the mid-west group this past February and remained a regular throughout the year, including an appearance in the J-Lit tournament, one of the premiere events on the independent calendar held in honor of the late JT Lightning, who was instrumental in the foundation of the Ohio circuit. Moriarty considers his time a part of AIW events a very valuable and important aspect of his wrestling career.
  
"Knowing that a lot of contracts were going to be offered throughout 2019, we wanted to look and see what hungry young talents were out there. We have a school that is producing great talent. However, we realize we also need to think outside of the box and include talent from all over. Just like our Ultimo Dragon seminar, Lee had signed up for our new talent initiative as well, he impressed the coaches who were running the new talent camp and they all encouraged me to book Lee on the event later that night, which I did," Throne remarked.

Ironically, as Lee Moriarty emerged onto the mid-west scene through AIW, one of the best wrestlers of the past 15 years saw the group as chance to re-emerge in the sport. Alex Shelley, the technical competitor that worked for Ring Of Honor, Total Nonstop Action, New Japan, and various other leagues, stepped among from the ring last year to finish his degree in physical therapy, a decision that allowed him to diversify his career options. When he decided to return to the ring, AIW was one of the places he wanted the ability to showcase his skills against some of the best young talent on the circuit.

"Honestly, I checked the DM's on the AIW twitter and we had a message from Alex reaching out about coming back and working a few dates for AIW as he began his return to the pro wrestling world. Without hesitation I gave him all the dates we had on the schedule," Thorne explained.

Stylistically, Moriarty and Shelley match-up well, which is why a bout between the two was announced for a very important platform in Absolute Intense Wrestling history, its 200th live event this Saturday at the Tadmor Shrine in Akron, Ohio. For the promotion that started in dingy night clubs and small venues in 2005, this weekend's card is quite a milestone for the company that now has packed houses throughout Ohio and streams live broadcasts of many of its events. In true AIW fashion, Nick Gage is booked to wrestle on the same card that will feature an appearance from WWE Hall of Famer, Ted Dibiase  Still, the Moriarty/Shelley bout remains one of the most anticipated contests for the show, both from fans and Lee himself, who was very surprised when he saw the announcement on social media.

"Man, I honestly thought they were messing with me when I was told that. Alex Shelley is a pioneer in professional wrestling. He’s one of the most creative and versatile wrestlers in the world. The fact that I was chosen to stand across the ring from him at AIWs 200th event is surreal," he explained.

On a card that is stacked with talent like Matt Justice, Eddie Kingston, Erick Stevens, Tre Lamar, and several others, perhaps the match-up between the young lion and the polished pro will steal the show for those in attendance.  

 Lee has overachieved at ever chance I have given him and the hope is he will continue to do that, not only against Alex Shelley, but into 2020 as well, Thorne said.

So, a very intriguing story will unfold inside the ring ropes this weekend when one of the young athletes with the potential to become a major star in his own right squares off against one of the most accomplished veterans in the modern era. It's very possible that in a few years, this bout against Shelley will be considered one of the defining moments of Moriarty's career in the sport.

"The fans can expect to see me the most prepared and focused I’ve ever been in my life. While being in the ring with someone the caliber of Alex Shelley is an accomplishment of itself, I’m completely set on winning. I’m not going to get lost in the moment. The only path I’ll see is the one that has my hand raised after that second bell."

AEW Dynamite

When All Elite Wrestling was announced for the Peterson Events Center, the same venue where the Pitt Panthers host basketball games, I was surprised and thrilled for the chance to see a broadcast on Dynamite live just four weeks into its tenure on TNT. I was surprised by how soon Pittsburgh was on the All Elite schedule, simply because while the steel city is undoubtedly a wrestling town, much of that is linked to the WWWF through the legendary Bruno Sammartino and continues in the modern era with the PPG Paints Arena, the Penguins venue, a regular site for WWE events. I didn't know if an upstart company with just a few months of build up could be a draw in the market, but I hoped the organization could continue to build its momentum from this past month.

I attended the show live this past Wednesday so I wanted to write this article from the live perspective to offer something different than a usual review. At roughly 5:45 PM, I and my wrestling pal, the great Pat MacLaughlin departed from the suburbs of Western Pennsylvania toward the city that decorates its skyline with Heinz Field, PNC Park, and more briges than there are super kicks in a Young Bucks' match. I want to take a second to congratulation MacLaughlin for the recent addition to his family this past July, and it seems like when he had his fourth child, he's probably plotting to form a wrestling family stable. Thankfully, the commute to the venue was mostly uneventful and we somehow avoided traffic and the notorious construction that Penn Dot is known for in the area.

We arrived at the building around 6:45 and noticed lines were formed outside of the doors as fans shuffled through the security and metal detectors. Again, all things considered, this went relatively smooth for what you might expect to be a human traffic jam at the doors. However, when we were inside the building, lines zigzagged everywhere and it looked as though there would be at least a decent draw for the show. Ironically, while we didn't locate a merchandise stand until after the event concluded, long tables racked with a variety of glass bottles served as impromptu liquor lines. More on that later. I decided to go with another plain red bull, which was my choice for ride to the show because I wanted to observes as much action as possible without $12 booze distorting it.

We found our seats in section 107, the lower level of side that was shown from the hard camera, and saw some very interesting characters milling around before bell time. As the first dark match was scheduled to start, the venue was nearly full with only a few blank spots among the opposite side of the venue, aside from the section was that taped off for the production equipment. The introduction of the announce team got a good reaction with the crowd very enthusiastic  for Jim Ross. However, two rows in front of us, a possible intoxicated lady was thrilled for the Tony Schiavone appearance, and cheered frantically for him while yelling, "Excuse me!" to inform random fellow fans that she wanted to see Tony Schiavone. We nicknamed her Fake Vickie Guerrero in honor of the catchphrase from Smackdown a decade ago.

The opening dark match saw Sonny Kiss and Dustin Rhodes team against the combination of Peter Avalon and QT Marshal. The contest was mostly basic, but also very entertaining, as  Dustin can still bring the fire for the hot tag and get the crowd to rally behind him. All things considered, it's remarkable that Dustin can still go at this level at this point in his career. Sonny did well too, but hasn't had much TV exposure yet so it will be interesting to see what angles he might be used for on television. QT Marshal and Avalon were okay in the ring, but there's not really anything that stands out about them so I'm not sure where there place would be on such a stacked roster.

The live broadcast kicked off with Private Party and the Lucha Brothers in the semi-final round of the tag team title tournament. Similar to their bout with The Young Bucks, Private Party had a valuable chance to really showcase their athletic ability here, and while there's some sloppiness to their in-ring work, it's important to note that they've only been wrestling for a few years, but can still keep up with polished professionals. That's not meant as a jab at the team either, but rather an example of All Elite gives the talent a chance to perform and learn from this stage, and hopefully, that experience will allow them to reach their fullest potential as they develop as performers. How often has an already seasoned pro been regulated to NXT for a few years when they already had the ability to work the main roster? In some cases, you can't waste years of a competitor's career when they have the skills to be a bigger asset for the company on a bigger platform, which might've been the case for NXT prior to the move to USA. The Lucha brothers got the victory after a tremendous fast-paced match that had some incredible spots and displays of athleticism. I've said it before and I will say it again, the Lucha Brothers are great and have all the skills to be major stars with this platform.

The second semi-final round match was SCU vs. The Dark Order, which was interrupted by The Inner Circle's arrival to the arena. Ironically, the box they were shown in were two rows up from where we were sitting so it was cool to see them enter the building. The actual match was okay, but similar to previous contests, The Dark Order just doesn't connect with the audience. Chants aside, the Dark Order gimmick hasn't been fully explained and the quality of the tag matches on television could easily get Uno and Stu Grayson lost in the shuffle. Don't get me wrong, the former Super Smash Brothers had a cult following a decade ago, but were off the radar for the past several years because of visa issues before their deal with AEW so a lot of the momentum they had on the  independent scene in the United States is mostly forgotten or unknown to a majority of the fan base. Perhaps an explanation about who Evil Uno is or the purpose of the random masked group with them would allow for a better presentation. Either way, a month into the TV schedule and the argument could be made that The Dark Order are least over team on the roster. That being said, this contest was put in a tough place on the card because it followed the high spots of arguably the best match on the show and had most of the crowd distracted with the arrival of Jericho's stable. SCU got the win to challenge The Lucha Brothers in the finals next week, which is the right decision. A comical side note during this match, the possibly intoxicated Schiavone fan began yelling up to Sammy Guevara, who was throwing popcorn around their box for the camera during the broadcast. She requested that Sammy throw popcorn at her. I'm not sure if she just wanted any type of interaction with stardom or if she simply tried to get some free concessions.

The Kenny Omega/Joey Janela match was solid, and while he made his reputation through a series of ridiculous bumps and dangerous stunts, this bout was an example that Janela can go bell-to-bell too. Some have suggested that perhaps some of the shine has wore off Omega since his transition to All Elite from New Japan, but that simply isn't the situation. This match was another example of just how good Omega is inside the squared circle. He has a presence that exudes a big fight atmosphere, and he will unquestionably be a key piece of the puzzle for the AEW expansion in the future. It's important to note that Omega didn't lose a step in America, it's a matter of building a promotion in the United States on national television is a process so just because Omega isn't having 45-minute epic matches on every AEW event, it's not a misstep, but rather a different structure than New Japan.

The Jericho/Cody confrontation that followed was fun because the action was near us before each group spilled into the main section of the venue. The Diamond Dallas Page cameo was a nice surprise and it's an element that could be used to promote that "anything can happen" on an All Elite broadcast, which is an aspect that is rarely associated with the carefully scripted WWE programming.

The Young Bucks vs. Best Friends was a very entertaining bout, but I must point out that there's a pattern among All Elite tag team matches that they aren't really tag matches, as all four competitors are usually involved for a major portion of the match. Don't get me wrong, the action is great, but that formula of free-for-all action might become stale if it continues on a weekly basis. From there, the hometown competitor, Brit Baker was challenged by Jamie Hayter for a bout that made sense because it allowed for a nice moment for her with the crowd. I have to be honest, I never heard of Hayter before and while it looked like she could be a solid heel, it's another aspect of a new organization that these athletes must be introduced in some fashion prior to their appearances on television, mostly because otherwise it could be a flat segment on the show. Baker definitely has potential, which was probably the main reason she was offered a contract, but her inexperience still shows through during matches. That said, as I mentioned earlier, it's probably a better option to allow her to develop as a performer working with some of the polished talent like Riho than it would be for her to be stuck on the NXT house show circuit for years.

The Pac vs. John Moxley main event was great and it proved that a quality main event is more than just the final match on a show. Some complained about the finish as a draw, but I disagree with that because the booking benefited both athletes and the product. First of all, it keeps Pac and Moxley strong ahead of the Full Gear pay-per-view. It also creates a sense of realism because how many years has a match conveniently ended right before the show just happened to be scheduled to go off the air? At least if the possibility of a TV time limit is established then the conclusion of the TV shows aren't necessarily as predictable. Plus, the most important thing is that the crowd got to see a solid main event level match before the draw.

The other dark matches took place after the live broadcast with Emi Sakura vs. Penelope Ford vs. Sadie Gibbs vs. Allie in a women's four way match. This was a very sloppy match that went way too long and was really the only subpar bout on the card. In terms of consistent quality, the women's division might be the only advantage that WWE currently has over AEW. A side note, a rather intoxicated lady named Amber that sat next to us and was surprised at the cost of each $10 beer she purchased throughout the evening took this extended women's contest to attempt to tell me that "divas" shouldn't wrestle. Despite the fact that I continued to watch the match and didn't respond to her theories about sports entertainment, the reasoning her for claims continued for nearly 45 minutes. The last dark match was Jimmy Havoc vs. Darby Allin vs. Jack Evans in a falls count anywhere match. This was the wild brawl you would expect and there were some insane spots. It was a very entertaining conclusion to the night, but I have to say this again, Darby and Havoc must choose these spots wisely because these risks might take years off of their career.

Overall, AEW Dynamite live was a great show and it was worth the price of admission, something that can't always be said about some WWE events. The Peterson Events Center was a good venue for AEW because it gives the show a major league look without being too many seats to draw a full house. If the organization can draw consistently in new markets on the road remains to be seen, but the exposure of TNT is a very valuable tool, and the meet and greet set up for next week's show is a good way to get the live crowd to sample the product. Most importantly, as far as the live experience, AEW presented a show that made the audience want to attend again, which is probably the key to building a fan base for the product.

Braun Strowman vs. Tyson Fury

Last week, at a press conference in Las Vegas, the WWE announced two mega match-ups with Brock Lesnar set to defend his championship against former foe Cain Velasquez, while Braun Strowman will square off against current boxing heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia for the Crown Jewel pay-per-view at the end of this month.

Usually, sports stars that make in-ring cameos are reserved for Wrestlemania, the biggest show on the WWE calendar, but the propaganda campaign that the Saudi government pays for is more profitable so with roughly a month of build up, these bouts will be presented on a Thursday afternoon when much of the domestic audience won't be able to watch it live for what is basically a glorified house show. As trivial as this might sound, I must note that these type of big matches being used for the overseas events instead of the United States, where the majority of WWE shows are held could be a major misstep, simply because the time slot doesn't allow for the most exposure to the biggest markets. Would Mr. T's appearances in the 80s have been as effective if his in-ring bouts aired on a Thursday afternoon? In some respects, it seems like management is cashing in now instead of using this celebrity association to propel the product in the future.

Still, one of the current heavyweight champions in boxing signed for a WWE match is a story and opens the door for some intriguing scenarios if this bout goes well. I penned an article about the upside of Cain Velasquez's involvement last week, but the Fury equation is a very different situation. First, Cain and Brock have a history to build up that sets up for a natural rematch between the two so the angle was already in place before Velasquez showed up, which allows for a much easier path to get to the match. Arguably the more important aspect is, Cain is well-known for his time as UFC heavyweight champion, despite the injuries that derailed much of the momentum he generated throughout his UFC career. Also, Cain began training for professional wrestling early last year and did well in a pair of recent matches for AAA in Mexico.

On the flip side, Tyson Fury has none of that going for him ahead of this contest with Strowman. A fan since his youth, Fury's eccentric and charismatic persona suggest that he would fit very well with the world of sports entertainment, but there are a few hurdles to clear for Crown Jewel. Undefeated in 30 fights, Fury has 29 victories and just one draw, a razor-close bout against fellow champion Deontay Wilder last December, on his boxing record. The British heavyweight made his name when he defeated the legendary Wladimir Klitschko for a collection of belts via unanimous decision in 2015. It was the first blemish on Klitschko's record in nearly a decade as he reigned as the most dominate heavyweight in the sport for much of the previous ten years.

The victory should've marked the beginning of a run for Tyson, but months after he claimed the title, a Klitschko rematch was cancelled when Fury tested positive for cocaine. Subsequently, he vacated the belt and his future in the sport was in doubt. Along with the drug test, erratic behavior had many concerned for his safety as well. Tyson took nearly three years away from the ring to seek professional help for mental health issues and drug problems.

Remarkably, Tyson reemerged inside the ropes clean and in better shape with a win in June of last year. He followed that up with another win a few months later before the previously mentioned draw against Wilder late last year. In 2019, he has two victories, including a bout last month that saw him suffer a nasty cut near his eye, a laceration that many thought would cause the fight to be stopped, but Fury pushed forward to get the unanimous decision. Despite the cynical nature of boxing negotiations, the anticipated rematch with Wilder is expected to be inked for early next year.

That entire situation is one of the problems for WWE, Tyson Fury simply isn't a well-known commodity in the United States because of his extended hiatus from the sport after the title win and his limited exposure in America. Secondly, other than Braun's "get these hands" catchphrase, there's really no logic behind an angle with Fury. Perhaps, the biggest problem is that Tyson has no experience at all in sports entertainment, and his punches that missed by more than a mile during the recent confrontation on Raw are proof of it. Granted, it's understandable that Fury wanted to be cautious as to not injury the security, but it might be an indication that the match at Crown Jewel could be a train wreck.

At a time when the company is trying to refresh its presentation, is it a wise move to book this match when it will probably garner coverage from other media outlets? If the contest is a total botch, is the potential negative press from it going to help the image of the product? Furthermore, is it really that important to book sports celebrities for the Saudi government?

Don't get me wrong, I hope Tyson Fury does well in the squared circle, and in many respects, he is a tremendous success story, but this particular performance has too many red flags that could led to a disaster if the match is too sloppy. Keep in mind, Fury is not only still a regular competitor in boxing, he also has a mega payday ahead of him for the Wilder rematch. Obviously, he will make millions for this Saudi contest, but he's still risking legitimate money if he gets injured against Braun Strowman. Hopefully, he can get the chance to practice the sequences of the match prior to the pay-per-view, but with just a week until the show, how much can he realistically train for pro wrestling?

Reportedly, Fury will make an estimated $15 million for the Saudi match, but the return bout against Wilder will earn him even more than that so it's a tough situation when he and Braun have to at least have something that can be considered a match, but not anything that might jeopardize the boxing payday. All things considered, much like this entire pay-per-view, this match-up is more about what the Saudi government wants than anything that will have an effect on WWE. The deal that brings the heavyweight champion to the country is basically because there's an initiative to get more boxing there, as another heavyweight title bout with Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua will take place in Saudi Arabia in December. As much as Fury's involvement could be used to push Braun, make no mistake about it, Tyson Fury's angle is nowhere near the same level as Mike Tyson's storyline two decades ago.

Depending on how this contest goes, it's very possible that Fury's persona would translate well to the squared circle for more than a one-off match after he retires from boxing, but at just 31, he will probably continue to pursue his original sport for at least a few more years. In truth, it appears that WWE brass more or less shoehorned Tyson Fury into the pay-per-view to maintain status quo of the mega paydays from these stadium shows. As mentioned, there's no direct angle or history for Fury in WWE, and there's no logical reason to risk the millions of dollars on the table for the Wilder rematch other than the major Saudi money for this event.

Chris Jericho vs. Darby Allin

When the formation of All Elite Wrestling was announced and later its television deal with a weekly show on TNT, one of the major pieces of the puzzle was the ability to introduce a mostly new roster to a national audience.

This past Wednesday, the wrestling world and TV audience were truly introduced to Darby Allin.

Just a four-year pro, the grappler that took his name from the eccentric late front man of the Murder Junkies, GG Allin, worked a title match against Chris Jericho in the main event of TNT this week. A skateboarder before he began his journey in the squared circle, Darby carved his on niche through a very risky style on the independent scene. Prior to his signing with All Elite, he garnered a following through his work in Evolve, PWG, and various other groups.

A native of Seattle, Darby was reportedly homeless before his pursuit of professional wrestling and his background might be just as intriguing as his in-ring persona. Aside from a fearless approach to his craft, the 26-year-old athlete also has a mystic around him that fans could be drawn to as he progresses in AEW. The face paint gives him an aura that makes the audience want to know more about him, which goes along with an almost quiet charisma he brings to the ring. Perhaps, the most important aspect that Allin brings to the table is that he doesn't look like he's trying to play of role of mysterious wrestler, but rather being himself. That authenticity is one of the keys that can make a star.

The result of the title bout against Chris Jericho was predictable, but that doesn't mean it wasn't worthwhile. Darby got over more with a loss than he would've with some type of fluke win, which wouldn't have made sense anyway because Jericho's involvement in the title match is used to help establish the AEW brand in its early stages on television.

Despite the insane bumps, Darby Allin isn't some stunt performer, he can undoubtedly go bell-to-bell and has the ability to work a compelling match in the ring. In fact, the drama that unfolded in the bout against Jericho was a prime example of Darby's ability as a performer. Allin made an impression on the viewing audience last week when he sailed down the ramp on a skateboard and hurdled himself at Jericho. He followed that up with a gutsy contest and worked up to the level of a main event talent, even if some of his inexperience showed through. When Darby found his arms taped behind his back, it immediately created the narrative of the young challenger as the underdog with him appearing to be defenseless against the legendary champion.

The storytelling here was really tremendous and it allowed for a narrative that ultimately benefited both athletes. It put the baby face in jeopardy and gave Darby a chance to show heart as he continued to compete either though the odds were against him. This allowed the audience to rally for Darby and also put over his persona as "willing to risk it all" in the ring. He deserves a lot of credit for the almost unbelievable spots  where he generated offense while still taped, including launching himself through the ropes at Jericho. These sequences again put over his risky character and the heart he brings to the competition. The crowd appreciates his efforts and wants to see him succeed so the results of this story will be useful beyond just this particular match.

Ironically, the risks that Darby took might get him noticed, but his character and selling are what will get him over with the audience.

Outside of a storyline, you have to appreciate Darby's ability and his efforts for the entertainment of the fans. In some ways, the way that the fans rally behind Allin is similar to Cactus Jack's connection with the audience because you can see the passion and dedication he brings to the table. On the flip side, at some point, Allin must start to choose what risks he takes wisely to preserve his career because as mentioned earlier, he has a lot more to offer from a character perspective than just bumps.

The structure of the bout is also a credit to Chris Jericho and how smart he is as a performer. I've said it before and I will say it again, with the addition of this AEW chapter to his career, Jericho is putting himself in a league of his own in terms of longevity and the ability to remain relevant throughout different eras. Make no mistake about it, the 48-year-old legend could've re-signed with WWE, earned a good contract, and coasted on his accomplishments a few more years until he decided to retire.

Even the finish of the match was set up to maximize the narrative that put Darby over as a worthy competitor and got heat for Jericho. The champion obviously had the advantage with the defenseless opponent, but it still took Jake Hager's interference for Jericho to beat Allin. Let's be honest here, with everything that Jericho has done in his career, he doesn't need to "look strong" and squash Darby, and it didn't make him look weak to sell for an opponent that was taped up because Jericho has reached a level in his career where he will be just as over regardless of the results of a match. While I'm sure Jericho is getting a great paycheck to work for All Elite Wrestling, it speaks volumes to how smart he is that he's using his role as champion to create hype for the company while working with the younger talent to get them featured on TV.

If All Elite Wrestling gets off the ground on a long term basis remains to be seen because there's only three episodes of television, and where they are in a year from now will give a more accurate view of the situation, but for now, it looks like they've made many of the right decisions for the presentation of the product. Obviously, nothing is perfect and to establish a national promotion that tours for TV weekly is a process, but AEW has undoubtedly been able to refresh the industry.

Eric Bischoff released

Just over three months after Eric Bischoff was announced as the Executive Director for Smackdown, he was fired earlier this week, replacing him with longtime producer, Bruce Prichard. The move was somewhat surprising, considering that Bischoff was reportedly signed for the role to primarily work with Fox executives when the blue brand moved to that network, but just two weeks into the SD run on Fox, he was released from the company. F4W's Bryan Alvarez reported that Bischoff relocated to Stanford for this position so that would imply that the decision to fire him was probably more sudden than anything. Either way, Bischoff's rather brief stint as the a WWE executive might be an indication about the status of the company behind-the-scenes.

Similar to many, I was very surprised when the former president of WCW was announced for a management role in WWE, not because of any lack of knowledge, but rather that Bischoff had been away from the booking aspect of wrestling for several years at that point. More specifically, the last time he had anything to do with the decision-making process of a sports entertainment organization, it was the disastrous TNA run. Granted, that was more because Dixie Carter was useless than anything, but the point being, Bischoff's major success as an executive of a pro wrestling company was over twenty years ago so most were skeptical about what he could bring to the table in 2019.

This is just my two cents on the situation, but I'd guess there's probably two explanations for this abrupt exit just two weeks after the Fox debut.

It's possible that the very public announcement of Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff as executive directors for the TV shows was just lip service to Fox and the shareholders, the group that management truly serves with its decisions. Bischoff's name is known in the television industry, both for his accomplishments with Nitro and a series of reality shows nearly a decade ago. So, for the Fox suits that follow the numbers of WWE stock and revenue that only know the name Bischoff for the Nitro ratings in the boom period, perhaps his association was seen as an upside from a corporate perspective.

The job Bischoff actually did while he was under contract the past few months remains somewhat of a mystery, as Smackdown didn't necessarily have any major shifts in the direction of the show after he was signed, and truthfully, the brand as a whole was more or less on auto pilot prior to the move to Fox because much of the new material was saved for the network debut. Bryan Alvarez reported that his sources backstage were unsure of what Bischoff's actual role was since Bruce Prichard was considered the lead producer even after the addition of the executive director role for Smackdown. That being said, those reports must be taken with a grain of salt because none of that information was reported by anyone that was directly involved in the meetings. It appears that only Bischoff and those he worked with could really explain the role he had in the past few months.

Considering that Bischoff relocated for this job, and had filed for bankruptcy last year after his production company shut down, it's doubtful that he would sabotage his chance to work for the WWE again. The marketing machine was in full force for Smackdown's premiere on Fox at the start of the month, including The Rock's return to the company to celebrate twenty years of the brand. Obviously, his appearance along with the WWE title match that saw Brock wrestle on television for the first time since his return to the company boosted numbers, generating nearly four million viewers for Fox. Without all the guest stars, last week's episode saw a drop of a million viewers. Maybe Bischoff was going to be the one to take the blame for the decrease in numbers so that WWE brass had an excuse for the ratings drop? But, a decrease from such a stacked show would've been expected so it's questionable that a one week slip in numbers would lead to a release.

The other possibility for the switch to Prichard as the executive director might be an indication that management is scrambling for a way to maintain numbers on Friday nights. Keep in mind, the stock price can be based on revenue and sponsorships, but also other numbers associated with the company. A slip in ratings isn't the best optics for an organization that claims it wants to continue to expand distribution. While the mega TV deal secures the group for its five-year duration, the flip side of that is that management is now subject to the pressure of that contract. Don't get me wrong, Smackdown isn't going to get cancelled, but Fox definitely paid the $1 billion in rights fees with the expectation of getting a return on that investment through ad revenue.

Along with that, this record-setting contract was supposed to solidify Vince McMahon's sports entertainment empire as the undisputed leader of the industry, but not only has All Elite Wrestling made waves in the sport, it also won the ratings battle on Wednesday nights. Does that mean AEW could garner better ratings than Raw? No, but it does put another national product on the table for viewers. Despite the level, there's a form of competition that is currently getting the better of one of Vince's brands right now, which takes away from the narrative that WWE is the sports entertainment company in the United States.

So, what does this firing really say about Eric Bischoff?

All things considered, it doesn't really say anything about Bischoff as either a business man or an executive. If he was just the sacrificial lamb from a one week ratings drop then the conclusion of his run was written before he inked the deal as an executive director. If it happens to be WWE scrambling because of the lackluster reaction to its current product or the buzz that AEW received recently then there wasn't much he could've done to avoid getting fired anyway. While such a short time in the role is a little bizarre, it was so brief that not much can really be taken from it. Much of Bischoff's legacy within pro wrestling will still be that he was the only promoter in the history of the industry that actually had Vince McMahon on the ropes for any major amount of portion of an era. Even the federal government couldn't square off against Vince the way that Bischoff did. In many respects, Bischoff's legacy will rightfully be Monday Nitro, and to a lesser extent his on-screen role as the General Manager of Raw in the early 2000s. A three-month tenure in the offices isn't going to tarnish that. Still, it's certainly intriguing to see management announcement such key changes in a relatively short amount of time after they finally have some competition in the industry.

What's the status of sports entertainment?

As is often the case in the age of social media, there was a recent debate about the status of the professional wrestling industry in 2019. With the modern era of WWE in-depth documentaries, more availability to shoot interview clips through Youtube, and the general presentation of the genre, what is the perception of the sports entertainment business?

Some within the industry have called it "performance art" with the ideology that competitors should fully disclose that they play characters on a television show and not attempt to maintain angles outside of its on-screen production as a way to acknowledge that the status of the "competition" during an event is already explained through the previously mentioned media of documentaries etc.

Still, others claim that some type of believably must to maintained for events to remain a draw to the audience. First, I have to say that I don't take it as some type of personal insult if someone wants to call wrestling performance art, and it's silly that anyone would take the time to complain about such a thing. What someone else calls the industry has no effect on me, and everyone can have their own view on the squared circle. At the same time, there are obviously philosophical differences on each side and those philosophies can have a different impact on the progression of a product. I find myself somewhere in the middle of this debate, and that's not to avoid the subject, as I plan to discuss each side of this topic in this article.

Perhaps, the heated debate stems from that fact the "performance art" interpretation of professional wrestling is quite literally the opposite of what the foundation was to draw money in the sport in its early years. Action-packed bouts thrilled the audience when they were in the seats, but the belief in a hero or hatred for a villain is what brought them to the box office in the first place. That emotional investment regardless of what aspect of the product is still what ultimately draws money. For example, much of the core of the All Elite Wrestling fan base are diehard viewers of the genre so they know most of the insider terms used within the industry. Still, they made an emotional investment into the product, if not for a specific "hated" villain, but rather for what AEW represents for the business as a whole. An on-screen character might not get legitimate heat, but in some ways that audience pledges their support to an alternative because WWE gets the real-life heat in that situation. Plus, the best characters are good enough to make even that audience questions where the line between reality and entertainment is during the show. For example, MJF is considered by many to be a major star in the future because of his in-ring skill and his brash persona. MJF doesn't claim to be a "performance artist" or break character on social media, which allows for the audience to question just how much of MJF's character is based on reality? The real-life wrestler might be one of the politest people you could meet, but does the audience really need to know that? More specifically, isn't the entire point of the pro wrestling presentation to have heels that are good enough to seem like real-life villains?

Keep in mind, no matter how many Hollywood writers Vince McMahon hires to script the countless hours of his television shows, wrestlers aren't actors. From a character prospective, the basis for what a professional wrestling is doesn't allow for them to performer in the same way as actors, simply because the persona of a sports entertainer is a continuous character. Robert De Niro's legendary portrayal of troubled middleweight Jake LaMotta was an in-depth look into his turbulent life. However, the span of that character was merely two hours on-screen and concluded there. When De Niro became Jimmy Conway, based on the real-life mobster a decade later in Goodfellas, it was a completely different character. How a professional wrestler is presented this year can affect how they are perceived by the audience in the future because they are the same character on-screen. Granted, WWE can repackage performers, but management's goal is to get an athlete over to draw money on a long term basis.

Over the past five years, the industry has given fans a view behind the curtain more than any other time before with several WWE Network specials, and it might not be a coincidence that the viewing audience has consistently declined during that span. Professional wrestling is undoubtedly an art form of a performance, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's performance art.

The late great legendary comedian, Andy Kaufman was known for his acting roles, but his legacy is often linked to his efforts as a performance artist, as he made the audience question and interpret what they were watching when he was on stage. Was Tony Clifton simply his attempt to parody a washed up lounge singer or was the goal to make the audience believe Clifton actually existed? That's where there's a drastic difference in the narrative of performance art or sports entertainment. Kaufman himself is an example of this, as his stints in the squared circle weren't meant to make the crowd question his intentions, but rather a direct narrative to designed to get heat. Kaufman made sure he made it clearly through his promos as a villainous figure that he looked down upon Memphis fans. A performance art piece is basically there for individual interpretation, but through professional wrestling, the narrative is specifically designed to invoke a certain response from the audience. That reaction is geared toward the goal of selling tickets or pay-per-views.

Quite simply, would anyone consider Terry Funk a performance artist? Doubtful because Funk made people believe that he was the wild man that they saw on the screen. He wasn't trying to "perform" he was being Terry Funk and that ability is why the fans have made such an emotional investment in him as one of the most beloved figures in the history of the sport. Fans and peers respect everything that Funk brought to the ring because his effort shined through and you knew you would get 100% from the legend each time he laced up the boots. It might be a simpler example, but Stone Cold got over because he was the gritty Texan that fans saw on Raw during the 90s, he didn't have to "act" like someone else to accomplish the goal.

As can happen with most things in modern society, it appears that some have jumped on the performance art bandwagon to attempt to be trendy or appear more evolved than others in the industry. At the same time, if a heel stops to sign an autograph before or after an event, it's not some devastating disservice to the industry. Still, there's a disconnect when a performer doesn't seem to be a heel behind-the-scenes and then they are supposed to get heat on the show. Again, even today, the most successful or most over performers are those that have credibility about what they portray to the audience. Brock Lesnar gets the reaction that he does because from what the fans can see of him, he really is only there for the money. If Kane had a Twitter account in 1997, would he have really gotten over as a monster with the memorable run he had during that era?

Yes, I understand that it's a modern age, but sometimes more money can be made without using social media because that limited exposure maintains the mystic of a performer. That mystic can be intriguing and ultimately one of the reasons a competitor can be a draw. Another question is, are the lack of money-drawing stars in the modern era based on too much real-life exposure through social media or documentaries?

The answer to that question will continue to be a debate, but it's certainly something to consider as the sport starts another chapter in the history books. As mentioned, performance art isn't directly meant for an emotional response so in some ways, it's interchangeable with other forms of entertainment, which is actually one of the problems of the current wrestling landscape. The organic and spontaneous emotional investment is what draws money because the audience identifies with a character. If someone is just looking for entertainment, they have unlimited options, but the emotional investment is what makes something must-watch for a viewer. The fans just had to order a pay-per-view instead of going to the movies because they identified with Steve Austin in his battle with Vince McMahon. Regardless of how someone classifies professional wrestling, it's important to remember that from a business perspective, the ability to draw money is the basis for success in the industry.

The Chris Jericho stable

After All Elite Wrestling's historic debut on TNT last week, they followed it up with an event from Boston this past Wednesday. AEW scored a victory in the ratings in the previous week, drawing better numbers than WWE's NXT counter programming. However, it's much easier to book a specific top notch event than it is to book a continuous product that builds on a weekly basis so how did the project progress this week?

The show opened with a bout in the tag team title tournament with The Young Bucks vs. Private Party. The nearly 20-minute contest was a thrilling aerial bout that showcased both teams well. The surprising finish saw Private Party get the victory, eliminating Matt and Nick Jackson from the tournament. While it is understandable that The Bucks were considered favorites to win the first tag championships, I actually agree with the decision to put over their opponents in this scenario. The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer claimed that this was the wrong call because The Young Bucks still need to be made stars to the national audience, but I completely disagree with this notion for a few key reasons. Most importantly, The Young Bucks are already stars and the fact that the Dynamite show could draw the ratings that it did was proof of it. Yes, I understand that part of the goal for Tony Khan and the rest of management is to make new fans, but let's keep in mind that The Bucks making themselves stars prior to this through social media was part of the foundation that made the concept of All Elite Wrestling possible. One of the reasons that All Elite Wrestling as an upstart company has been able to sell tickets for a touring schedule is that there's already a core group on the roster that have star power. Obviously, Matt and Nick aren't as well known as someone like Jericho, but the fact remains, The Young Bucks are already a known commodity so I don't think they need to be made on television.

Another major point to be made is that the Bucks had a thrilling match that  can get over with the viewing audience, and they look like stars from the presentation on TNT, especially from the crowd reaction. On the flip side, Private Party is more or less an unknown act that does need some type of credibility to be established to be considered a worthwhile team on a national level. I had vaguely heard of them because of their association with House of Glory, but they weren't a well-traveled team on the independent scene prior to this so even diehard fans might not know much about them. They needed to be featured and made to look important, which they were in this match. Otherwise they could've been viewed as a ripoff of the Street Profits, a duo that has more exposure on Raw. Aside from this contest, I'm not sure how much the winning team brings to the table at this point. That's not to take anything away from them, as they are both great athletes, but they are still relatively new to the sport in terms of national TV so it remains to be seen how they translate to that platform on a regular basis. Still, this match made Private Party more than just a team on the roster and gave them a chance to get themselves over as their run in the tournament continues on TNT.

The Chris Jericho promo that followed was just tremendous work and one of the many reasons that he remains such an important part of the industry after a 30-year career. The mic work introduced the name of the stable, the Inner Circle and thus solidified the faction as more than just a random group. Jericho being as smart as he is used the bulk of his mic time to put over his stable mates and thus put himself over as the leader. Sammy Guevara is known among wrestling fans for some of his work in Mexico for AAA, but is still a new athlete to the national stage so his association with Jericho is a wise and important decision because it immediately puts a spotlight on him. It appears that Guevara has the skills to get over as well and will make the most of this opportunity. Sammy has the presence of a heel and his appearance with the expressions exudes arrogance. Plus, he can go bell-to-bell so it makes sense for Jericho to put some sizzle on the substance that Guevara brings to the ring. Further proof of how important the association with a known star is was the main event of the show where Sammy and Jericho were a tag team because by nature of his star power there will be more viewers on Jericho, and in this scenario, more viewers for Jericho gets more exposure for Guevara.

As Jericho continued, he mentioned the reasons he recruited Santana and Ortiz, the team that was known as LAX during their run in Impact Wrestling. More than the content of the promo, it's great to see the pair get this chance on such a major stage because they have the skills and deserve it for all of their hard work up to this point. Remember, when Dixie Carter's TNA was on the brink of collapse before it was rescued by Anthem Sports, there was much uncertainty about where that particular organization would go, but LAX was a bright spot during the rocky time for the promotion. Despite the progress Impact Wrestling has made under the direction of Scott D'Amore and Don Callis, LAX are in the prime of their careers and deserve a bigger spot than Anthem Sports can offer right now. Plus, Santana and Ortiz always deliver quality performances, which is an extremely important asset for any company so you can expect to see stellar work from them under the All Elite banner.

The promo also reintroduced Jake Hager, the former Jake Swagger, to the audience. Again showing his brilliance, Jericho shutdown "we the people" chants and that gives Hager more of a chance to use this opportunity at a fresh start in AEW. As I mentioned in an article last week, I don't know how much Hager brings to the table at this point, but if nothing else, this stable gives him a new coat of paint so to speak. It's also possible that Hager's role could be more of a body guard for Jericho than a full-time wrestler, which would be fine. Perhaps, the most interesting aspect of this whole situation is that AEW has made him look more important in two weeks than he did for most of his WWE run.

The women's tag match was a little clunky and didn't necessarily do anything to establish a new challenger for Riho's title, but it might've been just a way to give the others in the match some air time as a way to establish them as members of the roster. That was followed by Darby Allin vs. Jimmy Havoc in a number one contender match. One of the few criticisms I will offer for this show is there wasn't really any logic or reasoning as to why Allin or Havoc were scheduled for a potential shot at the championship. Obviously, the booking reason is to set up a title defense on television, which makes sense, but it's not as though Allin or Havoc have a winning streak to justify the number one contendership. The decent contest saw Allin get the win to schedule him vs. Jericho for the belt next week. Depending on the championship match, this could allow Allin to get over if he shines against Jericho, even if the result is obvious with Jericho retaining the belt.

The Jon Moxley/Shawn Spears match-up was solid, which is valuable for both competitors. Similar to Hager, Spears, the former Tye Dillinger, has a chance for a renewed career on the All Elite roster. While there's more to be done to get Shawn Spears' new persona over with the crowd, the use of Tully Blanchard as his manager helps and has worked well so far with the limited sample size to observe. The Moxley/Kenny Omega confrontation that was interrupted by Pac was somewhat awkward and seemed to muddy the waters as far as the direction anyone involved is going after this. Moxley/Omega is scheduled for the Full Gear pay-per-view next month so it would seem that would be the feud to focus on until that show, but it appeared that Pac will somehow get shoehorned into this angle unless he has another match for the event.

The action-packed main event and the post-match brawl were overbooked, but sometimes that can be an effective way to present the "anything can happen" aspect of a live show. Similar to Jericho and Sammy, the team of Adam Page and Dustin Rhodes helps give Page some added credibility for his bright future in AEW. It should be noted that the Judas Effect was used for the finish and it's very smart to continue to protect it as an established finisher. While this episode wasn't perfect and every broadcast can't conclude with a series of run-ins this was a very useful episode for the progress that AEW made for the company.

The HIAC pay-per-view

Last month, I penned an article and explained that the rumored match of Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt at the HIAC pay-per-view could be WWE management booking themselves into a corner. I explained that I thought it was too early to thrust "The Fiend" into a title match, simply because he only had one actual match since his return, and the writing team would have to figure out how to book him on a weekly basis while maintaining the mystic that renewed Wyatt's career. Unfortunately, the bout was eventually booked and it will probably be known as the night that WWE jumped the shark.

In many ways, considering the reaction that The Fiend was getting ahead of the contest, it was either he won the title and WWE brass figures out how to book that persona as champion or it would be somewhat of a letdown. As we saw, the booking of the match was a total letdown and arguably damaged the status of both performers as a result.

The portrayal of Seth Rollins this year, specifically his promos for the Brock Lesnar feud presented him as a whiny baby face instead of a fighting challenger. That along with his social media missteps, including his jabs at New Japan's Will Ospreay for the rave reviews of the Jr. Heavyweight champion's performances that devolved into Rollins citing his bank account as proof of quality matches. Quite simply, the winner of the Universal title at Wrestlemania this year isn't majorly over with the audience.

When the HIAC main event took the ring, the red lighting that remained throughout the match should've been a clue that something wacky was going to happen. Wyatt seemingly no sold much of Rollins' offense until the champion got the advantage and hit nearly a dozen curb stomps to the challenger, but Wyatt kicked out of all of them, making the concept of the stomp as a finish totally useless. I understand that in the modern era finishers are used for high spots instead of actual finishes or to attempt to sell a false finish, but the overuse of the curb stomp here was completely ridiculous. How exactly are the fans supposed to buy it as a devastating move after this? More specifically, what does is say about the caliber of a competitor if they are pin from one stomp now? Most importantly, how many iconic finishes were ever used this often in a match? When did Stone Cold have to use a dozen stunners to win a match? Did the Undertaker have to use five tombstones to get a victory?

The extended beat down that went on for several minutes and saw Seth use chairs, ladders, a toolbox, and a hammer not only went on too long, but it turned the crowd against Rollins. Seth was beating a defenseless opponent with several objects, who is the heel here? When you consider that his opponent is one of the most over acts on WWE TV, what did management exact to happen?

The finish that saw Seth use a sledge hammer, prompting the referee to call for the bell was where the WWE jumped the shark to get out of the corner they booked themselves in when they scheduled this match. It doesn't matter if the "official decision" was a DQ or a stoppage, the entire selling point and history of the cell match is that anything goes and that there must be a winner. Ultimately, management didn't deliver what was advertised with a HIAC stipulation. Again, what did WWE brass expect the reaction to be to this? The obvious example is that Mick Foley was thrown off the cell and put through the roof, but the match continued so it's difficult to credibly sell any stoppage for this stipulation.

While the concept of sports entertainment allows for the limits of logic to be stretched for certain angles, the WWE took it too far in this scenario and it made them look foolish. It's often said that when you insult the audience's intelligence you can sour them on the product and this situation might be the prime example of that. I'm guessing that Bray's post-match attack was designed for him to get his heat back or make him look strong before the show went off the air, but the entire structure of the match might've ruined some of his character. With any time of sinister gimmick there's a fine line between something that's too cartoonish too be taken seriously and something that has a unique aura that draws money. The Undertaker's ability to make his persona quite possible the best portrayed character in the history of the industry is the best example. At HIAC, Bray Wyatt went from sinister to silly with a comeback that was too over the top because the beat down was too over the top. Similar to when Braun somehow got smashed in a garbage truck, Bray's virtual no sell of a 12-minute assault makes the audience shake their head.

Possibly the most ridiculous aspect of all of this nonsense is the fact that Bray's ability to no sell such offense doesn't fit with any narrative that was presented on Raw prior to the HIAC pay-per-view. The Fiend is supposed to be Wyatt's alter ego when he's pushed over the edge so it's well-established that Bray is made of flesh and blood. When exactly did he get super powers to no sell a sledge hammer? The whole thing is so preposterous that it makes the product look silly, not brutal or dangerous. The angle and the response to it could do more to hinder Bray than anything else, and the hostile reaction could taint his character. In many respects, this event was counterproductive to any progress that was made to get Bray over again after his potential was wasted for much of his original run.

Obviously, management knew about the lackluster feedback from the pay-per-view because there was no follow-up to the Rollins/Wyatt match on Raw. Who knows where Wyatt goes from here, but if the writing team wants to maintain any of his momentum then he has to be booked for a meaningful angle.

At a time when WWE has legitimate competition for the first time in nearly two decades, it's tough to understand why decisions such as the finish for the HIAC main event was made because it's a way to directly sour fans on the product. Granted, I know that most of the point is moot because the company is already going to generated record-setting revenue because of the new TV contracts, but at some point the lack of stars being made now will affect the company in the future. There's only so many nostalgia acts that can provide a boost of star power for signature events. The booking fumbles of today could come back to bite them in five years, especially when you consider that John Cena is still the most recent money-drawing star the company made in the modern era.

Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

This month marks nine years since Cain Velasquez defeated Brock Lesnar for the UFC Heavyweight championship via TKO in the first round. Since the bout where referee rescued Brock from further damage and declared Velasquez the winner, each athlete took different paths, but ironically found the same destination.

For Lesnar, the devastating defeat was more or less the beginning of the end of his stint in MMA, as a combination of diverticulitis and an aversion to punches to the face led to the conclusion of his UFC career with a record of 5-3-1 in the sport. Still, Brock was a very wise businessman and often used the potential of an MMA return as a bargaining chip to get a better WWE deal. As I've discussed before, the Brock experiment has yielded mixed results and arguably diminishing returns. The repetitive move set and routine set up for angles were stale. The concept of Brock as a continuously dominate champion the past few years with limited appearances became an excuse for the lack of intriguing booking otherwise. The most important aspect of this scenario is, did the investment into Brock's hefty contract pay off? More specifically, how many other performers were made bigger stars after they worked with him? Remember when Lesnar mailed in a match at Wrestlemania 32? How about when Brock's mega push was supposed to pay off and finally get Roman Reigns over as the top star? Does Seth Rollins draw more money since he beat Lesnar twice this year?

The title switch during the Fox debut was more to pay lip service to the network to create some buzz at the start of the $1 billion TV contract. As mentioned previously, the modern era has a lack of legitimate money-drawing stars on the current roster, and Kofi Kingston's title run is essentially a prime example as to why the ratings boost from nostalgia acts aren't retained the following weeks with the current product. Kofi's moment at Wrestlemania 35 was a very memorable moment that he earned with over a decade under contract. After that win, he was paired against Dolph Ziggler, an entertaining athlete, but used as a glorified enhancement talent in between sporadic pushes so that didn't do much to elevate his status as WWE champion. His run also played second fiddle to Brock's MITB win and cash-in. Plus, a few average matches against Orton leaves Kofi's title reign basically just that tremendous moment at WM. The point being, in the six months that he was champion, Kingston wasn't spotlighted as the featured star at any particular point during that run. I've seen some on social media claim that the flash victory, similar to fast KOs in MMA, paints the defeat as a fluke. I completely disagree for two main reasons. First, one of the advantages that sports entertainment has over MMA is that pro wrestling can make sure the fans get a show instead of a lackluster fight if a contest is one-sided. Second, if the fluke victory was designed to make sure Kofi wasn't squashed then there would be a set up for a rematch, but it's doubtful that happens and it it does, would there be any chance management would book Kofi to beat Lesnar? The most simplistic explanation is usually the right answer, and the harsh reality is that WWE brass probably doesn't have more main event plans for Kingston any time soon. This is emphasized when you consider that the story from the Fox debut is Cain Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar, not a Kofi rematch.

Speaking of Cain Velasquez, prior to and after his dominate win over Brock, he looked to be on the path to become the greatest heavyweight in the history of the sport. A smaller, but still powerful heavyweight, Cain's amateur wrestling background gave him technique and speed that he blended with boxing skills to have a well-rounded style that had no major flaws. But, in the nine years since he claimed the UFC belt, injuries completely derailed his momentum throughout his career in the cage. Shoulder, Knee, and back injuries put him on the sidelines for extended periods of time and saw bouts delayed or cancelled. After two and a half years outside of the octagon, Cain returned to the UFC this past February for a contest against  Francis Ngannou on ESPN. Velasquez was clipped with a punch that led to a stoppage in just 26 seconds of the first round. The defeated prompted questions about his future in MMA. Still, Cain is a former two-time UFC heavyweight champion with a 14-3 record.

A well-known wrestling fan, Cain made headlines last year when he trained at the WWE Performance Center, fueling speculation that he could make the transition to the squared circle. Eventually, Velasquez did make the jump to the ring when he debuted for AAA at their Triplemania event in August and then followed that up with another match last month. Despite it being his start in sports entertainment, Velasquez did well and garnered rave reviews for his performance in Mexico. The Rey Mysterio attack on Raw was very well done and proves Lesnar could put it into a second gear if he wants to really deliver an impactful segment. That set up very well for the Velasquez debut on Smackdown, as it's the popular Mexican heavyweight that's a true fan of lucha libre showing to save the Mexican legend.

The contract situation of all this get a little murky. Cain was signed to at least a three-match deal for AAA, but the group cancelled its scheduled Los Angeles card where Velasquez was supposed to wrestle a match. Perhaps the cancelled event voids the deal? As of this writing, the former champion is still under contract to the UFC, but he withdrew from the USADA testing pool last week so it's very possible that he will retire from MMA. Even if Cain still has a deal with UFC, it wouldn't prevent him from inking a WWE contract. If Velasquez retires from MMA, he could sign for other projects, but would simply still be under UFC contract if he decides to return to the sport. The WWE side of negotiations get more complex, as depending on their plans for him, Cain might be signed for a Goldberg deal or something more full-time for the company.

Similar to Ronda Rousey, Cain's notoriety from the octagon makes him a commodity, but if he signs for any major length of time, his inexperience might be considered to avoided exposing any weaknesses. Considering his accomplishments and history with Lesnar, Velasquez can't logically start his career squashing Jinder Mahal every week on Smackdown. If this is a brief deal then a few well-planned matches are all that are needed, but if WWE is going to put him over Lesnar at any point, you can bet they wouldn't want him to be able to take that momentum elsewhere. At 37, Cain probably isn't the next top Hispanic star that Rey Mysterio passes the torch to, but his addition to the company gives them a very valuable boost as the organization starts their major TV contracts.

How much Velasquez can do in the ring and how he develops as a potentially full-time wrestler could answer many of the possible questions about this scenario. The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer speculated that the Lesnar vs. Velasquez match could take place later this month in Saudi Arabia because of the amount of money the Saudi government would be willing to pay for the bout, but let's hope that's not booked, simply because most of the viewing audience wouldn't watch it with the random afternoon time slot. If that is the scheduled match then Brock/Cain is basically a one-off match because the momentum of the "rematch" wouldn't be utilized for the majority of WWE's audience. Despite the financial aspect of the Saudi shows, Wrestlemania is still the biggest show of the year and could have a bigger impact on the rest product than a random Saudi show. Cain Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar should happen at Wrestlemania, but it remains to be seen how management could stretch the feud six months, especially without a match before that. I have to be honest, I was very surprised that Valequez showed up on Smackdown because I thought he would work regularly for AAA for a while before he made any type of move in sports entertainment. At a time when the show needs it, the former UFC champion brings a lot of star power to the table and gives viewers a reason to watch on Fox. Hopefully, this won't become a Hogan/Warrior situation where Velasquez was brought to WWE so that Lesnar could "get his win back" so to speak. Unless this angle will be designed to launch Cain as a full-time wrestler, I'm not sure where it goes from here. Lesnar has worked with and defeated almost everyone that would be considered a credible opponent on the WWE roster, and new stars haven't been made during that process so what other opponents are there for him? The initial Velasquez vs. Lesnar match will be major money and publicity for WWE, but unless Cain goes over, management will be back to this situation where Brock doesn't have fresh opponents. If a series of makes with Lesnar solidifies Velasquez in sports entertainment then it creates an entirely new scenario for the product That said, this adds a fresh dynamic to WWE and more importantly, its something new for Lesnar since his run has been stale the past few years.

AEW on TNT

A historic night in the history of professional wrestling is in the books and proved why competition in the industry is such a key piece of the puzzle for success.

All Elite Wrestling brought the sport back to TNT for the first time since 2001 after Vince McMahon's purchase of World Championship Wrestling saw the genre conclude on the network after it was a staple there for years, including the Nitro show that sparked the Monday Night Wars in the late-90s. While these head-to-head broadcasts of AEW and NXT on the same night don't automatically translate to another ratings battle, it certainly created a fun viewing experience for the audience. More specifically, in an effort to prevent channel surfacing, an aspect that was critical during the Raw and Nitro era, there were a few commercials on both shows that used a split screen so that viewers could still see the action while advertisements ran as well.

The Cody entrance to start the show had the atmosphere of a memorable moment, and if this project truly gets off the ground, the retrospective of Cody's walk to the ring will be a particularly historic moment. The match against Sammy Guevara looked a little disjointed earlier on, but built well to a good finish of the match. It was a very wise move for AEW to have the Chris Jericho run-in just before the first commercial break of the show and then have it run through to keep the viewers following the attack instead of flipping over to USA. Granted, maybe DVR will limit the effectiveness of the tactics to maintain an audience, but if nothing else, the program that generates the best live numbers might have an edge in the competition on Wednesday nights.

While the "Dynamite" show wasn't perfect, it was very solid and even though the ratings won't be listed until later this week, the on-screen presentation looked like a major league product, which is just as, if not more important than the bell-to-bell action on a national level. Obviously, it's just one television show and only so much can be taken from a small sample size, but it's at least an indication that All Elite Wrestling won't be an indy style promotion put on national TV. The guys that look to be focal points going forward were made to look important on the broadcast, and the scripting of the show gave an impression about who the new stars are at the point. For example, Brandon Cutler might get a push in the future, but right now isn't his time so it makes sense to push MJF with a one-sided victory because that is the athlete that looks to be an important part of the company as a heel in the early stages. I also thought it was a smart choice not to clutter the broadcast with too many intro videos, assuming that viewers would have absolutely no idea who the athletes were. Yes, the entire point of a national show is to gain new fans, but I've always thought that generic introduction packages weren't effective because how many times has something like that really drawn someone into the product? The stories from when someone discovers a promotion is that they saw Roddy Piper on screen or Stone Cold in a memorable segment. A solid show will allow the fans to discover the product organically, which can build an audience as the company tries to make progress in the next few months.

Something that I didn't think worked was anything involved with Kevin Smith cameo, as Jack Evans rambling came across as awkward mic work, and Private Party didn't appear as stars, but more as an afterthought in the background. That said, the Page/Pac was a solid bout that brought substance to a lot of the sizzle that surrounded the hype of the debut on TNT. How far Pac or Page go under the AEW banner long term remains to be seen, but it's undeniable that WWE completely missed the boat on the former Neville. From there, Riho won the women's championship after a decent match and it was a good decision to have her go over as the first-ever champion because as I mentioned before, the Joshi athletes are a unique commodity to promote and can be used to draw a different demographic than the typical wrestling crowd.

The main event was a quality match and really helped make the impression of what the AEW brand is about on TNT. That said, the more important aspect of this was the angle that was done for it, including the return of Jon Moxley, who missed the All Out pay-per-view as a result of surgery for an injury. Moxley is another recognizable name and he's still in the prime of his career so not only is it valuable for him to return in time for the TNT debut, but he's a major asset as a performer as the company tries to establish itself. Jake Hager, the former Jack Swagger made a surprise appearance, appeared to align himself with a heel stable along with Jericho, Santana, Ortiz, and Guevara. At 37, it's unknown how much Hager brings to the table depending on how long he plans to continue a professional wrestling career, and his style doesn't necessarily fit into what AEW has presented so far, but that could actually be something useful for him. Since the formation of the promotion was based on fan support, much of the core AEW audience cheers many of the roster. Swagger using a completely different style and beating down some of the fan favorites could get him major heat from the crowd. Booking a heel stable around Jericho also emphasizes him as a centerpiece of the promotion and at the same time, it puts an additional spotlight on  Guevara, Santana, and Ortiz. Plus, it sets up for an eventual major five-on-five match in a few months.

The narrative of NXT is already established because of the years of events behind it, but the transition to USA has a new objective for the product. Time will tell how effective the NXT product will be on main stream television, but the move has already yielded a boost for the brand. Adam Cole and Matt Riddle had a standout match for the championship. I've said it before and I will say it again, Adam Cole has all the skills to be a major star in the business. Finn Balor returned to WWE TV after a brief stint to take time off and the decision to bring him back to NXT as opposed to Raw or Smackdown serves a dual purpose. First, it gives him the chances to be much more successful because the argument could be made that he was continuously underutilized on Raw and won't get lost in the shuffle of the other brands. It also provides more depth to NXT, something that is very important since the show expanded to two hours for USA. Speaking of adding depth to the roster, Tommaso Ciampa also returned after several months on the sideline from injury. Ciampa was probably always penciled in to be back at NXT, but the Balor move is more or less a direct response to the AEW show on TNT. As mentioned, this entire situation proves the importance of competition of the industry because there hasn't been this amount of hype around the sport in the past few years.